White and Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

As I was shopping at the grocery store this weekend I came upon the biggest, most beautiful, luscious looking stemmed strawberries. At first I passed them by but then I went back to get them thinking they would make a great Mother's Day gift for some of my neighbors. They were the most perfect strawberries for dipping in chocolate.

There is something decadent about a chocolate covered strawberry.  The combination of the sweetness of the strawberry and creaminess of the chocolate makes it an irresistible indulgence. If you have ever walked by a Godiva Chocolates when they have chocolate dipped strawberries in the window, they seem to beckon you to come into the store.

And just one chocolate dipped strawberry is all one needs to satisfy a sweet tooth.

I couldn't decide whether to dip the strawberries in dark or white chocolate.  But then I thought why choose?  Why not just make some dipped in dark chocolate and some in white chocolate?

Cutting the chocolate into thin chards makes the melting process easier. Once the chocolate is chopped, it is placed over a saucepan of simmering water.

When I dip the strawberries I generally remove the chocolate from the heat as the simmering water will continue to increase the temperature of the chocolate which may cause it to breakdown. When this happens the sheen of chocolate is affected causing the chocolate to set up having what looks like a film over it.

I like to double dip the strawberries.  Once the chocolate sets up on the strawberry, you dip them into the chocolate again.  This is what makes them a little more decadent.

Recipe
White and Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Ingredients
2 to 3 dozen large stemmed strawberries
12 to 16 ounces Dark Chocolate Ghiradelli Candy Making and Dipping Bar
12 to 16 ounce White Chocolate Ghiradelli Candy Making and Dipping Bar

Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop chocolates and place over simmering water until melted.
3. Dip strawberries one at a time in either the white or dark chocolate.  Dip one side of strawberry, then the other to create a finished V look. Place dipped strawberry on parchment paper and allow to set.
4. Once set, dip the strawberries a second time.  Place on parchment paper and allow to set.
5. When set, place in white cupcake papers and arrange on a platter to serve.  

From the time I was ten years old there have been many women who have come into my life and became what I call my surrogate mothers.  They were always women who I admired and learned from. Whether these women were in my life for short or long periods of time, I have treasured all of them. Since moving to the east coast, there have been women who have taken me under their wing, looked after me, and shared their wisdom with me. I have felt incredibly blessed to be the recipient of their kindnesses and generous hearts.

I have a friend who believes in past lives. People who come into our present day lives have also had a role in a previous life, thus explaining why we often have an unexplainable connection to people that cross our paths.  Regardless the concept of past lives is true or not, I do believe that people come into our lives for a reason.

Roasted Balsamic Glazed Onions

How many of us heard the mantra 'eat your vegetables' growing up?  From the mushy canned asparagus to the hard to describe color of canned peas, I developed an aversion to eating all kinds of vegetables at a young age. I don't think any of us would have had to be reminded or coaxed to eat our vegetables if they were fresh, not canned or frozen, and roasted.

Vegetables are transformed they when roasted. You almost feel guilty eating them because anything tasting that good has to be a high- calorie-not good for you food. If only my first experiences eating vegetables were ones that were roasted, I probably would have considered becoming a vegetarian. Well maybe my eating habits wouldn't have shifted to that end of the continuum. Most likely they would have landed somewhere in the middle.

Of all of the vegetables I have roasted, hands down red onions are my favorites, particularly when a balsamic glaze is poured over them. When red onions are roasted they have a sweetness to them that makes them even more addictive than the high-calorie-not-good-for you foods. And if they weren't good enough all on their own, the added balsamic glaze puts them in the beyond sinfully good food group.

They are the perfect vegetable to serve with chicken, turkey, pork or fish. The roasted balsamic glazed onions served with a roasted chicken and some mashed potatoes create a perfect comfort food meal anytime of the year. And who doesn't need their soul and spirit nourished by comfort food?

It all begins with four pounds of medium-sized red onions.

The onions are cut in half before the red skins are peeled away.  Don't be tempted to cut off the root ends as it will make it difficult to keep your onion wedges intact during the roasting process.

This recipe calls for cutting the onions into 3/4 inch wedges.  You can also cut them in 3/4 inch rings, however, if you choose that option you will peel the onion while it is whole before cutting.

All of the onion wedges are put into bowl and lightly tossed with one quarter cup of extra-virgin olive oil.

The onions are placed on two aluminum foil lined baking sheets, cut side down.  The aluminum foil ensures the onions do not stick to the baking sheets as well as make clean up easy. Once the onions are spread out over the baking sheets, they are sprinkled with kosher salt and pepper.

The onions are roasted at 500 degrees for 45 minutes. Halfway through the baking process the onions are turned and the baking sheets are rotated.

The red onions caramelize and soften in the roasting.  Pieces of the onion will blacken but not to worry. Once the balsamic glaze is added all of the flavors meld together.

The balsamic glaze is made while the onions are roasting.  Melted butter, sugar and balsamic vinegar, once cooked, become a slightly thickened glaze used to pour over the onions. Finish by sprinkling some sea salt over the top.

Recipe
Roasted Balsamic Glazed Onions (slight adaption of recipe in Bon Appetit from long ago)
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
4 pounds medium sized red onions
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons sugar
6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt, sea salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil.
2. Peel onions and cut through root end into 3/4 inch wedges.
3. Place cut onions in large bowl and toss with olive oil.
4. Arrange onions cut side down on baking sheets.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper.
5. Roast onions for approximately 45 minutes, turning onions once midway and rotating pans in the oven.  Onions will be browned and tender.
6. While onions are roasting, melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat.
7. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.
8. Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar.
9. Return to heat, simmer until mixture thickens slightly, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
10. Arrange onions on a platter, drizzle with balsamic glaze, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.
Note: Onions and balsamic glaze can be made one day ahead.  After cooking cool and then refrigerate. Cover separately.  Rewarm onions in 375 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes.  Stir glaze over low heat to rewarm.  Combine and serve.

We all get used to some of the predictability in our lives, helping to give us some balance. Whether it's a routine we create for ourselves to begin or end the day or a pattern of behavior that leads to the outcomes we are seeking, we can all be creatures of habit.  Sometimes we have habits that are hard to break or even harder to give up. But then there are also those predictable habits that bring a little bit of sanity and joy to the chaos of our lives. These habits often turn into predictable routines that we look forward to with anticipation. They can be as simple as talking with your best friend at the end of the day, getting a morning email from someone you are smitten with, or going out for a run. 

It is when there is a disruption to these routines that we realize how important were or how much they meant to us.  As busy and hectic as life can be, nothing is more important than staying connected to those important to you as well as taking time to things for yourself. When we become 'too busy' to make that end of the day call, send the morning text or email or find time for a run, we begin to create a new habit, the habit of unpredictability. 

Panna Cotta w/ Balsamic Strawberries

It has been several years, maybe longer, but I am still one of those mourning the loss of Borders Bookstores.  At least weekly I would spend hours browsing in this bookstore. It was my secret little treat to myself. Invariably my decisions to buy a book at either Borders or on Amazon would be because I could actually see, hold and spend time with a book without anyone looking over my shoulder.  I am someone who needs to have a book jacket speak to me and then read the first few pages to see if I get hooked. If it's a cookbook, I need to find at least one recipe that I find interesting. I have yet to find a bookstore that I love spending time in like I did at Borders. But because I love holding the book I am reading, yes I find reading hardcover books so satisfying (am still fighting the switch to reading on a Kindle), I am still browsing in bookstores. Although it's now just a different experience. Earlier in the week I went to a Barnes and Noble to look at a cookbook I had read about.  As I went through it, I decided it wasn't what I thought it was or wanted it to be.

But as I was slowly walking through the aisle of the cookbook section, I stopped and looked at some of the Italian cookbooks. With as many Italian cookbooks that I own, I definitely didn't need another one. But Fabio Viviani (I had no idea who he is/was as much as I watch cooking shows) has a new book, Fabio's Italian Kitchen. There was a bit of snarkyness (is that a word?) in his writing that I found a little humorous. He also had a recipe for Panna Cotta that was made differently than all of the other Panna Cotta recipes I have tried and made before. The combination of his writing and the Panna Cotta recipe intrigued me enough that I left with the book. In my world this would be instant gratification.

Over the years I have experimented with a variety of Panna Cotta recipes always in search in the perfect recipe. Some of these have included a Buttermilk Panna Cotta, one that uses honey instead of sugar, and one with a higher cream to milk ratio just to name a few.  Never had I made one where there was an ice bath step in the process, but OMG, this seriously is the best Panna Cotta I have ever made.  I seriously think it is the closest thing to Panna Cotta perfection. Finally, my search for the perfect recipe has ended and I no longer have to look at another Panna Cotta recipe again, except out of curiosity.

I am self-confessed chocoholic, but put Panna Cotta on the dessert menu in a restaurant and suddenly the thought of eating chocolate for dessert seems like a terrible idea. There is something about the taste of the creaminess of this Italian 'cooked cream' that is so satisfying that it just beckons to be ordered, to be eaten for dessert. It is not as rich as creme brulee and not as sweet as flan. For me panna cotta is the perfect of all custard-like desserts.

The recipe called for serving the Panna Cotta with a red wine reduction sauce. But I knew I wanted to make it with the balsamic strawberries.  Even though I have gone on the the rant of "I will only eat freshly picked native strawberries" awhile back, the strawberries in the supermarket are actually transformed by the brown sugar and balsamic glaze.  So all I needed from the grocery store to make this recipe were the strawberries because I had everything else in either the refrigerator or the cupboard.

The gelatin and milk are combined in a heavy saucepan allowing the gelatin to bloom for approximately 20 minutes. Then the heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla and salt are added and cooked over medium heat for approximately 6 to 7 minutes or until gelatin and sugars have dissolved.  This mixture definitely needs to feel warm to the touch.

The original recipe called for one and half teaspoons of vanilla, but I didn't think that was enough. So I increased the amount of vanilla to one tablespoon. When getting the ingredients ready for this panna cotta I suddenly remembered I had bought some vanilla bean paste a few weeks earlier. So I went with the bean paste. One tablespoon of vanilla bean paste equals one tablespoon of vanilla extract. The benefit of using the bean paste is that it added some flecks of the bean to mixture.  But if you only have vanilla extract, don't worry about not having any flecks.

After the mixture is cooked, it is placed over an ice bath for 30 minutes or until it begins to thicken slightly. I was amazed that the ice bath actually began to thicken the panna cotta.  Having never put panna cotta in an ice bath before putting in bowls or ramekins I wasn't sure what to expect.  Definitely stir the mixture before pouring into the serving dish of your choice. 

Once the mixture is poured into serving dishes, you cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to six hours or preferably overnight.  This is a very easy dish to put together the night before.

While the Panna Cotta is chilling, I made the balsamic strawberries.  What's so nice about these berries is that three simple ingredients turns strawberries into a sweet, slightly tangy sauce.  

Cut up as little as a pint of strawberries and as much as a quart. Remove the greens and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Light brown sugar is mixed with the balsamic vinegar and poured over the strawberries.  I generally like to make my strawberries early in the day to allow the berries to soak up the brown sugar and vinegar mixture.

The berries also deepen in color which makes them look even more appetizing.  A few months ago I had brought a panna cotta with the balsamic strawberries over to a neighbor's house as I was assigned dessert. No one ever had this combination and everyone loved it.  Actually they were surprised at how much they did like it, because the thought of balsamic vinegar and strawberries was not one they thought would have worked.

When the panna cotta is thoroughly chilled, top with a couple tablespoons of the berries and some of the macerating liquid. You can also unmold the panna cotta, serve on a plate and place the berries on top. This panna cotta is so creamy delicious it almost does not need to be served with anything else. For the less adventuresome in your family or amongst your friends, serve theirs plan but make them take a bit of someone else's with the balsamic strawberries. I would bet they will be asking for you to pass the balsamic strawberries.

Recipe

Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries (Panna Cotta recipe slightly adapted from Fabio Viviani in Fabio's Italian Kitchen)

Ingredients

For the Panna Cotta

3 1/2 teaspoons Knox gelatin (slightly less than two packets)

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

6 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract)

pinch of sea salt

For the Balsamic Strawberries

1 pint of ripe strawberries, leaves removed, and cut into bite sized pieces

3 Tablespoons light brown sugar

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

For the Panna Cotta

1. Place gelatin and milk in a medium sized heavy saucepan and allow the gelatin to bloom (20 minutes was suggested)

2. Add cream, brown sugar, vanilla and salt.

3. On medium heat, heat until gelatin and sugar dissolves.  Approximately 6 to 7 minutes.  The mixture should be warm.

4. Put mixture in a glass bowl over an ice bath for 30 minutes to allow to slightly thicken.

5. Stir mixture and then pour into ramekins or the serving dishes of your choice.  Depending on the size of ramekins or bowls you use, it will make 5 to 8 servings.

6. Chill covered in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

For the Balsamic Strawberries
1. Mix balsamic vinegar with brown sugar. Pour over cut strawberries.  
2. Let macerate in the refrigerator for several hours.

When getting ready to serve the Panna Cotta, top each one with two tablespoons of strawberries and some of the liquid.  You can also unmold the Panna Cotta using the same aforementioned presentation.  Serve extra strawberries on the side.

Last week I promised myself that I would walk and/or walk/run five days a week as challenging as my work schedule can be.  In week one I lived up to the promise.  I don't know if I feel better because I exercised or if I kept a promise I made to myself. Most weeks begin with good intentions and then I let life get in the way, rarely putting myself first. There is no time like the present to make a paradigm shift.  I can give more if I feel better.  So it should end up being a win-win.

As I was walking on the beach one night this week, I texted my sister a photo of the ocean. That text communication turned into a conversation that I think had the phrase 'get ready for another marathon' in it.  I haven't gone back to read the text because I was in shock.  More than a decade ago, more like 15 years ago, it was my sister that pushed me to begin running. Needless to say, it wasn't easy to begin running as an 'older' adult. But I built enough stamina and endurance to first run a few 5ks, the some 10ks, then some half-marathons, then a 20 miler, and then two marathons. Honestly, I felt my best when I was running. I am not sure I am up for another marathon, but would like to be able to run another 10k sometime during the summer.  One thing is for certain, I won't be running a race with my sister. She is seven years younger, even more competitive than I am, and let's just say I had a bad race experience with her once.  I love my sister dearly, but hearing her say 'suck it up' doesn't even begin to describe the experience.

Mussels in Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

On a beautiful day last summer, I suggested to one my peers we give ourselves permission to actually leave the office and go out for a well-deserved lunch. I had been eating either Yogurt or Balance Bars at my desk for weeks and desperately needed to get out to breathe in some fresh air. Initially the plan was to just go somewhere local, however, we ended up driving over two bridges to Trattoria Simpatico, an Italian restaurant, in Jamestown. It would be the first time, but not the last time, I would eat at this restaurant. My co-worker had been a regular there and knew his way around the menu. Having relocated from the midwest (aka land of red meat) to the east coast just a couple months earlier, I scanned the menu to see what kind of seafood they had. As we looked at the menu, I saw they had lobster rolls, but he said their mussels were phenomenal. Not ever having gone to lunch with him before, I said 'do you want to share the mussels and the lobster roll?'.  Thank goodness he said yes, as I wanted to taste both menu options and not have to choose.

The bowl of mussels came to the table first. After eating a few of the mussels and dipping some bread into the sauce, I realized that Mark's description of the mussels as being phenomenal didn't do them justice. Perfectly steamed and bathed in a garlic wine cream sauce they were over the top incredible. I suddenly thought that sharing wasn't such a great idea after all as I could have eaten the entire bowl myself!  

I had gone back to that restaurant several times after that lunch and always ordered the mussels. They were consistently as delicious as the first time.  I have ordered mussels in a restaurant, but I had never made them before. And the reason for this?  Living in the midwest there was not the same availability and access to them as there is out east along the coast. This was really just the excuse I used because I had actually convinced myself they were difficult to make. So a year after that lunch, I finally, yes finally, ventured into the making of mussels arena and got over the 'this is too difficult' way of thinking.

What I needed though was a recipe that would be as close as possible to the bowl of the mussels in garlic cream sauce I had eaten at Trattoria Simpatico. Yes, these made quite an impression on my palate. After going through my cookbooks, cooking magazines, food blogs and internet links, I finally found one that got my attention. Mussels in Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce. Let me just say that my persistence and patience was rewarded.  I actually think these mussels are even better than the ones I first tasted last summer. It didn't take more than eating two mussels and dipping some bread in the beyond delicious roasted garlic cream sauce that I wondered why I had avoided making mussels. Fear of the unknown, maybe. Fear of failure, probably more likely the answer.

Fresh mussels are pretty inexpensive and incredibly accessible out here.  They are probably equally inexpensive and accessible in the midwest, but I wasn't looking.  When buying mussels you want to be certain that none of them are opened or cracked. Those are the ones you want to throw away as they would be dead and most likely spoiled mussels.

I love garlic either raw and cooked. When garlic is roasted its flavor is even further enhanced and transformed.  There is a subtle sweetness to roasted garlic.  For the garlic cream sauce, two heads of garlic are roasted at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  You begin by peeling away as much as the white paper while leaving the head intact, then cutting about a quarter off the top, just enough to expose the cloves.  The garlic heads are drizzled in extra virgin olive oil and then wrapped in aluminum foil.  Once roasted, you let them cool for about 15-20 minutes before removing the soft, creamy cloves.

What is not to love about a sauce made with shallots, garlic, lemon juice, white wine, and heavy cream?  The mildness of the shallots combined with the sweetness of the roasted garlic make for a lethal combination in this sauce. Make certain you have a fresh loaf of sourdough or a french baguette when making this dish.  It is as much about eating the mussels as it is about soaking up the sauce with the bread.

Once the shallots are sauted in extra virgin oil, the lemon juice and wine are added and cooked until the wine is reduced by half. Once the wine is reduced, the heavy cream, salt, pepper and roasted garlic is added. The sauce is simmered for about five to seven minutes or until slightly thickened.  The consistency of this sauce is more like a not too thick cream soup and still very pourable.  This is one extraordinary sauce.

Cook only with wine you are willing to drink or serve to others. In looking at steamed mussel recipes, I was equally interested in knowing which 'white' wine was most often recommended.  And the answer is Pinot Grigio.  The wine is used in both in the roasted garlic cream sauce and in steaming the mussels.  But not to worry, you will still have enough left in the bottle for at least two to three glasses to serve with the mussels.

The mussels are steamed in a combination of water and wine (aka Pinot Grigio).  It literally takes only four minutes to cook them.  So it is important that you make the sauce before you make the mussels. The original recipe called for using four pounds of mussels.  I cut that in half but did not change any of the ingredient proportions. 

The steamed mussels are plated and then then the roasted garlic sauce is poured over them. Chives and chopped flat parsley are the herb garnishes. These herbs are the perfect finishing touch and definitely complete the dish. Don't even think of omitting them.

Recipe
Mussels in Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce (slight adaptation of the recipe posted on the Disney Parks blog)

Ingredients
Roasted Garlic Puree
2 large heads garlic
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 medium sized or 1 large shallot minced (about 4 tablespoons)
1/2 cup Pinot Grigio
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mussels
4 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded (I used 2 pounds of mussels but did change the proportions of wine and water when steaming them.)
1 cup Pinot Grigio
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons each of chopped chives and flat leaf parsley
1 baguette or loaf of sourdough bread

Directions
For the roasted garlic puree:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove excess papery skin from garlic, keeping head intact. Cut top 1/4 off  of garlic head, exposing the cloves.

2. Place each head of garlic cut side up on an individual square of aluminum foil. Drizzle each with oil.  Wrap in foil, sealing edges.

3. Place pouch in oven, and roast for 45 minutes. Cool for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cool enough to  handle.

4. Squeeze garlic from skins into a small bowl. Discard skins. Mash garlic with a fork until smooth.

For the roasted garlic cream sauce:

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Cook until reduced by half, stirring  occasionally, about 5 minutes.

2. Add cream, Roasted Garlic Puree, salt, and pepper, whisking to combine. Simmer (do not boil) until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.

For the mussels:

1. Place mussels, wine, and water in a large heavy dutch oven or stock pot. Turn heat to high, cover  and bring to a boil.

2. Cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes. Remove and discard any mussels that do not open. Strain cooking liquid from mussels and discard liquid.

3. Place mussels in a large serving bowl, or in individual shallow bowls. 

4. Pour Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce over mussels, and garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and chives. Serve immediately.

This morning I attended a conference where one of the speakers more than strongly suggested that the use of the word 'can't' is sometimes nothing more than an excuse for not dealing with conflicts, professionally and personally. As I listened to him this morning, I thought about what it feels like to be on the receiving end of that word as well as how it feels when I use that word with myself. The short answer to my musings and reflections was: not good.

There are so many more possibilities and opportunities for us to grow or to just be happy when we spend time looking to find a way to make something work rather than on spending time and energy digging in or putting up the I can't roadblocks. When I haven't been able to push myself, I have genuinely been grateful to all of those in my life who pushed me when I said I couldn't do something.  My sister who pushed me to run; a co-worker who pushed me to get my doctorate; and my friends who pushed me to finish my doctorate are just a few examples of those in my life who cared enough about me to not let me retreat into the world of I can't.

For me when I use or hear the word can't, what I mean or what I hear is I don't want to (try). Can't do it are words that may cause your heart and brain to temporarily freeze, don't want to are words that permanently turn off your heart and brain. So if you have someone in your life you really care about, either push them (yes you can) or be honest with them (don't want to). And don't forget it's just as important to push or be honest with yourself. Can't is merely a word that either keeps you from realizing your potential or experiencing happiness.