Chicken Alfredo Pizza

So a month or two ago, Liz and the kids went out of town, leaving me all alone to fend for myself.

Yes there was the customary honey-do list of all the jobs that are easier to do when there aren't little feet stomping around.  But having the kitchen to myself gave me the unique opportunity to experiment without four extra little hands trying to help.

I also invited my older brother Jeff over to help me tinker with a few ideas.  He has a few years in the restaurant business under his belt and loves cooking as much as I do.  The guy has mad cooking skills and a great imagination.  So when the two of us get in the kitchen together, it can be a blast, in both the enjoyable and dangerous way.  With college football playing in the background, we began a series of experiments.

The decision was made to attempt a few different types of unusual pizzas.  First, there was the Buffalo Chicken Pizza, which was a rousing success, probably the best we've ever had.  Second, there was a beef and cheese enchilada pizza.  There were some good ideas there, but a basic pizza crust just didn't blend well.  So maybe next time, we'll try a cornbread or polenta crust and a few extra veggies to make the flavors blend better.

Finally, we created this wonderful bit of garlicky goodness, the Chicken Alfredo pizza.  We used a half of a batch of our alfredo sauce to coat the crust, then buried it in lots of cheese, chicken and a couple of veggies. It's absolutely delicious.

There is a little prep on this recipe (about 30-40 minutes to build), but your hard work will defeintely be rewarded.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Meat
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices

Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
4 ounces whipping cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Other ingredients
1 12-14 inch pizza crust
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2-1 cup parmesan cheese
3 green onions
1/3 cup corn meal

Hardware
One cookie sheet
One pizza stone

Optional
1 diced tomato
Sliced or whole spinach
1 small zucchini, sliced into very small medallions
3 gloves garlic, roasted and then spread on the crust before adding the sauce

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and place your pizza stone on the center rack.  A long preheat will warm up the stone and toast the bottom of your pizza crust just right.

Grill, broil, pan-fry or bake your chicken breasts.  While doing this, add the butter and whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and allow it to reach a simmer.  Let it simmer for about 8 minutes.  Then add the garlic and black pepper and simmer for another 2 minutes.  Finally, add the Parmesan cheese, stir until combined and simmer for another 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set it aside.

Once the chicken breasts are cooked, cut them into slices and set aside.

Roll, stretch or spin your pizza crust out to the proper size.  Grab your cookie sheet.  If it doesn't have an edge on it, liberally sprinkle some of the cornmeal on the top of the sheet and place your crust upon it.  Why does it matter if it has an edge?  We're going to slide the prepared pizza off this cookie sheet directly onto the pizza stone and an edge will prevent that.  Don't have a cookie sheet without an edge?  No problem, just flip it over and place the crust on the back of the cookie sheet.

Spread the sauce liberally over the crust, then lay out the chicken and any veggies you wish to add. Cover with the cheeses and garnish with the sliced green onions and tomatoes (if you want).

Open the oven and sprinkle the rest of the cornmeal on the pizza stone.  Carefully slide the pizza from the pan onto the stone.  Cook for 17-20 minutes until the crust and cheese begin to brown.

Remove by using a pizza peel or paddle (yeah, like you have one of those)... or you can use a pair if spatulas to drag it off the stone onto a cookie sheet.  You can also remove the pizza stone from the oven and slide the pizza off onto a cookie sheet on the stove.  Just make sure you have lots of hand protection, because the stone will be hot.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

So invite some people over to experiment in the kitchen, build a pizza like this and bask in your creative aura.

Barbecue Chicken Calzones

So I had some leftover chicken the other day and decided to experiment.  I had a single cooked chicken breast sitting around in the fridge and tried to come up with something to do.  Sure I could have just made a sandwich, but that's so... well, boring sometimes.  So I thought, what about a chicken calzone?

It's been a long time since I've made a calzone, but I was feeling really lazy and didn't want to make a crust.  I did have some thaw and serve rolls in the freezer... so why not use those?  So I pulled four out of the bag, popped them in a pan and let them rise while I did some work around the house.  Once they thawed out, I kneaded them together, flattened them out into a circle, threw in all of the ingredients and baked it up.  And WOW did it turn out great!  The barbecue sauce bonded to the shredded chicken, but intermingled with the cheddar cheese.  The onion's sweetness slightly countered the tang of the barbecue sauce.  And the crust was crispy and chewy all at once.

The frozen roll dough can work great as pizza crust in a pinch.  I've done it before with the mini-pizza night and for that application, they're the perfect size.  If you have the time to make your own crust, great.  But I'm a big believer in taking shortcuts when you don't have the time or the desire to spend extra time in the kitchen on the weekend.  If you have the time to saute the onions, great.  If not, you can add them directly, they'll just be a little more crunchy.  And if you want some heat, sprinkle a little jalapeno inside as well.

Barbecue Chicken Calzones

Makes 4

3 large chicken breasts of thighs, fully cooked and either shredded, diced or sliced thin, your choice
3/4 cup favorite barbecue sauce
Enough dough to make one 14 in pizza crust or 16 frozen dinner rolls, thawed and raised.
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
1 purple onion, julienned into half moons
Another 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 teaspoons cilantro


Toss the chicken in a bowl with the first portion of barbecue sauce and set aside.  Lightly saute the onions so they become translucent, then set aside.

Divide the pizza dough into quarters.  Then pound, stretch and spin each quarter into a small round.  Place the barbecue sauce-covered chicken on one half of each round.  Spread some of the onions over the chicken, then top each with a generous amount of cheese.  Drizzle the second portion of the barbecue sauce over the cheese.  Fold the other half of the pizza circle over the toppings and pinch the edges closed.  Using a sharp knife, slice three small holes in the top so the heat and moisture will vent out, preventing a blowout.  Brush the tops of each with olive oil and sprinkle on the cilantro for decoration.

Place them in a 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until they turn golden brown.  Let set for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven.

So be lazy like me and make yourself some calzones the easy way!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

It was my birthday last week!  I'm getting close to what some people think are milestones.  Certain ages that cause people to feel like they should look back on their lives, maybe start taking it easy and slow down a bit...

Forget that.  Honestly, getting old is a state of mine.  Example:  My dad.  He's 72 and he can out-hike anyone in the family.  A year ago, he helped me re-roof my house.  I've seen folks in their seventies that look like they're closer to 100, but Dad's still rocking late fifties to early sixties.  How?  He keeps busy all the time.  Be it visiting people, fixing things up around his house, going down to southern Utah to fish, hike and deerspot, or read the paper cover to cover every morning, he's constantly doing something to keep his mind and body from becoming sedentary.  It's worked for him, now I have to get off my butt and see if it will work for me.

But for the time being, I say you're as old as you feel, and I still feel like I did in my late twenties.  Yeah, there are a few gray whiskers in the goatee, but those are reminders of having two little boys threatening to jump off the roof on a few different occasions.

So for my birthday, I made a present for myself.  This Buffalo Chicken Pizza is probably my favorite pizza in the world.  The chicken is tossed in the sauce to coat every square inch and the crust is covered in a combination of buffalo sauce and butter.  You get the stretchiness of the mozzarella when you bite into the cheese, but the bleu cheese melts in and permeates the sauce underneath.  The onions add a nice little tang as well.

Don't worry, this isn't too hot.  If you can eat a basic chicken wing, you can handle this pizza.  If you DO want even more heat, slice up a jalapeno pepper and sporadically lay the rings across the pizza.

Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you use a pizza stone.  By placing the pizza directly on the stone after it's heated in the oven will create a crispy bottom to the crust, but the meat of the crust will still be chewy.  You don't need a fancy pizza stone, any old stone will do.  I've seen them for $10 or less at Target, Ross, TJ Maxx, or Tuesday Morning.  Just make sure you sprinkle corn meal on the stone before you place the pizza on it to prevent it from sticking.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Serves 4

1 pound skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/2-3/4 cups buffalo wing sauce
1 12-14" Pizza crust
1 cup buffalo wing sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup purple onion, slice into small half moon slivers
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup bleu cheese
2 green onions
1/2 cup corn meal

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place your pizza stone on the center rack and allow it to heat up.

Cook the chicken, then shred the meat using a pair of forks.  Toss the meat with the 1/2-3/4 cup of buffalo wing sauce and set aside.

Next, melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave, then add the cup of buffalo wing sauce.  Slice your onions as well.

Spread some corn meal on the counter.  Roll and stretch out the pizza crust on top of the corn meal to the proper width.  Sprinkle more corn meal on the back of a pizza pan or large cookie sheet and place the crust on it (this is for the move to the pizza stone later.)    Spread the sauce evenly over the crust.  Then add the shredded chicken and half of the purple onions all over the crust. Next, cover the pizza with mozzarella cheese, then sprinkle the bleu cheese evenly over the top.  Garnish the top with the green onions and the remaining red onions.

Now the transfer of the pizza to the pizza stone... Open the oven and pull the rack with the pizza stone out so it's accessible.  Sprinkle the remaining corn meal all over the pizza stone.  Carefully slide the pizza from the cookie sheet/pizza pan to the pizza stone.  Slide it back into the oven.  Cook for 20 minutes, but check for bubbles in the crust and doneness at the 10 and 15 minute mark.

When ready to remove, pull the stone out of the oven and slide the pizza from the stone back to the cookie sheet/pizza pan and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.  Cut into slices and enjoy.

Sweet Home Chicago: The best Deep Dish in town!

After tasting real Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, you WILL become addicted.  The rich layer of sauce, the thick crust with the perfect amount of crispiness on the outside and the amalgamation of the toppings sealed deep inside is absolute pizza Nirvana. And unless you're going to make it yourself or have it shipped to your home from Illinois, your absolute best option in the Salt Lake Valley is Sweet Home Chicago. 

Located in Draper and South Jordan, they bring home the flavors of Chicago to you.  And trust me, that's hard to do properly.  I've tried a number of pretenders, stating that they know how to make a Chicago style pizza.  But in most cases, they fall short,  be it inadequate crust, greasy interiors, dryness caused by an inferior sauce.  But Sweet Home Chicago knows how to do it exactly right. 

I discovered them after a movie at the District.  While sceptical of their authentic Chicago claim, we decided to give them a try.  The restaurant along the center street of the District plaza is cozy, but has a lot of charm.  The wait staff was very attentive and extremely friendly.  And their selection of beverages, including a little beer and wine, was great.

We began with the Mozzarella Pull Apart appetizer ($9.99), which when delivered, was HUGE!  It's essentially two 14" pizza crust, crammed to capacity with mozzarella cheese and coated with garlic, butter and oregano.  If there is one thing they know here, it's crust.  The pull-aparts have a crispy exterior, but are perfectly chewing inside.  It comes with a side of a great marinara that compliments it very well. 

After devouring more of this than I really should have (because it was so good), our deep dish arrived.  I was pleasantly surprised that it looked just like many of the deep dishes I partook of in Chicago.   And after one bite, I found that it tasted just as great.  The crust had that cracker like snap where the two crusts met at the top edge, but the rest of the crust was chewy and extremely flavorful.  There's a hint of butter in the crust, but it's never oily, which can be the downfall of any crust baked in large high sided pan.  The delicious taste of the cooked tomatoes shine through, with the parmesan cheese and bail providing the perfect accents.  And the filling...  marvelous.  They do not skimp on the cheese and all the toppings hidden deep inside combine into an absolutely divine brick of molten goodness. 

Now if you're not a thick pizza fan, they do provide and extremely thin crust option (starting at $6.99 to $15.99 for a small to a large).  The bottom of the crust is almost cracker-like in consistency, while the zone where the the toppings meet the dough stays chewy and delicious. 

And the best part of it all, it's very economical.  The deep dishes start at $8.99 for a small and a $16.99 for a large.  So for our group of four, we had the pull-aparts, a small deep dish with three toppings and drinks for everyone for $37, tax and tip included.

You can also order take-out or have it delivered, which I do on a regular basis.  We'll usually grab a deep dish for the adults and a thin crust for the kids.  It's rare to have a pizza delivered and look just as good as it would out of the oven at the restaurant.  The picture to the left is the pizza delivered to me last week.  Perfect!  And this is the small (which with two toppings is only $12).  This size will feed three to four hungry adults, while the large will feed four to six adults.  Remember, a Chicago Deep Dish slice is equivalent to 2 or more regular pieces of a regular pizza.  So order accordingly.  

So the next time you have a pizza craving, try sweet Home Chicago and feel like your eating a slice right off of Michigan Avenue.

Location Information:

Draper

1442 E. Draper Pkwy (12300 South)

Draper, UT 84020 

From I-15, take the 12300 South Exit and head eastbound. Continue for approximately two miles and past 1300 East. Once past 1300 East, Sweet Home Chicago will be on your right side just after the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market.
(801) 545 - 0455 - Map of Store and Delivery Zone

South Jordan

11587 S. District Main Dr (Just outside the theater at "The District")

South Jordan, UT 84095

Take Bangerter Highway to 11400 South. Turn eastbound on 11400 South and turn right into "The District". Sweet Home Chicago is located on the the south end of the main strip just outside the movie theater.

(801) 727 - 7900 - Map of Store and Delivery Zone

Valetine Story : My first romantic meal with Liz

OK, I've posted this before.  This is the story of my first homemade meal with Liz.  It includes my Chicken Parmesan recipe, which is not a bad idea for a Valentine's dinner.  It takes about an hour to prepare, so plan accordingly.  Feel free to use any of the tips, tricks and food listed within and thank me on the 15th.

----

So we just passed the 7th anniversary of my third date with Liz.   Why do I remember this date so well?  It's the first time I cooked for her.  And it was a milestone in our relationship, which I will explain later.

So on our first two dates, Liz and I shut down two different restaurants.  We became those annoying people who would just sit at a table and talk and talk and talk until the waiters started turning out lights.  Sorry, but when you're having that good of a conversation and you become absolutely captivated by every word she says, you lose track of time.  I was definitely into this girl.  How could I tell?  I had the following conversation with my brother in law, no lie...

B-I-L: So it she pretty?

Me:  She's gorgeous!

B-I-L: So does she have big boobs?

Me: She... um... I have no idea.

Yes, she was so intriguing I did not check her out.  Someone that interesting deserved a third date and instead of inflicting another one-tip night upon another waiter, I offered to cook for her at my house.   She agreed, but I found out later that her mother asked Liz to give her my name, address and phone number, just in case she had to come looking for the serial killer who had her missing daughter.

So I prepared this meal.  Took my time because I wanted to have everything right.  I had made just a basic Chicken Parmesan before, but decided to stuff it with cheeses and use a homemade marinara sauce.  As sides, I did a basic salad with homemade Italian dressing, and french bread with a roasted garlic butter spread.  And of course, did the whole spread.  Candles, tablecloth (well, the somewhat old and out of style one I had), and a couple dozen roses.

(slight diversion here) And NOT red roses.  Two tips to all men out there:  First, red roses are for amateurs.  Everyone gives red roses because they "symbolize love" and the florists can and will charge more for them, especially around Valentine's Day. Well, unless your lady really likes the color red, it would behoove you to find out what she likes and buy those colors instead.  Nowadays, there are multiple shades and flowers with blended colors.  Some of Liz's favorites are Circus Roses, that go from almost a fire red petal tip to deep orange to a yellow-orange center.  Take the time to find out what she likes, it'll show you put more thought into the gift.

Second, don't buy them at a florist.  If you work a little harder, you can make flowers mean a lot more.  Buy your flowers at one of the warehouse stores.  Now hear me out... Liz and I ran a flower business for a few years so we have some experience here.  Costco receives a good deal of their flowers directly from the growers instead of going through a middle man, so they are fresher and, therefore, will last longer.  You never know how long flowers have been sitting in a cooler at a flower shop.  And you'll get more flowers for the same amount of money.  When you get her flowers for the first time, buy a nice vase.  Not a cheap plain vase, something crystal, porcelain, etc., something that is out of the ordinary.  It can be anything that looks nice, just don't let it be the $3.00 plastic variety.  Fill it half full with water and add/mix in the flower food they supply.  Then use a pair of scissors to trim off the bottom inch of each of the stems while you hold them underwater.  The flowers will now absorb the water quickly and they will live for 2-3 weeks.  Give her the flowers and vase, bathe in the appreciation, then collect the vase when the flowers eventually die.  Make that vase meaningful by always giving her flowers in it over and over again.  Do it on her birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day (when that becomes appropriate) and at least three times a year just for the hell of it. Trust me, it'll mean a great deal to her.

Anyway, I had the entire scene set for her arrival with the chicken coming out of the oven just as she arrived and for once, one of my romantic plans worked out perfectly.  Not only did the food turn out just right (no burning, YAY!) but everything happened just as it should.  Well almost everything... At one point, Dudley, my little "special needs" kitty jumped onto the table, flicked his tail through the candle's flame and promptly singed the hair off the tip.  Luckily, he didn't become a flaming ball of fur running through the house, but after putting the flame out with a napkin, we both had a good laugh.

Now how was this night a milestone?  Why was this night momentous?  Well, as we were preparing for our wedding, someone asked us how we met and to tell some of our stories.  Liz related the stories of this evening and how she was absolutely amazed at my cooking and romantic nature.  She said, "From that night forward, I knew that I would marry this man."  Yes, I scored a wife with my cooking... Her mother verified this.  She related how Liz called her Mom on the way home and how she said she was completely insane to have this thought after a third date.  Well, I met Cindy a few days after the date, allayed her fears and we all lived happily blah, blah, blah...  

So here is the recipe I used on that fateful night, except for the pepperoni.  Liz recommended I add that and it really added some flavor.  I'd highly recommend going for the larger deli-sliced pepperoni.  It makes the stuffing much easier to do and usually it's cheaper to buy 4 slices from the deli than buying a whole package of small slices.  I happen to like the deli pepperoni's taste more as well.

Stuffed Chicken Parmesan
Serves 4

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup mix of Italian cheeses of your choice

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp basil

4 large deli slices of pepperoni or 16 pizza slices

Bottle of either olive or canola oil
5 tablespoons corn starch
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
8 ounces mozzarella
Favorite marinara sauce (use my recipe if you want)

In a mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, Italian cheeses, Italian seasoning, and basil until combined.

Using a meat mallet, hammer, can of tomatoes, or whatever weapon you may have, take your frustrations out on the chicken breasts, pounding them down until they are about 1/2 thick.  Take a sharp knife and cut into the breast from one side, creating a pocket inside.

If you have the large deli pepperoni, take a portion of the cheese and spice mixture  that would fit into the chicken breast's pocket and wrap the large pepperoni slice around it like a taco.  Insert the pepperoni and cheese into the pocket of chicken breast, open taco side first. this will help keep the cheese inside while cooking.  If you have the smaller pepperoni, line the pocket with the pepperoni and then stuff the cheese inside.  Seal the chicken breasts one of two ways: use toothpicks and remember to remove them after frying, or use a long piece of spaghetti like a long toothpick to knit it closed.  Leave the extra spaghetti sticking out so it's easier to remove later.

Next the fry prep.  Gather three bowls and a cooling rack.  Place the cornstarch in the first bowl.  Combine the eggs and milk in the second bowl.  Place the breadcrumbs in the third bowl and place the cooling rack next to it.  Do the following one chicken breast at a time.  Roll the chicken in the cornstarch until a light layer sticks to the breast.  Next, completely dredge the breast through the egg/milk mixture so it is covered, then lay it in the third bowl with the breadcrumbs.  Scoop the breadcrumbs over the breast.  Make sure the entire surface is covered in the breadcrumbs, then place it on the cooling rack.  Repeat with all the chicken breasts and let them sit for 10 minutes so the breading sets.  This will prevent the breading from flaking off in the oil.

While waiting, fill a large saute pan with enough oil to come 1/4 - 3/8 inch up the sides and heat it to 325-340 degrees.  Also preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Using tongs so you don't burn your fingers, place two of the chicken breasts in the oil.  Cook for 5 minutes per side, making sure every so often that the side doesn't burn.  When removing the breasts, place them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels so the extra oil can drip off.  Remove your toothpicks or break off your spaghetti (whatever stays in the breast willbecome extremely soft and presents no chance of impalement).  After letting them rest for 5 minutes after cooking, lay slices of mozzerella  and shredded parmesan over the top of the breasts and then place them in an oven safe dish.  Put the dish in the oven for 15 minutes to thoroughly melt the cheeses (and to give you time to work on the other accent dishes, like thin spaghetti, salad, veggies, garlic bread, etc).  Finally, remove them from the oven, place them on a plate and cover in marinara sauce (see my earlier recipes for a great homemade sauce) and grated cheese for decoration.  You can use any combination of parmesan, italian and mozzerella you choose.

When you have a special occasion and some time to prepare, try this recipe out and see if it inspires promises of eternal love.  It did for me. :-)

Romance 101 - Chocolate Fondue and all sort of things to dip into it...

Sure, aphrodisiacs may or may not exist.  But I can tell you that very few foods can get you in the mood better than warm chocolate.   There's something about the silkiness in the mouth, the feel on the tastebuds and the exquisite taste of real quality chocolate.

Now guys, you want to score some romance points with the ladies, surprise her with a chocolate fondue. Yes it sounds luxurious, but it's one of the SIMPLEST things in the world to make.  It's melted chocolate and enough whipped cream to get the right consistency  That's it.  You find a bunch of things to dip into it and you're done.

Now what you serve and how you serve it matters.  First, what you serve...  Now almost anything tastes great when it is dipped in chocolate.  And what type of chocolate you use can matter.  Always use something the person you are serving loves.  Liz likes the Dairy Milk from Cadbury, so I'll use that as a base.  You do not have to limit yourself to just one type of chocolate.  Sure, you can have a milk chocolate base, but you can add dark or white chocolate as well.  And if you want to swirl in some caramel, drop in some nuts, or add some other flavorings, more power to you.

If you're making this for your special someone, you want to make sure that you provide some of her favorite foods.  Just make sure whatever you present is dipable.  When it comes to fruits, almost anything that's pretty solid works, since you can lance them with a small fork and it will stay on.  Strawberries, raspberries, bananas, grapes, melon pieces, pineapple, pears, etc all work wonderfully.  But I've also seen citrus like oranges and tangerines served as well.  When it comes to pastries, you want to make sure that it won't disintegrate. While your average cake isn't recommended, cubes of sponge cake, shortcake and brownies will stay on the fork and the texture will capture the chocolate on the uneven surface.  And almost any type of cookie will work great if you dip it by hand.  Oreos will allow some extra chocolate to slide in the gap between the layers.  Shortbread cookies soak up a little extra chocolate. Chocolate chip, oatmeal, and even peanut butter cookies can be dredged through the chocolate. 

Now you can warm and serve the chocolate any way you'd like.  I do own an electric fondue pot and I recommend it.  The pot has an adjustable temperature gauge, so you can maintain the heat as long as you want to.  Also, they usually come with a set of fondue forks, so multiple people can dip without having to share cutlery.  My pot has a teflon coating and can be completely submerged in water, so it's very easy to clean.  And you can use the pot for more than just fondue.  You can prepare dips, small soups, and other appetizers for parties with this piece of equipment. 

If you don't want spend the money, they do make other pots.  There are some that are ceramic that allow you to put a heat source under them.  There are also small, two persons pots that allow for a tealight to heat it.  These are perfectly good serving vessels, but if you're going to use those to keep it warm, I'd recommend initially melting the chocolate in a double-boiler and a saucepan and then pour the contents into the containers when you're ready to serve.  

Finally, make the display pretty.  Lay the dipable items on a plate surrounding the fondue pot.  Have the forks easily accessible.  Add some flowers or candles on the table for ambiance.  Just make it as romantic as possible.  Who knows?  Maybe the sensual mood will inspire someone to find new and exciting uses for the melted chocolate...

Chocolate Fondue

Preferably serves a select pair, but can be done for a group as well.

1 pound of your favorite chocolate

Up to 1 cup whipping cream

Dipping items

Warm your fondue pot or saucepan to medium.  Add the chocolate and stir until it's thoroughly melted.  Slowly add the whipping cream and stir to blend.  It may coagulate when you put the first amount of cream in.  That's OK, keep adding cream in small quantities and stir until combined.  Keep adding the whipping cream until you get the consistency you want.  Present the chocolate with all sorts of dipable items, which can include:

Strawberries 

Raspberries

Grapes

Melon pieces

Pineapple

Pears

Apples

Brownies

Shortcake

Sponge Cake

Oreos

Shortbread cookies

Chocolate Chip cookies

Peanut Butter cookies

Your partner...  etc.

So set the romantic mood with a creamy chocolate aphrodisiac and see where the mood takes you.

Help your girl win the My Guy Loves Me More competition

Yes, it's time for Valentine's Day.  I can hear the disheartened moans from most of the men out there.  I know that many of you hate this time of year, that it's a holiday generated by the greeting card companies to take all of your hard earned money away.  But you know what?  While a valid point... no matter how or why it was created, it's now publicly accepted as a day to show your love to your significant other.  So suck it up, whining about it won't change anything.

Since it's become National Date Night, it's very important to the ladies.  And there's no better way to score points with the girls that to show you care about what's important to them.  So I have 10 tips on how you can make this day extremely memorable.

Ten Valentine's Day Tips

1. Get flowers, but make it SPECIAL - We've discussed this before in our Stuffed Chicken Parmesan recipe.  Don't just buy the generic red roses.  Red roses are the sign of a moron who waited until the last minute, or someone who just doesn't care.  Take the time to find out what her favorite colors and favorite flowers are.  Some ladies really like other types of flowers as well, which can work really well since roses are outrageously expensive this time of year.  Liz loves the light pink roses, the circus roses (a fire orange rose with red accents), and stargazer lilies.  And since the office can become a sea of red roses at Valentine's Day, why not have her stand out with something customized to her tastes?

Which leads me to the next secret of flowers - Costco.  It's a very inexpensive option, and you can get two dozen roses around $14.00 almost any other time of the year.  Of course, Valentine's Day forces the prices up a bit, but it's still cheaper than the florists.  And best of all, they're fresher.  You never know how long those flowers in the florist's flower coolers have been sitting there.  They could die tomorrow.  But every batch I have purchased at Costco has lasted at least a week if I trim the ends with a pair of scissors and add the plant food to the water.

Finally, there's one other accent you can add.  Go buy a special vase.  Something beyond just a basic plastic vase.  Something she thinks is pretty.  I was lucky enough to find a vase that matched her china pattern for around $25.  Why get one?  Well, you give her the vase and then promise to fill it with flowers every Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Birthday and Anniversary.  She'll keep that vase as safe as her wedding ring.  Best of all, it'll look great in front of others when she shows off her flowers, which leads to....

2. Deliver the flowers to work or a public place - If your special lady works, the BEST thing you can do is deliver it to her office yourself.  Why?  Well, I was told by a few co-workers a few years ago that Valentine's Day is a cutthroat competition among the women, properly named "My Guy Loves Me More ".  And trust me, you want your girl to win this game, or at least place in the top 5.

Points are allotted to each woman according to the public attention heaped upon her in front of "those bitches in the office".  The girl with the most point wins.  How can your lady score points? 

Point Values

Card - 1-3 points - depending on the message on the inside
Decoration of desk - 1-5 points, depending on extent and cuteness of decorations.
Balloon bouquets - 2-5 points, depending on size and visibility to the rest of the office
Candy/Chocolates - 2-5 points, depending on size and quality of chocolate, ability to share with others that did NOT get any (flaunting) can score a few more points
Flowers - 5-15 points - depending on visibility, color, and beauty
Gift - 1-20 points - completely dependent on what the gift is
Lunch - 5-10 points - epending on location and price
Jewelry - 1 to 100 - depending on carat size, metal, and he ability to show it off to her coworkers
Performance (singing telegram, stripper-gram) - -10 to 10 points - completely dependent on her comfort with the idea and how it may effect the office.

Other factors effecting final score:

Embarrassment (-1 to -15 points) - Anything like dead flowers, deflated balloons, or an extremely bad  singing telegram can become office legend.  And can rack up negative points quickly.
Size (-10 to +20) - Size matters, but it matters more today.  The larger the better.  It's best if you can see your gifts from across the office. And woe be unto you if you undershoot.  Hell hath no fury like a woman who was mocked all day by that skinny little witch in the cubicle next to her because you gave her three less flowers.
Personal Appearance (possible 2-30) - Possibly the safest and most profitable thing you can do.  Sure, you can have flowers delivered to the office, but there's a certain sense of awe about a guy who will deliver them himself.  And if you have multiple items (flowers with candy/balloon/gift) in hand and plant a big ol' kiss on her before saying a word, trust me, she'll get max points.
Significance - (No defined range)  - Biggest wild card and possibly the most beneficial.  It can turn the smallest gift in the world into the most valuable.

So if you want your special lady to score well, plan on a long lunch.  Buy two dozen of the special flower type at one of the warehouse stores (15 points for flowers + 10 size bonus), arrange them in your special vase (+ 10 significance), attach a card (2 points for card) with a special message (+2 significance), deliver it yourself (+20 appearance bonus), and then take her to a nice lunch for her lunch break (+10 lunch points).  Guess what?  You've just scored her at least 70 points.  She may not win, because some schmuck may play the marriage proposal card, (1,000,000 points, so an automatic win for the girl, but a pretty lame way to propose..).  But you can guarantee she's in the running.

3. Shower, shave, and smell pretty - ESPECIALLY if you're going into her office.  This shouldn't have to be mentioned, but you gotta get any stink off of you.  Yes, you may think you look great, but take the extra time to look ultra-presentable.  Spend the extra 15 minutes in the bathroom to style your hair, scrub off the dirt and for god's sake, use deodorant and her favorite cologne.

4. Do one daily task for her - Yes, you may have certain daily tasks that each of you do around the house.  Maybe it's the dishes, maybe it's feeding the kids in the morning, maybe it's vacuuming.  Whatever it is, do one for her for the few days leading up to Valentines Day.  It's a nice gesture, it gives her a break and maybe some free time to relax.  Trust me, she'll really appreciate it.

5. Spend a little time with the kids - If you want to have some private time on Valentine's Day, you need to spend some time with the kids ahead of time.  Take them out to the park, bowling, mini-golfing, etc.  It shows that you care about them, you get to have some fun with the little ones, and there's no better aphrodisiac than a dad happily playing with his kids.

6. Do the small things - OK, some of these things can seem tedious to the average male, but they're important. When you plan your date, go beyond just dinner and a movie.  There's nothing wrong with that... but if you're going to have a basic game plan, throw some enhancements into the mix.  Open the car door for her.  Have a flower for her to carry around as you walk.  Hold her hand or present your arm.  Kiss her every chance you get, especially in front of others.  Compliment her every chance you get.  Any of the small things can make it that much more memorable.

7. If you give her a gift, give here one that means something -  There's a reason why the Significance variable in the "my Guy Loves Me More" game above is an open-ended point spread.  A present tied to a memory, inside joke or a significant part of your life will mean much more than something she may need.  It doesn't have to be expensive at all.  You could include a  small stuffed animal with another gift if one of your first dates was at the zoo to remind her of that day.  You could give her a really good piece of costume jewelry if she used to play dress up as a child or plays it with her girls today.  Maybe you'll play dress-up with her later.  And if you give her something functional, like a kitchen appliance or a work item, without her specifically saying "Get me this"... well, dude, you're on your own.

8. Re-enact a memorable day - Women are much more cerebral and emotional animals than men are.  The smallest little hint of a past event can spur the great feelings of that day that day.  So why not give her a day she'd love to remember.  For one of our anniversaries, Liz and I went back to Fiddler's Elbow, the location of our first blind date. We agreed to try to act like we did that day.  We were able to keep in character for a while, but eventually we just reminisced about that great day and everything we were thinking.  And that night ended much differently than the first date did, in a very good way.  Just think back to the most memorable days of your life and do what you can to relive that date.  Trust me, she'll love it.

9. Cook her a meal - If you're not going out, then cook her a meal.  Cooking a meal is a great way to show your love.  Why?  Well, in preparing a meal is providing sustenance for someone, and in the most basic sense, you're keeping them alive.  But more importantly, you're taking the time and effort to prepare something special for her.  That dedication can come through in your cooking and make it taste that much better.  It doesn't have to be extravagant, it can be just spaghetti, hamburgers and fries or a steak off the barbecue.  But take the time to do it.

And make sure you set the mood.  Put the flowers on the table.  Serve it on the china you received for your wedding that you never use.  Break out the wine glasses, even if you're not serving wine.  Light the candles and lay out the rose petals (destroy one rose) as decorations.  And when you're eating, make sure the TV is turned off so the attention is on her

10.  DESSERT! - This is the one time of year that dessert is mandatory.  Some people say that chocolate is an aphrodisiac.  Or that the sugar in the dessert give them you a sugar rush to be a little bit more ambitious.  Or maybe it's just a special treat.  But no matter what it is, get a dessert and SHARE it.  So when you reach across for a bite, you can look longingly into her eyes.

My choice for a dessert for a special vacation is a Chocolate Fondue, because you can dip all sorts of things into it... and use the remaining molten chocolate for other purposes later.  And my recipe for this will be posted on the site in just a few days....  WATCH FOR IT!!!  You'll thank me later.

Coronado Subs, the Season of Love and Birthday celebrations

So... we're discussing multiple topics today....

I've mentioned before that it's always a good idea to try out your small local eateries, because you never know what you'll find.  Well, here's a prime example.  If you live in the south side of the Salt Lake Valley, you really should try out Coronado's Subs on the corner of 12600 South and 2700 West. 

We discovered it shortly after moving out here a couple years ago and I will not go to any other sub shop within 5 miles.  It's a small shop in a strip mall that could be easily missed as you drive by, but you'd definitely be missing out on a great sandwich.

Every sub on the menu can be served hot, thanks to a quick steam beind the counter.  All the bread is fresh and the portions are plentiful.  The 8" subs fill me up just like a footlong would at the other sub shops. 

Their menu runs the gamut of meat types and I've yet to find a bad one.  And they are always creating new concoctions.  I do have my favorites...

Their Buffalo Chicken sub is absolutely decadent.  Hot chicken, sliced up and laid upon a bed of lettuce and all the veggies, then drenched in a generous portion of buffalo wing sauce.  But you do have a choice of sauces to tame the heat; a basic ranch sauce or a thicker, rich bleu cheese, which is my choice.  

The Meatball sub is rich and flavorful with a great marinara sauce, which is then broiled so the cheeses blend into the sauce and perfectly brown on top.

And they have a barbeque beef sandwich that is GREAT!  The barbecue sauce is good enough that I'll grab an extra small cup of it to take home for other uses.

And the best part is that it's economical.  The 8" subs are around $5, but the sheer mass and flavor of the sandwich eclipses the five-dollar-footlongs elsewhere.  You can go for their 12" subs for around $8, but plan on not eating for the rest of the day... or saving the other half for your next meal.

So if you're in the south end of the valley and are feeling hungry, stop by and grab a sandwich,  Tell them That Means We Get Pie sent you.

And since we're starting a new month, let's talk about what we're going to cover. 

Valentine's day is just a couple weeks away.  We'll be focusing on what you can do to make the day more special. We'll have a few tips and tricks on how to celebrate with your special lady, ways for you to help her win the office competiton, as well as a Chocolate Fondue recipe, whch is the perfect capper on a romantic night. 

For the second half of the month, we're focusing on Pizza.  Not your run of the mill pizza, we're talking unusual pizzas, like Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Alfredo and others so you can widen your repretoire.

So check back often, visit some of the site sponsors, go get a Coronado Sub and keep reading for some of the best recipes you can find!