Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tarts With Whipped Cream On a Bed Of Raspberry Sauce

Since I've always been on a diet as far back as I can remember, I've never been a big fan of making or eating desserts. I'm sure my children would tell you the only desserts we ever had here were fruit or Flan. Sometimes Jell-O or the occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies. Those days are history. Now that I'm 57 I've decided that I'm going to enjoy everything I possibly can, including desserts. I'm just going to have to go without other things sometimes and exercise more. Maybe. Or not.

So, as Valentine's Day drew near I looked at dessert recipes for weeks before finally deciding what to make for Mr. Snooty on Valentine's Day. This year was my turn to do dinner and I really wanted to make him drool this year. Mission accomplished. Let me just say that I hit the proverbial jackpot with this recipe. Every bite was like a sexual personal orgasm. Neither of us could do more than make Mmmmm sounds the entire time we were finishing our dessert.


This was originally a Tyler Florence recipe only he didn't serve it with fresh whipped cream and/or a raspberry sauce. However, dues must be paid for this fabulous dessert. Otherwise, I'd never have come up with all this on my own. Tyler Florence totally rocked my world with this delicacy!



Luckily, the recipe makes enough for 6, so we were able to do it all over again last night and tonight. Sometimes I truly amaze myself. I couldn't wait to share this with you, so I'm posting it on my cooking blog as well as here on my regular blog. If I can make this masterpiece, then anyone can, trust me. I changed the recipe up a little and the result was sheer perfection. This is seriously the best dessert I've ever made.



Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Tarts:


Ingredients For Shells:


1 -1/2 cups of finely crushed chocolate wafer crumbs (just use Oreos without the center if you can't find wafers)


6 tablespoons of butter, melted



Ingredients For Chocolate Truffle Mix:


3/4 cup heavy cream


8 ounces of good-quality (70%) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped


1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (I used rum extract and it was even better than vanilla)


1/4 cup cocoa powder, for dusting



Ingredients For Topping:



1 cup whipping cream


2 -3 teaspoons granulated sugar


1 teaspoon pure vanilla



1 small container of fresh raspberries, rinsed and dried




Directions:


1. Use fork to combine melted butter and crushed chocolate wafers.


2. Spray the inside of six (6) cups of a muffin pan with vegetable cooking spray.


3. Line each of the six cups with a large square of either parchment paper or wax paper. (I tried both and they both worked perfectly. Press the liners with a small (like a juice) glass to press them into place. Make sure there is enough overhang on each one to lift out when they are ready.


4. Fill each of the 6 muffin cups with the crushed wafer and butter mixture and use small juice glass to press into shape. The mixture should go up the sides about 1-1/2", but not all of mine did and they were just fine.


5. Place muffin tin in refrigerator until the chocolate truffle recipe is prepared.


6. Heat cream over medium low heat until it comes to a simmer. Place finely chopped chocolate in a small bowl and pour heated cream over chocolate. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.


7. When time is up, whip the cream and chocolate with a whisk until blended. Let stand at room temperature for one hour. When hour is up beat the mixture as fast as you can or use medium setting on a hand mixer until mixture thickens and lightens in color. I suggest a hand mixer.



8. Remove muffin tin from refrigerator. Place one raspberry in the bottom center of each cup.


9. Fill a pastry bag with chocolate truffle mixture (or you can use a plastic baggie with the corner snipped off) and fill each of the 6 cups with the mixture. Be sure to lick or suck out the rest of the mixture. You won't want to waste it, trust me.


10. Place muffin tin back into fridge for at least one hour.


11. Meanwhile, you can make the raspberry sauce (recipe follows) and then the whipped cream.



Raspberry Sauce:




Ingredients:


1 - 12 ounce package of frozen raspberries, thawed


1/4 cup sugar


3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water




Directions:


1. Place thawed raspberries in a strainer (or sieve) over bowl and press lightly to extract juice. (If you press too hard the seeds will come through and you'll have to strain it again with cheesecloth in a strainer).


2. Transfer juice to a small saucepan; add sugar and cook over medium high heat until hot, about 3 minutes.


3. Meanwhile, mix water and cornstarch until combined.


4. When raspberry mixture is hot, slowly whisk in cornstarch. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Allow to stand at room temperature until ready to use.




Final Assembly:




1. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of raspberry sauce over one half side of the dessert plate.


2. Carefully remove the chocolate truffle filled cups by the paper overhang, removing paper and place on top of raspberry sauce.


3. Drop 2 to 3 large dollops of whipped cream on top and one side, adding a few fresh raspberries.


4. Using a small strainer, dust lightly with the cocoa powder, which I completely forgot to do before taking the pictures.




You will totally be a rock star in your own world when you serve this dessert....

Cornish Hens Stuffed With Celery, Onions And Garlic, Served With Pan Drippings Gravy

First of all, I have to say the Cornish Hens smelled so fabulous while cooking that we ripped into them before I remembered to take a final picture. Yes, it just couldn't be helped. The aroma had permeated the entire house, which made us both ravenous. However, I can show you the process I went through, making them. This is just so easy to make that you'll want to make them at least once a week.


Cornish Hens Stuffed With Garlic, Onions And Celery:

Ingredients:

2 Cornish hens

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, diced

4-5 Tablespoons butter, melted

1-2 Tablespoons of fresh Rosemary, chopped

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste


Directions:

1. Remove hens from package and rinse with warm water, and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Season with salt and pepper inside. Stuff with celery, onion and garlic, using steak pins or skewers to close opening.

3. Using a pastry brush, baste the hens with melted butter. Season outside of hens with salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle any leftover veggies over and around the hens (which will add flavor to the gravy made from pan drippings).

5. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn oven up to 400 degrees for last 10 minutes if hens need more browning.


Gravy From Pan Drippings:

1. Pour drippings from pan into a saucepan, reserving about 1/4 cup to mix with 2 Tablespoons of flour. I use a jar with lid for this. After shaking the jar to mix, add it to the pan drippings. Whisk until smooth and bubbly. Season, if necessary. You can even add a pinch of Tarragon, to add extra flavor.


2. Pour onto plate and place the Cornish hen on top of the gravy. Voila!

3. Serve with a tossed green salad and garlic bread.

Wendell's Restaurant At The Inn of the Mountain Gods... A Review

Last week Mr. Snooty and I embarked on a ski trip to Ruidoso, New Mexico; where I've been skiing for the last 35 years or so. Out of those 35 years, I've stayed at The Inn probably 24 of those 35 years and never really had a complaint except for the way the tribe members (the staff) treat guests/tourists. Until now.

While staying at The Inn Of The Mountain Gods (IOTMG), Ruidoso had a monster storm that dropped something like 26 inches of snow, which meant we'd be eating at the hotel, for every meal, during our stay. Unfortunately, they have gone downhill since my last stay.

Now mind you, Ruidoso has had a few hard years to suffer through... Like no significant amount of snow for the last three years and a horribly destructive flood a couple of years ago. The town has been struggling the last few years and many of the better restaurants we liked have closed for good. So, the IOTMG offers the best cuisine in the area. That used to be a good thing, but not now. It is situated in a lovely picturesque mountain setting and in addition to the hotel, they also have a casino, all located on Mescalero Apache Indian land. They own and run the ski area as well.

We ate a total of three evening meals at Wendell's and although there was some great food, most of it was not so great. I learned (the hard way) that if I wanted a steak Medium, I had to order it Rare. That alone, was enough to send me into a rant. However, our waiters were excellent and did their best to offset the faux pas coming out of the kitchen.

The first night we started out with an appetizer called the Prawn & Alaskan Crab Martini, which was to die for, along with our real martinis.

I think the one thing that irritated me the most was that the menu states if you order their Classic Caesar Salad, it would be made table side. It was not made table side and it was not a Classic Caesar Salad. It tasted like bottled Creamy Caesar Dressing, which we both detest. Strike One.



Mr. Snooty ordered the Lincoln County Elk Tenderloin, to be cooked Medium-Rare. It arrived at the table Medium-Well done, which was a waste of perfectly good Elk meat. Strike Two.

I ordered the Pecan Crusted Salmon but didn't want all the calories from the pecans, so I asked them to grill my salmon. They baked it instead and it was waaaay overdone. Frankly, it was disgusting. Strike Three.

Having no other choice (due to the severe snow storm), we ate there again the next night as well. This time I ordered the Petite Filet Mignon Oscar and although the steak was overcooked, it was still delicious. This time, I opted for the Wedge Salad and it was fabulous. Mr. Snoots ordered the same thing and his steak was overcooked as well. We continued to be unimpressed.

Our last night there, we ate at Wendell's again and I had the same meal as the night before, as did Mr. Snooty. We ordered our filet mignons to be cooked Rare (minus the crab) this time and they came out cooked Medium, which was an improvement I suppose. Overall, we were totally not impressed. However, the wait service was excellent, which is the most I can say about Wendell's. The Mescalero Apache Indian Tribe runs this place and they make it quite clear they don't like anyone who isn't from their tribe. None of the wait staff were Mescaleros, which explains their civility. However, I have my doubts about the kitchen staff.

They did offer several other venues for meals but nothing more than the standard, boring fare found at any average hotel/casino (or fast food place). The Inn used to be such a fabulous place to stay but apparently they are under different tribal management since building their new hotel and it just isn't the same caliber as it was before. Don't get me wrong. The rooms and views are the nicest in the Ruidoso area, and the hotel in general is beautiful. They have nice amenities and plenty of space in the rooms. The room service is still the best I've ever had, which I found to be ironic.

Their biggest failure, in my opinion, is letting the lovely dining at Wendell's go to the dogs. The funny thing is that this new dining room is smaller than the original one in the old hotel. Go figure.

Southwestern Potato, Crab And Corn Chowder... The Perfect Cold Weather Comfort Food

This year West Texas has been experiencing the coldest weather in more than 20 years, for the longest period of time. Therefore, all I seem to want to do is make soups, stews, and chowders; then curl up by the fire with a good read or a new movie. I'm afraid Mr. Snoots is growing tired of this, being the West Texas born and raised guy that he is. Unfortunately, he's just going to have to bear with me until the weather turns warm once again. Having grown up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, this is just the way I roll. I happen to know that you need something to eat that will stick to your ribs when the temperatures plunge into the teens, with even colder wind chill factors.

Now, during the summer I usually wait for an excellent deal on corn-on-the-cob, like when they are 10 ears for $2.00. Then, I get them home and roast all of them over a fire with hickory smoke, scrape the kernels of corn from the cob, divide it evenly among freezer bags, label the bags, and toss them in the freezer. The reason I do this is so I can have it available for meals such as this, without all the fuss of having to do the corn first. And really, who wants to grill outdoors when it's below freezing? Not I.

So, all I have to do is make the potato soup, which I always seem to make way too much of. We usually have the Potato Soup the first couple of nights, then I totally change it up by adding the corn and the crab, plus a bit of Gruyere cheese and Parmesan cheese. It totally changes the taste and texture of the soup, by becoming a chowder. It's so filling that I usually find it necessary to eat several cups of it, in intervals. I do hope you enjoy it as much as we do.


Potato, Corn And Crab Chowder:


Ingredients:


4 cups of chicken broth

3 cups of potatoes, diced

1-1/2 cups of onions, diced

1 cup of celery, diced

1 bay leaf

1 cup of baby carrots, diced

5 to 10 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 cups of milk (or Half & Half if you're young)

5 Tablespoons of butter

1-1/2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper, freshly ground

1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 - 7 ounce can of diced green chiles

1 package of crab chunks (For Heaven's sake please don't use the fake crab.)

1 package of previously frozen roasted corn


Directions:

1. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, and potatoes. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

2. Add the chicken broth and the bay leaf, making sure that the broth covers the vegetables by about an inch to an inch and a half. Place the lid on the pan and allow the veggies to simmer for about 30 minutes.

3. Now you can add the carrots, salt, and pepper. Add more broth if necessary and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

4. When the vegetables are thoroughly cooked, remove the pan from the fire and use a potato masher to crush at least half of the veggies.

5. Return the pan to the fire and bring almost to the point of boiling. Add the milk (or Half & Half).

6. Now you can add the corn, the chopped green chiles, and the crab. Simmer over medium-low heat for an additional 30 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

7. Before the last 15 minutes of simmering, add the chopped fresh parsley. Serve, when time is up, with fresh French or sourdough bread.

You can thank me later...

Shredded Pork Tenderloin Enchiladas With Mole Sauce, Guacamole And Spanish Rice

This is my favorite use of leftover pork tenderloin and the two of us can usually squeeze two nights of meals out of it as well as put one in the freezer. You can also use leftover rice for the Spanish rice, if you have it on hand. Just follow the recipe without the [rice] cooking time; it can be done quickly in a skillet.


To shred the pork I use a salad fork, which is the perfect tool for the job. I have to restrain myself from eating the shredded pork even though I know how delicious these enchiladas will be. I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do.


Oh, and I did cheat a little by using store bought pre-packaged Guacamole. So sue me. It got the job done.


Shredded Pork Tenderloin Enchiladas:





Mole Sauce Ingredients:


1/2 cup chicken broth

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced chiles and tomatoes (I use Rotel)

1 (1 ounce) semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumino

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper


Enchiladas Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 pound of cooked pork, shredded

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

10 - 8 inch corn tortillas

3/4 cup co-jack cheese, shredded

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded


Directions:


Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all sauce ingredients in 2 qt. saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil. Cool slightly. Place mixture in food processor or a blender with metal blade. Cover and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Melt butter in 10 inch skillet until sizzling; add onion. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened. Stir in 1/2 cup of mole sauce, shredded pork and cayenne pepper; mix well.


Divide pork mixture evenly among the 10 tortillas; roll up tortillas. Place into greased 13x9-inch baking dish, seam side down. Pour remaining sauce over  enchiladas; sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and hot.


Spanish Rice:


1 cup long grain white rice

1 can Rotel green chiles and tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1 Tablespoon butter

dash of salt

dash of pepper

Directions:

Bring Rotel and broth to a boil. Add butter, salt, pepper and rice. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff. Serve.

Texas Caviar... A New Year's Tradition And Perfect For A Blue Moon

Since the New Year is upon us, I will risk posting this recipe again because I love it. It's the absolute best party food there is for New Year's Eve and goes great with champagne. Well, it does here in Texas anyway.

Texas Caviar:

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh black-eyed peas (hulled)
1/2 green pepper, diced

1red bell pepper, diced

2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded then diced
3 to 4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cups water (or chicken stock if preferred)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

dash of Worcesteshire sauce

dash of Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, split

parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions: 

Pick through beans and remove any that are damaged or spoiled. Also, remove any remaining hulls.

In a large saucepan bring water to boil and add peas and garlic. Cook until peas are tender. Rinse peas under cold water to stop cooking process. Drain thoroughly, remove garlic, and combine with green pepper, red pepper, jalapeno, parsley, onion, oil, vinegar, Worcesteshire and Tabasco sauces, pepper flakes and salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (more is better). Transfer to a relish dish and serve with a slotted spoon to allow liquid to drain.

 

Can be tossed with greens to serve as a salad.
With proper refrigeration, can last for a week or more.

 
And, I hope everyone has a very happy and prosperous New Year!!!

Quick And Easy Christmas Gingerbread House

Back when my children were still in grammar school, we used to make one Gingerbread house every Christmas and this is the simplest recipe for making it that I've come across to date. Of course, this recipe is strictly for decorative purposes since I use a hot glue gun and real egg whites. However, no one where we live carries meringue powder, so I found a recipe for Royal Icing that uses egg whites instead of the powder, making it all quite simple.

 

The icing does harden rather quickly, so you must work as fast as possible. However, I have found that if you use a pastry bag, it lasts longer before hardening. So, it's best to gather all the things you will need before you start.

 

I begin by covering a large, thick piece of cardboard with aluminum foil, to be used as the base. Next, I cut off the top of two large juice cartons to my desired height and hot glue each one to the base. Then you can start gluing the graham crackers to the juice cartons, making arches with them to form the rooftops.  Don't worry about the gaps as you will be able to fill them all in with the icing.

Once you finish filling in all the gaps with Royal Icing, add the candies however you like. You will also be attaching the candies with the icing. However, if you run out of the icing you can always use the glue gun again.

Things You Will Need For The Gingerbread House Assembly:

 

hot glue gun

glue sticks

red and green licorice sticks

assorted Christmas candies

1 bag of red hots

1 pkg. of small candy canes

1 box of graham crackers

1 large bag of powdered sugar

2 large egg whites

1 lemon

1 pastry bag

 

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Creamy Spinach Souffle With Grilled Tuna Steaks And Sour Dough Bread With Roasted Garlic

My hubby absolutely loves this recipe for Spinach Souffle so I make it fairly often now. In fact, I think I can make it with my eyes closed at this point. Although I originally got the recipe off the internet, I made a few subtle changes which have, I believe, enhanced the flavor from the original recipe. This one recipe usually covers the two of us for at least two nights of meals and yes, it's perfectly delicious reheated.

Spinach Souffle My Way:


Ingredients:
1 large bag of fresh baby spinach (pre-washed) (or you can use two packages of frozen spinach)

4 fresh large eggs, separated and at room temperature

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1/2 cup celery, finely diced

1 cup of milk (or heavy cream)

3 to 4 Tablespoons of butter

4 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon of pepper, freshly ground

dash of Cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)



Directions:



1. Take the eggs out of refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to starting so they will be room temperature by the time you start. Separate the egg white into a medium mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Set aside.



2. Steam the spinach until done and set aside to let drain. Since it won't drain out the amount of moisture you need to get out of the spinach, you'll probably have to use paper towels and press the spinach with the towels until no more significant amount of moisture comes through. Chop and set aside.



3. In a medium saucepan make your basic white sauce using the butter and the flour, whisking until smooth and beginning to thicken.



4. Gradually add the milk, stirring until smooth and beginning to thicken. Remove from flame.



5. Beat the egg yolks and very gradually add a little bit of the white sauce into the yolks. Mix and scrape that mixture back into the pan with the white sauce and stir. Set aside.


6. In a small saucepan, cook the onion and celery until just turning transparent.


7. Beat the egg whites with a whisk until they make good stiff peaks.


8. Add everything else except for the egg whites and stir until combined.


9. Last, carefully fold in the egg whites and add the entire mixture to a souffle dish or casserole dish.


10. Place in preheated 325 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean. Let stand about 5 minutes, then serve.



Grilled Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna Steaks:

I always grill my tuna steaks the same way I grill a ribeye or a New York strip steak. I use the touch method.It's when you make a fist with your thumb inside. Touch the fleshy part of the fist and that is medium rare. Once you get used to it, it's the most accurate measurement of doneness that there is and it's always with you.



When the tuna steaks are cooked to your preference move onto a plate and apply a pat of butter on each.



Serve with sour dough or French bread and roasted garlic, which you can bake at the same time the souffle is baking.