L-O-V-E

Yesterday we celebrated Valentine’s Day. This is one of my favorite holidays. I know many of you out there believe it is a made-up holiday or not even a real holiday. But I love it. Mostly because I am a big sap who pretty much, loves Love.

I know, I know…you are probably wondering why I won’t just shut up and talk about the incredible food I made. And I will, I promise. But not yet.

I am the type of person who loves to do a “look back”. To see where I am today versus a year ago, two years ago. It got me thinking about a Valentine’s not too long ago when the guy I was dating at the time actually gave me flowers his roommate had bought for his girlfriend and she had left them behind. I swear, you can’t make this stuff up!

And then of course, I think about last Valentine’s Day. Pat proposed to me last year on Valentine’s Day much to my shock and utter surprise. With a poem and a bended knee he asked me to be his wife. I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

And now, I look at us today. Married. Happy.

This was right after we got engaged! Friends stopped by with champagne and a bridal magazine!
Ok…Ok…I am getting to the food. But every now and then I believe it is important to look around at your own life and take stock of all the wonderful things you have to be grateful for. And I have a lot to be grateful for!

So for Valentine’s Day, because my husband is just that great, I decided to make him an incredible meal. All of the recipes came from The Pioneer Woman who has exceptional taste in food. I pretty much followed her recipes except for a few minor tweaks. And it was one of the best meals we have ever eaten….ever.

First up, Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion, Mushroom, Blue Cheese Sauce. Oh. My. Goodness. This stuff is good! No, not just good. Great! Amazing! So good you will not even be able to come up with a proper adjective to describe just how delicious it really is! This was a bit of a treat for us as well as we don't normally eat a lot of red meat in our house...but once again...it was just totally worth it.

I pretty much followed her recipe spot-on except I added mushrooms and left out some of the blue cheese. Not all….just some.

Grilled Ribeye with Onion, Mushroom Blue Cheese Sauce
adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 2 whole Ribeye Steaks
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Very Large Yellow Onion, Sliced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 3 tsp Crumbled Blue Cheese

Preparation Instructions

1. Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks. Grill in 2 tablespoons butter until medium rare.

2. Saute onions in 4 tablespoons butter over high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until dark and caramelized. Reduce heat to simmer and pour in cream. Add mushrooms. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in blue cheese until melted. Serve steaks on generous portion of sauce.

Here is Pat...grilling away...indoors.


To go with the steak I made the most delightful side ever. Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes. It really doesn’t get any better than these and now that I have discovered them…I will be making them all the time!

For this recipe I didn’t have any fresh basil or parsley so I substituted for dried. I also added cracked black pepper, as, I love pepper!

Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes

adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 8 whole Roma Tomatoes, Halved
• 1 bunch Fresh Italian Parsley
• 1 bunch Fresh Basil
• 2 cloves To 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-½ cup Ricotta Cheese
• Ritz Crackers Or Bread Crumbs
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Olive Oil
• Pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions

1. Start out by washing and halving your Roma tomatoes. After halving them, gut out the insides (seeds, etc.) with a spoon. Sprinkle a bit of kosher salt inside each tomato. Discard guts and lay the halved, gutted tomatoes face down on a clean towel.

2. Chop up your garlic and add dried herbs along with garlic to mix with the Ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Next, fill each tomato half with a nice heap of the Ricotta mixture.

4. In a food processor (or if you don’t have a food processor, you can mash in a plastic baggy with a rolling pin) crumble about 15-20 Ritz crackers. Or you can use dried bread crumbs from your favorite kind of bread if you want.

5. Press each ricotta filled tomato half face down into the crackers/crumbs and then place face up on a baking sheet. Drizzle each tomato with a bit of olive oil.

6. Place in 400º oven for 25-30 minutes.

Here they are right before they went in the oven...yum.

And...the finished meal!

After the dishes were washed and leftovers stored away we gave our bellies a little time to rest before one of the easiest and best desserts ever.

Seriously, this dessert was so simple and quick to make it was unbelievable!

This recipe comes from The Pioneer Women by way of Tasty Kitchen. It is perfection.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

Ingredients

• 4 pieces (squares) Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate
• ½ cups Butter
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 whole Egg Yolks
• 6 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 cups Real Whipping Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Spray 4 custard cups with Pam and place on cookie sheet.

3. Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl on high for about 1 minute, until butter is melted. whisk until chocolate is also melted.

4. Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour.

5. Divide between cups.

6. Bake 13-14 minutes until sides are firm and center is soft. Let stand 1 minute.

7. Combine sugar and heavy cream and whip until stiff.

8. Invert cakes on dishes and top with whipped cream.

Just look at it....I know you want to eat it right now!
So there you have it….our Valentine meal. Love, on a plate!

Last Bite: Please don’t wait until next Valentine’s Day to make these recipes. Make them for a birthday, or anniversary, or just because it’s Thursday. They are just that good.