Valentine's Dinner for Two

Appetizer:  Red chard leaves stuffed with citrus-apple salad
Entree:  Seared skirt steaks with gorgonzola-port reduction sauce
Side:  Roasted brussel sprouts and red grapes in açai-balsamic glaze
Dessert:  Vanilla Cream Soda Cupcakes with Cabarnet Sauvignon Buttercream Frosting

Chard leaves stuffed with apple salad

Roasted brussel sprouts and red grapes

 

Vanilla Cream Soda Cupcakes with Cabarnet Sauvignon Buttercream Frosting

Appetizer Recipe:
2 Large red chard leaves
1/3 (or so) small head red cabbage
2 red apples
1/2 Grapefruit, juiced
Sugar (to taste)
4 oz Chopped Walnuts
Dash salt
Gorgonzola crumbles

1)  Wash chard.  Trim stems off chard leaves.  Cut leaves into quarters (once up the stem, once across the leaf).
2)  Dice apples.  Place in large bowl and toss in grapefruit juice.  Sprinkle with sugar until sourness of grapefruit is masked.  Add dash of salt.
3)  Just prior to serving, add walnuts and red cabbage (chopped coarsely).
4)  Place salad on top of each piece of chard leaf.  Sprinkle with gorgonzola cheese and serve.


Entree:
2 6-oz. Skirt steaks
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Ruby Port
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 T soy sauce
Salt, pepper to taste
Garlic Powder


1)  Mix all ingredients to form marinade.  Place steaks into marinade and refrigerate overnight.
2)  Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and spray with cooking spray.
3)  Place steaks onto skillet.  Glaze lightly with remaining marinade.  Sear on each side until the glaze is just starting to char.
4)  Place skillet into oven and broil until steaks are cooked through (internal temperature 140).


Gorgonzola Port Reduction Sauce:
1/2 cup Ruby Port
4 oz. Baby Carrots
Rosemary, Thyme
1-2 T Gorgonzola Cheese crumbles
1 T Half and Half

1)  Mix port, carrots, and herbs in small saucepan.  Heat over medium/medium-low heat to bring to a very gentle boil.
2)  Continue gently boiling until reduced by half.
3)  Add gorgonzola cheese.  Mix over medium-low heat until cheese is melted.
4)  Add half and half.  Mix well.
5)  Remove from heat.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6)  To serve, reheat at 50% in the microwave.

Side:
~1 pound brussel sprouts
1 T Olive Oil
Salt
2 cups red grapes
1 T Balsamic vinegar
1 T Açai juice
1/2 t Agave Nectar (honey can be used instead)

1)  Preheat oven to 400.
2)  Wash brussel sprouts.  Cut off bases, then cut in half.  Toss with olive oil until well coated, then sprinkle with salt.
3)  Spread brussel sprouts onto baking dish and roast at 400 for 20-25 minutes, until sprouts are just starting to brown.
4)  Meanwhile, mix balsamic vinegar, juice, and agave.  Add grapes and toss to coat.
5)  Spread grapes into small oven-safe dish and roast alongside brussel sprouts.
6)  After brussel sprouts and grapes are done roasting, mix together in large bowl.  Serve warm.

Dessert:

First off -- credit where credit is due -- this recipe is a modification of a recipe from The Food Network:  Cupcake Wars.

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Egg
1/2 cup Half and Half
1/4 cup Canola Oil
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup IBC Cream Soda, warmed in microwave
Cabarnet Buttercream Frosting (Recipe follows)


1)  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line 1 regular size cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2)  Using a stand mixer on low speed, combine sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.  Add egg, half and half, oil, and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
3)  Slowly add warm cream soda until fully combined.
4)  Fill the cupcake liners a little more than 3/4 full.  Bake in oven until the cupcakes spring back when touched with your finger.  (The original recipe said 10-15 minutes, but I found mine took more like 20-22).
5)  Remove from oven.  Allow cupcakes to cool in pans for a few minutes, then remove and finish cooling on wire rack.
6)  Spread frosting over each cupcake.  Top with one red raspberry.


Makes 12-14 cupcakes.


Cabarnet Sauvignon Buttercream Frosting:
~1 cup Cabarnet Sauvignon
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar


1)  Heat wine in small saucepan over medium to medium-low heat.  Bring to a gentle boil and reduce by about half.
2)  Remove wine from heat, and cool in refrigerator.
3)  In stand mixer, beat butter until well creamed (medium speed).
4)  Slowly toss in powdered sugar until well combined.
5)  Slowly pour wine reduction into frosting and continue mixing until frosting is smooth and creamy.