Aisle Twelve

This was the first year that Joe and I didn't go out to eat for Valentine's Day.  I wanted to be able to put my baby to bed and wish him sweet dreams on his first Valentine's.  So I decided to bring the restaurant to us.  And guess what I discovered?  There are many advantages to fine dining at home.  Advantage #1:  Cheaper.  I know that Joe's favorite dinner is surf and turf.  I went all out and got two 4 oz beef tenderloins to make fillet mignon and two small Maine lobster tails (they were expensive ingredients, but buying the smaller portions made it a little more reasonable.)  I made the garlic butter sauce to dip the lobster in, made some herb butter for the fillet and even made  profiteroles  and espresso for dessert. The whole thing was cheaper than what it would have been going out.  Not to mention I could have had the whole bottle of the wine for less than one glass at a nice restaurant.  Advantage #2:  You finally have a reason to bust out the wed

This is a lesson in simplicity.  As in, some things are just so simple, they seem overwhelming.  One thing I have always thought to be decadent, fancy, over-the-top gourmet is profiteroles.  Maybe it's because you usually get them at a fancy restaurant or they are such a rarity that they seem out of reach.  Had I known just how fast and easy this dessert is, I would have made them a long time ago.  If I knew that I have most of the ingredients in the fridge on a regular basis, then I might be making these every week.  If I knew that I could make a batch and them freeze them and take them out whenever I needed them, then I'd probably eat them everyday.  The beautiful thing about profiteroles is how versatile they are.  Not only are they a blank canvas as a dessert, but they could be made into a savory appetizer.  It's just as easy to fill them with pistachio gelato and top with chocolate sauce as it is to fill them with goat cheese and top with a balsamic reduction.

With temperatures barely making it to positive digits today, it seemed like the perfect day to stay in sweatpants and bake something.  I decided it was a chocolate chip banana bread kind of day.  Banana bread, like apple pie, is not only a delicious treat for the mouth, but the nose as well.  My whole house is filled with comforting banana bread aromatherapy.  If looking at this doesn't make you feel instantly warmer, then you need to make this yourself to feel the warm comfort.  Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 1 3/4 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 1/4 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup shortening 2/3 cup sugar 2 eggs, slightly broken 1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3) chocolate chips (optional) Sift flour, add baking powder, baking soda and salt, sift again. In a large bowl, cream shortening and add sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients alternating with the mashed bananas, stirring enough t