3 Recipes To Make Your Valentine Swoon
February 8, 2023
We're talkin' breakfast, dinner and dessert
Strawberries-and-Cream Stuffed Croissant French Toast
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6-8 small, day-old croissants 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1⁄3 cup high quality strawberry jam
- 3 tablespoons melted, salted butter, plus more for the pan
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced horizontally whipped cream and maple syrup, for serving
Time
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 8
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375° F, grease a baking sheet with butter
- In a large shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla and salt
- Make a 1-inch slit at the top of each croissant, creating space in the croissant for the filling
- In a bowl, gently stir together the cream cheese and strawberry jam and spoon the mix into a sandwich bag, snipping the corner off the bag; squeeze approximately 2 tablespoons of the strawberry cream into the slit of each croissant
- Dip each croissant into the egg mixture, allowing to sit 1 minute per side; arrange the croissants on the prepared baking sheet
- Brush each croissant with leftover egg batter; bake for 20-25 minutes or until the croissant is golden
- Melt together the butter, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons maple syrup; spoon the butter mixture evenly over each croissant and bake another 10 minutes until the croissants are crisp
- Toss the berries with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Top the French toast with whipped cream, berries and maple syrup
Ravioli With Mushroom Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 20-ounce package store-bought ravioli
- 1 cup walnut pieces, plus
- ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound sliced cremini mushroom
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 3 cups packed baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Time
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 6
Directions
- In a large pot of salted water, boil the ravioli per package instructions; reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain
- Pulse 1 cup of the walnuts and the milk in a blender until very smooth
- In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat, adding the mushrooms and seasoning with salt and pepper; cook and stir occasionally, until tender and golden (about 5 minutes); remove to a plate and wipe skillet clean
- Return skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil and garlic; cook, stirring, until garlic is light golden and fragrant (1 minute) then add the flour and cook, stirring (1 minute)
- Whisk the walnut-milk mixture into the skillet and add the cream cheese and ¾ cups of the reserved pasta water; cook, stirring, until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened slightly (about 3 minutes)
- Stir in the spinach and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, cooking until spinach is just wilted (about 1 minute); stir in the cooked mushrooms and cooked ravioli (if sauce is too thick, add the remaining pasta water, a little bit at a time)
- Top with the chopped walnuts and serve
Caramels
Ingredients
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
Time
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 60
Directions
- Grease a 12x15-inch pan, set aside; attach a candy thermometer to a medium-sized pot
- Place whipping cream, white sugar, brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and evaporated milk into the pot; cook and stir mixture over medium heat until temperature reaches 250° F (120° C) and then remove the pot from heat
- Stir in vanilla; pour mixture into the prepared pan and let cool completely
- Cut caramel into 60 small squares; wrap them in waxed paper for storage
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