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

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F, grease a baking sheet with butter
  2. In a large shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla and salt
  3. Make a 1-inch slit at the top of each croissant, creating space in the croissant for the filling
  4. 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
  5. Dip each croissant into the egg mixture, allowing to sit 1 minute per side; arrange the croissants on the prepared baking sheet
  6. Brush each croissant with leftover egg batter; bake for 20-25 minutes or until the croissant is golden
  7. 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
  8. Toss the berries with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  9. 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

  1. In a large pot of salted water, boil the ravioli per package instructions; reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain
  2. Pulse 1 cup of the walnuts and the milk in a blender until very smooth
  3. 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
  4. 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)
  5. 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)
  6. 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)
  7. 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

  1. Grease a 12x15-inch pan, set aside; attach a candy thermometer to a medium-sized pot
  2. 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
  3. Stir in vanilla; pour mixture into the prepared pan and let cool completely
  4. Cut caramel into 60 small squares; wrap them in waxed paper for storage

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