A Nice Dinner

Part 1: To Begin

Fresh Warm Pretzels ...mmmm!

Dough:

2 1/4 tsp Yeast

1 1/4 cup Warm Water

2 1/2 cups Flour

2 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Salt

Preparation to Bake:

4 cups Water

2 tbsp Baking Soda

1 Egg

Stir yeast into water.  Let sit until it bubbles.  

Add flour, oil and salt, mixing until it holds together and kneed until elastic.  

Let sit an hour to rise.

Boil water.  Cut dough into 12 pieces, roll and twist into pretzel shape.  

Add baking soda to boiling water.  Boil pretzels in water for one minute, separately or a few at a time.  Grease cookie sheet, place pretzels on and brush with beaten egg.  

Sprinkle coarse salt over and bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.  

Enjoy with butter.

I used half white and half whole wheat flour.

Part 2:  Main Course

Basil-Anchovy Butter Steak and Beet Greens

I was very happy about how this tasted, so happy in fact, I made it again last night!

Butter, 50 grams

Olive Oil, 1 tbsp

Basil, 1 tbsp

Anchovy Paste, 1 tsp

Salt and Pepper

1 Clove Roasted Garlic, mashed

One good sized steak

Bunch beets with nice leaves

Potatos (plus butter, cream & salt for mashed)

Boil potatos.  When done, mash.

Make Butter:  Mix first 6 ingredients together until smooth

Trim, Wash and Dry Beet Leaves

Cut Steak into strips

Heat frying pan to just below maximum, 

then add a generous amount of butter, stirring to cover pan.

Add the leaves, flipping to coat in the butter.  Cook until just soft.

(I use chopsticks to do this as I find them much more dexterious than tongs...)

Place leaves on each plate.

Add more butter to the pan, coating well.  Add the meat and cook to your liking.  

In my opinion, just place all the strips into the pan one by one 

and in the same order turn them over.  Now they're done!

Place potato and meat around the leaves.

Part 3:  Dessert

Chocolate Mousse from Scratch

Next time, when my pockets are feeling more flush, I will be making this with grand marnier... 

It is a perfect dessert for my mother, who doesn't eat gluten, 

and who loves chocolate and orange together... 

Or just for anyone who likes really delicious desserts, chiefly made of chocolate.  

Or if necessary a substitute for a Valentine on Valentine's day...

(Thank you Donna Hay, June/July 2011, for rescuing me!)

I used unsweetened pure chocolate which is not terribly sweet, but tasted glorious used here.

Ingredients: 

200 grams dark chocolate, chopped or broken up

3 eggs, separated

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 whipping cream

Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or gently in microwave.  Let cool somewhat.

Beat the egg whites with whisk attachment until soft peaks form.  Add sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is soft and glossy.

Whisk 1/4 cup of the cream, the yolks and chocolate until well combined.  

Gently, fold egg white mixture through the chocolate half at a time.  

Be rather gentle and use the folding motion (no stiring!) in order to achieve a very airy texture.

Whip remaining 1 cup cream until soft peaks form.  

Again gently, fold this through the egg-chocolate mixture.  

Spoon into cups... four is fine but five or six might gaurentee you can finish it in one sitting.  

Quite rich, just the way I like men... ahem... chocolate mousse.

Just for fun!

Recent and Notable Entertainment:

If you haven't seen a sweet, honest, romantic journey with a twist recently, I suggest you watch Moonrise Kingdom.  

You'll end up loving it, I'm sure, and want to have a dress just like Suzy's... 

I think I might have to invest in saddle shoes, too... 

"No, I said what kind of bird are you?",  will make sense to you, 

and really, who shouldn't have the following essentials: binoculars, woven bag, tam, lantern

Plus Love.  Love is necessary.

Lionel Richie is currently filling my home with a sultry, motown mood.

 "Love is just a word, until someone gives it meaning"

Valentine's Day Cards

Mmmmm...Love...Muuuuha

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Since when do large movie theaters play foreign films?  I thought in general they didn't.  But I'm always open to good surprises.  I think I'll be checking out Singh vs Kaur tonight!