Irish Cream Cream Puffs

It’s that time of year again to let the luck of the Irish rub off on us. Every year, I take this as an excuse to whip up a batch of my favorite homemade Irish Cream.

Homemade Irish Cream

It’s always a fun little self-imposed challenge of mine to figure out what to do with all that Irish Cream. This year, we’re classin’ it up with cream puffs: Irish Cream Cream Puffs. Double the cream. How could you go wrong with that?

Cream puffs are made from a versatile dough called pâte à choux. It’s a lot easier than it seems to make this impressive looking dessert. Here’s how you do it:

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Hi long lost friends! Sorry I’ve been MIA lately. I’ve been buried under a House of Cards. Have you watched this? Don’t start unless you want to ignore social engagements until you’ve steamrolled through the entire season.

House of Cards

Sorry, this post isn’t about food. The characters in House of Cards prefer to sustain themselves on steady diet of power and late night smokes. And Freddy’s BBQ of course – the best in town.

Freddy’s BBQ Joint

Not to worry though, we will return to our regular programming soon!

For now, I’m going to continue shirking my responsibilities and sacrificing sleep for one. more. episode.

Maybe I’ll pull an all-nighter and prep a rack of ribs for breakfast.

Heart Beet Salad

The very first Valentine’s Day Hua and I spent together, he invited me over to his apartment and cooked for me for the first time. I still remember, he made me teryaki salmon and baby bok choy (yeah, knew he was a keeper then). We ate at his coffee table, sitting on big throw pillows, and tried to be coy as one does only a few months into a relationship.

We’ve certainly come a long way. We survived a cross-country relationship. Flew way past the nervous flirting stage and dove right into the good stuff. The lovey dovey-ness. The learning to communicate-ness. The never forgetting to cherish and appreciate one another-ness.

There is no one I enjoy sharing a delicious meal with more than my love. And no matter how much we enjoy going out to eat, there is always something special about staying at home and cooking for one another. After all, home is where the heart is.

My Bloody Valentine…

For a special Valentine’s Day meal, we start with this irresistibly pretty dish I like to call Heart Beet Salad. It’s a dramatic, heart-shaped, layered Napoleon of beet slices and goat cheese. Blood orange and cara cara segments adorn this arugula salad, and toasted hazelnuts are the finishing touch.

For our main course, we’re bringing it back to salmon. Hua knew what he was doing back then. Salmon is a great special date night choice because it’s almost impossible to mess up. Because it’s naturally high in fat, it’s pretty forgiving if you accidentally overcook it. It also cooks really quickly, so let’s get to our side dish first: Braised Fennel with Pancetta.

» Continue Reading “Home Is Where the Heart Is”…

Homemade Nutella Soufflés

Valentine’s Day can be kitschy overkill. Still, there are some things that just never go out of style. Like chocolate. Sure, a box of chocolates is great, but you’re looking to impress, right? Step it up with Homemade Nutella Soufflés and bask in the adoration.

Soufflés are one of those dishes that sound fancy and intimidating, but they’re actually not too difficult. Best of all, they can be made ahead of time, so come dessert, it won’t matter if you’re a bottle of wine in, all you have to do is turn on the oven and pop them in (and set a timer…you know, in case you get carried away with your wooing).

Homemade Nutella

This particular soufflé recipe goes the extra mile with homemade Nutella as the main ingredient. I made my first batch of this heavenly chocolate-hazelnut spread this past Christmas, and I must say, it has changed my life. No melting chocolate, no heating milk, or double boilers. Literally, this recipe is just six ingredients blended to smooth, creamy decadence.

» Continue Reading “Homemade Nutella Soufflés”…