Are you READY?!?! Return of Grilled Pizzas :)

Believe it or not, Hubs still had not tried Grilled Pizzas!

Hubs' April deployment last year meant he missed a number of things...

He missed the rainy mud season indicative of a New England Spring.  He missed the beautiful shades of green and blossoming flowers of June.  He missed the family BBQs and beach time with friends in July.  He missed the sunsets and s'mores of August.  He missed the VT fall, returning to cool November and making it home just in time for the snow.

Although he was in 100+ degree weather in the middle of a desert, those 7 months away from the beautiful changing seasons must have felt like hibernation.

With the official start of summer just around the corner, Hubs has already begun to take in and indulge in all that he missed last year while overseas.  He has taken back the duty of mowing our lawn, trimming our trees, working on the garden, etc...it's pretty great to have a man around the house again :)

Can you believe I've been so absent minded to forget Hubs had not experienced the ease, versatility and tastiness of the grilled pizza?!?!

Pizza 1:  Tomato, Basil, Olive Oil

 

Big Pizza 2:  Spinach and Garlic Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, Bell Peppers and Red Onion

Pizza 3:  Leftovers from Pizza 1 and Big Pizza 2 with Turkey Pepperoni...'The Supreme'

(btw did you know Turkey Pepperoni has 70% less fat than the regular stuff and still tastes pretty darn good?!?!)

 

Fresh Mozzarella for all 3 Grilled Pizza Creations

Homemade pizza sauce for Big Pizza 2 and Pizza 3.

The sauce was a simmered combo of Canned Roma Tomatoes (2010 garden), tomato paste, fresh thyme (2011 garden), garlic, red pepper flake and salt/pepper. 

This sauce was super concentrated flavor with a spicy bite!

 

Over by the Naan in our grocery store, I noticed this new round Flatbread Pizza Crust, so thought we'd give it a whirl!

All the toppings were piled on and they hit the grill.

(In case you need a quick refresher...before piling on, I brush the bottoms of the crust with a bit of canola oil, and then the tops with some olive oil.  The goodies are piled on and the pizzas are grilled over indirect heat)

 

Big Pizza 2 on top of the new Flatbread Crust (which I will buy again).

 

Pizza 1 and Pizza 3 on Garlic Naan, yum!

Fresh Basil was added to finish off Pizza 1 and...

 

and Pizza 3

 

Big Pizza 2 all melty and done

After spending years in search of a good pizza joint for us, we thought we had found 'The One' just a couple months ago.  Let me tell you...these grilled beauties tasted so good, Hubs said they were the best pizzas we'd had in a long time...and better than pizza from 'The One'!

While it's nice to hear such positive remarks on the grilled pizza creations...'The One' is still going to be our go-to when even grilled pizzas are too much and I simply need a night off from the kitchen  ;)

Burger for One

Yesterday was a perfect New England spring day. Inspired by the weather and driven by my cravings for some red meat, I paid tribute to Hubs' by cooking up his favorite meal...a big ol' burger!
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Let me start off by commenting on how hard it is to buy meat for one person! The smallest package of ground beef I could find was just shy of a pound. This means we're probably cooking beef tonight and maybe even the next...
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Being the first real meal I've managed to prepare just for myself, I kept it simple, but added a little kick.
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This Burger for One was seasoned with - salt, pepper, dijon mustard, worcestershire, garlic powder and cayenne. I also decided on some extra sharp VT cheddar to make it a cheeseburger!
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In addition to the overly portioned beef at the grocery, buying rolls is also a challenge. One of the few downfalls to my go-to supermarket is that they do not have those bread bins where you can grab a single roll. Instead the Kaiser Rolls come in a package of 6, the cheap hamburger rolls as 8 and the ciabatta rolls...well another package of 6.
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I noticed a small loaf of the store made wheat bread. Hubs is not a big fan of wheat. I've tried to feed him whole wheat pasta, pizza dough, etc and usually strike out. Occasionally I can sneak in a loaf of sliced wheat bread without protest, but it doesn't get eaten as quickly as others.
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With no Hubs and at just a $1.50, it was perfect for this particular night.
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Now call me crazy or just plain weird, but what you see here is a wine glass...yes wine glass with beer and lime.

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Having recently discovered our local Costco carries 24 packs of Pacifico, I've been trying to find ways to resolve a minor problem I'm having with it. The issue is not the beer...it's great and at each first sip I remember and thank our super cool Seattle cousins for first turning us onto it during a family trip to FL. No the problem is that we recycle and when you shove a lime into a beer bottle, it's not so easy to retrieve it when you're done.

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So last night, I tried this (and yes, we do own pint glasses, but those are kept on the very top shelf and I was too lazy to grab the step stool). All in all it was not bad, but there is something to be said about drinking beer out of the bottle...it's just better!

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I grilled up the burger, melted on the cheese and toasted the bun...delicious!!

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Hubs would have been proud of this one too, it was huge!

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So large in fact that all I needed to accompany it was a tangy dill pickle.

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A Burger for One is good, Burgers for Two are even better...

Miss you Hubs!

Post St Patty's Deal

Missing Hubs a ton, so much so that I have lost my blogging groove. I am desperately trying to get it back...

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While Hubs has officially hit the road on his ever-so important adventure, I am here...I am in this place we call 'home.' How strange that 'home' does not feel like 'home' without him. There is an emptiness, a stillness...a silence that makes the heart heavy and eyes watery. So as I said in the last post...'this is what it is going to be like.'
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I've left his used coffee spoon balancing just on the edge of the kitchen sink and the pile of comfy sweats by the couch. I explain to inquiring folks that it makes me feel better. It tricks me into believing that he is still here. One BFF so thoughtfully supported my need for these things and said I should feel free to leave those marks of Hubs until I am good and ready to move them...which is exactly what I plan to do.
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A planner by nature, I've realized this is actually one of my problems at the moment. In this first week I've realized that planning and pondering the days, months, and seasons ahead are not helping my 'grieving.' I've turned over a newish leaf. I'm now a person who is attempting to take it 'one thing at a time.'
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As part of my dealing I have been creating a routine of distractions for myself and the Pups. Trying to keep them positive activities, Pups and I are walking 2-3 x a day, I'm drinking herbal teas (rather than copious amounts of alcohol), and taking time each day to get lost in a book. Not to mention our extensive group of family, friends and even blogging friends have been great supports and always around! Thank you all!!!
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While having taken some days off from cooking, I did dabble a bit - 1) accompaniments for a delightful Hockey Chili Party and 2) for an omelet one night. Nothing major yet, as it has been hard to find the energy and desire to cook. My hope is that this will all change beginning today.
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Today is the day I begin my annual house sitting duties, which includes access to the most amazing kitchen I've ever had the pleasure of cooking in. I just cannot wait to show you all!!!!
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Hubs & Ms. Homemaker's

2010 Post St. Patty's Day Feast

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Just after St. Patty's Day I buy the Manager's Special...corned beef.

Like how so many who eat Boiled Dinners for the Irish Holiday, Hubs and I wait until Post St. Patty's Day for our enjoyment of the feast.
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Peppercorns (fancy ones courtesy of B&A and their trip out west!) and bay leaves.

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Corned Beef, water and spices are added to a LARGE pot. Next year, I think I will attempt to brine my own. In fact that sounds like a great technique to practice while Hubs is gone...to brine meat!
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Cabbage, potatoes and some onion.

Our Boiled Dinner...yum!
* The corned beef is great...the cabbage and other components for the boiled dinner are just as gosh darn awesome!!

We tend to keep it simple. The final dish is served up with spicy mustard.

There never seems to be as many leftovers as I would like. At Thanksgiving you end up eating turkey for a week. Me...well I'd love to have enough leftover corned beef to eat for that for a week! Instead we made do with two days worth...but boy is it all worth it :O)

I will have to look through the library of pics, but I do think this is it for Hubs-happy meals...at least for the time being. I hope to find my groove in the coming days when faced with access to one of the most amazing kitchens I've spent time in. In addition to the commercial size burners, double ovens, top of the line tools, pans etc...did I mention they have a huge subzero fridge/freezer AND pantry always fully stocked!?!?!

Fingers crossed this will be a little slice of heaven as we transition into this new routine! Not to mention it is the season ending hockey tournament this weekend!! Some quality time with my team and good old competitive exercise should also hit the spot!!!

End to Winter Hockey Night

This is a time for the end and the beginning...
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While the winter hockey season has ended, the official start to Spring has begun.
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Among other things we are in the midst of Ms. Homemaker's preparations to become self sufficient and independent...
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Hubs' trip is just around the corner (literally hours at this point). We've been attached at the hip. When someone asks if we can do dinner, go out for a drink, etc, so that they may bid him farewell, I can't help but be selfish and think to myself 'NO! I want him all to myself.' The truth is, I've been letting him call the shots...we do what he wants or needs, when he wants or needs.
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Each moment I have with him I try to further burn into my mind the images and memories of us being...well us. This week when the sox began the season, I was right there beside him...him, me, us and only us! I want to further ingrain in my head and heart what it feels like to sit here alone with him...even now as he plays xbox to relax and release some anxiety, I write my blog. It's comfortable and comforting.
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I am feeling guilty of being selfish with what time we have, but I really am trying to share him. We've been touring the state bidding goodbye to family and friends, checking things off the to-do list as we go. We've been shopping to purchase a stock supply of daily necessities, worrying whether we'll get it all to fit in the minimal luggage he's allowed.
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The other night I couldn't sleep. We went to bed together and as his breath grew deep and he entered well into his REM cycle, I laid there wide awake. I watched him sleep. This is something I almost never do, since I am usually the first one to pass out and call it a day. There is just something about the timing of things.
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Each moment I have alone in the house I try to acknowledge the silence and say to myself, 'this is what it is going to be like.' I try to prepare myself and imagine what it will be like with no used coffee spoon sitting just on the edge of the sink. No pile of comfy sweats sitting by the couch, with which Hubs will change into upon returning from work. I think of Pups, who will not have his fellow male companion for so long and how I will try to be more for him so that he may not feel the emptiness of the house...
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I am worried that things will be different. I mean after so much time apart, they almost have to be right? We never stop growing as individuals. Even though we will be apart, we will be changing as a couple. Is this the last time it will feel exactly this way?!?!
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Is this the end of how we are...just the way we are now? Will things change so much that we're forced to face a new chapter of life??
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I don't know if I am ready for things to change...or at least not yet. Fighting against things out of my control, I try to enjoy what is now and see that darned glass half full. While I am comfortable and comforted by the way we are and who we are now, I can't help but ask myslef what will happen? How will this go??
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As we count down the hours and prepare, everything is a last. This is the last Wednesday we have, yesterday was the last Tuesday....you get what I mean?!?!
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Since cooking and food are just one way I express myself, I've been bugging Hubs with 'what is it you really want to eat before you leave?!?" To be honest he's had a worrisome appetite. He's hungry, but sick to his stomach. He's up for anything, but really only concentrating on the ETD just ahead.
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To mark the end of March Madness and the winter Wednesday night hockey season last week, I made California Style BLTs. You can never go wrong with bacon after all!
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I started with a find VT beverage to get warmed up...

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You gotta love that the name of this blend is the lone area code of the state!
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With no Hubs around, I've been trying to use up what we have in the fridge...

and bought a ton of bacon!

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Piled high, we have California BLTs!

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I gave Hubs extra bacon on his :O)

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We also enjoyed some spicy sweet potato fries that I baked up in the oven.

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BLTs - Toasted potato bread, mayo, dulce gorgonzola, bacon (lots of it!), iceberg lettuce, vine ripe tomato and avocado.

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Spicy Sweet Potato Fries - Slice sweet potato, canola oil, garlic powder, cayenne, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

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A Quick Fix: Pork Cutlet Sandwich

I'm in a hurry to get things done...

With not much time to get in the kitchen lately, I've had to improvise with a few dishes that fit in the 30 minutes or less category.

I sliced a pork tenderloin into 1 inch disks and then pounded them out with my trusty mallet. The great thing about using the tenderloin is that it's tender! The meat pounds out very easily and quickly.
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After being dipped in an egg wash and seasoned breadcrumbs, the pork cutlets are fried up in some olive oil.
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I grabbed a baguette on the way home from work and piled it with the pork cutlets and some leftovers from the fridge...marinara and fresh mozzarella.

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Of course I cannot just leave jarred sauce as is, so quickly threw in some red pepper flake, garlic powder, oregano, and salt/pepper while it was warmed on the stove.

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These were broiled in the oven until there was just enough of that toasty brown cheesy goodness visible!

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A quick fix that aims to please.

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Hubs loved it! He is actually a fan of veal cutlet grinders/subs from local pizza places...but to be honest I cannot bring myself to purchase the stuff. The pork tenderloin was a more than adequate substitute, as chicken would also be.

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Feeling so guilty for posting nothing more then a lame excuse for not cooking this week, I've managed to crank this one out during my lunch at the office.

I'll be back with more soon!!

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In the meantime...

ENJOY!

Dinner for my Valentine (2010)

This year was a struggle, but come Valentine's Day I was able to pull it together!
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Part 3 : Dinner
The menu itself may sound more difficult than it actually was. In fact, I didn't begin cooking until around 2pm...drifting in and out of the kitchen as I watched Team USA Women's Hockey pound the heck out of China!!
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2010 Valentine's Day Menu
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Salty/Sweet Beginnings
Prosciutto & Fresh Mozzarella Crostini, drizzled with a Balsamic Reduction
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Tangy Tastes of Love
Salad with Lil' Ms. Homemaker's Vinaigrette & Carrot Slaw
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A Garlicky Passion for Mussels
Mussels in Garlic/White Wine Sauce
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Kona Steak Dream
Seasoned Grilled Steak with Kona Coffee Porter Reduction
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A Heavenly End
Saint André Triple Cream & Cooked Apple on a Soft Baguette
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Early Preparations
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The first thing I did at 2pm was get my reductions going. In one pot was some balsamic vinegar and in the other, two bottles of Kona Coffee Porter (beer).
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Cook's note - I chose to do a balsamic reduction simply because we keep a cheaper bottle of balsamic in the kitchen. If you are lucky enough to have some good quality balsamic vinegar in your cupboards, then by all means...leave as is!! The bonus in reducing the cheap stuff is you can transform it into something thick, sweet and rich. The negative is that your kitchen fills with the sharp pungent smell of vinegar.
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Salty/Sweet Beginnings
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Construction Process:

Toast some baguette slices - aka Crostini.

Layer with prosciutto and slices of fresh mozzarella.

Heat in oven until cheese has melted.

Top with balsamic reduction.

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Prosciutto & Fresh Mozzarella Crostini, drizzled with a Balsamic Reduction.

Cook's Note - The only thing I might have adjusted here is the application of the balsamic reduction. I wish I had taken more care into doing some beautiful design over the top. The salty prosciutto, creamy mozzarella and sweet balsamic all together were excellent!!

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Tangy Tastes of Love

* Salad with Lil' Ms. Homemaker's Vinaigrette & Carrot Slaw

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It's just a simple salad, but in case you are interested in making it, here is what went down.

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Asian Inspired Carrot Slaw

Julienned Carrot

Toasted Sesame Oil

Soy Sauce

Rice Vinegar

Pepper

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Lil' Ms. Homemaker's Vinaigrette

Extra Virgin Lemon Olive Oil

[we had some leftover from production for holiday gifts, but regular EVOO will do.]

Rice Vinegar

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Salt/Pepper

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Construction Process:

Dress baby roman with Vinaigrette and top with Carrot Slaw.

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Cook's Note - Do make the Carrot Slaw in advance, say 20 minutes at least. Do not dress the salad until just before serving, or you'll end up with a wilted mess. The contrasting flavors between the dressed lettuce and Asian inspired carrot slaw complimented one another fantastically!

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A Garlicky Passion for Mussels

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Toasted bread slices are a MUST so that you have a way to soak up and enjoy the Garlic/Wine Sauce.
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Mussels in Garlic/White Wine Sauce

Begin with lots of minced garlic and a heart stopping amount of melted butter.

Add white wine, salt and pepper.

Dump in cleaned mussels and cook until all the shells are open.

Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

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Cook's Note - While the actual act of cooking mussels is quick and easy, their prep is time consuming. Also, as my father always says when it come to clams, mussels, etc...if it looks at all questionable, don't eat it! The mussels turned out good, but not yet great. I added a little too much wine and think I may have been short on the butter.

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Kona Steak Dream

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Kona Coffee Porter Reduction

2 bottles of Kona Coffee Porter (beer) were simmered to reduce.

A touch of sugar and the seeds of 1/2 a vanilla bean were added to sweeten and enhance the flavors.

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Grilled Seasoned/Coffee Steak

Rub steaks with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of ground coffee.

Grill to desired doneness.

Following the resting period, drizzle with Kona Reduction.

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Doesn't the plated sauce above resemble a serpent or snake...maybe Champ (Lake Champlain version of Nessie/Loch Ness Monster)?!?!
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Seasoned Grilled Steak with Kona Coffee Porter Reduction
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Cook's Note - We had some potatoes leftover, so I whipped up some garlic mashed potatoes to serve with the steak. Honestly, this dish was perfect for us...no changes in the future!
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A Heavenly End

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Maple Sauteed Apples

Combined melted butter and maple syrup over moderate heat.

Add thinly sliced apple and cook until softened.

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Construction Process:

Spread softened French Triple Cream on sliced baguette.

Lay cooked apple slices on top of cheese.
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Saint André Triple Cream & Cooked Apple on a Soft Baguette
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Cook's Note - This is AWESOME!!!

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This was my first time making all of the above and Hubs gave the meal...

a lovely 10 on the scale for Valentine's Day Dinners!!!

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Overall it was a pretty easy menu to prepare and I will likely do each of the courses above again at some point. Please take what you will for ideas/inspiration from this and get in the kitchen!!