Leslie Sarna

Chocolate Covered Strawberries (a how to)

Chocolate covered strawberries has to be hands down the most popular dessert to have on Valentines Day.  They are perfect because they are light, decadent and super easy to make!  Even if you are going out to dinner this Valentines Day, wouldn't it be nice to come home to a couple beautiful chocolate dipped strawberries?  Ok, here is the "how to" for those of you who have never done them:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What you'll need:

12 strawberries (I found the ones with the long stems at Trader Joe's, but regular strawberries will do)

about 8 oz. dark chocolate

a pad of butter

about 2 oz. white chocolate (if you want to drizzle)

What you'll do:

Wash your strawberries well, and let dry fully.  Wet strawberries and chocolate do not play well together!  Put some wax paper or parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Make a double boiler with a heat proof bowl and a pot with 1 inch of water or use a double boiler.  Turn the heat on and when simmering, reduce the heat to low.  Place the chocolate and the pad of butter in the bowl and melt.  

Stir often so it melts evenly.  Next I like to arrange the strawberries un-dipped on the tray so I know they will all fit.

One at a time, hold the strawberries by the stem and leaves and dip into the chocolate.  Turn side to side to make sure it's covered.  Remove from the chocolate and place back on the cookie sheet.

When you have finished all of them, place the white chocolate in a small bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds stopping to stir halfway.  When it's melted, use a fork to drizzle over the strawberries.

There you have it!  So easy right?  And why not decorate the plate like above with a little leftover chocolate?  Just use a knife and spread in the shape of a heart.

You can serve them immediately or stick them in the fridge until your sweetheart comes home.

** A chocolate note:  I used Wilton's chocolate for these which you can find at Michael's.  I find it very easy to work with.  But I also really enjoy using high quality chocolates like valrhona.  Just stay away from using chocolate chips, I find they have a high wax content that doesn't make for the tastiest strawberries.  So try to use the discs or bars.

These pair spectacularly well with the moscato I told you about earlier.

Enjoy!

 

Valentines Day Smoothie

Why not start your Valentines day off with a bang?  A smoothie like this is just the answer!  Healthy, nutritious and yummy!  You're probably going to have a heavy dinner, so starting your day with something like this is perfect!

Now smoothies are just about the easiest thing in the world to make. . . you really can't go wrong.  Pick your favorite fruits, add a little liquid and voila!  And why not serve it in a wine glass to be extra fancy?  It is Valentines Day after all!  This is one of my favorite versions : )

A Berry Yummy Valentines Smoothie

Makes 1 tall glass

about a half a mango (frozen or fresh)

about 10 strawberries (frozen or fresh)

a handful or blueberries (frozen or fresh)

1 banana 

1/4 cup coconut water

1/4 cup (or more) soy milk (or regular milk)

what you'll do:

Put the fruit in the blender, add the liquid and blend.  Add more liquid if it's too thick.

Enjoy!

 

Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes

It's all the goey, yumminess of a cinnamon bun, wrapped neatly in a cupcake liner! : )  Baking these this way is so nice to serve to a large group of people.  There's no pulling them apart and getting your fingers all sticky!  Super easy and fabulous!  I baked these for my friend Ashley's "Bun in the Oven" baby shower.  They were a big hit!  But these would be a fabulous treat for your Valentine! 

 

Now there are plenty same day recipes out there that the dough comes together much faster, but I like to let the dough rise overnight.  So be aware of that before you start this recipe.

Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes

What you'll need:

1 pint of whole milk

1/2 vegetable oil

1/2 cup white sugar

1 packet of yeast

4 cups of flour (plus 1 more cup for later and more for dusting)

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

2 sticks of melted butter

2 heaping tbsp. of ground cinnamon

1/2 cup white sugar 

1/2 cup brown sugar

For the frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1/4 cup good butter (1/2 stick)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

What you'll do:

In a large pot, mix together the milk, vegetable oil and sugar.  Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.  Let cool for about an hour.  Pour in the yeast and let sit a minute till it dissolves a little.  Add in the 4 cups of flour and mix well.  Cover with a lid and let rise for about an hour.

Add one more cup of flour, the baking soda and the baking powder.  Mix well and place the lid back on the pot and refrigerate overnight.  

I hope you slept well!  Now it's time to make the buns!

Get your counter space ready, by cleaning well, drying and sprinkling with flour.  Take half of the dough and roll out to a thin rough-rectangle shape.  Drizzle about a 1/2 a cup of melted butter over the dough evenly.  Sprinkle with a very very generous amount of cinnamon.  Then the white and brown sugar.  Starting at the opposite end start rolling the dough towards you.  Try to make it as tight as you can.  

Line your cupcake pan with liners and spray them very lightly with cooking spray.  

Using a serrated knife (like a bread knife), cut the roll in about 2-inch pieces and place them cut side down in the cupcake liners.  Let rise in the pan for about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile heat the oven to 375 degrees and make the frosting.  

Make the frosting, by mixing it all together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.

Spoon some melted butter on top of the buns and put them in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes or until golden.  Remove from the oven and carefully remove the buns and place them on a wire rack.  Immediately frost with the cream cheese frosting so it melts into the buns.  

These are best served warm, but you can also serve them at room temp.

Enjoy!

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Tools I used:

Cupcake Pan

Cupcake Liners

Cinnamon

 

Sugar Cookies with Coconut Frosting

Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm!  Coconut is so yummy!  And I have to credit this cookie to my friend Autumn.  While we were planning the menu for our friend Ashley's Baby Shower, she wanted to have sugar cookies and something with coconut, so voila!  The sugar cookie with coconut frosting was born!  

Sugar Cookies with Coconut Frosting

What you'll need:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of really good unsalted butter, room temp.

1 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 cups powdered sugar

a couple cups of shredded coconut

What you'll do:

Heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Line your baking sheets with silpat, parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a big bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter with both the sugars and mix till combined.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Gradually add in the dry ingredients in 3 batches blending well in-between.  

Get your hands wet with warm water and roll 1-inch balls with your fingers.  Place on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden.  Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about 2 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack.  Let them cool to room temperature before frosting.

For the frosting:

Combine the sugar and coconut milk and mix well.  (It will be on the thin side and will harden on the cookies)  Spread the frosting on the cookies and sprinkle with the shredded coconut.  

Do not stack the cookies until the frosting has hardened which should take about an hour.

Enjoy!

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Tools I used:

Cookie Sheets

Kitchen Aid

 

Roasted Tomato Soup

Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm!  I made this recently in these adorable mini pots for my sisters baby shower {yup, another one.  More on that later this week}, but this soup is wonderful on any occasion!  Roasting the tomatoes first makes this soup packed full of flavor!  Need a tutorial on roasting tomatoes?  You're lucky I posted one last week : )

Enjoy this soup with a garlic bread, grilled cheese, or just by itself is enough.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Serves 4-6

What you'll need:

about 4 pounds tomatoes {I used a mix of sugar plum, roma and campari}, quarter the larger ones and leave the small ones whole

10-15 cloves of garlic {no that's not a typo, don't worry it's not strong!}

olive oil, for roasting

a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

kosher or sea salt

1 medium to large yellow onion, diced

1 cup vegetable broth

a pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup water or 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes {if you like it chunky}

1/4 cup heavy cream {if you like it creamy}

a few basil leaves shredded to garnish with

What you'll do:

First you have to roast the tomatoes and garlic.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookies sheet with parchment paper or foil.  Toss the halved or quartered tomatoes and the peeled garlic in some olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar and a big pinch of salt.  Lay on the cookie sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes or until they just start to brown. {the entire house will smell incredible when they are ready}

While your tomatoes are doing their thing, heat a large pot on medium low on the stove.  Pour in a few rounds of olive oil and the diced onions.  Then cook them till translucent.  There is a phrase for this in Italian.  It's "devi uccidere la cipolla"  It means "You must kill the onion".  The theory is you have to cook is so much you literally have pulled all the life out of it.  

When your onion is "dead" and your tomatoes are roasted, pour the tomatoes, garlic and all the juice from the pan into the pot.  Stir and cook for about 5-10 minutes.  Now you need to transfer the tomatoes and onions into a blender and blend till smooth.  This works best if you do it in batches.  Then run the liquid through a strainer and back into the pot.  Add the broth and water.  Season to taste with a pinch of cayenne pepper and salt.

If you'd like your soup more chunky, add the can of diced tomatoes and if you like it creamier add some heavy cream gradually till you get the consistency that you like.

Enjoy!

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Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten Free}

Why not give Santa some gluten free, low-cal cookies this year?  Trust me, he'll be asking for these scrumptious cookies year round!  I know a lot of people say, "tastes just like the real one", but seriously, these cookies are insanely delicious!  The cashew butter makes then rich, savory and decadent and the chocolate chips balance out with the perfect sweetness!  They are just crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle.  And with only 5 ingredients they come together in minutes!

Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

What you'll need:

1 cup cashew butter {think peanut butter but with cashews}

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

What you'll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips.  When blended, mix in the chocolate chips.  Using your hands, form 1 1/2 inch balls and flatten into a pancake shape and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 9 minutes.  Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack.

I think they are yummiest warm, but still fabulous at room temp : )

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If you like this recipe, you'll also love it made with peanut butter!

Creme Fraiche Blueberry Pancakes

I don't know if you all saw the recent South Park episode where they made fun of the Food Network, but it was hilarious!  I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!  There was also a fantastic joke about creme fraiche being used on everything.  

Creme fraiche is a light delicious french cream.  It could be compared to sour cream, but I would not use it as a substitute.  It can be found at trader joe's, whole foods, or most chain grocery stores.

So without any more chatting, here is my recipe for creme fraiche pancakes : )  

Creme Fraiche Blueberry Pancakes

makes 6 pancakes

2 eggs

3/4 cup creme fraiche

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

a handful of blueberries

In a medium size bowl, beat eggs and whisk in creme fraiche. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add creme fraiche mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.

Heat your pan or griddle on medium high heat for 30 seconds then turn down to medium.  Dollop batter on to the pan. Place the blueberries in the pancakes, press down and cover with batter.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip pancakes and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. 

Top with additional blueberries if you like, homemade butter and maple syrup!  Serve warm.

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and here is a funny clip from the episode that I think you'll all enjoy!

                     

Tools I used:

Apron

Griddle

Pancake Flipper

Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna

Ok, so it's still here raining in Los Angeles and very gloomy. . . So, what better way to warm up the house than to make a lasagna.  Not just any lasagna (of course), a Leslie original.  I have to admit that I was a little worried about this one.  I have never used kale of butternut squash in a lasagna, but it turned out delicious!!  

This would also make a nice vegetarian Thanksgiving option!  You can make it ahead of time.

Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna

Serves 8 

What you'll need:

1 1/4 lb. lasagna noodles, cooked only until very chewy (they will cook lots more in baking)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 cups of cream

1 lb. kale, chopped

1 lb. chard, I used a combo or red and green, chopped

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 lb. ricotta cheese, I like using "part skim"

1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus a handful for the top

a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

7 oz. creme fraiche

What you'll do:

Roast the butternut squash.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees and toss your peeled and diced butternut squash in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil (enough to coat them), cinnamon and a big pinch of salt.  Spread over a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or tin foil.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. (this can vary a little depending on the size of your dice)  Again they will cook more in the lasagna so don't cook till they become mush.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  

While the butternut squash is roasting, wash and chop all the kale and chard.  In a large wide pot (I used my le creuset) on medium low or low.  Heat some olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pot, and add in the diced onion, 3 cloves of garlic and a big pinch of salt.  Let them get happy for about a minute and then add the greens, toss, then pour the cream over them and toss again.  Continue to toss every couple minute until they all wilt, about 10 minutes.

While you are waiting for those, cook your lasagna noodles.  Also, in a medium mixing bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese with the parmesan, parsley, nutmeg and the remaining 1 clove of chopped garlic.

Now for assembly:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Smear enough creme fraiche on the bottom of your 9x13 baking dish to cover.

Arrange the noodles on the bottom.

Next goes the greens mix.  Use a slotted spoon to drain some of the liquid.

Then the butternut squash,

then the ricotta mix.

Then start with the noodles again.  So noodle, creme fraiche, greens, squash, ricotta until the pan is full.  You want to end with the noodles on top.  Then slather with the remaining creme fraiche, ricotta and sprinkle a big handful of parmesan on top.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy warm : )

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Tools I used:

Le creuset pot

Baking Dish

and of course my apron : )

 

Heirloom Tomato Salad

I hate even admitting this, but I think summer is coming to an end : (  It happened this morning when I took the dogs out for a walk and had to come back in to get a sweater.  I realized that not only will it be getting colder, but my most favorite fruits and vegetables will be making their way out of season.  To enjoy a little bit more, I made myself a big heirloom tomato salad!  Gosh they are good!

 

You don't really need a recipe for a salad like this.  It's also known as a caprese salad.  All you need is some sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese (I use bufala here), some basil, salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar (I used a balsamic cream that you can find at a fancy food store)  Make it pretty on the plate and enjoy the fresh flavors of summer!  I suggest eating it outside enjoying the sun while you still can!

xoxo

Cheesecake Fruit Parfaits

What can I say?  I love cheesecake!  I have a lot of recipes for it!  This one is a nice, RICH, creamy, luscious recipe.

 Cheesecake Parfait 

 What you'll need:

  8 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature 

  A pinch of salt (kosher preferred) 

  1 Tbsp. Almond Liqueur (amaretto) 

  1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract 

  2 Eggs, room temperature 

  1/2 cup Sugar 

  1 package (17 1/2 oz.) Marscapone Cheese (Italian cream cheese), at room temperature 

  Fruit (I used 1 peach, 8 strawberries, and 24 raspberries)

  Ghram Cracker crumbs to sprinkle 

  Chocolate, shaved 

  What you'll do: 

In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, (or a bowl with hand mixer) beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add a pinch of salt.  While the mixer is running, gradually pour in the vanilla and almond liqueur. Crack in the eggs 1 at a time.  Add the sugar and then the mascarpone and beat until smooth.

Pour the mixture to a large heatproof (glass or metal) bowl. Set the bowl over saucepan partially filled with barely simmering water, but do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. (you are making a double boiler) Cook until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer.  (you are killing the egg bacteria at 170 degrees)  It takes about 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir pretty often cause you don't want lumps to form.  When the sauce reaches 170 degrees F, remove the bowl and place on the counter to cool. (careful of the steam!)  Allow the mix to cool for about 20 minutes.  Refrigerate a 2 hours or overnight.

Place the diced fruit in a bowl or wine glasses like I did if you want to be fancy.  Dollop a nice amount of cheesecake mix on top and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs or chocolate shavings, or both : )  Serve and Enjoy!!