Something stronger than Chocolate

I must admit that I nearly ordered this entire basket of chocolates for myself, but I resisted temptation for a greater cause. I have sent this basket of sweets for my sweet… well… perhaps not MY sweet… yet… but one never knows what may come in the future and I am best to be prepared for the best! And believe me when I tell you it took all of my power to resist this for myself… Chocolate Almond Pecan Crunch… Chocolate covered cherries… Chocolate covered pretzels… Peanut Butter LUST… its all just too much… fortunately I am now powered by something stronger than chocolate…

Aris, Me, and a Bottle of Wine

Mes amies! I am currently drinking the most amazing wine that was given to me by one of the most thoughtful… generous… beautiful people… I mean… inside… of course… Aris. Yes, Aris, the dear boy, who I’ve just discovered, believes he’s in love with me! Could it be true? Could it be true that his heart… beats as mine? That he too longs to throw his arms around me as I do him in wild abandon and wonderful sweet… Mon dieux! I must slow down. The wine is making me say… things. Be assured. I am completely in control of my emotions. Nothing will be taken to heart until he is well again and I can truly discover if the rumors are true or if he’s just toying with me. Excuse me while I pour myself another glass…

No Rest for the Merry…

Mon Dieux! It’s been one Christmas Party after another for your favorite celebrity chef. I’ve been here… there… everywhere. But! I am taking the next 9 days to rest, because on Thursday, December 24th the masterpiece shall begin! (Of course, what of mine is not a masterpiece?) But on that night especially, I will be creating the most amazing dinner with so many side dishes it will boggle the mind. In fact, there is little time to create the entree. But no matter, I have the perfect solution: filet mignon! What people never seem to realize is that it is SO easy to cook and… it’s to die for! You really ought to try it!

The Dark Chocolate Diet?

Mon Dieux! Thanksgiving has come and gone. Of course the meal I whipped up was absolutely delicious as everyone knew it would be… but I really wasn’t quite satisfied with dessert. Yes, there was pumpkin and apple pie, blueberry tarts… but none of that really excited me. So here I am, days later, indulging in what I really wanted all holiday… these delectable Grand Marnier dark chocolate truffles. Aristotle must’ve felt my pain as he brought them over to me just this morning as a “thank-you” gift for cooking! He is so intuitive. And he has such a good memory! He said that Rico said at one of their work out sessions last year that dark chocolate is OK since it’s full of antioxidants and one knows you can NEVER get enough of those. What fantastic news! Now I can rationalize an all dark chocolate diet!

Thanksgiving 101

I am in the process of creating a Thanksgiving feast that is good enough for the most delicate pallet!

Aris has once again opened his home to the Viva Swag family for a Thanksgiving celebration. I can’t wait! I am so thankful for so much. What am I most thankful for? Other than Aris… I mean my Viva Swag family… I would have to say I am MOST thankful for the fact that I am a culinary artiste, that I am French and that my good friend Rick Rogers wrote: Thanksgiving 101. It’s the perfect little cheat book on occasions such as these. He takes you from shopping to chopping to cooking to serving and its not all turkey either… it’s so deliciously done that one could almost eat the book…

Chicken Cordon Black and Bleu

Mes amies. I am in a dilemma… What’s a girl to do? You see, Rico and Aristotle, who are the best of friends, are at each other’s throats… and dear me, it appears it is because of me!

Whatever the case, they are both very dear to me, and I cannot, alas, take sides. Therefore, enough is enough! I shall invite them BOTH over for a little soiree and make things right. I shall serve my famous Chicken Cordon Bleu which is guaranteed to melt all hostilities between foes!

‘Cordon Bleu’ is a French term, literally translated as ‘blue ribbon’. It originally referred to an award for culinary excellence given to women cooks but now applies to any superior cook (yes, men too) as well as to this dish. This yummy version of Chicken Cordon Bleu adds paprika and a creamy white wine sauce!

INGREDIENTS

* 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 6 slices Swiss cheese
* 6 slices ham
* 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

As you know with me, preparation is key…

So the first thing you’ll want to do is mix the bread crumbs and paprika in a small bowl for later…

Secondly, blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl…

If they are too thick pound the chicken breasts to about half an inch…

Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks…

Coat the chicken pieces with the pre-made mix (bread crumbs and paprika)…

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides…

Add the wine and bouillon…

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear…

Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter…

Slowly whisk the blended cornstarch and cream into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken…

And voila! Delicious food!

Now, wish me luck that my Chicken Cordon Bleu can keep my friends from making each other black and blue!

World Famous Lobster Tail

Bonjour mes amies… welcome to the second installment of La Cuisine! I’m sure you’re all still drooling over the delicious roast beef po-boys we made last week, but today we are going to prepare one of my absolute favorites… You see, this weekend I am having a private get together with Aristotle and he has asked me to make my world famous lobster tail… So, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to share with you all how to create The Perfect Lobster Tail!

All you’ll need are the following ingredients:

Medium Lobster Tail

Mixture to baste:
1/2 lb. butter, melted
1/4 c. lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp. parsley flakes

Mix the butter, lemon juice, parsley flakes and salt & pepper together. Place the lobster tail on the broiler, hard side up. Cut down the middle of the lobster tail, leaving an inch of the shell uncut. Loosen the meat around the shell and pull the meat up on top of the shell, but be careful to leave the meat attached to the end of the tail. Slash the lobster meat across the top about 6 times. Baste the meat before placing in the oven. Cook at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes and be sure to baste it every 5 minutes. You can either serve with drawn butter or the basting mix for more flavor.

Bon appetite!