Marinated Feta and Olive Skewers 

Because this recipe is so simple and requires so few ingredients, it is important to choose the best quality possible. You will need:

• 2  teaspoons  fennel seeds
• 2  teaspoons  orange zest
• 3  tablespoons  fresh orange juice
• 1  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4  ounces  feta cheese, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) cubes
• 24  (6-inch) wooden skewers
• 24  fresh mint leaves
• 12  pitted green olives, halved
• 1/4  large English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Directions:

1. Combine fennel seeds, orange zest and juice, and pepper in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the feta and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or up to 3 hours in the refrigerator. (Marinate overnight to save time.)
2. To assemble: Place 1 mint leaf on a skewer, about 3/4 inch up; add 1 olive half and 1 cucumber chunk. Place 1 cube of feta on the end. These can be made several hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Elegant appetizers don't have to be fussy! And this recipe is wonderful because it can be made ahead of time for easy entertaining. Therefore, whether you're a food novice or an expert, this appetizer is perfect to whip up in a flash!

When it comes to this lovely dessert, it really doesn't matter who you're preparing it for... With the explosion of dark chocolate and the other tasty ingredients put together into a sweet delicious pack you will have your spouse, kids, the elders, and everybody else at their best and happiest!

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa)
• 6 ounces finely chopped high-quality bittersweet chocolate
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons superfine sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring cream, milk, espresso powder, and spices to a gentle simmer; cook 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and stir in coffee liqueur.
2. Put chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and pour hot cream over it. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Slowly drizzle yolk mixture into chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and let cool at room temperature 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a kettle or small pot, bring about 4 cups water to a simmer. Arrange a dish towel in the bottom of a 9- by 13-in. baking pan. Set ramekins on top of towel (this helps keep them in place), then fill each ramekin with custard. Pour simmering water into pan so that it comes halfway up sides of ramekins. Set pan in oven and bake pots de crème until their edges are set but their centers are still wobbly, about 25 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer ramekins to a cooling rack and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in refrigerator until fully set, about 3 hours.

Prep and Cook Time: 45 minutes, plus about 3 1/2 hours to chill.

Notes: You will need 6 ramekins (4-oz. capacity each) for this recipe.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

New Smarty Cupcake Favors - DIY

When it comes to event favors, there is no better way to say “thank you” to your guests than a delicious treat. That is why these DIY Cupcake Favors are an excellent soiree sweet! Whether enjoyed while mingling with family and friends or saved for a special surprise later in the day, these DIY desserts are sure to be a hit with one and all!

- Ingredients:

• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 spoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 spoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 tea spoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Supplies

• 4 oz. Clear Mini Mason Tiny Temptations Plastic Disposable Jar
• Natural Birch Spoons
• Stickers (have to cut down a bit to make it fit the top)
• Bakers twine
• Pastry bag and decorative tips

Directions

Step 1. Batter is ready to be put in cupcake pan

Step 2. I spray the pan with pam and then fill each hole up 2/3 with the batter. Note: I do not use liners, but you could if you want, just pull them off before putting them in the jar.

Step 3. Usually, they are done after about 17 minutes in my oven at a temperature of 350℉, and I take them out and put them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4. Once they are cool, I slice them in half. You will have a stack of tops and a stack of bottoms.

Step 5. Place 1 bottom in each jar.

Step 6. Put a layer of the frosting.

Step 7. Take the top of the cupcake and place it on top of the layer of frosting.

Step 8. Flatten (gently smash) the top part of the cupcake inside the jar. You want to get the top sort of flat.

Step 9. Beautifully frost the top of the cupcake.

Step 10. Cover with lids and package however you like! It will be heartbreaking to eat, as it is so pretty, but it is so yummy!

You wish to show off some extra care to your loved one for Valentine's Day? We have an idea for you. Pasta is one of the most romantic dishes there is. Take a look at this delicious recipe and get cooking. This ravioli recipe takes a little skill but is well worth the effort.

Ingredients

- Swiss chard filling:

• 2 pounds Swiss chard or fresh spinach, stemmed
• 1 pound whole-milk ricotta, such as Bellwether Farms, drained for 30 minutes in a cheesecloth-lined colander
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt, or kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 egg yolks

- Gnocchi dough for ravioli:

• 1 pound large unpeeled russet potatoes, preferably from Idaho
• 3 egg yolks, plus 1 extra if needed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting work surfaces
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

- Sage brown butter:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons finely shredded fresh sage
• Sea salt, preferably gray salt, or kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 to 5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling

Directions

- The filling:

1. Set up an ice bath. In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch the chard for 3 minutes. Drain, then plunge it into the ice bath; drain again and squeeze out as much water as possible. Coarsely chop the chard and transfer it to a food processor.

2. Using the back of a large spoon, press the ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add the sieved ricotta to the food processor with the chard. Pulse a few times and then add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, and 2 egg yolks. Taste the filling and make sure it's well seasoned with salt and pepper, then spoon it into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and refrigerate while you make the dough.

- The dough:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Pierce the potatoes and bake until tender when pierced with a knife, about 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool just enough to handle; the interior should still be hot.

2. Cut each potato in half, scoop out the flesh, and put through a food mill into a bowl. (If you don't have a food mill, push the warm potatoes through a coarse-mesh sieve or a ricer.) You should have about 2 cups. On a lightly floured board or work surface, make a mound of the potatoes. Push a well into the center of the mound with a spoon. Add the 3 egg yolks and the Parmesan to the well and mix until smooth. Add the flour, 1⁄2 cup at a time, and gently knead just until the dough becomes a cohesive mound, about 3 minutes. If the dough seems too dry, add another yolk or 2 teaspoons of water. The dough should feel firm but yielding. To test, pinch off a piece of dough and roll it on a floured surface into a rope about 1⁄2-inch in diameter. If the rope holds together, the dough is perfect. If not, add more flour, knead, and test again. Cover the finished dough with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

3. On a floured surface, roll the dough until it forms an oval about 1⁄4 inch thick. With a 5-inch round pasta cutter, or a small bowl about 5 inches across, cut 12 rounds from the dough. If you need to, push together the dough scraps and reroll until smooth. Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour.

4. On 6 of the dough rounds, pipe a ring of the chard filling about 1⁄2 inch from the edge. Leave the center without filling; that's where the egg yolk will fit. With your fingers, place a whole egg yolk in the center of each dough round. Brush the egg-water mixture around the edges of each dough round. Top with another dough round and, with your fingers, seal it all the way around, gently so you don't break the yolk inside. Transfer the ravioli to the floured sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

- The butter:

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, and cook until it just begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Gently add the ravioli to a large pot of salted boiling water (see Note, page 93) and cook for 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Don't overcook these. Using a large slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer the cooked ravioli to individual warmed plates. Spoon on the sage brown butter and finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan.