Dark Chocolate Covered Stuffed Strawberries

As I said in my last post, one of the items that I had made for our anniversary dinner was dark chocolate covered stuffed strawberries. I like these better than just regular chocolate covered strawberries because its just that little bit that makes it over the top. Anyone can make chocolate covered strawberries. Now, there are many, many different ways to make this. You can add vanilla to the cream cheese and powdered sugar, or whisky or bourbon or even mint. I like the bourbon best and then the mint, but the kids would be having this with us, so I decided to add nothing. Just the bite of the cream cheese with the sweetness of the strawberries and bitterness of the dark chocolate. Everyone gobbled them up, even my step son who says he hates cream cheese (although he loves cheese cake-key lime cheese cake to be exact)! I had a lot of chocolate left over, so I also added it to a pineapple that I had cut up and some grapes.

**A little tip. the kids loved it all and felt like they were getting a really good dessert. Almost like candy. Dark chocolate is very good for you, and of course, so is fruit. I like to sneak in the good for you treats where I can.**

 

Dark Chocolate Covered Stuffed Strawberries

 

First, I take a package of cream cheese and I set it out on my counter top so it could warm up to room temperature. I also took my strawberries out and washed them and did the same thing for them.

Once everything was room temperature I put the cream cheese and about 2 tsp or so of powdered sugar in a regular bowl and with the mixer mixed it until it was nice and creamy.

 

 like so ^

Then cut all the tops off of the strawberries. Now, you can leave the tops on if you would like and just do everything I do in reverse. It really depends on how you like them to look. I do mine this way because they are easier to put on a plate and everyone can grab them better.

 Cut the  strawberry half way down on both sides, you should have an x at the top of the strawberry. Be very careful not to cut to far down. It will split when you try to either stuff them cover them with chocolate.

 Next, put all the cream cheese in a zip lock baggy. You could put it in a pastry bag, but I will show you what I do and it seems like it's so much easier. Cut the very tip off of the bag. Just.the.tip!!! Seriously!

Fill a medicine plunger thingy full of the cream cheese. I usually fill it to the 8 or 9ml mark so I can fit the bottom part in without cream cheese going everywhere. Just please, make sure it's a clean and not used for medication.

 I take the plunger thing and split the strawberry up and fill with cream cheese. I then close the strawberry up, using the cream cheese as a glue.

 Once they are all done, I clean the strawberries up to where you can barely see that there is cream cheese in them. On the sides and on the top.

Place the strawberries in the fridge for about 30 minutes or so, just so the cream cheese can harden a little. Not much.

Once the strawberries are done in the refrigerator melt the chocolate. There are a few ways to do this. Either with a double boiler or in the microwave, at 30 second intervals on 50% power and stirring after each one. It only took me 4 intervals to get it all done. If the chocolate starts to get hard again....you have burned it and its seized and you will never get it back. Just throw it away. It's sad, so sad. 

I use a toothpick on the side of the bottom of the strawberry to dip it in. I also will use my fingers to support the other side of the strawberry if it seems the toothpick isn't going to hold. If you did this the opposite way, with the green tops still on, well you have that to hold onto. Place on either FLAT aluminum foil or parchment paper (parchment paper works best actually) until the chocolate is dried. Then you are all finished!!!

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday was my darling husband's and I 7th wedding anniversary. It wasn't what I had ever expected an anniversary would go. I guess it never really is when you have kids. The life you have as a parent is almost always different than the life you THINK you should have as a parent.

One of the differences for us though, is that we started our relationship and marriage with kids. I had my own from a previous marriage and he had his from a previous marriage as well. In this day in time, that is more of the norm, I guess. Then, we decided to add one of our own to the mix. She was the one that made the day.....interesting!!

The night before was the Superbowl and we had a few people over (well two of our older kids friends) and was having a great time. Our "baby" (she is 5, almost 6, so not technically a baby) was fine all day long and then all of a sudden at about 4:30 in the evening she went to her room, laid down on her bed and fell asleep. Not wanting her to be up all night, I tried to get her up a few times. It didn't work. She stayed down. Super bowl wrapped up, friends went home and we went to bed. The little one stayed asleep.....all night long. Got her up the next morning only to hear her say she wasn't feeling well and was warm.

Just my luck!

Took her in to her pediatrician, and she has strep throat and a sinus infection. Although, you can't tell because she is acting just fine, minus the crying every 2 seconds because of whatever she thinks is wrong she should cry about.

Oh, and I still have another child at home because it's parent/teacher conference and the other one I have to pick up during rush hour traffic from karate!!

By the time I was finished with everything, I was exhausted. I still didn't have my husband's present wrapped and dinner was getting later and later. 

When my dear husband came home he gave me the most beautiful roses in a one of a kind, hand blown vase made from recycled glass in Spain. It's breathtaking and I really should take a picture of it. What did I do for him then? Had him take over the overly dramatic sick 5 year old so I could cook 3 separate meals. The sick-y and my step son had the greek meatballs with roasted broccoli. My oldest had the sauce (this time it was homemade) and brown rice. She doesn't eat meat.

Then once everyone was eating and happy . I decided to make our dinner, and this is where you get recipes!!

First, the menu.

NY Strip steak (for hubby)-in black truffle butter

Filet (for me)

Black bean couscous

Caprese salad

Steamed asparagus with hollandaise sauce

Dessert:

Chocolate covered strawberries stuffed with cream cheese

Chocolate covered pineapple

Chocolate covered grapes

 

Steaks

 

I feel as if I should put this in a post all of it's own, but if you read that entire story, you deserve it now.

I love a really, really good steak. I'm talking 5 star restaurant style steak. Since I live in Texas, Houston of all places, there are a lot of them here. I think I have visited almost all of them too. Their steaks can run anywhere from 30-50 dollars and sometimes even more. Especially since I like the filet (most tender and really it has the least fat). My husband's favorite is the NY strip. I can't handle the fat. I am a fat hater. With lots and lots of practice and some google searches I have come up with my way of cooking a steak that I think is pretty darn close to those at the fancy pants restaurants.

 

First of all, you need to have quality steaks. Cheap steaks won't do. You need to have choice cuts or better. The cheaper ones just won't cut it. Also, they need to be at least 1 inch think. If you can't afford this, wait until you can.....seriously! I only cook them once or twice a year. Expect to pay about 8-9 dollars a pound.
About 2 hours before you cook them, put them on the counter to warm up. You want them to get to room temperature.

 About an hour before you cook them open the package up. Again, you are just trying to get them to room temperature.

Also, at that time, either turn your broiler on (if it's at the top of your oven) or your oven on, as high as you can go. Place a cookie sheet in the oven, or a cast iron skillet/pan. 20 minutes before you cook them get another cast iron grill for the stove or a skillet. Turn the burner to medium high and let it get hot. You want it HOT....like smoke coming off of the top of it hot. Just trust me on this one.
About 5 minutes before you want to start cooking, take the steaks out and pat them dry.

Add olive oil, salt and pepper to the steaks and with tongs put them on the grill/skillet on the stove top. About 2-3 minutes on each side. It gives it a nice crunchy top, and if you are using a grill, the perfect grill marks.

 Once you have finished that part, with the tongs, take the steaks off the grill and place them in the prepared oven. If you like Medium then about 5-8 minutes on each side. Only use tongs with all this, it's just to hot to handle with anything else.
In the last few minutes of cooking (like 1-2 left to go) warm up the plates. I was going to put mine in the oven, but they didn't say oven proof. I wanted to be safe, not sorry. So, mine went into the microwave.
Once the steaks are done, butter both sides and place a dollop of butter on the plate and the steak on top of that butter.
**I am not a butter fan, so I skip all the butter with mine.
You have to serve immediately. That is when it tastes the best, plus it's still sizzling. Its all about presentation!
I will post the rest of the dinner in other posts today.