Meal of The Month: June

2-Ingredient Nutella Brownies

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 cup Nutella (slightly less than a whole 13-ounce jar)
Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts

Equipment
8 x 8-inch baking dish
Parchment paper
Nonstick spray or oil
Measuring cups and spoons
Microwave-safe bowl or cup
Stand mixer or hand-mixer
Mixing bowl
Spatula

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack placed in the middle position.
2. Cut a length of parchment and lay it in your baking dish with the ends hanging over the sides of the dish like flaps. Spray the parchment and sides of the baking dish with cooking spary. (A light spray of cooking spay under the parchment will also help hold it secure.)
3. Crack all 4 eggs into the bowl of your stand mixer or your mixing bowl. With the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs together. Begin on low speed and gradually increase to medium-high (7 on a Kitchenaid).
4. Continue whisking the eggs until they become light lemon-colored and billowy, and are tripled in bulk. This will take 6 to 8 minutes (slightly longer if you're using a handheld mixer). The more billowy your eggs, the better the texture will be in your brownies and the less "eggy" they will taste.
5. While the eggs are whisking, measure the Nutella and transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the Nutella for 1 minute, stopping every 15 seconds to stir the Nutella. When warmed, the Nutella should be loose and creamy.
6. With the mixer on low speed, drop spoonfuls of Nutella into the egg mixture using a spatula. (With a hand-mixer, add a little at a time and mix in between.) Continue mixing until all the Nutella has been added and the Nutella is thoroughly combined with the eggs.
7.  Use a spatula to stir the mixture by hand a few times, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl where the whisk might have missed.
8. Pour the Nutella mixture into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl clean.
9. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The brownies are done when they start to pull away from the sides of the dish and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the brownies comes away clean.
10. Let the brownies cool as long as you can. They are delicious while still warm from the oven, but will easily fall apart. For sturdy brownies, wait until they are completely cooled before cutting or removing them from the pan.
11. Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or so.

Thanks to The Kitchn for this month's recipe!

Romantic Dinner 101: Valentine's Day

1. Location, location, location! Anyone can make a reservation at the local French restaurant, but we are going to help you create the perfect ambiance in your own home. Find a non-traditional and unexpected spot to enjoy dinner within your house or apartment.  If you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate, utilize your outdoor space as well. For example, the formal dining room, an intimate nook in the bedroom, the garden, etc.
2. Use your nicest dishes, flatware, and glassware.  This helps set the "special" feeling of the evening!
3. Mood music is key.  Put on a classic artist such as Eric Clapton or Sinatra.  Play a record for a special feeling.
4. Avoid scented candles around your dining area.  Stick with unscented, white candles for a classic look. Make sure however the house does smell pleasant and the temperature is comfortable.  Take out the trash, change the litter box, etc.
5. For romantic lighting, cluster your pillar candles for the perfect glow. Be sure they are no higher than 12 inches tall.  Scatter votive candles around the room to add ambiance and mood.
6. Keep your menu fairly simple and prepare as much in advance to save your attention for your special guest.  This also keeps the kitchen relatively neat.  No one wants to spend the evening stuck doing dishes or looking at the mountains of dishes made from the meal.
7. Make the meal three courses: appetizer, entree and dessert. This makes it feel more special than just a snack.
8. Make sure you have a pitcher or glasses of ice water flavored with citrus fruits, cucumber, or even basil/mint in addition to wine or cocktails.
9. Avoid messy and overly rich foods for the meal.  No one feels sexy when they are bloated or if they have greasy fingers from tacos.
10.  Make sure your timing on the food is just right so everything is served at the correct temperature and time.  Be ready when your guest arrives.
11. Before your guest arrives, go and dress up in a special outfit.  A nice dress or shirt and tie.  Remember this is a special evening, no PJs or baseball caps.
12. Make sure to eliminate all distractions including technology, phones, pets, etc.  Send your cats or dogs for an overnight at the kennel or grandma's house.
13. After your dinner is finished, dance together, watch a romantic movie, or maybe hand dip strawberries together.
14. Our last tip, our favorite way to start and end a romantic, Valentine's dinner: Chocolate.

• Chocolate Martini: Take a martini glass and drizzle hard shell ice cream coating on the inside of the glass.  Use both milk and white chocolate varieties to create a pattern. Next, in a shaker combine 3/4 cup half and half or light cream, 1 cup dark chocolate liquor, 1/4 cup vodka, with ice.  Shake to combine.  Strain into prepared glass.  Garnish with a conversation heart.
• Flourless Fudge Cookies (Courtesy of King Arthur Flour): 
• 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder (optional but divine)
• 1 cup dutch process (preferred) cocoa powder
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 tsp gluten free vanilla extra (most pure vanilla extracts should be gluten free)
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease two cookie sheet, or line them with greased parchment paper. Stir together all ingredients until smooth.  Scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir again until smooth.  Drop the soft, batter like dough onto the prepared baking sheets in 1 1/2 inch circles.  Bake the the cookies for 8 minutes.  They should spread, become slightly shiny, and develop faintly crackly tops.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheets.  The result is an ultra chewy, rich chocolate cookie with no additional fat or gluten!

Solving The Too Much Candy Blues!

If you use Google, you will find dozens of sweet ideas to use up the excess booty from your little one's candy raid such as toppings on ice cream or cupcakes, chopped up into cookies, or swirled in cake batter! (Don't forget, candy freezes well and perfect for midnight snacks) We assembled a list of some not so typical uses for that left over candy.

1. Save small candies such as Smarties or Life Savers to decorate holiday gingerbread houses.
2. Save hard candies such as Jolly Ranchers or Worthers Originals to infuse vodka or rum. Use 1 liter of vodka and a 1/2 cup of hard candy.  Let it steep for a few weeks or until the candy dissolved.  We haven't tested this idea but you could also try melting the candy with a little water in a saucepan and pouring the mixture into the vodka. WARNING:  Melted sugar is extremely hot!
3. Save Hershey's Kisses and Peanut Butter Cups to infuse in bourbon (or vodka as well).  Let 2 1/2 oz of chocolate steep for 24 hours in the booze.
4. Donate extra candy to a non-profit to enhance holiday dinner.
5. Put extra candy treats in a food basket for the needy
6. Use for prizes at a bazaar or holiday sale.
7. Use the candy in special treat bag for the baby sitter or retirement home.
8. Emeril Lagasse's Chocolate Biscuit Puffs
1. Ingredients: 1 package of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, 1 milk chocolate candy bar or 4 mini almond joys cut in half, 2 tsps cinnamon and sugar.
2. flatten each biscuit into a 3 inch circle.
3. Break the candy bar into pieces
4. Place the pieces into the center of the dough circles and bring up the edges pinching to seal.
5. Place on un-greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
6. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Out of The Chocolate Box Engagement Ideas

We know that proposing on Valentine's Day can be cliche but here is a list that the staff has compiled that will make it anything but pedestrian and a total adventure of love!

1.) If you live in a part of the country (or globe) where it snows, find a secluded stretch of open, virgin snow.  Fling yourself upon the ground and create two snow angels side by side as if they are holding hands.  Next, place the ring box carefully on the angels connected hands.  Then brush away footprints with a broom or pine branch.  Depending on where your patch of snow is, you might want to have a friend "guarding" the site until you return with your sweetheart to avoid the possibility of winter sportsmen or wildlife disturbing the scene (and they could film the reaction too).  Tell your love, that it's such a beautiful day and that you'd like to take a walk in the woods to take in the snowy scenery.  Then guide your mate (perhaps on snowshoes) to the snow angels and let them ask  "What is that they are holding?"  From that point on you decide the best way to pop the question.

2.) If you live in a warm part of the country or globe, try proposing with a message in a bottle!  Here's how.  Find your destination point along a body of water, preferably the ocean but a lake will do.  Next, find a suitable, wide necked bottle that will allow you to easily remove the note with a finger.  A dry, clear, glass bottle works best.  You can even decorate the bottle with ribbon or other embellishments to make it stand out and catch their attention!  Next, type up your proposal note and antique in coffee or tea (optional; Google how to "age" paper for instructions).  Plant the bottle along the path where you plan to walk.  Again you might need a lookout to keep your bottle safe.  You could also conceal the bottle, distract your mate, and toss the bottle. As you approach the bottle, hope that they notice it.  If not, you will need to bring attention to it.  Have them open the bottle and read the message.  At the same time, drop to one knee and prepare the ring!

3.) The treasure hunt!  This one will require the most advanced planning and execution.  The idea is to give your sweetheart a series of clues to follow in order to reach the ultimate clue which is "Will you marry me?"  For example (use brightly colored envelopes that are easy to spot), hand the first one to your mate and it may say "Go to place where we reached first base!" and let's say it was on the couch sitting on your front porch (yea, we do live in Vermont).  Your love then goes to the couch and searches until Clue #2 is found!  It might say "You sure are a winner, so lets grab your favorite dinner!"  At this point you head off to the restaurant having arranged ahead of time that the waiter bring Clue #3 when he brings you the check...and so on until you reach the big question!  Make sure not to forget the ring!

Outside The Chocolate Box Valentine Ideas

Anyone can buy a box of chocolates and a dozen roses for their love on Valentine's Day but that is just down right BORING and so left brained!  Here are Celebrate's inventive suggestions that are guaranteed to be sure-fire hits!

1.)  Everyone sends Christmas cards and often they lose their pizzazz in the flood of holiday well wishes.  Why don't you and your mate send Valentine's Day cards to friends and family!  Lose your inhibitions and have a quirky photo shoot a la Julie Child and her husband Paul;  the two of you in a bathtub full of suds being silly, holding cute speech bubble signs, acting as cupid and target, etc!   Then print them off like you would holiday cards and mail them out!  Your friends and family will be delighted by the unexpected, cute greeting!

2) Plan a feast!  Invite all your coupled friends over for a Valentine's Day dinner!  Prepare a "heart warming" menu and hand out over-sized paper hearts for everyone to pin on.  Run with the theme.  Heart themed everything!  (If you really want to get into it, you could encourage everyone to come dressed as the King and Queen of Hearts.)  If you are single and bitter, you could host the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre Dinner!  Hand out "broken" paper hearts to all guests,  have a bitch-off, and order greasy takeout!  (You could encourage your guests to dress as gangsters.)

3)  Why buy your love stale, mass produced, chocolate confections?  Instead, take a candy/chocolate/truffle making class together!  This could be your gift to your sweetie (pun intended)!  These classes can be found at candy stores or continuing education centers.  Google it!  As an invitation, you can give him/her an empty, heart-shaped box with a note saying something like: "Let's fill this together with handmade chocolate and the memories of making it with you." 

Look at these two lovebirds! 

Come back next week as Celebrate brings you unique and "out of the chocolate box" engagement ideas for all of you contemplating popping the question! 

Lady Godiva and The Jarlsberg Chronicles...

We are beginning our blog today with a "true" adventure!  Connie, Kathleen, and I (Michael) were walking down Main Street in Whereverville, USA when a hooded figure plowed through us at a high rate of speed!  Unfortunately, Connie didn't see him coming because she has to wear double eye patches since the glitter accident a few weeks back. (The doctors tell us she will regain full vision in both eyes.)  Shortly thereafter a red faced, vintage Gouda vendor chased the hooded offender.  He screamed, "I will not be among the 3%!!!!".  As we picked Connie up out of the well groomed evergreens, Kathleen and I looked at each other in puzzlement. (Who knows what Connie was looking at?)  The offender, moving quickly for a man with pants full of cheese rounded the corner and was gone.  The panting vendor, stopped near us.  "What happened?" we inquired.  He told us the most fascinating fact.  The most frequently stolen food in the world is CHEESE!  More than 3% of the world's supply of cheese is stolen each year!  He shook his head and returned back to the Parmesan Palace but not before asking us a question.  "What's the deal with the woman with double eye patches?"  "Don't ask" we replied, shaking our heads.  The whole time, mind you, Connie was sitting on the pavement asking "What happened, what happened?  Why does it smell so Gouda out hear?"

Having witnessed such a senseless crime against fermented milk, we had to have a chocolate fix!  Luckily we happened to be walking by Lady Godiva's Confection Collection and we ducked in (dragging Connie).  As we entered the cocoa cave, a sweet, mild-mannered, sample girl stopped us dead in our tracks with a tray of goodies.  As we scarfed down a few treats (and fed Connie one or two) she offered up this tasty nugget (of info).  "Did you know that people who indulge in chocolate more than twice a week are 37% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease!"  Our hearts regained their normal rhythm, and we quickly thanked the girl and made a mad dash before we had to buy anything!

The things you learn when you take Connie for a walk!!!

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, IT'S FUN!!!

Every now and again, the staff in the office get a little buck wild and come up with some rather unorthodox uses for common foods!  Here are two of the more holiday themed ideas to come out of this think tank!

1.) Bow Tie Pasta As  Present Decor-  Buy a box of your favor (or cheapest) bow tie pasta, we prefer Barilla!    Kathleen wants to mention NOT to cook the pasta (sorry she really doesn't think you kids are stupid).  Lay the dry pasta flat on a few sheets of newspaper in the garage (or bungalow or driveway or...well you get it) and spray paint them a festive color!  Next, glue them on your holiday packages!  One suggestion is to wrap your gift with a wide ribbon and then glue the bows along the ribbon path.  Michael loves a fire engine red bow tie pasta bow while Kathleen prefers a flashy, festive metallic gold!  Connie from our staff ( and from her infamous frame photo) is Jewish and loves a bright blue!

2.) Biscotti Place Cards-  Buy a nice quality biscotti, preferably dipped in chocolate or white chocolate.  Next use a tube of gel frosting found in the baking aisle of local grocer to write your guests names along the cookie.  Finally, resist the urge to eat them all and place them on each guests plate.  You could also put them on miniature easels which can be found at art stores, craft stores, and even $1 stores!