Dark Chocolate Amaretto Tart with Amaretti Cookie Crust

February 11, 2021 by 1 Comment

chocolate tart

Calling all chocolate lovers! Here’s an easy dessert to make for upcoming Valentines Day, a special occasion or if you just have a wild craving for dark chocolate!

The best part about this dark chocolate tart with the almond flavor of Amaretto is that the only thing you’ll have to bake is the crust!

Speaking of the crust, it’s made with crushed amaretti cookies and butter, just like you would make a graham cracker crust but only better.

chopped chocolate

The filling is basically a mousse made of melted dark chocolate that’s folded into whipped cream and flavored with amaretto liquor. The liquor gives it a rich deep flavor, but if you want to substitute that with almond extract go ahead, you need to have that almond flavor.

amaretti cookie crust

As soon as you open up the bag of amaretti cookies that almond smell hits you right away, I promise you it will make the tart so much more amazing by using them for the crust.

dark chocolate

Grab some good quality dark chocolate to melt down and when it cools you’re going to fold it into some heavy whipped cream to create a wonderful silky mousse.

chocolate moussetart filling

Then it’s onto your baked amaretti crust and into the fridge for chilling, but the wait is worth it!

chocolate mousse tart

When chilled, garnish the top with some of the crushed amaretti cookies and toasted sliced almonds and then share a piece with someone you love!

chocolate tart slice

Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Dark Chocolate and Amaretto Tart with Amaretti Cookie Crust
 
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Satisfy your chocolate craving with this easy to make chocolate Amaretto tart.
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Ingredients
  • Tart Crust
  • 1-7oz. package of amaretti cookies
  • 5 Tablespoons melted butter
  • Mousse Filling
  • 1¾ cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons Amaretto liquor or ½ to 1 teaspoon of almond extract
  • 5 oz. chopped dark chocolate, good quality
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • toasted sliced almonds for garnish
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 325F
  2. Melt butter then set aside.
  3. Pour 90% of the cookies into a food processor and process until fine crumbs, leaving the rest to crush by hand later for garnish.
  4. Pour the butter through the tube of processor until the crumbs look like wet sand.
  5. Press the crumbs into a 9" fluted tart pan.
  6. Bake the crust at 325F for 20 minutes until set, then cool completely.
  7. In a small saucepan add ¾ cup of heavy cream, when it starts to slightly simmer remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and Amaretto. Stir til the chocolate is silky smooth, then let it cool to room temperature.
  8. In a medium size bowl add the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and powdered sugar, whip til you get stiff peaks.
  9. Gently fold in the cooled down chocolate and mix until fully incorporated.
  10. Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
  11. Right before serving garnish with toasted almonds and some of the remaining crushed amaretti cookies.
  12. ***Recipe adapted from Everyday Food***

 

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Seafood Freeform Lasagna with Lemon Cream Sauce

February 5, 2021 by 6 Comments

seafood lasagna

If you’re looking for a special date night dinner, something a little fancy but not so hard to make try this seafood freeform lasagna, what makes it even more special is the subtle lemon cream sauce that’s spooned all over.

This is the perfect dinner to have on Valentines Day which is coming up soon and I’m quite sure many of us will be dining at home. This is meant for two people but you can certainly double the recipe for more to enjoy if need be.

I used a mix of scallops and shrimp in this easy freeform lasagna, which is highlighted with a touch of Limoncello for a smack of bright lemon flavor!

chopped shrimp and scallops

The prep work is all done in advance so when it’s time to eat all you have to do is pop your dish into the oven, warm it up and get that golden top.

You’ll be spending all your time with your date instead of cooking and cleaning in the kitchen all night, and that’s a good thing!

filling ramekins

The lemon sauce is very light, you can use half lemon juice and half Limoncello or just all lemon juice. I wouldn’t do all Limoncello because that would  be too sweet tasting and overpower the seafood.

If lemon is not your thing, you can make a nice white sauce to top it off like a béchamel, that would be equally as delicious and creamy to top it off.

Cut your lasagna noodles to fit into individual ramekins if using or if you end up using a bigger dish,  it doesn’t have to fit perfect.

seafood filled ramekins

Then you’re going to layer all that amazing seafood on top. It’s a delicious mix of chopped scallops, shrimp, garlic, shallots with a little ricotta and mascarpone for creaminess and to help bind it all.

shrimp and scallop lasagna

Save some whole shrimp for garnish it makes a striking presentation. This can be served along side a beautiful salad or if you really want to go all out, a steak for some surf and turf!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Seafood Freeform Lasagna with Lemon Cream Sauce
 
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A date night or Valentines Day dinner for you and your special someone.
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb. seafood, I used a combo of ½ lb. shrimp and ½ lb. scallops, you can also use all shrimp or any combo of your choice, peeled and deveined leaving a couple of whole shrimp or scallops for garnish
  • 6 lasagna sheets, pre-boiled
  • SEAFOOD MIXTURE INGREDIENTS
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, small dice
  • 2 large garlic, minced
  • 2 heaping tablespoons chopped parsley, extra for garnish
  • ¼ cup of ricotta
  • 1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone cream
  • 1 tablespoon, limoncello in the seafood mix or use 1 tablespoon, lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • FOR THE LEMON CREAM SAUCE
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter and extra to butter your ramekins
  • 2 Tablespoons, Limoncello ( or use all lemon juice to make up the 4 Tablespoons)
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
  1. Pre boil your lasagne noodles, according to the time directions on the box, cool them down and set aside.
  2. Chop up your seafood into bite size pieces, making sure to clean your shrimp beforehand, and setting aside 1 or 2 for garnish.
  3. For the whole shrimp garnish, season them and stick into a 420F oven until cooked through, then set aside.
  4. Butter 2 -6 inch" ramekins or 1- 12 inch"
  5. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a sauté pan, add the shallot and garlic til soft then toss in the chopped seafood, tossing gently till cooked. Don't over cook!
  6. Add 1 Tablespoon of Limoncello to the mix or lemon juice as well as the parsley.
  7. Let the mixture cool down then add the ricotta and mascarpone, folding it in and mixing it til incorporated.
  8. Make your lemon cream sauce by placing both Limoncello, ( 2 tablespoons) and lemon juice( 2 tablespoons) in a small sauce pan together ( or use all lemon juice( 4 tablespoons).
  9. Once warm whisk in your butter.
  10. When the butter melts in add the heavy cream gently stirring on low heat until the cream thickens.
  11. NOW FOR ASSEMBLY
  12. Line the bottom of your ramekins with a few cooked lasagna noodles, cutting them if need be to fit.
  13. Spread a little of the lemon cream sauce on the noodles.
  14. Divide your seafood mix between the two ramekins and spread on top of the pasta.
  15. Use the remaining lasagna noodles to fit over the top of the seafood mixture.
  16. Spoon some of the lemon sauce all around.
  17. This all can be prepped ahead of time.
  18. When you’re ready to serve you can place the ramekins under your broiler to warm it up and get some golden color on top, but if you do you can't walk away!
  19. Stay near the oven broiler and keep checking to make sure it doesn’t burn,.
  20. You can also heat them in the oven at 375 just til heated through, ovens vary so keep checking, it won't take too long, and remember everything is cooked already.
  21. If you want a little more golden on top, stick it under the broiler for that, but again do not walk away!
  22. Spoon some of the lemon cream on top to finish, garnish with chopped parsley and top it off with the whole cooked shrimp.
  23. Enjoy!

 

 

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Chicken Parm Meatballs, A Twist On The Classic

January 21, 2021 by 9 Comments

meatballs

Who doesn’t love a good meatball? They’re a favorite of many with endless ways to make them! This version is everything you love about classic chicken parm but formed into a meatball.

The outside is crispy, similar to the way you would fry up your chicken cutlet. They’re topped with a nice marinara sauce, some melted cheese, basil with a surprise center.

When you bite into them they still hold on to that crunch because they’re not simmered in sauce as you would traditional Italian meatballs.

 

frying meatballs

After the balls are formed you’re going to bread them as you would when making chicken cutlets, first a light dusting of flour, then egg, then into breadcrumbs. You’ll brown them first until that crispy coating sets, then they’re finished off in the oven.

meatball parmesan

Depending on the size you make you can serve them as a main with a nice green vegetable or salad on the side, place them on top of pasta or you might simply want to stuff them into a crunchy baguette for a delicious sandwich.

sauced meatballs

Your family will love the fact that you turned the classic chicken parm into a meatball, how can they resist! Crispy on the outside with melted mozzarella oozing on the inside, every bite is amazing!

 

stuffed meatball

I hope you make this fun spin on the classic chicken parm!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Chicken Parm Meatballs, A Twist On The Classic
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • FOR THE MEATBALL MIXTURE
  • 2 lbs. ground chicken
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ medium onion, small dice
  • 2 heaping tablespoons each, parsley and basil
  • ¾ cup of grated parmesan cheese
  • ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • FOR THE BREADING MIX
  • 2 large beaten eggs
  • flour for dredging
  • panko breadcrumbs enough to coat your meatballs
  • *****
  • ½ lb. of dry mozzarella in a block so you can cut into ½ inch cubes
  • ½ lb. of fresh mozzarella, just so you can top each cooked meatball, you'll probably have some leftover
  • marinara sauce, enough for a dollop on each meatball and some warmed up to serve on your plate.
  • additional basil for garnish as well as extra marinara
  • Note: you do not simmer these meatballs in a pot of sauce like traditional ones, you want to keep them crispy
Instructions
  1. Mix up the meatballs with ingredients listed.
  2. Form them into size the meatballs you like then push the cubed mozzarella into each one, making sure the meat covers the cheese.
  3. I got 10 meatballs with the 2lbs.
  4. Have your breading station set up with the flour, egg and panko.
  5. Lightly dredge each meatball into the flour dusting off excess, then into the egg, then finally the panko, making sure to coat the whole meatball all around.
  6. In a nonstick heated fry pan drizzle in some olive oil, fry the meatballs making sure to get all sides golden and crispy.
  7. Transfer them to a casserole dish and into a 400 degree oven for around 10 minutes, then pull them out, top with a dollop of marinara on each as well as a piece of the fresh mozzarella, then back into the oven for an additional 5 or so minutes so they can finish cooking on the inside and the cheese melts on top.
  8. Garnish with chopped basil.
  9. Serve with some warm marinara on the side.

 

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