Chef Stuart’s Bean Chili 

Chicken and Orzo Pasta Stew

Here are a few great tips to help you on your way to a successful evening

Check if your date has any allergies to anything. There would be nothing worse than slaving over a meal to have your date tell you that they are allergic to your main course ingredient. This will also show that you care when you ask them. More brownie points here!

If you are on the fence whether to cook a 2 or 3 course meal, make it a 2-course meal and just have some cheese and crackers for your guest when they arrive.

When you have decided on how many courses you will make, next thing is to write down everything that you will need to prepare and cook the dinner from ingredients to equipment needed to cook the food.

Buy as much as you can the day before, anything that is not perishable on your ingredient list, buy it all the day before and keep all the ingredients together so they are at hand at all times. For produce, this can be bought on the day of the date but if you are really chapped for time you can buy produce the day before too. Produce is not going to turn in one day. Look through your recipe and see what can be prepped the day before so you have less to worry about on the day of the date.

You begin to run behind schedule, if this happens to you, have your date help you with the meal when they arrive. This can range from them helping you with setting the tableware on the table to asking them to help you with some of the food preparation. You will be surprised, as many people will love this.

Count to 10 and relax, if you are really organized and have done your homework everything will turn out right on the night. Remember; if you fail to prepare you prepare to fail. And hey! If it does not turn out right on the night, so what, who cares? The most important thing is that you showed that you cared enough about your date to do something more interesting that taking them out to a restaurant, I mean anyone can do that, right?

Here are some simple recipes to help you with your date night. A simple soup that can be made the night before to start off followed by a great braised dish and finally a dessert that can also be prepared the night before. 

Menu

Hearty Tomato Soup 

Vinegar Mushroom Braised Chicken

Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse

Click here to view the embedded video.

Potato Leek and Broccoli soup

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter

2 lbs Leeks, thinly sliced

3 lbs large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 head broccoli, florets roughly chopped

5 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and sauté leeks until soft. About 4 minutes.
2. Add potatoes and broccoli and cook for further 3 minutes.
3. Add in broth and bring to a low simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add half and half after 15 minutes are past.
5. Transfer soup to food processor and blitz until smooth.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with croutons and sprinkle with some Irish cheddar cheese.

Guinness Braised Short ribs

Ingredients:

4 lbs boneless or bone in short ribs, cut into 1.5 inch pieces

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, cut into .5 inch pieces

1 can Guinness

2 cups low sodium beef stock

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 380 oF

1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven

2. Pan sear short ribs until nice and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side

3. Remove meat from pan and set aside

4. Saute onions and garlic until lightly browned, scrape any brown bits from bottom of pan using a wooden spoon.

5. Add carrots and celery and let cook for further 5 minutes

6. Add 1 cup of beef stock and scrape bottom of pan to remove any more browned bits.

7. Add back in the meat followed by the remaining stock and can of Guinness

8. Season with salt and pepper

9. Bring stew to a simmer for 20 minutes, cover and place in oven and braise for 2 hours

Serve with a fresh green salad or on top of mashed potatoes

Colcannon Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

1 lb russet potatoes, peeled

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup cream

1/2 head of cabbage, roughly shredded

3 scallions, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Boil potatoes in water until a knife goes through easily. About 25-35 minutes.

2. Drain and place potatoes into a mixer or use a hand mixer to whip them.

3. Add Butter and cream and mix for another minute.

4. Add Cabbage and scallions, mix until well combined.

5. Season with salt and pepper until desired flavor is achieved.

St Patrick’s Day Peanut butter chocolate Guinness Milkshake with the MAGIC BULLET

Ingredients

2 scoops of Vanilla Ice cream

1 large Peanut butter cup

½ cup crushed ice or small cubed

½ cup Guinness stout

Method

1. Combine all ingredients into blender and blitz for about 10 seconds
2. Serve in chilled glass and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Here are the main points to remember when Braising.

1. First you have to sear the meat to get it nice and brown as this adds flavor.

2. Season with aromatics, herbs and spices.

3. Add your liquid and partially submerge the meat under stock, water, beer or wine. Also, do not forget to deglaze the pan (scrape brown bits from the bottom)

4. Now you bring the dish to a simmer, lid on and put in the oven at a low temperature until it falls apart.

Remember these tips and you will become a master braiser.

Equipment check

Before you start to braise, it is SO important that you have the correct pot to cook in. If you don’t have a Le Creuset pot……..go invest in one. You will have it for life and it cooks food incredibly well.

The TASTY AWARDS is the premier broadcast awards show to celebrate and recognize the year’s best achievements in food, fashion, and home lifestyle programs on Television, in Film, and Online.

TASTY AWARDS recipients are announced and receive their honors on January 13, 2011 at a Red Carpet Awards Show inHollywood, portions of which are filmed for broadcast on national television to millions of households, as well as on Hulu.com and partner sites.

I had so much fun with Sofia in the kitchen, she was hilarious and she was astounded by how easy it was to create a meal in minutes in the microwave using the Tupperware SMART STEAMER.

No more nuking your food with nasty microwaves. Now you can safely steam your food and have a healthy meal in minutes !! Check out the video below on EXTRA !