Valentine Ice Cream Sundaes

Valentines Ice Cream SundaeLovin’ Spoonful

Everyone has their own ideas about how to celebrate Valentine’s Day. My family is no different.

In the past, my husband and I would do the usual things to celebrate Valentine’s Day. By usual things I mean that I would remind him about February 14th, to which he would reply, “That’s today?!?” (Sigh.) Times are a bit different. Gone are the chocolates, fancy dinners and roses. Though there never really were any roses—Cupid has horrible allergies. And, of course, the reminders are still required. But we do manage to enjoy some fun for Valentine’s Day.

My husband has always loved ice cream. His love of ice cream is second only to his love of cookies. I come in a distant third…maybe.

A few years ago we started the Valentine’s Day Ice Cream Sundae tradition. Instead of dinner out, or eating huge boxes of chocolate, the five of us make our own Hot Fudge Sundaes. And I do mean Sundaes. We’re not talking a couple of scoops of vanilla with some Hershey’s squirted on it. I mean legit Sundaes. We go all out.

Anything we could possibly want in or on our sundaes is available. We have multiple flavors of ice cream on hand including the hand-packed, special trip up the street to purchase, gallon of Fenton’s Toasted Almond. To my mind, it ain’t a real sundae without Fenton’s Toasted Almond.

The toppings are myriad, and range from Hot Fudge to Marshmallow to chopped nuts and fresh brewed espresso. (If you have never poured cooled espresso over your ice cream, you haven’t lived. And if you add some chocolate chips? Shut The Front Door!)

This year I might stray from my usual path, and go a bit outside my comfort zone just to shake things up a bit. (However, these things require a lot of thought. I wouldn’t want to mess it up.) As a family rule, we tend to stick to the chocolate, vanilla and nutty type flavors but adding coconut and raspberry sounds interesting…

This is my proposed line up for this year:  Read more…

Fresh Blood Oranges with Lemon Honey Syrup

Fresh Blood Oranges with Lemon Honey SyrupThese brilliantly-colored fruits are at their peak, and this year’s season is a great one for citrus. They juice beautifully, are a welcome sight in lunch boxes, liven up salads, and make delicious marmalade. If you have not had the pleasure of experiencing a blood orange, Read more…

Classic Roast Beef and Gravy

*King George
My husband is one of the unfortunate few who was born on Christmas Day. Though he doesn’t see it as any big deal now that he is an adult (and the adult part is debatable), as a kid he said it was a drag. Because I find myself strangely miffed on behalf of my adolescent husband, after all the presents are opened Christmas morning we quickly turn our thoughts from Ho Ho Ho to Happy Birthday.

With birthday honors come responsibilities, though, and each year it is his responsibility to decide what we will have for dinner that Christmas-Birthday evening. Over the years, I have made some crazy stuff based on the whims of the Birthday Boy’s palette. We had a crab feed once. There was also a Birthday Paella. A few years ago I roasted a goose (I don’t think we’ll do that one again). I have also made Rack of Lamb a number of times, as it is one of his favorites.

This year, we’re going easy and classic due the fact that we are both just too tired to deal. The menu for his 45th is Classic Roast Beef and Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Sautéed Mushrooms with a salad thrown in to combat the cholesterol and butter. And then there’s the wine…

A really good roast beef is very easy to make. They key is to cook it low and slow, and not mess with it to much. Rub it with salt and pepper and maybe some chopped fresh herbs, and you’re good. Shove it in the oven and walk away. Comeback a few hours later and dinner is served. Any leftovers you have make a great sandwich for lunch the next day.

Here is my all time favorite recipe for roast beef from Cooks Country Magazine. It includes a mushroom gravy but I only make that occasionally…if I’m in the mood.  Read more…