Nibble on Dates on Your Next Date

So, I hosted a party recently, you know, like you do. Perhaps you read about it the other day? Hmm? Well, you'll be shocked to know that I made more than one thing for the party. I know, crazy talk.

So here's another delicious (and time-friendly) appetizer you can serve at your next party, dinner gathering, hot date, picnic... Yes, picnic. Because after weeks of sub-zero temps in Denver, mother nature has magically bestowed 60-degree days upon the Queen City of the Plains. And if you have dates(the fruit), and it's warm where you are, you could be eating these on your porch or in the park twenty minutes from now.

Also, did you know that many believe that dates (the fruit) are an aphrodisiac? So if you want something to nibble on for your next date (not the fruit) maybe try a date (the fruit).

You'll notice I didn't include quantities below because the recipe is pretty much the same whether you make five or fifty. The typical goat cheese log is 8 ounces. I made thirty of these for the party and still had plenty of goat cheese left--just remember that a little goes a long way. Also, I'll stop making "date-the-fruit" jokes and just get on with the show!

Goat Cheese & Almond Stuffed Dates

--Dates, sliced open lengthwise (but not all the way through), pits removed

--Goat cheese, plain

--Almonds, whole and raw (sometimes labeled "natural")
--Crushed red pepper
--Black pepper, fresh
--Prosciutto, torn into thin slices [obviously, omit this if you wish to make it vegetarian]

Using a small spoon, fill each date with a scoop of goat cheese. Then place an almond inside, nestled in the goat cheese. Last time I made these (at Easter), I sprinkled the goat cheese ahead of time with the crushed red pepper and fresh black pepper. This time I just sprinkled the dates with the spices, then wrapped each date with a prosciutto slice and sprinkled them again.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes until the goat cheese is warm, but not scalding. Serve warm. You can also make these the night before or morning of and then just heat and serve.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 20 minutes
Calories: 84 calories per date

Domo Arigato Mister Risotto

I was craving some warm, comforting flavors and here's what I came up with.

Prosciutto is like ham's fancy cousin (which makes it closely related to our good friend bacon) and is one of those meats that "plays well with others" and can be easily added to many dishes.

Risotto is equally versatile and can be part of many dishes, no matter the season. It can be a process to make, simply because you need to add lots of liquid and stir often, so when making risotto it's always helpful to have a kitchen partner in crime.

Risotto with Prosciutto and Sage
--1 lb. risotto (also called arborio rice)
--1 cup of dry white wine
--2+ cups chicken broth
--olive oil
--4 slices of prosciutto, chopped into smaller chunks
--fresh sage (to taste)
--sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
--grated asiago cheese
--salt & pepper

In a pot or large pan, cook the risotto to package instructions substituting 1 cup of liquid with the wine and using chicken broth as your cooking liquid (no water).

Cooking risotto is a batch process so you'll start out with one cup of liquid and once the grains suck that up you'll add another cup of liquid, stirring all the while until that liquid is sucked up and then you'll add more liquid...

While the risotto cooks, heat a medium sized skillet on medium heat. Add a quarter-sized pour of olive oil and allow the oil to heat for a few moments before adding in the prosciutto chunks.

Saute, stirring often, until prosciutto begins to brown. Add in the sage by taking the fresh leaves and tearing them into pieces over the skillet.


Add in the mushrooms and stir the mixture together. Let the mushrooms cook down and add more sage if desired.


Once the risotto is almost done and the mushrooms have cooked down, add the veggies and meat to the risotto pot and stir it all together.


Stir in some of the grated asiago cheese. Season with salt and pepper and dish into bowls.

Top with more asiago cheese and eat!

Impressing Your In-Laws

I love making dinner for other people and this is one of those simple dishes that tastes really awesome and seems more complicated than it really is. It's the kind of dish you make when trying to impress your mother-in-law. Or, guys, this one is good to make for a date.

Most recently, I made this for my friends, Matt and Andra, and their tween daughters. For our meal we served it with broiled kale and sweet potato biscuits (pictured here), but the recipe below serves it with greens two ways.

Pork Tenderloin & Two-Way Greens

--olive oil
--garlic
--6 slices of prosciutto (available at the deli counter)
--salt & pepper
--1 lb. pork tenderloin
--balsamic vinegar
--bag or bunch of spinach
--bag or bunch of arugula
--bag or box of grape, plum, or cherry tomatoes (I like to mix n' match)

Prep:

Wash the greens. Cut off stems and dry.
Trim excess fat off of pork loin. Slice into 1/2" thick rounds
Roughly chop prosciutto into fingernail sized chunks. You can also rip it with your hands instead.
If tomatoes are large, chop them in half. If they are smaller this is unnecessary.

Heat oil on medium high heat. Cook garlic and prosciutto until brown. Set aside.

Salt and pepper the pork rounds. Sear pork rounds, cooking 5-7 minutes on each side (depending on size and thickness of the rounds). Set aside.

Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar. Newbies, what this means is dump some vinegar into that hot pan and scrape all the bits up. The vinegar will evaporate some and what's left will make a thin sticky sauce.

Add half of the arugula and half of the spinach in fist fulls and toss with tongs. Add more greens as mixture cooks down. Add 3/4 of the tomatoes into the greens mixture, tossing and heating until tomatoes are warm and squish in your mouth. Add 3/4 of the cooked prosciutto/garlic mix and toss until evenly mixed. Spoon this over the pork pieces.

Use the remaining uncooked greens, tomatoes, and prosciutto to make a salad. Top with balsamic vinegar as a dressing.