Greetings, fishy friends! With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, a few of the mermaids and I have dug deep into our treasure chests to put together one sweet menu for you and your special someones out there. Lots of stuff went into these culinary masterpieces, but the key ingredient was of course, Love. So enjoy and hey, if the food doesn’t wiggle its way into your lover’s heart, then give these delicious words a try…
“You are the butter to my bread, and the breath to my life.” ~Julia Childs
MY FUNNY VALENTINE, a drink to liven your spirits by Susan Mermaid:
Rim a glass in sugar, fill with ice, add:
1 oz. Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey
1/2 oz. Drambuie
1/4 oz. Triple Sec
Slice lemon, squeezed and dropped into glass
Top with seltzer to taste!
VALENTINE’S DAY SPREAD, a delish appetizer to leave them wanting more by Kimberly Mermaid:
1 3 oz package of sun dried tomatoes
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp lime juice
1 package of cream cheese, softened
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
7 oz prepared pesto
1. Pour boiling water over the sun dried tomatoes and let soak for ten minutes to soften. Then drain.
2. Put sun dried tomatoes in food processor with vinegar, olive oil, garlic and lime juice.
3. Mix softened cream cheese with feta.
4. Line a round cake tin or pie plate with plastic wrap. Cut out a piece of wax paper to fit on the bottom.
5. Spread a third of the cheese mixture on the bottom of the tin/plate. Freeze for ten minutes.
6. Spread tomato mixture on top of the next layer. Freeze for ten minutes.
7. Spread a third of the cheese mixture on top of the tomato layer. Freeze for ten minutes.
8. Spread pesto layer over the cheese mixture. Freeze ten minutes.
9. Spread last cheese layer over the pesto. Freeze for ten minutes.
10. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready, flip the tin onto a plate. Surround with crackers.
11. Enjoy. 🙂
SMART & SEXY CEVICHE by Carlene Mermaid for the seafood lover in us all:
Warning: I’m not a cook, therefore certain parts of my recipe might be missing but guess why that rocks? Because it’s oodles more fun that way!
First get yourself some large, fresh shrimp. I don’t know exactly how many, maybe a couple hands full. You’ll want to remove the tail and clean and de-vein them. Cut the shrimp into bite size pieces and then put them in a medium bowl. Next you’ll want the juice of several fresh limes or lemons, your choice, to squeeze over the shrimp. This is how you will “cook” them so be sure you have enough juice to give your shrimp a good soaking. Next you’ll need to dice up a red onion, a cucumber, a couple roma tomatoes and some cilantro. Toss all that into your soaking shrimp, season with sea salt and pepper, and let sit until the shrimp are a pretty pink color. Enjoy over a crunchy tostada shell or with tortilla chips or crackers. Oh, and if your honey likes it spicy, feel free to add a few squirts of your fave hot sauce or even some diced fresh jalapeno. Easy peasy! xoxo
SIMPLE, INSANELY GOOD RASPBERRY PIE to delight the senses from Pintip Mermaid:
Very simple, but insanely good recipe for Raspberry Pie. The key is to use fresh raspberries. We make this every summer after picking our own raspberries.
Ingredients:
– 1 recipe pie pastry for 9 inch double crust pie
– 4 cups raspberries
– 1 cup white sugar
– 2 1/2 tablespoons tapioca
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice
– 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/8 teaspoon salt
– 4 teaspoons butter
– 1 tablespoon half-and-half cream
Directions:
1. Mix together the raspberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt until raspberries are well covered.
2. Pour into 9 or 10-inch pastry shell. Dot with butter, top with crust.
2. Make slits in the top crust and brush with cream. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes, then at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
*recipe taken from http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/12349/raspberry-pie-iii/ *
BACON IS FOR LOVERS because hello, it’s chocolate and bacon together! by Susan Mermaid:
Very simple!
– Heat the oven to 350.
– Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
– Lay the desired number of bacon strips on the foil. Make sure they don’t touch!
– Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
– Check to see if the strips are crispy enough – don’t let them burn!
– Remove baking sheet from oven. Sprinkle dark chocolate chips on the hot bacon and allow them to melt.
– Remove to paper towel to drain.
– Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
– Serve with a side of ice cream – yum!
ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU APPLE TART to end your meal on a fruity sweet high, but one that comes straight from the heart, by Susan Mermaid:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
– Remove a ready-made pie crust from its box and set it aside to come to room temperature (20 minutes or so).
– Peel and slice in a bowl: 3 large Macintosh or Granny Smith apples (4, if they’re small).
– Toss apple slices with 1 T. lemon juice.
– Mix ½ c. brown sugar, 1 T. flour, and 1 tsp. cinnamon.
– Combine apples and sugar mixture.
– Measure out about 15 inches of parchment paper. Lay it on a flat clean surface beside a baking sheet.
– Unroll the pie crust on the parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the pie crust out a bit – It will be a little more tricky to handle, but having it thinner will make it SO much more tender.
– Soften 1 T. butter in the microwave (15 sec. or so). Spread across the pie crust.
– Pile the apple/sugar mixture in the center of the pie crust.
– Now for the fun part. Lift the edges of the pie crust up and over the apple/sugar pile, and see it you can make it into a pastry pouch.
– Ease the parchment paper, with the pastry bundle on it, onto the baking sheet.
– Bake 45 minutes in 350 degree oven.
– Remove. Let cool.
– Serve with whipped cream.
And as the wise and culinarily talented Susan Mermaid once said, “You can’t get it wrong – it’s like love: be patient!”
From our kitchens to yours, dear friends,
Have a Happy Valentine’s Day filled with love, sweets and lots and lots of laughter.
Fishy kisses,
The Waterworld Mermaids
xoxoxoxo
