Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Ingredients
Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained


Preparation
To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.
To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Tip: Add a spoonful of adobo sauce for a spicier salad. Kidney or pinto beans also taste great in this dish.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 249(30% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 2.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 23.3g; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; CALCIUM 106mg; SODIUM 650mg; FIBER 7g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.1g

David Bonom , Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Chilli Con Carne

1 1/2 pounds of extra lean beef (we use turkey because it's healthier)
2 medium onions-chopped
28 oz can whole tomatoes
6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 Beef Boullian cube
2 Tbsp. diced bell pepper (I like it hot so we use one whole pepper)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. Chilli powder
1 whole Bay leaf
4 16 oz. can peans (a mix of pinto, kidney and black)

Brown hamburger and onions in a large pan. Drain fat. In a slow cooker add meat mixture and all other ingredients. Cover and simmer 2-3 hours on low/med. Remove bay leaf and serve.

***Your house will smell so yummy as this cooks really slow!!

Meatless Chilli Verde

8-10 Anaheim Peppers (the long green ones)
2-3 Chillies (the small green ones)

Lay your chillies out on a baking sheet. Turn on your broiler to heat. Broil the Peppers and Chillies. You will need to turn them about 3 times until they start to turn black and blister. This takes about 15-20 minutes.

Place the Peppers and Chillies in a plastic sealable bag to cool. This will make it easier to peel the skin off later. Let them cool completely.

Remove from plastic bag and peel off all the skin. (Note: I buy cleaning gloves to do this, otherwise your hands will be burning all night long and this is pain like you have never experienced before!!!)

In a food processor add 1 cup of water and the peeled peppers and chillies. Blend until smooth.

Meanwhile, add one chopped onion to a pan sprayed with Pam and cook onions until soft. Pour the chilli mixture in with the onions. Add water if it's too thick. (You do want it thick enough that you can scoop it up with a soft flour tortilla. Add 1 tsp. of salt and let it cook with the lid on for 15 minutes. Add a few blocks of low fat cheese) to thicken. I add about a 2-3" inch thick piece.

Serve with fat free refried bean and tortillas.

Hot Chicken Dip

My sister in law's mom came to visit us one weekend from Pittsburgh and she brought this recipe for game night. It was the talk of the night! Every time I take this recipe to a party it's a hit, and I have found a way to make it low fat. Sorry I don't have the calorie and fat info, but you can make this as healthy as you want by adding as much cheese as you want.

2 fat free cream cheese, softened
1 cup Fat Free Ranch
2 cans Chicken (find this in the tuna section of the grocery store)

Mix these first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Then mix in Cheddar Jack cheese (add as little or as much as you'd like).
Add Tobasco (depending on how spicy you want it, we like it spicy so we add quite a bit, probably 10 drops)
Add cracked black pepper
Mix all together and put in a 8x8 square pan. Top with more Cheddar Jack cheese

Bake 350 degrees for 15-20 min's or until the center is warm and the cheese is melted.

Serve with your favorite crackers, we like Triscuit (blacked pepper and olive oil) and Reduced Fat Wheat Thins. Enjoy!

Chicken Fajitas

With this recipe I saved time by just using store bought salsa. It was just as yummy. But, the recipe for the salsa sounds really good! I also saved a few more calories by not using any oil, and just using Pam cooking spray to cook the veggies and the chicken.



1 medium garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut lengthwise into 8 thick strips

To make the salsa:
2 cup cherry tomato(es), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup scallion(s), chopped, green and white parts
1 small jalapeno pepper(s), cored, seeded and minced (don't touch seeds with bare hands)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional (see note below)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

To finish the fajitas:
1 sprays cooking spray
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1/2 medium sweet red pepper(s), thinly sliced
1/2 medium green pepper(s), thinly sliced
1 tsp canola oil
4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)
Instructions
In a medium-size glass bowl, combine garlic, red pepper flakes, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper; add chicken to bowl and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.


Meanhwhile, to make salsa, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, red pepper flakes, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.


Coat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and peppers, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes; spoon vegetables into a small serving bowl and cover to keep warm.


Add oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and any marinade remaining in bowl, but discard garlic (juices will sizzle so be careful of splattering liquid). Cook chicken until well-browned on bottom, about 3 minutes; flip chicken and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes more. If chicken is not cooked through, reduce heat to low and cook an additional 2 or 3 minutes.


To serve, place 2 chicken strips on each tortilla; top with about 1/2 cup of vegetables and 1/2 cup of salsa. Yields 1 fajita per serving.
Notes

Recipe taken from Weight Watchers Cookbook
If you’re short on time, substitute 1 cup of store-bought salsa for the fresh salsa (could affect POINTS values).

Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

**This is not a cooking light recipe, but I saw this on Good Things Utah and thought it sounded really good!

Prep Time: 15 min.
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 bags (10 oz. each) torn romaine lettuce

2 cans (15 oz. each) mandarin orange segments, drained

4 cups sliced strawberries

1 medium red onion, sliced

1 cup caramelized almonds*

1 cup poppy seed dressing (Litehouse or homemade)*

6 oz grilled chicken breast

TOSS
lettuce with oranges, strawberries and onion in large bowl.

SPRINKLE with Caramelized Almonds.

ADD
Poppy Seed Dressing; mix lightly. Serve immediately.

*Caramelized Almonds
1 cup PLANTERS Sliced Almonds

6 Tbsp. sugar

Preparation

TOSS almonds with sugar in nonstick skillet; cook on medium-high heat until sugar is caramelized, stirring frequently.

SPREAD into single layer on greased baking sheet or sheet of wax paper; cool at least 1 hour.

BREAK into small pieces. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.


Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. whole milk
2 tbsp. poppy seeds

Dressing:

Place ingredients in a jar. Cover and shake until blended. Dressing keeps several days in refrigerator.

Blackened Chicken and Avacado Tacos

The avocado will dry slightly in the pan, intensifying its flavor. Choose a ripe but firm avocado so it will hold its shape as it cooks. For a piquant variation, try adding a blend of 1 1/2 teaspoons of Hungarian hot paprika and 1 1/2 teaspoons of smoked Spanish paprika to the spice rub for a more intense flavor.

Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 ripe peeled avocado, cut into 16 slices
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup bottled low-sodium salsa (such as Green Mountain Gringo)
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion


Preparation
Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine paprika and next 7 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl. Sprinkle paprika mixture evenly over chicken; let stand 10 minutes.
Combine juice and avocado in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Grill avocado 2 minutes on each side or until well marked; remove from pan.

Place chicken in pan. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Let chicken stand 5 minutes; cut chicken crosswise into (1/4-inch-thick) slices.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide the chicken evenly among tortillas; top each with 2 avocado slices, 1/4 cup lettuce, 2 tablespoons salsa, 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream, and 1 1/2 teaspoons onion.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 423(25% from fat); FAT 11.6g (sat 3g,mono 5.1g,poly 2.6g); PROTEIN 45.2g; CHOLESTEROL 100mg; CALCIUM 158mg; SODIUM 675mg; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38g



David Bonom , Cooking Light, MAY 2006

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (about 2)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño peppers
1 cup chopped cooked chicken (about 8 ounces), divided
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Cooking spray
3/4 cup salsa


Preparation
Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir until blended.
Place 1/4 cup chopped chicken over half of 1 tortilla. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon onion mixture; fold in half. Repeat procedure with the remaining tortillas, chicken, cheese, and onion mixture.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place 2 quesadillas in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla in half. Serve with salsa.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 quesadilla and 3 tablespoons salsa)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 328(30% from fat); FAT 10.9g (sat 4.8g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 27.9g; CHOLESTEROL 65mg; CALCIUM 248mg; SODIUM 786mg; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.4g



Allison Fishman , Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

Pan-Grilled Flank Steak with Chermoula

Chermoula is a versatile North African herb-and-spice sauce. Use a cast-iron grill pan for this dish, as a nonstick grill pan can't handle high heat.

Ingredients
Chermoula:
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon paprika
3 tablespoons less-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled

Steak:
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray


Preparation
To prepare sauce, place the first 11 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely chopped, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
To prepare steak, sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Heat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook steak 4 minutes; turn and look for red beads forming on the surface to indicate the steak is approaching medium rare. Cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Let rest 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with sauce.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 195(41% from fat); FAT 8.9g (sat 2.7g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 25.3g; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 55mg; SODIUM 284mg; FIBER 1.2g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.6g


Mark Bittman , Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I love food that looks "pretty," so if you want to make a really yummy sandwich with lots of flavor, that even looks nice, this is an easy and super yummy recipe.



Ingredients
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup commercial pesto (such as Buitoni)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups cubed skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup diced celery
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 (1-pound) focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally, toasted, and cut into 20 slices
1 (12-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
10 romaine lettuce leaves


Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in chicken, celery, and walnuts.
Spread 1/2 cup of salad onto each of 10 bread slices. Top each serving with about 2 tablespoons bell pepper, 1 lettuce leaf, and one bread slice.

Yield
10 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 324(28% from fat); FAT 10g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.6g,poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 26.4g; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 39mg; SODIUM 725mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 2.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.6g

Taken from Cooking Light

Conference Sticky Buns

Girl Scout Brownies

Recipe provided by The Girl Scouts of Utah
Ingredients: Yields 6 servings

1/2 box of crushed Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies (or if out of season, Grasshopper cookies from any grocery store).
1 box of brownie mix
2 eggs (3 eggs for cake-like brownies)
1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
Directions:
Crush Thin Mints into medium size chunks. Mix all ingredients into mixing bowl. Do not use electric mixer — batter will be stiff. Spread batter evenly in greased baking pan (13 x 9 x 2 inch). Bake in center of oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting.

Easter eggs

Ingredients
Easter Eggs (see Vanilla Variation, lower right):
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 package (about 3 ounces, 4 servings) chocolate pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
1/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1-3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds
Chocolate Coatings (recipes follow)

Directions
1. Eggs: Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in pudding mix until smooth. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and creamy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in almond extract. Turn into large bowl. Cover surface of pudding directly with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. When pudding is completely cooled, beat in confectioners' sugar with wooden spoon until smooth (mixture will be stiff). Stir in 1/2 cup almonds. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes or until mixture holds its shape.

3. Using 2 level measuring tablespoonfuls cream for each large candy or 1 level tablespoonful for each small candy, form into egg shapes. Place on small baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until eggs are firm.

4. Prepare desired chocolate coating: Melt together chocolate and shortening in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling water, until smooth. Pour into bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes.

5. Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Reshape eggs if necessary. Place eggs, one at a time, in chocolate coating; using a fork, roll egg around in chocolate to coat completely. Remove egg with fork, letting as much excess chocolate as possible drip back into bowl.

6. Place eggs on waxed paper–lined baking sheet. Touch up coating with small metal spatula, if necessary. Let stand at room temperature until firm. If eggs become too soft while dipping, refrigerate to firm. Repeat process, dipping eggs in chocolate coating again. Let eggs firm completely.

7. Decorate with swirls of contrasting melted chocolate. Using thin spatula, loosen; place on serving platter.

8. Chocolate Coatings: 12 ounces (2 cups) milk chocolate chips + 6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening.12 ounces (2 cups) semisweet chips + 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening. 16 ounces (3 cups) white baking chips or 8 bars (2 ounces each) premier white "chocolate" baking bars + 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening.

Vanilla Variation: Substitute 1 package (about 3 ounces, 4 servings) vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (not instant) for chocolate, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla for almond extract, and 1/4 cup finely chopped red candied cherries for almonds. This variation is harder to shape than the chocolate egg; refrigerate overnight. Makes about 10 large or 20 small eggs.

Peanut Butter eggs

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon milk
8 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon shortening

DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter and milk (if needed for moisture) until blended. Shape mixture into two 1/2 pound eggs or make a bunch of smaller eggs. Freeze eggs for 1 hour.
While the eggs are freezing, cut semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces and place in top of double boiler with shortening. Melt over medium heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Stick a long-tined fork in top of each peanut butter egg, dip it in melted chocolate to cover then drain on waxed paper. When the eggs are cooled and set, decorate the eggs to suit your fancy.

Coeurs a la Creme

Ingredients
Makes 8
7 sheets phyllo dough (7 by 13 inches), available in the frozen-food section of your supermarket
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 cup cottage cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup plain yogurt
1 pomegranate, (optional)
12 edible sweetheart rose petals, (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean, dry work surface; cover remaining sheets with a damp kitchen towel. Using a pastry brush, brush phyllo lightly with melted butter. Place 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar in a fine sieve; dust phyllo with sugar. Top with a second sheet of phyllo dough. Brush with melted butter; dust with sugar. Continue this process with the remaining 5 sheets of phyllo dough.
Fold the stack in half, forming a 7-by-6 1/2-inch rectangle; transfer to baking sheet. Chill until the butter solidifies, about 10 minutes.
Using a coeur a la creme mold as a guide, cut out four hearts from the layered phyllo dough with a paring knife; remove excess dough from the baking sheet, and discard.
Bake phyllo hearts until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until cool. Store in an airtight container.
Cut out four 6-inch squares of cheesecloth. Dampen squares with water, line the coeur a la creme molds, and set aside.
Place cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until smooth, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add cream cheese; pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Add yogurt, and pulse 15 seconds. Divide cheese mixture evenly among molds, about 3/4 cup per mold. Fold the overhanging cheesecloth over the tops. Place molds on an unlined baking pan, and transfer to refrigerator. Allow mixture to drain 4 hours or overnight.
If using, cut pomegranate in half, and reserve 2 tablespoons seeds for garnish. Transfer the remaining seeds to the bowl of a food processor; puree 30 seconds. Transfer puree to a fine sieve set over a medium bowl. Using the back of a ladle, push down on pulp to extract juice. Whisk remaining teaspoon sugar into juice.
When ready to serve, place the reserved phyllo hearts on plates. Lift cheesecloth from molds, and invert the cheese hearts onto the phyllo hearts; remove cheesecloth. Drizzle the juice over the assembled hearts. Garnish desserts with pomegranate seeds and rose petals, if using; serve immediately.

find more ar marthastewart.com

Valentine pops

Ingredients
Makes 32 pops (2 1/2 inches each)
FOR THE SUGAR COOKIES
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
32 white lollipop sticks (6 inches long)
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
FOR THE CANDY CENTERS
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint, cinnamon, or other flavored oil, optional
Paste or gel food coloring in pink tones
Directions
In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until incorporated.
Gradually add flour mixture on low until combined. Wrap dough in plastic; chill 1 hour.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 3/16 inch thick. Cut out 2 1/2-inch rounds. Use smaller cutters to cut hearts from rounds. (If desired, save and bake heart cutouts.) Transfer 8 cookies to an ungreased cookie sheet. Press 1 lollipop stick under each cookie. Place small hearts on same cookie sheet. Chill until firm, 15 to 30 minutes. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, until firm but not browned. Transfer cookies on pan to wire rack to cool, about 20 minutes. Repeat until all dough is used. Leave cooled heart pops on ungreased cookie sheet. Set aside.
Combine 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water in heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stir over medium heat, until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium high; boil until mixture reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, 25 to 35 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in flavored oil. Quickly pour mixture into 2 small heatproof bowls. Add food coloring to each; stir to combine. Pour into each empty heart. Make candy mixture again as in Step 5 with remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup water. Fill remaining cookies. Let set until hard, 10 to 20 minutes. Transfer in single layers to airtight containers. If humid, refrigerate.

find more at marthastewart.com

Valentine Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
4 tablespoons finely chopped or shaved semisweet chocolate
Directions
Bring all ingredients to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until chocolate has melted (do not let boil). Pour into mugs, and serve.

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Valentine cookies

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup cherry jam, strained
Directions
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl; set aside. Pulse pecans, confectioners' sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (but not wet); transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Add butter and granulated sugar; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out squares with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2-inch heart cutter; reroll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.
Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes; let cool.
Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares; top with cutout ones. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

find more at http://www.marthastewart.com

Strawberry Valentine cakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup strawberry jam
Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache
12 medium strawberries
3 ounces bittersweet and/or milk chocolate curls

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour or line with paper bake cups twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups; set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and cocoa powder until combined. Add egg and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly just until combined.

3. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to chocolate mixture, beating by hand after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.

4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the edges; carefully remove cupcakes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

5. If cupcakes don't have paper liners, trim a thin slice from top of each cupcake so they will sit flat. Turn bottom side up. Place cupcakes 2 inches apart on wire rack set over waxed paper. (For cupcakes in liners, peel liners down but do not remove.) Spread 1 teaspoon of the strawberry jam over each cupcake.

6. Prepare Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache. (below) Spoon ganache over cupcakes, making sure to coat all sides. Place a strawberry on top of each cake. Drizzle each strawberry lightly with ganache, letting the strawberry show through. Top cupcakes with chocolate curls.

7. Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until ganache is smooth.

8. Makes: 12 cupcakes

9. To Bake Ahead: Prepare as directed through step 4. Place cooled cupcakes in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw cupcakes, if frozen. Continue as directed in step 5.

Valentine Cupcakes

Ingredients
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. vinegar
Small chocolate heart-shaped cookies (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions
1. Let eggs and butter stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 28 2-1/2-inch cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.

2. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, and 3/4 tsp. salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium-high 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium after each. Beat in food coloring on low.

3. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low to medium sped after each just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined.

4. Spoon batter into prepared pans, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 15 to 17 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely. Top with small chocolate cookies, if desired. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes 28 servings.