The way to my heart...

Well, there are lots of ways to my heart.  I'm kind of a sucker like that...but tonight, I was excited to cook for my loves.  Yes, loves.  Jason, Mom & Dad, and the girls....except dinner was going to be late, so they'll eat this tomorrow!  For my other loves...I need to see you to cook for you, so we'll have to work on that!

I came home to find that Beppo had prepared some shrimp cocktail for before dinner - which is one of my favorite things to eat.  Yummmmmm.  Knowing that it was ahead of me, I quickly got dinner underway right after work!

I repeated a dinner posted on Perfectionista back in March of 2010 - Cranberry Medallion Salad.  It was a hit back then, its been 11 months since I've made it...and I remembered it being fairly easy and quick.  That would allow me the time to make cupcakes from scratch!!!

Serving tip:  Plate the salad - place the tenderloin medallions on top.  Mmmm.

Now, on to the highlight of the meal...real cupcakes.  Mauret asked me today if the cupcakes I was planning to make were clean...and if cupcakes could be clean.  I'm guessing they could be...and if I were someone who could bake well and did it often...I could probably make the appropriate substitutions.  But I figured the VDay gift that Beppo would like best was one made with real butter, superfine sugar, 4 eggs, vanilla, baking powder and cake flour.

Note the raspberry on top.  I did make fondant hearts, but opted for the tiny fresh fruit touch instead. See, something clean!

They rose like crazy, were super thick, and one little heart cupcake was definitely plenty!  But what won my heart...that chocolate.  And I don't really love chocolate!!!

 I met the woman behind Sassy Sauces at the Wayland Winter Farmers' Market at Russells (Saturdays, 10-2) and had to buy this for Valentine's Day.  Wasn't sure how I was going to use it...but this worked!  It has a nice mild after burn from the cayenne and chipotle...mmmmm.

And dark chocolate is good for your heart...right?

To top it off, Jason surprised me with an amazing Valentine...and we don't usually do anything big.  Saturday night at the Heart & Stroke Ball he stealthily bid on one of the silent auction items and got us a two night stay at the Stoweflake Inn & Spa, with a spa treatment.  He said I deserve it, which is what every girl likes to hear... I may deserve a spa weekend, but I'm not so sure I deserve him...either way, I'm clearly not letting him go!

Happy Valentine's Day!