Love Potions – Stuffed Strawberries with Dark Chocolate

Looking for a delicious desert to make for your Valentine?

This sumptuous Stuffed Strawberries With Mascarpone Cheese and Dark Chocolate recipe is a perfect for couples who prefer dining out but like their “dessert” at home.

The strawberries are fantasy food for lovers: finger-amiable, juicy and sweet.

Combined with the mascarpone cheese and the the dark chocolate, it’s a delicious treat to share with your sweetheart, both decadent and healthy.

Ingredients

12 large strawberries
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/2 teaspoon super-fine granulated sugar
2 drops vanilla extract
2 tablespoons grated dark chocolate (save a little for sprinkles)

Directions

1. Rinse and dry strawberries. With a paring knife, remove the hull and inner meat of the berry, forming a cavity in the berry. Also slit the sides of the strawberry in quarters just a little to allow for stuffing.

2. Mix stuffing ingredients until incorporated. With a small teaspoon, stuff the cheese filling into the cavity of the berry. Sprinkle additional grated chocolate on top. Serve cold.

Love Potions was contributed by The Seduction Cookbook: Culinary Creations For Lovers and can be found on page 66 of the book.

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Love Potions – Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

This Thanksgiving season, we searched near-and-far to find the perfect Love Potion romantic recipe to bake for your sweetheart, while showing gratitude for your relationship.

With over 1500 rave reviews on AllRecipes.com, this double layer pumpkin cheesecake recipe tops our list for Thanksgiving.

If you have four hours of time on your hands, along with a spare 425 calories, this recipe must be on your list this year.

Not spending Thanksgiving with your sweetheart? Don’t fret. This yummy recipe can be shared throughout the holidays. Let your cyber-date know what’s on the menu and he’ll happily schedule you in his calendar.

INGREDIENTS

•   2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
•   1/2 cup white sugar
•   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•   2 eggs
•   1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
•   1/2 cup pumpkin puree
•   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•   1 pinch ground cloves
•   1 pinch ground nutmeg
•   1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.

3. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

This recipe and photo are provided courtesy of AllRecipes.com For more love potions recipes, click here

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Love Potions – Champagne Risotto and Shrimp

1 Tbsp. of unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup of Arborio rice
1/2 cup of  dry Champagne
1 can of low sodium chicken broth (14.5 oz.)
1/2 pound medium uncooked shrimp
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
A few sprigs of finely minced fresh parsley

Place butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and saute 1-2 minutes until onion is translucent..  Add the rice and saute 2 minutes coating rice with the butter mixture.  Add Champagne; simmer until the liquid is almost evaporated, stir frequently while simmering.  Add the broth, simmer until rice is almost tender, stir with a wooden spoon, stir frequently for about 15 minutes.  Add the shrimp and simmer, stirring frequently until the shrimp is cooked through and the rice is al dente, add small amounts of broth if the mixture is too thick.  Stir in the parmesan cheese.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Serve on warmed plates and sprinkle top lightly with minced parsley.  Serves 2

You can steam some fresh asparagus and serve the rice over the aspargus with the tips pointing out.

The Love Potion recipe was contributed by Heatherr Jumah.

Click here for more Love Potions Recipes.

Love Potions – Perfect Risotto

Just in time for summer, Match.com’s Stir Events held a cooking class attended by 16 singles in Los Angeles. Knowing I could improve on my culinary skills, I was one of the first to sign up.

The event was held at Sur la Table at the trendy Farmers Market at The Grove with an even mix of men and women. Sure there was a lot of comparing dating disasters and bad dates, but everyone had a wonderful time.

We prepared three dishes, led by Chef Alexx Guevara including Perfect Risotto, Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs, and a light summer desert of Mixed Summer Berries with Zabaglione.

My favorite dish was the Perfect Risotto, worthy of being featured in our Love Potions and being served to impress your next Internet date.

Enjoy!

Ingredients (yields 4)

6-8 cups chicken stock
Boiling water, as needed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/3 cup (about 2 medium) fine chopped shallot
2 cups (about 14 ounces) Arborio or Carnaroli rice
3/4 cup (1-1/2 ounces) finely grated Parmean cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

Pour the chicken stock into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and keep hot. Fill a small saucepan with water and heat over high heat until boiling. Lower heat, cover and keep hot.

In another large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until butter foams. When foaming subsides, cook shallots until softened, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, about 3-4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly until evenly coated with butter and heated through, about 3 minutes.

Increase heat to medium and, using a ladle, add about 1 cup of hot stock to the rice. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, over medium heat until stock is almost fully absorbed. Add the remaining stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and adding more broth after the previous addition has been absorbed, until the rice begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 16-2o minutes.

Adjust the heat so the rice simmers rapidly throughout the cooking. Use boiling water if stock has been used and rice requires more cooking time. The risotto is done when it is creamy and the grains are plump and tender with a slight resistance to the bite.  Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and Parmesan. If risotto is thick, use any leftover stock to thin as needed. To serve, ladle risotto into 4 warmed shallow serving bowls. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

For more romantic recipes worth serving on a date, Visit Love Potions.

Julie Spira is an online dating expert, bestselling author, and founder of Cyber-Dating Expert. She creates irresistible profiles for singles on the dating scene. For dating advice, sign up for our Weekly Flirt and like us at Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert.

Follow @JulieSpira

Love Potions – Mint Chip Shamrock Shake

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, if drinking green beer or nibbling on a mint-chocolate chip ice cream cone aren’t on your menu, we’re thrilled to share Rose Cole’s healthy recipe for her Raw Mint-Chip Shamrock Shake.

Ingredients  

• 1-2 Tbs cacao nibs (or chocolate chips)
• 1 frozen large banana (the more ripe, the better)
• 1-2 drops peppermint extract (or handful of fresh mint leaves)
• 1/4 cup frozen spinach (or opt for all-natural green food coloring, or just make a white mint shake)
• 2/3 cup non-dairy milk of choice (coconut, almond, hemp, etc.  Use more or less, depending on desired thickness.)

Optional Ideas & Add-ins

• cocoa powder
• chocolate protein powder
• garnish with fresh mint leaves
• 2-4 drops liquid stevia (I love the peppermint liquid stevia from Sweet Leaf)
• a pinch of guar gum and xantham to make pudding (or just reduce milk)

Blend everything together and enjoy!  For more healthy recipes, visit RoseCole.com.

For more romantic recipes, check out our Love Potions!

Love Potions – Sugar and Spice Recipes

There are many recipes on the Internet for the holiday season, but some of my favorites can be found on the Williams-Sonoma website.

This year, they’ve curated a list of recipes guaranteed to spice up your love life. The recipe that made it to the holiday edition of Love Potions is the simple ginger cookies. They say these ginger cookies are irresistible.

Ginger is also high in potassium and is known to improve your immune system.

Photo Credit: Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups pecans or macadamia nuts
• 14 Tbs. (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 Tbs. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
• 1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger

Directions:

Celebrating Chocolate Week

Did you know that this week,  October 10-15 is Chocolate Week in the U.K.?

Throughout the country, chocolate lovers are attending tasting events and celebrating the holiday.

Here in the U.S., we celebrate National chocolate day in March, perhaps to keep the sweetness of Valentine’s Day alive. Since we live in a global society, I’ve decided we should celebrate from afar.

Chocolate, as you may know, has many benefits. It’s an antioxidant and consumed in moderation, can be good for your health.

Chocolate makes an excellent gift for someone you may have a crush on and to bring on a date.

Sharing chocolate can be romantic as you spoon-feed each other some delicious chocolate mouse. Check out some of our chocolate recipes in our Love Potions for some suggestions for the holiday.

Chocolate is passionate. Heart shaped chocolate can be an aphrodisiac, so I suggest you stop by your local chocolatier, guilt-free, and celebrate the holiday.

Julie Spira is an online dating expert and author of the bestseller, The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online. Visit her at http://CyberDatingExpert.com and follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and on facebook.com/cyberdatingexpert

Love Potions – Rasberry Gelato

Getting ready for the warm weather? Our friends at BakeSpace have contributed another luscious recipe for our Love Potions.

Enjoy this creamy rasberry gelato dessert worth serving to your date or sweetheart.

INGREDIENTS

• Servings: 6-8
• Preparation Time: 3 hours
• 12 oz. fresh raspberries
• 2/3 c. sugar (I used half granulated and half vanilla sugar)
• 2 c. whole milk
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon or lime juice

DIRECTiONS

1. Process berries, sugar, and whole milk in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour into a nonreactive bowl.

2. Add in the heavy cream and mix just enough to combine. (Do not whip the cream.) Add in the lemon or lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours and up to overnight.

3. Transfer the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately or freeze up to one month.

***Note: You can substitute the following fruits using the above recipe: bananas, peaches, pears, strawberries, blackberries, apricots, Granny Smith apples, and blueberries.

Love Potions – Any Way You Like It Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Love Potions - Any Way You Like It Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Cupcakes have risen to become the #1 dessert of choice these days. We’re delighted to feature Any Way You Like It cream cheese cupcakes in our featured romantic Love Potions recipes.

Ingredients

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese – softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 vanilla wafers – and / or Oreos
12 foil cupcake liners

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2)  With an electric mixer, mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add flour, lemon juice, and eggs – one at a time – mixing between each.

3)  Line a cupcake tin with foil cupcake liners.  Place a vanilla wafer or Oreo cookie in the bottom of each liner.  Pour 1/3 cup of cheesecake batter over each cookie.  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes; until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

*  Any way you like it  toppings: Fresh fruit or berries, Oreo crumbles, Pie filling, Whipped cream.

Love Potions recipe contributed by MenuForTheWeek.com

Love Potions – Luscious Mocha Mud Pie

Love Potions - Luscious Mocha Mud Pie

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your sweetie how you feel with a decadent dessert.  This luscious mud pie is rich, chocolaty, and memorable, yet easy enough for even the most novice cook to make.  It’s best made the day before or at least a few hours before you intend to serve it, so that the layers meld and harden.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
20 Chocolate sandwich cookies, like Newman’s Own or Trader Joe’s O’s
½ cup Toffee bits (like crushed Heath bar)
6 ounces Caramel sauce
1 pint premium coffee ice cream (like Julie’s Organic)
1 ½ pints vanilla ice cream (like Alden’s Organic vanilla)
Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350. Break cookies into large pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse until cookies are in large crumbs, then pour in melted butter and pulse a few more times to combine. Press crumbs into a pie plate to form a crust and bake for 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

2.  Heat jar of caramel sauce according to package directions. Pour over crust, then sprinkle with toffee pieces. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes or until caramel is firm.

3.  Let coffee ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Spoon into the pie and spread into an even layer with a spatula or spoon. Return to freezer for 30 minutes or until ice cream is hard.

4.  Let vanilla ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or until soft enough to spread with a spatula. Remove pie from freezer and spread vanilla ice cream over the coffee ice cream with a spoon or spatula until it’s an even layer. Return to freezer. Let freeze for at least an hour before serving. If not eating immediately, cover with plastic wrap.

This Love Potions recipe was contributed by Amelia Winslow of Eating Made Easy.

Click here for more Love Potions Recipes

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