Guys, I understand your plight this time of year. You want to do something nice – like, say, cook a full meal complete with dessert– that will wow the lady in your life, but you are unsure of how to do so in a way that won’t end in a kitchen disaster.
This menu has your back. It consists of only nine ingredients and can be executed from start to finish – washing dishes included! – in less than two hours.
Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus sit alongside a tender maple mustard chicken and decadent chocolate truffles await for dessert. She’ll be thrilled, you’ll be proud, and Valentine’s Day Dinner 2013 will go in the W column as a big success.
Here’s your game plan:
First things first: swing by the grocery store and pick up the following ingredients:
From left to right: prosciutto, asparagus, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, fresh rosemary, chicken tenders, chocolate sandwich cookies, cream cheese, white chocolate chips.
For the Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus:
One Bunch of Asparagus ¼ lb of Prosciutto, halved lengthwise 1 Tbsp Olive Oil Salt and Pepper For the Maple Mustard Chicken: 1 lb Chicken Tenders ¼ Cup Maple Syrup ½ Cup Dijon Mustard 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar Fresh Rosemary For the Chocolate Truffles: 1 Package Chocolate Sandwich Cookies 1 Box (8 oz) Cream Cheese 1 Bag (11 oz) White Chocolate Chips
When you’re ready to get down to business in the kitchen, here’s what your workflow should look like:
1. Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees.
2. While the oven is preheating, prepare the chicken. Whisk the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl. Line an 8x8 baking dish with aluminum foil (for easier cleanup) and put the chicken strips inside. Pour the marinade over the strips and cover them completely.
3. Once the oven comes up to temperature bake the chicken for 40 minutes, basting halfway through.
4. While the chicken is baking, make the truffles. Reserve three cookies for toppings (crush them in a plastic bag) and put the rest in a food processor along with the cream cheese. Pulse until well-mixed. Form the dough into balls (about 40) and place on a baking sheet line with parchment paper. Pop them in the freezer for about 10 minutes to harden.
5. Take a few minutes to do the dishes! It’ll make your life easier in the long run.
6. When the truffles have hardened, melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, heating in 30-second intervals and stirring after each so that the chocolate melts completely but does not burn.
7. Using two forks (this is the easiest method by a landslide), dip the truffles, one at a time, into the white chocolate. Place them back on the baking sheet to harden. (Feel free to dip them into milk chocolate or dark chocolate too if you’d like some variety or aren’t a fan of white chocolate.) While still wet, top the truffles with cookie crumbs and then return to the freezer.
8. Prepare the asparagus. Toss with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
9. When the chicken comes out of the oven, decrease the temperature to 400 degrees. While the chicken is resting, put the asparagus in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove, wrap with prosciutto, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the prosciutto is crisp.
10. Wash the remaining dishes, take the truffles out of the freezer, set the table, plate your dishes (remember to garnish the chicken with rosemary), pat yourself on the back, and enjoy! Great work!