The Devil works hard but I’ve been working harder…but for love.

Valentine’s Day means taking the time to make something special and delicious for someone you love. To me, that means comfort food from scratch. These recipes are a lot, they take time, but they are so incredibly worth it. So, pick one, do some research, ask me any questions you have, grab a buddy (aka wine), and get cooking!

Note: Because these aren’t intended to all be made in one week and/or at one time (and if you do, fuckin’ Bravo, man) there isn’t a Grocery List at the end. Instead, I’ve included all ingredients, with measurements, and special equipment at the top of the recipe for you to make your list.

My Favorites:
Chicken Parmesan
Striped Ravioli + Agnolotti

Neil’s Favorites:
Chicken Pot Pie
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Jalapeno Poppers

Desserts:
Strawberry Gelato
My Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Foundation Recipes:
Buttermilk Pie Crust
Pink Beet Pasta
Milk Pasta
Anaheim Pepper Pasta
Ravioli + Agnolotti Filling

How To:
Make Colored Pasta
Make Pie Crust

Drinks:
Blood Orange Old Fashion

How To

IMG_6714+2.jpg — How to Make Pie Crust

It took me a long time to perfect my pie crust recipe so don’t get frustrated if it seems confusing at first, keep at it and you’ll never buy store made again. Below, you will find my recipe but, in this video here, you’ll find one of the best explanations of the technique.

Click here to learn from the perfect **@PreppyKitchen:**
Watch Mins 1-5 **https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RwOPRv2B8s**

Foundation Recipes

Buttermilk Pie Crust

**Takes:** 15 min Active, 45 min total.
**Makes:** 1 Thick 9x13 Crust or 2 Thick Pie Crusts
**Mise:** 3 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1.5 (or 3 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, 1 Tbs Sugar, 1/2 Tbs Salt, 2/3 c Buttermilk (or more as needed)
1. Combine Flour, Sugar, and Salt in large bowl and stir with fork to combine.
2. Cut Cold butter into small cubes and add to flour. Using your hands, a fork, or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour into they look like small peas. You can use a food processor that takes like 3 seconds to do but I prefer to use my hands.
3. Add cold buttermilk slowly to the flour, stirring mix with a fork. When the dough starts to come together, turn out onto floured counter and knead until the flour feels hydrated and the dough comes together into one ball. If too crumbly, add a tablespoon of buttermilk. If too wet, add tablespoon of flour.
4. Chill for 30 minutes for butter to chill and dough to completely hydrate. Take out of fridge when ready to use, let warm for a couple of minutes, and roll out on a floured surface.

Pink Beet Pasta

**Takes:** 15 mins active, 45 mins total
**Makes:** 4.5 servings
**Mise:** 6 oz frozen or fresh, peeled Beet, 3 Eggs, Salt, 2.5 cups "00” Flour
1. Cut cleaned and peeled beet into small cubes, place into microwave safe bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Misrowave for 1min 20 seconds, take out, and let cool.
2.. Add 2.5 cups 00 Flour and 2 pinches of salt into large bowl and stir to combine.
3. Add beets and eggs into a blender and puree until smooth.
4. Add beet mix to flour, mix, knead, rest, and use. See full technique in “How to Make Colored Pasta”

White Pasta

**Takes:** 15 mins active, 45 mins total
**Makes:** 4.5 servings
**Mise:** 1.25 cups 00 Flour, 1.25 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1/2 cup Whole Milk, 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, 4 Egg Whites, Salt
1. Add both flours and 2 pinches of salt into large bowl, stir to combine.
2. Combine milk, cream, and egg whites in a glass, mix with fork until combined.
3. Add milk and egg mix into the flour, mix, knead, rest, and use. See full technique in “How to Make Colored Pasta”

Anaheim Pepper Pasta

**Takes:** 15 mins active, 45 mins total
**Makes:** 4.5 servings
**Mise:** 2 Large Anaheim peppers, 4 Eggs, Salt, 2.75 cups "00” Flour
1. Add 2.75 cups 00 Flour and 2 pinches of salt into large bowl and stir to combine.
2. Clean, de-seed, and dice Anaheim peppers. Add to blender with eggs and blend until smooth.
4. Add pepper mix to flour, mix, knead, rest, and use. See full technique in “How to Make Colored Pasta”

Ravioli/Agnolotti Filling

**Takes:** 20 minutes
**Makes:** Literally So Much
**Mise:** 1lb Ground Beef, 1 bunch fresh Parsley, 16oz tub Ricotta Cheese, 8oz grated Parmesan Cheese, 3 Egg Yokes, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion powder.
1. Brown ground beef and chop into fine pieces. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooled Beef, Ricotta, Parmesan Cheese, 4 Tbs finely chopped Parsley, Egg Yokes, and a bunch of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season to your taste but it’ll need a lot! Place in piping bag and store in fridge until ready to use.

My Favorites

Striped Heart Ravioli

**Takes**: 1 hour assembly, 1 minute cook
**Makes:** 5-6 servings
**Mise:** 1/2 of Beet Pink Dough, 1/2 of Milk White Dough, 00 flour for counter and rolling dough, ravioli filling, Red Sauce of Your Choice (I use Rao’s Brand).
**Special Equipment:** Pasta sheeter, pizza or pasta cutter, heart shaped cookie cutter, Piping bag or Gallon Zip Lock, pastry brush.
**See How To Make Striped Pasta First**
Watch from 0:45-2:15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDCBb_kzWUc&t=72s

1. Take a half of your white dough (quarter of all of the white dough) and laminate by rolling through the widest setting of your sheeter, tri-folding like a pamphlet- repeat 2 more times. Then, sheet until the 3rd or 4th setting- you still want your sheet to be thick.
2. Laminate your Pink dough the same way. After it’s sheeted at the same thickness as the white, cut into fettuccine width stripes.
3. Wet your pastry brush with water and make vertical stripes, about an inch apart, on the white sheet of dough.
4. Lay down your pink striped on the white pasta to the pattern of your choice. Once your pattern is complete, sprinkle with flour to try the exposed wet pasta. Then, gently, press the striped down with your hand.
5. Sheet striped pasta through sheeter until 5th or 6th setting.
6. Lay sheet pattern down on your floured counter, cut in half. On one half, place heart cookie cutter gently on pastry (do not cut!) and fill center of heart with filling. Lift and continue until one sheet is filled.
7. Wet pastry brush and dab around heart shaped filling on sheet. Then, lay second sheet on top of mounts so the striped are up and you can see mounts underneath. Press top sheet down around filling.
8. Cut out ravioli using cutter, set on a baking sheet sprinkled with a gritty flour like cornmeal or semonila flour while you make all of your Ravioli.
9. Cook in boiling water until they float to the top, about 60 second. Sauce and Serve.

Striped Agnolotti

**Takes**: 1 hour assembly, 1 minute cook
**Makes:** 5-6 servings
**Mise:** 1/2 of Beet Pink Dough, 1/2 of Milk White Dough, 00 flour for counter and rolling dough, ravioli filling, Red Sauce of Your Choice (I use Rao’s Brand).
**Special Equipment:** Pasta sheeter, fluted pasta cutter, any kind of round dowel, Piping bag or Gallon Zip Lock, pastry brush.
1. Make striped pasta sheets using directions in Heart Shaped Pasta.
2. When you have your thin sheet of stripped pasta, do this: (3:57-End) **https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU988Psu7AI**

3. Set on a baking sheet sprinkled with a gritty flour like cornmeal or semonila flour while you make all of your Agnolotti
9. Cook in boiling water until they float to the top, about 60 second. Sauce and Serve.

Chicken Parmesan with Anaheim Pepper Pasta

**Takes**: 90 Minutes Total
**Makes:** 4 Servings
**Mise:** 2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs, Italian Seasoning, 16oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, 8oz Grated Parmesan Cheese, Salt, Pepper, 4 Chicken Breasts, Red Sauce of Your Choice (I use Rao’s Brand), **Prepared Anaheim Pepper Pasta Dough,** Flour for your Counter, 2 Eggs, 1 cup flour, Paprika. Garlic Powder
**Special Equipment**: Pasta Sheeter, Gallon Zip-Lock Bag
1. Salt and Pepper Chicken Breasts. One at a time, place in Zip-Lock bag and use a wine bottle or heavy rolling pin to flatten the breast until it’s about 1.5cm thick (or however thick you want it).
2. Prepare three bowls; 1 bowl with 1c Flour, seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika. 1 bowl with the 3 eggs, beaten until smooth. 1 bowl with 2 cups Panko Bread Cumbs seasoned with 8oz Parmesan Cheese, 4 Tbs Italian Seasoning, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic powder.
3. Dip flattened chicken breasts into flour first, then egg mix, and finally into the panko. Make sure to coat thoroughly!
4. Place on sheet pan and Bake at 400F for 20mins, or until internal temp is 165*.
5. While Chicken is cooking, fill a pot with water on the burner to start warming.
6.Then, take a quarter of your Anaheim Pepper Dough, laminate by rolling through the widest setting of your pasta sheeter, tri-folding like a pamphlet- repeat 2 more times. Then, sheet until it’s your desired thickness (I like the 6th setting for a chewy noodle). Once there, run through fettuccine or sphaghetti setting. Set on a baking sheet sprinkled with a gritty flour like cornmeal or semonila flour while you make all of your pasta.
7. Once your chicken is cooked, cover with Mozzerlla cheese and place under Broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. While cheese is melting, salt boiling water and cook pasta (60 seconds).
9. Sauce noodles with preferred red sauce and plate. ad circle of sauce next to noodles and place chicken on top. Serve.

Neil’s Favorites

Chicken Pot Pie

**Takes**: 2 Hours Total
**Makes:** 8 Large Servings
**Mise**: Buttermilk Pie Crust, 1 Rotisserie Chicken, 1 large White Onion, 2 Large Carrots, 2 large Stocks Celery, 2 cloves garlic, 1 Stick Butter, Fresh Parsley, 4 Tbs Flour, 40oz Chicken Stock, Salt, Pepper, 1 egg, Course Salt.
1. In a high walled pot, melt 2 Tbs of butter. Then add diced White Onion, peeled then diced carrot, and diced celery. Cook until transparent. transfer to separate bowl to cool.
2. While vegetables are cooking, remove skin from Rotisserie chicken and shred the meat. Set aside.
3. Heat chicken stock until warm in microwave safe bowl, preferably a bowl with a spout to make pouring easy.
4. In your pot, add in the rest of your stick of butter. Once that melts, add the the equivalent about of flour (6Tbs butter=6Tbs Flour). Whisk constantly while the flour cooks and hydrates (2-3 minutes, at least). Then, slowly add Chicken Stock, while still whisking, until gravy is to preferred consistency (thickly coats the back of a spoon). Salt and pepper liberally.
5. Add shredded chicken, cooked vegetables, and 2 Tbs of finely chopped Parsley to gravy. Stir to combine, season to taste. Put in 9x13 dish and set aside.
6. Roll out pie crust dough into a large rectangle, making sure to use enough flour on your surface and pin so it doesn’t stick. Dough should be about 1 cm thick.
7. Transfer dough to top of chicken dish (I roll the dough around the pin to transfer). Decorate as desired, making sure to make vent slits for steam to escape while cooking. Brush with egg wash (1 egg, 1 tsp water, mixed together) and sprinkle course or flakey sea salt on top.
8. Bake at 400*F for 30-45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes and serve.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

**Takes**: 1 Hour Total
**Makes**: 10 Servings
**Mise:** 1 Rotisserie Chicken, 8oz Cream Cheese, 8oz Sour Cream, 1 Package Ranch Seasoning, 10oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Parsley, 10-16oz Franks Red Hot, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, 1 Large White Onion.
1. Dice white onion, shred chicken, and chop parsley.
2. In a large bowl, Mix together soft cream cheese, sour cream, ranch seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Franks Red Hot Sauce.
3. Add diced onion, shredded chicken, parsley, and sharp cheddar to bowl and mix well.
4. Place in 9x13 dish, top with extra cheddar cheese and parsley, bake at 400* for 30-45mins. Cool briefly and enjoy.

Jalapeno Poppers

**Takes:** 1 hour Total
**Makes:** 6 Servings
**Mise**: 10 large Jalapeno peppers, 8oz cream cheese, 8-10oz shredded cheddar cheese, 20 strips regular (not thick) slices of apple smoked bacon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, toothpicks.
1. Slice jalapenos in half length wise and de-seed.
2. Mix together softened cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Use a spoon and fill jalapenos with cheese mix. Wrap in a strip of bacon. Use a toothpick to secure bacon to jalapeno and place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat for all jalapenos.
4. Bake at 415* for 30-45 mins until bacon is crispy.

Drink

Blood Orange Simple Syrup

Takes: 10 minutes
Makes: One 10oz Bottle
Mise: 6 Blood Oranges, White Sugar
1. Zest one blood orange, set aside.
2. Juice all of your oranges and weight how much juice you have.
3. Measure out an equal amount of sugar.
4. In a medium sauce pan, add juice, zest, and sugar together. Bring to a boil, stirring to help sugar dissolve, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Bottle liquid and enjoy!

Desserts

Strawberry Gelato

Takes: 4 Hours
Makes: 10 Servings
Mise: 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbs cornstarch, 1 cup Whole Milk, 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 cups sliced, very ripe strawberries, chocolate for topping.
Special Equipment: Ice cream maker or attachment for Kitchen-aid.
1. Combine sugar and cornstarch, then add to a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk and whipping cream.
2. Place pan on medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mix begins to bubble and thicken (5-10 minutes) Remove from heat and add Vanilla.
3. Pour Mix into bowl and cool completely (I placed it in a small metal bowl, then sat the small bowl in a large bowl filled with ice).
4. While the cream is cooling, puree the strawberries in blender until very smooth.
5. Once the cream had cooled completely, add the strawberry puree to cream by pouring through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds.
6. Cover gelato by pressing plastic wrap directly on surface of cream. Cool for 2-3 hours.
7. Process gelato to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Serve immediately with hot fudge or the chocolate sauce of your choice!

My Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

**Takes:** 45 Minutes Active, 3 Days Total (don’t freak out)
**Makes:** 12 Large Cookies
**Mise:** 2 cups All-Purpose Flour. 1 Cup unsalted butter, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 Tbs vanilla, 2 large eggs, 8oz Dark Chocolate wafers, 8oz semi-sweet chocolate wafers, smoked flakey sea salt.
1. Place butter in a small saucepan and brown (this takes about 5 minutes. be sure to watch the butter very carefully! It goes from golden to black fast). Place in a silicon dish and freeze until solid (about 30-45mins)
2. Take solid brown butter and put into mixer bowl. Mix on medium until softened. Add sugars and mix for 5 minutes on medium- until completely mixed, homogeneous, and butter has taken on almost whipped texture and lightened in color.
3. One at a time, add the eggs followed by the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Add in the dry ingredients and mix. Add in chocolate wafers and mix.
5. Using an ice cream scoop. scoop dough into balls on a lined baking sheet. Cover tightly with pastic wrap and keep in the fridge for at least 12 hours but, preferrably, 3 days.
6. Bake at 350* for 13-15 minutes.

Final Thoughts

Holy shit we made it guys. This was a beast of a recipe list but I promise, a thousand times over, making this stuff from scratch is so, so much better and, I think, the epitome of showing someone how much they mean to you. When you can create something delicious by putting the effort, time, and love to then serve it to someone you love and watch their eyes light up- it’s just the best.

Enjoy all of these recipes! Let me know if you have any questions or you can DM me on instagram for help!

Lots of Love,
One very tired home chef.