Bocconcino del Giorno

Next time you make chocolate-chip cookies, try letting the dough rest in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours before baking. The difference in texture is unbelievable!

Read more from the New York Times:
Perfection? Hint: It’s Warm and Has a Secret.
(We have to give Brian's dad credit for introducing us to this one. :) )

Valentine's Day

Our first Valentine's Day day as a a married couple was the perfect opportunity to have some fun in the kitchen. The cooking started Friday with some prep for dinner Saturday and my favorite sugar cookies. (Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday for sugar cookies because I love getting to use my heart-shaped cookie cutters and decorating with pink and red frosting.)

After breakfast Saturday,

Brian and I took a trip to Whole Foods for a bottle of something sparkly. It was a brisk February day and lovely to get out for a walk together.

We spent the afternoon decorating sugar cookies.

Brian's masterpiece

Then it was time to make dinner! A menu we had been looking forward to all week:

Pepper-Encrusted Filet Mignon topped with Gorgonzola Butter,

Grilled Asparagus,

and Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Potatoes.

I did most of the cooking and Brian took most of the photos, although he was was very handy with the frying pan--cracking the peppercorns for our pepper-encrusted filets!

Over dinner we shared wonderful conversation and Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon that I picked up on a whim at Target. (Yeah, they sell wine and beer at Target here.) It was surprisingly good and may even beat out Fetzer as our new favorite Cabernet.

And for dessert:

Orange-Scented Dark Chocolate Mousse (recipe courtesy of Julia Child) with Vanilla Whipped Cream, accompanied by Greut "Methode Champenoise" Brut Rose (our Whole Foods find). It was perfect! And pink. :)

Our Valentine's Day self-portait.

Of course, Valentine's Day was really about being together, but who doesn't love a day full of wonderful food and drink?