Isbetto Bistro

More Monthly Dinners

2011-05-08T10:03:00.001-07:00

Well, onto my next monthly dinner installments!

For our anniversary, Matt made my seventh monthly dinner: Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps with Rice Cakes and Cucumber Orange Salad. There is something about eating food that you get to layer yourself. I love tacos, fajitas, and lettuce wraps all for this reason. With each layer - beef, rice, veggies, peanuts - in addition to the fun sauces that accompany, you get to make your own little package of flavor. And this version of a layered, eat-with-your-hands concoction proved worthy. The tastes - spicy and sweet - were perfect. It was a wonderful anniversary! And this meal may have moved up with some of my faves so far in the best monthly dinner race. The wine and tulips were a nice touch too. Nice work, hubby!

Dinner #8 was shared with Jane, my mother-in-law. Matt made marinated Grilled Tuna Steaks and Wasabi Butter with Pineapple Cilantro Rice and Strawberry Candied Almond Salad. Delish! The tuna could have had more flavor (not Matt's fault), but overall the dish was a success. Matt and Jane weren't huge fans of the sweet rice, but I liked it. It went even better with a spicy leftover dish we had days later. I don't think cooked (even if rare) tuna is my favorite of the fish varieties, but this was a good version. Not at the top of my list of monthly dinners, but not at the bottom either. The salad, however, rose to the top for salads we've prepared as part of these dinner events. The citrus dressing with the almonds and strawberries was fantastic! We all devoured it, and funny how those leftover candied almonds disappeared so quickly.

Low Fat Zucchini Walnut Bread

2011-03-12T08:29:00.000-08:00

Matt requested zucchini bread because we had leftover zucchinis from a dinner he made (Halibut with Crazy Water - see previous post), so I searched for a good recipe and tweaked it just a bit. This is what I came up with, and I think it's pretty dang good! Matt loves it, too!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1 & 1/2 c. shredded zucchini (let sit on a paper towel to get moisture out)
1 egg
1/2 c. apple sauce (mine was sweetened, so I reduced sugar to 2/3 c.)
1 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
2 tsp. lemon zest (I also added a squeeze of lemon juice)

~Combine wet ingredients and set aside (I added the zucchini a bit later)~

1 c. flour
1/2 c. wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 & 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. chopped walnuts

~Mix together dry ingredients, then add dry to wet and incorporate without over-mixing~

Lightly spray your loaf pan or muffin tin. I used 3 mini loaf pans and baked for about 33 minutes. If you use a muffin tin, 28-30 minutes will likely be good. If you use a larger loaf pan, it could take 40-45 minutes. Check if it's done by inserting a toothpick. It should come out clean.

Enjoy!!

My Monthly Dinners

2011-03-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Anna's brilliant "almost newlywed game" at our co-ed wedding shower in Austin, and my amazing WIN, I earned one year of monthly dinners from our Cuisine at Home magazine. I pick a couple options from magazines within the season, and Matt chooses the one he wants to make. So far, it has been a foodie's dream! Here's the run down, and I'll post some of the recipes soon.

We started in September with Shrimp Parmesan (Dinner #1). This was an amazing start to what promised to be a fabulous year of foodiness! It was a strange take on "chicken parm," and included pan-fried, panko-crusted fresh mozzarella cheese, angel hair pasta with fresh tomato sauce, and sauteed shrimp in a white wine sauce. Put all that together, and you've got one delicious meal! I think each part would be great on its own, too. Overall, he started out with a bang, and I LOVED IT!

For Dinner #2, I chose Vietnamese Carmelized Chicken with Rice and Cucumber Salad. Let's just say that caremelized means burnt sugar, and this dish was just a tad too bitter for our tastes. But, we loved the cucumber salad (http://www.cuisineathome.com/extras/048/recipe/cucumber-peanut-salad/)! Matt was not happy with this dinner choice at all, so I'll leave it at that.

In November (Dinner #3), Matt made Peppercorn-crusted Beef with Balsamic Reduction, Zucchini and Potato Pancakes, and Sauteed Garlic Spinach. This was a pretty traditional steak dish, and every bit as wonderful as you'd get in an expensive steak house. I personally would have reduced the peppercorns; but the steak was cooked perfectly, and I loved the balsamic and the veg pancakes. I think we'll try to perfect them even more in the future (Matt didn't think they held up well enough).

For Dinner #4 (December), Matt made what has maybe hit the top of my ratings for the dinners so far: Peruvian Grilled Chicken with Tomato Rice. I can't even explain how delicious this chicken was, and I am still not sure why it was so fantastic. It sounds so simple, but it packed some serious flavor that I hope becomes a staple in our home. The sauce included some parmesan cheese and walnuts and spices, and it was absolutely incredible. I'll definitely post this recipe so you can experience it for yourself. Even trying to write about it, I realize it still remains a mystery in my mind.

In January (Dinner #5), Matt made Coconut Pork Cutlets, Brazilian-style Black Beans, and Rice. The pork was crusted perfectly with unsweetened coconut and lightly pan fried. The beans had onions, tomatoes, and mandarin oranges enhancing their flavor and bringing a little sweetness to the dish. Together it was really wonderful, though I think we'd try to do something a little different with the rice next time to add a bit more flavor. I'm a sucker for island-style flavors, and this was just perfect to help get us through what's been a very long winter!

Finally, in February (Dinner #6 - the halfway point!), we decided it was time to try a fish dish. This was the last month for me to pick from our "winter volume" of the magazines, and this dish had caught my eye a few times even though it was a bit out of the box for our tastes: Parmesan-Crusted Halibut in Crazy Water with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Orzo. Sounds interesting, right? It was! I think Matt and I both agree that we'd take out the olives next time because they added a brininess to the broth that we weren't too excited about, but the fish was wonderfully flavorful. It was topped with pesto, parmesan, and panko, then baked in the oven. And it was perfect! So even if we lose the crazy water, we'll definitely keep this fish recipe on hand for future meals!

So now I get to move into the "spring volume" of our Cuisine at Home magazines, and I am very excited for this shift. The recipes look exquisite, and Matt has proven that he's quite a rock star in the Isbetto kitchen! I'll definitely keep you posted on what the next half year brings! And if you have specific recipes you'd prefer me to post, please let me know!

Til then...happy (and healthy) eating!

2010-2011

2011-02-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

Well, apparently moving and getting married put a damper on my blog updates...but it sure didn't limit our cooking. In fact, Matt and I have been cooking more at home in the past 6 months than ever before. And, we have been trying many many new recipes, especially from our Cuisine at Home magazine. Much of this adventurous cooking spirit stems from Matt losing the newlywed game at our couples wedding shower in Austin. As the winner, I earned monthly dinners for a year from our magazine. Matt has been amazing at fulfilling his duty and making DELICIOUS dishes. In addition to the monthly meals, we've had a cold winter that has prompted many warm, hearty, comfort dishes. Also, we've continued on quite a health kick and have tried to make lots of delicious, healthful meals at home.

All this said, I will do my best to get some of our meals posted, at least in picture form. I cannot wait to document what has been such a wonderful six months of FOOD and MARRIAGE!

"Hashbrowns"

2010-01-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

We first ate "hashbrowns" at the Tollison home in Knoxville, TN. It was a fabulous Sunday dinner and this strange concoction came out as dessert. Hashbrowns for dessert? Yes, we were confused too. But it turns out that hashbrowns are not really hashbrowns at all; it's just what Andy thought they were (and then refused for many years to eat for dessert). Hashbrowns are really a Hot French Coconut Pie! Now if that's not enticing, I don't know what is. Andy, Matt, the Tollison family, the dogs, and I all enjoyed this delicious finale to our Sunday dinner before the big trip up to Boston where we could make it again for new friends! It's super easy. I hope you LOVE it!

How-How's Hot French Coconut Pie (a.k.a. "Hashbrowns")

Start with 3 extra large or 4 large eggs, beaten well.
Add 1 & 3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 c. milk, and 2 tsp. vanilla.
Add 2 & 1/2 tsp. melted butter.
Stir in one 7oz. can of flaked coconut (I couldn't find a can; I think it comes in a bag these days)
Pour into a deep pie dish or square pyrex (nope! no crust!) and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Shake pie gently. If center is not wobbly, it is done. Serve hot or cold.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

2009-11-23T07:37:00.001-08:00

Sometimes we all need a little comfort food, especially around the holidays if we are far away from home cooked meals with the family. Matt and I decided it was time to bake a chicken pot pie last night, something that he grew up with as a kid (and something new to my "homemade" repertoire). We had two recipes to decide between: Matt's mom's and a lighter, more veggie filled option from Real Simple magazine. We did our best to combine the two, with the result of a slightly lighter, hearty, delicious home cooked chicken pot pie that any family would LOVE!

Ingredients for one 9" pie (we doubled it and froze one pie for later):
2 chicken breasts (grilled or boiled and cubed)
2 carrots, diced (we used a few handfuls of baby carrots)
1 onion, diced
2-3 celery stalks, diced
a handful (or 2) of green beans, cut into thirds (if fresh)
(you can add whatever veg you like; corn, peas, you name it!)
2 Tbsp. butter (we used the 1/2 and 1/2 butter/smart balance blend)
~2 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. skim milk
1/2 c. lite cream
1/8 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts (thawed)

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 415 degrees
Cook chicken in a dash of olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Do not overcook. Cube or cut to desired size and set aside.

Dice up veggies (or pull from can or freezer). Saute veggies in olive oil until they begin to soften. Do not let darken. Add flour to begin thickening. Add white wine and cook off (about 5 minutes). Add chicken broth, stir in and let simmer for a minute. Stir in butter, salt, pepper, and thyme. Add milk and cream and let simmer until your desired thickness. You can always add a bit of flour to thicken more or add more milk/cream/broth if you want more sauce. Add cooked chicken and stir all together, letting simmer.

Put bottom pie crust into pie plate (or square glass pyrex), and add mixture to the crust. Place top pie crust on top and fold/pinch edges to seal and make decorative :) Slice venting slits in top. Put in oven for 30-40 minutes. Cover edges if browning too quickly.

Enjoy!! I know we can't wait for leftovers tonight...and the frozen pie in the freezer!

Lower fat chocolate chip cookies

2009-08-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

We love chocolate chip cookies--my mom's and Matt's grandma's are our particular favorites! For some reason we couldn't perfect either of these recipes, so we decided to look around for our own. In a mission to find lower fat recipes (knowing we can never eat just one cookie), we discovered that A) it is not recommended to use apple sauce in cookies to replace the fat, and B) you can simply half the butter in a given recipe without much harm. Over time, we tried both. Subbing half the fat with applesauce wasn't too bad, but it wasn't the texture we were looking for. Subtracting half the butter actually worked perfectly!! The cookies were crispy on the outside and still soft in the middle (without being cakey).

Here's the recipe we used (adapted from the Ghiradelli chocolate chip bag). I think the even amount of brown and white sugar makes these cookies particularly tasty--almost a bit like toffee!

Lower-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (we use more than half whole wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (this is already halved; we used a 50/50 smart balance blend stick)
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs (we used one whole egg and one egg white)
2 cups semi-sweet (or dark) chocolate chips (we used a little less than 2 cups)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

~Heat oven to 375.
~Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.
~In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy (if you halve the butter, this will be less creamy and more sandy).
~Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mix on low speed until incorporated (you don't need a mixer if you prefer using a spoon like my mom taught me to do).
~Gradually mix dry ingredients into creamy mixture.
~Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. This is a little more difficult with less butter, so be patient!
~Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. You will find the dough doesn't stick together quite as well if you halved the butter, so you may have to pinch/round the dough together.
~Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

We won't claim these are "healthy," but if you try the 50/50 Smart Balance butter sticks, halve the butter, and use one egg white, they are definitely lower in fat than your traditional chocolate chip cookie. And we promise they are equally delicious. They have become our home recipe for when we can't get mom's and Grandma Betty's!

Enjoy!

2009-06-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

Wow! I haven't posted anything from the Isbetto Bistro in quite some time. I guess our cooking has been put aside as we've been finishing up our dissertations. But some mornings, with lots of coffee, we put aside a little morning time for Oat Waffles. I hope you like 'em!

Oat Waffles (adapted from allrecipes.com)

2/3 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. milk
1 egg
1/4 c. veg. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 c. ground pecans
Dash of cinnamon
1/2 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen) *Optional (we add them to the top, not in)

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the milk, egg, oil, vanilla, and lemon juice; stir into dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in pecans (and blueberries if you want them warmed in your waffle). Let stand for 5 minutes (or longer). Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to directions until golden brown.

Makes 2 Belgian waffles. Can also be used for pancakes. We double the recipe, of course, and save the leftovers for morning #2.

Thanksgiving in Santa Monica

2008-12-01T15:37:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Santa Monica this year! Four of us worked together to make what we all thought was a fabulous meal: turkey, mashed taters, gravy, mom's stuffing, Paula Deen's green bean casserole, Christie's cranberry-apple-orange sauce and sweet potato casserole, ambrosia, and two homemade pies. The boys baked the gingerbread pumpkin pie (with streusel) and Christie and I made the caramel chocolate pecan pie. And yes, they were as tasty as they sound! Per the request of our generous and fabulous hosts, I am posting the pie recipes. We altered them a bit, but generally followed these recipes from Cuisine at Home. Check out this month's issue and you'll see the beautiful caramel chocolate pecan pie.

Recipes

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie with streusel topping
9 in. pie; 12 servings

Pie:
pie crust (use your favorite recipe...or buy one! We used a graham cracker crust)
2 eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses (we used light corn syrup as substitute, but I would use molasses if you can)
1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (we subtracted to make pie a little more traditional)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, clove/allspice, nutmeg)
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 cup heavy cream

Streusel:
1/4 cup crushed gingersnaps
2 Tbsp. chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. chopped crystallized ginger (we subtracted this based on preference)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees; line a baking sheet with foil
Prepare and roll out pie dough and blind bake (pre-cook filled with foil and beans for 15 minutes, remove beans and bake for another 10 minutes); cool to room temp.
Whisk eggs, brown sugar, and molasses together in a bowl, add pumpkin, ginger, pie spice, and salt and blend.
Stir in cream until smooth; pour into prepared pie crust and bake until set--approx 40 min.
While baking, make streusel: combine gingersnaps, pecans, crystallized ginger, and butter for topping in a bowl until saturated with butter. Scatter streusel over the center of the pie and return to oven too cook until center is set--approx 15-20 more minutes. May need to shield crust.

Caramel-Chocolate-Pecan Pie
9 1/2 in. pie; 12 servings

Crust and Ganache:
Pie crust (make one or buy one!)
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (we used chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans

Caramel pastry cream:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup hot water
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. table salt
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1-2 Tbsp. rum

Whipped topping:
1 1/2 - 2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
(we also added a touch of vanilla)

Caramel and chocolate syrups to drizzle on top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Prepare pie dough and blind back (see above); cool to room temp.
Combine 3/4 cup cream and syrup in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Pour over chocolate in a small bowl, let stand for 5 minutes and whisk until smooth. Pour ganach into cooled pie shell and top with 1 cup toasted chopped pecans; press pecans into ganache.
Prepare pastry cream: Boil granulated sugar and water in a pan over medium heat for caramel, stirring occasionally, until the color of iced tea, about 15 min.
While waiting for caramel, whisk milk, brown sugar, and cornstarch together in a pan over medium heat until blended. Whisk in egg yolks and salt. DO NOT let milk mixture boil.
When the caramel is done, slowly whisk in the milk mixture into caramel. Continue whisking until milk mixture and caramel are combined and begin to thicken into custard (medium heat, whisking until thick). Boil 1 minute to eleminate starchiness of cornstarch.

Off heat, stir in butter and rum until butter melts. Cool to room temp., about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread caramel pastry cream onto ganache layer in pie crust. Cover with plastic, pressing surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill at least 4 hours to set cream.

Before serving, whip 1 1/2 cups cream with powdered sugar (and vanilla, if preferred) in a bowl with hand mixure on high speed until fluffy. Top whole pie with whipped cream to edges. Drizzle with caramel and chocolate syrups and garnish with remaining pecans after slicing.

Enjoy these delicious Thanksgiving pies any time during the year!

Background on Sunday Suppers

2008-06-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

The Isbetto Bistro Sunday Supper began April 27, 2008, though the tradition began long before at Michigan State with co-founder Matt and his friend, Ion. After leaving MSU, Matt took the tradition to the University of Montana, where he met co-founder Kelly. Now, they've traveled to Austin where they can share the Sunday Supper with new and wonderful friends! What better way to escape from grad school, work, and just the stress of life than to eat good food with fun friends?

Eating Healthy

2008-06-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

Here at the Isbetto Bistro, on our nights off of Sunday Suppers, we are trying to eat healthy. You'd think, with all the health advice out there, this would be easy. It's not. Eating healthy not only involves a lot of planning (think grocery store) and thought; it also involves a lot of motivation and will power. Let's face it; eating unhealthy food can be fun. Most annoyingly, I just read a blurb for a book that said (and I'm paraphrasing here) eating food for enjoyment is immature. Are you kidding me? Eating for enjoyment is a primary requirement or goal in the Isbetto home. I guess that's the problem? I would like to think not. I am determined to make eating healthy just as fun as eating junk. So, the fridge is full of fruits and veggies, low-fat meats, and other goodies that we can spice up and still have some fun with. There's also some Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches in the freezer. With only 140 calories, I just can't feel guilty. That's like an extra 15 minutes of working out. See, here is where the thoughtfulness of healthy eating comes in: how many calories are in it? How much can I eat? How many calories have I burned? The list goes on. But, we can do it. We can eat healthy, exercise healthy, and go to bed feeling good about our days!!

We tested the healthy eating on a few of our friends, and they enjoyed it. What did we make? Just a simple chicken stir-fry with a spicy soy sauce. We started the meal with gyoza; if you buy the right brand, these actually aren't too bad for you either! For the stir-fry, we used broccoli, onion, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, and snap peas. For the sauce, we combined soy sauce, sri-racha (red chili/rooster sauce), hoisin sauce, and a bit of chili oil. We need to add some chicken stock to this recipe to help lower the sodium content. But overall, it was good...and healthy.

Don't get me wrong, we will still be testing out recipes like the fabulous bacon wrapped steak, but we also want to bring healthy eating en vogue here at the Isbetto Bistro! And guess what? We are going to enjoy it...even if that does make us immature!

First Monthly Sunday Supper

2008-04-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! Our first Sunday Supper was quite a success! We shared Spring Surf 'n Turf with 7 of our wonderful friends! And dessert was divine: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shortcake! Yummy! Dinnertime conversation created many laughs...to the point where Shannon thought she might have developed a six-pack in one night! Laugh as we might, we even talked about a few serious topics, like naming H & J's new company. Oh wait--the guys made that not-so-serious, too.

There have been some requests for recipes, so I thought this might be the easiest way to do it. So, here you go! You should check out Cuisine at Home for other excellent recipes and cooking ideas. It is a great magazine that brings us much delight!

Skewered Bacon-wrapped Steak "Turf":
1 lb. cubed top sirloin (3 per skewer)
4 strips thick sliced bacon (1 per skewer)
4 slices baguette (1 per plate; can increase)

Saute bacon until nearly crisp, but still bendable; approx. 4 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towel, then loosely weave bacon around 3 pieces of meat on skewer (metal or wood is fine). Lightly dust meat with non-stick spray and grill on medium-high to desired temperature. Turn occasionally. Medium rare=approx. 4 min. per side. Remove and tent with foil.

Spring Shrimp Scampi "Surf":
16 jumbo shrimp; peel; deveined; tail on or off (1 lb.)
1 T. all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
1 T. minced garlic
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 c. dry white wine
3 T. unsalted butter
2 T. fresh, chopped parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Toss shrimp in flour, salt, and pepper. Saute 1 minute per side in olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute. Deglaze with wine; simmer until sauce reduces by about half (3 min.). Add butter, parsley, and lemon juice.

Serve over or alongside steak skewers on top of grilled baguette slices for a delicious combination! I would suggest doubling the sauce on the scampi so you have extra sauce for your bread!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shortcake:
Shortcakes:
1 & 3/4 c. flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. table salt
1/2 stick cold, unsalted butter, cubed (4 T.)
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. plain yogurt (I used non-fat)

Preheat oven to 425. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick spray.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl
Cut butter into flour using pastry blender or 2 table knives until butter is cut up into the size of peas.
Stir cream and yogurt in different bowl. Add to flour mixture and blend with fork until dough comes together. Dough will feel loose, but you will pat it together (lightly; do not over-work) on a lightly floured surface. Pat into a circle about 1 inch thick. Use a 2 & 1/2 inch round cutter (I used the top of a wine glass) to cut out shortcakes. Press scraps together into 1 inch thick circle again to cut remaining cakes. Place on prepared baking sheet; Dust with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

You can add semi-sweet chocolate shavings/chips to flour mixture when you are blending with fork if you want extra chocolate in your biscuits.

Strawberries:
1 lb. strawberries, hulled, cut into thirds
1/4 c. sugar
2 t. fresh lemon juice
Stir together; let stand for at least 30 min. to create juice. You can crush some strawberries. I did not. You can play with amounts here; may want extra strawberries, or may need more sugar depending on the season. Taste it!

Cream:
Beat together 1/2 c. heavy cream, 2 T. powdered sugar, and 1/2 t. vanilla extract

Chocolate Sauce:
Bring 1/3 c. heavy cream and 1 T. light corn syrup to a simmer in saucepan over medium heat. Place 4 oz. semisweet chocolate (chopped or chips) in bowl and pour hot cream mixture on top. Whisk together until smooth.

To assemble: Cut shortcake in 1/2; add strawberry sauce; top with whipped cream and chocolate; place top of shortcake sideways on top. Beautiful!

These recipes are for about 4 people. They can easily be doubled, or tripled.

Here's to a successful Sunday Supper!! Cheers!!
~Isbetto Bistro~