Easy Valentine’s Day Dinner

Looking to cook your sweetie a meal at home this Valentine’s Day?! Lori Taylor, The Produce Mom, shows us a Pink Lady Apple “Sweet & Salty Dessert” & Red Pear Cocktail, along with Cauliflower Poppers and Kale and Sausage Heart-Shaped Hand Pies!

Kale and Sausage Hand Pies – Heart Shapedhttp://josiesorganics.com/recipes/kale-sausage-hand-pies/Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 bunch Josie’s Organics green or red kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 package refrigerated pie crusts (contains 2 crusts) from the dairy case
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ cup Romano cheese

Makes 8 hand piesDirections

Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat olive oil on medium-high in a medium sauté pan. Add sausage and brown, breaking it up into small pieces, about 5-7 minutes. Add onion and cook an additional 5 minutes until it softens. Stir in 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and the paprika to release their flavors. Fold in kale and cook until wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and let cool.

Remove pie crusts from package and unroll them onto a lightly floured cutting board. Using a paring knife, divide them into quarters. Place a heaping Tablespoonful of the sausage-kale mixture on the right side of each quartered crust, leaving about ½-inch border.

With a pastry brush, lightly wash the crust edges with egg. Fold the left side of the crust over the mixture, bringing the edges together. Seal with the tines of a fork.

Brush the tops of each hand pie with the remaining egg wash. Cut small slits in the top of each pie to vent steam.

Sprinkle with Romano cheese and remaining fennel seeds. Place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 10-15 minutes on a wire baking rack. Serve warm or room temperature.Dress it Up

If you are a fan of cheese, add small pieces of mozzarella or Monterey Jack before you seal the pies. The pies are great for parties, too. For a more elegant hors d’oeurve, use a 3-inch cookie cutter for the crusts.

Cauliflower Poppershttp://www.delightedmomma.com/2013/01/cheesy-baked-cauliflower-poppers-dairy.html

• 2 heads of cauliflower

• 1/4 cup of olive oil

• 1 tsp of garlic salt

• 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast. *You can add a little more if you want them extra “cheesy”Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Wash and clean the cauliflower. Cut off and discard the stem. Cut the cauliflower up into small pieces.

• In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic salt and nutritional yeast. Add the cauliflower pieces and thoroughly coat each piece.

• Place cauliflower pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you want to add a little more “cheese” sprinkle it on top at this time. Bake for one hour and turn 3 times during cooking until each piece has a nice brown coloring. The browner and more caramelized they are the better.

Remove from oven and enjoy!

To learn more, visit www.theproducemom.com.