Surprise Kiss

Archive for the ‘Recipe’ Category

When was the last time just you and your sweetheart did something kids do? This weekend throw out the weekend schedules and do something you normally would only do with your kids. Want to have a fun filled no cost date? Then do what kids do!

• Play Ping-Pong
• Play a Video Game
• Sit down together and watch cartoons
• Go to the park and swing on the swings

After make S’mores!

• Layer a square of chocolate (dark chocolate would be good) on a graham cracker, top with a marshmallow and bake in your oven or toaster oven on a tray foil lined at 300°F until the marshmallow puffs up. Top with another graham cracker.

Being silly and acting like a kid can lower your stress and make you both feel closer together. You might even find you both feel like playing in bed too! Not all date nights have to cost money to make it memorable.

*Don’t forget to have everything you need for your own Halloween night with your sweetheart. See “Have a Very Sexy & Ghoulish Halloween.”

*I know you think it is too early to think about Christmas but Halloween is a great time to find the next item you will need for a very romantic Christmas! So while you are out shopping for your Halloween items you will need to buy this too:

• Angel Wings

You will be told what to do with the angel wings on Friday, December 17, 2010. Be ready to have a very sexy, funny and romantic Christmas!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Fall is here! With the crispness in the air and the colorful array of leaves drifting to the ground it is a perfect time to cuddle up with your sweetheart and have a cup of hot apple cider.

So grab a post-it-note and write on it “I’ve got the hots for you sweetheart!” and stick it to their cup of homemade hot apple cider.

I’ve got the Hots for You Apple Cider

1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 cinnamon sticks
Pinch nutmeg
Cheese cloth or paper coffee filter
4 cups apple cider (1 quart)

Combine the cloves, allspice, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in a cheese cloth or paper coffee filter and tie with a string at the top. Put in a pan with the 4 cups of apple cider. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. If you want a sweeter drink you could add ¼ cup of brown sugar when brewing your drink.

*If you really want to spice things up you could add 1 oz of rum or brandy at the end to each mug and fill with your hot cider.

Makes 2 to 4 servings depending on the size of mug you use. Any leftovers refrigerate and serve later.

Take the chill off your cold bodies and warm each other up with “I’ve Got the Hots for You Apple Cider.” Who knows after your drink you might decide to continue heating each other up in a very delightful way!

*Don’t forget to have everything you need for your own Halloween night with your sweetheart. See “Have a Very Sexy & Ghoulish Halloween.”

*I know you think it is too early to think about Christmas but Halloween is a great time to find the next item you will need for a very romantic Christmas! So while you are out shopping for your Halloween items you will need to buy this too:

• Angel Wings

You will be told what to do with the angel wings on Friday, December 17, 2010. Be ready to have a very sexy, funny and romantic Christmas!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Decide to do a little something different with your sweetheart you wouldn’t normally do for date night. Last week I was talking to a friend and she was telling me she and her husband like to go to the drive-in-movies. This is such a throwback to when we were younger and dating.

Celeste and her husband Rubin enjoy seeing a movie and eating at the drive-in. They purchase cheese nachos, hot dogs, and sodas. Desert is what ever they feel like that evening. Then they sit back in their cozy car with blankets if it is cold outside and if the weather is warm they will bring lawn chairs. Either way they enjoy their feast while watching a movie.

Celeste and Rubin are young and can indulge in drive-in-food but if you are like us we have to watch what we eat. If we aren’t careful eating certain foods then when we get home we would have heartburn and we wouldn’t feel very good. Since we want to make it a pleasant experience we would probably bring our own food and drinks, which would allow us to have a little evening delight when we get home.

Here is a suggestion for packing the perfect drive-in-theatre picnic:

• Roast Beef Sandwiches – On two sandwich rolls spread with mayonnaise which you have added a little horseradish to. Then layer some roast beef purchased at the deli and some lettuce. You could add a slice of havarti cheese if you like too.
• Potato Chips – Your choice. We like Kettle Chips.
• Carrot Sticks
• Brownies – Homemade or purchased at a bakery
• Iced Tea or Hot Apple Cider – Depending on the weather

Now that is what I like to call dinner and a movie at the drive-in-theatre!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

What do you typically have for lunch? Did you know by eating certain foods it can help to bring back the passion in your life? We all have heard about eating certain types of food that can help with your sex life but we never remember what they are.

I recently read a tuna sandwich is a great mood booster! The omega-3 fatty acids in tuna can clear away the artery-clogging plaque which improves circulation. Did you know decreased blood flow can lower your libido? If you eat tuna it can help to increase your blood flow and improve you libido. Other sources that have omega-3s are salmon, sardines, mackerel, walnuts and flax seed. 

I got to thinking about adding as many of these omega-3s to my tuna sandwich as I could. Here is what I came up with:

Passion Tuna Sandwich

1 – 7 oz can water packed tuna
Light Mayonnaise added to your taste
1teaspoon flax seed
½ cup chopped walnuts lightly toasted
1 green onion chopped
¼ cup shredded carrots
¼ cup chopped celery
4 slices of whole wheat bread
Tomato sliced
Lettuce leaves

Mix all ingredients and put on bread top off with lettuce and tomato. Makes 2 servings

I added other ingredients to the recipe to make it as healthy as I could. Carrots have lots of vitamin A which is great for eyesight, “The better to see you my dear.” Green onions, celery, tomatoes and lettuce has vitamin C which helps keep your heart healthy. When your heart is healthy the more passionate you are in bed. Whole wheat bread can reduce the chances of cancer and heart disease. Eat healthy and you could have a longer love life.

Why not whip up your own recipe of tuna salad sandwich and you might just whip up more passion in your love life.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Did you know you can boost your romantic feelings with food? There has been some new research proving certain foods can send your desires surging. So why not boost that romantic feeling over dinner?  Scientists are now recommending these foods for your enjoyment.

You can get that steamy feeling with asparagus because it has a plant chemical protodioscin. It is known to boost arousal. Know wonder Larry and I like asparagus. I think I will serve it tonight for dinner!

You can bring on the excitement with pomegranate spritzers. UCLA scientists say the juice of this fruit is high in antioxidants which can increase blood flow throughout the veins…… the same way Viagra works when you take it. Oh my! Looks like we will be having pomegranate spritzers every night.

Did you know if you eat dark chocolate  it activates attraction? If you consume at least one cube of dark chocolate daily you will experience more desire and you will enjoy lovemaking more than those who don’t eat dark chocolate? Another reason to keep Dove dark chocolate around the house. Yum!

Why not do your own research by cooking up a little romance with these foods one evening. Serve the pomegranate spritzers before dinner. Then have asparagus along with a piece of grilled chicken or fish. Remember when you are planning romance keep dinner lite. For dessert serve a piece of dark chocolate. Who knows you may not be able to keep your hands off each other!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Last Sunday night I was at the Fashion Bug giving a talk on “Helping Couples Remember the Romance” to a group of women. The assistant manager, Cynthia, had set a beautiful table with yummy goodies for everyone to enjoy. The stuffed chocolate dipped strawberries were the hit. I asked Cynthia if I could share her recipe with you and she said “Yes.” This would be a great recipe to make for Valentines Day for your sweetheart.

Cynthia’s Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

1 pint of fresh strawberries
6 oz really good dark chocolate
8 oz cream cheese (bring to room temperature)
½ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange or almond flavored liqueur or ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Wash strawberries and then dry really well. Completely remove the stems and core. Slowly melt chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, stirring often. Do not let the bowl touch the boiling water. There should be only about two inches of water or less depending upon the size of the pan. Once chocolate has melted insert a toothpick near the top of the strawberries. Then hold toothpick and dip strawberries into chocolate and twirl around leaving a little of the red showing at the top of the strawberries. Be careful not to get any chocolate in the center hole. Lift strawberries and let the excess chocolate drip off them. Lay the dipped strawberries on a parchment lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile combine softened cream cheese, sugar and liqueur or vanilla extract in a small bowl. Fill a plastic zip lock bag with the cream cheese mixture and clip corner at the bottom of the bag to use as a piping bag. Once chocolate has harden on the strawberries pipe cream cheese mixture into the top of the strawberries.

Enjoy! These are very sensuous, delicious and different from your ordinary chocolate dipped strawberries.

*Don’t forget to get the items I mentioned you needed for Valentines Day in my blog on “Are You Ready.” You will be told what to do with the second set of items on February 12th. If you liked my Christmas idea you will like this one!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Yesterday it rained most of the day and it was cold, it was 50 during the day. I know some of you are laughing but for us Californians that is cold. Since the weather is chilly, I decided to make one of my husband’s favorite meals which is Tortellini Soup. This is an old recipe that I got from Bon Appétit years ago. I made some slight changes. It smells wonderful and everyone that has tried it loves it.

Tortellini Soup

4 14 ½ oz cans of beef broth
4 cups water
1 lb mild Italian sausage, cut into ½ inch pieces
10 oz fresh cheese tortellini pasta
10 oz fresh spinach tortellini pasta
½ lb cabbage, shredded
1 small green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 crushed clove garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine first 12 ingredients in large pot and season with salt and pepper. Bring to slow boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 min. Ladle soup into bowls. Serve immediately, passing grated Parmesan cheese. (Soup can be prepared 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated)

Serve with garlic bread and a nice green salad. Delicious!!!

This makes a huge pot of soup. I have friends who have moved out of state call me because they couldn’t find the recipe and needed it. You will become quite famous when you serve this to family and friends. It will warm their hearts.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2009 – 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Since Saturday night is Halloween and it will be a busy evening because you will be taking the kids out trick or treating, why not make dinner ahead of time.  My husband and I love to cook together and a lot of times we will fix dinner for the next day.  I have a great recipe that I like to do for Halloween. It is easy and low in calories. I got it years ago from Cooking Light Magazine. I tweaked it a little by adding sugar to help cut down on the acid and serving it over rice. I have served it to many people and they all love it. Cook up some fun with my famous chili.

Butternut-Beef Chili

1 lb ground round or ground turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 cups chopped tomato (about 2 large)
3 cups cooked peeled butternut squash (about 1 small) (*See below)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup small pitted ripe olives
2 to 3 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno pepper
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Hot cooked brown or white rice for 6

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven, and cook over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well; return meat mixture to pan. Stir in tomato and next 10 ingredients (tomato through garlic; (bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in olives and jalapeno; cook 5 minutes. Spoon rice into bowls and ladle chili on top, then top each serving with green onions and cilantro. Yields about 6 servings or more.  Serve with cornbread and salad.

*Butternut Squash Cooking Instructions:

Halve squash lengthwise and scope out seeds. Bake cut side down in a baking dish with 1-2 inches of water at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until tender.  Peel and cube.

Get together with your husband and cook up dinner for Halloween. Hope you enjoy this chili recipe as much as my family has.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2009 – 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.