Valentine’ Day is almost here again. While I’ve enjoyed celebrating it every year, there always seems to be something artificial about it. Shouldn’t you express yourself to a loved one every day and not just one day a year? With this over-commercialization of most major (and minor) holidays, I’ve become a regular crab. But a few weekends ago, I suddenly I found myself going through the movements of prepping for this holiday and picked up heart-shaped pasta thinking I would do something fun and cute. Perhaps I was overwhelmed with the amount of heart-shaped foods that seemed to be littering the interwebs: cakes, cookies, pizzas. I’m just waiting for the heart-shaped steak and burgers to make an appearance. Don’t even get me started on the overuse of red velvet in pastries, either. Can you my eyes roll to the back of my head?

I decided to use the heart-shaped pasta as a foundation to soak up the vibrant red sauce from this version of chicken paprikash, modified from Saveur. Other variations called for chopped tomatoes or red peppers but I wanted a smooth sauce. This worked out quite well.

The defining ingredient in chicken paprikash is paprika. Traditionally, the Hungarian version of the spice is used but I switched it with a smoked Spanish variety by La Chinata.

La Chinata has three types of smoked paprika: sweet, hot and bitter. It’s sealed in an airtight and light-proof tin to protect its smoky flavor profile. Seriously, one whiff of the paprika transports you to a smokehouse. (I’ve become quite a food sniffer of late, figuring that I should use all my senses when it comes to cooking and eating.) I’m embarrassed to admit that I previously thought that paprika really had no discernible taste and was only used for color. Then came La Chinata. To say I’m never going back to plain old paprika again is an understatement.

As for the chicken paprikash, I use a ratio of 2 to 1 of sweet to spicy and it can be easily adjusted to suit your taste. And to fit in with Valentine’s Day, I’ve replaced the sliced onions with whole pearl onions. They’re easy pick out for those eaters who are breath-conscious. But the sauce and the chicken are delicious and the smoky aroma is so inviting that you’ll forget onions are even included.

Chicken Paprikash

Serves 8

2 to 2 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs
2-3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon hot paprika
14 oz bag petite whole pearl onions, defrosted
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Liberally season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

Heat a dutch oven or large pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter.

When the butter has is hot, place the chicken skin-side down. Let the chicken pieces cook 4-5 minutes, until skin is well browned. Turn over and cook for additional 2-3 minutes on the other side.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the pearl onions to the pan, scrapping bits of chicken loose and cook for 5 minutes or until light brown.

Add paprika and chicken broth until combined.

Place chicken on top of onions and place lid on top of pan. Cook for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked all the way through.

Remove chicken and stir in sour cream. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary and replace chicken back and cover with sauce.

Serve on top of noodles, dumplings or rice.

Smoothie bowls are available at Robek’s Juice. You get all the benefits of yogurt — hello probiotics! — blended with fruit and all eaten with a spoon. There’s not a straw in sight.

The smoothie bowls were created right here in San Diego by Robek’s franchise owner Dennis Sato, a retired engineer with a passion for eating healthy. While experimenting with hard-pack yogurt, fruit and juice, Dennis came up with a smoothie you eat with a spoon. On a rainy day, he noticed a crowd of people hanging around a frozen yogurt shop and took it upon himself to create something similar with all the benefits of a smoothies.  His smoothie bowl has the smoothness of ice cream but with no milky tongue residue that can be felt after eating ice cream or any other milk-based product that include emulsifiers. It’s light and refreshing with no artificial aftertastes I usually detect after eating frozen yogurt.

All smoothie bowls come in the same flavors as their smoothies. Berry-based flavors include my favorite, Infinite Orange (orange juice, strawberries, nonfat yogurt blended with ice) while the power-based options are loaded with protein, calcium, fiber and a host of other nutritional add-ons to customize it. If you’re looking for a more decadent flavors, there are also coffee-based bowls that taste like a healthier alternative to ice cream. And if you’re like me and like a bit of texture, optional toppings include granola, trail mix and fruit. Calories depend on flavor but most range from mid 100s to low 200s.

Robek’s franchises can be found here.

Now here’s you chance to win a $20 giftcard to Robek’s to try anything in the store. Aside from smoothies and smoothie bowls, they also sell sandwiches, muffins and wheat grass shots that you can either have as-is or incorporated into a drink. Leave a comment on your favorite healthy snack and I’ll randomly select one person. Contest ends February 11. Good luck!

Congratulations to the 10th person who responded — Rodzilla! Using Random.org, it randomly selected one of out 12 comments — yes, only 12. Please email me your address and I’ll get the gift card out to you.

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

While David Bacco is not a San Diego native, he relocated to Southern California in 2010 to continue creating chocolates that he initially started in 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin under David Bacco Chocolats. Now as David Bacco Chocolatier, he’s introduced San Diego to his more of his handcrafted chocolates. Yes, each one is individually handcrafted by a company run by only two people.

One thing to note is that his all of the chocolates — from the aromatic Ceylon to exotic Rio —  is well thought out. Many of them have as Asian-inspired flavored with some having hints of lemon grass, mango, Chai, lime, jasmine and cardamon. Last fall, David created chocolates inspired by local craft beer. It’s not just a one-note chocolate and many of the individual pieces resemble glistening, delicious gemstones that can be consumed. All his creations has depth that should be thoughtfully consumed much like wine.

From experience, here’s the way you should consume any good quality chocolate especially one as high caliber from David Bacco:

• Notice any the glossiness and sheen of the chocolate.
• Smell the chocolate. Are there any lingering aromas?
• Don’t just chomp. Allow chocolate to melt in your mouth allowing the flavors to slowly reveal themselves.

With all complexity his chocolate, it’s so much easier to enjoy.

David Bacco Chocolatier can be purchased online as a customized four, nine or 18-piece selection and single origin bars. They can also be found at Seaside Market in Cardiff by the Sea, Harvest Ranch Grocery stores, Jonathan’s in La Jolla and coming soon, Albertson’s in Del Mar.

Now for the giveaway. Leave a comment on your favorite way to eat chocolate and I’ll randomly chose one person to receive a 9-piece box of chocolates to receive just in time for Valentine’s Day courtesy of me! Giveaway ends February 8 and is only open to U.S. residents. Good luck!

Congratulations to lucky number 2 — Lorena!  The winner was chosen using Random.org selecting one person out of 24 responses. I wish I could give everyone a box of chocolates because all the responses were hilarious. Please email me your address Lorena and I’ll send out the chocolates to you ASAP.

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

GoodBelly is a probiotic-rich drink that help balance out your stomach flora. I’ve been seeing the keyword probiotics a lot this year and prior to learning about GoodBelly, I had no idea what it was. It’s the good bacteria that promotes healthy digestion. 

With all the eating from last month’s holiday parties, cookie binges and treats in the office, I could not have survived without it. Even with a bout of food poisoning (don’t ask), these good bacteria helped bring the pH levels in my gut back to normal.

GoodBelly is available in several forms in the refrigerated section. (I’ve purchased them at Sprouts and Whole Foods.) They’re available in juice cartons and single-serving drink containers in packs of 4 (my favorite). While the word probiotics doesn’t sound appealing, the flavors by GoodBelly are pretty good. I didn’t think drinking live organisms would be so tasty! When I’m expecting to do a lot of eating, I start up the GoodBelly a few days in advance and continue it a few days after. In November and December, I just drank it consistently to keep my digestive tract in check.

I also tried a few similar products and enjoyed GoodBelly’s taste the best — something that’s really important to me. I’m not a fan of mango in general but their mango flavor was my favorite. In addition, the product is organic and vegan-friendly.

Now is your chance to try GoodBelly for yourself. Leave a comment about what not-so-good-for-you food(s) you can’t possibly pass up and I’ll randomly choose a winner to receive three VIP vouchers and try the 12-Day Challenge. Contest ends February 3. Good luck!

Congratulations to Stephanie Dunaway for winning the GoodBelly VIP vouchers! Using Random.org, I selected one person out of 21 responses. Although there was a total of 22 responses, one person responded twice — the second response doesn’t count! Please email me your address Stephanie and I’ll get the vouchers out to you ASAP.

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

Ok. So yeah, it’s a bit of a stretch. But OXO’s egg beaters aren’t those ancient egg beaters seen in antique stores. With their modern and streamlined body there’s no need for a tetanus shot before using one. OXO’s beaters are not only appropriate for eggs but small mixing projects without having to bring out the heavy guns.

My favorite use is for my spinach bacon frittata. I always try to have a bag of frozen spinach, eggs and bacon on hand at all times to make this dish. Meat, eggs, veggies — it’s all in this. The recipe is flexible and I can sub in different cheeses, add Spam instead of bacon or completely remove spinach. And the frittata is always better the next day.

OXO was kind enough to send me two egg beaters, but I can only keep one. I’m giving the extra OXO egg beater to one lucky person. Leave a comment about your favorite kitchen device and I’ll randomly pick a winner on February 1. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. Good luck!

Congratulations to Sandy for winning the OXO Egg Beaters! Using Random.Org, I selected one person out of 19 responses. I started to respond to ALL the comments and realized I was screwing up the system, so apologies to the people I didn’t respond to. I really wanted to! Please email me your address and I’ll get the egg beater out to you ASAP.

Bacon & Spinach Fritatta

Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as appetizers

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed thoroughly to remove liquid
4 slices of bacon, diced and cooked
6 eggs or equivalent egg substitute
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup low fat milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat over to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until slightly bubbly. Add the rest of the ingredients reserving ¼ cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

Spray a 9-inch oven-proof skillet or shallow baking dish with cooking spray and fill with egg mixture. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until set. Cool and serve.

When San Diego Magazine announced Troy Johnson as their new editor-at-large and dining critic, I was perplexed. Wasn’t Troy Johnson, dare I say, too edgy for old, stodgy San Diego Magazine? The same magazine that often features multi-million dollar homes of San Diego’s upper echelon?

Having never met Troy, I only knew him through his sharply hilarious tweets commenting on everything from dressing his infant daughter as a trussed turkey for Thanksgiving to glass shards found in frozen pea packets sold at Walmart — exactly the type of humor that makes me chuckle out loud and at the most inappropriate times. Oh, and he also happens to tweet about food news, too. So when an opportunity came to talk him about his new gig at San Diego Magazine, I coerced my way out of a phone interview into having him buy me lunch at Bull Taco in Encinitas.

It’s one thing talking to people but preparing to meet Troy was nerve wracking. But I quickly discovered he’s just a regular born and bred San Diegan — class of ’91! — with a passion for all things related to food and surfing. Having wrapped up a stint on the Food Network for his show Crave last year — something I admitted to him that I’ve never watched — Troy is looking forward to getting back to his writing roots. While we covered everything from music (he’s enjoys listening to music that others would describe as dour) to growing up in San Diego (Rancho Peñasquitos), here’s a portion of our conversation related all to food.

Last year was huge for you with a new baby, a television show and a gig at San Diego Magazine. What do you look forward to in 2012?

Sleep. No really, 2011 was the biggest year of my life. It was just absolutely crazy and difficult to do a T.V. show, be a food editor, a husband and a father. I was so bifurcated. At the end of the day, I was a mediocre food editor. I was a mediocre T.V. host. I was a mediocre father and I was a mediocre husband. And that’s being a little self-bashing, but I guess the bottom line is that I know I can be better. For 2012, I want to focus on journalism and food writing. And San Diego Magazine opens me up to write a little about everything in San Diego.

Are you going to continue your show, Crave, with the Food Network?

We don’t know yet. We started off pretty well in the ratings. It was on Monday nights. But then Monday Night Football returned and Dancing with the Stars returned. And our ratings, along with all of cable, went into the tank. I also think my humor scares Food Network a little bit. I compared pizza in New York to childbirth in Utah—both daily rituals. They’re like “You just pissed off all of Utah! The Mormons are never watching Food Network again!!” They sent me a few notes back to that effect.

They have a huge, huge base and they have a well-established philosophy. I think that’s why they wanted to do Crave, because I was little different. I have a weird take on food. I hate to use the word “edgy,” but I have a little bit of sarcasm and satire that they really didn’t have. But when that sarcasm and satire came to light on film, I think it might’ve scared the bejeezus out of them. When the ratings when down they put me out to Friday night. They were like “Whew!! That’s done! That was a good experiment! High-fives all around! Now it will just die a quiet death.” But sometimes when you put a mongrel dog out to pasture, it mates with the entire forest and forms its own posse. That’s kind of what happened. They put us on late Friday nights and our ratings went up. I don’t know what they’re going to do now. They could do another season — I would love the experience. They could cancel it. I had nothing but a good experience with them.

But I’m looking forward to San Diego Magazine and just being a writer. There’s only so much you can do in a day and do it well. I haven’t been able to really, TRULY just write about San Diego food for two years.

So what do you hope to bring to the San Diego food scene?

San Diego Magazine does have a very high-end readership, but Riveria magazine was strictly high-end, 4-star, 5-star food. So there was only really so much I could cover at Riviera in regards to street food. Authentic Vietnamese, authentic Korean, whatever it was. That’s the kind of stuff that has been missing from my food resumé. In my view, the really affluent people in San Diego have been to Vietnam, have been to Africa. They want to know where they can find real Vietnamese food, real African food. It may not be 4 star. It may be in a real shady part of town. But it’s really good and it’s authentic. That’s what I’m really looking forward to covering with SD Mag.

What food trends do you want to leave and what do you want to see go mainstream?

Sometimes I think we’re taking this DIY thing a bit too far. I feel like I’m going to walk in and then “Set your own table, cook it and we’re going to sit at the bar and watch your experience.” But then again, I like the pulling back of the curtains and letting eaters get into the experience. Mess with different butters and spices at the table — that’s fine. But dish towels as a napkins? Come on! I feel like I’m going to have to wash my own dishes sometimes.

The food trends I want to see are noodle bars. We have a few. And, yes, there are more authentic ones obviously than Underbelly. But gringos are weird. They’re xenophobic. They need a “whitened-up noodle bar” as a gateway drug that will eventually get them to Convoy. Convoy is just an amazing spot. There’s such really good food. But a lot of gringos don’t go. It’s not that they’re racist. It’s xenophobia. They can’t read the menu. It scares them a little bit.

How to do you prepare for a day of eating?

When I’m on my own time, I eat salads. I try to drink as much water as possible.

I have a “Two Bite Rule.” If a dish is really good or I can’t place like a spice or herb, then I’ll take a third bite. Sometimes I have three lunches in a day. That’s why it’s a two-bite limit. Otherwise my body would block out the sun. I’d be walking and a foot will fall off from gout. You have to keep it in check. It’s like being a wine taster or a booze quality guy. If you drank everything, your liver would jump out of your body! So you have to have temperance in this job.

I have my “Hit List”: a list of restaurants I need to try out. Sometimes I’ll knock out six in one day. It’s crazy. Sometimes I’ll only knock out one, depending on how much writing or editing I have to do. So… a hit list, two bites and a LOT of napkins.

What do you think about the prevalance of food bloggers? And what do you think they contribute to the culinary landscape?

Food bloggers all need to go away. (laughter) Kidding! I think it’s great. I hate Yelp because people use it as a bully pulpit against local restaurateurs. Like they didn’t get seated quick enough because it was a busy Saturday night, so they go on and rail against this restauranteur who’s trying his darndest to making a living. That pisses me off. But you don’t have to been an anointed food critic to have an opinion—and a colorful opinion at that. It adds more voices to the conversation. There are a lot of people who are so much more well-educated about food than myself. Chefs, people who have worked in the industry for 25 years selling fish—they can contribute to the scene. If only they had something like a blog so it’s a podium, you know? So I think it’s fantastic.

I have my own blog on the side, which I can never keep up with. So kudos to you. It takes a lot of commitment from people like yourself, Alice Q. and a few others that have really kept it up.

You can catch Troy’s musings at San Diego Magazine both online and off or catch him on Twitter.

It’s interesting when a traditional food is turned on its head with an attempt to make it more “mainstream.” It’s usually by a young, hip chef wanting to bring something new to the restaurant scene. Take for instance, Underbelly, a somewhat new ramen bar in Little Italy.

It has all the signs of turning ramen into something they hope will catch fire. Big bowls of hot broth (pork or vegetarian in this case) with a variety of toppings. The concept of the restaurant is even further stressed when the bowls are brought out on a rimmed cookie sheet with the server asking you to retrieve your bowl. You see, spoons are not offered here, hence the need to retrieve your own bowl to insure that you can drink the broth straight from the bowl (also stressing that it’s sanitary — you’re the only one allowed to handle the bowl). I couldn’t help thinking that someone had to touch my bowl to place it on the cookie sheet in the first place.

Other eccentricities at Underbelly include ordering at the cashier before taking a seat at the counter. Not a biggie in my mind but if there’s a line of hungry diners behind you, it can be a little stressful to make a decision so it helps that the menu is very limited. With a choice of eight appetizers ranging from shrimp gyoza ($5) to spiced  peanuts ($4) and only of five ramen dish entrees ($8-$12), there’s either something here for you or not. I witnessed several potential diners do an about-face after checking out the menu.

The entire restaurant is swanky and dimly lit with limited open seating both indoor and out. They have a large variety of beers on tap and a somewhat neat view of the bay. What it has in style they lose in taste and tradition. Mind you, my bowl— called Belly of the Beast (a pork broth topped with two divine oxtail dumplings, a poached egg and indiscernible slices of smoked brisket and short ribs) — was GOOD but missing something. Namely umami — the fifth, hard-to-define taste sensation that is neither sweet, salty, sour or bitter. Even what should have been a sure-fire hit with the pork laden Underbelly Ramen (slices of char su belly, Applewood-smoked bacon and Korobuta sausage) was overly smoky and salty, overtaking the entire dish but still one-dimensional.

Honoring traditional ramen is where Izakaya Masa steps in. Hidden in a tiny corner in Mission Hills alongside a hairdresser, insurance office and a passel of other shops is this tiny joint. The restaurant is filled with items I expect and have seen in a Japanese ramen house, like Japanese baseball schedules, Mameki Neko and other curiosities. To stress this further, the menu offers both English AND Japanese translations — a good sign in my mind.

What Underbelly lacks, Masa has in tenfold, including the much-desired, tongue-wagging umami.

Their ramen is offered in three sizes and either shoyu (soy sauce-flavored broth), hakata (pork broth) or shio (salt broth)— all with their own unique flavor profile. And they come with spoons! My choice was the shoyu. The rich, deep broth is only enhanced by the flavorable ingredients found in the bowl: sliced pork, seaweed, scallions and of course, noodles.

But ramen in the not the only dish served at Izakaya Masa. You can also get sushi (nigiri and rolls), don-buri, tempura, udon and soba. There’s something for everyone unless you don’t eat Japanese food.

Prices at Izakaya Masa don’t have the added “hipness” surcharge. Their extensive menu ranges $2.95 for edamame to $22.50 for assorted sashimi. Great deals are found here and you won’t leave feeling hungry.

I prefer the quiet tradition and flavors of Izakaya Masa (as well as a slew of other fantastic ramen places in the Convoy area). But if it’s a scene you’re looking for, you’ll pay for it in price as well as lack of taste at Underbelly.

Underbelly
750 W Fir St, Ste 101
San Diego, CA 92101
619.269.4626

Izakaya Masa
928 Fort Stockton Dr
San Diego, CA 92103
619.542.1354

So far this year has not gone as planned. In my queue was a slew of posts (an interview, a giveaway and more recipes) to make up for the break I always take during the holidays. But as luck had it, I got sick. A cold that started in December, with a brief respite for Christmas, returned with a vengeance (and a raging cough) in early January. With the aid of prescription drugs, I’m finally on my way to full recovery barring any unforeseen freak virus that I happen to encounter.

While I was sick I took the opportunity to cook up a batch of soups. While thin watery soups may work for some, I like soups with lots savory bits. Broth alone doesn’t satisfy me and I need something solid in my stomach to call it a meal.

This recipe for garlic soup (originally found in Bon Appetit) was appealing but didn’t have those satisfying chunks I need. So out of necessity to use up what I already had in the kitchen, I added some sliced potatoes. While terrific on its own, I went further and topped the finished soup with bread and cheese and broiled it in the oven until the cheese melted. Think French onion soup but with garlic.

This a great soup while on the edge to full recovery from a cold. Even better yet, make a batch of this if you feel if you’re on the verge of something. Garlic has many health benefits including being a natural antibiotic. This soup has it in spades, using three heads of roasted garlic. The additional squeeze of lemon at the end brightens up the soup and adds a tanginess that I always seem to enjoy especially when I’m feeling under the weather.

Hearty Garlic and Potato Soup

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 4

2 heads of garlic, cloves removed and unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 head of garlic, cloves removed and peeled
2 shallots, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 red skinned potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup half-and-half

4 lemon wedges
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional additions
1 small baguette, sliced
Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place unpeeled garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes until garlic is golden brown and tender. Let cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, thyme and reserved cloves of peeled garlic and cook until shallots are translucent. Add roasted garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add chicken stock; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree garlic with immersion blender in saucepan until smooth. (Or while working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth and return to saucepan.) Add half-and-half and potatoes. Simmer for 20 more minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Optional step: Divide soup into four oven-safe bowls. Top with baguette slices until soup is covered and top with cheese. Set bowls under broiler for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted.

Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and serve.

For anyone attempting to create the Turducken of Cheeseballs as made famous by the folks over at Chow, there is one warning you should taken into consideration: this whole project takes approximately three hours to complete from start to finish. In addition, I recommend two people put it together. And preferably one with sculpting skills to shape the cheese over each delicious layer. I particularly enjoyed the final layer of blue cheese topped with bacon, sliced almonds and pecans.

Is it worth it? Well yes, if you love cheese AND have to feed A LOT of people. While this 5-pound monstrosity was well-received by people at the office potluck, only a small dent was created in the ball— and there were more than 30 mouths to feed! Each layer complimented each other and didn’t overwhelm. Every cheese layer was whipped with cream cheese, which helped with the sculpting and tempered the flavors of even the sharpest cheeses.

So without further commentary, I present the Turducken of Cheeseballs.

Entire recipe and instructions can be found here. Happy holidays!

Cookie swaps is a genius concept: bring one large batch of cookies to a party with the intention of exchanging them for other cookies. The larger the group, the more cookie variety. While the intention is good, the idea of making a big batch of cookies — and I’m talking over 5 dozen for a recent Geek Girl cookie swap — can be overwhelming. So any shortcuts I can find, I will take it.

Enter Venetian cookies aka rainbow cookies. These are the same cookies I’m on the lookout for when entering any Italian deli like Filippi’s in San Diego’s Little Italy.  These tinted layers of almond-flavored dough are held together with jam and topped with chocolate. They’re also festive, incorporating the colors of Italy Christmas.

One batch of these suckers yields 96 cookies!  Well, if you correctly slice up the slabs. And while you may think I’m a grinch for cutting thin slices, smaller is actually better since these are extremely rich with almond flavor. And if one isn’t enough, there are plenty of slices to go around. If you need less cookies, you can adjust by cutting bigger cookies.

The hint to making these cookies is to have three cookie sheets exactly the same size and evenly spreading the dough onto the sheets. (Make sure there are no gaps of dough on the cookie sheet.) While the dough may seem thin, as soon as they hit the heat of the oven, they slightly puff up and bake quickly. While the edges of the baked layers may be slightly singed, they can easily be trimmed off prior to serving. Equally important is that inconsistencies in the spreading of the chocolate topping are camouflaged when sliced.

I won’t lie and say these are the easiest cookies to make the first time around but a batch of these beats out chocolate chip cookies at any cookie swap.

Rainbow Cookies (Venetian Cookies)

Makes approximately 96 cookies

7 ounces almond paste
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 drops red food coloring
6 drops green food coloring
1/4 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry jam

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover three 9×13 inch with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, break apart almond paste and heat in microwave for two minutes until easily broken apart with a fork.

Cream softened almond paste with butter, sugar, eggs and almond extract. When mixture is fluffy and smooth, stir in flour to form a dough. Divide dough into 3 equal portions.

Mix one portion with red food coloring, and one with green food coloring. Spread each portion into one of the prepared baking pans.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Carefully remove from pan and and cool completely on wire racks.

Place green layer onto a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap all three layers. Spread green layer with jam, and top with uncolored layer. Spread with jam, and top with red layer. Transfer layers to a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Place a heavy cutting board or books on top of wrapped layers to compress. Chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight.

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt chocolate with cream and butter for 5 minutes or until smooth.

Using a wide spatula, top with melted chocolate, and refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. Slice into small rectangles.