Well, we know that Valentine's Day is right
around the corner and nothing better
represents the spirit of love like a home
cooked meal for your significant other.
So we are joined by none
other than Chef Nikki.
I always love when you come.
It's actually, I get very excited
when you're here because that's OK.
I'm just dropping things, that's all right.
But I always love when you come because I we
get to talk food and I love to talk food.
So I wanted to learn all about this.
So Valentine's Day is coming up
before we know it in your home.
We were talking a little bit off
camera about this special meal and
it's handed down generations in
your family.
It is, this is a generational meal.
So this is Brazil and 2nd what, Brazil.
Brazil. What is that?
Is it Italian? It's Italian.
It's meat and it's it's going
to be a meat layer and then
we're going to roll it up.
So my dad grew up with this and
then he passed it down to me.
So even for this is kind of a special tree,
special dinner and my dad made this actually.
And they flew in from Minneapolis
to make this for my husband's
birthday this year.
He flew all the way here just to make this.
That's how special this is.
OK, now I'm really, really OK.
Someone said to me, nothing says I
love you like a big piece of meat.
And I I'm going to agree.
So this is pretty fun.
So you take a flank steak
and then you pound it out.
That's why it looks pretty.
OK, yeah. So then you're going to
take some people call this ricotta.
My dad calls it rugat, rugat, rugat.
And so you just and he says
you Schmear family is Italian.
They are very. Yes.
And so you smear this all the way.
I love it. Yes.
The more the better, right? He would
say like thin layer, he's very picky,
so he would be probably making fun
of me or not. So I should not suggest
any disgrace your family, your
family meal here. OK then you're
going to take some Parmesan and just
sprinkle that over the top like so.
You want to kind of reserve a
little bit in the end because we'll
be using it in the final product.
And then you have bread crumbs,
garlic powder, basil and parsley,
mix that up like so.
And then you just want like an even.
Dusting.
I'm not going to lie. The smells in
here like I'm salivating. I'm hungry.
So excited, you know, and you can
get messy with this.
This is really fun for the kids to do too.
And then you need your prosciutto.
OK. And my husband,
he was so funny last night.
He's like, can I have some of that?
I was like, no, don't touch it. So
if you don't have prosciutto,
is that how you say it correctly?
I mean, I've said it before,
but I want to make sure I'm doing right.
If you don't have this on hand,
can you use bacon? You could.
I probably would like,
don't don't mess it up, Lauren.
Don't mess it up.
OK, let you do it.
Don't Americanize my Italian dish.
Then you're going to go ahead and put some
provolone over the top.
And then really simple, you're just going to.
So there's grain and the meat
and so you want to fold with it.
So we're just going to fold this up.
Like, so if this is an art form,
yeah, this really does one big giant
burrito and then I have these.
Huge toothpicks.
Now a lot of people will tie it
with like you know, bakers twine.
OK my husband used to make bamboo fly rods.
So he has twine that you know
goes up to 450 degrees.
And so I would put that, you know, around it.
Then you put it in the dish
and then you are just going to.
I made some sauce, homemade sauce,
homemade. Wow. Yeah.
So we put this in like so in
the bottom and again this is.
Like,
you see how fast and easy this is?
Super fast. And you do. You make
it really easy and really seamless
it is. You can't go wrong.
I mean really. You can't go wrong.
So then you're gonna put this in
an oven at 3:50 for about an hour,
hour and a half. OK.
Just like that. Alright.
It's beautiful. You know,
in our house we love Italian,
but my husband Joey, he is like huge,
huge into Italian food.
It's like his favorite thing.
So I'm glad you're teaching me this,
because I love it.
Yeah. So then you get it out of the
oven and then you just nicely do
the cut so you can see everything.
Now I pull it about a little after an hour
because I still like the medium rare, but.
The more done you want, you know,
the longer you cook it.
OK and then this is just really simple.
This is also healthy, you know,
if you're looking to be gluten free,
but this is just creamy polenta with a
little bit of garlic and parmesan in it.
Yeah, super simple, so fun and
complements each other really well
with like the tanginess of the sauce
and so savory. It's absolutely
delicious. So yeah, side
salad to make you feel like, you know,
we gotta get some greens in there.
We have to. Healthy there.
So yeah, that it's the
perfect Valentine's Day dinner.
It's fun for the family.
Everyone could be involved or it
could be the perfect date, you know?
Or let's say you're inviting your
in-laws over for Valentine's Day, too.
Nothing impresses more
than a great bourgeois.
I'm telling you, if I,
if I produce this and had it on the table,
my family would be like, who are you?
And then they would be really impressed.
And I said, well,
because I know Chef Nikki,
she taught me this looks incredible.
Are you making this for
your family for Valentine's
Day? What you're doing? Yes.
OK. Yes, we will be doing
that. I might have to do it.
You come over for dinner or,
you know, you make it easy on you.
Make it. You guys can eat it now.
I love that. OK.
I love this. Great.
And so is this something you're going to,
you're planning to pass
this on to your children?
They're cooking constantly and
we're constantly just generational.
How old are your kids? I have.
Ohh gosh, how old are they? No he's not.
That's a true mom brain.
You forget how old your kids are.
Don't you love it when they're like,
what's his birthday?
And I'm like, what's yours?
They are 12 and 15.
They're about to make the the jump.
They're three years apart
and they're cooking a lot.
They cook a lot. Awesome. We have
a 3 year old and a 7 month old.
Both are not cooking yet obviously,
but our three-year old,
he's getting kind of interested in
helping Mom and Dad in the kitchen.
And so he has his little step stool,
helps mixing.
He's he watches Daniel Tiger a lot.
And so he goes mix a mix,
a mix that because in that show that's why
they say when they mix stuff so beautiful.
Tell us again, how do you say it?
Burgers. Burgers are wonderful idea.
Yes, for Valentine's Day dinner.
So where can we get more
information about you, Chef?
Nikki, your recipes,
your talent.
Yeah, we absorb all of that.
So find out
more about me and what we do.
I own a business called
the Easy Peasy Kitchen.
And we do. We just keep it
super simple and easy for moms.
And we're at easypeasykitchen.com
with Z, as in zed.
OK, well, perfect.
Thank you so much. We love you.
Join us. Happy Valentine's Day,
Valentine. I love you.
Well, thank you so much for
always loving Chef Nikki joins us.
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