Valentines Day Dinner

Hmm...Valentines day.... I love and hate this holiday! First I love this holiday because I am a hopeless romantic and am a sucker for a bouquet of flowers and a gooshy card. I hate this holiday because my husband hates this holiday and usually has to be guilted into doing anything. Although it does make for a nice surprise when he actually does do something without my prompting.

Well even if you love, hate, or could care less about flowers or cards, Everyone (single or in a relationship) likes good food. And most like chocolate... so i have decided to post a Valentines dinner menu including dessert.

Here is my menu

Appetizer:

Stuffed Jalapenos
4 large jalapeno peppers halved and seeded
half a package of cream cheese (4 oz)
2 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
1/8 c shredded cheddar
1 egg scrambled with a dash of cream, milk, or half and half
bread crumbs

If you like it hot...ignore step one

Step one: Bring small pot of water to boil and boil jalapenos for 1-2 minutes (not a second more) and remove. Place into ice water to stop cooking process and set aside to dry. This will take the hot bite out of the pepper but still leave lots of flavor. They should be bright green. If you over boil they become mush.

Step two: Mix cream cheese, cheddar, and bacon (you can add a little ranch powder for an added punch of flavor). Scramble egg and put bread crumbs in a bowl. 

Step three: Stuff jalapeno with cream cheese mixture, dip in egg wash and then coat with breadcrumbs.

Step four: Heat a pan over the stove (med to med-high) with oil. Fry jalapenos until golden.

Step  five: Enjoy!!!

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This main dish is a modified version of Rachel Rays recipe. It's a little more simple and has fewer steps. Plus I don't live near the amazing grocery store that she apparently lives next to because a lot of her ingredients are very hard to find. Smoked Mozzarella? Smoked paprika? Arugula? I shop at Safeway and Winco... they have regular mozzarella and regular paprika and how many dishes call for arugula? I ended up throwing almost a whole container away because its a bitter leaf that does not taste good in a lot of things.

Main Dish:

Chicken Marsala Deliciousness
your favorite spaghetti noodles
2 large boneless skinless chicken breast (pounded thin)
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 large garlic cloves
portobello and shitake mushrooms stemmed and sliced (or your favorite kind)
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs tomato paste
2 Tbs minced rosemary
2 Tbs flour, plus some for dusting
1 1/2 c chicken stock
Worcestershire sauce to taste
1/2 c marsala wine (I always add more)
Grated Romano Cheese (you can also use fresh grated parmesan)

Start your water boiling for your noodles. Salt water and drop pasta when water is boiling. Cook to the firmness you like.

After you flatten your chicken season with salt and pepper then dust with flour on both sides. Heat large skillet with 2 Tbs of olive oil over med-high heat. Brown chicken then set aside in warm place. In the same skillet add 2 Tbs of olive oil and 1 clove crushed garlic. Cook 1 minute then remove and add mushrooms. Let mushrooms brown evenly until tender, about 8-10 minutes.

While mushrooms cook, start gravy for the pasta. In a deep med skillet, melt 2 Tbs butter with 1 Tbs olive oil. Add remaining clove of crushed garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook over med heat for 1-2 minutes. Add rosemary, cook for 1 minute then whisk in flour. After flour is mixed in slowly whisk in chicken stock and worcestershire sauce. Simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove garlic clove.

To the cooked mushrooms add marsala and let reduce for 1 minute. Add 2 Tbs of butter shaking the pan to incorporate it. Slide chicken back in sauce and warm.

Drain pasta and toss with tomato gravy and top with handful of cheese. Serve the pasta alongside chicken marsala.

Serve with your favorite veggie. Or a really good salad

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Dessert:

Chocolate Pot Dé Créme
4 oz dark chocolate finely chopped
very small pinch of salt
1 c cream
3 Tbs + 1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Chop chocolate until fine then put into med size bowl.

Heat cream, sugar, and vanilla until tiny bubbles form on outside and sugar is dissolved.

Pour over Chocolate and let set about 2 minutes

Stir until dissolved, pour into small desert cups. Put in fridge to chill


NEEDS AT LEAST 5 HOURS TO SET. If possible make night before and set.

Additions that taste amazing: 1 tsp instant coffee, sprinkle of cinnamon... have fun....

whipped cream with sliced strawberries or blueberries on top really add a fancy and delicious flare.