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They say that the way to a man's (or a woman's?) heart is through his stomach. With that thought in mind, welcome to my Valentine recipes page!
This page contains only a few recipes specific to Valentine's Day. There is no real criteria for what I chose other than it looked good to me! I have included one full dinner menu for those inclined to prepare something special for their sweetheart, and have listed a few Valentine's desserts. At the end of this page are links to other sites that have Valentine's Day recipes just in case you don't find that special something here. Enjoy!
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Although the preparation for this meal isn't too time consuming, it isn't for those who don't enjoy spending time in the kitchen (or for those who have a sweetheart who doesn't like you to spend time in the kitchen). I put together a nice four-course dinner. It begins with a crab cocktail for an appetizer and continues with a nice caesar salad. The entree is a seafood linguine with parmesan bread. And finally there is a light chocolate mousse for dessert!
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Crab Cocktail
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Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup ketchup (or chili sauce for the more adventurous)
- 1 tbsp prepared horseradish (more or less to taste)
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 lb crab meat (good size pieces)
- 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
- lemon wedges
- parsley
Preparation:
- combine the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce in a dish and stir until it is mixed well. Cover and chill.
- When it is time to serve, arrange the lettuce in two small dishes or cocktail glasses.
- Mix the crab meat with the cocktail sauce (to taste as you won't need all the cocktail sauce) and arrange it on top of the lettuce.
- Garnish with the lemon wedges and parsley and serve!
Caesar Salad
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Ingredients:
- 1 large garlic clove, minced, mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 1/2cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 8 cups packed bite-size pieces of Romaine, rinsed and spun dry
Preparation:
- In a large bowl stir together the garlic paste, the lemon juice, the Worcestershire sauce, the mustard, the sour cream, pepper, and the anchovies.
- Add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.
- Stir in the Parmesan.
- Add the romaine and toss the salad well.
Seafood Linguine
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Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 8 ounces uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
- 8 ounces bay scallops
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 12 ounces linguine, freshly cooked
Preparation:
- Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and coriander and cook 1 minute. Add wine and cream and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add shrimp and scallops and simmer until shrimp are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over linguine and serve.
Parmesan Bread
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Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 loaf French or Italian bread, cut in half lengthwise
Preparation:
- HEAT oven to 400°F.
- Mix cheese, margarine and seasoning; spread on cut surfaces of bread.
- Place on cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 12 servings
Chocolate Mousse
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Ingredients:
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Preparation:
- Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Stir until smooth. Place in large bowl.
- Meanwhile, place whipping cream and sugar in chilled bowl of electric mixer. Whip until soft peaks form.
- Add about 1-1/2 cups of the whipped cream to melted chocolate, whisking vigorously until smooth and completely incorporated.
- Add that mixture to the remaining whipped cream and fold together until smooth.
- Refrigerate for about 3 hours.
- Place in individual sherbert glasses or dessert dishes and top with piped whipped cream.
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Strawberry Almond Hearts
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Ingredients:
- 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250 mL) Golden Crisco Shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) corn syrup or regular pancake syrup
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla
- 3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour (plus 4 tbsp/60 mL, divided)
- 3/4 tsp (3 mL) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely-chopped blanched almonds
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) seedless strawberry jam
- Icing sugar
Preparation:
- Combine sugar and shortening in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, syrup and vanilla. Beat until well blended and fluffy.
- Combine 3 cups (750 mL) flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add gradually to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix until well blended. Stir in almonds.
- Divide dough into quarters. Wrap each quarter of dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies.
- Spread 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of flour on large sheet of waxed paper. Place one quarter of dough on floured paper. Flatten slightly with hands. Turn dough over and cover with another large sheet of waxed paper. Roll dough to l/4-inch (6 mm) thickness. Remove top sheet of waxed paper. Cut out with floured 3-inch (7 cm) heart-shaped cutter. Cut out the centre of 1/2 of the 3-inch (7 cm) hearts with a floured 2-inch heart-shaped cutter. Transfer hearts to ungreased baking sheet with large pancake turner. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Roll out remaining dough, including dough from cut out 2-inch (5 cm) hearts.
- Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375°F (190°C) for 6 to 8 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely.
- Spread strawberry jam on 3-inch (7 cm) hearts. Place hearts with cut out centre on top of jam. Sprinkle icing sugar on top heart.
Heavenly Heart Cake
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Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups cake flour or 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- GLOSSY CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING (recipe follows)
- CREAMY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (recipe follows)
Preparation:
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 heart-shaped pans or two 9-inch round baking pans.
- In small bowl, stir together cocoa and boiling water until smooth; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy; beat in eggs and cocoa mixture. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to butter mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with GLOSSY CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING. Pipe border around top edge and base of cake with CREAMY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. Garnish as desired. 10 to 12 servings.
Glossy Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
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Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups HERSHEY'S MINI CHIPS Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup dairy sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Milk
Preparation:
- In medium microwave-safe bowl, place small chocolate chips. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred.
- Add powdered sugar, sour cream and vanilla; beat until smooth.
- Add milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, for a thinner consistency. About 2-1/2 cups frosting.
Creamy Buttercream Frosting
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Ingredients:
- 2 Cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter or margarine
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:
- In small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, the butter or margarine, the milk and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth and creamy. About 1 cup frosting.
Valentine Nuts For Two
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Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 cups chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
- Boil sugar, water and cinnamon slowly until thread stage. Remove from heat. Add walnuts and vanilla. Stir until sugared. Enjoy with wine and fireplace.
Giant 'Kiss'
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Ingredients:
- chocolate
- round funnel
- coffee mug
- double boiler or microwave and microwave safe bowl
- Non-stick cooking spray
- white paper strip to write a message on
- Foil
Preparation:
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Watch it carefully, and stir it occasionally.
- Put some tin foil over the small end of the funnel, closing it off. Spray a little non-stick spray into the funnel.
- Place the funnel into the coffee mug to hold it upright. Pour the melted chocolate in, and put into the freezer for about 45 minutes to harden
- Take a strip of white paper and write your Valentines message on it.
- Remove the chocolate from the funnel, and wrap it in tin foil, tucking the message in near the point. Leave some of the message sticking out.
This project can also be made using 'Rice Crispie Treats' (rice cereal and marshmallow, recipe is on the box). Spray some non-stick cooking spray into the funnel, then press the rice/marshmallow mixture into it. Once it is firm, you can give it an optional coat of melted chocolate, and wrap with foil.
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