Quick Cooking Is My Passion

The celebrations of St. Valentine’s Day are buried deep in legend and mystery. This we know for certain; Saint Valentine’s Day embraces a time of year that is historically associated with love and fertility.

The perfect Valentine’s Day dinner would ideally be full of sensuously rich, expensive gourmet foods cooked especially for you by the finest master chef in Paris, served with a view of the Eiffel Tower in front of you. Add live music by your favorite band in the background for the perfect mood. But let’s face it….the closest the majority of us will get to that experience is by watching a scene on TV.

So, make the food you want to eat, and the food you can cook without needing six recipe books, sugar thermometers and two assistants to prepare. This is not the time to experiment with gourmet foods, and strange concoctions unless you just want to take a chance on hitting upon some good ones to keep.

Think of two or three simply foods that you love to eat and are easy to prepare. Add a little dessert, and a nice bottle if wine, or splurge for a bottle of champagne. My favorite foods are green beans, chicken, cheese, and chocolate; so I should easily be able to put together a nice romantic menu from these.

Green Bean Bundles

Ranch-Style Thighs (or Breasts)

Creamed Potatoes with gravy

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Ingredients: (Green  Bean Bundles)

• 2 (16 oz.) cans whole green beans
• 8 slices bacon, partially cooked
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• Liberal dash of garlic salt

Directions

1. Wrap each serving with a piece of partially cooked bacon, then place in baking dish.

1. Mix together sugar and melted butter and pour over bundles.
2. Sprinkle garlic salt over top and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Ingredients: (Ranch-Style Thighs (or Breasts)

• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs, or breasts (about 2-1/4 pounds), skin removed
• 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing

Directions:

1. In a shallow bowl or large resealable plastic bag, combine crumbs, Parmesan cheese, cornmeal and Italian seasoning.
2. Dip chicken in salad dressing, then coat with crumb mixture.
3. Place in a greased 13×9 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until juices run clear. Yield: 3-4 servings.

Ingredients: (Creamed Potatoes)

• 3 lbs. Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1-1/2 cups half and half
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. minced garlic

Directions:

1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Let potatoes cook, uncovered, until tender when pierced with a fork, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Drain. Return potatoes to the pot. Add remaining ingredients. Mash gently until potatoes are smooth, but do not over mix potatoes, or they will become gummy.

Ingredients: (Brown Gravy)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 quart cold beef broth (as high-quality as possible!)
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until the mixture is golden-brown and smells like cooked pie crust.

2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in a cup of the cold beef broth, and then add the rest of the ingredients, except the salt and pepper.

3. Bring to a simmer, whisking, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ingredients: (Molten Chocolate Cakes

• 3 tablespoon(s) sugar
• 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 6 tablespoon(s) margarine or butter
• 4 ounce(s) semisweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup(s) heavy or whipping cream
• 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease eight 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar.

2. In 3-quart saucepan, heat margarine or butter with chocolate and cream over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in flour and vanilla until blended.

3. In medium bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat eggs, egg yolks, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until very thick and pale yellow, about 10 minutes. With rubber spatula, gently fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture, one-third at a time, until blended.

4. Pour batter into ramekins, filling each about three-fourths full. Place ramekins in 15-1/2 x 10-1/2″ jelly-roll pan for easier handling. Bake 9-10 minutes, until edge of cake is set but center is slightly jiggly.

5. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Run small knife around sides of ramekins. Invert onto dessert plates and serve immediately.