Valentine's Dinner - What's on tonight?

Okay...here is the official menu for tonight. By the way, I'm currently sipping a blood orange and Rosa Regale mimosa, so the day is off to a great start.

First course: Open faced lobster ravioli with a duo of sauces - one is basil tomato, the other is champagne cream.

A chardonnay will accompany that course.

Second course: Slow roasted marrow bones with black lava sea salt and toasted ciabatta points.

Third course: Oven roasted muscovy duck with cherry port sauce, melange of grilled fingerling potatoes, sauteed green beans with lemon gremolata.

Pinot Noir with the second and third course.

Dessert: Chocolate mousse with fig and candied orange fritters.

I have an italian dessert wine for that, don't recall what it's called.

So....I have to get busy now. Nothing has been done except killing a lobster and soaking the marrow bones.

Much love to all of you. Have a wonderful day!

We are having crab cakes with mixed vegetables, yellow rice, fried onions petals, home made sauce. Pretty much like we did last year. Oh and we have new dishes this year.

nuttin'!!!!!


i'm working, and dw is on the warpath 'cause she stuck in the house all day with a sick kid. the little guy is in good spirits, but he's running a pretty bad fever and is all stuffed up and rosey cheeked. that means that he'll be sick for days.

i went in late this morning because she wanted some ginger ale to give him, and some lunch meat since she can't get out.

so, i'll cut my wendy's classic double into a heart shape tonight when i get home.

I just ordered a 2" thick ribeye from the meat market. I'll probably do loaded baked potatoes, some kind of veg., and a nice bread...

We are doing my favorite food. Gigantic cheeseburgers. Seriously, I enjoy these so much. My wife does not understand it. I have access to all the Prime+ Rib Eyes, Tenderloin, T-Bones, etc that I want, but I love my wife's cheeseburgers!

Each one is about a pound. 90% lean, eggs, chopped celery, chopped onions, leek, salt, pepper, and garlic. On the grill. Topped with three pieces of cheese.

Yum.

Oh, and will open a bottle of La Crema Pinot Noir to top it off.

Then maybe later a Hagen Dazs Vanilla.

I'm going to go with the chicken fried steak tonight. I have to wrap the extra cube steaks for the freezer today anyway, so I might as well cook a couple. With green beans and mashed potatoes.

beer can chicken smoked over apple and hickory ..
either foil packet taters or this strange smoked then
slightly smashed potato thing that i have running through my
head .. probably go with green beans and a salad also ..

We will probably have grilled rib-eyes, aparagus and baked taters. I'm thinking an appetizer of some mussels.

Barb

homecook said:

We will probably have grilled rib-eyes, aparagus and baked taters. I'm thinking an appetizer of some mussels.

Barb

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Perfect!

Thank you chow!!

Barb

So I'm not the only one who'd rather dine at home on Valentine's day?

I am still a bit too queasy to eat a Valentine's Day dinner and will probably have an English muffin and some cream of wheat.

VeraBlue said:

So I'm not the only one who'd rather dine at home on Valentine's day?

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Nope!! We've never been one to go out for dinner on this day....it's more intimate at home. We can eat in our jammies, on the floor where ever and be comfy! Or go all out and light candles, have soft music playing, set a nice table and be really romantic.

Barb

and have lots of cherry tomatoes!!!!



(i know. i should shut up...)

buckytom said:

and have lots of cherry tomatoes!!!!



(i know. i should shut up...)

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I won't need them!!!!

Barb

I'm making DH one of his favorites... my crock pot stroganoff with some crusty garlic toast!

rofllllll.
stronganofff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm sorry. i can't help it.

We're going out tomorrow... to celebrate.

Tonight..spinach salad and what ever meat paul picks


lol... Paul just changed the menu! Subway has foot long sandwiches on sale for five dollars!
We're having turkey and ham on Italian bread! We'll eat dinner and watch Battlestar G. Talk about Romance!!

Well, BT, I don't know what's tickling you so much, but this one oughtta slay you: I'm having the very romantic hot dogs and baked beans tonight.

Lee

QSis said:

Well, BT, I don't know what's tickling you so much, but this one oughtta slay you: I'm having the very romantic hot dogs and baked beans tonight.

Lee

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He's on a roll today!!! Ask him if he's going to have some cherry tomatoes??

Barb

lol, lee.

barb, my god, no.

i'm so homophobic that i won't even eat that gum that squirts in your mouth.

j/k.

i like my beer cold, and my gays flaming.

buckytom said:

lol, lee.

barb, my god, no.

i'm so homophobic that i won't even eat that gum that squirts in your mouth.

j/k.

i like my beer cold, and my gays flaming.

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Barb

Ohhhh. Now I get it.

Lee

We are having Prime Rib, mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans and dinner rolls. For dessert a cherry pie using frozen pie cherries. Our son is bringing his girlfriend so we are going to have a couples night. Looking forward to it.

VeraBlue said:

By the way, I'm currently sipping a blood

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figures LOL

DW & I are going to a neighbor's tonight. The hostess is providing an unknown pork dish and veggies. My wife, world's greatest salad maker, is handling that end as well as deviled eggs with caviar. I'm making Big Al's Wicked Good Clam Chowder (shown below) plus I will add 2 dozen fresh whole clams I'm going to steam. The host and I are winos so he'll provide a bottle or two and I'm going to bring a bottle of Mollydooker "The Boxer" Shiraz, Robert Parker's 2005 "best red wine in the world under $20". I'll do a separate post on Mollydooker when I get a chance.

Edit: the chowder recipe is downsized to half the original.


Big Al's Wicked Good Clam Chowder
Yields: 3 quarts

This is one of those recipes that my family and I just die for. When it gets colder, I usually make this at least once a month.
You'll notice that I caramelize the bacon, then add the vegetables and seasonings, and caramelize those as well. The reason for this is added flavor. When the vegetables hit the pan, and they start exuding their liquid, they will deglaze the pan a bit. However, once that liquid is cooked off, they will start to caramelize slightly. I look for this point. I'm always scraping the pan bottom trying to work all that good flavor into the vegetables, and once it's gone, I start keeping an eye on the pan bottom to see when the onions start to caramelize a bit. When I start to see color again, I add the clams and juice to deglaze the pan again.
A couple other tips: Cut the bacon last. This lessens the chance of any cross-contamination from the bacon to other things. Also, I find it easier to chop bacon like this when it's frozen. I’ve also found that a product labeled “Ends and Pieces”, produced by Wright’s, is about the best buy on bacon for this purpose. Cheap and high quality can’t be beat. And lastly, don't add any salt until the very end, and taste it first! Then, if it needs salt, add a little. Remember that you are using salt-cured bacon, and salt water shellfish, so there will be plenty of salt in the chowder without needing any more.

4 slices thick sliced bacon, diced fine
3/4 large onion, diced
3/4 c celery, diced
3/4 t Old Bay Seasoning, optional
1/4 t ground black pepper
3/4 t tarragon
3/4 t thyme
3/4 t garlic, minced
1 # sized potatoes, peeled, and cubed into half inch cubes
16 oz (total) canned chopped sea clams with the juice (around here, that's about 3 cans)
1 8 oz bottle of Clam Juice
1/2 pt heavy cream
1/2 pt half and half
1/4 c corn starch mixed with 1/4 c water
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Fry the bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-high until the bacon starts to crisp, and you see lots of color and brown bits in the pan. At this time, add the onions, celery, garlic, pepper, thyme, tarragon, and Old Bay seasoning, if desired. When the onions are translucent and slightly caramelized, add the clams, juice, and potatoes; adding a little water if needed to cover the potatoes. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cream, half-and-half, and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch/water slurry and bring back to a boil to tighten the chowder. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
NOTES: This is one I don’t really recommend that you freeze for later use. The potatoes will turn mealy in texture after you thaw and reheat the soup.

DW is going to make one of my favorites !

Fried oyster po-boys on home made French bread and mustard potatoe salad.!

Well got back from Whole Foods so dinner plans changed a bit. We are still doing the crab cakes but got some really beautiful baby yellow potatoes, asparagus and some white truffle oil. So we will steam the asparagus and roast the potatoes then pour over some melted clarified butter with truffle oil over both the potatoes and asparagus.

Welll somehow I am hosting a part 2 party tonight making everyone fried chicken, garlic mash potatoes, brocoli slaw, and left over goodies from last nights party.....How romantic....

Well we will be amongst friends!!

Well it could be depending on how good of friends you are with the other couple.

buckytom said:

and have lots of cherry tomatoes!!!!



(i know. i should shut up...)

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ok seriously again ... this is my mom and i do not want to picture this at all! yuck!!!!