Valentines Day Recipes

Tuesday is Valentines Day and with the economy being so bad, you might just want to spend a quite evening at home with your sweetheart and prepare him an intimate dinner. Here are some suggestions :
To start the evening out here is a recipe for a yummy cocktail. It is called a " Love Martini"
This is for a single drink, just double it for 2.
1 Strawberry
1- 1/2 oz coconut flavored rum
1 oz. peach schnapps
2 ozs. cranberry juice.

Remove the stem from the strawberry, slice it and cut a small v to create a heart shape.
Place several ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, add rum, schnapps, and cranberry juice. Shake
until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with strawberry.
Suggestion:
If you prefer you could make any strawberry beverage and garnish with the strawberries,
such as; strawberry wine, margarittas or whatever your preference is.

Main Course suggestions:
This next recipe can be made the night before in a crock pot.

Angel Chicken:

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 tbsp. veg. oil
1- 16oz. pkg. fresh mushrooms (sliced)
1/4 cup butter
1-0.7 oz. pkg. Italian dry salad dressing mix
1- 10 3/4 oz. can condensed golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 half- 8 oz. tub cream cheese spread with chives and onions.
Hot angel hair pasta or if you prefer rice.

Directions:
1. Brown chicken breast on both sides in a large skillet with oil over med. heat.
Combine mushrooms in a 3 1/2- 4 qt. slow cooker, top with chicken. Melt butter in a med. saucepan, stir in Italian dressing mix. Stir in mushroom soup, white wine, and cream cheese until melted. Pour over chicken.
2. Cover, cook on low heat setting for 4 to 5 hrs.
3. Serve chicken and sauce over angel hair pasta or rice, if you prefer.
Serve with toss salad.
Makes 4 servings.

Steaks in Brandy - Cream Sauce:
Makes 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 1- 1/2 inch thick beef tenderloin steaks(8 ozs. each)
Salt and pepper
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup brandy
1 cup whipping cream

Directions
1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med. heat. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt and ground pepper; add to hot skillet. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until brown. Transfer to a 2 qt. rectangular baking dish. Bake the steaks, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for 10 to 13
minutes for med.-rare doneness.
2. For brandy-cream sauce, in the same skillet cook mushrooms and onions over med. heat, just until tender. Remove the pan from the heat, add brandy. Carefully ignite brandy with a long match( mixture will flame up), or don't ignite brandy; return to heat and simmer, uncovered,
for 4 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated.
When the flame is gone or most of the liquid has been evaporated, add whipping cream.
Bring the sauce just to boiling. Boil gently for about 8 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup,
stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, place steaks on warm serving plates and spoon the sauce over the meat.
I would serve with baked potato and a toss salad.

For a light dessert:
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
1 Pkg. (7ozs.) bakers milk chocolate or dark semi sweet dipping chocolate.
36 Strwaberries.

Dip strawberries in melted chocolate(according to directions on package).
Let excess chocolate drip off.
Place on waxed paper covered baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.
For best results, serve the same day they are dipped.

Other dessert suggestions:
Make sugar cookies and cut with heart shaped cookie cutter. Decorate with icing.
Cupcakes, decorated with icing and red sprinkles.
Brownies cut with heart shaped cookie cutter and decorate.
Just get creative!