Valentine Menu

Gnocchi
Ingredients
1 pound refrigerated gnocchi
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
8 ounces Italian fontina cheese, cubed
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
Once the gnocchi goes into the pot, start the sauce, as you want the gnocchi to be done first. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook for a few minutes, until tender. Stir in the cream, and heat to almost a boil. Gradually mix in the fontina and parmesan cheeses, being careful not to boil. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat immediately, or the sauce may clump.
Place gnocchi into serving dishes, and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.

Breadsticks
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Directions
Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle; press Start. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). When dough cycle is complete, remove dough to a lightly oiled surface. Divide dough up into 18 pieces. Roll each piece on an oiled board, from center of piece to the outside edges to form bread sticks. Place bread sticks at least 1 inch apart on the prepared pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Poached pear salad
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
4 large pears, peeled, halved, and cored
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring the orange juice, brown sugar and cinnamon stick to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add pears; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender but firm.
Using a slotted spoon, place each pear half in a dessert dish. Garnish with raspberries. Drizzle with poaching liquid.
Then I put this over a bed of baby spinach.

Eclair cake
Ingredients
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 cups milk
1 (16 ounce) package graham cracker squares
1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting
Directions
In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk.
Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.
Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan. Cover, and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
(I use homemade frosting. WAY better!!)

Broiled asparagus
Ingredients
*Asparagus, fresh, 20 spear, large (7-1/4" to 8-1/2")
*Extra Light Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
*Salt, 1 tsp
*Pepper, black, 1 tbsp
Directions
Turn Broiler on. Preheat. Take one asparagus spear and hold at each end. Bend spear until stalk breaks. Take that spear and cut the rest of the asparagus at the same spot as the broken spear. Put asparagus in a large bowl and pour olive oil over asparagus. Toss together and put asparagus on a broiling pan. Salt and pepper Asparagus and put in broiler. Cook for 10 minutes shaking pan occasionally. Asparagus should be light golden brown on tips and tender.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone