splurge meal

melinda · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 256 Location: Richmond, VA, usa

since Valentine's Day is nigh......what would u fix for a splurge meal (not a list of 50 things....just 1 meal)?
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Dairy_Queen · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 4:53 pm Post subject:

Nice topic, melinda!

This is my tried and true Sweetie Pie meal.

Romaine lettuce salad with honey-Dijon dressing and mandarin oranges with almond slivers.

Home-made Crepes Divan with broccolli spears.

Chocolate fondue with strawberries, Angel Food cake and pineapple chunks.

And bottles of champagne, of course!

David · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 6:05 pm Post subject:

Oddly enough when I want to make my guy a special dinner I often end up making liver with bacon and onions! It's his fave and I like it too!
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Dairy_Queen · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 7:00 pm Post subject:

brighidsdaughter · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 233 Location: Canton, TX USA

I picked up V-day splurge food last night, except for cheese & wine. The menu is:

Goat cheese & tapenade mini-bruschetta
Tomato-basil soup
Pan-seared lamb loin chops with wine sauce
Spinach & artichoke gratin
Dark chocolate cheesecake
Wine
Espresso

Nothing very difficult, just really good ingredients. Cheesecake is make-ahead, of course & I can assemble the gratin up to a day ahead. This gratin is *so* retro. It leapt out of my 20-yr-old catering journal a couple of weeks ago, and we're enjoying it all over again -- I've made it twice in 3 weeks.

Dairy_Queen · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 8:07 pm Post subject:

madameshawshank · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:31 am Post subject: some German rolls :-)

a surprise of rouladen would surprise my darling...and a fine wine...his choice..hope it's cool enough to sit outside and listen to the birds..finches and friends ..sing us VD love songs....I know I know rouladen in summer sounds a bit crazy...however my darling doth love his meat...
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brighidsdaughter · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 233 Location: Canton, TX USA

Recipe posted in "What's Cookin". BTW, I like having that section for recipes. I was almost embarrassed to post the recipe, it's so much the antithesis of the Chocolate & Zucchini mindset. Embarassed

Please don't flog me with a zucchini for this recipe! I warned that it was retro, & true to retro-cooking, it doesn't have a fresh ingredient in it.

Rainey · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 3:13 am Post subject:

If I were to make the "ideal" meal for my husband, it would be a hamburger casserole that his mom made. It's really semi-appauling but that's what he loves and can't get enough of and, since Valentine's Day is about the people we love, we'd give them what gives them pleasure not what would impress someone else, no?

He'd enjoy if I splurged a little on dessert tho. How about a Grand Marnier enfused panna cotta served on a galette of bittersweet chocolate and topped with fresh berries? Or maybe, Valentine's Day being the theme, melted bittersweet chocolate drizzled out into a lacy heart shape beneath that creamy panna cotta?

Kate · Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 16 Location: Cambridge, MA

One year I made my boyfriend (now husband) coq au vin. I don't know how long it is supposed to take, but I wasn't very skilled in the kitchen at the time (not that I'm extremely skilled now either, but I sure like to try!)and I remember it took HOURS and was simply exhausting.

My husband who is the better cook out of the two of us prefers to go out for Valentine's Day. Probably the best meal of my entire life was one Valentine's Day at Babbo in NY -- tasting menu paired with the wine tasting menu. Fantastic.

David · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 4:51 pm Post subject:

DQ-next trip to Chicago Ambria it is!!!
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Dairy_Queen · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 8:53 pm Post subject:

David · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks DQ looks fabulous!!! We visited Chicago for the first time last September and vowed to return.
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Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Erin · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:19 pm Post subject:

I haven't celebrated Valentines Day since I was in freshman in high school due to a four year run of bad luck. It all started with the nerdy boy that hid pencils in his hair and ended with Mr. Grabby Hands. The boxing moves my brother and dad taught me sure helped with the latter.

I hope you all have a wonderful time. Phil and I will be boycotting by eating pizza and wearing pj's.
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Rainey · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:44 pm Post subject:

Well, Erin, if you ever feel like taking minor note of VD you might consider heart-shaped pancakes. That's what our own family VD tradition is. Heart-shaped pancakes with strawberries (you can slice them so they're ever so vaguely heart-shaped too) and whipped cream.

To get the shape, put the batter you like best into a lipped pitcher or large glass liquid-type measuring cup, pour the batter into two small circles close enough so they'll begin to run together. Now, as you pour, draw one circle to a point and finish by connecting to the first circle (that is to say, you're pouring out a "V" to connect the tops of the heart figure). The faster you can do this, the less different in color the finished "heart" will be but whatever color you get is easily disguised by the berries and cream.

These are very homemade looking hearts. So much the better! Wink

And one day you may have little ones who's hearts will never be broken who will approach VD with a whole different zest and delight!