Special Dinner Recipes for 2 – Affordable, Last Minute and Easy

I realize Valentine’s Day just passed, but I wanted to use the Super Bowl illustration while it was  fresh. Hopefully, since the 14th  was midweek, some of you waited until this weekend to celebrate and this post is in time to help you. If not, there’s always  a birthday, anniversary or special occasion on the horizon.

I was inspired to write this by  neighbors who were debating if they should go out or not. They had wanted to have a nice dinner at home, but with food costs so high, thought perhaps the expense of a restaurant was worth it to spare cooking stress. They asked suggestions for some special seeming dinners recipes for 2 that were affordable and not too labor intensive, especially at the last minute. My type of meal!

However, when I asked them what they considered “special”, they gave me the usual responses, conditioned by years of food shopping and restaurant menus: Fillet Mignon, prime rib, duck, veal, lobster, crab and sea scallops. There’s so much more just outside the box! So I’m listing 3 appetizers,
3 entrees, with suggested sides, and 3 desserts, plus one back-up low-cal. All recipes are for two but can be easily doubled or more. First things first:

APPETIZERS
Salmon Spread

• 1–5oz. frozen salmon fillet—available in packets in most supermarkets–@$1.00
• 4oz cream cheese
• 2 tsp. dill weed
• 1 Tbs. sour cream or plain yogurt-plus more if needed

Not too many people realize that bile is a vehicle; sort of garbage truck for releasing the fat-soluble toxic substances, alcohol, nicotine, some medications, bile pigments, heavy metals, toxic discount online viagra products of the metabolism. Since the Hoodia plant is a protected plant species it can only be sold order levitra online to an exporter who has this certificate. You’ll be able to fax your doctor prescribed towards online pharmacy, that will then fill up an easy form mentioning the name, address, and place and phone number order cheap viagra Look At This with the age of you. cheap soft cialis The situation is bound to deteriorate in the long run.
Poach the fish by simmering 6 mins in simmering water. Run under cold water and peal skin. Have cheese at room temperature.  Gently fold with fish and dill in a bowl, adding sour cream or yogurt as needed to make a smooth paste. Allow flavors to meld several  hours chilled.

Sun Dried Tomato Pate:

• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, or reconstituted in microwave*
• 4oz. Cream cheese
• 2 Tbs. butter
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8th   tsp. oregano
• 1/8th tsp basil
• ½  tsp rosemary ground or 1 tsp chopped fresh

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Allow flavors to meld, chilled overnight.

*To reconstitute tomatoes not packed in oil, break into pieces and in a microwave safe container, cover with half oil half water. Microwave on high 30 secs. And allow to sit in the oven, for 10mins. Drain, reserving liquid, and proceed as above, using as much of the liquid as needed to make a smooth paste.

Cream Cheese with Tapenade:

• 1–8oz bar cream cheeseFor the Tapenade:Small jars of this, blended to a paste, can be found in most supermarkets, and you can use it, but for this purpose, I like the presentation of it chopped and make my own. Since I always have the ingredients on hand, it’s also more economical for me, but I wing it. Here’s mine. You do what’s best for you.

• 1/3 cup black olives roughly chopped
• 1 Tbs. pimento stuffed green olives roughly chopped
• 2 Tbs. sundried tomatoes, packed in oil or reconstituted, roughly chopped
• 1Tbs. onion finely diced
• 2 tsp.  capers – if large slightly chopped
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Only enough oil to moisten
• Drop of lemon juice –optional

Refrigerate everything in a sealed  jar for at least a week before using, checking occasionally to adjust seasonings—a touch of pepper or more garlic

To serve: Plate cheese. Slowly pour the Tapenade diagonally over the top. Surround with crackers and serve. The Tapenade, with chopped fresh tomatoes, is also an excellent bruschetta topping .

All the appetizers should be served with table water crackers, melba rounds or thin slices of bread, cut in fingers and toasted. No chips please!

ENTREES
Cornish Hens with Wild Rice and Grapes

• 1–box white and wild rice mix—prepared
• 2 Cornish hens
• 1—10oz can CONDENSED chicken broth—not the 14oz broth
• 2Tbs, cornstarch- scant- nearer 1 ½ Tbs.
• ¼  tsp poultry seasoning
• ½ lb seedless grapes- white or red

Thaw the hens. Make sure they’re clean inside and soak them in salted water for 20 mins. Rinse well and stuff with the rice. Place in a snug fitting roasting pan, but not touching, with about ¼ inch of water. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 1hr. 15 mins. To 1 ½ hrs. checking to maintain water level and basting occasionally. When cooked, use the water in the pan to scrape up the browned bits and add to the broth for gravy. For a leisurely approach, do this at the end of the first hour. Put the hens back in the oven on a piece of lightly oiled or release foil, partially covered, at 225 degrees for another hour, checking occasionally. Gives time to dress and have the appetizers.

Meanwhile, put the broth in a pan, add the poultry seasoning and dissolve the cornstarch in it, then set aside.  Stem the grapes and put them in a microwave safe dish with 1 Tbs. water.

When ready to serve, bring the broth to a slow boil, stirring constantly until thickened, about 3 mins.

Microwave the grapes 30sec, just to warm. Plate the hens and the grapes. Serve the gravy on the side.

All that’s needed with this entree is a salad of greens with a light vinaigrette.

Pork Chops Basil

• 8—1/2/inch center cut pork chops, with or without bone-well trimmed of fat
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 Tbs basil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 8oz Apricot nectar
• 2Tbs. Scotch, rye or brandy (optional)

Sprinkle 1Tsp. Basil in the bottom of a roasting pan that will hold the chops snugly without overlapping. Put the flour in a plastic bag and shake each chop to lightly coat. Sprinkle ½ the garlic powder over the bottom of the chops before putting in the pan, and the other ½ over the top when in place. Sprinkle remaining basil over all. Cover and bake 250degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, allow steam to escape and refrigerate up to 48hrs. Chops can be frozen at this point, and kept for two weeks. When well chilled, pour nectar over mixed with liquor, if using. Place oven rack on baking level, preheat broiler and broil until sauce thickens and chops appear glazed. Do not brown. Serve at once.

Salmon in Lemon Caper Sauce

• 2—5oz salmon fillets—skin removed
• 1/2Tbs butter
• ½ medium onion chopped fine
• 2Tbs. oil
• ¼ cup white wine
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1Tbs. Capers
• 1/8 tsp lemon pepper-or to taste

Melt butter and pour over fish on a lightly oiled foil covered baking sheet. Bake at 350degrees for 8mins per inch of thickness of fish, @20mins.
Meanwhile, saute onion in 1Tbs. Of the oil until soft, add balance of oil, capers, wine and lemon pepper. Simmer gently while salmon cooks and allow to reduce a bit. Test for taste. Add more lemon pepper if needed. Sauce should be lemony but not bitter. Sauce can be made ahead to this point, but  reheat before adding sour cream.  Add sour cream and just warm through. Plate fish, pour sauce over and serve.

These last two entrees are from my book Dinners With Joy. Because the sauces are so flavorful, a non starchy green vegetable, cooked to crisp tenderness with a dab of butter or a pinch of lemon pepper suits them.  Another easy accompaniment is a can of small whole potatoes, drained and rolled in 1 tsp. melted butter on a foil lined sheet, then broiled ’til golden. They can be done early in the day and reheated, partially covered, as the entree cooks.

DESSERTS
Classic Burnt Almond Ice Cream Sunday

• 1—2.5oz packet slivered almonds
• Sliver of butter melted
• Salt
• Vanilla ice cream
• Chocolate sauce

On a foil lined sheet, roll the almonds in the melted butter. Bake at 325 degrees until very dark brown-burnt-almost black. Sprinkle with salt and cool on paper towels. Coarsely chop them and set aside. Place two scoops of ice cream uncovered in the freezer to firm. These steps can be done hours in advance. When ready to serve, or nearly so, divide the nuts into two portions and roll each ice cream ball in one, completely covering it. Can be kept in the freezer for a short while, but don’t risk the nuts becoming soggy. Plate and pour the chocolate sauce over, add any additional garnish, and serve.

Mock Chocolate Steamed Pudding—This can be made in a crock pot or in the oven

• 1—pkg. Brownie mix—2 cups
• 1 egg
• 1Tbs oil
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup hot water
• 2Tbs. baking cocoa

Mix first 4 ingredients by hand in a bowl. Pour into a lightly greased 3 ½ to 4 qt crock pot or into a lightly greased 8 inch oven proof dish with 2 inch sides. Mix last 3 ingredients and pour evenly over the batter. Cook in crock pot on high for 2-2 ½ hrs. Allow to cool 30 mins before serving. Or bake in a preheated 350degree oven for 30 mins, or until pudding is set. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Meringue Glace

The basic recipe for meringues is given in my second blog listing party recipes, and you’ll never regret learning to make them. They’re easy, economical, take on any flavor, have a variety of uses and keep for weeks in tins. Soft, they can be frosting, poached they make “floating islands”. Hard they can be pie shells, or replace cake layers in torts the french call dacquoises. They can be baked like drop cookies, or, my favorite, made in bite size, be eaten like candy.

Usually, in this dessert, they’re large cookie size and hug a ball of ice cream like earmuffs, but small ones can form a base under the ice cream or form a ring around it. Then sauce is poured over the ice cream and garnishes added, whipped cream, cherries etc.
The flavors are whatever you want them to be: Maple meringues with coffee or butter pecan  ice cream and butterscotch  sauce, almond meringues with chocolate ice cream and sauce, vanilla meringues with peach ice cream and raspberry sauce , the choices are endless.

Or you can, optionally,sprinkle bite sized meringues with colored  sugar crystals for the occasion, red this time, and serve them with coffee and a liqueur. Or serve them with:

Viennese Coffee
In the  bottom of each regular coffee cup, mix into a paste:

• 1 tsp. baking cocoa
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbs. cream

Fill the cup with strong coffee and top with sweetened whipped cream.

So whether you’re cooking an intimate dinner for two, or for a small dinner party the important thing is that you relax and enjoy yourself and if you find a recipe you like, remember,it can always be modified to fit the number of people you plan on serving.

Next we’re going to look at restaurant dining as compared to dining at home.