Valentines Day Ideas: Date Night.

 

Valentines Day Ideas: Date Night.

Easy to make, easy to eat, this dish is a go-to for weeknight dinners.

 

Ingredients:  -1 pound rigatoni pasta  -3 tablespoons unsalted butter  -2 cups finely chopped onion  -2 cloves garlic, minced or grated  -1 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon black pepper

-2 cups cooked and coarsely chopped broccoli florets (about 1-inch pieces)

-5 cups cooked and coarsely chopped butternut squash (about 2-inch pieces)

-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour for thickening sauce in a skillet or a shallow baking dish that can hold the pasta from boiling over when covered up with sauce. Optional: 1 cup milk

 

 

The lobster ravioli is a dish that I enjoy because the water from the lobster cooking is incorporated into the sauce. The ravioli itself is not too difficult to make, but the flavorful sauce takes more time. This dish can be prepared in advance and frozen to have it ready whenever you want it. When I prepare this dish, I add a little bit of cream before adding my other ingredients to help with mixing and add an extra dimension of flavor to my meal. It provides a satisfying appetizer for Valentine's Day or any special occasion when you are looking for something different to serve your guests or family!

 

Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Cream Sauce

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

 

Ingredients:  -1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or water, drained and chopped  -3 teaspoons olive oil  -2 cloves garlic, minced or grated  -1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves. Optional: 1/4 teaspoon salt

-Pinch red pepper flakes, optional (I leave these out)  -1 can (15 ounce) white beans, rinsed and drained -3 tablespoons all purpose flour for thickening sauce in skillet. Optional: 1 cup milk or cream1 pound rigatoni pasta

This is a vegan dish that is easy to prepare, doesn't need any meat or dairy and it has a very fresh taste. I used Trader Joe's asparagus tips because they are already pre-trimmed off the top and at a reasonable price. A large package of them will give you plenty of meal prep for future lunches, dinners and appetizers. To cook this pasta, I boil the water with salt in it before adding the asparagus tips in to cook until al dente. The sauce uses lemon juice mixed with nutritional yeast which gives this dish its vibrant color! You can substitute any vegetables in your favorite pasta dish but using veggies will not alter the flavor too much so if you just want to try something

This dish is a perfect pairing for any meal of the day. You can serve this dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is very versatile because you can easily substitute in different vegetables to create your own customized meal!

 

The pasta salad is one of my favorites when I am looking for dishes that are easy to make and don't require hours in the kitchen. This dish uses canned salmon which cuts down on cooking time and all of the ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store. The pasta salad calls for canned mandarins which cut down on preparation time because they are already peeled and seeded!

 

Ingredients:  -1 pound bowtie pasta  -14 ounces canned mandarin oranges in juice, drained

Neapolitan Chicken Meatballs with Broccoli Pesto

 

Ingredients:  -3/4 cup bread crumbs  -1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds  -1/2 teaspoon salt  -1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper  -1 large egg, beaten to blend well. Optional: 1 tablespoon water. Optional: 1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese

-1 pound ground chicken breasts or turkey thighs, raw and not cooked (2 pieces)

-10 ounces broccoli florets, cooked and cooled to room temperature (3 cups)