I am not big in celebrating Valentine's Day, but we are going to have a special family dinner this year after we all go out to a movie. Initially I was thinking that we could do something simple like a heart shaped pizza, but honestly, that is more of a pain than it is easy. So, I have a menu and it is going to be delicious.
To start the evening I will be serving the kids Shirley Temples, I am unsure of how Lily will take to these since she does not like "hot", fizzy, beverages. I plan on making Fettuccine Alfredo with Italian Arancini (rice balls), a light salad, and then a simple Jell-O Cheesecake.
Shirley Temples:
3 ounces lemon-lime soda
3 ounces ginger ale
Dash grenadine
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Pour lemon-lime soda and ginger ale into a glass with ice cubes. Then, add a dash of grenadine. Finally, stir your refreshing drink and top it off with a cherry.
Fettuccine Alfredo:
1 lb. dried fettuccine
6 tbs. unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Fresh parsley
1. Cook the fettuccine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, set over medium-high heat along with the reserved cooking liquid. Add the butter-cream mixture and half of the Parmesan and toss to combine thoroughly. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Italian Arancini
2 cups cooked white rice, cooled
½ cup grated Parmesan
3 eggs, separated
8 small cubes fresh mozzarella
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
Oil, for frying
1. Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.
2. Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.
3. Form each Arancini by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 Arancini.
4. Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs. Dip each Arancini in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.
5. Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 2 or 3 of the breaded Arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.
6. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried Arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining Arancini.
7. Serve the Arancini warm with a side of warm marinara sauce.
Do your own thing for the salad. :)
Jell-O Cheesecake:
Crust:
1 c. pretzels, crushed
1/2 c. graham crackers, crushed
4 1/2 tbs. sugar
3/4 c. butter, melted
Topping:
2 c. sliced strawberries
3 tbs. sugar
6 oz pkg. Strawberry Jell-O
Cake:
16 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the pretzels, graham crackers, 4 1/2 tbs. sugar and melted butter. Press into 9×13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. In a small bowl combine the 3 tbs. sugar and the sliced strawberries; refrigerate.
3. In a medium bowl, beat 1 c. sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip. Spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.
4. Make Jell-O according to quick set directions and mix in the strawberries. Pour over cream cheese mixture in pan. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours.
To start the evening I will be serving the kids Shirley Temples, I am unsure of how Lily will take to these since she does not like "hot", fizzy, beverages. I plan on making Fettuccine Alfredo with Italian Arancini (rice balls), a light salad, and then a simple Jell-O Cheesecake.
Shirley Temples:
3 ounces lemon-lime soda
3 ounces ginger ale
Dash grenadine
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Pour lemon-lime soda and ginger ale into a glass with ice cubes. Then, add a dash of grenadine. Finally, stir your refreshing drink and top it off with a cherry.
Fettuccine Alfredo:
1 lb. dried fettuccine
6 tbs. unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Fresh parsley
1. Cook the fettuccine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, set over medium-high heat along with the reserved cooking liquid. Add the butter-cream mixture and half of the Parmesan and toss to combine thoroughly. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.
Italian Arancini
2 cups cooked white rice, cooled
½ cup grated Parmesan
3 eggs, separated
8 small cubes fresh mozzarella
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
Oil, for frying
1. Place a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to rise 4 inches in the pot.
2. Combine the rice, Parmesan and 1 egg in a medium bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture.
3. Form each Arancini by taking a small portion of the mixture, squeezing it firmly and stuffing one cube of mozzarella inside each ball. Repeat this process to form 8 Arancini.
4. Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs. Dip each Arancini in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.
5. Once the oil reaches 375ºF, add 2 or 3 of the breaded Arancini to the pot and fry them until golden brown and cooked throughout.
6. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried Arancini from the pot and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately salt the arancini. Repeat the frying process with the remaining Arancini.
7. Serve the Arancini warm with a side of warm marinara sauce.
Do your own thing for the salad. :)
Jell-O Cheesecake:
Crust:
1 c. pretzels, crushed
1/2 c. graham crackers, crushed
4 1/2 tbs. sugar
3/4 c. butter, melted
Topping:
2 c. sliced strawberries
3 tbs. sugar
6 oz pkg. Strawberry Jell-O
Cake:
16 oz. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the pretzels, graham crackers, 4 1/2 tbs. sugar and melted butter. Press into 9×13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. In a small bowl combine the 3 tbs. sugar and the sliced strawberries; refrigerate.
3. In a medium bowl, beat 1 c. sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip. Spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.
4. Make Jell-O according to quick set directions and mix in the strawberries. Pour over cream cheese mixture in pan. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours.