Conference turris::cooks

    The easiest entree I know of would have to be Lemon Veal
    [alternately Veal Picatta]
    
    Needed:
    	1-lb. tenderized veal "round steak"
    	1 Tbsp. butter [butter is best]
    	1/2 cup chicken broth [you can make it w/bouillon]
    	dash or two of garlic powder
    	dash or two parsley and/or basil
    	1 lemon
    	1 ripe tomato
    	1/2 bell pepper
    
    In large skillet melt butter in broth over high heat. When all bubbly,
    add veal, turn down heat and saute on medium for about 10 min on
    a side. During sauteing, add garlic, ground black pepper and herbs.
    A minute or two beforedone top with chopped up tomato and bell pepper
    and squeeze lemon over the lot.
    
    This is wonderful served with a rice pilaf and steamed fresh spinach.
    
    Also a bottle of wine.  My recommendation would be Pouligny Montrachet
    if you like white.

    My daughter recently had the same request.  
    
    She served Cornish Hens with crabmeat stuffing, wild rice, baby
    buttered carrots, white wine, and a chocolate mousse.
    
    Here are the directions for the cornish hens
    
    Stuffing
    
    1 cup fine breadcrumbs
    1/2 cup Half and half
    1 clove garlic (more if you don't plan to get romantic after dinner)
    1/2 stick butter or margerine
    1 6oz can crabmeat
    fresh ground pepper
    1 small onion
    
   melt butter in small frypan, saute crushed garlic clove and chopped
    onion until golden, remove from heat.  mix drained crabmeat with
    onion. Put breadcrumbs in small bowl, add onion and crabmeat, half
    and half, fresh pepper.  Stuff hens, roast at 350F for approx 50
    min. 

    I suggest you cook the chicken that the recipe is in note 65 using
    Perdue oven stuffer breast thin slices.
    
    Make some sort of rice like Near East Rice Pilef (sp) and a salad.
    
    My suggestion for a salad is Spinach I will list my recipe below.
    
    My main suggestion for a romantic evening is it doesn't matter what
    you cook and the less the amount of time in the kitchen the better.
    Make sure you have a good bottle of wine, a fancy table setting
    and lots of candle light.
    
    As far a dessert I suggest a scoop of sherbet or sorbet in a champagne
    glass topped with champagne.  Looks great, tastes great, very little
    work and very romantic.
    
    Spinach salad:
    
    Spinach stems removed and washed
    Mushrooms
    Crisp cooked bacon
    Hard boiled egg
    waterchestnuts
    Dressing Kraft Miracle French
    
    Just put in the ingredients to taste, for 2 I use spinach amd mushrooms
    to fill the bowl and about 4 pieces of bacon crumbled, 1 or 2 eggs
    chopped and sliced waterchestnuts to taste.
    
    Note:  Don't put on the dressing until ready to serve the salad.
    
    Judie
    
    

    A similar dish to the veal, and a lot cheaper, is to use pork. 
    You can even cut the meat from a pork chop, pound it to about a
    quarter of an inch and maybe even cut it so that the pieces are
    only about two inches in diameter...then put in a egg wash, then
    bread crumbs and spice however you like....When all fried add some
    white wine and about a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
    and deglaze the pan.
    
    As for veggies, I think nothing looks nicer than about five BABY
    fried carrots...actually, I think I microwaved them then put in
    fry pan with a little sugar to glaze them...  For potatoes, buy
    baby red potatoes, with a potatoe peeler peel one strip around the
    middle...microwave...then when done, put in a pan with some melted
    mutter and sprinkle with parsley.
    
    Put all on a plate, alone with a bunch of curly parsley and you
    will have one decent looking dinner.
    
    For appetizers my favorite, although its a lot of work, is a tomatoe
    stuffed with a mixture of bread crumbs, diced ham, boiled egg, and
    spices...Quick and easy is about four shrimp in a dish covered with
    your favorite bread crumb mixture ( mine is a combo of bread crumbs,
    mustard, worcestershire sauce, butter, salt, pepper,parsley) and
    baked for about 15 minutes.
    
    My favorite dessert, although it has to be made the day before,
    is chocolate mousse...although a Tia Marie will end it nicely.
    
    Some candles, soft music, and the kids at the inlaws and you are
    in for ONE GOOD EVENING!!!!
    
    HAVE FUN
    
    RICK

    Here's a couple of easy suggestions.  Although the crabmeat stuffing
    in .2 sounds absolutely wonderful, I simply prepare a package of
    Uncle Ben's Brown & Wild Rice (regular, not quick cooking) and stuff
    the Cornish game hens with the rice.  Fastest stuffing I know of
    and good.
    
    I've prepared the following dish so often from memory that I can't
    find the recipe any longer so some of this may be inexact.
    
    			CHICKEN AND WILD RICE
    
    2-3 # chicken parts
    1 pkg Dry Onion Soup Mix
    1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
    2 pkg Uncle Ben's Brown & Wild Rice (use only one pkg of seasoning
    					 mix)
    or
    1 pkg Uncle Ben's Brown & Wild Rice + 1 cup plain white rice (don't
    			use brown rice; it takes much longer to cook)
    
    Pour rice in the bottom of a large baking dish.  Layer the chicken
    on top of the rice.  Mix onion soup, cream of mushroom soup, the 
    seasoning packet from the Uncle Ben's rice package, and 2 soup cans
    of water together.  Pour over the chicken and rice.  Lift chicken
    pieces to be sure liquid gets underneath.  Bake at 350 deg for 
    about an hour.  Taste the rice and poke the chicken to see if they
    are done.
    
    I serve a salad or ratatouille with it.  Also, a nice German Riesling
    wine goes well with it.  I haven't been allowed to think about desserts
    for months so you are on your own there.
    
    Tell us how your dinner turns out,
    
    Donna
                                                              

    Re:  .1  You can also substitute boneless chicken breasts for this
             recipe.
    
    As already mentioned by others, good wine and candlelight are the
    key to a romantic dinner.  But one of my favorite entrees to go
    along with that is steak au poivre (sp?).  I use either a shoulder
    steak (london broil) or a NY shell steak.  Cover both sides of the
    steak liberally (to taste) with very coarsely ground black pepper
    (you can crack whole peppercorns with a mallet if you wish, but
    that's a lot of work!).  Sprinkle some salt in a heavy skillet and
    heat the pan til it's hot.  Add the steak and sear for about one
    minute on each side, then transfer the steak to a pre-heated broiler
    to finish cooking--about 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. 
    I think the steak tastes best cooked medium rare.  While the steak
    is broiling, add about 4 Tbl. butter to the skillet and melt it,
    scraping up the bits of meat and pepper that have stuck.  Add f
    a few shakes of dried chives, maybe a teaspoon of worcestershire,
    a dash of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of brandy or red wine.  Simmer
    this for a couple of minutes to let the alcohol burn off, then pour
    it over the steak when you remove it from the broiler.  Add a baked
    potato and some green beans or brocolli--very simple!  
    
    Oh--this goes well with a Cabernet Sauvignon.
    
    For an appetizer, you could try Greek Egg-Lemon soup.  I have a
    real easy recipe at home--will try to remember to bring it in, but
    you should be able to find a recipe in many cookbooks.
    
    Have fun!

    re: .6  Forgot to tell you to press the pepper into the steak with
    the palm of your hand!

    I've found the key to a romantic dinner is to serve things that
    are either pre-done or are in the oven. I usually will start with
    a collection of cheese and pate served with crackers. Arrange it
    all beforehand and place it back in the fridge until your ready
    to start. (leaving it out is ok because many cheeses and pates taste
    better at room temp). The salad is prepared with the exception of
    the dressing being poured on. I usually do a ceaser salad. Easy
    to prepare and eat (no things to stab on the plate). For the main
    entree I will usually do Cornish game hens with a brandy-cherry
    sauce. You cannot beat the hens. Have them all ready to be put in
    the oven when your guest arrives or you're ready to start your
    evening. They take about an hour to cook so this gives you plenty
    of time to set the mood for the evening and not jump right into
    dinner. They need to be basted every 15 minutes, the perfect
    amount of time to get up and refill your wine glass while basting.
    I serve them with a wild rice which involves one pot and little
    care. For a vegetable I will usually do something green, steamed
    of course. So have your veggie in the steamer in the pot ready to
    be turned on. Thet only steam for a few minutes, so while you're
    putting the dressing on and getting the hens out of the oven and
    on their plates, they are steaming. For dessert, it is again made
    ahead. Cheese cake is always a favorite with us. Pick something
    you can make the day/night before. It's one less thing to do that
    night. 
    My philosophy is that a romantic evening means you are spending
    it with the one you want to, not hunched over a stove with an
    apron on. Pick recipes that show a simple elegance. The simple 
    comes in their preparation. Elegance is in the presentation
    and taste. 
    
    If this is an impromptu event, we will usually run out to a gourmet
    store, select some fun and interesting prepared foods bring them
    home and have an indoor picnic. If you've got children, either
    wait until they are in bed to start your evening. If they are
    young enough, they will be in bed probably by 8:00. If they are
    older, put them in the family room or wherever the TV is, and
    you have your party in the living room. My kids certainly understand
    that we need time together and instead of going out we want to 
    stayt home. Don't make a romantic evening with someone, something
    that is secretive or forbidden. Kids understand and you're teaching
    them to respect your relationship with each other. (sorry to go
    off on a tangent)
    The K.I.S.S. rule applies here - Keep It Simple Sweetheart!!!!!

    
    I'm going to be making a special dinner for someone and I need some
    help!  The big problem is that he won't eat red meat!  He tends
    to eat a lot of chicken so I'm trying to find something different.
    Does anyone know any romantic seafood dishes or something DIFFERENT
    to do with chicken?  I haven't seen any vegetarian dish that would
    go over well for a romantic evening but if you have any suggestions
    on those they would be appreciated as well.
    
    Thanks 
    Beth

	To begin:

		Healthy slice of melon (favorite or seasonal)
				covered with
		Slices of Proscuitto Ham (not much, 3 or 4 strips)

	To continue:

		Your favorite salad ....

			mine is Caesar ... but fresh fruit
					   with a Yogurt dressing

	To interlude:

		A small scoop of sherbert with champagne

	
	The main:

		Something I call "Lobster ala Exeter"

		Cook two lobsters as you would (can be done
		before hand).  Remove lobster meat.  Slice
		whole pineapple in half.  Remove the pine-
		apple meat leaving two "boats".  Sautee
		lobster gently in butter, shallots, a drizzle
		of white wine, and a bit of the pineapple.
		
		After a few moments, return the sauteed 
		lobster meat to the pineapple boats and
		smother in Hollandaise Sauce.  Quickly
		broil until sauce bubbles and turns golden
		brown.

	On the Side:

		How bout small portion of linguine with
		olive oil and garlic ... use your imagin-
		ation.

	For dessert:

		A cheese board with fresh apple slices

	Wine:

		Your choice, but with the main course
		I _really_ enjoy a chilled rose!


			BON APPETITE!

    re: .10
    
    See note 1046 for some filling, great-tasting vegetarian recipes.
    I would serve the Brocolli Strudel as elegant entree...  why not!
    
    Karen

    Chicken St.Moritz
    -----------------
    
    Chicken breast in thin fillets
    thinly sliced ham**
    boursin cheese
    puff pastry [store-bought or otherwise]
    unsalted butter [NOT margarine]
    fresh mushroom/white wine gravy
                       
    layer ham on top of chicken.  wrap around pice of butter about the
    size and shape of your little finger and a piece of cheese about
    the size of two fingers held together. encase in puff pastry, make
    vents and bake at 400F about 20 minutes [pastry should be golden
    and flaky]. Top with gravy.
    
      ** steamed spinach can be substituted if ham will not be tolerated.
         I do not have the name of the new dish, though.
    
    Serve accompanied by steamed baby asparagus and baby carrots.
    
    Also, a dry white wine wouldn't hurt.
    
      Annie 
    

			Crab Stuffed Trout (or baby salmon)

FRESH whole trouts (1 per person) or 1 small whole salmon (cohoe I think)
dressed and ready to bake.

about 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups Shredded cooked crab meat.

Paper thin slices of onion, lemon.

Seasoned bread crumbs and chopped chives mixed up real well.
A little chicken broth or court boullion (fish broth)
approx. 1/2 stick margarine or butter.

Fresh dill weed for ganish.

Simple mix the cooked crab meat with bread crumbs, just enough broth
to moisten, and a generous dollup of melted butter.  Fill cavity of
each fish with a generous helping of stuffing.  Place fish in buttered
baking dish, place onion slices and lemon slices on fish, cover baking
pan and bake.  How long to bake depends on weight of fish...check your
cook books (I think approx 30 minutes for the trout and a little more
for the salmon is about right) bake at 350 degrees until the fish
flakes nicely and the flesh is opaque.  Serve whole on platter with
lots of fresh dill as decoration.

You can serve this with hollendaise, or I just server fresh lemon
halves wrapped in cheesecloth so seeds don't get into dinner.

Fresh steamed broccoli and carrots dressed with melted butter and
slivered almonds, a fresh melon soup as a starter and a fresh
fruit tart as a finish strikes me as a perfect dinner....of course,
this dinner can support a nice dry white wine or even champagne.

    Any recipe that requires ham and chicken can be made with the 
    new turkey or chicken hams.  This gives the salty/spicy ham
    flavor without using pork.  The poultry hams still contain
    nitrates and a lot of salt, though.
    
    --Louise

    Well, I'm going to try the chicken/ham rolls in puff pastry - sounds
    yummy!  I make a variation - ham and cheese rolled in chicken breast
    fillets and baked in a Dijon-cream sauce.  
    
    Set the table with linens and china, line up some background music,
    install a dimmer switch for the light over your table and unplug
    the phone!
    
    TW

    If I need to impress someone and don't have much time to do it, I
    usually make something like the following:
    
    Shrimp scampi over angel hair pasta OR fettucine alla carbonara
    Orange almond salad
    Steamed asparagus in lemon butter
    Ice cream with raspberry brandy sauce
    
    I don't use quantities very much while I'm cooking, so please excuse
    the inexact nature of these recipes.
    
    Shrimp Scampi
    
    Get 8 or 10 large or jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined.  Place them in
    an ovenproof baking dish.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Melt a
    stick of butter in a saucepan.  Add 1/2 cup of olive oil and a teaspoon
    of chopped garlic (get the stuff in jars if you lack time).  Stir
    all together, and when the mixture is heated through, take it off the
    stove and pour it onto the shrimp.  Put the shrimp in the oven for
    10-12 minutes, until cooked.
    
    Buy fresh pasta at the supermarket; it takes 2 minutes to cook.
    
    Fettucine alla Carbonara
    
    Buy fresh fettucine noodles and make them.
    While you're doing so, grate 2 cups of parmesan cheese (or buy it
    already ground at the deli).  Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan.
    Heat an ovenproof baking dish in your oven.  When the noodles are done,
    drain them.  Take the dish out of the oven and place the drained noodles
    into it.  Pour a little of the melted butter on top, then an equal
    quantity of whipping cream, then a tablespoonful or so of the grated
    cheese.  Toss.  Repeat until you've used all the butter, an equal
    portion of the cream, and enough grated cheese to give you the thick
    and creamy sauce.  Shake some coars-ground black pepper over the top
    and serve.
    
    Orange-Almond Salad
    
    Put the following in a salad bowl:
    
    Lettuce (preferably Boston lettuce or romaine)
    Canned mandarin oranges
    Sliced almonds
    
    Shake some parsley over the top, and add some Newman's Own Salad
    Dressing.  Toss and serve.
    
    Raspberry Brandy Sauce
    
    I much prefer Breyer's Vanilla Bean ice cream with this, but Ben and
    Jerry's will certainly do.
    
    Take a can of raspberries (frozen or preserved) and open into a
    saucepan.  Heat gently over the stove.  When the raspberries start
    getting warm and mushy, add just a teaspoon of brandy (I like Irish
    Mist, though, when I have it around).  Stir until hot, and pour over
    the ice cream.
    
    Candles are definitely a good part of the atmosphere, and I prefer
    Bach's Lute Music for the background.
    
    Good luck.  It works for me.  :-)
    
    --Karen