Your own Valentine’s Day dinner

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore. — Songwriter Jack Brooks, That’s Amore

Food from the heart is food for the soul. Cooking for your special someone makes the occasion more sincere, giving it a personal touch and adding smiles on Valentine’s Day. It is more fun than dialing the number of your favorite restaurant to make a reservation.

I always mention in class that the best recipes are simple, easy dishes, and preparing dinner doesn’t have to be difficult or complex.

Recipe composition is important as are factors like knowing how many people are to be served, preparation time, their likes and dislikes, and your own style which you would like to share.

Here are some tips for dinner on your special hearts’ day.

Kiss

That stands for “Keep it simple, silly.” It’s just dinner, not rocket science. You don’t need to make a seven-course meal to show your love. A maximum of three dishes is good enough. It is a good number because it gives you enough time to get ready, freshen up after cooking, set the table and still be a relaxed, charming, gracious host. Nobody likes a tired or harassed evening. Besides, it’s not quantity, it’s quality that is the key. Break it down to either soup or salad for the first course, rice or pasta or meat or seafood, and a simple dessert to finish the night. It is important to know if your guests are allergic to any ingredient, and knowing what their favorites are. Paying attention to details shows you care.

Preparation

Chance favors the prepared mind. Do not make the mistake of doing this dinner at the last minute. Make a checklist of the ingredients to be used. Shop ahead of time. Canvass, choose and substitute in case an item isn’t available. Before cooking, organize. Measure all ingredients using measuring cups, spoons and weighing scales. Place all ingredients on a tray according to sequence, so you will not get confused. Give yourself one hour to prepare, one hour to cook. Nobody wants to panic. So if you want to be calm, cool and collected like a good boy scout, always be prepared.

Sequence

Make the dessert first. Baked desserts often take time and are best eaten chilled. Soup is best served hot; in case it gets cold, reheat in the microwave. For salad, keep vegetables refrigerated until ready to serve. Wash well to remove dirt particles. Make the dressing and pour over just before serving. I like making pasta because you can cook it ahead of time and refrigerate. When ready to eat, dunk it in boiling water for two minutes, remove, plate, and top with sauce. Topping with olive oil adds flavor and gives an extra shine to your food.

Presentation

Food should not only taste good but should look good. Invest in nice plates, because they attract the visual senses. Be creative. Use a food ring or a giant doughnut cutter to help structure the food as done in hotels and restaurants. Add your personal style; nothing beats originality because it’s sincere.

Reggie Baylosis’ Creamy Mango Salad

For the salad:

1 250-gram package mixed greens (assorted lettuce available in the chiller section of supermarkets)

1 fresh mango, remove pit, and make balls using a melon baller

1 184-gram can Century tuna chunks or solid, drained, cut up

225 grams Magnolia cream cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch cubes

For the dressing:

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup crushed mango flesh

1 tablespoon McCormick poppy seeds

1 tablespoon McCormick white onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Wash and drain well the mixed greens.

Mix all ingredients for the dressing in a bowl.

To assemble:

Arrange chilled greens in a bowl. Top with the remaining ingredients. Cover with cling film. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle with dressing.

Miggy Villalon Valentine Prawn Pasta

1 500-gram pack fettuccini pasta, cooked according to package directions

For the prawns:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 small red chilies (siling labuyo), cut up

1 big clove peeled and crushed garlic

1/2 kilo medium-sized prawns, about 16 pieces, or 1/2 kilo big shrimps, peel and leave the tails intact

2 teaspoons rock salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, for topping.

For the sauce:

500 grams Hunt’s party spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup bottled taba ng talangka

In a deep frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add chili, garlic, and cook until garlic is light brown. Add prawns, salt and pepper. Stir until prawns turn pink. Transfer to one side of serving plate. Top with fresh basil leaves.

Put spaghetti sauce in the pan where you cooked the prawns with the taba ng talangka. Let boil.

Dunk pre-cooked pasta in boiling water. Drain well. Top with spaghetti sauce.

Mario Mendoza and Arlene Arceo’s Chocolate Cake

For the cake:

1 cup softened Magnolia Gold butter

2-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1-1/4 cups Ricoa breakfast cocoa

1-1/2 cups Magnolia fresh milk, cold

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the icing:

1 tall can condensed milk

1/4 cup Magnolia Gold butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350°F or 175°C.

Line a 9x13x2-inch pan with waxed paper or use 12 one-cup capacity Bundt pans. (Available at Cooks Exchange, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City.) Grease bottom and sides with butter.

For the cake:

Beat in a big bowl at high speed with a hand mixer the butter, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla. When mixture is creamy, add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended.

Turn mixer to low speed and add the cocoa, cold milk, and flour.

When mixture is almost blended, raise speed to high and beat for two more minutes.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. If using the mini Bundt pans, fill until 2/3 full, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool. Remove from pan.

For the icing:

Put in a pressure cooker the can of condensed milk with enough water to cover the top of the can. Be sure to peel the paper label to avoid staining the insides of the pressure cooker. Cook for 20 minutes. Cool the pressure cooker before opening. Let the can cool down before opening.

Melt over low fire the butter and chocolate chips. Put in a bowl with the cooked condensed milk. Beat until creamy. Drizzle or spread over top of cake(s).

Tip:

An undented cooked can of condensed milk (dulce de leche) will last a year at room temperature, so I suggest you cook six cans at a time.

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