Art & Life

Budget-friendly Valentine’s Day recipes

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CHICKEN & PASTA

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 pound chicken breasts sliced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1⁄4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1⁄4 cup fresh basil (if using dried basil, use only 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3⁄4 cup Parmesan cheese keep out 1⁄4cup for garnish
  • 1 pound linguine or fettuccine pasta, add salt to pasta water while cooking

Directions:

In large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic. Add chicken breast and cook for 15-18 minutes until chicken is cooked through and onions are tender. Add salt and pepper.

Add sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, heavy cream, chicken broth, and 1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese. (you can also blend the tomatoes, basil, cream, and broth in blender before adding to pan if you desire a creamy sauce).

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Generously salt your pasta water. Drain.

Let sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Toss sauce with cooked and drained pasta.

Top with remaining 1⁄4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Season to taste.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Ingredients:

• 40 maraschino cherries with stems, drained well
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup white chocolate morsels

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Pat cherries dry with paper towels.

Melt chocolates separately in stainless steel bowl set over pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth.

Holding stem of cherry, dip cherry into melted chocolate to coat. Coat half of cherry in white chocolate and half in semisweet chocolate, if desired. Transfer chocolate-dipped cherry to prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cherries and melted chocolate.

Refrigerate for about 40 minutes or until set.

TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Ingredients:

  • 2 baked potatoes
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup milk or half and half
  • 1 ounce olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup bacon bits
  • red bell pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • additional salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Clean potatoes.

Dry with a towel. Then rub with oliveoil.

Sprinkle with salt.

Pierce potatoes with a fork.

Place potatoes in a pie dish. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Or, microwave covered with wet paper towel until done; about 5 to 8 minutes.

Let cool.

While still somewhat warm cut potatoes in half longways. Using a spoon, carefully cull out potatoes within 1/4” from the skin. Place hollowed potato to the side.

Combine culled potato, milk, and butter. Mix until smooth.

Fold in sour cream, Swiss, and cheddar cheese until well blended. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Fill potato skins with mixture.

Bake potatoes for another 15 minutes in the oven or 2-3 minutes in microwave.

Top with chopped green onion and bacon bits.

Categories: Art & Life, Recipes