I remember my Grandmother always saying that “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Personally, I would amend the saying to “the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach.”, but still the idea is still true enough. There is just something about sharing a delicious meal that makes you want to linger at the table and savor the company and the meal slowly.   And if someone has taken the time to actually prepare that meal for you, then it is even more special and warms your heart just that much more.

With Valentine’s Day approaching you are probably contemplating a special meal with your beloved.  Instead of immediately reaching for the phone to make a reservation, consider making a meal at home together.  Often it is more affordable and more intimate, and best of all, with a few simple tips a homemade meal can be just a delicious as if you went out.

 Below is my suggestion for your Valentine’s Day dinner.  The meal starts with Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta for Two.  I love this recipe because it is so incredibly easy and you make it in about 15 minutes from start to finish.  The recipe calls for a little wine.  I like to use a good bottle of chardonnay so I can serve the remaining bottle with the meal.  If you and your valentine don’t drink or just don’t like wine, you could easily use 1/4 cup of the pasta water (from when you were cooking the orzo) in the place of the wine in the recipe.

Speaking of that orzo, this may be a pasta that is new to some of you.  It is a small pasta that looks almost like oversized rice.  I like it because it cooks so quickly and it is just fun to eat.  If you don’t have any orzo pasta you could substitute a different pasta like small elbow, small bowties or whatever you have on hand.

Finally, no Valentine’s Day meal would be complete without some dessert. So, I have included that too – Maple Baked Bananas.  It takes only a couple of minutes to assemble.  You can pop it in the oven when you sit down to eat dinner and it will be ready and waiting for you when you are done with dinner.  I like this recipe as is, but it is also pretty tasty poured over vanilla ice cream.  You can decide which way you like it best.

So there you have it – a gourmet meal that you can make with your sweetheart that is simple and memorable.  Give it a try and let me know if Grandmother was right.

Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta for Two

Prep time 5 minutes  Cook Time: 15 minutes  Makes: 2-3 servings

•  1 (12 oz.) package of SeaPak® Shrimp Scampi, frozen
• 1 cup orzo
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped flat leave parsley
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1 green onion, sliced (optional)

COOK orzo pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain then pour into a medium size casserole dish.

PREHEAT large skillet on medium high for 2 minutes.

PLACE frozen shrimp in skillet and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add red pepper flakes and stir.  Continue sautéing for 1 minute.

ADD tomatoes and white wine to the skillet with shrimp.  Sauté mixture for 5-8 minutes until shrimp are fully cooked. Turnon the oven broiler to preheat. Remove skillet from heat.  Stir in oregano and parsley.  

POUR shrimp mixture into casserole dish over pasta.  Stir the shrimp mixture and pasta together.  Sprinkle feta crumbles over the shrimp and pasta.

PLACE casserole dish under the broiler for 2-4 minutes until mixture is bubbly and the cheese gets a touch of brown on top.  (Keep a close eye on the casserole while it is under the broiler.) Remove casserole dish from the oven.  Spoon into serving dishes.  Garnish with green onions if desired.  Serve hot.

Maple Baked Bananas

Prep Time: 3 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes

• 2 bananas
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon pecan chips

 
PREHEAT oven 350 degrees.

SLICE bananas into a small baking dish.

PUT maple syrup and butter in a small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 35 seconds or until butter is melted.  Stir the mixture to combine.

POUR maple mixture over the bananas.  Sprinkle pecan chips over the bananas.

BAKE bananas for 20 minutes.  Serve warm.