I realize Valentine's Day has all sorts of connotations, both positive and negative.

To me, it is a day to cook the dishes I can not otherwise justify buying or cooking.

My menu for tonight seems vast, but please keep in mind I am cooking small portions of everything, even if the recipe calls for more.


Appetizer

Cheese Fondue

My brother bought us a fondue pot when we were married. So far we have used it for chocolate and fruits. I am excited to use it for cheese.

Ingredients

1/2 pound Brie cheese, rinds off, cut into small squares or slices
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon cornstarch or corn flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
Heart Shaped Bread (see next recipe)

Fondue Pot

Directions

Coat the inside of the fondue pot with oil. Toss the cheese with the corn starch until coated. Pour in the wine and coated cheese and cook until the cheese is melted and combined with the wine. In a saucepan, sautee the garlic and shallot in a little oil, until the garlic begins to turn brown. Add the garlic and shallot mixture to the fondue pot. Serve with bread.




Heart-shaped Herb Bread

I didn't buy him candy; SOMETHING has to be heart shaped.

Ingredients

1 package yeast
About 4 cups of flour
1 tablespoon of oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme

Heart-shaped bread tube

Directions

Set yeast in 1/4 cup warm water for five minutes. In a large bowl, mix yeast, oil, salt, herbs and 2 cups of flour until combined thoroughly. Add flour until the mixture is thick and dough-like. Knead for 5-10 minutes. Let rise for about two hours.

Oil the bread tube. Take about a handful of dough and stuff the tube leaving about an inch on either end (or the dough will spill out when it cooks). Cook at 400 for about 60 minutes, or until a knife in the bread comes out clean. Slice so you have little pieces of heart-shaped bread and serve with the fondue. Freeze the rest of the dough for future pizza-making enjoyment.






First Course

Mussels






Second Course

Steak

Just straight-up steak here, people. Cooked in steak sauce on the stove. I doubt you need instructions, but if you do...Pan grilled steak

The only difference is I use steak sauce instead of just olive oil.





Side

I saw this recipe on Daisy Cooks

Garlic Green Beans


Ingredients


Roasted Garlic, about 1/2 bulb

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/2 lb green beans


Directions

Mix the garlic and 1/2 the stock in a blender (I'm going to thunderstick that bad boy). Satuee the green beans in a pan with the remaining stock for about five minutes. Add the garlic mix and cook for another five. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Dessert


M.M. Mim's Cooked Apples

My mom used to make this recipe when we were little. It's wicked good. Hell's yeah.


Ingredients

2 cooking apples

2 tblsp cinnamon
4 tblsp sugar
2 tblsp brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
3 or 4 small pats of butter

NB-You can add ginger, but I don't because Phil doesn't like it.

Directions
Peel the apples and cut them into slices. Mix the apples with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugars. Place in a small casserole dish with the pats of butter at even intervals. Cook at 350 until the apples are easily pierced with a fork.