How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

We use to always get together at my parent's home when they were both
still living, and I'd always make a special dessert, and usually a salad
of some kind.

For the past few years my hubby and I go out to our favorite restaurant
for dinner. They have a special menu just for that day with several
choices.

Judy

"Judy Haffner" wrote in message
...

How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

We use to always get together at my parent's home when they were both
still living, and I'd always make a special dessert, and usually a salad
of some kind.

For the past few years my hubby and I go out to our favorite restaurant
for dinner. They have a special menu just for that day with several
choices.

Nope. That's a Tuesday so dance classes as usual. Must have a quick meal
before classes start. I might get some Valentine's paper plates but that
would be it.

Judy wrote:

How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

We use to always get together at my parent's home when they were both
still living, and I'd always make a special dessert, and usually a salad
of some kind.

For the past few years my hubby and I go out to our favorite restaurant
for dinner. They have a special menu just for that day with several
choices.

Lin and I make special dinners for February 13th and for February 14th.
(We call February 13 "Proposal Day" since that's the date I proposed to
her.)

We have somewhat soured on going out to dinner on that night; we find
that restaurant standards plummet on that night, presumably because of
the ravening hordes of diners.

This year Lin is making dinner on Proposal Day and I'm making dinner on
Valentine's Day. I don't know what she's planning to cook but here's my
latest menu draft:


APPETIZER
Poached celery with shrimp

MAIN COURSE
Chicken livers with blood-orange glaze and segments
Mashed cauliflower
Mixed greens

DRIFTING TOWARD DESSERT
Farina timbale with candied red bell pepper

DESSERT
Apricot clafouti (made using dried apricots reconstituted in plum wine)


Bob

Bob Terwilliger wrote:

Lin and I make special dinners for February 13th and for February 14th.
(We call February 13 "Proposal Day" since that's the date I proposed to
her.)

Well! You two certainly have a better history of those 2 days than I do.

About 25 years ago, my wife left me (and our 7-year-old daughter). She said
she was tired of being a wife and a mother and she ran off with her boss who
was also married. How "soap opera" is that? hahahaha

Anyway, the day she left was February 13 and it was Friday the 13th too that
year! Good one.

Not only that, it was the day before Valentine's Day. ARRGHHHHH! That hurt
even worse. She couldn't have timed it better to hurt me.

That was probably the lowest point in my life. So on Saturday (VT day) I
needed to get out of the house so I took my daughter to the local roller
rink for some skating. Even the roller rink was evil (to me) that day.
Every 3rd song (and roller session) they announced, "It's Valentine's Day so
this next session is couples-only." oh man.

"That which doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?"

That's all ancient history now though. I've had a great life since and the
best thing is that I got to raise my daughter by myself and be there for her
all of her growing years. Yeah...even the annoying teenage years. Much
better than paying child support and rarely seeing her. I was her
elementary school's very first male "room mother." :-D

Gary

On Feb 8, 1:17*am, (Judy Haffner) wrote:
How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

I buy a live lobster to cook for my wife. I serve here the tail and
big claw pieces with lemon butter. Then I too the head and liver, and
painstakingly remove all the tiny bits of meat from the rest of the
shell. Then I boil the shells to make broth for soup to serve her the
next day.

Judy

--Bryan

Bryan wrote:

On Feb 8, 1:17 am, (Judy Haffner) wrote:
How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

I buy a live lobster to cook for my wife. I serve here the tail and
big claw pieces with lemon butter. Then I too the head and liver, and
painstakingly remove all the tiny bits of meat from the rest of the
shell.

Consider this, Bryan. I found it in my recipes folder and I remember it
well.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baked Stuffed Lobster

Parboil the lobsters until light red. Split and clean out the coral and
the green fat from the body cavity.

Saute onion, green pepper, celery, bread crumbs, salt, thyme,
green fat and coral in butter. Add chopped up meat from one of the
claws (the smaller one).

Stuff the cavity, put a little butter and lemon juice on top. Sprinkle
a little paprika on. Broil until browned

----------------------------------------------------------------------

My personal notes: The one time I had this, we also added the meat from
one blue crab to the stuffing. Blue crab has a "tangier" taste than
lobster.

With this recipe you get to eat the whole lobster plain, as you normally
would except for the one small claw that's added to the stuffing.

Trust me, that stuffing is the best part.
I've never forgotten that meal!!!! :-D

Also: Years ago, I used to be able to buy "Rock Shrimp" from fishermen
who would catch them and set up a stand out of the back of their pickup
trucks. They had harder shells than regular shrimp and they were much
cheaper. They tasted JUST LIKE LOBSTER and they were cheaper than
lobster or the regular shrimp.

I haven't seen them in years, but lately have seen "Tiger Shrimp" in the
stores.... these look the same (and are now more expensive). I'll bet
these are the same type of shrimp.

Gary

On Feb 8, 1:17*am, (Judy Haffner) wrote:


For the past few years my hubby and I go out to our favorite restaurant
for dinner. They have a special menu just for that day with several
choices.

Judy


I hope it's not the same restaurant a few weeks ago you and Mr. H.
went to that every time you'd stuffed your face the waitress was
popping by with questions.

Enn - oh. It will be my time to get off my kitchen feet and get
served. Oh, and no resto for me with a fixed menu. Been there - it
was expensive, long wait, over-crowded and food choices stunk. We'll
go to my fave, small, Italian joint.

Say, I'd better make that reservation, huh!!

ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:
Judy Haffner wrote:

For the past few years my hubby and I go out to our favorite restaurant
for dinner. They have a special menu just for that day with several
choices.

Judy

Judy's special menu:
http://www.mikesdoghouse.net/s/doghouse_new/product/

I hope it's not the same restaurant a few weeks ago you and Mr. H.
went to that every time you'd stuffed your face the waitress was
popping by with questions.

On Feb 8, 8:35*am, Brooklyn1 Gravesend1 wrote:


Judy Haffner wrote:

For the past few years my hubby and I go out to our favorite restaurant
for dinner. They have a special menu just for that day with several
choices.

Judy


ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:


I hope it's not the same restaurant a few weeks ago you and Mr. H.
went to that every time you'd stuffed your face the waitress was
popping by with questions.


Judy's special menu:http://www.mikesdoghouse.net/s/doghouse_new/product/


I hope Ju-Ju has made her plane reservations.

"Judy Haffner" wrote in message
...

How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

(snippage)

Valentine's Day is an artificial holiday created by the greeting card
companies. It has nothing to do with whether or not you love (or even like)
someone. It's designed to make you spend money on greeting cards and, by
extension, take someone out to or cook dinner. It's purely commercial and I
don't subscribe to it any more than I sit around reading romance novels
while sipping mint juleps

Jill

On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:23:50 -0500, "jmcquown"
wrote:


"Judy Haffner" wrote in message
...

How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

(snippage)

Valentine's Day is an artificial holiday created by the greeting card
companies. It has nothing to do with whether or not you love (or even like)
someone. It's designed to make you spend money on greeting cards and, by
extension, take someone out to or cook dinner. It's purely commercial and I
don't subscribe to it any more than I sit around reading romance novels
while sipping mint juleps

Jill

I love the day after, when chocolate is 50% off. I celebrate the day
after Easter too.

"Brooklyn1" Gravesend1 wrote in message
...
On Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:23:50 -0500, "jmcquown"
wrote:


"Judy Haffner" wrote in message
...

How many here are planning a special menu to fix at home for family, or
friends, or maybe a "significant other" that you want to impress?

(snippage)

Valentine's Day is an artificial holiday created by the greeting card
companies. It has nothing to do with whether or not you love (or even
like)
someone. It's designed to make you spend money on greeting cards and, by
extension, take someone out to or cook dinner. It's purely commercial and
I
don't subscribe to it any more than I sit around reading romance novels
while sipping mint juleps

Jill

I love the day after, when chocolate is 50% off. I celebrate the day
after Easter too.


But would you normally buy something like that? I wouldn't. Maybe some ice
cream

Jill

Gary wrote:

About 25 years ago, my wife left me (and
our 7-year-old daughter). She said she
was tired of being a wife and a mother
and she ran off with her boss who was
also married. How "soap opera" is that? hahahaha

Anyway, the day she left was February
13 and it was Friday the 13th too that
year! Good one.

Not only that, it was the day before
Valentine's Day. ARRGHHHHH! That
hurt even worse. She couldn't have
timed it better to hurt me.

Gary, your post touched my heart, as a similar thing happened in our
family...in 2002 our youngest son's wife, who we loved as a daughter,
left him and their two daughters, then ages 11 and 12 for a old
boyfriend, and broke our son's heart in two. He was a GREAT
father/mother and those girls have grown into lovely young women. His ex
married the guy she ran off with, but now they are in the process of a
divorce, so what goes around, comes around!

Our son also remarried in our living room 7 years ago next month, to a
nice lady with a son and daughter, who he adopted, after their own dad
committed suicide. They have a good life and I'm thankful my son found
happiness again, but I know the old scars are still there, and will
never be forgotten.

Congratulations on always being their for your daughter and raising her
on your own. I'm sure you are very proud of her, as she is of you! Does
she and her mother have any kind of relationship now? I will never
understand how a mother could ever leave her child?! I would have felt
like someone had ripped my heart out!

Judy

Jill wrote:

Valentine's Day is an artificial holiday
created by the greeting card companies.
It has nothing to do with whether or not
you love (or even like) someone. It's
designed to make you spend money on
greeting cards and, by extension, take
someone out to or cook dinner. It's
purely commercial and I don't subscribe
to it any more than I sit around reading
romance novels while sipping mint
juleps

If you are indeed serious about this, I find it a strange analogy,
unless possibly you have had a bad experience and are bitter about love
in general. EVERY holiday is a "greeting card day", but I just don't go
for that line of thinking, as first off you can celebrate the day
without buying anyone a card. It's a perfect time to show someone you
care about them, and express the feeling any way you choose. It's always
been a special day for me, and I always make it a special day for my
husband of 53 years.

I bet you don't believe in Santa Clause, or the Easter Bunny either?!
)

Judy