Romantic Recipes
for Valentine's Day

By Noraini Maskuri

Here's an idea for a special Valentine's Day meal that you can prepare at home for that special someone. Get your creative juices going and cook your own Valentine dinner. This is the second of 4-part series of ideas. This combo uses potato as salad, shrimp and pasta for main dish, ginseng fudge for dessert, and a special Valentine punch.

Pink Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
* 4 potatoes
* 1/2 cup milk (heated in the microwave)
* 4 tablespoons butter
* Salt and pepper
* Red food color

Directions:

Peel potatoes and cut into 10-12 pieces, put in pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Turn off the stove, pour the potatoes into a colander and shake to remove the water. Cut the potatoes in a bowl; with an electric mixer or beater, beat the potatoes, butter and a little salt and pepper, adding the milk while you mix. Add food color carefully until it is a pretty color

Champagne Shrimp and Pasta
Ingredients:
* 8 ounces angel hair pasta
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 1/2 cup champagne
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons minced shallots
* 2 plum tomatoes, diced
* 1 cup heavy cream
* salt and pepper to taste
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Cook and stir mushrooms in oil until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan, and set aside. Combine shrimp, champagne, and salt in the frying pan, and cook over high heat. When liquid just beginning to boil, remove shrimp from pan. Add shallots and tomatoes to champagne; boil until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup,for about 8 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup cream and boil until slightly thick, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp and mushrooms to sauce, and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Toss hot, cooked pasta with the remaining 1/4 cup cream and parsley. To serve, spoon shrimp with sauce over pasta, and top with Parmesan cheese.

Valentines Love Fudge

Ingredients:
* 3/4 cup margarine or butter
* 3 cups sugar
* 1 (5oz) can evaporated milk
* 1 package (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1 jar marshmallow creme
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 3 capsules ginseng (available at drug stores and health food stores)

Directions:

Lightly grease a 13X9 inch baking dish. Mix margarine, sugar and milk in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Stir constantly. Turn offthe heat and stir in chocolate chips. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into baking dish and let it set up at room temperature.

Cranberry Valentine Punch

Ingredients:
* 1 quart cranberry juice
* 1 quart apple juice
* 1 can (6 oz. size) frozen orange juice
* 2 small sticks cinnamon
* 6 whole cloves
* Sugar to taste

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.

If you like these ideas, look out for the next meal combo for your special Valentine dinner.

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