HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

 

SHARE A BIT OF KINDNESS WHENEVER AND WHEREVER YOU CAN

White Chocolate Mousse with Italian Wild Rice Soup and Orange Slices

Slow Cooker Italian Wild Rice Soup

Cook's Notes: Recipe adapted from BHG Soups and Stews 2016
Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground pork, chicken, Italian or turkey sausage (casings removed) 
• 4 cups water
• 2- 14.5 oz. can lower-sodium beef broth
• 1- 14.5 oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
• 1-6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 cup sweet onion, diced
• 3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup each carrots, celery, green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces  
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, crushed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash crushed dried red pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 small package fresh spinach, chopped, stems removed
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

Directions: 

• In a large skillet, cook meat over medium heat until no longer pink, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks; drain off fat.
• In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine cooked meat, water, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, carrots, celery, green beans, uncooked wild rice, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, salt, sugar, and crushed red pepper.
• Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 hours until veggies are al dente and rice is cooked. Stir spinach into soup the last 10 minutes of cooking time and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

White Chocolate Mousse

Cook’s notes: Recipe serves 6-8, depending on the size of the glass. There are several options for serving this dessert: small wine glasses or dark-chocolate edible party cups, available at some stores in the baking aisle. Amaretto is the piece de resistance elevating this dessert to a whole new level.
Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks 
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 cups whipping (heavy) cream, divided
• 1 cup white baking chips
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto or 1 tsp. almond extract
• Optional garnishes: chocolate curls, toasted coconut and almonds, raspberries, Valentine cupcake sprinkles

Directions:

• Beat egg yolks in a small bowl on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar.
• Heat 1 cup whipping cream in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat just until hot. Gradually stir half of the cream into the egg yolk mixture, and then stir all of the mixture back into the hot cream in the saucepan. Whisk together and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not let boil).
• Stir baking chips into hot cream mixture until melted. Add 2-3 tablespoons of Amaretto or 1 teaspoon almond extract. Mix well and put in a bowl. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate for 1 hour. 
• Beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream in chilled medium bowl on high speed until stiff. Fold white chocolate cream mixture into whipped cream and spoon into parfait/wine glasses or edible chocolate party cups.
• Store dessert in refrigerator lightly covered with a sheet of wax paper.

Love Potion Drink

Cook's Notes: For a non-alcoholic drink, omit the vodka 

Serves 1
Ingredients:

• pink lemonade
• raspberry sherbet
• Sprite
• vodka

Directions:

• Fill a serving glass half full with pink lemonade. Add 1 large scoop of sherbet, 1 oz. vodka, 4 oz. Sprite, Do not stir.
• Pour all of this in blender and mix well,  

BE MY VALENTINE