Anna Sultana’s Chicken Noodle Soup and Broth / Happy Valentine’s Day and Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Well, we in Manitoba are still soldiering through a very cold February and facing at least another month or two of winter.

Happy Valentine’s Day and Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Valentine’s Day is on Wednesday.

That should bring a bit of warmth to everyone’s life.

This post has links for Romantic Dinners for Two, as well as the recipe for Anna Sultana's Lava Cakes.

About the Kung Hei Fat Choy…

Friday is the start of Chinese New Year - the Year of the Dog.

It has a few weeks' worth of traditions to ensure you’ll have a great year. 

Remember… your behaviour on New Year’s Day sets the tone for the year.

No pressure.

It’s nice to celebrate, but that’s going to take a bit of change, and everyone wants to eat today, tomorrow and the day after.

Time to make a big pot of soup.

Chicken soup is comfort food… economical comfort food.

I mean, who hasn’t felt loved and comforted while enjoying a bowl of this old favourite.

And if someone has the sniffles, it’s a miracle cure for what ails you.

Hints:

Use whatever smallish pasta you have on hand.

Stars are nice, if you have them.

Broken spaghetti will remind the kiddies of the boxed mix.

Sometimes kids get into a mood and just want something they’ve had before.

You can also use 3/4 Cup rice.

Stir in, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is soft.

Want to make Ma’s chicken broth? 

It’s easy, just takes a bit of time, and won’t work if you’re in a rush to serve a pot of soup today.

Rinse

1 stewing hen

Set aside the liver and the heart.

Chop into roughly the same spoon-sized chunks

1 large carrot

1 onion

1 celery stalk

2 potatoes

In a large pot place

the cleaned hen

the chopped vegetables

Add

8 Cups water

1 bouillon cube

the hen's liver and heart

Simmer until the hen is cooked, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the hen from the broth.

Remove the skin, bone the chicken and cut the meat into pieces.

Strain out the vegetables and discard.

Oh, the liver and the heart are optional.

Also sometimes they just aren’t packed with the hen. 

Don’t confront the store clerk and ask what he did with them.

Take my word for it. Please.

                        Chicken Soup 

Serves 8

Cut up

4 boneless raw chicken breasts

Set aside.

Place in a large pot

1 Cup carrots, chopped

1 Cup celery, chopped

the cut up chicken breasts

Add

4 Cups chicken broth

2 Cups water

Over medium high heat bring the liquid to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in

1 Cup pasta

Simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the pasta.

Serve hot.

Anna Sultana's Lava Cakes / Links for Romantic Dinners for Two

Good gosh, we’re almost through January.

It’ll be February in a couple of days.

We go from one holiday to the next.

I mean, wasn’t Christmas a week ago?

Valentine’s Day is staring us in the face.

What is there about giving and enjoying chocolate on Valentine’s Day?

I don’t know, and with Valentine’s Day about two weeks away, there isn’t any time to waste doing any research or worrying about it.

What there is time for is to make a nice ‘For Two’ dessert.

Like Lava Cakes.

Want some ideas for romantic dinners for two?
Here are a few great recipes from Adriana La Cerva's chapter Cibo D'Amore in The Sopranos Family Cookbook.

• Risotto with Truffles and Champagne
• Linguine with Homemade Pesto Sauce - Linguine al Pesto
• Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce
• Shrimp Scampi - Shrimp in Garlic Butter Sauce
• Veal Scaloppine Marsala with Risotto / Chicken Scaloppine
• Zabaglione - Marsala Wine Dessert

Hints:

I don’t know about you, but I’m nervous about trying a new recipe on a special day.

Why not make a trial run of this recipe this week?

You can present the practice cakes with a simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

For the special day pull out all the stops.

Serve them with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries.

Strawberries or raspberries would be very nice.

A drizzling of raspberry and/or chocolate sauce would add a special touch.

You can sift the flour and confectioners' sugar by using a small strainer.

For Valentine’s Day you can make the batter ahead of time, pour it into the prepared ramekins, and then bake it when you’re ready for dessert. 

Don’t have ramekins?  

Custard cups will do.

Prefer unsweetened, milk or white chocolate?

Why not?  It’s your Valentine’s Day, too.

                        Lava Cakes

Generously butter 2 6-oz ramekins, dust them with cocoa powder, and set aside.

Place in a small pot

2 Tablespoons butter

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, or 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Melt together over low heat, stirring until completely smooth. 

Take the pot off the heat.

Stir in 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400º F

Place in a small mixer bowl

1 large egg

Beat at medium speed until foamy.

Slowly add 

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat on high for 10 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and pale yellow.

Pour the egg mixture into the melted chocolate and butter.

Sift directly over the mixture

1 Tablespoon flour

Using a spatula, gently fold everything together.

Divide the batter between the two prepared ramekins.

Smooth the tops with the spatula. 

Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 13 minutes.

The cakes should have puffed slightly and jiggle a bit in the centre when gently shaken.

Remove the ramekins from the oven.

Immediately run a knife around the edges of each cake. 

Invert each ramekin onto its own individual dessert plate.

Let them sit for about a minute, then lift the ramekins off the cakes. 

Dust with 

Confectioners’ sugar

Garnish with whipped cream, fresh berries and sauce.

Serve immediately.

Carmela Soprano's Uova in Purgatorio - Eggs in Purgatory / Valentine's Day Traditions

Happy Valentine's Day!

January's flower is the carnation.

The carnation should have been the flower for February.

The deeper red carnation represent true and lasting love.

Deep pink and light red symbolize a relationship full of admiration and respect.

In Korea, young girls braid three carnations in their hair so they'll be lucky in love.

Live outside of Korea but you're looking for love?

Place two red carnations in a white vase in the 'Romance' area of your main floor.

That's the southwest corner.

Change these to two fresh carnations every nine days for a total of three times.

During that month you just might find a new love.

Well, for sure the florist will love you!

I already posted a few possible Valentine dinners

- Filet Mignon, Shrimp Scampi and Veal Scaloppine -

as well as a possible dessert, Ricotta-Pineapple Pie, with links to other cheesecakes.

Hope you found something you'll enjoy.

Or maybe you'll be eating out.

Whichever, Happy St. Valentine's Day!

Tomorrow's the first Friday in Lent.

Time to cut back the eating just a bit.

Paulie Walnuts' chapter My Nucci in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook has easy recipes.

Some are perfect for Lent.

Or a quick cheap lunch.

Don't forget Paulie's advice about garlic.

The man knows his garlic.

Here's how Paulie gently adds eggs to the sauce:

He breaks an egg into a small cup.

With a spoon, he then makes a small depression in the tomato sauce.

Then he slides the egg into the sauce.

And he continues with the remaining eggs.

If you're in a rush, you can break all the eggs in a medium bowl and

gently slide a yolk and some white into the sauce.

Just don't tell Paulie.

                        Uova in Purgatorio

Serves 4

Into a medium skillet over medium heat pour

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Cook

1 garlic clove, lightly crushed

cook about 2 minutes, until lightly golden.

Add

2 Cups canned tomato puree

4 fresh basil leaves torn into pieces (or a pinch of dried oregano)

salt and pepper to taste

Simmer for 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Discard the garlic clove.

Gently add

8 large eggs

Sprinkle over eggs

1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Cover and cook 3 minutes, more or less,

depending on how well done you like your eggs.

Serve hot.

Would I make Uova in Purgatorio again?

Sure.  It's a nice lunch with toast, rice or pasta.

If you're really into garlic, garlic toast.

Just maybe not on Valentine's Day.

One recipe down.  Forty-one more to go.