Cooking: Valentine's Dinner

Menu:

Marinated and Grilled Mushrooms
(from The Province Newspaper)

Spanish-Style Grilled Steak
(from Jamie's Food Revolution, from Jamie Oliver)

Linguine with Rocket
(from Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook)

Stir Fried Shrimp
(my own concoction)

Chocolate covered strawberries
Heart shaped rice crispies squares


Marinated and Grilled Mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsps finely grated lemon zest
3 tbsps lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp tabasco or other hot pepper sauce or to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
24 medium white mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

I used chili pepper paste instead of Tabasco.

- place oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, chili pepper paste, oregano and paprika in large bowl (my large bowl happened to be a Brita container without the lid and filters)
- add mushrooms and toss to coat
- it said to marinate for an hour, I didn't have an hour..so it was only marinated for about 15 minutes
- it was grilled for about 6 minutes
- after 6 minutes, the inside was still raw. I decided to put them in the oven until all the other food was done


Stir Fried Shrimp
1 bag of shrimp

- the shrimp was defrosted then marinated in the left over marinate from the mushrooms
- it was left in the marinate for about 20-30 minutes
- stir fry the shrimp until cooked (pink)

Linguine with Rocket

350 g/ 12 oz dried linguine
1 large bunch arugula
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

I didn't want to use linguine. I used bow ties instead. I didn't use the large arugula because I couldn't find any. I used small arugula, found in salads instead.

- cook pasta in large pan of boiling water according to instructions on the packet
- heat olive oil in pan, add the pasta, add the arugula
- stir until the arugula is wilted, 1-2 minutes
- add Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste

Spanish-Style Grilled Steak
2 fresh red chilies
1 red bell pepper
2 - 8oz beef top loin steaks
salt and pepper to taste
good sprinkling of normal or smoked paprika
olive oil
1 large clove of garlic
1 lemon
1 cup sour cream

I didn't use any fresh chilis. I used chili pepper paste instead. I added white onions for some extra color and flavouring.

- halve and seed bell pepper
- I put the steaks on the pan then seasoned it with paprika, salt and pepper
- then drizzled it with olive oil
- I was supposed to cook the bell peppers with the steak, but I didn't
- I turned the steaks over regularly but it still turned out a bit burnt
- the red pepper and white onion was put on the grill to cook
- once the steak was cooked, it was sliced
- half the lemon was squeezed on the steaks
- at this step is where the sour cream was supposed to be added on the top of the steak...I totally forgot about adding the sour cream