Valentines Day Recipes

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Cooking Valentines Day recipes are the perfect way to show someone you love them. its the time for romantic parties and expressions of affection. If you are throwing a party consider a costume party. "Come as a Famous Lover" —and then a guess who's who. Or, if the party is for married couples, suggest they tell everyone how they got engaged. These recipes all feature pears for a "Perfect Pear" menu. The recipes below are perfect valentine's day recipes for dinner for two or a few!

Butternut Squash Soup with Pears and Bacon- perfect start to a Valentines day meal

6 strips bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups peeled butternut squash cubes

3 large Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cubed

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 tsp herbs de Provence

1 cup half-and-half Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Chopped fresh thyme

Saute bacon in a large stockpot until crisp; remove from pan, drain on paper towels and crumble. Remove all but 1 tablespoon bacon grease from pot; add onion and saute over medium heat until browned. Add broth, squash, pears and celery to pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Let cool slightly, then with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor, puree mixture until smooth. Return back to pot and add herbs and bacon. Simmer for 10 minutes more. Stir in half-and-half and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme.

Prep times: 20 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes

Makes 8 cups.

Super Simple Pear Salad-an easy Valentines Day recipe

1/2 lb mixed salad greens

1 large Pear

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (or add your favorite nut)

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

5 tbsp. good quality olive oil

1 tbsp. aged balsamic vinegar

Salt to taste

Combine the greens and crumbled blue cheese in a bowl. Toss with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves; you may not need all of it. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cut the pear into thin slices and nestle them among the greens. Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts on top.

Balsamic Chicken and Pears- a great Valentines Day recipe

2 tsp Vegetable oil

4 Chicken breasts, boneless & skinless

2 Pears, unpeeled and each cut into 8 wedges

2 c Chicken broth

6 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

4 tsp Cornstarch

3 tsp Sugar

1/2 c Raisins

Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 8-10 minutes, turning once until juices run clear when sticking with fork. Remove chicken to plate. In same skillet, add remaining 1 tsp vegetable oil and cook pear wedges until lightly browned and tender. In small bowl, mix chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, cornstarch and sugar until blended. Add chicken-broth mixture to skillet with pears and raisins (or any other preferred dried fruit) and bring to boiling; boil one minute, stirring constantly. Return chicken breasts to skillet and heat through. Serve with pasta with vegetables.

Chocolate Glazed Pears- the perfect finish for a Valentines day meal

3 c Water

1/2 c Sugar

1 Lemon peel twist; (2-inch)

6 Northwest Bosc pears

6 oz Semi-sweet baking

2 tb Shortening

Combine water, sugar and lemon twist in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Pare pears and trim slightly to level bottom; remove core from blossom end, leaving stem intact. Add pears to poaching liquid; reduce heat. Cove and simmer gently about 8 to 10 minutes or until tender when pierced with tip of sharp knife; turn and baste occasionally. Remove pears from liquid; stand on flat dish. Cool.

Melt chocolate and shortening over very low heat. Dry pears with paper towels. Holding each pear carefully by the stem, spoon chocolate mixture over pear to coat. Let stand in cool pace to set chocolate. Arrange pears on serving dish.

Always be sure to use ripe pears.

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