Valentine’s Day with Sizzle

Just as this year Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday, Valentine’s Day of 2019 was also a Taco Tuesday. We celebrated the day with an amazing Mexican Feast.

And we’ll do the same thing again this year. I don’t remember the last time we actually went out for Valentine’s Day. I think it was a dinner at Treasure Island on the Las Vegas strip back some 20 years ago. Wow, it’s been a while. While Hubby did not fight me when it came to eating out on Valentine’s Day, it took years to convince Hubby not send flowers on Valentine’s Day. Although his last bouquet was breathtaking.

It’s not that I’m against romance. I am a romantic at heart. I just don’t like the idea of scheduling romance. Send me flowers for no reason. Take me out for a nice dinner just because – that’s romantic. So why do anything for Valentine’s Day? Making a special meal for those I love give me a great deal of joy. And isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is all about? Expressing our love for one another.

Valentine’s Day as we know it today is a far cry from a saint’s feast day. There are no religious features associated with the customs of flowers, cards, candies and fancy dinners. Saint Valentine wasn’t even that much of a romantic. While we might never know who the real Saint Valentine was (which is why in 1969, the Roman Catholic Church removed Saint Valentine from the General Roman Calendar), the church still recognizes him as a saint. There are a number of different stories surrounding Saint Valentine. The one that most closely is associated with Valentine’s Day of modern times is that when Roman Emperor Claudius II decreed that young men could no longer marry, Valentine continued to perform weddings. Claudius II felt that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, and banned marriage. As the story goes, not only did Valentine disagree with this, he defied it. Why? The alternative was to have couples living a sinful life. He was seeking to save their souls by blessing their union. Legend has it that the Emperor had Saint Valentine beheaded as a result. This would make him a martyr for love. How romantic!

This year I’m sharing with you a modified rendition of our 2019 Valentine’s Day Supper. We’ve left out the appetizer, going straight for the main entrée and dessert. And I’ll let you in on a little secret, while this is the meal I am sharing with you, it’s not the one I’ll be preparing today. However; it is the inspiration behind tonight’s supper. It’s one we’ll share later, I promise. In the meantime, enjoy!

South of the Border Surf and Turf
Chipotle Shrimp 
Pan-Seared Spicy Filet Mignon
Mexican Rice Pilaf

Sweets for My Sweeties
Baked Apple Enchiladas with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Margaritas Throughout
Pink Lemonade Señorita Margaritas

Pink Lemonade Señoritas Margaritas
1 can Pink Lemonade concentrate, thawed
3 cans cold water
1 can Silver Tequila
1/2 can Triple Sec
Lime, for garnish
Margarita Salt, to rim glasses (optional)

In a large pitcher, empty can of thawed pink lemonade concentrate. Using the now empty lemonade can, add water, Tequila and Triple Sec.

Cut lime into wheels for garnishing the glasses. Keep the ends for moistening the rim of the glass before serving.

Using the end of a lime, moisten the rim of the glass. Dip glass rim in a small plate of Margarita salt to coat.

Place a few ice cubes into the glass, fill with Margarita. Garnish with a lime wheel and serve.

Chipotle Shrimp
1-1/2 lbs raw Shrimp (21 count), peeled, deveined
1 can Ro-Tel Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chili
2 Chipotle Chilies from a can with Adobo Sauce
1 tablespoon Adobo Sauce from the canned chilies
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, pressed
1 cup Chicken Stock
1/4 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped for garnish

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact for presentation if desired. Set aside until ready to cook.

Empty Roasted Tomatoes into a blender. Add chipotle chilies and adobo sauce. Blend until very smooth. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Press garlic into the pan, sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Pour tomato mixture into the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes for flavors to blend. Slowly add broth to thin the sauce to desired consistency.

Add shrimp to the pan, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink. If sauce begins to thicken too much, add more broth to thin.

To serve, place shrimp with sauce in a shallow bowl and garnish with cilantro.

Pan-Seared Spicy Filet Mignon
2 Limes, juiced
3 Garlic Cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons Mexican Chili powder
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Pinch Mexican Oregano
Salt to taste
4 Filet Mignon (about 6 oz each)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Slice lime, squeeze juice into a measuring cup with a spout. Press garlic into the cup with the lime juice.

Add honey, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano and salt. Whisk to blend.

Place filet in a small rimmed dish such as an 8-inch square casserole dish. Pour lime mixture over steaks, turning several times to coat.

Refrigerate and marinate overnight. Remove steaks from refrigerator and let sit on counter for 30 minutes.

Melt butter with olive oil in a large stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add fillets, and cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes.

Spicy Mexican Rice Pilaf
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Yellow Onion, minced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 cups Long Grain White Rice
1 Can Ro-Tel Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chilies
4 cups Chicken Stock
1 pinch Cumin Powder

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat with olive oil. While the oil heats, mince the onion and garlic. Sauté onions and garlic in the oil for a minute or two.

Add the rice to the pan, and cook until rice is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, chicken stock and cumin powder. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork. Transfer rice to a serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Apple Enchiladas with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
4 Apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed Brown Sugar
4 (6-inch) Flour Tortillas
Cooking Spray
4 Scoops Vanilla Bean Ice cream
1/4 cup Caramel Sauce, warmed

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Peel, core and cut apples into wedges.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook for about 6 minutes or until apples are soft. Add brown sugar, continue to cook until sugar has melted.

Spray tortillas with cooking spray. Warm tortillas on a griddle until soft and easy to roll.

Place warm tortillas on a plate. Spoon 1/4 of the apple mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll, fold tortilla to wrap the apples inside. Place filled tortillas seam-side-down in the prepared baking dish.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray to help brown. Bake in the heated oven for about 15 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile, warm caramel sauce in the microwave.

To serve, plate each apple enchilada on dessert plates. Scoop ice cream on the plate, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve at once.

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Have an amazing day!