Valentine Dinner

The Good Husband and I don't go out much. We are saving for our new house and for The Good Baby. Besides, anything that I really want to eat right now, I cannot due to pregnancy. We aren't really gift giving people either, so my Valentine's Day gift to TGH was to make a nice dinner.

On the menu:
~Shrimp Cocktail
~Seared New York Strip for TGH
~Butter Poached Lobster Tail for me
~Garlic Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
~Sweet Butter Peas

We went to the seafood market that morning during our errands and who knew that lobster was such a Valentine's Day staple? I didn't know, but then again, this was the first time the I cooked lobster. We normally don't eat lobster or crab because of the expense but since it was a holiday and all, I decided to splurge.

For the lobster - I used two 4 ounce rock lobster tails, removing the shell. I melted one stick of butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. I allowed the butter to heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. I then added the lobster tails and poached them slowly for about 8 minutes.

I will admit that I was terrified that I would over cook the lobster and it would become rubbery. But I think the poaching really did the trick because the meat was so sweet and tender and not at all rubbery. Worth every penny.

For the NY Strip - I allowed the steak to come to room temperature, 30 minutes before I was ready to cook them. I salt and peppered both sides of the steak and allowed a pan to get extremely hot over medium high heat. I added one tablespoon of oil to the pan, and seared the steak on each side for 3 minutes. I then removed the pan from the heat and turned the burner to low medium. I added 3 tablespoons of butter and allowed it to melt. I then returned the pan to the heat and based the steak with the melted butter for another 5 minutes.

Not how I usually cook steak but since it was a special dinner, I decided all the butter would be worth it.

For the 'taters - I used my normal mashed 'taters recipe, but I removed all of the skins. I added one clove of pressed garlic to the butter and allowed the butter and the garlic to melt together in a small saucepan over low heat while the 'taters boiled. I then added 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the 'taters when I mashed them.

This is really just a simple way to make something that tastes like twice baked potatoes, since we really only eat the filling and not the 'tater skin anyway. I just took the recipe for what would be the filling of a twice baked and served it alone.

For the peas - I cooked the peas the way my gma cooks peas. From the freezer, with a pat of butter and a spoon full of sugar. Place in a microwave dish, add the butter and the sugar and microwave, covered for a few minutes. Yum.

recipes by: The Good Wife