Preparing a romantic dinner tonite for your loved one?  Here is a dinner menu to include in your celebration of  Valentine’s Day!  This delicious meal is easy to prepare and sure to please.  Put some candles around the room to create a romantic atmosphere.  

                              Valentine’s Dinner Menu

               Appetizer - Wild Mushroom Phyllo Purses

               Salad - Mixed Greens

               Entree - Pan Seared Pork Chops, accompanied by

               Wine Braised Leeks, Oven Crisped Red Potatoes

               Dessert - Glitzy Chocolate Puddings

This menu goes well when paired with 3 various wine choices; Merlot, Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recipe for:   Glitzy Chocolate Puddings

These puddings may be low-effort, but they’re showstoppers:  Without fail, you can expect a greedy silence to fall over the table as soon as you put them out.

MAKES 8

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

For the glaze:

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate,  chopped

One 1 ½ to 2 ounces toffee candy bar or peanut brittle, pistachio nuts chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 350 °. Set eight 1-cup ovenproof custard or coffee cups on a rimmed baking sheet.  In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add chocolate, cover, and remove from heat.  Let stand 3 to 5 minutes, or until chocolate is melted.  Stir until blended, and set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt until combined.

2.  Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl.  Using electric mixer on high speed, beat together until thickened and pale, about 2 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in melted chocolate until just combined.  Add flour mixture and fold in by hand until just combined.  Spoon into cups, dividing evenly.  Bake until puddings are just set in center, about 25 minutes.  Set on rack to cool.

3.  Prepare the glaze: In the same saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add chocolate, cover, and remove from heat.  Let stand 5 minutes, or until chocolate is melted.  Stir together until blended, and spoon over puddings.  Garnish with chopped candy or pistachio nuts and serve warm.

These puddings have the texture of a moist brownie and will deflate in the center as they cool. 

For a no-mess method of making the crumbled topping for the puddings, put candy or nuts in a plastic bag and have at it with a rolling pan.  ENJOY!