Since ages we have heard and experienced that food is one way to reach your beloved’s heart. Anything bought and presented to your loved one will not impact in a way, the way a feast cooked with your hands wilt love and affection will do. It simply pleases any human being because it has everything pure in it, be it the feelings, emotions or the ingredients!

On the occasion Valentine’s Day, Orkutheroes tried to find out how people on Orkut who are fond of cooking look forward to do wonders with their art of cooking and win hearts…

We invited chefs, cooks and food passionate on Orkut to submit special recipes based on the theme on being romantic and special because of the special day, i.e. Valentines Day! The response we got was warm and worth sharing and here we present to you some of the most mouth watering and heart winning recipes for your sweethearts….

1. French Toast With Raspberry, Chocolate and Cream Cheese

By- Gauri Pathak Chef, Mumbai.

Heart shaped French toast for two.

Ingredients

· 6 slices bread

· 3 teaspoons raspberry jam

· 3 tablespoons softened cream cheese

· 1-2 teaspoon mini chocolate chips

· 2 eggs, lightly beaten

· 1/3 cup milk

· 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (essence)

· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)

· 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1 pinch salt

· 1/2 tablespoon butter

· 1/2 tablespoon oil

· confectioners’ sugar (to garnish)

· syrup

Method

With a heart shape cookie cutter cut 6 slices of bread.
Spread 1 tablespoon of cheese on 3 of the slices. Sprinkle on the cheese 1/3 of the chips on each pressing lightly inches.
Spread 1 teaspoon raspberry jam on each of the other 3 slices bread. Top these on to the cream cheese halves, pressing together to adhere.
Mix eggs, milk, extracts, salt, and cinnamon together. Place the sandwiches into the egg mixture and flipping till all is absorbed.
In a hot pan heat butter and oil. Fry toast till golden brown and flip to finish browning other side.
Continue cooking stove top or in a 350 degree oven till desired doneness.
Top with sugar, syrup, and or fresh berries.
Serves 2

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Mediterranean Pineapple Pasta Salad

By : Gauri Pathak, Chef, Mumbai.

Ingredients

· 1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained

· 1 cup cooked and drained cheese tortellini

· 1 cup turkey sausages, sliced, cooked and drained

· 3/8 cup diced red bell peppers

· 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley

· 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 1/4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. In large bowl, combine pineapple, tortellini, sausage, bell pepper and parsley.

2. Combine remaining ingredients for salad dressing. Add dressing to salad; toss until mixed.

Makes 2 Servings.

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3.Chilled Strawberry Soup

By : Gauri Pathak, Chef, Mumbai.

Ingredients:

1½ cups King Estate Vin Glace (Wine)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1½ pounds (approximately 2 pints) strawberries, cleaned, stem removed and roughly chopped

juice of 1 lemon

½ cup water

Crème frâiche or strawberry sorbet, additional strawberries and mint springs, for garnish

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine all ingredients. Place pan over low to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove star anise and cinnamon.

Purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine strainer. Refrigerate until chilled.

TO SERVE: Ladle soup into chilled bowls and serve with crème frâiche or strawberry sorbet, sliced strawberries and fresh mint.

SUBSTITUTIONS AND OPTIONS: A cup of heavy cream or plain yogurt can be stirred into the chilled soup for a richer dessert.

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4.Chicken Volcano

By : Animish Raje, Software Developer, Pune.

Chef’s Note: This dish came as a weird thought to my mind while I had to feed my starving brother, a die-hard chicken fan. Going through the refrigerator and all the ingredients an idea clicked to my mind and then I tried my hands on of what I had thought. My brother named the dish as Chicken Volcano, as when you cut the chicken breast the Cheese oozes out of it like lava from the volcanic mountain.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt/ plain salt

1/2 tablespoon chilly flakes

1/2 tablespoon mixed herbs (dry)

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup cream cheese

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup sour cream, divided

1/8 cup green onion tops

1/8 red & yellow bell pepper, chopped

cherry tomatoes

sprig parsley

Preparations:

Wash & clean chicken breasts. On hard surface, with meat mallet, pound chicken to flatten the thickness.

Now make a cut across the chicken breast, like a pocket

In shallow dish, marinade chicken breast with ginger & garlic paste, lemon juice and salt.

(For 1 hr)

In a small bowl mix the 2 cheeses (you can add the herbs to the cheese, to enhance its taste)

Once the chicken is marinated, spoon in the cheese mixture in each of the chicken pockets,

Now press the chicken tightly and wrap in cling film and refrigerate it for ½ hr.

In large frying pan, place oil and butter, heat to medium temp.; add chicken and cook till both the sides are browned.

Reduce the flame, now add all the seasoning, and cook chicken for 5 minutes.

Remove the chicken and in same pan toss bell peppers, cherry tomatoes & spring onions

In a serving dish place this cooked chicken on the bed of tossed veggies.

Top chicken with sour cream, sprinkle with sprigs of parsley.

Serve hot

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Ultimate Brownies

By : Frank Moore, Analytical Chemist, Texas.

Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter.
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup Peanuts (crushed)
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided.
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1
1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened
chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In
a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules,
vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture
and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and
salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the peanuts and remaining
12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then
add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the prepared sheet pan. Spoon
the peanut butter over the top of the chocolate mixture and using a knife,
swirl it through the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to
force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake
for about 10 to 15 minutes more or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do
not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into large
squares.

For variations, one can replace some or all of the Peanuts with other nuts,
such as Pecans, Cashews, Walnuts, Pistachios, etc. They all taste
wonderful!!
Bon Appétit.

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Penne Rigate with Tuna Sauce

By : Michelle Young, Astrologer and author, United States.

In a 2-quart saucepan (about 2 ltr), pour enough olive oil to cover 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) deep.

Chop four large cloves of fresh garlic, and add to the oil. Turn heat on low.

Add at least 1 tbsp (14.3 gr) Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp (4.8 gr) minced basil, 1/2 tsp (4.8 gr) onion salt (be sparing and do the salt to taste *after* you add the tuna), at least 2 tsp (9.6 gr) black pepper and 5-10 shakes crushed red pepper, depending on how hot you like it. Stir, blending well.

Squeeze in the liquid from two cans of tuna, and then add the tuna. Stir till well-blended.

Add four tbsp (56 gr) butter or margarine. Blend well.

Add 8 ounces (237 ml) Italian spaghetti sauce, Fra Diavolo, if possible, but other kinds of sauce will work. If you’re using homemade sauce, please be sure to use Roma tomatoes. Blend well.

Cook the penne rigate (1/2 kg will be a *lot*. I use 1/2 kg for 4-6 people, easily.) in a large pot, about 8-10 minutes, till al dente. Drain well. Pour the sauce over the penne and blend well, or place the penne on a large serving platter and serve with the sauce on top.

A fresh, chilled, green salad with croutons and Caesar or light Italian dressing, or sautéed green beans with garlic will make an enticing addition for this meal. Serves four hearty eaters. Store leftovers with remaining sauce blended well into the pasta, cover, and chill.

Keeping with the fast and easy theme, consider a light simple dessert like sliced mangos, a scoop of fruit sherbet or sorbet.

pin-up

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Chocolate Balls

By : Durriya Zaheer Abbas, Home Maker, Tanzania.

Ingredients:

1 tin of sweet condensed milk
1 full packet of Marie Biscuits
Cocoa Powder
Crushed dry fruits. Almond/ Cashew nuts
Grated Coconut

For 35 balls approximately

Method:

Crush all the Marie biscuits in a powder form. Add 2 tablespoon of Cocoa powder into it. And add crushed dry fruits and grated coconut and put sweet condensed milk as per taste and mix it well till the mixture becomes thick and sticky and gets a chocolaty look. Then make small balls of it and, wrap the balls with the grated coconut so as they don’t stick in your dish and yeah, it will give a better look plus a better taste. When done, put in the refrigerator for some time and take out when is it’s chilled! Enjoy!

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Strawberry Phirni

By : Sukanya Gosh, IT Consultant, Bangalore.

Ingredients:

Strawberries (fresh): 10-12

Rice: 4tbsp

Almonds: 7-9

Milk: 4cups

Sugar: 3/4cup

Green Cardamom powder: 1/2tsp

Strawberry slices for garnishing

Method to prepare:

Clean, wash and soak rice in sufficient water for half an hour.

Drain and grind the rice to a coarse paste. Dilute rice paste with half a cup of water.

Wash and hull the strawberries and finely chop them.

Soak the almonds in water for 5 minutes. Drain and finely slice the almonds.

Heat milk and bring it to boil. Gradually stir in the rice paste, reduce the heat and simmer for three to four minutes, stirring continuously until the milk thickens.

Add sugar, cardamom powder and continue to simmer till sugar dissolves and is incorporated well. Remove from heat, cool it to room temperature and stir in the chopped strawberries.

Pour this mixture into individual earthenware or ceramic bowls, garnish with

Almonds and strawberry slices.

Serve the strawberry phirni chilled.

Navratan Pulao

Ingredients:

By : Sudhir Vijaykumar

1.  Basmati rice – 2 cups

2.  Water – 4 cups

3.  Carrot & Beans – 1 cup (chopped)

4.  Green peas – ½ cup

5.  Potato (medium size) – 1 (Cut into small cubes)

6.  Cashew nuts – 10

7.  Badam – 8

8.  Pista – 8

9.  Raisons (dry grapes) – 8

10. Ginger – 1 inch piece

11. Garlic – 3 flakes

12. Green chillies – 5 or to taste

13. Onion – 1 lengthwise chopped

14. Cinnamon – 1 inch stick

15. Cardamom – 2

16. Clove – 2

17. Bay leaf – 1

18. Ghee (clarified butter) – 6 tsp

19. Coriander leaves – few

20. Mint leaves – few

Preparation:

First clean and wash the rice with plenty of water.

Then soak the rice with 1 cup water for ½ an hour.

Then make a paste with ginger, garlic and green chilies. (Instead you can also use the Ginger Garlic Paste)

Heat the pressure cooker with ghee.

Add cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, raisons, cinnamon, cardamom, clove and bay leaf.

Sauté for few minutes.

Then add onions.

Fry till they turn into golden brown color.

Next add ginger garlic and green chilies paste.

Sauté until the raw smell disappears or the oil separates from the mixture.

Then add carrots, beans, potato cubes and peas.

Combine well.

Now add rice, 3 cups of water, coriander leaves, mint leaves and salt.

Pressure cook for 2 or 3 whistles and switch off the stove.

Now your Navrathna Pulao is ready.

Serve hot with onion raitha.

So, check them out everyone and be ready to please your valentine with these special recipes this Valentines Day!

My heartily thanks to all food passionate people participated in this article, special thanks to Chennai Food Guide community on Orkut for allowing us to start the thread on their forum.

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