A Valentine's Meal

A Valentine's Meal

Here is a one dish meal and dessert recipes. No matter how little time you have to cook a dish you can easily make both of these recipes using normal pantry and refrigerated items.  
I recommend these recipes because they are easy and quick to make!

Basil Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

8 ounces (1/2 package) pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I prefer the olive oil and garlic petite cut)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed OR 2 Chicken Breast uncut, seasoned and cooked
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Procedure

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until it is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook Chicken (I like to season my chicken with spices.) Then saute the onions and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, chicken, basil, salt and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and cover skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and tomatoes are soft.
3. Toss sauce with hot cooked angel hair pasta to coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Feel free to add veggies that you really like in this pasta dish. It would taste yummy and be great!

Dessert: Chocolate Cake with Cherry Icing

Ingredients

1st Choice: Buy a chocolate cake mix and then add your cherry icing to reduce time in the kitchen

2nd choice: Make it homemade

• 3/4  cup plus 1 tsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/3  cup plus 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  tsp. baking powder
• 1/2  tsp. baking soda
• 1/2  tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4  tsp. salt
• 1/3  cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4  cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  tsp. vanilla
• 1/2  cup sour cream
• 1  Recipe Cherry or Chocolate Frosting, recipe below

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 6x2-inch round cake pans or spring form pans. Mix 1 teaspoon each flour and cocoa powder; dust pans. Set pans aside.
2. In bowl combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
3. In large bowl with electric mixer beat butter on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Beat in sour cream and flour mixture. Pour batter in pans; spread evenly.
4. Bake 22 to 26 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched and edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on rack.
5. Use serrated knife to horizontally cut cakes in half to make 4 layers total. Place bottom layer on plate; spread with 2/3 cup frosting. Repeat with layers. Place top layer on cake. Heap remaining frosting, swirling in peaks. Refrigerate.
Cherry Frosting: In chilled large mixing bowl combine one 8-ounce carton sour cream. 1 cup whipping cream (do not use ultra-pasteurized whipping cream), 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice. Beat with chilled beaters on medium-high until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Note-Whip whipping cream until it starts to form peaks then add ingredients slowly and mix.

You can also use a cream cheese icing and add cherry juice to it. This might be a little easier and less time consuming.

Top with chocolate covered cherries