Just because health care workers are always on the go doesn’t mean they can’t make time to spend with their special someone. Whether it’s a romantic date night in or a weekday dinner to spice things up, here are some easy recipes to make for a charming evening.
Stuffed mushrooms
A bite-sized appetizer perfect for feeding your sweetheart.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cremini or white button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ packed cup roasted red peppers, finely chopped
- ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 packed cups baby spinach, finely chopped
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely minced parsley, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- After washing, remove stems from mushroom caps and reserve them for the filling.
- Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Gently toss to coat and place all the mushroom caps in a single layer.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Finely chop the mushroom stems, and add them to the skillet with roasted red pepper, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Transfer the vegetables to a medium sized bowl. Add the ricotta and stir.
- Fill each mushroom with a rounded heap of filling. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked and the cheese is melted. Then, broil for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from oven, garnish with minced parsley and serve warm.
Pasta Pomodoro
What says romance more than pasta? Dig into this light dish perfect for date night year-round.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 28 ounce can of whole peeled canned tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup parmesan, grated
- ½ cup fresh mozzarella, diced small
- 1 cup fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water heavily with salt. When the water is boiling, add the spaghetti, and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add pepper flakes and garlic to the pan and toast about 90 seconds.
- When the garlic is fragrant, add the canned tomatoes to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Break up the tomatoes to form a slightly chunky sauce.
- Drain pasta and reserve ½ cup of pasta water; set aside. Put the pasta directly into the tomato sauce and top with parmesan and 1 tablespoon of olive oil; gently toss to combine.
- Remove Dutch oven from the heat and tear in the fresh basil and top with the mozzarella cubes. Gently toss pasta to incorporate the basil and cheese.
- Garnish with extra parmesan and serve.
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