Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. With Valentine’s Day approaching, you may be looking for a tasty meal for you and a special someone. However, it can be tricky to find good recipes that serve just two.

In this issue, we share a pair of delicious menus that are perfect for an intimate dinner for two. You can choose from an entire meal featuring Beef Tenderloin in Mushroom Sauce or a lighter meal including Glazed Cornish Hen with Rice Pilaf. Whatever you plan for Valentine’s Day, these menu ideas will help you have dinner all wrapped up!

See Recipe Contest Winner on TV
EATING healthier came with a bonus for Trina Bigham of Fairhaven, Massachusetts—her nutritious Colorful Chicken ’n’ Squash Soup won the Grand Prize in our recent “Soup’s On!” recipe contest.

You can see Trina live on "The Early Show" on CBS Feb. 6. (Check local listings for time.)

• In this issue:
• A Tender Meal for Two
• Give Leftovers a Lift
• Bonus Valentine’s Day Meal—Done Light
• Cooking for 2 Tips
• Get Wired!

A Tender Meal for Two

“It just doesn’t take much fuss to fix a special meal for two,” assures Denise McNab of Warrington, Pennsylvania. “When our kids are visiting Grandma, I make Beef Tenderloin in Mushroom Sauce for just my husband, Derek, and me. It’s a recipe my mother-in-law has been using for 30 years. We especially enjoy it on Valentine’s Day.”

Says Dona Alsover of Upland, California, “Our children and grandchildren live far away, so my husband, Jim, and I frequently plan a quiet dinner by candlelight. We have Vegetable Ramekins often since we can pull fresh things from our garden all year. It is a colorful and delicious side dish.”

Little Dixie Pound Cake is a moist, quick-to-fix cake with a mild orange flavor. When Ruby Williams of Bogalusa, Louisiana and her great-grandson would eat dinner together, they were always happy to share this delightful dessert. You can also dollop cake slices with whipped cream or top them with fresh berries.

BEEF TENDERLOIN IN MUSHROOM SAUCE

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 beef tenderloin steaks or fillets (1 inch thick)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 2/3 cup chicken or beef broth
• 1/8 teaspoon browning sauce, optional

In a large skillet, heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Cook steaks for 6-7 minutes on each side or until meat is done as desired (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°) Remove to a serving platter; keep warm.

To pan juices, add the mushrooms, onions and remaining butter; saute until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper; gradually stir in broth until smooth. Add browning sauce if desired. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Spoon over the steaks. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings.

VEGETABLE RAMEKINS

• 1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash, halved and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/3 cup broccoli florets
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 medium potato, peeled, cooked and cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook squash, green pepper, broccoli and carrot in boiling water until crisp-tender; drain. Stir in the potato. Spoon into two greased ovenproof 10-oz. custard cups or casseroles. In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, milk, garlic salt and pepper until smooth. Cook for 2-3 minutes, gradually adding the cheese in small amounts; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley and walnuts. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Yield: 2 servings.

LITTLE DIXIE POUND CAKE

• 3 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), softened
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch baking soda
• 7 teaspoons buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon orange extract

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine flour and baking soda; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Blend in extracts. Pour into a greased 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pan. bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack. Yield: 1 mini loaf.

top

Give Leftovers a Lift

• Mashed Potato Makeover. “I combine leftover mashed potatoes with chopped onion and shredded cheese, then bake it,” says Rose Ann Miller of Flagler Beach, Florida. “It tastes like twice-baked potatoes without the work.”
• Crumb-Saver. “Don’t discard cookie or cereal crumbs,” advises Marie Rabe of Bensenville, Illinois. “Use them to top pudding, gelatin and ice cream.”
• Ham Helper. Marion Stanley of Joseph, Oregon mixes ground leftover baked ham with chopped olives and green pepper, shredded cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, then stuffs it into hard rolls. “Wrapped in foil and baked at 375° for 30 minutes, these are tasty hot sandwiches,” she remarks.

top

Bonus Valentine’s Day Meal—Done Light

A special occasion calls for candles, fine china and a meal as distinguished as the event itself. But there’s no need to add to your guest’s waistline at the same time you’re entertaining! Our Test Kitchen came up with this mouth-watering menu that is only short on fat and calories.

GLAZED CORNISH HEN WITH RICE PILAF
This easy but elegant entree makes a lovely centerpiece for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. The peach-mustard glaze adds a sweet tang to the moist, tender poultry, which is perched on a mound of mildly seasoned pilaf. It’s bound to draw praise from your sweetheart!

Yield: 2 servings.

SWEET CARROTS
Here’s a flavorful way to dress up carrots without a lot of fuss. Simply steam the good-for-you veggies, then season with butter, brown sugar, vinegar and a sprinkling of chives. The carrots are not only colorful, but they taste good, too.

Yield: 2 servings.

VALENTINE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
Succulent strawberries star in this festive finale even Cupid would crave. The juicy berries mingle with a creamy yogurt sauce that’s sandwiched between heart-shaped shortcake halves. It’s sweet to eat and loaded with love...not calories!

Yield: 2 servings.

top

Cooking for 2 Tips

Homemade corn bread stuffing is one of our favorite foods, but it makes so much that I stopped fixing it unless we had company. Then, a few years ago, I started making it again, dividing it up in disposable freezer- and oven-safe containers that are just the right size for my husband, Jim, and me. I fill several containers, bake one and freeze the rest. When we want to have stuffing, I just move one of the containers from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight and bake the next day. Now, we enjoy homemade stuffing all year-round. —LaDonna R., Ponca City, Oklahoma

I eat a lot of chicken, but since I live alone, it’s cheaper to purchase a cooked one from the supermarket and divide it up for four meals. For the first meal, I slice off what I can eat and serve with a baked potato and salad or vegetables. On the second day, I make a sandwich with some of the leftovers. Next, I scrape the rest of the meat off the bones and prepare chicken salad or toss the meat into a green salad to make it a main dish. With the remaining bones and chicken, I make a bowl of soup, adding potato and other vegetables. —Marie G., Milton, Wisconsin

Editor’s Note: Leftover cooked chicken can be stored up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

top