Valentine's Dinner: Salmon Pesto Pasta and Mango Shortbread Bars

(I will warn you now my picture skills need some work!)

We are not a couple big on crowds, so dinners at home on holidays is our style and we always try something new. I asked for ideas on a cooking board I frequent and found this salmon recipe with very positive reviews. Everyone was right - this pasta is delicious with a perfect combination of flavors. The dessert is not new to us, but is one of the hubby's favorites and he has been asking me to make it for months so I thought Valentines Day was a good time.

One of the most fun parts of the night was I decided to bring out our "fancy china" for the first time. I decided since we are not really in the era of our lives for hosting holidays and fancy dinner parties, I should stop waiting and use the china for just the two of us!

Dinner: Salmon Pesto Pasta

Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Ingredients
1 lb salmon
1 lb pasta (we used thin lunguini but anything would work)

2/3 cup heavy cream (recipe used evaporated milk to add healthiness, we went all out with heavy cream)
1/2 cup pesto (can be made from scratch as the original recipe says, personally I just used out of a jar!)

1 Lemon

Salt

Pepper

Grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Start water boiling for pasta with a small amount of salt and olive oil in the water. Cook pasta al dente, drain and return to the same pot. (do steps 2 and 3 while the pasta is cooking)

2) Season salmon with salt, pepper and lemon zest then rub with olive oil (place on baking sheet lined with aluminium). Turn on broiler put salmon on middle rack for 10-15 minute until cooked through and flakes away from the skin with a fork. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Remove from oven and break apart with a fork (skin should stay behind on the pan)

3) Heat cream on low heat until just simmering. Add a small amount of salt and pepper for flavor.

4) Pour the cream over the pasta and mix. Stir in the pesto next and top with the salmon. Serve with grated parmesan cheese for topping.

I served this with steamed broccoli and a salad of romaine, apples and walnuts with a rasberry vinagrette (care of Paul Newman).

Dessert: Mango Shortbread Bars
Source: All Recipes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter
1/2 cup white sugar
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

4 cups sliced mango
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Sprinkle of ground nutmeg

Directions
1) Cream together butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add flour and mix (the mixture will be crumbly).

2) Press 2/3 mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan.

3) Combine mango and the last 4 ingredients. Place in the pan.

4) Place remaining mixure over the mangos and press lightly.

5) Bake in 350 degree oven for 1hr until golden brown. Allow to cool, cut and serve.

Perfect served with tea!