Joanna Adduci is a Northport resident, currently working as a Marketing & Social Media Specialist. She has a B.S. in Journalism from St. John’s University and is active within her community as a writer and mentor. She enjoys cooking, traveling and singing in her Long Island-based cover band, Next Generation. Joanna can be reached by email at LISAVORYEATS@gmail.com.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate a loved one and enjoy a special meal. I personally look forward to this holiday, while some of my closest friends and family consider it a Hallmark Holiday at best. One thing we can all agree on is that it’s a perfect opportunity to cook something special, and/or support a local business.
My personal go-to for Valentine’s Day has always been the same: shrimp cocktail, a high-quality steak, roasted vegetables, and a luxurious dessert. This year we won’t stray far from the beloved ‘old faithful’, though we may support a few of our favorite local businesses with charcuterie, dessert , and wine. If you’re looking to construct the perfect Valentine’s Day date night, look no further. Nothing expensive or fancy needed!
Given the current climate this year, our options may be a bit more limited. If you’re dining out, ensure all necessary precautions and make a reservation well in advance. If you’re dining in, but don’t feel like cooking, peruse some of your favorite takeout menus and order ahead. If we personally opt for takeout, we’ll make apps at home. A cheeseboard for dairy enthusiasts, a crudité board for veggie lovers, or even a mini raw bar for those that are seeking some luxury. A good bottle of wine or champagne can add a nice flair to the evening but is certainly not required.
If you’re going all out for Valentine’s Day, (a.k.a you’re cooking), make a game plan. I generally prep with a shopping list, décor, music, food & drink. If you can, support local businesses with your shopping needs – a neighborhood fish store, butcher, farmer’s market, etc. For décor, Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion for candles and flowers. I also like to print personalized menus (yes, even if it’s just my fiancé and I), and tie them with twine and fresh herbs. I prefer candles of different heights and shapes, and a pre-made jazz and R&B inspired playlist. If you can prep dishes or desserts in advance, do it! This makes the day a bit more enjoyable for the chef.
Set a schedule for yourself, and most importantly, enjoy this special day with the people who mean the most to you. If an in-person celebration isn’t possible in the current climate, opt for a virtual dinner date – complete with pre-sent gifts and chocolates. Let’s make the best of the holidays this year and enjoy the time we have with one another.

Denise Gianatasio is a Northport Village resident, freelance writer and licensed
agent at Signature Premier Properties in Northport. Please feel free to contact her
for any advice you may need at dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com.

Cooking from the heart has a special way of making food taste delectable and this scrumptious recipe is pure love on a plate! Truly a simple, Italian inspired recipe, it’s rich in taste and sure to have your guests feeling the love. It serves as a delicious family meal, or the perfect dinner date— especially when looking to impress your guests. Valentine’s Day, also known as, St. Valentine’s Day, is celebrated on February 14th and is set aside as the holiday where love is expressed through: affection, gifts, chocolate, flowers, meals and more. Alfredo sauce is a creamy, elegant pasta sauce based on a combination of butter, parmesan cheese and cream. This simple, but decadent sauce was created by Alfredo di Lelio at his family’s restaurant in Rome, 1914. Popular today in the U.S., it’s typically synonymous with fettuccine, although I do prefer to use linguine when making it with rich, sweet lobster. Feel free to experiment and get creative by using a variation of ingredients like: chicken, shrimp, ham, peas and/or mushrooms. Pair it with a dry white wine, a salad and some crusty bread. Lastly, get out your prettiest tablecloth and favorite china to feed the ones you love…with Love! Happy Valentine’s Day. xoxo Denise

Ingredients

4 lobster tails
2 minced shallots
½ cup butter
2 T olive oil
Pinch of nutmeg (to enhance all the other flavors)
1/3 cup white wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. linguine or fettuccine
¼ cup fresh finely chopped parsley for garnish
1/3 cup of white wine
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Serves: 4
First, cook your lobster tails. (I steam mine in white wine.) Take out the lobster meat, cut them into chunks and set aside in a bowl. In a large sauté pan, melt your butter with olive oil and sauté the minced shallots with sea salt, fresh black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, over medium to low heat, until very soft and translucent.  Stir in your cream and white wine; cook for 3 minutes. Then, add parmesan cheese and stir until well melted and smoothly blended. Add your cooked al dente linguine and toss through. Add lobster meat, and parsley for garnish.

Lisa Basini Recipe Developer, Food Stylist and Owner of the Baking Coach, Inc. The Baking Coach® is a baking instruction company located in Huntington, NY. We teach to people of all ages and abilities! Phone (631) 543-8608
www.bakingcoach.com

Yield: 18 sandwich cookies

Here Is What You Need:

Tools:
3 baking pans lined with parchment paper
3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter
1-inch round cookie cutter
Rolling Pin
Mixer

For the Dough:
2 sticks or 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

For the Icing:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ½ to 3 tablespoons water

For the Filling:
1 ½ cups raspberry jam with or without seeds

Here Is How You Do It:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar. Incorporate eggs one at a time. Add in extract, and stir.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; slowly pour into the butter mixture using a rubber spatula. Roll out a portion of the dough to a ¼ inch thickness.  Using the 3 ½ inch cookie cutter, cut out 12 cookie circles and place them 1 inch apart on the first tray. Cut another 12 cookie circles and place on the second tray. Cut out the center of these cookies using the 1-inch cookie cutter. At this time, you will have 12 solid round cookies and 12 round cookies with the 1-inch round cut out. Recycle the cut-out portion of the dough to the remaining dough and cut 6 solid circles and 6 circles with the 1-inch round cut-out for the third tray. Bake each tray for 10 minutes. If you put all three trays in at once, be sure to rotate them after 5 minutes. Cookies should look dry and slightly darker on the edges when they are fully baked.
Allow cookies to cool completely in pans, or wait 10 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.
Prepare your icing. Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add 2 ½ tablespoons of water, and mix.  If the icing is too thick, add in remaining ½ of a tablespoon a little at a time.
Using the ring cookies (with the cut out), place the top of the cookie into the glaze, covering only the top. Gently shake off excess, flip, and turn back on to the parchment paper, or drizzle the chocolate icing over the tops with a fork. Repeat this process on all cookies. Top with sprinkles while the icing is wet if you desire.
Take the solid bottoms and turn them upside down, then place a heaping tablespoon of jam in the center. Press down slightly, but leave a ½ inch boarder of the cookie without any jam.  When you add the top, the jam will spread, filling the whole cookie.
Once tops are dry enough to move, top each filled bottom-half cookie with a glazed top. Store in the fridge or a cool place in an airtight container. Cookies are best if enjoyed within three days.