Buona la festa di la san valentono!... You said, what?!

Valentine's day (VD)... For some reason I do not like holidays... Well, not the holidays itself, I do not like how people behave in holiday times...I grow-up in a family were holiday traditions are very important, I am puertorrican, so go figure...

I am talking about my whole family, my aunts, cousins, grandma and grandpa... But my parents are different, they like holidays, they do not like what holidays do to people... So I guess I learned from them to be this way...

Valentine's day is the same every year... People feel the need to give gifts, do extravagant gestures, pretend to like someone to receive gifts, make long lines to get into a restaurant, pay a lot of money for a meal... And they forget the point of the holiday which is to remind... Remind! Someone or some people you love them... I use the word remind, because for this holiday to work, they should know that you love them already, and Valentine's day is a reminder. Therefore, I do not do anything mayor in Valentine's day... I do not like feeling obligated to do something on that day. You now why?

Because I am a romantic. I love love every single day. I tell people I love them every time I feel it... Therefore, in protest to the fact society expect people to do things they do not feel and act when they do not want to... I DO NOTHING mayor on valentine's day.

However, something interesting happen this past VD-2012. I was shopping at a supermarket and I saw this...

Yeap!... my heart melted... I told you I am a romantic! But, I cooked it not on the 14th... I cooked it on the 19th... I was with a dear friend at the moment I bought it and he looked at me... And smile, actually it was more like a smirk... He knew, I was dying to do it on the 14th... But, because I made a big deal about not doing anything mayor, he agreed to cook them with me on the 19th... We decided to do a... wait for it.... wait for it...

Italian four cheese heart shaped ravioli, shrimp and vodka sauce... And of course, wine :)

Like always.... Low Fiber Diet, with the uniqueness I love :)

This is us cooking...

 

So, here is the recipe for the four cheese ravioli shrimp vodka sauce... I took it from Jennifercooks.com, she calls it pan seared shrimp & four cheese ravioli with vodka cream sauce

Pan Seared Shrimp & Four Cheese Ravioli with Vodka Cream Sauce

1 pound large shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons canola oil

1-20 oz package refrigerated Four Cheese Ravioli (used: Costco heart shaped ravioli)

1 jar prepared tomato & basil pasta sauce (used: Bertolli)

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup vodka

1/2 cup cream cheese or heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 

Start a large pot of boiling, salted water for ravioli.

In a medium sauce pan, add prepared tomato sauce and vodka and simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and two tablespoons canola oil.  Allow butter to melt and stop foaming, do not brown.

Toss the shrimp with lemon pepper seasoning and add to the pan, in a single layer.  Sear shrimp for 1 minute, then flip and continue for 1 minute more.  Remove to a plate; set aside.

While shrimp are cooking, add ravioli to boiling water and cook for about 8 minutes.  Drain well.

Once the shrimp are cooked, add the shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add broth to deglaze the pan and simmer for 1 minute until slightly reduced.

Add cream cheese to the deglazed pan; cook over medium heat and whisk until smooth and melted.  Stir in the tomato sauce until well combined.  Remove from heat and whisk in parmesan cheese until well blended.  (If sauce is too thick, begin whisking in hot pasta water until desired consistency is reached: sauce should coat the back of a spoon)  Stir in chopped parsley.

I have to say... It was a great day :)