OK its Valentine’s Day, and what have you done? Last minute man, hey we’ve all gone there, but here is how we’ve got you covered — with gonzo food ideas even if that is a decidedly macho term — and can even make it a positive in the eyes of your Sweetie.
Fudge a bit, and she loves fudge, and say that the treats I am about to describe were two days in the making for things other than the chocolate that has become cliche. After all the thought is what counts, and in this case there is the rule of twos, not necessarily threes, although that could indeed be read in if its something really primo and could be bear a repeat later, and put you in even better than that with you beloved. And you have full reign to claim these were your own ideas not mine, and make you seem even sweeter, as HudsonWiNightlife gets enough praise as there is, by all the people who thrive by its merits.
So what is the upshot of what you can milk with your significant other — as its you and her, as a couple and that means the two of you are actually one in spirit, so make her a special meal based on that symbolism, on what you choice as a main ingredient and even may need to add one to get up to two become one, and I’ll help you with that and as I am HudsonWiNightlife, I’ll refer mostly to things that are already in the kitchen, so you don’t have to make that 11:59 p.m. run to County Market.
Much of what I will suggest are pairing two different forms of the same variety of sauce, hence the double whammy of my theme. Pasta? Choose both the mainstream spaghetti and another form a curly pasta to change it up, and top it with not only spaghetti sauce — Hunts is like a buck and you can add in all kinds of chopped and maybe even sauted vegetables on your own, as you should know her likes and dislikes by now if you are paying attention — and also alfredo, make sure the sauces are laid out side by side, or even go by a ladder form if you trust your fingers. Hence, again, two meet as one. And the meats can include even coined sausage of all types, not just hamburger, and the variety of Italian or Polish, and/or versus good ol’ Wisconsin bratwurst or keilbasa. The meats will pair well with one side, the red sauce, more than the white sauce, so plan accordingly and bolster the pattern of twos — and don’t skimp as this is your entree — and to give the latter more flavor, carrots and the like. And cheeses can be either the old familiar parmisan or cubes aroiund the edges.
On the level of both salad and appetizer, there can be seven layer salad, or eight is not enough, and it can be topsy turvy, with the greens in the middle level of a single big dish and all the other good stuff laid individually top and bottom. Let me explain. Taco/Italian salad versus chefs? Now both? Lay It Down on the bottom boiled lasagna pieces and cover it with sauce and such meats as I described in the most recent paragraph. And then cheese, go to the cheddar side and combine white and sharp, and add a second variety on the theme of twos with swiss or mozzeralla, and you can be creative and go from there with even provalone or colby, which in case you don’t know was invented in a small town by that name right in the heart of central Wisconsin, and I don’t have to tell you they know cheese and the right amount (hey spread it on as follows just a bit of salsa). After all, as far as making a trio not just a duo, if you do it all right there could be another mouth to feed down the line. And another tiny bit not to be overdone, slosh on some Mexican corn — even you know what that is — or baked beans, and a smattering of heated black beans or hot peppers. Cover that layer with some of the meats mentioned above, then go to cream cheese, and olives or green peppers, and the standard four kinds of onions and the like, much like a taco salad. Drizzle on top lettuce, straight iceberg or if more adventuresome romaine and others, and again, all the staples of a chef’s salad, sliced carrots or celery, croutons or toast edges, a second round of diced or stewed tomatoes, and chicken or bacon. Dressing is a wild card for you, although I think French is safe. Cole slaw or, if you are getting confident, asparagus on the side. Put layers of crackers on both depths of the lettuce, to prevent the two types of salad, top and bottom, from intermingling and being too bipolar, like your sweetie (I will disavow any knowledge of having said that). Pringles bits of smoldering hot potato chips can add to the separation and spice.
And you do need a veggie right? Mixed vegetables give a varieity of flavors, but take a gander at this: Lima beans may seem staid, but they give a touch of sweetness, and this can be magnified by a few simple, small chunks of apple. Squeeze out strips of BBQ and Horsy sauce, the kinds you get when patronizing Arby’s and the like, and I’ll leave to up to you to be in straight strips or the shape of an altered every inch zig-zag. Or maybe write on the top, via the sauce, I Love You. And maybe some of those smoldering chips, as all good things are in twos …
And all this can carry over to the dessert, where no matter what is on the bottom as a base, pie or cookies or the cake she did not have to bake, various flavors such as chocolate or caramel, or fruit-based or vanilla, can be criss-crossed and wrapped around for a double trouble taste, as you know what she’ll be in the mood for right then! But she can have her cake and eat it too, because you are THAT CLOSE to being rewarded.
Don’t forget a card to maximize the understanding of my/our random theme of twos, and use some words that rhyme, such as pasta and salsa (food) to go with lotsa the spicy mosta (her), and one cheddar to go with none better.
In case you don’t want to cook and have $75, you can get Valentine’s full course dinner at Ziggy’s that specializes in things like a ribeye steak with whiskey deme glaze, and a halibut with pistachio dust and among other things a variety of confit and gastrigue (I’m not even sure what that is). Their Friday and Saturday bands too, although not totally new to the area, aren’t the staples you always see, and we’ll let you know if something truly different comes around, (and G.B. Leighton at Big Guys BBQ doesn’t strictly conform to that standard).