The Way to a Man’s Heart

Hey Sweeties! So as we all know Valentine’s Day is approaching… and the pressure is on! What to wear, what to do, and for some of us… who to date? ;-)

Personally, there’s nothing I like less than the hassle of going OUT to eat on V-Day. Whether it’s trying to book a decent reservation, getting a reservation and still waiting up to an hour to be seated, or just dealing with the bustle of a busy restaurant during what should be one of your most intimate and romantic nights of the year…. It all irritates me to my soul!

So how do I deal with it all? I don’t! And I’m going to show you how NOT to do it either.  Today we are going to make a 5 Star meal right in the comfort of your own home.

One of my favorite “special occasion meals” is Stuffed Lobster tails. I can always find tails for no more than $7-9 each, so it’s budget friendly... it always makes whoever is eating it feel like a King… AND it is surprisingly easy to make! See below:

 

Stuffed Lobster Tails:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ready in: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients (2 servings)

 

• 2 lobster tails,(to be split along the center top)
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted
• ¼ cup of Italian breadcrumbs (or 15 buttery round crackers (i.e. Ritz),     crushed)
• ¼ cup of onions diced
• 1/2 cup jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1/4 cup butter2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®)(or your favorite seasoning salt will work as well)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or to taste

 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

• Take a very sharp knife and CAREFULLY insert the knife upright into the top if the lobster shell and pull downwards and back down the length of the lobster to split the tail open

• Pull the edges of the split lobster shells apart and gently lift the tail meat to rest above the shells. They should look like this.

• Place the prepared lobster tails on a baking sheet or in an aluminum pan.

• Take 1/4 cup of clarified butter and place in a sauce pan and sauté the garlic and onions until the onions are transparent. Lightly mix the crabmeat, parsley, seafood seasoning, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper thoroughly combined and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes. (If I’m feeling generous, I’ll throw in a few shrimp cut in half to the stuffing… but that is completely optional) Then mix in the breadcrumbs (or crackers) until a stuffing is formed.

• Brush each portion of tail meat with 1 teaspoon melted butter.

• Spoon half the stuffing onto each lobster tail; press lightly to slightly shape the stuffing so it doesn't fall off.

•  Lightly sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
  
• Bake the lobster tails in the preheated oven until the meat is opaque and the stuffing is golden brown on top, 10 to 12 minutes.

And your tails are done!  You can pair them with a nice juicy steak and have surf and turf, or let them stand alone with some roasted potatoes and asparagus. No matter what you decide dinner will be fabulous and you will re-affirm just WHY you were a great pick for a Valentine.  ;-) Besides, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!

You’ll see a couple of my pairings below.

 

Enjoy!! Happy Sweetheart’s Day Sweeties!!

Guest Post by:
Miss Neek
@504_to_90210