Date night - dinner for two- steaks, spinach, pudding

Date Night Dinner for Two

Menu;
Steaks with Mushrooms
Spinach Rice
Maple Syrup Pudding
Any Red Wine, even one with spice will go great with this dinner.
Consider a Cabernet, Red Zinfandel, or even a Boreaux.
Steaks with Mushrooms

2 boneless beef sirloin steaks{5 oz each}
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp butter
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

Spinach Rice

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups baby torn spinach
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup uncooked instant rice
1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Maple Syrup Pudding

1 3/4 cups milk
1 pkg cook & serve vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup maple syrup
whipped topping{optional}

Procedure
Rub both sides of steaks with salt & pepper. In alarge skillet, cook steaks in butter until meat reaches desired doneness.{ for medium-rare= thermometer should read, 145~f., for medium= 160~f, for well done= 170~f.}
Remove & keep warm. In the same skillet, saute' mushrooms until tender. Serve with steaks.
In a suacepan, saute' onion in oil till tender. Add the spinach, water & parsley. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, salt & pepper. Cover & remove from heat; let stand 7-10 minutes or till rice is tender & liquid is absorbed.
In a microwave safe bowl, whisk the milk, pudding mix & syrup until just combined. Cover & microwave on high 5 minutes or until the mixture come to a full boil, stirring every 2 minutes. Pour into dessert dishes; cool slightly. garnish with whipped topping if desired. Refridgerate leftovers.
Serves 2.

Crockpot Rice Pudding

Crockpot Rice Pudding
1-1/2 cup cooked rice
16 oz half and half or light cream
3/4 cup raisins
3 eggs
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Grease stoneware of crock-pot with butter.
Beat half and half, eggs, sugar & vanilla with electric mixer.
Stir in rice and raisins.
Pour in crock-pot.
Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
Cover, cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir well.
Cook on low, 2-3 hours.

Makes about 8 cups

Choco.Eclair "cake"- EZ

I served this the one night with friends- they LOVED it!
Light and creamy and so good!It's really simple to do in just 15 minutes... made it the night before so it'd be chilled by the next day!

Serves 12-15...unless you have big eaters
(4 of use killed half of it!)

2 (3.4 oz.) Packages of French Vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk for the pudding
8 oz. whipped topping
1 (12oz) package of graham crackers

chocolate topping
3 tablespoons milk
6 tablespoons butter
2 ( 1oz.) squares of semi-sweet Chocolate
1 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

Procedure
1. Combine pudding mix with 3 cups milk and follow mixing instructions on package.Add whipped toppin. Beat with electric mixer set at medium speed until blended.

2. Arrange a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 13x9inch dish.Spread half the pudding mix. Add a second layer of graham crackers. Spread remaining pudding mix. Top with another layer of graham crackers
( personal note: I tried to do this without broken ones...keep the whole pieces for the top as it's easier to spread the chocolate. Bottom and middle- it really doesn't matter if they're broken!)

3. CHOCOLATE TOPPING =Place confectioner's sugar in medium bowl- set aside. In small saucepan, combine the butter and chocolate. Cook over low heat, stirring frequesntly, until the chocolate melts. Stir in the 3 tablespoons of milk.

4.Add chocolate mixture to the bowl of coneftioner's sugar. Beat with an electric mixer set at medium speed until icing is a spreadable consistency. Spread over prepared layers/top layer of graham crackers. Chill, covered, for 8 hours.
cut into squares and serve.....(the cutting into squares is easier said then done..lol)

PS. icing short cut. use prepared chocolate frosting -spoon it into a bowl and add milk 1 teaspoon at at time until the mixture is a thin spreadable consistency