Whose Turn Is It Anyway?

Uh -oh......it's that time of year again. What time? Well, it ain't Howdy Doody time, but it could be any one of number of other times. For some, that phrase could mean one more birthday, drivers' license renewal time or tax time. In my case, it means Valentine's Day.

Ah, Valentine's Day. The day for those in love, those who have been in love, those who hope to be in love and those who are married (may they please fit into one of the above categories).

Since it's a legitimate holiday (not like Sweetest Day), one might ask why I seem to be approaching it with some trepidation. Well, the answer is simple. I don't know whose turn it is.

You see, when my husband and I first married, money was tight. We both did a little too much for that first Valentine's Day. So, we decided that instead of risking financial ruin by each of us being spendthrifts, we would take turns squandering the limited family assets. Forever after, we would take turns planning and implementing a fabulous Valentine's Day.

The first turn was mine. I planned an elaborate evening in San Francisco at the ballet. You see, we were still in the exploration stage of marriage in which we each assumed that the other enjoyed what we enjoyed. I love the ballet, so I thought he loved the ballet. And, if he loved the ballet, he would most certainly enjoy the Ballet Trockadero du Monte Carlo (I hope I got the spelling right). This ballet troop is a little different. It's all guys. Guys in tutus spoofing classic ballets. What I didn't know is that my husband hadn't ever been to a ballet. So unless, the dancers were falling down (which they did regularly), he didn't get the satire. Not surprisingly, I haven't been able to get him to a ballet since - serious or spoof.

With the help of mother nature, he got back at me the next year. Our area was being ravaged by one of the wettest winter in years and come the evening of Valentine's Day - out went the power. Not just ours, by the entire coast (well, not the entire West Coast, but certainly the 30 miles around us). So instead of the romantic evening he had prepared (at least, he claimed it would have been romantic - he never did tell me what was actually planned), we spent the early evening helping the local drinking establishment drink up the beer before it got warm and then dined at McDonalds - the only eating establishment with electricity.

In the intervening years, we have improved our plans. Except that as the years pass and our memories dim, we are left with an annual question - Whose turn is it anyway?

So, here it is once again, that time of year, and it must be one of our turns. I will be bold and claim it as mine. Therefore, I wish romantic success - for me and for all those who risk success with me - with the following:

Crab Puffs
Serves 8.

4 ounces crab meat
4 teaspoons onion -- finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley -- or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon fresh dill -- or 1/3 teaspoon dried dill
4 ounces cream cheese -- room temp
pinch salt
pinch pepper
2 packages crescent rolls

Mix crab meat, onion, parsley, and dill together. Blend in cream cheese. Roll out crescent rolls and pinch perforations together. Cut into eight 3 inch circles using a biscuit cutter or glass. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of mixture slightly below the center of the circle. Fold top of circle over to the bottom forming a half moon shape. With a fork, press the top and bottom edges together to crimp and seal the puffs. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven according to the directions on the crescent roll packaging. Allow to cool for several minutes before serving. Filling is HOT! Left-over puffs should be refrigerated. To reheat, allow to warm to room temperature and place in a warm oven for about 5 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn.

Shrimp with Sausage
Serves 2.

1/2 pound jumbo shrimp -- peeled
1/4 pound Louisiana hot link -- diced
1 medium red bell pepper -- seeded
1 jalapeno -- or 1/8 tsp. hot sauce
2/3 cup onion -- chopped
1 clove garlic -- finely chopped
1 stalk celery -- chopped
1/2 cup white wine
salt -- to taste
pepper -- to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add chopped peppers, onion, garlic, celery, and diced sausage. Cook until vegetables are almost tender. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add shrimp and continue to simmer until shrimp are pink and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately over steamed white rice. Add a crusty loaf of bread and a mixed green salad.

Valentine's Day Cake
Serves 2.

2 slices pound cake
1/2 cup raspberries -- fresh or frozen/defrosted
1 square semisweet chocolate
4 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
dash vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cognac or brandy -- optional

Place pound cake slices on a single plate. Sprinkle cognac over pound cake. Cover with raspberries. In a double boiler, place chocolate square, milk, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Over medium heat, melt chocolate and blend with other ingredients until it becomes a fully integrated sauce (3-5 minutes). Pour over raspberries. Serve immediately.