For the soup, after looking at the other courses so far, I was tempted to go with something French Oniony. Or maybe a dark mushroom broth. But then I decided that would be too much beef at one meal LOL. Many steakhouses around here serve awesome broccoli cheese soup. But truthfully, after a bite or two of the very thick stuff, I kind of wish it was thinner and less rich. I have come up with a "chowder" that has the thinner consistency I like, and can include any vegetables you want. Frozen or fresh broccoli, frozen veggie mixes, leftovers from another meal. This is a chunky chowder, and it is not pureed. Both for the texture, and also for the colour. I want a milky white base with veggies, not a green slurry. I have used anything from handfuls of baby spinach leaves, to the ubiquitous "frozen cubed veggie mix". This time I used 1 1/2 cups of a fancier frozen mix that had snap peas, leaf spinach, garlic scapes, broccoli, red and yellow peppers, and asparagus - and a 1/2 cup of frozen corn. The results were spectacular! Vegeable Chowder 1 tsp butter 1 tsp olive oil 1/2 small onion, chopped fine 1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped 1-2 tbsp flour (if you like it thicker, go for the higher amount) 2 cups good chicken stock 2 cups frozen, fresh, or leftover veggies 1/2 cup evaporated milk Salt and pepper to taste Melt the butter with the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, and saute until transparent. Add the garlic and stir, just until fragrant. The garlic can brown a bit but not too dark or it will be too sweet or worse - bitter. Add the flour, and stir to combine. Heat for about a minute to make a roux, but don't brown it. Whisk in 2 cups chicken stock. Add the frozen veggies and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the veggies are cooked/heated through and tender. This will be longer for fresh veggies, and the least for the cooked leftovers. My veggie mix simmered for five minutes and was perfect. Add evaporated milk, and simmer lightly until the chowder is hot. Stir gently to keep from breaking up any spinach(if you used it) to keep the broth as light as possible. Unless you don't mind it green ;). Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about four 1 cup servings Like all chowders I think this tastes best after it as cooled slightly but is still on the hot side of warm. For a cheesy chowder, add a handful of finely grated cheese to each bowl. You can also garnish with sliced green onions, crumbled cooked bacon, or oyster crackers. Note that in the link, the bowl is really too large and you would only get about two servings if you did it that way. This looks better in a dark bowl or crock, if you are serving it to company. And since I already had that huge bowl ladelled out, I ate it. You know, so it wasn't wasted - tee hee! Here is a link that might be useful:

Here's a good recipe for shrimp cakes that I think would go well with the rest of your menu. I have made rosemary roasted potatoes to go with them. I think you could skip a veggi, since you are doing the veggi pasta, but I think a tossed salad would be nice. Asian slaw would be too strong a flavor that goes in the wrong direction, IMO. These shrimp cakes are nice when having company as they are done ahead and quick to cook just before serving. Gingered Shrimp Cakes 1 lb. large shrimp, cooked 4 scallions, sliced, green parts included 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger Grated lemon zest from 1 lemon 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1/2 C fresh corn, cooked, cut off cob (can use frozen) 1 lg egg 3 Tbsp mayonnaise 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce 1/2 tsp salt Pinch of ground black pepper 1 1/2 C fresh bread crumbs or panko (divided) 2 Tbsp olive oil (or more, for frying) 1 Tbsp butter (with the oil, for frying) Coarsely chop shrimp in bowl. Add scallions, ginger, lemon zest, parsley and corn. Combine mayonnaise, egg, hot sauce, salt and pepper and fold into shrimp mixture. Add 1 Cup breadcrumbs and gently mix. Form into 4 patties and gently dredge in remaining 1/2 C breadcrumbs, adding more if necessary. Put on a plate, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 min and up to 4 hours. Heat oil and butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Saute cakes until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, adding more oil to skillet as needed, about 8 minutes. Chile Garlic Sauce (optional) To make Chile-garlic cream sauce, combine 2 Tbsp chile-garlic sauce ( from Asia aisle at supermarket and is sweet) and juice of 1/2 lime with 1/2 cup sour cream or cream fraiche. Spoon about 3 Tbsp of sauce on each plate and place shrimp cake on it, serve immediately. Makes four servings. Variation: Substitute lump crab meat for the shrimp. Nancy

The recipes look wonderful. This isn't a recipe so much, as just do what fancies you at the moment. We have been having variations of this alot. With fruit in season there is nothing more enjoyable than a fresh bowl of fruit topped with a luscious cream sauce. I usually slice up some strawberries. Last time I pitted and sliced up some okanogan cherries, too add to the strawberries, (great combo), then I sweeten them with either an artisanal jam, you want a couple of tablespoons, just so all the berries are coated. Gives them a nice glistening and also a nice sweeteness without being too much. The jam I used last time was a vanilla rhubarb, which went very well with the berries and cherries. Other times I have used maple syrup, or a vanilla coarse sugar that comes in its own grinder, or just plain sugar is fine as well. Can also add some liquer if you wish to give them that extra something. For the cream, In a mixer bowl I usually put in 1/2 to 1 c heavy cream, 1/2 to 1 c mascarpone cheese, 1/4 tsp almond extract,1/2 tsp vanilla, and about 3 tbsp icing sugar, (can add more if you like it sweeter). Then just beat till the mixture forms peaks. (sometimes I omit the almond extract and add in a liquer. Limoncello, chambord, grand marnier, whatever you feel like). To serve the berries I serve them in either dark chocolate cups or waffle cups. Ladle the berries in the cup, top with a few spoonfulls of the cream, and then I usally top with some grated chocolate (Whisper Chocolates, puts out a product, Dark semi-sweet chocolate shavings, that comes in a plastic jar with a shaker lid. It is made with callebaut chocolate and very good). Stick in a mint leaf and you have a great dessert. We have this alot as it is easy to put together and elegant enough for company. Shelley

I know you've already had your special date, but wanted to share this recipe for Bolognese Sauce, published in O Magazine, February 2007 - "Learn to make this sauce, and find a man worth cooking it for, in that order. Make a meal that will leave him hungry, not for sex, but for you! This sauce will smell better than anything youÂve ever smelled before. Make it only once a year, and keep him hungry! Great for special occasions and wonderful in the fall when itÂs cool. This sauce takes a lot of time  it should simmer for four to five hours  but it does not require much skill or effort. Once the vegetables are chopped, all thatÂs left to do is add ingredients and stir. This gives you plenty of time to shower, tidy up your home, and do whatever else you need to do to prepare for your dinner guest. Ingredients: 1 medium onion 1 large or 2 small carrots 2  3 stalks celery 1 ounce pancetta, very finely chopped 1 lb ground beef (not lean) 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper Pinch allspice 1 cup whole milk 1 cup dry white wine 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes w/ juice 1 lb pasta, such as rigatoni Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for grating Finely chop onion, carrot, and celery. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat, cook pancetta until all fat is rendered and pancetta is just beginning to brown. Add chopped vegetables; raise heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and soft. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, ¼ tsp (to start) salt, plus pepper and allspice. Cook until meat is brown. Add milk. When it begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and cook at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally until milk has mostly boiled away, about 30 minutes. Add white wine and cook as with milk, until it has mostly boiled away. Add tomatoes and juice; bring to a simmer. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and allow sauce to cook very gently at barest simmer, 2.5 to 3 hours. Season to taste with remaining salt. Just before sauce is done, bring a pot of water to boil, salt it generously and boil pasta according to package directions. Drain, mix with a third of sauce, the serve with remaining sauce on top with lots of grated Parmigiano cheese. Makes 4 cups sauce."