Romantic Valentines Meals

No one takes the day off for Valentine’s Day, so dinner is usually the meal of choice for couples to share. This year, instead of eating out, use your extra cash to create a bistro like setting in your home. Serve up a romantic dinner for two this year that you put together.

The first thing to decide is how fancy you desire this dinner date to be. You can keep it simple and spend more time whipping up a generous dessert or vice versa. Knowing the special person in question like you do, the choice won’t be too hard.

Simple Dinner Ideas

For those of you, who feel the need for speed, go with a dish that is easy to prepare. Since there will be just the two of you, opt for Cornish hens instead of a big roasting chicken. They are so small that you can marinate these little beauties before baking them for a flavor that will infuse through the meat.

Maybe red meat is more to your liking. Find the best cuts of steak or a small roast to be the main dish. New York strip steaks or a T-bone will have everyone’s mouth watering. You don’t usually eat it every day because they are so expensive so treat yourself and your companion. Steaks don’t take long to cook either.

Any dish that can be prepared ahead of time and slipped in the oven on Valentine’s Day is considered a simple dinner. Fix a casserole meal with only a few ingredients. You can do wonders with chicken breasts, rice, and cream soup.

Fancier Fare

Some of you may use Valentine’s Day as the time to stretch your cooking repertoire. In that case, you want to tantalize your sweetie with a feast for the eyes and the palate. It will take some time to prepare such a meal but that’s okay since it’ll be for a special person.

For a welcome change, consider doing a multiple course dinner. Serve an appetizer, then a salad, and then the dinner meal. Follow with a decadent dessert and coffee or a cognac. He or she will be impressed with a presentation like that.

Set the Mood

While dinner is cooking, have some sort of snack to set the mood for the meal and the rest of the evening. A few strawberries with a glass of champagne aren’t a bad way to begin. The combination of sweet strawberries and sparkling champagne will tickle the tongue and relax you both.

Are you thinking of a romantic dinner this year? Stay home and prepare the meal yourself. Make it a night to remember.

Romantic Raspberry Rendezvous'

What You Need:

• 1/2 tub Raspberry Ice Drink Mix
• 1 C cranberry juice, cold
• 1 C water, cold
• 2 C sparkling water
• Frozen raspberries

How to Make It:

1. Place the drink mix powder into a small pitcher.
2. Pour the cranberry juice and water into the pitcher and whisk until the powder is completely dissolved and the ingredients are combined well.
3. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
4. Just before serving stir in the sparkling water.
5. Place frozen raspberries in the bottom of 2 champagne glasses.
6. Pour the raspberry rendezvous over the top of the raspberries.

Serving Size: 2

Use this drink to start out your special night with that someone you love. Make a toast to each other, wrap arms and sip to the soft music and glowing candlelight and watch your night evolve.

Sweet Satisfaction Strawberry Soup

What You Need:

• 1 lb. fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
• 10 mint leaves
• 2 C white wine
• 1 t lemon juice
• 3 T honey
• 2 T brandy

How to Cook It:

• Place the strawberries into the blender.
• Place the mint leaves in with the strawberries.
• Pour in the wine, lemon juice, honey and brandy.
• Puree until very smooth.
• Strain the soup to remove any seeds.
• Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving

Serving Size: 2

Use this soup as the starter to your romantic Valentine dinner. Garnish with a few strawberry slices and a mint leaf.

Romaine Lettuce Hearts Finger Salad

What You Need:

• 2 hearts of Romaine lettuce
• 1 T pecans, toasted
• 1 small red pepper
• 1/4 C Italian cheese, shredded
• 1 C Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

How to Make It:

1. Separate the leaves of each heart and place them on 2 salad plates.
2. Sprinkle the top of the lettuce with 1/2 T of the pecans per plate.
3. Slice the red pepper in half and remove the seeds and core.
4. Slice each half into half then cut with a heart shaped cookie cutter.
5. Place the red pepper hearts on top of both salads.
6. Top each salad with 1/8 C of the cheese.
7. Divide the dressing into 2 small bowls.

Serving Size: 2

By placing the dressing on the side you can use your fingers to dip the lettuce and pepper hearts. This can be so romantic especially if you're feeding each other.

Love Me Do Shrimp Pasta

What You Need:

• 1/2 (16 oz) box linguine noodles
• 1 C shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic, drained well
• 1 (3 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 fresh spinach leaves, torn

How to Make It:

1. Cook the linguine according to the package direction.
2. Rinse under cold water and drain well.
3. Place a skillet over medium heat on the stove.
4. Add the shrimp, tomatoes and the cream cheese.
5. Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce is creamy.
6. Place the spinach leaves into a large salad bowl.
7. Add the shrimp mixture and toss to combine the spinach

Serving Size: 2

This is a romantic meal that will have your true love’s heart pounding. Add a salad and a romantic chocolate dessert to top off your night.

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, you want to make it a special day for your sweetheart. It is a time to celebrate your love for them. Whether you go out or stay at home, accompany dinner with a refreshing wine.

There is an art to wine and food. People spend lots of time learning about wines and tasting them. You don’t have to swish and spit to find out how a wine tastes. Just keep reading for some helpful tips on choosing the right wine for your delicious meal.

Champagnes

Let’s begin with the bubbly. Champagne and other sparkling wines are served for people to drink when they celebrate. And, when love is in the air, it is a cause for celebration. Champagnes are a lot sweeter than most wines and all those bubbles tickle the nose and the tongue.

If you are a person who wants to wow their sweetheart this hear, serve a little champagne and strawberries to get the evening started.

There are a few choices for you:

• Brut

• Extra Dry

• Demi-Sec

There is a difference that can excite or dull the palate. Brut contains no sweetness at all. Drinking it with sweet strawberries can help.

Extra dry champagne has a hint of sweetness but not much. The strawberries may add a bit of sweetness to the flavor of the champagne. If you want more sweetness from that for your fruity mood maker, try a Demi-Sec. it also goes well with any dessert you serve.

White Wine

This wine goes well with several dishes. Your sweetie will be impressed that you know how to put wine together with food for the perfect complement to the Valentine’s Day meal.

If you like the taste of Chardonnay, they you have a tendency towards fruity flavors. There are many California chardonnays on the market if you prefer a U.S. wine. Choose from medium or full-bodied varieties.

White wine goes well with:

• Pasta dishes

• Chicken

• Fish

For a lighter bodied white wine that includes a nuttier flavor, opt for a Sauvignon blanc or a white Zinfandel.

Red Wine

Red wine is an acquired taste. Choose from Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Port. Red wines have a variety of flavors that range from light to full-bodied. There is a hint of fruit combined with bolder flavors like licorice, spice, and woodsy flavors.

If you plan on serving red meat or a stew, consider serving a red wine with the meal. Pinot Noir is also an excellent choice for chicken dishes, salmon, and pork.

What are you serving for dinner this Valentine’s Day? If you are going for the romantic touch and an eventful evening, serve some wine with your meal.

What will you give your sweetheart this year for Valentine’s Day? If the gift includes a quiet dinner at home or out, consider a few romantic ideas for dessert. Turn on the charm as you provide a sweet ending to the meal.

Maybe you want to get out for dinner this Valentine’s Day. If you have kids, a little rest and relaxation as a couple instead of a couple of parents is probably in order. Skip dessert at the restaurant and share some cozy moments at home with a dessert made for two.

Even if you are not the baking type, you can still have tasty desserts. Order one from a gourmet bakery or the bakery section of your grocery store. There will be no shortage of interesting desserts available for the tasting on this day.

How about fruit? Fruit always has a way of sneaking into Valentine’s Day somehow. Try chocolate covered strawberries. If you want a twist on the traditional milk chocolate, try plump red strawberries dipped in white or dark chocolate. Let them come to room temperature before eating them with a glass of champagne.

Try some puddings. We often think of chocolate on Valentine’s Day but that is not the only flavor of pudding. Try banana or vanilla. Top it off with whipped cream and some cherries for a light yet sweet dessert.

Whatever you choose for a romantic dessert, eat it in moderation. On the one day set aside for romance, you don’t want to gorge yourself on rich dessert and fall asleep before the romance can begin. Choose a dessert that you can feed to each other (for a little extra fun), or one that is not too filling.

Instead of a large cake, use ramekin dishes to bake individual cakes that are perfect for a romantic dessert treat. Chocolate lava cakes, strawberry shortcake, and others will bake nicely in smaller dishes. Top with rich sauce, icing, or powdered sugar. There will be just enough dessert to satisfy.

Another idea would involve preparing an assortment of desserts like with fondue. You can create a sweet sauce in the fondue pot like chocolate (white or dark) and then dip cubed pieces of dessert into it. Small inch squares of cake and fruit slices go well with chocolate. Even marshmallows can be included. Take turns feeding each other the tasty tidbits.

Romantic desserts set the stage for an amorous evening. Choose something simple that will satisfy the sweet tooth without making you too tired for couple’s time afterwards. 

Sinful Creamy Fruit Salad

What You Need:

• 1 (3 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

• 3 t apricot preserves

• 1 (8 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained

• 1 fresh peach, pitted and halved

• 1 fresh pear, halved

• 1 T pecans, chopped

• 4 Mint leaves

How to Make It:

1. Place the cream cheese into a mixing bowl.

2. Add the apricot preserves and with an electric mixer on low speed beat until mixture becomes creamy.

3. Fold in the pineapple tidbits.

4. Slice a small portion off of the bottom of the pear and peach halves so they will lie on the plate.

5. Spoon the pineapple mixture onto each of the fruit halves.

6. Sprinkle the top with the pecans and add a mint leaf for garnish.

Serving Size:  2

This sinful salad will bring love to your man's heart as he eats every bite.  Top each with a maraschino cherry instead of the mint leaves for a special treat.

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, love is in the air. If you want love to be in the bedroom, choose dinner fare that will lead in that direction. Certain foods are known aphrodisiacs and can inspire romance.

What is an aphrodisiac? It is something that arouses our libido. It can be a scent, an image, or even a food. Eating that particular food will get the eater hot and bothered in a good way. 

If that is the direction you are looking to go with your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day, then look no further than the kitchen. They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. On February 14^th, we will wow his or her brain to turn on the rest of their body.

Here are some of the foods you might want to add to the menu on Valentine’s Day.

1.      Oysters 

these hard-shelled ocean beauties have long been used to initiate sexual desire. People who never even dared touch an oyster were looking to the slimy delights to help them turn on the charm. Oysters can be eaten in a number of ways from on the half shell to dipped and fried in batter. However you can get them down your gullet, they are said to be a natural aphrodisiac.

2.      Chocolate

Over the last couple of years, everyone has been touting the amazing properties of chocolate. We aren’t just talking about any chocolate but dark chocolate. It contains the largest percentage of cacao and produces those “feel good” endorphins that make us ready for anything. Even the Aztec ruler, Montezuma, used to indulge in a drink made with cacao before spending the evening with his concubines.

3.      Hot Peppers

Have you ever eaten something very hot and felt the warmth run through your body? The substance in hot foods like peppers and cayenne pepper is called capsaicin. It causes a thermogenic reaction in the body that speeds up the metabolism. Combine that with some chocolate and oysters (maybe not all together) and you could have an evening of love that is made to order.

4.      Alcohol

Here we are specifically talking about wine and champagne. Some would argue that the reason that alcohol acts as an aphrodisiac is that it lowers our inhibitions. Even so, we wouldn’t do anything that we didn’t already have in our minds to do. The alcohol is a convenient excuse to have some fun. Let the bubbles tickle your nose and light a fire in your loins.

There are plenty of other things that act as aphrodisiacs, too. If a food gives you that “all over” good feeling, use it to get you in the mood on Valentine’s Day and every day of the year.

My Darling Valentine Chocolate Cups

What You Need:

• 2 squares white baking chocolate

• 3 T milk, divided

• 2 T cream cheese, softened

• 2 squares semi sweet baking chocolate

• 2 Maraschino cherries

How to Make It:

1. Place the white chocolate squares into a microwave safe bowl.

2. Add 1 T of the milk.

3. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes then stir until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

4. Beat the 2 T of the cream cheese into the mixture with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth.

5. Place the 2 squares of semi sweet chocolate into a separate microwave bowl.

6. Add the remaining milk and microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes.

7. Remove and stir until the chocolate is smooth.

8. Spoon the mixture side by side into dessert bowls.

9. Place the bowls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill through.

10. Garnish each bowl with a cherry.

Serving Size:  2

Comments: 

Nothing says love like chocolate.  End you romantic dinner with this special dessert and watch the sparks fly.