Valentine’s Day offers a special chance to celebrate your love. This is when people let their significant other know they care about their needs and want to see them happy. If you are thinking about Valentine’s Day, you’ll want to think carefully about what you are going to eat for dinner. A good meal is one way to make you and your partner celebrate at the end of the day. One of the best ways to have a nice meal is to make it yourself. If you love to cook, now is your chance to show you loved one exactly what you can do. Even if you’re not much of a cook, these recipes makes it easier than ever to create a Valentine’s Day dinner your partner will long remember and cherish.
One of the first things you’ll want to do is decide on a theme. A romantic meal for two is your goal. Cooking at home allows you a lot of flexibility. You can decide exactly what you want to serve and why. You can also decide what you want to serve to your significant other. Think about what you and your partner love to eat. Perhaps you both love Chinese food or you delight in hitting some of the best restaurants in town. Now is the time to customize your plans and create a meal that is totally about you and your partner’s personal tastes.
Creating a Menu
After you’ve decided on an overall theme for your dinner for two such as gourmet or your own personal comfort food, it is time to come up with an overall menu You can go in many directions with this plan. You might want to begin with the standard plan of appetizer, main course and then dessert. Or you can switch it up. A menu of only appetizers is one way to have fun and bring in lots of little tasty bites that many couples find just right for a Valentine’s Day meal. It’s all up to you. Think about how you’re going to get everything on the plate and ready for your loved one. If you’ve done a lot of cooking before, you can show off with an array of dishes that show off your best cooking techniques. If you’re someone who cooks only now, it’s probably best to keep it simple and elegant. Make sure you have all you need for the Valentine’s Day meal on hand before you start cooking.
Delicious Appetizers
Appetizers are at heart of what you do for a special meal. You can choose all kinds of appetizers for the Valentine’s Day menu you have in mind. You might want to begin with a group of appetizers and then have a much larger main course. Or you can go for lots of little bites. Bite sized items are a good choice for romantic meals for two. These let you experiment with different textures and lots of ingredients that you know your loved one will enjoy eating. A well thought out group of appetizers sets the stage for what’s coming next and makes your loved one anticipate the rest of the meal.
Classic Variations
Keeping to the classics is a good way to make it happen. For example, deviled eggs are something that everyone loves eating. You can dress up those deviled eggs with this recipe for Jammy Eggs with Smoked Paprika Aioli. Anchovies, Spanish paprika and red pepper add color and lots of layers of flavor. This is a good choice if you have lots of time to make it happen. You can make the hard boiled eggs in advance and then add the filing later on in the day.
Another terrific option are these Stuffed Artichoke Hearts. Artichokes have many layers to them just like your loved one. This is a good option if your loved one likes vegetarian food. These make use of ingredients you probably already have on hand such as cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. You can cut off the bottoms of the artichokes and then top with a mixture of other ingredients. The next result is an appetizer that is filling but also easy to eat at the same time. You’ll want to make sure they’re cooled down before you serve them to your significant other.
If you want to keep things as simple as possible consider these Balsamic Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostini. Luscious layers of flavor come together in a single bite. This is one recipe you can make it easily. It’s also a recipe that combines both sweet and savory. For many people, the sweetness of the strawberry marries well with the thick, creamy richness of the cheese. This is another recipe that you can also make well in advance and then serve to your loved one. That makes it easy to keep the flow of the meal on track.
Fabulous Main Courses
A main course is a chance to bring in a centerpiece. A good main course should ideally delight all of the senses. This is your chance to cook something wonderful. There are lots of amazing possibilities to explore. Think about factors such as the dinner for two that you like best as well as what is going to work when it comes to making it in your kitchen. You want a main course that will dazzle and offer lots of chances for you and your loved one to rejoice as you make this holiday your own.
Meat always makes a lovely option. If you’re pressed for time or you just want to make the house smell really nice, you can always go for this White Wine Coq Au Vin. The crisp undertones in the white wine make it one to savor. You’ll start with an entire chicken. Then you bring on the flavor with garlic, onions, leeks and mushrooms. Pancetta can be chopped up to add that kind of salty goodness that brings balance and depth to the entire dish. Aromatics like thyme, bay leaves and tarragon further amp up the entire main course and make this one to remember.
Seafood Treats
Seafood is a wonderful treat that many people look forward to on special occasions. You can treat your loved one to a main course centered around seafood. This Pasta with Seafood Mushroom Cream sauce is rich. Make a sauce with a few basic ingredients. Then you can add in the rest of the ingredients. All it takes is a little preparation and you have a main course fit for a wonderful Valentine’s Day celebration. This is a good option to pair with freshly grilled garlic bread. Use the bread for dipping up the remains of the sauce. Add in a glass of chilled white wine and you have a dish that makes a good meal in itself.
Going Vegetarian
Savory main courses don’t have to rely on meat to be quite superb. If your loved one is a vegetarian, you can offer them a main course to relish. These Epic Vegetarian Tacos. Tacos offer a wonderful combination of crunchy and yet filling at the same time. These tacos are easy to prepare well in advance. Just make sure you have what you need on hand and then you can assemble the results. This one makes use of ingredients that burst in the mouth like pickled onions and creamy avocado dip. Go for a large plate or consider making them for a totally memorable appetizer.
A Lovely Dessert
Every single meal needs something that adds a great finish. If you’re thinking about a Valentine’s Day dinner, you’ll want to add a flourish at the end. Dessert is the ideal way to end it all on a high note. It’s one way to show your love. These wildly delicious options allow you to dig right in and enjoy this most romantic of holidays.
The Flourless Chocolate Cake
A flourless chocolate cake is one of those very special menu items you’ve probably tried at a favorite restaurant. This is a modern take on the delicious chocolate cake. You can make your own version at home. For this version of the flourless chocolate cake, you’ll need some time. Allow at least two hours. That way, the cake will have enough time to cool fully and allow you to put the icing on top without melting. This a large recipe. You can offer your loved one a slice and then put the rest away for another time.
Ice Cream
Ice cream is another popular dessert. Even in the middle of February, ice cream is one dessert your loved will adore. You can make her these Chocolate-Covered Ice Cream Hearts/. The heart shapes say this is a Valentine’s Day dinner with a fabulous finish. This is also one dessert that you can decorate according to your personal taste with ease. All you need are a few items on hand such as ice cream and coconut oil. Get even more romantic. Ice each one with a special message just for her. You can both take forks and dig right in. These are delicious and yet really easy for a dinner that will make it clear just how much you love this person.
A well thought out Valentine’s Dinner at home is your opportunity to make this holiday your very own in every single way. If you are thinking about staying in on a cold winter’s day, you’ll want to a menu that you can make with easy. These ideas are yours to try out. You’ll find lots of engaging meal options that let you personalize them to your exacting standards.
