Valentine’s Day Dinner for Two…or Five
Special menu ideas for the ones you love
In busy families, it often seems nearly impossible to get a nice dinner on the table, complete with white tablecloth, your best china, and home-cooked dishes. What adds to the challenge is getting an accurate head count. Valentine's Day should be a quiet romantic evening with the one you love, or a nice night with the entire clan.
The solution is to plan a menu that is expandable, with deliciously simple entree as the centerpiece. You need a recipe that's satisfying for adults yet still appeals to kids. Here are a few delectable ideas:
The perrenial favorite pasta noodles, such as spaghetti or capellini (angel hair), are made festive by adding red onion to a simple olive oil, basil, Parmesan and garlic topping. Serve with a red-leaf lettuce, mandarin orange and raisin salad.
There are so many ways to prepare chicken, but here's one with a touch of elegance. Saute some chopped shallots in olive oil; add 3 or 4 ounces of soft mild goat cheese, salt and pepper. Stuff inside chicken breast skin (or spread atop skinless breasts) and bake until golden, about 40 minutes at 375º F. Serve with rice pilaf and broccoli sauteed with some sasame oil, garlic and ginger (add a bit of water and steam 1 or 2 minutes at the end).
Splurging on a few juicy steaks is a treat for most of us. Just reduce each portion size to 6 ounces and broil with a spread of butter and fresh or bottled minced garlic. Serve with easy roasted potato chunks tossed in olive oil, rosemary, Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
For a festive (and flavorful!) beef dish, try our Meatloaf and Potato “Cupcakes.”
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