Anyone making a special Valentine''s Day dinner?

[zoebartlett]

I''m flipping through cookbooks, determined to make something really nice (but not super fancy) for Valentine''s Day. I''m wondering what others are doing. Normally we''d go out to eat but this year I want to prove that I can learn to cook.

 

[Skippy123]

Well I will share what has been tradition since one we were dating and the place we wanted to eat at was soooo crowded we started the tradition of making a heart shaped pizza. Hubby makes me one each year and it is pretty easy to make. You need a pizza stone, paddle, fresh cheese, sauce and whatever toppings you love

This will be the 1st Valentine's we won't be doing that; we will be in the land of love this year. hehe Below is the pizza hubby made me last year.

This recipe will yield two 8" crusts. If you're feeding a crowd, it can
easily be doubled. Just use what you need, then divide remaining dough into
pizza-size portions, wrap tightly in freezer wrap, and freeze.
Thaw in the refrigerator 4 hours before using.

Ingredients

1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (about half 1/4-ounce packet)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lukewarm water (105-115o F.)
1 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornmeal
In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over water, stir in sugar; let stand 3 minutes until
foamy. Stir in cornmeal, oil and salt. Using wooden spoon, gradually stir in flour
until stiff dough forms and all flour is incorporated. Sprinkle work surface with
reserved flour. Turn dough out onto prepared work surface and knead 3 minutes,
until dough is smooth and elastic. Spray large bowl with nonstick cooking spray;
place dough in bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise in
warm, draft-free place until dough doubles in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch
down dough; form into ball and let rise in covered bowl 30 minutes more. With knife,
divide dough in half. Proceed with pizza recipe or wrap tightly in
freezer wrap and freeze.

 

[777_LDY]

Skippy, that is so sweet, and it looks really yummy too! What a great tradition! We don''t really have any traditions but I always try and get a yummy Valentines cake, my boys (children) really enjoy that. DH is happy with almost anything I cook (no matter how awful it turns out...he''s so sweet!), partly because I do it so rarely! Maybe I''ll try to use the new crock pot he bought me again. He said it was near impossible to ruin something in it, I already proved him wrong.

 

[Independent Gal]

Yummy! That looks delicious.

We go out, but we go out on the 13th so that it''s not so crazy and expensive. We don''t cook meat at home, so I am taking him for a big steak at a famous steak house. I think he''s pretty excited!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Zoe- I''m a HUGE fan of myrecipes.com. It''s a collection of recipes from Cooking Light & other publications (Sunset & Coastal Living, i think). I mostly stick to the CL recipes, as DH and I like to eat well but healthy!

They have a cool section for Valentine''s Day: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/valentines-day Check out the Date-Night dinners- delish!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Date: 2/2/2008 10:57:13 PM
Author: Skippy123

Well I will share what has been tradition since one we were dating and the place we wanted to eat at was soooo crowded we started the tradition of making a heart shaped pizza. Hubby makes me one each year and it is pretty easy to make. You need a pizza stone, paddle, fresh cheese, sauce and whatever toppings you love

This will be the 1st Valentine''s we won''t be doing that; we will be in the land of love this year. hehe Below is the pizza hubby made me last year.

Skippy, I heart that pizza! Too cute.

 

[Elmorton]

DH is taking me to dinner, but I''m preparing a special dessert at home - NO idea what to do though. I think I want to make chocolate martinis (another thread got the wheels turning on that idea), but I don''t know what to make to go along with. I''ve had flourless cake vetoed, and he loves lava cake, so that''s a contender, but I''m still trying to come up with other ideas.

 

[NYCsparkle]

hey zoe---i''m making the most special dinner---reservations..lol

 

[Skippy123]

Thanks 777, how fun to bring a treat home to your boys!

Thanks ChargerGrrl; I am going to check out your recipe linky!

--- Zoe
hubby makes this out of this world chicken cordon bleu
recipe if you want it; it is kind of difficult but
gets raves from me for sure!!!!

It is from the Better Homes and Garden's Old reliable cookbook.


4 skinless, boneless brest halves about 1lb total
4 slices prosciuttto or ham
4 slices of really good swiss cheese
3 tbs butter
1 c fresh sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeeg
1 c milk
2 tbs dry white wine


1. Rinse chicken, pat dry; place each breast half
btwn 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound lightly into a
retangle about 1/8 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap.


2. Place a slice of prosciutto or ham and slice of
cheese on ea chicken piece. Gold in the bottom and
sides, roll up jelly-roll style. Secure w/wooden
toothpicks.


3. In a 10 in skillet cook rolls in 1 tbs of hot
butter over medium low heat for 20 mins or till tender
and juices run clear. Turn to brown evenly. Remove
toothpicks.


4. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan melt the
remaining 2 tbs butter. Add mushrooms and galic.
Cook and stir till tender. Stir in flour and nutmeg.
Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened
and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 mins more. Stire in
wine.


5. If desired serve chicken rolls atop hot cooked
noodles of your choice. Top with sauce. Makes 4
servings

 

[Livinthedream]

I am making surf and turf. That is our special V-day treat! I can''t stand the jacked up prices and crowds and this was the first special meal I made when we moved in our house, so I''ll keep it a tradition.
Skippy- i think I will have to try that chicken recipe in the future though!

 

[October2008bride]

Im not sure what we had for dinner on our first Vday - but I know we had chocolate fondue for dessert!!!

Mmmmm...so tasty!

It was FI''s first time eating fondue - at the end he was using a spoon!!! Didn''t feel well after, and now he knows to eat it in moderation!

That''s my recommendation.

That and king crab legs. Easy to cook. Use your hands. Something you wouldn''t want to pay for at a restaurant!!!

 

[Elmorton]

Oooooh, I found my dessert to make! It''s from Everyday Italian (I have such a girl crush on Giada) - grilled pineapple with chocolate hazelnut drizzle, toasted hazelnuts, and vanilla marscapone. I''m going to garnish it with raspberries which are DH''s fave (and to add a little v-day flourish). It looks pretty easy, and I wanted to find something decadent and that wouldn''t be overkill with a chocolate martini...I think this fits the bill! Yay

 

[CrownJewel]

Oh neat...I''m so glad we''re not the only ones who like to avoid the V-day insanity in restaurants. Last year I made a lobster dinner. One of the previous years we ordered in a sushi feast.

This year, I would love to find a way of having a "raw bar" at home. Oysters and clams on the half shell...but I''m not sure if that''s possible, with issues of freshness and contamination. Anyone shuck oysters and clams at home?

SKIPPY you and your hubby are SO ABSOLUTELY FREAKIN'' CUTE with your heart shaped pizza! My own heart just melted when you posted that picture. SO cute!!!!!!!!

 

[Fancy605]

Gosh, I haven''t even thought of that. My husband and I cook all the time, so to us going out is special (and kind of a splurge), but we also aren''t big on Valentine''s Day really. We try to find each other hilarious cards and sort of do the opposite of the whole "flowers-chocolate-wine-and-dine" thing. Once, we went to Ryans (A chain family steak house buffet thing), just because it was the least romantic place we could think of. Apparently though, other people find it wildly romantic because the place was just packed (I guess everything is on Valentine''s).

 

[Mara]

we eat at home some Vdays but mostly we just go out...if you can get past the fact that the dinner is typically not as fabulous as it would be on any other day, it''s fun to people watch and see other couples being romantic, we try to go to a place that is tried and true for us so that we are not ''disappointed'' with trying out a new place on a busy holiday.

when we have eaten at home in the past we do things like lobster, cheese fondue, chocolate fondue. something ''decadent''...filet mignon and wine. handmade truffles. choco covered strawberries. champagne.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 2/4/2008 9:11:07 PM
Author: NYCsparkle
hey zoe---i''m making the most special dinner---reservations..lol

Ah, I see we speak the same language!

That''s what we usually do. I thought I''d mix it up a bit this year...we''ll see though. I may have to keep the restaurant''s number on hand, just in case.

 

[KimberlyH]

Last year I made dinner: butternut squash soup, crab cakes using fresh, local crab, some veggie and cookies. This year we'll be in NYC (DH has to go for business) and have reservations at Uncle Jack's Steakhouse. I know we've eaten home one other time, but I can't remember what, and out two years ago and we were both disappointed by the rushed service, higher prices and not so great food from what is normally one of our fave restaurants at home. Hopefully this year will be better.

Valentine's Day is not a big deal to me, but DH likes it so we try to make it special whether we stay home or go out.

 

[JulieN]

I''m probably going to make nutella gnocco fritto. already bought a bottle of Champagne.

almost all of bf''s and mine''s fights are in the grocery store and the kitchen, because we''re both opinionated food buffs, but have very different cultural food backgrounds.

 

[Octavia]

I think I''m going to go all-out and do a baby spinach salad, roast leg of lamb, pureed potatoes, some sort of green veg...maybe broccoli rabe? and some luscious dessert. That''s the most important part, so I haven''t quite figured it out yet

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 2/7/2008 8:33:56 PM
Author: JulieN
I''m probably going to make nutella gnocco fritto. already bought a bottle of Champagne.

almost all of bf''s and mine''s fights are in the grocery store and the kitchen, because we''re both opinionated food buffs, but have very different cultural food backgrounds.

I noticed "nutella" and had to ask. What''s nutella gnocco fritto? If it has nutella in it, it''s GOT to be good.

 

[JulieN]

Date: 2/7/2008 9:26:28 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett

Date: 2/7/2008 8:33:56 PM
Author: JulieN
I'm probably going to make nutella gnocco fritto. already bought a bottle of Champagne.

almost all of bf's and mine's fights are in the grocery store and the kitchen, because we're both opinionated food buffs, but have very different cultural food backgrounds.

I noticed 'nutella' and had to ask. What's nutella gnocco fritto? If it has nutella in it, it's GOT to be good.

think nutella ravioli, but deep fried. also, the dough will be more bready, due to yeast. when fried, it becomes a bit airy in the middle. then dust with powdered sugar. *sprinkle*sprinkle*

basically nutella-stuffed beignets.

 

[somethingshiny]

DH works second shift, so no big dinner plans. But, I always make homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, complete with construction paper hearts.


ETA- our first V-day (when we were dating), DH made tortellini for me. It was not good, but I ate every bit with a smile.

 

[snlee]

We usually don''t do anything special for V Day but this year we''re going out to dinner. I made reservations at a French restaurant I''ve wanted to try for awhile so I''m excited!