Valentine's Dinner {For Her}

~ valentine's day is a special day for a lot of couples. a day to celebrate their love for each other. whether you're a romantic person throughout the year or not, the day itself brings out everyone's romantic side. for us, a special dinner made by our love is one of the most romantic gestures we can imagine. with our help, you can put together a simple, Parisian-insipred dinner for your lady that will wow her ~

~while cooking might not be the strength of every guy out there, the menu we've put together here is quite easy to do. as long as boiling water is something you are comfortable with, you'll be gold ~

~ decor is simple, some champagne flutes, candles, a gorgeous bouquet and these super pretty stone hearts. a simple white tablecloth, soft pink linens and gold cutlery is all you need for a romantic table for two. don't over-complicate it, that's not how the Parisian's do it ;-) ~

~ for an appetizer you'll both love, a beautiful roasted beet and pear salad topped with goat cheese, slivered almonds and a balsamic dressing will be sure to impress your lady love. it involves a bit of prep work with the beets but is otherwise super easy. appertizers and dinner is served with a delicious prosecco that is sure to pair well with the meal~

*recipe for Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese with Balsamic Reduction*

2 large beets

1 Bartlett pear

slivered almonds

balsamic dressing {reduced on low temperature until it becomes thick and syrupy or store bought}

herbed goat cheese {as much as you like!}

1 handful candied pecans {chopped coarsely}

~ roast beets wrapped in aluminum foil topped with a bit of olive oil for no less than 30-45 minutes, set aside to cool

~ peel beets {the external skin needs to come off before slicing thru. remember, beets can stain your fingers so use some disposable gloves or whatever you have and work on a plastic cutting board, not wooden}

~ slice beets about 3 cm in thickness {they can be slippery so do your best to get nice, even slices}

~ slice the pear in half and then in wedges of similar thickness

~ begin arranging your plate: start with 4 slices of beet, topped with 5/6 slices of pear

~ scoop out some goat cheese from its packaging and simply form a small ball of deliciousness and place atop the beets and pears

~ sprinkle some pecan pieces around the salad

~ drizzle with a delicious balsamic reduction

~ dinner is simple: a beautiful pesto spaghettini topped with a delicate quail egg {once cracked, cooks within the heat of the pasta and becomes like a carbonara, creamy and delicious}. shave some parmesan on top and this dinner is a perfect way to feed each other while staring dreamily in each others eyes {if that's your sorta thing ;-) }

~ for dessert, impress your lady with delicious heart shaped berry hand pies. you'll need no magic tricks here, some pie crust, mixed frozen fruit, heart shaped cookie cutter and the love you have for your gal ~

* Heart-Shaped Handpies recipe *

1 store-bought pie crust thawed

1 package frozen mixed berries

1 cup sugar

heart-shaped cookie cutter

flour

~ in a pot on your stove top, pour in 2 cups of frozen berries and 1 cup of sugar and let them marinate over medium temperature. keep your eyes on it as you aren't trying to make a syrup, more a chunky sauce

~ once reduced, turn off temperature and let it cool a bit {and thicken up slightly}

~ roll out your pie crust on a floured counter so it is approximately 2 cm in thickness

~ punch out 4 heart shapes

~ spoon in some fruit into the middle of the heart, avoiding a 1 cm edge {to avoid spillage}

~ top with the second heart crust and using a fork, pinch the edges down to keep all the yumminess inside

~ bake for 10/15 minutes {or packaging directions} and serve warm with extra berry sauce

*All Photography by Matthew Burditt *