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 *

Valentine's Dinner {For Him}

~ national love day, also known as Valentine's day is celebrated tomorrow. restaurants of all kinds put out special menus, are completely booked with reservations and champagne bubbles grace every table top. but sometimes all you want to do is spend a romantic evening with your loved one in the comfort of your own home. we've put together a super easy three-course meal for you to follow for a special night in with your significant other ~

~ even if you aren't the most chef-saavy person, the menu we've put together is fool-proof. even the table top styling we've done is simplistic but makes a statement ~

~for him, we've put together a rustic table top with a decadent three-course menu that he is sure to love : 

 ~ we wanted to evoke the feeling of being in a log cabin, sitting around the fire with your special someone. some candles, a bit of nature, tree trunk plate chargers {a DIY btw!} and some heart-shaped stones are all the decor you need. we loved the idea of putting the table together on a plaid tablecloth with a some copper mugs and gold cutlery. it was the perfect amount of romantic rustic-ness ~

~ for a delicious appetizer that you will both love, put together a simple, melted brie in an oven-safe brie baker topped with some caramelized onion jam and slivered almonds. some sliced baguette and a delicious  and refreshing moscow mule bevvy is the perfect way to start a decadent meal ~

*recipe for baked brie*

1 brie of your choice {make sure it is small enough to fit in your brie dish and the more creamy {triple cream for example} the longer it will stay melted}

1 large onion

a few tablespoons of sugar

salt and pepper to taste

slivered almonds {can be omitted}

~ slice the onion into thin slices {not too thin otherwise they will burn quickly}

~ heat a non-stick pan with olive oil before placing the onions in the pan {make sure your pan is big enough to fit all the onions otherwise you'll have to do two batches}

~ with the temperature on medium-low, cook the onions down until translucent

~ add salt and pepper and some sugar to speed up the caramelizing process

~ turn down the temperature to low to cook down the onions until they're perfectly sweet {slow and low will give your the sweetest, most perfect caramelized onions}

~ once cooked, let them cool down {they will get warm again once atop the melted brie}

~ for the brie, simply cut the top rind to allow an air pocket {and bubbly brie to seep out}

~ place it in your brie dish and bake for at least 20 minutes for perfectly melted brie

~ top with caramelized onions and slivered almonds and enjoy with baguette wedges

 

~ for dinner, treat yourselves to a delicious meal of steak and potatoes with some veggies. We kept it simple: seared steak topped with herbed roasted garlic butter, fluffy mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus ~

*recipe for herbed roasted garlic butter*

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 garlic head {or 5 cloves of garlic }

herb of your choice chopped finely {we loved parsley for ours}

salt & pepper

saran wrap

~ roast garlic by placing garlic cloves in aluminum foil, topping with olive oil and salt & pepper. wrap tightly and roast for at least 45 minutes. you'll be able to smell the garlic scent waft through the kitchen 

~ while waiting, chop parsley finely

~ once out and cool enough to touch, soft your butter with a fork for easy working

~ squeeze out the roasted garlic into the butter,  add parsley and salt and pepper and mix together

~ tear a piece of saran wrap and place your flavored butter in the center

~ wrap the saran around the butter and roll the package until it is cylindrical in shape 

~ twist the ends tightly and place in freezer {if making ahead of time} or fridge for it to get cold

~ slice off a delicious piece and place it atop your steak while still hot. it will create a delicious sauce and flavor

~for dessert: skillet brownie with some creamy vanilla bean ice cream and slivered almonds. we switched up our bevvy to some sweet white wine garnished with mint leaves that paired well with dessert ~

*all Photography by Matthew Burditt*