Delicious recipes for a beautiful Valentine’s Day meal
By Carla Snuggs
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Are you cooking a delicious meal for your favorite person? Are you entertaining or serving cocktails? I have a really fabulous, tasty, healthy Valentine’s Day Menu plus lots of delicious AND boozy recipes! All are sure to impress your food enthusiast Valentine!
Valentine’s Day Menu
Three Ways to Say Three Words this Valentine’s Day
It’s no coincidence that Valentine’s Day falls during American Heart Month. And it’s no surprise that this day is a money-maker for restaurants and retailers: in 2016, Americans spent a record $18.9 billion on Valentine’s Day. If your readers are looking for ways to say “I love you” with real meaning, try these three low-cost splurges that warm the home and the heart and give the wallet a rest.
Breakfast in bed
A piping-hot bowl of oatmeal is one of the healthiest choices you can make for your heart.
Small splurge: Flahavan’s Irish Steel-Cut Oats are naturally creamy thanks to Southeast Ireland’s unique microclimate and are milled with environmentally friendly methods.
Dinner with Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
Pair dinner with a hearty Cabernet Sauvignon. The especially high level of antioxidant polyphenols in Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile (higher than those from France) is believed to protect against heart disease. Chile produces highly-rated Cabernet Sauvignon at a fraction of the price of Napa.
Small splurge: Pick up a bottle from the year you and your loved one met, such as 2014 Alcance ($20), 2012 Los Vascos
or 2010 Domus Aurea
Fireside S’mores
Nothing says “amour” like a s’more. Make them by the fireplace.
Small splurge: Make them with Nairn’s gluten-free Scottish grahams ($4.59 per box).
Valentine’s Day Recipes from Giusto Sapore
Create a deliciously seductive Valentine’s Day dinner with recipes using Giusto Sapore imported vinegars from Modena. This new line of fine Italian vinegars is sold throughout the mid-Atlantic at Harris Teeter grocery stores and online at Amazon.com.
Marinated Pork Tenderloin
1 Tablespoon Steak Seasoning Rub
¼ Cup Balsamic from Modena
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 lb. Pork Tenderloin
Mix seasoning into balsamic until dissolved then add the oil. Put tenderloin into a resealing plastic bag and pour in marinade. Be sure to coat well, squeeze out air and seal bag. Marinade 1-2 hours or overnight. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pork and marinate into a glass baking dish and cook until internal temperature is 145 degrees F. (about 30 mins.) basting every 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
8 oz Bag of Baby Spinach ¼ Cup Strawberry Sweet Fruit Vinegar
1 Cup Sliced Strawberries 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
½ Cup Toasted Walnuts 2-4 Strawberries -mashed
2 oz Blue Cheese – crumbled Salt & Pepper to taste
¼ Cup Diced Red Onion
Mix spinach with fruit, nuts, cheese and onion. Prepare vinaigrette mixing together the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad, toss well and serve.
Bella’s Bruschetta
Meal prep has never been easier! Healthy, easy and delicious. Apps in 5 min? Dinner in 10-12 minutes? Absolutely! Open a jar of Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta and stir into hot pasta, top with fresh grated parmesan and your ready for dinner! Add a protein and French bread to make it more hearty! Or simply spread on a toasted baguette. For Valentine’s Day, try this easy tomato bruschetta
Ingredients
Sour or French Baguette, sliced
8 oz tub of spreadable cheese
1 – 8.5 oz jar of Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta
Fresh herbs to garnish
Instructions
Toast your favorite bread
Add a spoonful of spreadable cheese
Top with Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta
Garnish with fresh herbs for an added gourmet touch
You can buy Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato products at Safeway, Costco, Walmart Super Center stores, and a grocery store near you!!!
Dessert
Bourbon Caramel Dark Chocolate Truffles with David Nicholson Reserve Bourbon
For a wonderful Valentine’s Day treat, consider a boozy homemade twist on Cupid’s most popular sweet - bourbon caramel dark chocolate truffles. Made with David Nicholson Reserve bourbon, these truffles are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Ingredients:
9 oz. 60% dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk for dairy free)
2 tbsp bourbon
For Caramel Swirl:
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup water
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp butter
For Coating:
Cacao powder
Sprinkles
Instructions:
Combine sugar and water for caramel in small saucepan on med. Heat for 10 min (1/4 cup sugar + 1/8 cup water)
Add 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Simmer 2 min, then add butter and remove caramel from heat
Chop chocolate into small bits
In a small saucepan heat 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream to simmer, remove from heat, pour over chopped chocolate in heat safe bowl
Stir until smooth
You may use the microwave in 15 second increments for additional melting help if necessary
Let cool for 2 min and pour in bourbon, mix
Swirl in about 2/3 of the caramel, marble style.
Cover and place in fridge to chill for 1 hr
Scoop out chocolate using a melon baller, roll gently between hands until round
Coat in cacao or sprinkles by rolling ball on plate
Recipe courtesy of Brynn Houska
Breaking Bread XO
Cocktails
Gin & Juice Chanteuse
Posh Beauty Blog highly recommends White Knight Prosecco and and Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin. The White Knight Prosecco is a striking, bubbly wine with fresh yellow hue and pleasing, lasting effervescence. Crisp aromas of acacia flower, apple, white peach and citrus fruit captivate the nose before the palate is satisfied with an avalanche of fresh and delicate flavors that culminate in a tantalizing and memorable ending. Uncle Val's gin is a beautifully handcrafted, small-batch, distilled 5X, hand numbered botanical gin. The botanicals (juniper, cucumber, lemon, sage, lavender) create a very complex and pleasurable gin, perfect for all of your Valentine's Day cocktails and beyond.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. White Knight Prosecco
- 1 oz. Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
- .5 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
- .25 oz. Honey Syrup
- .25 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in mixing glass, shake well with ice. Double strain into flute glass, then top with Prosecco. Purchase info: 3badge.com
Roses are Red Violets are Blue(berry) Cocktail
Made with organic elderflower and fresh organic lemon juice, these sparkling beverages are a perfect addition to any Valentines Day menu. Make the Roses are Red Violets are Blue(berry):
Ingredients
1 part Belvoir Elderflower & Rose Lemonade
1 part Lemon juice
2 parts Pineapple juice
frozen berries
Method: Shake all the ingredients together with ice and strain in to a chilled cocktail glass. Sprinkle crushed frozen raspberries & blueberries onto the froth on top of the drink formed by the shaking.
