Cook Up a Romantic Dinner for Two

Nothing warms the heart more than a scrumptious, homemade dinner for your sweetheart. So whether it’s Valentine’s Day, a special anniversary or birthday, skip the hard-to-get reservation and costly check and stay home instead. The two of you can get cozy in the kitchen while you bond over blending, braising and baking.

For a simple yet romantic meal, begin with a salad of mixed greens and warm bacon dressing, follow up with some elegant cornish game hens with parmesan mashed potatoes, and cap it all off with Affogato (an Italian dessert). This dinner is simple and filling, yet light enough for the fun that is in store later. Of course, the shot of caffeine in the dessert helps too.

Recommended Wine: A creamy, luscious Chardonnay such as Far Niente or a fruity, light red such as Coppola’s Director’s Cut Pinot Noir.

Mixed Greens Salad:

Cook 1/4 pound bacon in heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper plates to soak up any grease. Reserve 1/2 teaspoon bacon fat and drain the rest. Coarsely chop bacon and set aside.

Meanwhile, finely chop 1/2 clove garlic, 1/2 small shallot and 1 teaspoon fresh parsley. Place garlic, shallot and parsley in a small bowl and whisk in juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, 1/8 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

In a large bowl toss 1/2 pound mixed greens, cooked bacon, vinaigrette and bacon fat. Serve immediately.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes:

In a medium saucepan, place 1/2 pound red potatoes (unpeeled) and 1 teaspoon salt and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes, until tender when pierced with fork. Drain.

In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.

Put potatoes in a mixing bowl. Using a hand-held mixer, mix potatoes for a few seconds on low speed. Add hot cream and butter in batches, mixing on low speed until combined. Fold in 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

Cornish Game Hens:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Chop 1/4 green bell pepper, 1/2 stalk celery and 1/4 large onion. Combine chopped ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, stir 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons lemon-pepper, 1 teaspoon dried basil and 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning. Rub 1 teaspoon olive oil over both hens and season with spice mixture. Place hens on baking sheet. Loosely stuff cavities of each hen with with chopped ingredients. Roast hens in oven for about 1/2 hour until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees into thickest part of thigh and juices run clear. Remove hens from oven and loosely tent with foil.  Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Affogato (literally translated “drowned”):

Place a scoop of premium-quality vanilla ice cream into each serving dish. Pour a shot of steaming espresso over the top of each.

If You’ve Got Kids:

Earlier in the day, show your little cherubs just how much you adore them with some of these fun Valentine activities just for them.

• Order a heart-shaped pizza. If you are craving Chicago-style deep-dish, Lou Malnati’s ships pizza across the U.S. Papa John’s also offers a thin crust version available now through February 14.
• Organize a scavenger hunt. This will probably need to be an indoor activity, unless you are lucky enough to live in a more temperate climate. Leave hearts hidden around the house with clues (using words or pictures) leading to the next one. The final treasure could be red and pink balloons filled with candy and helium. Give the kids a pin and have fun watching them pop their surprise.
• Create a cozy bed of pillows, blankets and sleeping bags in the family room, then watch A Charlie Brown Valentine or Lady And The Tramp.
• For very little ones, make bath time more fun by adding a drop of pink or purple food coloring to the tub. You can also cut out heart shapes from foam to stick on the walls and sides of tub.
• Let them create their own Valentine’s Day dessert by having them cut up strawberries and bananas. Add some marshmallows and graham crackers to dip into melted chocolate. Life doesn’t get much sweeter.

For Valentine’s Day gift ideas, see our story “Gifts From the Heart,” or visit our Valentine’s Day Pinterest Page.

And for 10 great Valentine’s Day music playlists, read our story on The Top 100 Love Songs of All Time.

From all of us at Red Typewriter, Happy Valentine’s Day!