When my children were younger, instead of my husband and I going out to eat, I would make a special meal that everyone would enjoy.
I fancied up all the normal things to make it special for everyone. I did the lit candles, special glasses, and the good dinnerware. This was the only time my wedding china got used.
Here are some Valentine’s Day meals that hopefully will make for special family dinners.
Let’s start with an appetizer.
MINI VALENTINE PIZZAS
Store-bought crust
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza sauce
Small pepperoni slices
Mozzarella slices
Mini heart cutters and a small one for the pizza shape
Using your 3″ heart cookie cutter stamp out pizza crust into mini heart pizza crusts. Add a couple spoons of sauce onto the crust.
Sprinkle top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Add 3-4 mini pepperoni hearts on top.
Line a baking pan with parchment or foil. Bake your mini pizzas for 10 to12 minutes in a preheated 400 degrees oven or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Immediately after pulling out of the oven, add three 3 mini cheese hearts so they can melt from the residual heat but still keep their shape.
Now for the entrée.
MARRY ME CHICKEN WITH CREAMY GARLIC PARMESAN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
10 oz penne pasta
Fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)
Start by cooking the penne pasta according to the package instructions. You want it to be al dente, so it holds up well when mixed with the creamy sauce. Drain the pasta and set it aside for later.
Season the boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and paprika. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6 to 7 minutes on each side, ensuring they’re golden brown and cooked through. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
In the same skillet (don’t clean it. Those leftover bits are flavor gold!), add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until it’s fragrant. Be careful not to burn it. Next, pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to combine. Slowly whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese, making sure it melts into the sauce without clumping.
Add your dried thyme and oregano to the sauce. Stir them in, allowing the flavors to meld. Then, toss in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, which will give the sauce a rich, tangy burst of flavor. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
Once the sauce is ready, return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, allowing them to soak up the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce for about 5 minutes. Then, add the cooked penne pasta and gently toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated.
For a final touch, sprinkle the dish with freshly chopped basil.
Let’s end the meal with a special dessert.
Move over peanut butter and make way for strawberry.
STRAWBERRY KISS COOKIES
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional, but enhances the strawberry flavor)
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg (3 oz) strawberry-flavored gelatin mix (for color and flavor)
1/4 c. powdered sugar, for dusting
24-30 chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until well combined. Add the strawberry-flavored gelatin powder to the mixture. Beat until fully incorporated, giving the dough its pink color and strawberry flavor.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft, pink dough forms.
Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms to form a smooth, round ball. Place each dough ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Using your thumb or the back of a teaspoon, gently press down in the center of each dough ball to create a shallow indentation. This step is crucial because it gives the cookie its signature “thumbprint” shape, where the chocolate kiss will go after baking.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should be set but still slightly soft to the touch, with faint cracks appearing around the edges.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes.
While the cookies are still warm, gently press an unwrapped chocolate kiss candy into the indentation you made earlier. The warmth of the cookie will slightly soften the chocolate kiss, helping it adhere without melting too much.
Once the cookies have cooled and the chocolate has set, dust a little powdered sugar over each one for a festive look.
PENNE ALLA VODKA WITH PARMESAN HERB BREADCUMBS
Parmesan herb breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. regular seasoned croutons (or 1 cup of regular or Italian breadcrumbs)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
¼ c. grated parmesan cheese
Penne alla vodka
3 tbsp. olive oil
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ – ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (½ tsp. is slightly spicy)
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
1 lb. penne pasta (or any short pasta noodles)
6 oz. tomato paste
½ c. vodka
2 c. heavy cream
4 tbsp. salted butter
1 tsp. salt
¼ c. grated parmesan, plus more for serving
fresh basil, roughly chopped, for serving
Instructions
Parmesan herb breadcrumbs:
Crush the croutons in a food processor or blender.
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed croutons, oregano and basil. Mix together and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until toasted. Mix in the parmesan and cook another 30-60 seconds until melted. Set aside.
Penne alla vodka:
Add a large pot of water to the stove over high heat.
Add oil to a large skillet with tall sides and heat over medium. Add the onion and cook until it begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, and basil; cook another minute.
Add your pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes less than the suggested amount of time on the packaging. Reserve at least 1 to 2 cups of pasta water. While the pasta cooks, continue making your sauce.
Add the tomato paste to the skillet and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously. Pour in the vodka and let cook off for 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce to medium-low heat and add the heavy cream, whisking to combine.
Once the pasta is al dente, transfer the pasta to the vodka sauce and add a ½ cup of pasta water. Mix together and let the pasta continue to cook in the sauce for about 3 to 5 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce.
Mix in the butter and parmesan until melted.
Serve with fresh basil and extra parmesan.
This recipe is a bit more work, but well worth it.
BLACK FOREST CAKE
Chocolate Cake
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. buttermilk room temperature
1 c. hot water or hot coffee
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cherry Liqueur Syrup
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. cherry liqueur
Whipped Cream Frosting
3 c. whipping cream cold
1/4 c. powdered sugar sifted
Chocolate Bark
250 g good quality dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
Chocolate Cake:
Preheat oven to 350F, grease two 8 inch round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in slowly as not to cook the eggs).
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2 to 3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
Bake for 45 mins or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean.
Cool 10 minutes in the pans then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cherry Liqueur Syrup:
Place sugar and water into a small pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute then remove from heat. Stir in cherry liqueur and allow to cool completely.
Whipped Cream Frosting:
Whip cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks. Ideally in a cold bowl with a cold whisk.
Chocolate Bark:
Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in 20 second bursts in the microwave.
Using a large offset spatula, spread melted chocolate in a thin layer on a large sheet of parchment.
Roll up from the short side of the parchment. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm.
Unroll to create chocolate bark.
Assembly:
Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Brush generously with cherry syrup.
Top with approximately 1 cup whipped cream and spread evenly. Top with approximately 1 cup of cherries and gently press them into the whipped cream. Repeat with remaining layers and frost the outside of the cake.
Decorate with chocolate bark, chocolate shavings, rosettes, and cherries if desired.
Tips for this Black Forest Cake:
You can leave the cherry liqueur out or use a non-alcoholic version.
You can use maraschino cherries or use cherry pie filling instead of fresh cherries.
When making the whipped cream frosting, make sure everything is chilled, as the cream will whip up better. Stick the mixer bowl and whisk in the freezer beforehand to chill them before starting.
