Valentine’s Approved Meals

Valentine’s Day is either a day you really love or really hate. I know few people that feel indifferent about this holiday. On one hand I love the idea that we have a designated day to show someone how much we love them. On the other hand, shouldn’t that be everyday? Even when I didn’t have a Valentine I didn’t mind this day. I love any excuse to wear red lipstick, buy myself flowers, and indulge in some decadent meals. (Hi, Dunkin’ Valentine’s donuts.)

Now that I have a Valentine I love this day even more. I’m a big believer in surprises, but I’m also horrible at keeping secrets. More often than not I cave and tell Scott what I have planned before it happens. But, if you want a surprise that’s easy to keep tell your loved one you’re cooking up a special dinner. I love the idea of staying in on a night like this and spending quality time together. No phones, no distractions.

Cooking an elaborate dinner is often misconstrued as “complicated” or “time consuming.” I promise there are easy meals that are elevated, and will wow your loved one. Today I’m sharing 3 of my absolute favorite dishes that my family has made on special occasions for years. Christmas, Easter, Mother’s and Father’s day, these recipes have been kept in the rotation because of how delicious and simple they are.

Romantic Meals

Chicken Puffed Pastries

I used to be the pickiest eater. When I was little my diet was cereal, mac n cheese, and chicken nuggets. I didn’t mind fruit or vegetables but I really disliked meat, condiments, and seafood. When my palette started changing I tried one of these that my mom made and decided I loved them. Out of the 3 recipes this one is probably the most time consuming, but don’t let that put you off. It’s well worth the work and the wait.

What’s so incredible about these pockets is the crisp outer shell with the creamy chicken inside. It’s the perfect contrast and the flavor is to die for. As I’m writing this my mouth is watering because these are so delicious. I like serving this dish with a salad since the pastries are so rich. You could also do some type of roasted or steamed vegetable.

Chicken is usually paired with white wine. I think something crisp like a Sauvignon Blanc would cut through the richness really well. If you like a red I’d opt for a Pinot Noir.

Beef Burgandy

I’m not Julia Child and I’m not even going to attempt making her Beef Bourguignon – but I like to think that this is a simpler copycat recipe. My mom made this for Christmas dinner since I was little. When I started liking steak I would eat this dish and pick out the mushrooms. Now I prefer to have more mushrooms than beef! Funny how time changes our palettes so much. So, having the association of eating this on Christmas, it’s permanently in my head as one of our “special occasion” meals.

This can be served over rice or noodles, but I prefer rice. I don’t know why but I hate cooking rice. It takes forever. Luckily Trader Joe’s has frozen rice that you pop in the microwave for 3 minutes and POOF. You have rice. I don’t know who created microwavable rice, but I’d like to give them an award. I also love serving this dish with a steamed vegetable. My go to is carrots or broccoli, and some type of roll to sop up all the leftover gravy.

My family drinks primarily white wine, but a nice Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon would pair really well with this dish. A trick I learned from watching hours of Food Network is to put the same wine in the dish as you’ll be drinking. In the words of Ina Garten: a nice table wine will do.

Sweet and Spicy Salmon

This is also known as my signature dish. When I’m home I always cook this for my family. I don’t remember how I got turned on to salmon, but I’m so glad I did. If there’s salmon on the menu I’m getting it. During my half marathon training I ate salmon once a week. It’s super good for you, not that you’re choosing your Valentine’s meal based off of calories. Salmon is an ingredient that intimidated me the first couple times I cooked it, but once you know what to look for it’s super easy to get right.

The key to this dish is the proper seasoning. I use Weber’s N’Orleans Cajun seasoning. I’ve not found an alternative that I like. I mix it with a little brown sugar to cut the spice and add depth of flavors. I also top the cooked salmon with a peach and lime glaze. It’s the perfect compliment and adds a succulence to the fish.

I always do my salmon in a pan over the stove. Heat up some oil and get it nice and hot because you want a good crust on the outside. They say you only need to cook it about 4-5 minutes per side. Here’s how you check to see if it’s ready to flip. On the side of the salmon there will be a white line where it’s getting cooked. I flip it over when that line is just over half way up.

Since this is my signature dish, I always serve it with rice pilaf underneath and a peach salsa on top. For the salsa I use a store bought mild chunky salsa and cut up either peaches or mango to mix in. Serve this with a medium bodied white wine like a Chardonnay or White Zinfandel.

I guarantee that one of these meals will be a hit for your special night. Let me know if you end up making one and what you think! Have a great one, Valentines! Xoxo