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Easy Valentine’s Day Recipes

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, most people go out for dinner. If you have a family this can get expensive. Try a few easy recipes to prepare a nice dinner for your loving family in no time.

Crock Pot

Get those slow cookers working. We often use it when we know we’ll be late getting home so dinner will be ready. The slow cooker is an asset on Valentine’s Day also. Most of the crock pots on the market today have a removable inner pot that is fashionable enough to serve at the table.

Cooking with a crock pot will free you up to do other fun Valentine’s Day things instead of standing in the kitchen. Some meal ideas for the slow cooker: beef roast with vegetables, chicken cacciatore, roasted chicken with vegetables, Swedish meatballs. The crock pot can be set to cook slowly (ten hours) or a bit faster (4 hours).

 Cook-ahead meals

Dinner can be harried even on Valentine’s Day. Watching boiling pots and hot skillets not to mention something in the oven can absolutely fry your brain. Free your mind to enjoy this day of love by trying a dish that is easy to prepare ahead of time and just needs to be baked on Valentine’s Day.

Casseroles are the easiest make-ahead dishes. They can feature beef, chicken, or pork. Even fish like salmon or tilapia can be marinated and dressed the day before and wrapped in foil to bake on Valentine’s Day. Avoid adding milk or eggs before you are ready to cook the meal. If the dish calls for cooked meat, cook and cube the meat the day before and combine all ingredients in the casserole dish when you are ready to pop it in the oven.

Five or Fewer Ingredients

Another alternative to the slow cooker or cooking ahead is using a recipe that has five or fewer ingredients. When you have fewer ingredients, prep time is cut dramatically. While the food is baking you can occupy yourself with spending time with the family.

With so few ingredients, kids can even help with dinner. To further cut preparation time, if anything such as vegetables need to be cubed, diced, or sliced so that the day before and refrigerate them. 

Pasta dishes fall into this category. Besides the pasta, you usually have sauce and some sort of meat or seafood. The pasta, sauce, and meat can all cook at the same time which saves time.

On Valentine’s Day, you want to be occupied with family and/or your sweetie. Slaving in the kitchen is not in the game plan. With a little pre-planning, you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time having fun

Breakfast Ideas for Valentine’s Day

February 14^th is a special day. It goes without saying that we show our love to those in our lives throughout the year but on that day we like to do something extra special. Start of the morning with a breakfast that screams, “I love you.”

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It provides us with the nutrition we need to make it until lunch time without passing out. There are plenty of suggestions for Valentine’s Day breakfast meals that kids can make for parents or one spouse can make for the other (women do make breakfast for their husbands, too).

Let’s start with casseroles. These are man-friendly breakfast dishes that don’t require too many steps. Most casseroles can be put together ahead of time and baked on demand in the morning.

Most breakfast casseroles contain eggs. They hold the entire meal together. If your sweetie doesn’t like them or doesn’t eat them, you can choose something else to make. Some popular add-ins for casseroles include: sausage, bacon, hashbrowns, chopped peppers, chopped onions, ham, and cheese. Yum!

How about breakfast in bed? We’ve all heard about it and probably thought it was some type of urban legend, but it does happen and Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion. Keep it simple so there’s room on the tray for a rose or a beautiful card.

The centerpiece of that breakfast place can be pancakes or French toast. Metal cookie cutters are placed in the pan and batter poured in to make heart-shaped pancakes. For French toast, it’s easier to cook the toast and then use the heart-shaped cutter to create your loving masterpiece.

Some people don’t like to eat too much in the morning. For them, try a simple breakfast of fruit and toast. Cube their favorite fruit and top with yogurt. Some toast and jam adds substance to the meal. This is a Valentine’s breakfast that would satisfy that vegetarian in your life.

The season is still winter when Valentine’s Day rolls around. If it happens to be a particularly cold morning where you are, try a bit of hot cereal like oatmeal or cream of wheat for that special day. Use honey or syrup to drizzle a sweet “I love you” on the top.

Valentine’s Day is that time when we show the folks we love an extra special good time. This year, start with an invigorating meal that comes from the heart to show them how we feel.

A Vegetarian Christmas Dinner

Tradition says that the centerpiece at a Christmas dinner is the turkey. For vegetarians, a turkey just won’t do. If you are vegetarians or have vegetarian friends attending your Christmas dinner, here are some ideas for vegetarian dishes to add to the menu.

There are different types of vegetarianism. You have traditional vegetarians who do not eat any meat or meat byproducts and then those who eat some dairy or seafood. Keep that in mind when cooking for them at Christmas dinner.

Add a few extra vegetable dishes, but watch the ingredients. Many people season their vegetables with some sort of meat. Forego that tradition this year and try some different spices to flavor the side dishes. Garlic is a good addition for asparagus and green beans.

Usually when a vegetarian is attending dinner, everyone brings a green bean casserole. While it is a good side dish, it isn’t a meal if five or six people bring a green bean casserole. Where is the variety? Other vegetables are great for Christmas dinner. How about a potato and corn chowder or a sweet potato casserole?

When it comes to the main course, you can still have turkey. If the vegetarians that you know eat seafood, add a pecan crusted salmon to the menu. It provides lots of protein and flavor. Salmon goes with green vegetables and any other side dishes you choose to bring.

Pasta is a dish that can be enjoyed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Fettuccine Alfredo can be prepared using canned sauce. Have shrimp and diced chicken on the side so dinner guests can choose what they want to add to their pasta.

The point is not to make the vegetarian guest feel out of place at your Christmas dinner. Add menu items that everyone will enjoy but are also appropriate for any vegetarians in the group.

If the meal is a vegetarian gathering, fashion a turkey breast out of seasoned tofu to keep with tradition. Pair with cornbread stuffing and meatless gravy for added flavor. Tofu has the distinction of taking on the flavor of whatever it is cooked or prepared with.

Desserts are usually easier to manage. Remember to use soy milk in recipes that call for milk or try non-dairy recipes like a gelatin mold, cookies, or brownies. Another idea is to ask a few guests to supply the desserts for the Christmas dinner. Ask all guests to prepare desserts that don’t contain dairy or meat products.

Vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas help you prepare a feast that is friendly to those who don’t eat meat. While they understand that some people will be eating meat, be sure to provide them with good foods to choose from as well.