Photo Credit: Envato Elements
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with a delicious homemade meal that says, I love you? Skip the crowded restaurants and create a cozy and intimate atmosphere at home with these 4 easy recipes, making an incredible multi-course meal in the comfort of your own home. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a novice in the kitchen, these dishes are sure to impress your special someone.
1. Caprese Salad with Heart-Shaped Mozzarella
Starting on a light and refreshing note, the easiest of the 4 easy recipes, this tomato basil appetizer, is both tasty and cute! Whether you’re venturing to the backyard for a picnic or cuddled up on the couch streaming rom-coms, Caprese salad is a fool-proof small-plate option, especially for those who aren’t so savvy in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 3 fresh on-the-vine tomatoes
- 1 pkg pre-sliced fresh mozzarella
- 1 pkg fresh basil leaves
- Drizzle of balsamic glaze
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Arrange fresh tomatoes, basil leaves, and mozzarella slices on a plate, then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out heart-y little mozzarella bites (saving the extra trim for yourself to snack on). Drizzle with balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil, or, if you’re like me, skip the balsamic and add a sprinkle of sea salt for a simple yet elegant appetizer.
2. Heart-Shaped Pizza
Now on to the main course with an adorable heart shaped pizza. Too cheesy? We hope so. Of course, you could order pizza delivery or make any shape of your choice at home, but the heart-shaped pizza with this recipe from food.com is just too cute not to try for yourself!
Dough Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fast rise yeast
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Toppings:
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1⁄2 cups pepperoni slices
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Directions: In large bowl, mix salt, sugar, and fast rise yeast. Mix water and oil, then add to flour mixture. Turn onto floured surface; knead for 2 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Punch down; place on 12in greased pizza pan. Pat into a heart-shape.
Topping: Mix Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Put a few pepperoni slices on top of sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 the mozzeralla; 1/2 the monterey jack, and 1/2 the parmesan. Put the rest of the pepperoni on and repeat the cheese layer.
Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until light brown. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve!
3. Red Velvet Lava Cake
No Valentine’s Day dinner would be complete without a decadent dessert! This red velvet chocolate lava cake from kirbiecravings.com just screams rich and romantic! Grab 2 forks and share, or make your own. Either way, you better have saved room for this oozy confection.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup chopped white chocolate
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tbsp red food coloring gel
- powdered sugar for dusting
Directions:
Step 1.
To start, place white chocolate in a medium or large glass mixing bowl. Then, select a pot that is slightly smaller in diameter than the mixing bowl to ensure that the bowl doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot. Add around 1 inch of water to the pot, and bring it to a simmer. Next, place the mixing bowl with chocolate on top of the pot and gently whisk the chocolate until it melts completely.
Step 2.
Once the chocolate is melted, turn off the heat but keep the mixing bowl in the pot and on the stove to keep the batter warm. Add melted butter and stir until the butter is completely incorporated. Next, stir in sugar until smooth.
Step 3.
Whisk in the egg until the batter is smooth. Add flour, cocoa powder, and food coloring, and whisk until smooth. Add more food coloring if desired.
Step 4.
Thoroughly grease the insides of two 4 oz ramekins with butter, making sure you don’t miss any spots. Lightly flour the inside of the ramekins, then turn them upside down and tap them against the counter to remove any excess flour. Divide the batter evenly into the two ramekins and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour.
Step 5.
While the cakes are freezing, preheat your oven to 400°F. After at least 30 minutes in the freezer, place the ramekins straight from the freezer onto a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for about 14-16 minutes, watching closely toward the end. You want the center to be barely set, with a dry surface and a slightly wobbly texture underneath. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool and set for 10 minutes.
Step 6.
Use a spatula to loosen the cake around the edges of the ramekin. Place a dessert plate, inverted, on top of the ramekin and quickly flip it over so that the plate is now at the bottom and the ramekin is upside down. Gently tap the upside-down ramekin to ensure the cake is on the plate, then lift up the ramekin. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
4. Raspberry Champagne Cocktail
Once you’ve finished enjoying all those delicious courses, it’s time to wash it all down with something fruity and bubbly, like this raspberry champagne cocktail. With only 3 ingredients and 3 simple steps, you’ll definitely be going back for a second round. And probably a third and fourth!
Ingredients:
- Raspberries
- Raspberry liqueur
- Champagne
Directions:
Muddle fresh raspberries in a glass, add a splash of raspberry liqueur, and top it off with chilled champagne.
If you’re yearning for a cute and cozy night or simply want to skip the holiday rush this Valentine’s day, these four easy recipes create the perfect at-home date night for any duo. From a heart-shaped Caprese salad to a savory pizza and a decadent red velvet lava cake, these dishes are sure to set the mood for a romantic evening with your favorite person.
