A Valentine’s Day Menu With Simple Romantic Recipes!

 My dear readers, I have a Valentine’s Day Menu that I would like to share with you.

I have had several friends ask what the Captain and I are doing for Valentine’s Day and if we were staying home…what is the Valentine’s Day Menu!

So we are staying home and I have put together a few recipes for our upcoming “romantic” dinner…

Staying home doesn’t mean the Captain and I can’t have a nice romantic day….

We will start it off with a Breakfast of a thick slice of grilled country ham (the Pink for Valentine’s Day, of course) and French Toast OR if you want to make the French Toast extra special…add cooked apples and cinnamon. (The printable recipe is below)

French Toast N’ Apples

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

If your honey is going to be with you the whole day….Lunch can be very simple!

We will be having Homemade Tomato Soup with heart shaped grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

You can always spice up a can of tomato soup with a little half and half and chopped parsley… if you don’t want to make from scratch.  

Maybe use Brie Cheese with Plum fruit paste served on the side for another toasted cheese sandwich choice.  Make it easy on yourself.

Shrimp N’ Couscous

Dinner will be Shrimp N’ Couscous, super easy….

One of my favorite “go to” red salads is a raspberry/strawberry salad….just take a few pieces of fruit, add a bit of sugar (if desired) and place in a pretty champagne or sherbet glass. It is light and delicious!

Decadent Double Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Frosting, topped with walnuts

Dessert can be anything you want it to be….but how about a decadent Chocolate Brownie?  Yum! Even though the recipe below is for a brownie, the Thin Cocoa Sheet Cake I made for snack time at our Sunday School class Sunday could also be used as it resembles brownies. You can find that recipe here. My Thin Cocoa Sheet cake recipe is over 50 years old and came from my Aunt Dorothy Hardisty who is no longer with us. There are many variations out there these days, but my family and friends prefer this one…and so do I.

Actually, I have all kinds of sheet cake recipes in my files…no matter your favorite cake, I seem to have collected almost all those recipes.

Back to the brownies for today,  I like to serve it with just a bit of soft vanilla ice cream….I let the ice cream soften a bit and “pour” it over the brownie just before serving! The printable Chocolate Brownie recipe is below. 🙂

I hope this gives you some good ideas for your special Valentine’s Day…the Captain and I will be enjoying all of the above…and then we will waddle outside and take a nice (slow-slow-slow) romantic walk. 😉

Have a great Day!

The Three printable recipes are for breakfast, dinner and dessert, you will see them below!

Have a wonderful day planning your favorite recipes into a Valentine’s Day Menu for yourself or for your loved ones.

Blessings Always!

French Toast N' Apples

2015-02-12 09:14:40

French Toast! I love it and paired with these cooked apples makes breakfast just a little more special! 😉

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Ingredients

1. 3 eggs
2. 1/2 cup milk
3. 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4. 1/8 teaspoon of Ground cinnamon
5. 3 slices Texas Toast bread (or use whatever you have on hand)
6. 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
7. 2 small red apples, peeled (or unpeeled and sliced)
8. 2 tablespoons water
9. Maple syrup, if desired

Instructions

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon and pour into a 9X13 dish.(this is for your egg bath) Add the bread in a single layer, turning the slices over until all the egg is absorbed and set aside.
2. *Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat (I use cast iron, but a non stick skillet will work just fine) and melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter together with the sliced apples, stirring to coat until starting to caramelize.
3. Add the water, cooking until water has evaporated and apples are tender, which will be about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in about a teaspoon of maple syrup and "shake" of cinnamon, simmering to blend together.
5. In a large, heated nonstick skillet, melt about 1 tablespoon butter and brown the bread until golden brown on each side, which should take about 3 minutes or so
6. Place French Toast on a plate and top with cooked apples

Notes

1. You can serve the apples on the side or poured over the French Toast. Add butter and maple syrup if desired, although I find the cooked apples are enough. 🙂
2. *You can make the apples ahead of time, I find that it makes the French Toast not so soggy if not allowed to "soak" too long in the egg mixture.

Me and My Captain https://meandmycaptain.com/

Shrimp N' Couscous

2015-02-12 08:19:55

Serves 2

Quick to fix and the taste is awesome! A perfect Romantic meal! And healthy too! 🙂

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Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 scallion, chopped
3. 1/2 cup of baby carrots, chopped
4. 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
5. 1-8 ounce can chopped tomatoes (include juice)
6. 4 ounces of bottled clam juice
7. 1/8th of a cup dry white wine
8. 1/2 cup of water
9. 1 cup plain couscous
10. 1 pound large shrimp, deveined and peeled
11. 1/2 of a lemon, juiced
12. 1/2 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
13. Parsley leaves to garnish the plate

Instructions

1. Saute the scallion, carrot and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the hot oil until the vegetables are soft.( about 5 minutes)
2. Add the tomatoes,clam juice and white wine, bringing to a boil. Allow to simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes, uncovered.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. To make the broth, add the tomato mixture to a food processor and puree. (you might have to add a little water as you don't want the broth too thick.
5. Pour the broth into a medium sized pot and add 1/2 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil bringing the mixture to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat and add the couscous, put a lid on the pot and remove from heat, still covered. Let the couscous rest for about 10 minutes as the couscous will absorb all the liquid.
7. Meanwhile, in a non-stick skillet, pour in the remaining olive oil, heating until the oil is hot.
8. Add the shrimp,stirring occasionally with a fork and cook the shrimp until they just start to turn pink. (about 5 minutes).
9. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and red pepper flakes. The lemon will continue to "cook" the shrimp.Taste for seasoning.
10. Fluff the couscous with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
11. To serve, mound the couscous in the center of a pretty plate and top with several shrimp and the parsley garnish, if desired.

Notes

1. Do not overcook the shrimp or they will become tough. Remember that the acid in the lemon juice will continue the cooking of the shrimp.

Me and My Captain https://meandmycaptain.com/

Decadent Double Chocolate Brownies

2015-02-12 10:05:04

A double chocolate brownie, with chocolate chips, ...a delicious chocolate frosting, topped with walnuts....Add a bit of soft vanilla ice cream and it becomes decadent! 🙂

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Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup baking cocoa
2. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3. 2/3 cup butter, melted, divided
4. 1/2 cup boiling water
5. 2 cups sugar
6. 2 eggs
7. 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9. 1/4 teaspoon salt
10. 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (save some for the top of the frosted brownie)
11. 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, more or less....:)

For the Frosting

1. 3 tablespoons butter
2. 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3. 2 tablespoons milk
4. 2 tablespoons cocoa
5. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, combine cocoa and baking soda
3. Add 1/3 cup melted butter and the boiling water, stirring until well blended.
4. Add in the sugar, eggs and remaining butter.
5. Fold in the flour, vanilla and the salt.
6. Carefully add in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
7. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. (Do not overbake)
8. Cool before frosting.

For the Frosting

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
2. Add the milk and cocoa, stirring until smooth
3. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and powdered sugar
4. Spread over the brownies and add the walnuts while the frosting is still soft.

Notes

1. You can substitute pecans for the walnuts.
2. I make this frosting for almost anything chocolate...it is so easy and just tastes good. If the consistency is too thin, add more powdered sugar and if the consistency is too thick, add more milk. So simple!

Me and My Captain https://meandmycaptain.com/