Hi Friends, what do you have in store this weekend in the romance department? Sarah and Angus are taking a ski trip and Drew and I are staying home re-decorating and reorganizing our apartment! Two trips to Ikea in three days might be his Valentine’s gift to me this year.
I always like to stay in on Valentine’s Day and make a super nice dinner at home. It’s cozy and relaxed, we open a special bottle of wine we have been saving and play some of our favorite albums while we cook.
This year we have a beautiful bottle of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon my Dad gave Drew for his birthday 2 years ago. I’m planning our meal around this wine.
We will start our meal by nibbling on slices of mortadella and cheese hearts and crackers. Aww.
Next we will dig into a hearty Kale Salad with crisp apples and shaved Parmesan cheese. The acid in the vinegar softens the kale leaves so they are chewy and the flavor is sweet and grassy. The apples remain crisp and the Parmesan provides the salty umami satisfaction.
For dinner I’m leaning towards Dijon and shallot crusted lamb rib chops with Suzanne Goin’s parmesan pudding. Decadent special occasion foods in our very favorite flavors.
Dessert has to be Martha Stewart’s Chewy Chocolate Chunk-Cherry Cookies which are truly the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever tried. Crisp outsides, chewy dark chocolaty insides (the chunks of chocolate melt into layers not lumps like chips do) and then you bite into a sweet tart dried cherry and your heart melts just a bit.
xo,
LEH
Sarah
February 11, 2011 at 8:34 am (12 years ago)I love those cookies!
Sandra Sanchez
February 11, 2011 at 9:52 am (12 years ago)Ooooh! I’m going to cut the cheese that I am packing for my surprise vday picnic into hearts! Lovely idea, Lydia 🙂
Lauren
February 11, 2011 at 10:11 am (12 years ago)I read a lot of reviews about those cookies how the recipe is all off and the cookies turn out flatter than pancakes, wasting expensive ingredients.
Do you have a suggestion for how you made the cookies work??
Halie
February 11, 2011 at 10:55 am (12 years ago)Oooh I was thinking lamb for my Vday meal too. Can you share your recipe with me? Pretty please?
applesandonions
February 11, 2011 at 11:07 am (12 years ago)thanks for commenting ladies!
Sanj- cheese hearts at a picnic will be darling!
Lauren- hmmm I didn’t have any problems. I made the recipe exactly to the directions (includes chilling the dough 1 hr before use) scooped with a 3 tablespoon ice cream scoop and baked them on parchment paper on half sheet pans. I only let them cool on the pan for a few mins then transfered to a cooling rack. mine were puffy, not flat. I hope they work for you as they are amazing!
applesandonions
February 11, 2011 at 11:10 am (12 years ago)Halie- mine non lamb recipe- salt and pepper the lamb ribs (2 rib bones each) very well and make sure they are room temp not cold. Mix 1 minced shallot with 2 tablespoons Dijon and some minced fresh rosemary or thyme if you have it. Slather the chops well. Sear in a hot pan with some oil on med-high for 2 mins per side (get all 4 sides) and then transfer to a plate and cover with foil for 10 mins. Medium-rare! If the chops are huge you may have to put them in a 400 oven for 5 mins after the searing) Let me know if they turn out!
applesandonions
February 11, 2011 at 11:11 am (12 years ago)oops meant non-recipe lamb recipe
tommy riles
February 24, 2011 at 7:47 am (12 years ago)Great dinner ideas! A favorite of mine on Valentine’s Day is turkey meat loaf, with a side salad, and another rice like dish, which I forget what its called!