🌹 Love Ain’t All You Need—A Romantic Dinner Helps
Here’s a little history of our favorite day for love, plus 7 "Get Lucky" Super Valentine’s Day Recipes for You lovers.
Nothing goes with a romantic meal more than a good bottle or two of wine. Get some great choices and Get 40% Off at Wine Insider * Stock up beforehand.
As you well know…Food is Love. You can impress your love by cooking up one of our “Lucky Seven” recipes or you two can get intimate preparing a super Valentine meal together. The way to go is an intimate candle light meal while your favorite love songs play in the background as you sip your favorite glass of wine. Stash that cash you would spend on a noisy, distracting restaurant.
But first, let’s talk about Valentine Day’s history a bit.
The Legend of Saint Valentine
The history of Valentine's Day is intertwined with legends, folklore, and historical events dating back centuries. While the exact origins are somewhat unclear and debated, Valentine's Day has evolved into a celebration of love and romance across the world. Here's an overview of its history.
The origins of Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Rome, where mid-February was associated with the pagan festival of Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.
During this festival, young men would draw the names of women from a jar, and they would be paired together for the duration of the festival, often leading to marriage.
The Christian church sought to Christianize pagan festivals, and Lupercalia was no exception. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine's Day, officially declaring February 14th as the feast day to honor Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr.
The identity of Saint Valentine is shrouded in legend, and there may have been multiple martyrs named Valentine. One popular legend suggests that Valentine was a Roman priest who defied Emperor Claudius II's decree prohibiting young men from marrying because he believed that unmarried soldiers made better warriors.
Valentine continued to perform marriages in secret, but he was eventually caught and sentenced to death. While in prison, he allegedly fell in love with the jailer's daughter and sent her a letter signed "From your Valentine," thus inspiring the tradition of sending Valentine's Day cards.
Over time, Valentine's Day became associated with romantic love in medieval Europe. It was believed that birds began their mating season on February 14th, further cementing the day's connection to love and fertility.
So there you have it. Now let’s get to dinner.
7 Great Romantic Dinners
There can be a lot of pressure to design the perfect Valentine's Day dinner menu for you and your partner. Fortunately, there is no shortage of ways to impress the one you love most over a candlelit dinner.
The following romantic dinner ideas give you a sampling of different ethnic cuisines that don’t take long to prepare and get you away from the stove to the table to the…
1. Roasted Shrimp and Peppers with Creamy Rice
This easy weeknight dinner serves as a great romantic gustory delight and will look just as impressive as your order at your favorite seafood restaurant. Garlicky shrimp combine with fluffy arborio rice for a delicious combo you won't be able to stop spooning into your mouth.
Get the Roasted Shrimp and Peppers with Creamy Rice recipe.
2. Seared Pork Chops with Cherries and Spinach
Anyone can cook a pork chop, but this sophisticated dish with a fresh cherry sauce and tasty spinach will show them just how much you care. Make sure you buy the thick, center-cut chops and tenderize them so that they melt in your mouth
Get the Seared Pork Chops with Cherries and Spinach recipe.
3. Fra Diavolo
If all goes according to plan, date night should be a hot and spicy affair. And what better way to turn up the heat than with some actual heat? Fra Diavolo sauce adds life to any meal it touches, from seafood to steak to pasta and more. Gleaning much of its flavor from olive oil, garlic, and oregano, fra diavolo sauce is elevated by the heavy use of chilies or red pepper flakes. We love the infamous heat of Fra Diavolo sauce served over spaghetti or linguine, with plenty of tender and savory shrimp. The recipe we’ve developed is quick and easy—perfect for a romantic dinner any day of the week or year.
Check out Paesana’s recipe for Date Night Shrimp Fra Diavolo here!
4. Lemon-Thyme Chicken
This simple but flavorful chicken recipe will please when you’re not sure what your date likes. Even the pickiest eaters go for this. Plus, it's a recipe you'll return to over and over for an every day meal even when your past the dating stage.
Get the Lemon-Thyme Chicken recipe.
5. Rigatoni with Chicken and Broccoli Bolognese
Okay, come on now! Who doesn’t love a good Italian meal. Rigatoni is one of my favorite pastas, usually with a red sauce. But you need to cuddle up with this yummy take on chicken and broccoli that's cozy and hearty.
Get the Rigatoni with Chicken and Broccoli Bolognese recipe.
6. Smothered Wet Burritos with Red Sauce
Looking to get spicy? There is nothing more comforting that a burrito that’s loaded with seasoned ground beef and onions, refried beans and rice, smothered in red sauce and cheese. These easy Wet Burritos have a ground beef and refried bean filling wrapped in a large tortilla smothered with red sauce and melted cheese. Top with your favorites such as guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, onion, and tomatoes.
Get the recipe here Wet Burrito Recipe
7. Surf 'n' Turf
A Steak & Lobster dinner is a romantic dish to serve to your loved one. An American steak house classic, but this recipe has a French twist with a decadent Champagne, shallot and herb butter that you will want to pour over everything! Not to mention a generous serving of perfectly sautéed haricots verts. Surf 'n' Turf is most famously made with Lobster and Steak, but can be made with any meat and seafood combination. Get recipe here
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