The Perfect Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu to Celebrate With That Special Someone

Have you ever tried to get a reservation at a restaurant on Valentine’s Day? It’s pretty tough. And even if you do manage to get reservations, you’re probably going to be given a slotted time before the wait staff rushes you out to make room for more dining lovebirds – but not until you’ve been given your bill, with an outrageous final price on it.

Instead of fighting the crowds in restaurants on Valentine’s Day and paying exorbitant fees for menu items after restaurant owners to decide to jack up the price on this special day, why not do something a little more romantic – and affordable – and whip something up yourself!

In case you’re wondering what to cook and serve for that special someone for your Valentine’s Day dinner, consider the following classic menu. The great thing about it is that these ingredients are readily available, and don’t require a trip to a specialty food shop.

Appetizer – Grilled Calamari

Start things off with a succulent dish of zesty grilled calamari. To make this easy and quick dish, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of fresh oregano, 2 garlic cloves (minced), and a pinch of salt. Add 1.5 pounds of cleaned squid, with the tentacles separated from the bodies. Toss the squid bodies and tentacles to coat, and allow to marinate for 2 hours refrigerate.

On a grill set to medium-high heat, sear the squid, turning until slightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Slice into strips on a cutting board and serve!

Main Course – Chicken Parmesan

A classic Italian dish, it will be sure to delight the palette! To make chicken parmesan, slice 2 chicken breasts crosswise to make 4 cutlets. Coat each cutlet in egg wash, flour, and breadcrumbs, and season with a pinch of salt. Fry in a pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop for 2 minutes on each side. Set aside, and prepare a wide baking dish by coating it in cooking spray.

Add a layer of your favourite tomato sauce, then add the fried cutlets on top. Cover in sauce, then sprinkle grated mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese over top. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Dessert – Tiramisu

It seems that Italian is the theme of this meal, which is topped off with creamy tiramisu cake! To make this classic dessert, whisk together 6 egg yolks and 3/4 cups of white sugar until blended, then whisk in 2/3 cups of milk and cook over medium heat until it boils. Allow to boil for 1 minute, the remove from heat and let it slightly cool. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

In another bowl, beat 1.25 cups of heavy cream with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until it forms stiff peaks. Whisk 1 pound of mascarpone cheese into the yolk mixture until it’s smooth. In a smaller bowl, combine 1/4 cup of strong coffee and 1 tablespoon of rum. Split 6 ounces of ladyfingers in half lengthwise and pour the coffee over top.

Arrange half of the soaked ladyfingers in a 7×11 inch dish, then spread half of the mascarpone combination over the ladyfingers, and half of the whipped cream over that. Keep repeating this layering process and sprinkle cocoa powder on top. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours until it’s set.

Whoever is lucky enough to be the recipient of this glorious meal will certainly thank you for it!

And after they’ve enjoyed their meal, be sure to top the evening off with a gift, perhaps a gift basket Toronto from CanadasGiftBaskets.ca. We’ve got a wonderful assortment of gift baskets for you to choose from for that special someone in your life. Visit CanadasGiftBaskets.ca today!