Additional Valentine’s Day Recipes
Valentine’s Day Breakfast Ideas
Smoked Salmon & Avocado Toast with Poached Egg
Elegant, delicious, and full of flavor!
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of sourdough or multigrain bread
- 1 ripe avocado, mashed with a squeeze of lemon
- 4 slices smoked salmon
- 2 eggs (poached)
- Fresh dill
- Capers (optional)
- Black pepper & sea salt
How to Make:
- Toast the bread.
- Spread mashed avocado evenly over the toast.
- Layer smoked salmon and capers.
- Poach eggs and place on top.
- Sprinkle with fresh dill, black pepper, and sea salt.
Baked French Toast
It’s a breakfast casserole you can make ahead of time.
Ingredients
For the French Toast:
- Butter, for greasing and serving
- 1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- Warm syrup, for serving
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, for serving
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
Directions
For the French toast:
- Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with butter.
- Tear the bread into chunks, or cut it into cubes, and evenly distribute it in the pan.
- Crack the eggs in a big bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread.
- Cover the pan tightly and store in the fridge until needed (overnight preferably). Or you can make it and bake it right away—it’s delicious no matter what!
For the topping:
- In a separate bowl, use a fork to stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and some nutmeg.
- Add the butter and use a pastry cutter to mix it all together until the mixture resembles fine pebbles.
- Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the topping over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, bread pudding-like texture or for 1 hour or more for a firmer, crisper texture.
Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter, drizzle with warm syrup, and sprinkle with blueberries.
Valentine’s Day dinner ideas
Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Roasted Vegetables
A flavorful and budget-friendly dish with crispy skin and juicy meat.
Ingredients:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup baby potatoes, halved
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup green beans
How to Make:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Season chicken with paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet and sear chicken (skin side down) for 5 minutes until crispy.
- Flip chicken, add butter and garlic, then place potatoes and carrots around the pan.
- Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 25 minutes. Add green beans in the last 10 minutes.
- Serve hot, drizzling the garlic butter from the pan over the chicken.
Budget Tip: Chicken thighs are cheaper and more flavorful than chicken breasts!
Creamy Tuscan Pasta with Sausage
A rich, hearty pasta dish packed with Italian flavors—easy to make and affordable!
Ingredients:
- 8 oz pasta (penne o
r fettuccine)
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half & half for a lighter version)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
How to Make:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, cook sausage until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove from pan.
- In the same skillet, sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil for about 1 minute.
- Add spinach and let it wilt, then pour in heavy cream and stir in Parmesan cheese.
- Add cooked sausage back into the pan, mix well, then toss in the drained pasta.
- Stir everything together, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
Budget Tip: Italian sausage
Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
A simple but elegant dish with a sweet and tangy glaze.
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless pork chops
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- Salt & black pepper to taste
For garlic mashed potatoes:
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled & boiled
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
How to Make:
- Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and sear pork chops for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Add balsamic vinegar, honey, and garlic to the pan, letting it reduce for 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon the glaze over the pork chops and remove from heat.
- Mash boiled potatoes with butter, milk, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Serve pork chops with mashed potatoes and a side of roasted green beans or salad.
Budget Tip: Pork chops
Lemon Herb Baked Salmon with Rice Pilaf
A fresh, light, and easy seafood dish.
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried dill (or parsley)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
For rice pilaf:
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 tbsp butter
How to Make:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place salmon on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Sprinkle with garlic, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until flaky.
- For the rice pilaf, sauté onion in butter, then add rice and broth. Simmer until cooked.
- Serve salmon over rice with a side of steamed asparagus.
Budget Tip: Salmon is still affordable when bought frozen—just thaw before cooking!
