My Yummy Valentine

I've noticed a developing trend in our home on Valentine's Day. In fact, I might even be bold enough to say we have a true "Day of Love" tradition! Ooo! I'm a sucker for a good tradition. Especially a tradition that involves food.

For the past several years we have skipped the romantic dinner out for two and opted instead for a fun family dinner at home. Sure, this means more work for me as the primary food preparer in our home, but I find I quite enjoy it, especially as I feel this culinary contribution is my own special valentine to the ones I love the most. The way to your family's hearts are through their stomachs, right?



Don't you love my fancy china?

Last year my yummy valentine was mini-meatloaves (with ketchup on top shaped in a heart), mashed potatoes (with heart-shaped pieces of cheese on top), and kiwi and strawberry slices (which almost look like hearts if you really use your imagination).

This year I stepped it up a notch and I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to top it (even with heart-shaped cheese).

My Yummy Valentine 2013 Menu:

Drink:

Personal choice (everyone was thrilled to be allowed to drink soda)

Appetizer:

Caesar salad (and regular salad for Dee)

Main course:

New York Steak with a garlic/parsley compound butter

Steamed Snow King Crab legs (so sweet and salty already, no butter necessary)

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits (made from scratch)

Dessert:

Flan

Valentine's candy

Not to toot my own horn, but the food was DELICIOUS! Joe prepared the steak perfectly--it was tender and tasty--and I made everything else. This was the first time I've ever made garlic mashed potatoes or prepared crab legs. If I had known how easy both of these are to make...I would've been doing this for years! I'm a big fan of crab meat, but because of the expense rarely eat it at a restaurant. This was our children's first experience with crab and they really liked it too. I do believe we will be having more crab legs at home in the future.

The kids trying to figure out how to get the crab meat out of the shells.

The flan was so-so. I used the recipe out of my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It was underwhelming and almost tasteless. I'll have to try a different recipe next time. Or find a sweet little old Mexican lady to make it for me.

While everyone really liked the food, it was the table that was the highlight for my children. I spread out a tablecloth (a true rarity at our house) and used some special square paper plates I found at the dollar store. I gathered a few candles for the middle and spread some valentine candy down the length of the table. Not incredibly fancy, but something out of the ordinary.

But the crowning touch was the goblets. The kids were over-the-moon about them. And that's exactly why I bought them for our dinner. How often do you get to drink out of a goblet? I remember being pretty thrilled with the chance to swig out of stemware when I was a kid too. It's the little things that are magical. (And thank you, Dollar Store, for relieving any anxiety over possibly broken goblets. "No worries. It was only a dollar.")

The fancy table inspired the womenfolk to get gussied up. All the girls put on their dresses and "jewels".

It was a lovely dinner for a perfectly lovely way to spend an evening of love with the love of my life and the four little loves that are a result of our love! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

Love is...

At 17 years old I knew what love was.

Turns out, I was wrong.

Then at 22, as a newlywed, I just KNEW what love was.

Wrong again.

Now, I'm 31, still married with four children, and I certainly know what love is.

Love is...

...tag teaming bath night.
...listening to country music even though you hate country music.
...saving the biggest piece of meat/peanut butter candy/Milano cookie for him.
...watching your husband dance with another girl...your daughter.
...going to Stake Conference with four young children.
...eating sushi when you'd rather have "real food".
...sitting through Les Miserables/Twilight/Pride and Prejudice.
...saying "no".
...saying "yes".
...laughing during *cough* loooove-making *cough*.
...calling to check-in every night.
...siding with your spouse.
...driving a beat-up mini-van instead of a brand new Ford pickup.
...staying home.
...shaving your legs even though it isn't Sunday.
...not having to shave your legs.
...emptying the dishwasher.
...TWO boxes of chocolate just to make sure she gets the kind she really likes.
...making chocolate chip pancakes for the kids while she goes for a run.
...knowing when to let the stupid, little things slide.
...giving your wife, who is applying mascara, a warning BEFORE stopping the car.
...looking past stretch marks and saggy, deflated, post-baby breasts.
...knowing when to keep it to yourself.
...cutting your shower short so there's enough hot water left for someone else.
...replacing the toilet paper roll the "right" way.
...leaving tomatoes off half of the dinner.
...knowing lost wedding bands don't really matter in the long run.
...not using the "D" word.
...bringing in the mail, pumping gas, and shoveling snow.
...trying to replicate his mother's recipe.
...telling your children how wonderful their mother/father is.
...leftovers and Netflix.
...not cutting your hair because he likes it long.
...clearing the table after dinner.
...never, ever, ever giving up, even when the rest of the world seems to be.

That's what I think love is. But maybe when I'm 83, I'll really know.