What's for Valentines Day??
 

I'm having 4 couples over for a Sweetheart Dinner. HELP me with a menu!!! Nothing elaborate! but something delish!.(p.s.) I need dessert too!!

This is an old fashioned roast that you never see fixed anymore, but it looks great and is so simple because it is just a roast. A crown rib roast. You have too order it ahead of time from the butcher at your meat market and be sure they trim the ends of the ribs at least one inch. They will tie the ribs in a circle for you and you simply roast them. The rib section is cut with a lot of meat on it, the rib being the outside part, the roast being the inside part. You put paper covers which are easy peasy to make over the ends of the ribs and serve it at the table. Your husband would cut it there and each guest would receive a rib as a serving. I'm sure you can find all the details on google. It is a beautiful serving of meat and so easy to do.If you don't want to do the crown, then just order a standing rib roast. The cut of meat is wonderfully delicious!

Isn;t anything that someone else makes THE best food?
So don't fret about it!!!

Likewise dessert ... something as simple as ice cream topped with fresh fruit or a fruit compote would make me happy. And if you want something a little more ... add some chocolate brownies with just a little dollop of whip cream on each, topped with a fresh berry or maraschino cherries.

I believe in keeping it simple ... the Less is More approach is often the winner!! :)

Be sure there is something chocolate!!:thumbup:

You're in Texas you have access to everything! Are there any foods your guests don't eat? I would stay away from spicy or too many onions & garlic. Check out taste of home (www.toh.com) Recipes are rated by readers(cooks) who have actually prepared the meals. What's available fresh in your area? How much time are you planning on for prep and cook time? What time are you serving the meal? Is it casual or a sitdown affair? Do you have plans for after dinner? Are you serving alcohol? Are you serving appetizers? What's your plan? :)

And to add to CraftyGal's questions ....
Ellageo ... I have been what your definition of a "Sweetheart Dinner" might be?

Well, I invited 4 couples to join my husband & I , just for a fun evening together. These couples are our good friends. And they are all "Sweethearts" to me!! Ant excuse to get together, is a good one! My husband was thinking of making 'beer can chickens' this is a whole chicken with a 1/2 full beer can up his butt! & roasting on the grill for about an hour..very tasty, juicy.. Not much fresh here in Penna. Grocery store fresh is about it! My husband & I are both retired, so we have lots of time to prepare & cook. Serving alcohol?? YES! Appetizers? YES! Dessert? YES

angel food cake with cool whip and strawberries OR Milano cookies that you dip in a combination of cool whip and Kaluah, be careful you can get tipsy on that one but it goes over really well

Since you know them well you have knowledge about allergies, likes and dislikes. Since its your home and your dinner, serve something easy on you.
Perhaps big pans of lasagna - some spinach, some spicy sausage, etc. then salads, again variety or fun make your own with bowls of lettuce, arugula, romaine, carrots, celery, on and on and on then dressings choice.
Plenty of crunchy breads and spreads.
For dessert the choices might include chocolate, or cheesecake, or strawberry shots, or heart cakes, cherry pie, anything in the theme.
If you want decorations go to Pinterest for great ideas of plantable hearts, fun questions to answer when popping red balloons, etc.
Please let us know who the event turned out!

Being a quilter, why don't you make each a Valentine's Mug Rug?
... roll it up and tie it with a ribbon, then put a name tag on.
Would double as place cards!

You could make them all different ... or a matched set for each couple.


Looks like you have your menu on the way!
... why not make it a full BBQ menu?
and do baked potatoes and roasted veggies on the grill.
Great plan ... let your DH do the cooking and you create a dessert ... chocolate cheesecake with some red fruit (strawberries, or raspberries, or cherries) along with a dollop of whipped cream!

Cranberry chicken served on a bed of rice, with mixed greens with red onion, dried cranberries, diced apple, crumbled blue cheese with a Raspberry vinegarette. My go to meal for dinner guests. They leave impressed and well fed.
Red velvet sheet cake could be a festive touch.

We love beer butt chicken ! You can do scalloped potatoes/baked potatoes with the trimmings; salad; bread; dessert and beings its Valentines chocolate is always pleasing. Appetizers -- I like to do lettuce wraps. Just take romaine lettuce apart and I use chicken salad recipe(chicken, apples or celery or waterchestnuts for crunch, dried cranberries - I marinate this mixture in honey mustard salad dressing from the morning or night before then just have to put into each lettuce wrap and arrange on a platter. Fresh and tasty. Enjoy your dinner with friends we have dear friends too and my month is March !

Simple Menu
Herb Mash Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli
Filet Mignon
Strawberry Shortcake

All are simple to make or can purchase already prepared or seasoned.

salad: bag butter lettuce, slice thin one fresh pear about 1/2 per plate lay nicely over greens. crumble herbed feta cheese about two teaspoons per plate over pear/salad. add three or four pecan halfs crumbled over this. serve with rice wine vinegrette. if you cant find it in the market check allrecipes.com for one very simple very delicious.

dinner: beer up the butt is NOT romantic.think about it really come on.. even two roasted chickens in the oven with fresh carrots and potatos cooking in wedges pieces in the same dish.. you get a golden chicken juicy pretty and can carve. also same being one cornish game hen roasted golden beautifully one per plate tada pretty and easy. last one could cook beef. the way to a MANS heart. hey hearts valentines .. hum.. steak broiled smothered in a buttered mushroom wine sauce. mashed potatos easy to eat gracefully. always steamed asparagras lightly not all mushed out quickly sauteed in butter with minced fresh rosemary small sprig worth, tossed with shredded parmesean served warm. delicious and well asparagras sexy lol..

dessert: vanilla icecream, hersheys chocolate sauce fresh berries and a shot of kalua poured over. super good and should please everyone.

I used to have themed dinner parties all the time.

you could also go soup cup first (can make that the day before)
paula deans fool proof standing rib roast (you can NOT mess it up)
glazed carrots
wild rice
garlic bread (you have been together for years hell eat garlic just make sure everyone does)

dessert: jello package flan with sliced strawberries.
fresh berries assorted few chocolates and a bowl of sourcream (one cup sour cream one teaspoon vanilla three tbsp brown sugar mixed til disloved) for dipping the berries.

last: fondue for dinner and dessert. fun everyone enjoys it, easy to make and well its a group activity. totally enjoyed.

dinner:baguette bread, cooked sliced kilbase sausage (the guys alwys inhale this), apple slices, broccoli, mushrooms
cheese fondue one package swiss cheese fondue mix (usually in your deli section at the market) one cup shredded chedder cheese, one package shredded parmasean or pepper jack. you end up with about 4 cups cheese. 1/4 cup beer, three cloves garlic. beer in pot add crushed garlic bring to boil til reduce liquid a bit, then add cheese one at a time. cayenne pepper in end small dash bigger dash depending on company wish. it mellows with all the cheese but gives it a bite. desert; chocolate with heavy cream small amounts til it melts. add one shot kalua, or grandmarnier, or amaretto if you like maybe even irish cream. serve pound cake bites, candy bar bites, berries, bananas. yum. easy fun.

For desert, a heart shaped baked meringue with berries, whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle. Raspberries are best, but expensive. Strawberries work.