With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many of us are looking for ways to cook up a little romance. Going out to eat on Valentine’s Day can be a challenge – getting a reservation at your favorite restaurant can be tough because so many people go out to eat. You might have to settle for a 9:00 PM reservation if you didn’t book a table weeks in advance. So why not prepare your own romantic dinner for two. It’s something you and your partner can do together, or you could surprise them with a special meal with a romantic ambiance.

This week’s recipes are a little more decadent than our usual fare, but Valentine’s Day is one of those times when it’s OK to splurge. And hey, if you compare the costs to eating out, this romantic menu is still budget friendly.

Fresh fettuccine Alfredo is seriously sexy food. When I learned how to make this in culinary school, I needed a moment for myself because I was having a party in my mouth. Don’t be surprised if your partner audibly moans at the dinner table when they take their first bite of this amazing recipe.

Fettuccine Alfredo
8 oz fettuccine pasta
2 cups heavy cream
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (don’t be a cheapskate – get the good stuff and not that crap in a box)
4 springs parsley, minced
salt and white pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. In a large saute pan, reduce the cream and the garlic by half over medium-low.
3. Add the parmesan. Allow the cheese to melt. Season to taste.
4. Add the noodles to the pan, turn off the heat, and stir the noodles so that they’re evenly coated in the Alfredo sauce.
5. After you plate the noodles, garnish with minced parsley.

For a side dish, stick to a simple salad with a light dressing since this pasta dish is a bit on the heavy side. Plus, you want to save room for a lovey dovey dessert.

And what could be sexier for dessert than chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate fondue, or chocolate cupcakes? Here’s my favorite recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
1 c soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract, or vanilla
1 c flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1. Heat oven to 350. Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl. Set it aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla to the milk and beat until foamy.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add in two batches to the wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain.
4. Using a small ladle or a muffin scoop, fill the muffin liners 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to the pan a cooling rack and let it sit for 5 minutes before taking the cupcake out of the pan. Then remove the cupcakes from and set them on the rack let cool completely.

Instead of making your own butter cream, just get some from the grocery store. I like to use the vanilla butter cream, because I can pipe it out and then decorate with colored sprinkles. Why not top off each cupcake with chocolate kisses or candy hearts?

Spice up your dinner with a love note tucked in partner’s napkin. If you’re not a wordsmith, you could borrow a few lines from famous love letters. You could write it out by hand, or print something up with a fancy font on your computer. Lay it on top of your cloth napkin, roll it up, then tie it off with a red ribbon. Voila! Romantic dinner for two.

Good luck with your plans for this weekend. I wish you all a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Photo credit: Stock.xchg