A Perfect Valentine's Evening In

Valentine's Day do you celebrate? I actually love celebrating it all month long!

I typically decorate at my daughters birthday at the end of January. I love throwing her a big dinner party with our closest friends and family. I love getting a bunch of heart balloons and  lots of twinkly lights (thank you Taylor swift for validating me to leave my lights up in january!) Its a great way to kick off the month of LOVE

Well this week it has been really really cold and I am so looking forward to a cozy romantic Valentine's weekend in. I am getting all stocked up on all my favourite things. Im going to share with you my favourite things for a romantic weekend and my 5 top VDay movies with 5 of my favourite recipes

-Roses I love having roses in my house they are just so romantic 

-candles I love getting these glass white votive candles that come in a box of 12 at canadian tire and place them all over fro a warm ambiance 

-bubble bath and wine always start your night with a luxurious bubble bath and a glass of wine

-I love these cute little nighties with matching housecoats at winners/homesense they are usually my outfit on a Romantic night in.

1. Pretty Woman with Champagne soaked strawberries with well Champagne of course! 

Richard Gere orders champagne and strawberries up to his penthouse suite at The Beverly Wilshire hotel so I think this is a perfect treat for this movie

This is a easy yet impressive recipe

1 pound of strawberries

2-3 cups of champagne of your choice

2 large chocolate bars i use the milk chocolate

-submerge your strawberries and soak overnight then gently pat dry 

- melt chocolate I use a glass bowl over a pot stirring frequently 

-dip the strawberries in the chocolate and lay out on parchment paper until hardened 

Pop your bubbly and enjoy 

2. It Complicated and Croque Monsieur 

This is one of my favourite chick flicks! Where do I begin? The food, the bakery, the cooking, the music, her house? This Nancy Meyers movie has it all.

This Movie to me is a cautionary tale Jake (Alec Baldwin) thought the grass would be greener on the other side only to discover all the wonderful things about his family life he had taken for granted. Though he has an attractive young wife it really never compared to the deep loving relationship he had with his wife Jane (Meryl Streep) its a must see! You'll laugh you'll cry.

I have watched this movie several times and every time I do I just want to cook everything she does in the movie! Its a great food movie and I plan on doing several recipes from the movie. 

Meryl Streep (Jane) makes Steve Martin (Adam) Croque Monsieur it looks so delicious and I had never tried it so I had to try and it was a hit!

Croque Monsieur

Bechamel Sauce

¼ cup (1/2 stick)                                               unsalted butter

1 ½ Cup                                                                all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups                                                              whole milk

2 tbsp                                                                  dijon mustard

½ tsp                                                                     freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch                                                                     kosher salt

Assembly

8 slices                                                                  thick country-style bread

6 oz                                                                        ham, preferably Paris ham (about 8 slices)

3 oz                                                                        Gruyere, grated (about 1 ½ cups)

1 tsp                                                                      herbes de Provence

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foamy.  Add flour and cook, stirring, until mixture is pale and foamy, about 3 minutes.  Gradually add milk, stirring until mixture is smooth.  Cook, stirring, until sauce is thick and somewhat elastic, about 4 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard and nutmeg, and season with salt.
3. You can make the Bechamel 1 day ahead, let cool and press in plastic wrap directly onto surface and chill.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Spread bread slices with bechamel, dividing evenly and extending all the way to the edges.  Place 4 slices of bread, bechamel side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet; top with ham and half of cheese.  Top with remaining slices of bread, bechamel side up, then top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with herbs de Provence.  Bake until cheese is brown and bubbling, 10-15 minutes. 

3. Bruschetta and Julie and Julia 

I have watched this several times and I just love the romance and love story between Paul and Julia Child and the Romance of her discovering her passion!

Although this movie is filled with food and recipes the recipe that gets me every time is when Julie is frying that delicious bread in the pan then topped it with bruschetta and her husband is eating it saying how good it is. It looks like the most delicious bruschetta I have ever seen. So heres my take on it and its really easy!

1. buy that garlic bread already sliced with garlic butter on it and fry it up in a pan until toasty

2. combine cherry tomatoes ( I always use cherry tomatoes because they are the tastiest!) a little red onion, lots of fresh basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sat and pepper to taste.

3. open your favourite wine top your toasty garlic bread with your bruschetta mix and enjoy!

4. The Notebook and Pancakes 

I mean let's face it what Valentine's day without The Notebook

How do you like your pancakes??

I love mine with a mimosa and the notebook at 10 o'clock. I love theming out when I do dinner and a movie, Pancakes  is it when Allie goes to to see Noah and his dad offers her breakfast? 

Frank : Say, how would you like some breakfast? Would you like some breakfast?

Young Allie : Breakfast?

Frank : Yeah!

Young Noah : Dad, it's ten o'clock.

Frank : Well, what's that got to do with it, you can have pancakes any damn time of night you want! Come on in, you want some breakfast?

Young Allie : Sure!

 I mean how can you no love Frank! He's so sweet and kind!  While Allie's mom only seems to care about appearances and status!  Yet here Frank sells his house to help his son fulfill his dream without giving it second thought!  It is very clear his relationship with his son is far more important than any earthly treasures!

Fluffy Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup                                     Milk

1 tbsp                                   white vinegar

1 cup                                     flour

2 Tbsp                                   white sugar

1 tsp                                      baking powder

½ tsp                                     baking soda

½ tsp                                     salt

One                                       egg

2 tbsp                                   melted butter

1 tsp                                      vanilla extract

¼ tsp                                     cinnamon

½ tsp                                     almond extract

Directions

1. You need 2 large bowls.  In the first bowl add the milk and the vinegar and stir.  After 10 minutes it should sour the milk.
2. Add the egg and beat in.  Add the vanilla extract and almond extract.
3. In the other bowl add the dry ingredients.  Flour, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Melt the butter and add it to the wet ingredients.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a whisk.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk.  If you like to have a thinner mixture just add a few Tbsp of water to thin it out at a time until you get the desired mixture. 
6. On medium heat use ¼ cup to make each pancake.  If you want a larger pancake use 1/3 cup.  Once it bubbles on top usually after 1 minute flip.  Then cook until cooked all the way through.  Each pancake should take 2-3 minutes depending on how hot the burner is.

Top with your favourite toppings such as whip cream, syrup, sugar, jam and fruit.

5. Its About Time with Cocktails and Candy

I picked Candies and Cocktails because there really ins't anything sweeter than this movie!! So much love and sweetness in this movie!

My Cosmopolitan recipe

I love cosmos so much but I hate having to make more or if you have lots of people and everyone wants a taste I find this is a perfect way to make them 

I make a pitcher and I put ice because I love an icy drink

get yourself a cute pitcher and fill 1/4 way with ice, then add 6 ounces of vodka , 3-4 ounces of triple sec, 6 ounces of cranberry juice, squeeze the juice of half an orange, and juice half a lime. I feel the fresh lime juice and fresh orange juice is really what sets this cosmo recipe apart from any other I've tried.

Wishing you all a wonderful cozy weekend filled with romance

Definition of Romance

A feeling of mystery, excitement and remoteness from everyday life!