‘Brie’ mine
Valentine\\\\\\\'s Day at home can be just as romantic
While you can鈥檛 put a price on love, its cost can be a bit steeper this year.
To save a little dough, Greene County Career & Technology culinary arts instructor Dan Wagner suggested cooking something that 鈥測our spouse really likes鈥� this Valentine鈥檚 Day.
In his case, that means a vodka pasta with clarified butter, a favorite of his wife鈥檚.
Another choice she loves is filet mignon and lobster tail. That should also be a popular pick with men out gathering the ingredients for a Valentine鈥檚 Day dinner, Wagner said. Knowing those shoppers are coming, grocery stores will often give front-and-center placement to a precut filet mignon with a lobster tail for added convenience.
Appetizers could look like a nice wedge salad, or a stuffed mushroom with crab and lobster, Wagner said.
To further complement the meal, Wagner suggested finding the right table setting, and of course, flowers.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to put those roses out 鈥� on the table (and) you鈥檙e going to look for that dessert with cupcakes or the chocolate-covered strawberries,鈥� Wagner said.
A sample of what that dessert might look like comes from Mon Valley Career and Technology Center, where culinary arts instructor Julia Harhai鈥檚 students made two kinds of chocolate cupcakes with a ganache drizzle: one topped with chocolate-covered strawberries, and one with buckeyes.
鈥淓ven though it鈥檚 pretty simple stuff, it looks elegant, and would elevate somebody鈥檚 at-home Valentine鈥檚 Day dinner,鈥� she said.
Total cooking time will vary depending on the cook鈥檚 skill level, but would probably take somewhere between half an hour to an hour, Harhai said.
For an appetizer, Harhai offered a grilled romaine salad with Parmesan cheese and ranch dressing.
鈥淧eople don鈥檛 think that they can grill lettuce, but it鈥檚 actually very good,鈥� she said.
Romaine works especially well, since it will still hold its shape even once it鈥檚 cut in half and placed on the grill.
People can also select a bottle from a local winery, Wagner said.
Along with supporting a local business, there鈥檚 an added benefit, Wagner said: If you describe your meal, they鈥檒l recommend the best wine to pair with it.
It鈥檚 not just the cost that might make people skip a Valentine鈥檚 Day meal out this year, Wagner said: it falls on a Saturday, traditionally the busiest night of the week for restaurants.
If they decide they need to go out, he said, they can risk superstition and have their Valentine鈥檚 Day meal on Friday the 13th.
But it鈥檇 probably be safer 鈥� and ultimately more memorable 鈥� to stay home.