Cute Valentine’s Day Recipes

Valentine’s day doesn’t need to be an expensive outing and besides, we think making something with love is way more special than an expensive dinner.

Take the plunge this Valentine’s Day and wow your partner with your cooking skills! We’ve put together some of our favourite recipes perfect for a day of romance.

Steal Their Heart with Breakfast

Heart Toast

This cute heart-shaped eggs on toast is a fun and romantic take on the basics and will surely put a smile on their face. You can’t go wrong with this simple breakfast recipe and it won’t take up too much time before work either!

What you’ll need to make two:

• 4 tsp. mayonnaise
• 2 slices white bread
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 large eggs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Finely chopped fresh herbs
• Heart-shaped cookie cutter

Method:

1. Spread mayonnaise on both sides of each slice of bread and with a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the centre of each slice.

2. Melt butter in a pan on medium heat and add bread and the cut out centres to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Turn bread over and crack 1 egg into the heart-shaped hole centre of both slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until whites are set.

4. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.

Oreo Pancakes

Ready to start indulging from the moment you wake up? Make their day and win Valentine’s Day with scrumptious Oreo pancakes. We’re already drooling!

Ingredients for four pancakes:

• 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ¼ milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tbsp. butter
• Whipped cream for serving
• Crushed Oreos for serving
• Chocolate Sauce for serving

Method:

1. Combine flour, cocoa powder and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg and butter.

2. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk till just combined, it might have some lumps which is ok!

3. Melt butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour ¼ cup of pancake mix onto the pan, spreading it out evenly. When a ring forms around the edge of the pancake and bubbles appear, flip and cook other side (1-2 mins each side). Repeat until all mix is gone.

4. To serve, layer pancakes with whipped cream and top with cream, crushed Oreos and a chocolate drizzle.

Say It With Flowers

Is your man not big on receiving a beautiful bouquet of red roses for Valentine’s Day? How about bacon roses? Not quite as amazing as the real deal in our opinion, but don’t go bacon their hearts.

To master this, you will need heavy-duty sheers, artificial roses, toothpicks, a baking tray and a baking rack. The ingredients you’ll need are:

• 1 pack thick-cut bacon
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 dozen artificial roses

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

2. Take each strip of bacon and roll it slowly with the pink part of the bacon on top. Secure the seam of the bacon with toothpicks by forming an X so it doesn’t unravel while cooking.

3. Place a baking rack on top of a baking tray and lay each bacon rose about an inch apart. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with brown sugar and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the outer edge of the bacon is crispy. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

4. Carefully pull apart the artificial rosebuds and cut off the petals, leaving just the plastic rod in the centre. Clean the rosebuds and add a bacon rose on each one.

5. Place your bacon rose bouquet in a vase and surprise your love with a yummy, heartfelt breakfast!

Win Them Over with Dinner

Pink Champagne Floats

Start dinner right with a Valentine’s Day themed cocktail! This three ingredient drink is simple to make, tasty and perfect for a summery night.

All you’ll need for each drink is:
• 2-3 scoops raspberry sorbet
• 1 cup pink sparkling or sparkling pink Moscato
• Fresh raspberries for garnish

Method:

1. Place scoops of sorbet in a large wine glass

2. Pour champagne over the sorbet

3. Garnish with fresh raspberries

4. Voila!

Vegetable Ramen

Ramen is everyone’s go-to lately when it comes to choosing what to eat out, but it turns out it’s actually pretty simple to make. If ramen is the go-to for your date nights, try this recipe out!

The recipe is for a mushroom and bok choy ramen, making it perfect for vegetarians, but if you’d prefer meat add shredded chicken or sliced sirloin steak. It serves four, you can adjust it or save enough for leftovers the next day.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 3 sprigs spring onion
• 8 cups water
• 1 piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 5 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
• 180 g ramen noodles
• 180 g shitake mushroom caps, sliced thinly
• 2 heads baby bok choy, stems sliced thinly and leaves halved lengthwise
• 90 g snow peas, sliced thinly lengthwise
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 soft-medium boiled eggs, peeled and halved
• ½ cup cilantro sprigs
• Thinly sliced red chilli amount to preference

Method:

• Slice white parts of scallions and place them in a large pot with ginger and water, bring to boil.

• Stir in tamari, then add the noodles and cook as per the package directions, adding mushrooms and boy choy 3 minutes after the noodles. Remove from heat and stir in the snow peas and vinegar.

• Serve soup in bowls. Slice remaining scallion greens and serve on top with cilantro, chilli and an egg half on top of each.

Red Curry Shrimp & Cilantro Rice

Prefer a rice dish instead? This Asian inspired recipe is really simple and quick to make. The recipe is for shrimp but can be swapped out for chicken breasts, salmon or tofu.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 tsp. grated lime zest
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 inch piece ginger cut into matchstick size
• 2 cloves garlic sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp. Thai red curry paste
• 385 g can light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 4 heads baby bok choy, trimmed and leaves separated with large leaves halved lengthwise
• 30 g peeled and deveined shrimp

Method:

1. Cook long-grain white rice, fluff with fork and fold in grated lime zest and cilantro. Set aside.

2. Heat canola oil in large pan on medium heat, add ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in Thai red curry paste and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in light coconut milk and fish sauce and let it simmer for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in baby bok choy and shrimp, cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, approximately 3-4 minutes. Stir in fresh lime juice.

4. Place over rice and serve with remaining cilantro and chilli as desired.

Finish It Off with Dessert

3 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

After a night of cooking and indulging, a simple and light dessert is the way to go. This simple recipe can be prepared the day before, so there’s less pressure on you to get everything right!

Ingredients for 8 servings:
• 225 g 70% cacao or higher chocolate, chopped
• 30 regular-sized marshmallows
• 2 cups heavy cream

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine the chocolate marshmallows and ½ cup cream. Microwave for 2 minutes on high, stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth. Let mixture cool to room temp, approximately 45 minutes.

2. Once mixture is cool, whip remaining cream in a separate bowl until you see soft peaks form. Transfer ½ cup into a small bowl for garnish. Refrigerate.

3. Stir half of the remaining whipped cream into cooled mixture until fully incorporated, then gently fold in the rest. Spoon into ramekins and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours, or overnight.

4. Served with a dollop of whipped cream and berries if desired.

Are you cooking this Valentine’s Day? Head to our Facebook and let us know what’s on the menu!

Want to add an extra touch? You can’t go wrong with roses this Valentine’s Day. Surprise them with Flirt - two long stemmed red roses in a tall glass vase with green foliage, available for delivery Australia-wide.