An OS Valentine's meal?

honey28

Any more ideas on meals for Valentines Day?
I'm planning on something simple, and low fat!! if possible.
so far all I have decided on is tandoori chicken drumsticks for starters (from SW magazine). Possibly salmon for main course with veg.
Any dessert ideas?
Also, what sort of things do you buy your OH for valentines day (if they can be mentioned here that is

purplemoon

Sorry this is not a 'low fat' question, but I think you can melt chocolate effectively in a slow cooker?? (We have choc fountain but may have to return, plus better for a few more people..!). I saw mention on amazon of a recipe for choc fondue in a vegetarian cookery book I hope to buy (and may do today if available in town). Does anyone know how much choc I need melt in a 3.5 litre (?) cooker, and how long it would take.
BTW will be doing 'valentines' on another day cos of partner's backgammon club! And think will splash out for the mains with a takeaway. There is a service in Brighton that delivers from a selection of good restaurants- might give it a go (no babysitter for another fortnight!).
One of my favs for staters would be prawns in avocado halves. I don't like ketchup or mayo so make my 'cocktail sauce' with yogurt, worcester sauce, tabasco, soy sauce, pepper, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar (or sometimes with less ingredients!). Buy unpeeled prawns cos tastier, and seafood supposed to be an aphrodisiac (full of zinc).

halloweenqueen_2

I guess you could use the keep warm function on a slow cooker if there is one, or perhaps low, depends on how much you put in as to how long it will take to melt, but to be honest i would buy enough to feed an army, as once they've had a few goes each, they won't want any more especially if you do things like marshmallows on sticks which are very sweet. bear in mind if you are doing a sweet or fruit 'kebab' that there is room enought to dip the stick in and twizzle it about.
as for the low fat, if you were to pick an altenative starter and could find some chicken breasts on offer, you could poach them - they will still be pale, and they are quite nice served with red and green grapes.
What about a jelly dessert - very low fat and if you don't add as much water you could put it in a ramekin and upend it on to a plate (dip briefly in hot water), put a few raspberries in the setting jelly or something and make a quennelle of creme fraiche to serve on the side, should look good and if you can get a sprig of mint, very professional looking!

halloweenqueen_2

wouldn't buy enough to feed an army - sorry!

Aril

One year I did prawn cocktail but I wrapped it in smoked salmon to make it a bit different. However, this year as the pair of us are pretty unromantic we're holding a competition to see who can buy the most tasteless card for a maximum spend of £1. I'm sure I'm going to win as I've bought a huge one and it's beyond the realms of tasteless!! :rotfl:
OH is going to make me some turkish delight as that's my fave and I'll get him a bar of Cadbury's milk choc which he can eat uninterrupted. We've been together too long methinks!!
Aril

nicki_2

I don't think OH and I have ever celebrated Valentines day properly and we've been together 7 years this May Usually we just exchange cards and don't bother with gifts (too short of money) but I think I'll make the effort this year. I've already bought his card (in Asda with my birthday money ) and I think I'll do him a special meal that weekend. You see, DD is here but on the Saturday (18th) she's going to stay at her nanas (her aunty is coming to pick her up...or at least thats the theory ) so OH and I will be on our own and he's already booked the Monday off work so we can spend some proper time on our own :j

Keeping my eye on this thread for ideas otherwise it will a takeaway (although I do have vouchers for money off in KFC :rotfl: )

Aliki_2

My first post so be gentle with me.

Look out for boxes of Flora which have a free gift - A red Le Creuset heart shaped ramekin dish (serves 1). There is also a recipe for a strawberry cheesecake to make (serves 4!). I got mine in Sainsburys.

Limesemma

Im a really bad cook so my partner always cooks, this year i decided i would leave work early and cook something really easy - but i bought a heart shaped food cutter from ebay for a few quid and am going to cut everything into hearts! so will probably be Pizza and cous cous ( 15 mins to make) but all heart shaped.

I am also creating a menu with a heart shaped border, I intend on giving everything on it over the top lovey names - free to make and a little extra thought goes a long way!

purplemoon

Cheers halloweenqueen- will experiment, and I know about not using to much from experience with choc fountain (plenty of guests but none had more than a dip each!). I just saw a recipe in my free Barts spices booklet for choc/coconut/rum fondue- worth a try I think!

halloweenqueen_2

The pizza will look good heart shaped! You've got the red base, maybe you could put pink ham on it!!
If you have al lakeland near you they do lots of heart shaped stuff. I bought a couple of heart shaped t light holders in tesco for 57p each and I have some table confetti. It all adds to the occasion - not that mr HQ seems to notice!!
Purplemoon, what about things to go on the chocolate once they've dipped, they do those nice little shakers of 100's & 1000's and choccy bits in a lot of supermarkets.
they reckon you can do bbq sauce, cheese or caramel in the fountains, personally I think a bbq sauce fountain sucks!! Lets have choccy all the way!!
Let us know how the coco/rum/choc goes!