Old Style/Money Saving Valentines Day

mackemlass29

I'm not one for going overboard on Valentines Day,don't believe in big gestures I have been with my partner 12 years,so not in the honeymoon stages lol!

I have set a budget of £10.00,has anyone got a frugal menu idea's.

How is everyone else spending valentines day?

FairyPrincessk

What sorts of things do you like to eat? Would you like to buy a bottle of wine to go with it? What do you have in that you could use?

I'd start with a red soup--there is a lovely roasted red pepper and basil one here:
http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/red-pepper-soup-basil-cream-recipe

For a bit of extra cheesieness, drizzle the cream into a heart shape.

I'd roast the red peppers myself. I believe sweet point ramiros are 2 for 89p in Ald!.

Then I'd go with some sort of an indulgent main, perhaps steak if you like it, or maybe a slow cooked lamb and rosemary pie.

This one is lovely: http://simply-delicious.co.za/2013/06/18/slow-cooked-lamb-rosemary-and-roasted-garlic-pie/

If you wanted to avoid spending too much on meat you could do some veg and mash to go with it. Personally, I'd make small pies with about 1/3lb of meat in each rather than a large one, I think 1kg of meat for two would be a bit much!

For pudding I'd think about a cake or perhaps a chocolate mousse, something indulgent but small.

I hope you get some good ideas.

FairyPrincessk

p.s. I've never used both cream and soured cream in that soup, sometimes I use greek yoghurt, other times soured cream, whatever I've got in for other reasons!

sweetilemon

TBH with a £10 budget i'd be tempted with a Tesc0 mealdeal. Saves cooking more couple time.

mackemlass29

Thanks so much everyone-I already have Pototoes and Parsnips,my fella is a huge steak fan so may see if I can pick up a bargain and make Steak with peppercorn sauce.

I also like the Mussels that come in the bag with white wine,so will see if my budget will stretch that far!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Why do it??? its just all a commerical hype to spend money.... its like the adverts pressurise you into buying stuff...


What hubby and I are doing tonight is cuddling up on the sofa ( as normal) and drinking a can of larger lol, eating our very own bacon sarnies, which is from our own pigs ( picking it up today) lol..


Remember its just another day.... as for showing someone you love them, we do it every day of the year, with a cuddle, the twinkle in the eye, and saying 3 little words... Priceless!!!!




Its also our Youngest's 18th Today....

FairyPrincessk

Sounds like a great plan, Mackemlass!

Cooltrikerchick, on some level I agree with you, it shouldn't be necessary to spend money because 'they' dictated that today is the day you must spend money to prove your love for someone. However, I think we all need reasons and festivals to celebrate. For some it might be Xmas, and Easter, for others it might be birthdays and milestones like graduations. I think it is wonderful when people try to find thrifty ways to celebrate the occasions that mean something to them. Having gone through a period of my life where nothing was celebrated, I'm having to re-evaluate and find which things I think should be celebrated and how I want to go about it. While I'm no fan of expensive tat marketed for holidays, I do think planning a nice meal at home and making an effort to do something out of the ordinary for whatever you consider to be an important day is something we all do, we just vary which days we do it for. It helps to give life joy and meaning and that to me is a very OS thing to do.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

FairyPrincessk wrote: »

Sounds like a great plan, Mackemlass!

Cooltrikerchick, on some level I agree with you, it shouldn't be necessary to spend money because 'they' dictated that today is the day you must spend money to prove your love for someone. However, I think we all need reasons and festivals to celebrate. For some it might be Xmas, and Easter, for others it might be birthdays and milestones like graduations. I think it is wonderful when people try to find thrifty ways to celebrate the occasions that mean something to them. Having gone through a period of my life where nothing was celebrated, I'm having to re-evaluate and find which things I think should be celebrated and how I want to go about it. While I'm no fan of expensive tat marketed for holidays, I do think planning a nice meal at home and making an effort to do something out of the ordinary for whatever you consider to be an important day is something we all do, we just vary which days we do it for. It helps to give life joy and meaning and that to me is a very OS thing to do.

I TOTALLY agree, sorry if I came across anti celebrations I am not lol. its just all the commercial hype that I feel sometimes puts pressure on people, to make them think they GOT TO do something on that day, or event...


The 'romantic' meal night in etc can be any time of the year, and doesn't have to be a celebration of anything...

lostinrates

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

I TOTALLY agree, sorry if I came across anti celebrations I am not lol. its just all the commercial hype that I feel sometimes puts pressure on people, to make them think they GOT TO do something on that day, or event...


The 'romantic' meal night in etc can be any time of the year, and doesn't have to be a celebration of anything...

CTC, we use any excuse for a celebration, I agree, there is no need to be commercial about it.


Personally if DH came home with a teddy (shudder) or a trinket he knows I wouldn't like it. Even over prices flowers would be a shame. But similarly, saying I love you with a nod to the date is no harm.

IMO valentines is no day for hefty meals though.

poppyjane

We're having random leftover veg lasagne, made with ricotta not white sauce - nicer and less labour!! I'm totally splashing out and making 3 cheese bread in the breadmaker (wish me luck!) and for pud we're having choc cheesecake http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/chocolate-digestive-cheesecake.html Just me and my daughter btw. Oh, and I went totally wild and bought some daffodils for a quid

FairyPrincessk

Not to worry, I didn't think that was what you meant as I've seen your posts around, I just noticed that the OP is fairly new and wanted to make sure they understood.

LIR, Absolutely. I've never quite understood the teddy thing!