Valentine's Day Dinners For A Cozy Night In

Valentine's Day can be stressful. Especially when you are frantically trying to make a last-minute reservation at your favorite restaurant that has been booked out for a month! My husband and I decided that we would go out to dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day either before or after the actual day...or just the next time we both have the day off and time to go out for dinner! It helped eliminate the stress of a big gesture for such a minor holiday. However, we still like finding ways to celebrate on the actual day of Valentine's, so here are some fun, romantic, and easy ways that you can spend the night celebrating, but at home!

1. Heart-Shaped Pizza

Pizza is one of my favorites for most at-home date nights! It is fun and easy, and a great choice if you have kids too. Everyone can make their own little pizza if you all have different topping references like we do, or you can make one giant pizza for all of you!

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)

• 1/2 cup pizza sauce

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• Your favorite toppings (pepperoni, vegetables, olives, etc.)

• Olive oil (for brushing)

• Dried oregano or basil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C).

2. Roll out the pizza dough into a heart shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a border around the edges.

4. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.

5. Add your toppings and sprinkle with dried oregano or basil.

6. Brush the edges of the pizza with olive oil for a golden crust.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

8. Serve immediately and enjoy!

2. Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

If you want something a little bit more sophisticated, but still delicious for two - or for a family, this is a great choice! Choose your favorite side dish to serve with it and check out my Valentine's Day Desserts post for some yummy treats for after dinner!

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp butter

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

2. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.

3. In the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Add the heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

5. Return the chicken to the skillet and coat it in the creamy sauce.

6. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or vegetables.

3. Stuffed Shells

This is my husband's FAVORITE dinner that I make. And I had never made it before we got married, but I wanted to surprise him one night after a long day of work, so I tried it out. It may look intimidating for those of you who haven't had a lot of cooking experience, but trust me, it will turn out great!

Ingredients:

• 20 jumbo pasta shells 6 ounces

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small onion chopped

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• ½ pound ground beef (of ground turkey if you want a higher protein option)

• 24 ounces pasta sauce

• 15 ounces ricotta cheese

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella divided

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta shells according to package directions.

3. Pour the olive oil into a large skillet and warm over medium heat.

4. Sautée the garlic and onion until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until brown.

6. Pour in the pasta sauce and simmer on low until ready to use.

7. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg. Add the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Mix well.

8. Place 1/3 of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

9. *Fill each shell with the filling and place into the baking dish.

10. Pour remaining meat sauce over the shells and cover the pan with tin foil.

11. Bake for 30 minutes.

12. Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over the shells. Return to oven to bake uncovered for another 5 – 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*If your shells are sticking together, add a little butter back to the pot with the shells ad let it melt. Then put the filling into a plastic bag and pipe it into the shells like you would pipe frosting on a cupcake!

4. Soup and Bread Bowls

This one is my favorite date night dinner at home! We have used at least 4 different soups, and we have made it a tradition to have soup and bread bowls whenever my in-laws come visit! It is so fun and yummy. I always use store-bought bread bowls because I haven't found a bread bowl recipe that I like yet.

You can use just about any soup that you want, but I'll give you my favorite that we've used so far: Ham and Corn Chowder!

Ingredients:

• at least 4 slices of bacon, chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 celery stocks, chopped

• 1/4 cup flour

• 2 gloves of minced garlic

• 1 cup heavy cream or half and half

• 2 cups frozen corn

• 1-2 cups chopped ham or Canadian bacon

• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

• Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Fry bacon in dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove to paper towel, leave fat in the pot.

2. Add the onion and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the flour and minced garlic, stirring constantly.

4. Add cream, corn, ham, potatoes, and seasonings.

5. Bring soup to a boil, then turn the temperature down and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

6. Serve in homemade or store-bought bread bowls!

These delicious dinner ideas are perfect for a date night in! Save this post for Valentine's Day so that you don't have to stress about making a last-minute reservation at an expensive restaurant! Happy Valentine's Day!