Staying In

As you may have heard, today is Valentine's Day.  At this phase of my life, I really don't get super hung up on this Hallmark card-type holiday.  Still, it is fun to spend a day trying extra hard to show love and appreciation to the most important people in life.  Especially when those people are trying to sneak into your bed at 6 am, making you want to scream in frustration, until they whisper sweetly "Happy Valentine's Day Mommy."  Still, 6 AM???

No, Hubby did not make reservations for a fancy restaurant.  Frankly, he rarely thinks of such things on his own and even when he does, it turns out to be a restaurant or time or date or whatever that doesn't work for me so you can't blame the guy for mostly not bothering.  But, for the last couple of  years he has done something just as good and often much better.  He cooks me dinner.  This is quickly becoming our stand-by "date" for special occasions or much-needed couple time.  Seriously, you could cook a $100+ meal in your own kitchen for less than $30 and it can turn into a really fun experience.  We put the kiddos to bed around 7 and then get cooking!  Generally, the meal he prefers is steak au poivre.  This is French (and as Fancy Nancy has taught us, everything is fancier in French) for steak coated in black pepper or served with a peppercorn cream sauce.  I don't really have a recipe for you, he makes it a bit different every time but basically you need some filets, a can of green peppercorns (you can find these at a specialty grocery), shallots, butter, brandy, and heavy creme.   It is a luscious, spicy and rich sauce that would make anything taste better.  Here is a photo of our anniversary dinner.  Yummy, right?

Really though, you could cook whatever said "date night" to you.  Have a favorite dish at a restaurant?  Google it and try to make it!  Spend the money you save on the babysitter and restaurant tab on shoes.  The best part, you get to eat in your jammies and who doesn't love that?  Or maybe it's just me.

So the next time you want to rekindle to flame, or you forget to make reservations for that special night, get in the kitchen and cook a dinner together.  It makes for great conversation and "togetherness" which we sometimes need after staring at the same face for years and years.  I still love going out to dinner with my hubby, but this sure makes date night more accessible.  Incidentally, for tonight's menu we are ditching the peppercorn sauce for a mushroom Marsala sauce.  What the heck is Marsala?  I'm not really certain but it makes one yummy sauce!  Keeping my fingers crossed that we get it right!  Happy Valentine's Day!