A Non Pinterest Valentines

Happy Valentines Day all of you.  Romance is in the air.  Wine glasses are clinking, and chocolates and red roses are being gifted to the sweetest in our lives.  Not so much in my house.  I had decided earlier in the week to ramp up my frugality, but no skimping on the extra touches for this little holiday.  A little lie down once home after carting kids to the other side of the metro, turned into an all out snooze.  I needed it after a restless toss and turn kind of night. 

DH came home, knowing I had purchased the ingredients for a delicious home cooked, not our standard fare, dinner.  At 5:30, there wasn't so much as the oven turned on , let alone food ready to be popped in.  I managed to shake the cob webs, and put the potato's and green bean dish together.  Fortunately, I had done a dry marinade for the steaks, left to tenderize before we left at 7:30.  I didn't bother with the spinach salad, mainly because I should have made the dressing hours ago to ensure the sugar, vinegar, and mayonnaise blended and chilled together.  The chocolate lava cakes gave way for good old fashion vanilla ice cream with microwave heated hot fudge sauce. I tried to doll up the table, but in the end, we served ourselves from the kitchen, and settled with our plates to watch a movie on tv. 

The food was delicious, and DH did not miss the salad, as he had more room for the cheesy potato's and green beans.  He had picked me up a simple tulip bouquet, larger than any vases I have, so I ended up getting two arrangements out of the bunch, one to perk up each the dining room, and the living room.  After 30 Valentines together, he knows I am a tulip rather than roses kind of gal.  I won't be getting any repins on Pinterest should I dare to upload these photos, but he's a happy and satisfied man.  Now, after my well needed nap, I'll actually be able to watch the whole movie with him without falling sleep. I have a nice red table wine for sipping, and a candle lit. Ahh, l'amore.

Both are a family, and Minnesota favorite.  I don't make often
 because they are quite calorie rich.

     Though not a great picture, the broiler on my over did the job on the

petite steaks. I would have liked to thrown on the grill

   outside, but as we had a high temperature of 5 with negative

    windchills, this was just fine. In the end the fish stayed in the

freezer for another day.



 

Valentines Day-What are Your plans?

I like a good holiday as much as the next person.  A lovely card in the mail for DD#2 from her snowbird grandparents reminded me that Valentines  Day is less than a week away.  I'm not horribly sentimental, but I don't want to be left out of letting my loved ones feel cared for on this little holiday that is supposed to be all about love.  I've always gone beyond romantic love in my sentiments. Both my mom and my MIL always remembered the kids and grandkids with little trinkets and treats. With my new belt tightening, things need to be a bit more creative than just popping a gift card in the mail to DD#1 and DS, new books and candy for DD#2, and dinner reservations for DH and I.

For practicality reasons, I have access to make deposits and transfers in both grown kids accounts.  It was very useful when timing did not work out on something they were planning, and being able to float a bit of cash for a short period of time was far better that pulling out the credit card.  I think they each might get a little spot of cash popped into their account, along with a nice e-mail with a cute pop up e-card link, along with a recipe and ingredient list to go out and purchase a couple grocery items they might not have on hand.  No buying of a card, no postage stamp, but a little "I love you" hug courtesy of g-mail.

I had purchased a ginger bread cookie mix the end of November with the intent of another batch of ginger bread men, but with being  out of my normal routine in December, the mix still sits in my pantry.  I think I will use that mix and make gingerbread heart shaped cookies.  Perhaps a little butter cream frosting, with cinnamon, but tinted pink, added to sweeten them a bit more. DD#2 has another tournament next weekend, and this might be a nice treat she can bring along to share with her team, and a few the day before to share with friends at lunch.  I'll make the traditional heart shaped pancakes for breakfast, but will need to think more on something else, little to no money involved, just for her.

No doubt the hubby will get in on the cookies, as well as the pancakes, but what for just him and me?  Last year we took advantage of a $19.99 heart shaped pizza and appetizer special, along with some wine at the Green Mill.  Reservations  made on-line earned a bonus 100 points, which we have used to earn free pizza's or appetizers during the year.  We do still have gift card money from that restaurant, and the deal is on offer this year as well.  They've also a Saturday special where  you get a free bottle of wine if two pasta dishes are ordered. I'm for being frugal, but that seems uncreative, since we did it last year.

I won't know the basketball schedule for the 14th for a couple days so not sure if spending the day cooking would work out, but I am leaning on maybe getting some nice fish and some steak and doing a surf and turf, at home, eaten in the dining room with candles. I am not much of a fish or steak eater, but it would be something DH would thoroughly enjoy.  We've wine a plenty, and I found a delicious looking recipe for a molten chocolate cake.  The cake, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, seems pretty much in the spirit of love. 

I'll let  you know how I fair next week. In the mean time, suggestions and stories welcome on how you've celebrated the love for the people in your life on Valentines Day or any other time. Who among us has this Valentines Day stuff down to an art form?

 “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”  Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey