The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and that’s never been truer when talking about a college guy. And what better opportunity to show off your cooking skills than on Valentine’s Day? Skip the overpriced restaurant and invite your guy over for a delicious three-course meal for two made by his No. 1 girl.
Don’t worry if you’re not a gourmet pro – Her Campus has got you covered with three different meals depending on your cooking skills. Choose menu one if you’re looking for something quick and basic, menu two if you’re willing to do a bit of cooking or menu three if you want to work from scratch.
Menu One (easy)
Appetizer: order in
Entrée: order in
Dessert: ice cream sundaes
It doesn’t get easier than this — order the appetizer and entrée from your guy’s favorite restaurant and have it delivered! Time it so the food arrives right before your date kicks off. Leave enough time for you to put it on plates and set the table, but don’t let it get cold.
Dessert requires a little effort but allows for personalization and shows off your creativity. Beforehand, buy a container of Neapolitan ice cream (so you two can choose your favorite flavors), a few candy toppings (Reese’s Pieces, toffee crumbles, or colored sprinkles) and some whipped cream. If you want to dress it up even more, purchase bananas or a box of waffle bowls.
After you and your date are done eating dinner, get out your supplies and make ice cream sundaes together. (Plus side: anything you don’t use becomes your snack for the next day.)
Menu Two (intermediate)
Appetizer: salad
Entrée: heart-shaped pizza
Dessert: chocolate-frosted brownies
For your appetizer, buy a bagged salad that includes croutons and dressing and mix it yourself (look for this in the grocery store).
Next, prepare the cutest Valentine’s Day pizza ever. Using either uncooked dough or a prebaked pizza crust shape the crust into a large heart. Spread with premade pizza sauce and top with shredded mozzarella and whatever else you’d like! Bake according to the directions on the package.
For dessert, buy a brownie mix, the ingredients that go with it, and a can of premade chocolate frosting. Make as directed (feeling fancy? Toss in some white chocolate chips), bake, and cool. Frost the top, cut into pieces and arrange on a plate ready to serve after your dinner.
Menu Three (expert)
Appetizer: garlic-oil bruschetta
Entrée: fettuccine alfredo
Dessert: chocolate fudge
For the bruschetta (from this recipe), buy Italian bread or a French baguette and cut into slices. Toast both sides of the bread using your oven’s broil setting until golden brown. Cut two garlic cloves in half and rub the top of each bread slice with the cut sides, then drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle salt over the top and serve warm. To customize the recipe, try adding small amounts of shredded mozzarella cheese to the tops of the bread and broil the tray again.
Your main course will be fettuccine alfredo (from this recipe). Buy a pint of heavy cream, dry fettuccine pasta, butter and a cup of each grated Romano and Parmesan cheese. Make your sauce by melting 1 cup of butter over low heat. Add ¾ pint of cream, and add salt/pepper and a dash of garlic salt if you have it. Stir in ¾ cup of Romano cheese and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese over medium heat until melted. If you want to dress up your sauce more, add steamed broccoli florets or grilled chicken.
Meanwhile, make your pasta by using the box directions. Once both the sauce and pasta are complete, toss them together and top with any remaining cheese.
Take advantage of chocolate’s aphrodisiac properties and make fudge (from this recipe) for your dessert. In a saucepan, combine 4 tablespoons of butter, ¾ cup of evaporated milk, 2 cups of sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir until the butter has melted, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for five minutes – stir constantly. Then remove it from heat, stir in 1.5 cups miniature marshmallows, and wait until they have fully melted. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and one 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips and stir until the mixture is smooth.
Then, pour it into a greased 8-inch baking pan and let it cool. (Tip: fudge tastes even better warm, so maybe don’t let it cool all the way!)
Yum. Happy Valentine’s Day, HC readers!