Frugal Valentine’s Day Dinner at Home

There is nothing I would like better for Valentine’s Day than a night alone with my husband in a dark, candlelit restaurant with good food and great music. However, my husband has to march a parade that night. Just a day in the life of a band director’s wife.

Ah well… I can still make a sumptuous dinner and I plan to using Carrabba’s Italian Grill Cookbook: Recipes from Around Our Family Table. We might not get to go to the restaurant but I can bring the restaurant to us.

So, when the parade is over and the children are tucked into bed, I will light the candles, turn on some great music, and serve my hubby a fabulous meal.

Tips to De-Stress Dinner

The trick to creating a great, romantic meal is not stressing out. Here are some tips to help keep you in the mood while you prepare for your romantic dinner:

1. Make sure you have all the ingredients you need the day before so there will not be any rushed trips to the store.
2. Have a plan of what you are going to cook and when.
3. Do as much prep work as possible to make the meal come together quickly and easily as possible.
4. Listen to some romantic music while you cook.
5. Be willing to call for takeout if things get out of hand… or burned.

My favorite tip for preparing a romantic dinner… for married couples only… dress as sexy as possible and cook together… with lots of “accidental” touching. Yeah, but not with the kids at home. (No wonder we have FOUR children, right?)

Need more ideas to spark some romance with your spouse? Check out my Marriage Spice board. If you need some menu ideas, there are tons of fabulous dishes available on my Main Dishes board on Pinterest.

What are you cooking for Valentine’s Day?

This post is linked with love at the Mommy Club and Life As Mom.