Valentine’s Day Dinner and Dining Table Decor

Where is the time going?  Am I the only one who finds it hard to believe that we are already smack dab in the middle of February??  The good news is, we are that much closer to Spring.  I guess it’s only good news if you are looking forward to Spring, though.   Who isn’t looking forward to Spring?  I think most of us are.

It also means that Valentine’s Day is upon us.  Do you even celebrate Valentine’s Day?  If not, why not? To me, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to mean going out for an expensive dinner but about celebrating love.  I would like to share a really easy, budget-friendly way to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home.  You can celebrate with anyone, too.  Your significant other, your kids, your friend(s) or just treat yourself!

Step one to make your dining table Valentine’s Day worthy.  I immediately think about adding flowers.  I love to add flowers to my table.  Faux flowers are perfect, of course, because they last a really long time.  Usually, until way after you are sick of them.  If you would rather use real flowers, then by all means do so!  The grocery store is the perfect place to buy fresh flowers in my opinion. Here, I added some faux flowers to a vintage farm bin that I am using as a centerpiece on our farmhouse harvest table. 

You will also see, that I used a red plaid table runner, too.  This runner is perfect all winter, which keeps with the budget-conscious theme. Having candles on your table is always a nice touch. 

I used these black iron taper holders we have at the shop because they coordinate really well with our table runner.  Again, these are perfect all year long.  I added our burgundy tapers.  I actually prefer Burgundy over red, even for Christmas.  That’s me, though.  Use whatever YOU like. Because I love vintage, I added some very sweet, vintage Valentine cards to the table

How fun would it be to add a special one to your special someone’s plate? If you are having a “Galentine” dinner, putting one on each place setting would make a very sweet place card.  What should I be serving for this special dinner? is probably your next question.

One of Howard’s favorite meals is surf and turf.  I think most people think that a surf and turf mear equals going out and a big price tag, but I am here to tell you that is probably one of the very easiest meals to make at home.  And, far less expensive than you might think.  Our local supermarket has a twin pack of lobster tails for $19.  I even see them regularly on special for half-price off. Probably not around Valentine’s Day, but still way cheaper than you would pay at a restaurant.

Ok, so that’s not bad, but how in the world does one even go about cooking a lobster tail you might be thinking to yourself. It honestly will only take up about 15 minutes of your life.  You broil them.  If you want to have steak, too, it makes it really easy to do so. Depending on how you like your steak, and of course, what cut you are using, the lobster tails and steak should take about the same about of cook time.

Place your lobster tails on a baking sheet and with a sharp knife or shears, cut the top side of the shells lengthwise.  Pull the shells apart slightly and then season with melted butter, paprika, and/or Old Bay seasoning.  Broil until the lobster meat is opaque, about 5-10 minutes.  Yep, that’s it!  I like to serve them with some fresh lemon wedges and more melted butter.  I also like to add either garlic powder or fresh minced garlic to my melted butter.  If you are having steak, drizzle some of that yummy garlic butter over that, too.  A nice fresh salad and some crusty bread are all you need to make a complete meal.  Add potatoes or rice, too if you wish.  Sprinkle some fresh parsley over all of it, and it will look super fancy and be delicious, I promise.

Bon Appétit and Happy Valentine’s Day!