Valentine's Day Dinner Party Menu Ideas
Remember when Valentines Day was as easy as giving out little message hearts to your classmates? Now everything is more commercialized and elaborate. Valentines day, just like any other holiday, provides a great excuse for a social get together. Here are four easy steps to planning a perfect Valentines day Dinner Party Party with a purpose. Are you getting together a group of couples, planning a dinner for you and your significant other, or having an anti-V Day party? The purpose of the party will set the event Plan the menu-- The menu ties right into the purpose. If you are having a dinner for two, why not plan the meal around something significant for the two of you.Did you go on a vacation together in Hawaii or France? Have an On the Beach themed Menu or an French Country side Menu complete with wines from France. If you are just getting together with your single friends, serve an array of easy appetizers and watch a romantic comedy. For a party for couples, you can serve a buffet style menu or family style where everything is served on platters and passed around the table. Choose a Menu that can be done in advance so you can enjoy your company. Guest List-- This one is easy. Invite people you like and get along with. Invite friends that have personality and are going to talk to other people. This is especially important with couples parties. There is m=nothing more irritating than the couple who just talks to each other all night. Even worse, when they do talk to other people at the party they only talk about their significant other! Try to avoid inviting this type of couple to your party, but if you must have them over, break them up. Entertainment-- Conversation lasts only so long so have some entertaining activity planned for the eventing. Rent an appropriate movie for the evening. Breakfast at Tiffany's or something romantic. Have smooth jazz playing in the background or some sexy Neo soul. For a more lively party, play a game like taboo or outburst. These games are fun but they do have a tendency to cause rivalry especially if teams are split up into genders. Most importantly, have fun and relax. Its your party so try to get some of the foods already prepared or make them in advance, if at all possible. Don't forget the option of ordering food to go from your favorite restaurant or hiring a personal chef or caterer.
VALENTINE LUNCHEON MENU Creme Vichyssoise Chilled Red Salmon on Lettuce with Lemon Vinaigrette Tomato Aspic Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast with grilled asparagus Tiny Hot Corn Fritters Hot Rolls Strawberry Mousse Coffee VALENTINE LUNCHEON Cream of Tomato Soup Ham a la King Cranberry Jelly Hearts Stuffed Celery Heart Shaped Biscuits **Strawberry Coconut Dessert Coffee To give cream cheese a pink tint for stuffing into the celery, add chili sauce. **To make Strawberry Coconut Dessert, partially thaw a 12 to 16 ounce package of frozen strawberries. Allow the juice to drain into a measuring cup. Add sufficient water to make one and three-fourths cups of liquid. Heat the liquid to boiling and use to dissolve one package of strawberry flavored gelatin. Chill the gelatin mixture until syrupy. Beat with egg beater until light and fluffy. Add frozen strawberries and pour into heart-shaped molds. Serve unmolded on bed of fresh shredded coconut shaped to resemble a paper lace doily. Other Valentine Refreshments - Cranberry jelly salad and tomato aspic molded in heart molds. Salad made from canned pear halves simmered in a syrup made from red cinnamon candies. Cut a notch in the wide end of the pear to make it heart shape. Serve pear, rounded side up, on lettuce with a cream cheese nut ball in cavity. Shape meringue shells into a heart and make a slight hollow in the center. Bake until done. Serve filled with raspberries, strawberries, or pink ice cream. Heart shaped sandwiches - spread with a filling of strawberry jam and cream cheese, chopped maraschino cherries with cream cheese or minced ham. Love apples can be made by baking peeled apples with red cinnamon candies. Serve by sticking a toothpick which has been dipped in red coloring in one side and out the other. With red paper put a spearhead on one end of the arrow and a fluted hilt on the other.
Make up or buy a loaf cake. Make slices about one half to one inch thick. From the slices cut out heart shaped cakes with a cookie cutter. Ice the cake hearts with pale pink frosting. The job will be easier if you put the cake on a fork and hold it up in the air as you ice. Congealed red gelatin, fruited or plain, can ¯be cut from a shallow pan with a heart shaped cookie cutter. VALENTINE MOUSSE 2 tablespoons plain gelatin l/2 cup cold water 4 eggs, separated 2 cups milk 1 cup sugar Few grains salt Red food coloring 2 cups heavy cream, whipped 2 teaspoons vanilla Sprinkle gelatin on cold water. Beat egg yolks; add milk, sugar and salt. Cook over hot water, stirring constantly, until mixture coats spoon. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat; tint deep pink with red food coloring. Chill until syrupy. Beat egg whites stiff, fold in. Fold in whipped cream and vanilla. Pour into freezing trays. Freeze until firm. Cut with small heart-shaped cookie cutter. Serve two hearts to each person. 12 servings. Another fun Valentines Day Menu is based on pears. This menu would also be great for wedding related menus. Perfect "Pear" Valentines Day Menu
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