A Chic and Easy Valentine Dinner at Home By the Fire

Valentine’s Day is a special day to tell your loved one how much you appreciate and care for him. What better way to celebrate but at home in front of a fire!  Most men are intimidated by planning a dinner at home and many working moms just don’t have the time. But we have some simple and chic ideas that will make this special night very romantic.

First, order flowers from your favorite florist, or take blooms or a plant from another room in the house and use it on the dinner table as a centerpiece. Then, go to your significant other’s favorite restaurant and order his favorite food – to go. Once home, serve the courses on your own special dinnerware. Light the candles and you’re ready for romance! 

Guests: Two Adults

Color Palette: Eggplant, Cranberry, Pink, and Chocolate Brown

Style: Casual and Romantic

Party Ideas: Set the dinner table in the living or family room on the floor in front of the fireplace. If you don’t have a fireplace, don’t sweat it – create the romantic ambience with lots of candlelight. The dinner will take place on a coffee table, with you seated on a comfy, fluffy rug. Scatter various pillows on the floor for seating and extra comfort. Set the table for two with dark woven place mats, a dinner plate, salad plate, bowl, napkins, and chopsticks. Don’t forget champagne flutes, highball glasses, and teacups at each place setting. Place a small potted Lady Slipper orchid or flower arrangement that matches the party’s color theme on the center of table, and surround with small votive candles. For a special touch, place a dark red colored dahlia bloom in each bowl on top of the salad plate. Place your presents for each other on the rug next to the table. Dim the lights and set the candles all over in the space. For the final detail, don’t forget mood-setting music. 

The Food:

The menu for this party is very simple. Order food from your loved one’s favorite restaurant.  Once you get home, plate the take-out on your favorite tableware. We suggest Thai or Chinese food for this special meal – the food is interactive and the perfect fare to eat while sitting on the floor. Some of our suggestions: Lemongrass Soup, Chicken Dumplings, Grilled Shrimp & Lemongrass Skewers, Pad Thai, and Chocolate Cake. For beverages, serve rose Champagne, Thai Iced Tea, and hot tea.

Timesaving Tips:

One Week Before:

• Have your present ready
• Create the music play list

The Afternoon Before:

• Purchase the Chocolate Cake

The Night Before:

• Set the romantic table

Before Dinner:

• Decorate the cake
• Order the food around 5:00 pm; keep warm
• Put the kids to bed a little early or arrange for a sleepover at a family member’s house
• Light all the candles and start the music right before dinner begins

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Projects for Kids:

Since the evening is about the parents having alone time, we suggest having your child or children make a special gift for your significant other. Incorporate this special keepsake in your loved one’s present.

1. Valentine Sticker Collage: Cut a big red heart out of construction paper. Purchase stickers that are symbolic of your child. Allow your child to decorate the heart with the stickers. Don’t forget to have him sign his name and note the date.
2. Valentine Tag: Make two hearts out of patterned paper and let the child or children decorate them as desired. Place a ribbon streamer between the two hearts. Glue the hearts together and tie the valentine onto the bow of the wrapped present.
3. Cake decorating: Have your child personalize the chocolate cake with berries, nuts, and special Valentine decorations.

MiGi Shopping Suggestions:

1. Valentine Message Cookies from Williams-Sonoma: Cute and delicious are these heart-shaped iced message cookies.  Twelve cookies packaged in a wood box. 

2. Lady Slipper Orchid from Beautiful Orchids: We love orchids and this is one of our favorites. The color is beautiful and it will make a statement in any room of the house. 

3. Mosaic Soup/Pasta Bowl by MiGi: This pattern is perfect for the décor of the table.  Afterwards, mix and match this bowl with a solid white plate.  

4. Sheepskin Rug from West Elm: We love the look and feel of sheepskin rugs. After your special night, you can use this rug in your kid’s bedroom or playroom. 

Michelle Adams and Gia Russo host the Fine Living network television show, The Art of the Party with the MiGi Girls. Former editors of Martha Stewart Living magazine, Michele and Gia have also written several lifestyle books for Chronicle Books and work as design and entertaining experts for numerous magazines, including Lucky, In Style, O (Oprah), and Fit Pregnancy. Based in Los Angeles, Michele and Gia are also the proud mothers of, respectively, Jackson and Grayden, both two years old. Check out their line of MiGi products, which features crib bedding, nursery décor accessories, and home-entertaining specialty items at www.migistyle.com