A Cozy Valentine's Day Dinner

My mother gave me a cute little cookbook when I was in College entitled Dinner Dates: A Cookbook for Couples Cooking Together by Martha Cotton.  I never really read through it because 1) I didn't really cook in College and 2) the boyfriends I kept around at that time were not the cooking types either.  Now that I am part of a great "couple" and my fiancé is slowly learning his way around the kitchen, I think it is a good time to bring it out and dust it off.

The book is very user friendly with a variety of menus you can choose from depending on the occasion or your mood. There are shopping lists and tips for creating atmosphere, plus a list of cocktail and wine recommendations for "marinating the Chefs".  I also like the way the recipe instructions are written out, with Chef Numero Uno and Chef Numero Due working together instead of stepping on each others toes.

There are some fun menus like Indoor Picnic and Catch of the Day, but what I am interested in for February is the Ultimate Valentine's Day Dinner.  This includes French Onion Soup, Filet Mignon with Herbed Butter, Sauteed Mushrooms, Steamed Spinach, Garlic Mashed Potatoes plus Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries with Biscotti to finish.  Mmmmmmmm... sounds good.

Now all I have to do is convince the fiancé that its a good idea to stay home, avoid the cold and the busy restaurants and make a wonderfully cozy Valentine's Day dinner for our selves!