Valentine's Day Date

Valentine’s day is less than a month away! Nope, I’m not even kidding! (Can you believe how quickly the days are moving?) So, what are your plans for the day of love? Do you have date plans to go out on the town? Or, are you staying in this year?

My husband and I often choose to do at home dates for Valentine’s day for a couple of reasons. First of all, we are trying to eat healthier and that proves to be quite difficult when eating out. Second, the last several times we went out to dinner on Valentine’s day the wait was outrageous, even with reservations. I would much rather hang out at home and have a nice meal than sit and wait to have a meal at a crowded restaurant. We rarely get much time together as it is, I don’t want our time together spent trying to talk in a noisy environment. This is why we are, yet again, planning a lovely dinner date at home. We aren’t just having the same old dinner around the same old cluttered kitchen table though, I am planning to turn my dining room into an elegant dinner space for me and my guy. Here are some of my decor and dinner ideas in case you are looking for inspiration:

Table decor - I have decided that although we are staying home, I plan to make my dining room look beautiful and I love this table decor that I can get right here at Sassafrass. This is the look I am going with:

seta spun 47" x 63" table cover - our “paper” table linens look, feel and drape just like real linen — without the hassle of washing, drying and ironing! best of all — they’re disposable! and recyclable, too.

seta spun 39" table covers - ur “paper” table linens look, feel and drape just like real linen — without the hassle of washing, drying and ironing! our super-soft seta spun linens are even softer than our regular line. the pattern looks like linen with a hint of a sheen to elevate any occasion with glamour and elegance. this pattern is ideal for weddings and showers or an elegant Saturday night dinner party. best of all — they’re disposable! and recyclable, too. (I will need a second table for the party, so I will need to order both sizes)

seta spun napkins - our “paper” table linens look, feel and drape just like real linen — without the hassle of washing, drying, and ironing! best of all — they’re disposable! and recyclable, too.

One thing I love about this table decor is that it is well within my budget, and I don’t have to stress about cleaning it at the end of the night. I can simply toss it once our date is over. No Valentine’s day cleaning up for me! :)

For dinner, I plan to make a healthy lasagna casserole with some amazing homemade bread and a salad, but I am also planning on making a cute little cheese platter. My hubby and I both love cheese and I thought it would be a nice touch to have “appetizers” with our date meal since that is what would happen in a restaurant. I’m trying to decide which one of these boards I will be using.

• round marble and mango wood board - our bread and cheese boards add an artisan aesthetic to your serving table. the smooth mango wood adopts a weathered patina over time and the marble stands in cool contrast to the warm texture of the wood.
• rectangular baselina board - this beautiful board looks terrific on your buffet or coffee table when serving light appetizers. the cool marble surface prevents your cheeses from over-softening. also use the board to serve crackers, smaller bread loaves or fruits.

If you are curious about the lasagna casserole, I have chosen to make this recipe as we are trying to incorporate more veggies into our diet and I am gluten free so this works for both. Although I am gluten free, my husband is not and I fully plan to make him the best ever bread to go with his healthy dinner. I love to make homemade bread and it is just so good when it comes straight from the oven made in our stoneware. Here are my favorites:

• superstone® bread dome: Description - the "incredible" superstone® bread dome is an amazing product for baking breads and chicken, vegetable or meat dishes. the stoneware material replicates a professional brick-lined oven to create a dry, even heat and spectacular bread. the domed shape allows air to evenly-circulate around the baker for a uniformly browned crust on your bread while the unglazed lid helps create the perfect environment for baking crackly breads and juicy chickens and roasts.
• superstone® covered baker: Description - the superstore covered baker produces a spectacular italian, or oblong, loaf of bread! it’s unglazed interior pulls moisture from the dough, replicating the effects of a brick-lined oven to give you a light crumb and crusty exterior loaf. try roasting potatoes in the baker for crispy skins and a fluffy interior. if you’re a bread baker and enjoy baking different types and shapes of bread, this baker is terrific!

If you couldn’t tell, I am very excited for my Valentine’s date with my hubby! I hope you have a great day as well!