And that’s ok.  I find myself in a very fortunate position: my husband loves to do things together. But because of that, I’ll have to be creative to be sure that this day stands out from the rest.

I’ve decided to borrow a few ideas from our Foodies’ Night In friends.  Each week, BACON, NUTELLA and WINE always come up in conversation.  Yes, week-after-week, bacon, Nutella and wine solve some sort of foodie problem. And, more recently a foodie friend has been suggesting ways to save money so…  I’ve decided that all of those people can’t be wrong, so here’s how I am going to take the insight gathered and put it to work for me:

1. Valentine’s Day will not just be celebrated in the evening, I’m going to start with the first, and most important meal of the day: breakfast.  Instead of cereal and milk on this morning, he’ll have a feast prepared for him.  It will be a mid-week brunch (only super early in the AM).  One of his favorites is this Honey Cayenne Bacon and it will be the star of the menu.
2. I am going to pack his lunch.  Normally, he is on his own when it comes to lunch.  Nope, not this year.  I am going to pack his lunch AND I am going to put a surprise love note in there for him.  My mom and dad used to put little notes in my lunch from time to time  when I was a kid. No matter how the day was going, when I got a note in my lunch, it absolutely made the day.  Hopefully this will leave the same impression on my grown adult husband.
3. I think that I’ll pick him up for our date.  Remember when you are first dating someone and that feeling of anticipation when they are coming to pick you up?  I want to recreate that. Now, I’m not sure how I’ll actually orchestrate this…but I think it would be nice for me to pick him up.
4. I’ll make dinner reservations.  Long before the 14th, I’ll narrow down the options as to where we’ll actually spend the evening.  One of our Foodies’ Night In friends, @iDine, actually will allow us to earn a percentage back on the bill. Thank you very much iDine.  And, because of this, I’ll probably decide to spend a little more on the wine on Valentine’s Day.  Let me say it again, thank you iDine.
5. I will make the dessert.  We recently introduced a homemade Nutella recipe that is absolutely amazing.  And, as my beloved is a chocolate fan, he should enjoy this delicious hazelnut chocolate.  And as we sit by the fire, I might go crazy and also make a chocolate martini. It might be a little much, but I’ll risk it.

Yes, that is how I plan to celebrate this most romantic of days this year.  I want him to stop and take note and know just how much he is loved.

- Molly S. Ross

Since my husband grew up in Indiana where the game is being hosted, I have created the following menu with him in mind. The recipes are chock full of comfort food and involve more than a couple goodies you can only justify enjoying all at the same time one night a year. So, dig in, sports fans. Go big or go home!

Appetizers

• Sausage. You know there’s got to be some sausage. Take this day to sample something fresh and seasonal like venison sausage. Get creative with a good ol’ fashioned link of hard salami from the grocery: grill thin slices until they’re crispy and top with sweet onions like the easy appetizer pictured below. Or, serve it with cream cheese and wheat crackers or hard cheese and butter crackers. Just make sure crunchy, creamy, spicy, and meaty are in every bite.



• Deviled Eggs. The tradition in our house is that they have to be hidden from my husband who will spend the entire day leading up to the big game seeking them out. With this Chorizo Sausage-Egg recipe, the one pictured above, I top each half with pico de gallo. Every year I can count on at least two being missing when I pull out the platter to serve.

Main Course

• Beer-Braised Brats. It was my mother-in-law who first taught me to boil thick brats before finishing them on the grill. It’s brilliant technique, really: the brats cook as they boil, and crisp up in the smokiness of the grill. I took this method to the next step by boiling the brats in beer, fresh thyme, salt, and whole peppercorns, before grilling. Finally, I top the brats with slow-cooked onions and spicy mustard.
• Buffalo Burger. You cannot watch a football game without chicken wings. How could you even enjoy it unless buffalo flavor was dripping from your saucy hands?!? Here’s how – with a tidy slider packed with flavor and missing the mess. We call it the Buffalo Burger. Ground pork tossed in wing sauce and smothered in bleu cheese translates into a – wait for it – touchdown for your taste buds.

Dessert

• Schlopp with a Cherry on Top. Appropriate for kids of all ages, this was originally designed to layer all of my husband’s favorite sweets – brownies, chocolate mousse, whipped cream, and Heath bars – into one decadent bite. You will see that I’ve doctored it up with some grown-up ingredients; personalize it with your own mix-ins too.

–Caitlin (with editing by Kelly)

roasted onion appetizer cooking information

• Yield: About 24 Pieces
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cook Time: 30 Minutes

roasted onion appetizer recipe ingredients

• 1 Small Hard Spicy Salami
• 25 Pearl or Boiler Onions
• 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Fresh Parsley

roasted onion appetizer recipe instruction

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prepare your onions: remove the tops, roots, and outer skins, and place in a small roasting pan.
3. Toss the onions in the balsamic and honey, and season with fresh black pepper. Cover with foil and place in the oven; cook until tender, approximately 30 minutes.
4. While the onions are cooking, slice the salami into ¼-inch thick discs. Set aside.
5. Once the onions are finished cooking, and right before you are ready to serve, place the salami in a non-stick skillet and crisp up both sides on medium-high heat, about 30 seconds to a minute per side.
6. When the salami is crispy, place on a platter, top with an onion, and garnish with a parsley leaf. Serve and enjoy!

roasted onion appetizer tips and tricks

• To make this dish even easier you can roast the onions, slice the salami, and pick the parsley all a day in advance. Wait until just before service to crisp the salami and warm the onions in the microwave.
• If you can’t find fresh pearl or boiler onions you can always buy them frozen. Just be sure to follow the instructions to thaw them before you roast them because if you put frozen onions in the oven right away the extra moisture won’t allow them to wilt completely.

chocolate hazelnut spread cooking information

• Yield: About : 2-3 Cups
• Prep Time: 5 Minutes
• Cook Time: 10-15 Minutes

chocolate hazelnut spread recipe ingredients

• 1 12-ounce Bag Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 Pound Fresh Hazelnuts
• 1/4 Cup Coarse Sugar (like Sugar in the Raw, or turbinado sugar)
• Vegetable Oil

chocolate hazelnut spread recipe instruction

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pour your hazelnuts onto a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Cook until golden brown and fragrant.
3. Next, place your chocolate chips and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until the chocolate chips are broken up.
4. When the hazelnuts are finished cooking, remove from the oven and immediately place in the food processor while they are still hot. Pulse together until the chocolate is melted and the hazelnuts are a fine consistency.
5. While the chocolate concoction is still blending, slowly pour the vegetable oil through the spout. Pour enough oil until it is as smooth and velvety as you wish.
6. Once everything is smooth (it will be a little chunky) transfer to a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.

chocolate hazelnut spread tips and tricks

• Store your homemade Nutella in the refrigerator because it will last longer there. It will harden up from the cold, when you’re ready to use it, transfer to a microwavable bowl and cook/stir it short increments of time until it is smooth again.
• Fresh hazelnuts can be hard to find. Hazelnuts are also referred to as “filberts” in some stores. I have seen them in my everyday grocery store as well as specialty markets, but I would recommend that you make calls before you head out to find them. Also, buy the pre-shelled nuts to save yourself a lot of time.

Come for 12 questions tailored to fit a culinary lover like yourself. We’ll cover everything from where to eat in your city to how to reserve a seat for you and your valentine to the smartest ways to get the most bang for your food-lovin’ buck. Be there for a Cupid-approved exchange. (And get a jumpstart on all the good stuff we’ll cover with a peek at iDine.com and how it all works.)

What: Foodies’ Night In (#FNIchat) Twitter party
When: Monday, February 6th, 2012, 4-6 EST
Where: On Twitter (or through this custom tweetgrid) with hashtag #FNIchat
Topic: Valentine’s Dinner Date presented by @iDine
Who: @cookingwcaitlin, @foodiesnitein, @iDine, @cozifamily, and YOU!!

Spread the Good Word

Pass along the party scoop with the following tweet:

How Foodies’ Night In Works:

Late Monday afternoons (4-6pm eastern to be exact) we meet through Twitter. Using the hashtag #FNIchat we greet each other at the virtual door, and get cozy to talk about whatever food-related topic we are featuring that day. Typically the topic will be determined by the weekly sponsor of #FNIchat. We, at Cooking with Caitlin, compile at least ten questions that serve as the framework of the conversation over the two hours of #FNIchat. Then, the hosts throw out each question at pre-determined times throughout #FNIchat. We hope that YOU will join in the fun-filled foodie conversation and share your thoughts, recipes, tips, ask questions…and most certainly make new friends! Can’t wait to *see* you there.