Cooking For Two

Easy Valentine's Day Dinner
Editor's Pick

Create a Romantic Night: A Perfect Dinner For Two

With a lot of help from Fab, we told you how to get the after-dinner look for Valentine's Day night, but first — well, really it can go in any order — you must eat.
by

With a lot of help from Fab, we told you how to get the after-dinner look for Valentine's Day night, but first — well, really it can go in any order — you must eat.

Yum has already mapped out a romantic dinner for two, named the healthiest aphrodisiacs, and compiled everything you need to know about chocolate, the ultimate aphrodisiac, but delicious menus aren't recipes for perfect nights. Susannah Chen, associate editor of Yum, gives us her advice for a stress-free Valentine's Day dinner.

  • "Rule No. 1 — dine at home! Unless a restaurant is offering something truly special that night (and chances are, they aren't!), skip the overpriced prix fixe and eat at home, whether that means cooking together, making dinner for your sweetheart, or ordering your favorite takeout with some nice wine. There's nothing more romantic than feeling like the two of you are the only people in the room — and that's not going to happen in a crowded, overpriced restaurant packed full of lovers making eyes at one another."
  • "Create a plate that's meant for two. Sharing food can be very sexy. Remember Lady and the Tramp?"
  • "This one's from my favorite sommelier, Eugenio Jardim, at Jardiniere in San Francisco. It's simple but brilliant: Stay away from wine bombs like New World Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel, which can be upwards of 14 percent alcohol. A lighter alcohol content means the two of you won't be ready to pass out before dinner's over."

Read the rest below.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Warm Winter Salad
salads

Fast & Easy Dinner: Warm Winter Salad

Jam-packed with crisp vegetables and poached chicken, this salad is a healthy, filling meal in itself.
by partysugar

Jam-packed with crisp vegetables and poached chicken, this salad is a healthy, filling meal in itself. The dressing calls for sherry vinegar, but if you don't have it in your pantry simply use white wine vinegar.

To toast the walnuts, cook in a small skillet over medium-low heat until they are fragrant and lightly browned.

Check out the recipe and read more

How to Cook For Two
Tips

How to Cook For Two

The majority of recipes feed groups of four to six people, making it hard to find dishes that simply serve two.
by partysugar

The majority of recipes feed groups of four to six people, making it hard to find dishes that simply serve two. However, if you are a newlywed cooking for your husband or wife, you will need to learn how to cook smaller servings. While it's easy to cut a recipe in half, there are many other tricks that make cooking for two easy as pie. To check out my tips on how to cook in small quantities, read more

Kitchen Library Must Haves
Wedding

New Life, New Cookbooks

Whether you just got married, made the move in together or simply want to turn over a new leaf, make sure you have the guides to basic cooking fundamentals.
by

Whether you just got married, made the move in together or simply want to turn over a new leaf, make sure you have the guides to basic cooking fundamentals.

Start out with the gastronomic essentials featured below, which range from classic cookbooks by the world's foremost chefs to quick and simple meal ideas. Follow up with specialty books like Party Basics For the New Nesters. It's a newlyweds guide to hosting fabulous fetes!

Already have a solid cookbook library? This collection makes a great wedding gift — and it won't be sold out on the registry.

Cooking For Two: You & Your New Hubby
Tips

Cooking For Two: You & Your New Hubby

Now that you've moved into your new house, it's time to get down to your "wifely duties".
by partysugar

Now that you've moved into your new house, it's time to get down to your "wifely duties". I would like to say that women aren't making the majority of the meals, but it's still a fact that female's do a lot of the cooking. Unfortunately the average recipe is created to serve 4 people, however there are plenty of helpful resources out there. Those, combined with my tips, will make cooking for 2 should as easy as pie.

  • If the recipe serves 4 cut it in half exactly.
  • If the recipe is too hard to cut in half, make the full recipe and freeze the leftovers to eat at a later time or have them for lunch the following day.
  • When making full recipes that are too much for you and your partner to finish eating, creatively use the leftovers to make a new dish with other flavors. Leftover spiced chicken can be tossed into a stir fry or quesadilla. Leftover grilled steak is great in a sandwich or piled on top of greens.

    • For more fabulous ideas read more