Picture it: you are sitting at a tiny table surrounded by lots of other tiny tables with tiny candles and tiny vases with fake carnations in them. Couples holding hands, drinking white zinfandel and whispering sweet nothings to each other from across the table abound. You my friend, have entered the dreaded Valentine’s Day celebration zone.

Going out for Valentine’s Day can be so overrated. There is so much pressure to have a super-fantastic romantic time that you end up eating an overpriced, subpar meal and having an argument about why you went out in the first place. Well, the time has arrived to do something different: stay in for Valentine’s Day.

Staying in can be even more romantic than going out. You don’t have to fight the crowds of other couples and you truly get some time alone. Staying in can also save a little money; you won’t have to pay $20 more for a bottle of wine than it would cost at the liquor store or tip your waiter.

There is no better way to express your love than to cook for someone. The old adage that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach is true, and take it from me: the same goes for the ladies. I promise that the recipes below have all been tested in the Curl Family test kitchen and are amazingly impressive, fabulously delicious and incredibly simple.

Meal idea #1: Steakhouse steaks with sautéed broccoli and cheddar mashed potatoes

Steak recipe: Ina Garten’s Steakhouse Steaks

Cheddar mashed potatoes:

• Boil two russet potatoes – peeled and cut into quarters – until soft. Drain.
• In a medium-sized bowl add potatoes, 2 T milk, 1 T butter, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, a dash of salt and pepper. Blend/mash until smooth and creamy.
• Suggested wine pairing: Cupcake Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Meal idea #2: Pan-seared scallops with angel hair pasta with pesto and crusty bread

Click for the best guide for making melt in your mouth, perfectly prepared scallops.

Pasta:

• Prepare pesto a day in advance. In a food processor combine 4 cups fresh basil leaves (from about 3 large bunches), ½ cup olive oil, 1/3 cup pine nuts and 2 cloves of minced garlic until paste forms. Add ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese and 1 tsp of kosher salt – blend until smooth.
• Just prepare pasta al dente and toss with pesto!
• I recommend the Par-Baked bread at Dillons, just pop it in the oven and you have a lovely, crusty loaf of fresh bread.
• Suggested wine pairing: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Meal idea #3: Fettuccine Alfredo with bacon – serve with salad and aforementioned crusty bread

• Great lightened-up recipe from Cooking Light
• Suggested wine pairing: Castle Rock Pinot Noir

If you stay in for Valentine’s Day, you can do whatever you want – that’s the beauty of it. Play Guitar Hero, Singstar or Rock Band and crack each other up with your ability to rock out. Or you can grab your Snuggies and some popcorn and watch a movie together. The possibilities for fun activities are endless, but I will refrain from providing too much more detail on that.

Finally, here are a few simple rules for a fabulous evening:

• Keep it simple. You don’t want to be in the kitchen slaving away the whole night, so choose a menu that is elegant but easy.
• Be prepared. Have your grocery shopping done and the house cleaned the day before your evening in. You want to be able to relax and enjoy the evening not stepping over dog toys, washing dishes or staring at an ironing board. Complete your food prep in advance and you will have that much more time to spend with the one you love.
• Make it special. Light the candles and turn down the lights to set the mood. And ditch the old Tanners cup and actually use your nice plates, glasses and silverware.
• Dress for success. Resist the temptation to don your sweats and old Poison T-shirt. By all means be comfortable, but dress up a little bit; it will make it feel more like a real date.
• Don’t forget the sweets. Hello! It’s Valentine’s Day; you have to have sweets. Embrace the holiday and go all out with heart-shaped cookies or cake. Or get some fancy chocolates to share from Cero’s Candies or Cocoa Dolce.
• Turn it off. This is quite possibly the most important rule of all. Don’t turn on the TV during dinner and put down the Blackberry – I repeat – PUT DOWN THE BLACKBERRY! Being at home could cause you to revert to your normal routine, but don’t do it. Put on your favorite tunes and actually talk to one another. And did I mention putting down the Blackberry? Yes, I think I did.

How are you planning to celebrate V-Day with your sweetie? Let us know in the comments.

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