Romantic Dinner Recipes | How To Prepare A Candle Light Dinner

Planning a romantic dinner at home this Valentine's? Here are some easy to whip up dishes that you can enjoy with your other half :)

Roast Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 chicken leg quarters (about 1 1/2 pounds) 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 whole garlic heads

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Loosen skin from thigh and leg by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Combine basil and next 5 ingredients (basil through pepper). Rub herb mixture under loosened skin. Place chicken on a broiler pan. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone.
3. Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap each head separately in foil; place on broiler pan with chicken. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450° (do not remove chicken from oven). Bake 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 180°. Cover chicken loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin.

Filet Mignon with Mushroom sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 2 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
• 1 cup pre sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sweet Marsala

Preparation

1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan. Add mushrooms to pan, and cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove mushrooms from pan. Remove pan from heat; add Marsala, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium. Return pan to heat. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in mushrooms.

Pan-Seared Scallops on Linguine with Tomato-Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cup chopped seeded plum tomato
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups hot cooked linguine
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 pound large sea scallops
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Chopped cilantro

Preparation

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium skillet; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Drain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving liquid; discard solids.
2. Return wine mixture to skillet. Add cream; cook over medium heat 1 minute. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Stir in tomato, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Add linguine; toss well. Cover and keep warm.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Arrange scallops in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Add scallops to pasta mixture; toss gently to combine. Garnish with cilantro, if desired

How to set up a Candle Light Dinner

After you’ve got your menu settled, its time to move on to the setting of the dinner place. Here’s how to turn your dining room into a romantic dinner setting ;)

Candles

A key component of a candle-lit dinner is obviously the candles. There is a wide variety of candles out there ranging from ornate decorated versions or simple handmade beeswax candles. Basic white or cream colors can blend with any decor and create an elegant feeling to a table, while colors liven things up for groups and special occasions. Candles can be placed in lamp candle holders, individual tea lights in colored glass bowls, or tapers, for a dramatic effect. The important thing is to use the lighting effect to create the ambiance you want for the evening. Avoid scented candles so that the natural aroma of your carefully prepared dinner will not be overpowered.

Linens

Instead of using placemats only, bring out the cloth table covering for this meal. If you have fine linen, drape it across the table and top it with an overlay for added effect and color contrast. Add placemats if you feel a need to protect the linen, but use ones that are not part of everyday dining as you want to make this dinner special. Lay the table with cloth napkins rolled into special designs with decorative napkin holders; or try folding them into crystal glasses or laying them horizontally across the plates.

Dinnerware

Fine china is ideal for a candle-lit dinner.  If it feels too formal, add color with accessories or contemporary napkins. White dishes can be offset with red candles and vivid florals. Serving dishes should also match the plates and glasses. Add more silverware than usual to create the feeling of a fine dining establishment. Lay serving spoons and forks in a staggered pattern in the center of the table. Wine bottles can be cradled in a wrought-iron wine holder with candles on either side, or chilled in a silver ice bucket at the edge of the table.

Flowers

Flowers are a natural complement to candles, but make sure they do not obscure the natural flicker of light. Choose flowers that match the theme of the dinner, such as roses for romance, or exotic tropical varieties for an island theme. Hand Picked flowers in a casual vase can be very cozy, while lavish arrangements can signify the importance of a special occasion. Vases should match your dinnerware if at all possible. Consider placing a round mirror beneath the vase, then scatter petals around the perimeter. Small live plants or even branches strung with twinkling lights can take the place of fresh-cut flowers.

If you have children, you may want to look for a babysitter so that you and your partner can enjoy the company of each other without any disturbance ;) 

If you are planning to make your own desserts this Valentine's Day, check it out here!

Happy Valentine’s Day all!