Valentine’s Day is a food lovers dream holiday, and these Valentine’s Day food ideas were developed with that in mind, appropriately revolving around the main ingredients found in Cupid’s recipe box of delicious delicacies.
Chocolate.
Strawberries.
Honey.
♥♥♥!
Chocolate Strawberry Honey Nests and Spring Mix Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Creole Pecans and Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette top the Places In The Home Valentine’s Day food ideas list for a delicious celebration on the day of love.
Chocolate Strawberry Honey Nests
Ingredients
12 sheets phyllo dough
½ cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup strawberries, cleaned and sliced
3 squares dark chocolate, shaved
½ cup milk chocolate chips
3 teaspoons honey or to individual taste
whipped topping
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
For Phyllo Nests
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough on cookie sheet or counter work surface.
Using soft brush, brush over sheet with melted butter. Lightly sprinkle entire sheet with sugar. Top with another sheet. Butter, sprinkle and repeat until 6 sheets thick. Repeat to create another 6 sheets stack.
Using a pizza cutter or large knife, make ten vertical slices and one horizontal slice down the middle of each stack. Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Line each muffin cup with 1 of the phyllo pieces at a time, covering sides and bottom to form a cup. Repeat making 12 cups.
Using a microplane, shave dark chocolate over each cup to dust.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown and crisp.
Remove from oven and immediately place desired amount of chocolate chips in each cup allowing to melt.
Top melted chocolate chips with strawberry slices, drizzled honey and whipped topping.
Dust topping with cinnamon.
Up next is a delicious, light and easy salad perfect for a Valentine’s Day lunch or a light supper starring none other than the official unofficial fruit of love, the strawberry.
Spring Mix Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Creole Pecans and Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 5.5 oz. container half & half salad mix~spring mix and baby spinach
1 ½ cups cleaned and sliced strawberries
1 cup toasted Creole pecan halves or pieces
½ medium red onion, peeled and sliced to desired thickness
Creole Pecans
1 cup pecan halves or pieces
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon Creole seasoning
Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon honey mustard
generous squeeze fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread pecan halves or pieces on ungreased baking sheet. Melt butter in saucepan over medium low heat or in microwave in microwave safe bowl on high at 5 second intervals, or until melted. Drizzle melted butter over pecans.
Sprinkle Creole seasoning mix over buttered pecans, gently tossing with a spoon to incorporate seasoning. Bake 8 – 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
For Vinaigrette
Directions
In mixing bowl or glass jar with lid, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.
Whisk or shake, blending all together. Add remaining ingredients, stirring or shaking well.
Place salad greens in mixing bowl.
Top with sliced strawberries, onion slices and pecans.
Drizzle vinaigrette over mix in small amounts until you reach the desired amount.
Toss all together and serve.
Delicious!
