Valentine's Day Dinner!

 Sweet Valentine's Day 2011

What a beautiful day to Celebrate love; I am going to wrap up this Valentine's Day by preparing a delcious dinner for my boys!

First, I sliced the onions, laced my cast iron skillet with a bit of grapeseed oil and let them begin to carmalize.  There is no rushing delicious caramelized onions so, be patient and expect 20 to 25 minutes on medium heat.  Twenty minutes into the carmalizing process, when the color of the onions were golden brown I added 1 cup mini portabello mushrooms and 1 cup of red wine and reduced it by half (requiring another 10 minutes).   

While the onions were doing there caramelizing thing, I started to prepare my salad.  My salads are a work of art, I love to layer flavors and really use my creativity to compliment the main dish. Tonight's salad started with a mixture of baby spinach and mixed field greens; I tore tiny pieces of fresh basil leaves into the mixture for a flavorful surprise. I only fill the salad bowl half way with the greens and layer my salads.  So next I began to get creative.

To the greens I added, dried cherries, sunflower seeds, pisatachios, feta cheese and a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles.  Blue cheese is one of my very favorite cheeses but it is not real waiste friendly- so, I use feta (which is relatively friendly) and add just a small bit of blue cheese, it's like a hidden treasure in the salad.

I top the salad with more greens, another (very light) layer of the goodies on top (just for color).

Viola' Salad Masterpiece!

While I was busy inside, Greg was on grill duty preparing a two inch T-Bone (for him) and some beautiful Rib-Eye's for the boys; the steaks were topped with the onion and mushrooms.    

Next my Maple Brown Sugar Salmon.  Greg timed things perfectly and my salmon was finsihed exactly the same time as he and boys steaks! 

While things were cooking, inside and out, I had baked potatoes and a sweet potato in the oven cooking.  Timing couldn't have been better because it all came together perfectly.

We all sat together at the dinner table and enjoyed each other's company!

We wrapped up our delcious evening together with some white chocolate and milk chocolate drizzled jumbo strawberries.  Piece of cake!

That about wraps up this Valentine's day!  My favorite men sitting (all but my Colton -away at college) together enjoying each other's company, and a proud wife and mommy just soaking it in.