Valentine's Day Dinner Recipe with Kids
Having Valentine's Day dinner at home was a tradition that we started once we had kids. We realized how challenging it was to find a babysitter on Valentine's Day without interrupting someone else's plans. Restaurant's also often raised prices for the special day and that didn't already fit in our budget.
Our Grandma once mentioned how they used to do fondue parties. She even had her bright orange fondue pot from the 70’s that she was no longer using. She let me borrow it and we started our own fondue tradition that we have continued every Valentine’s Day for the last 15 years or so.
Over the years I did retire the bright orange fondue pot and bought the one we have now to use when we have a special occasion to celebrate. It is convenient since it plugs in and we don’t have to worry about a flame. This would make a perfect gift for a newlywed couple so they can enjoy a date night meal at home.
How to Make Fondue at Home
Our Valentine's Day dinner recipes include a Fondue Menu includes a Cheese Course, Broth Course, and a Chocolate Course for dessert.
To make our cheese fondue, I use equal parts swiss, gruyere, and gouda. I have also been known to add some Cougar Gold cheese from Washington State University’s Creamery. This is Mike's alma mater, so we have a strong affection for their cheese. Go Cougs!
I shred the cheese with our KitchenAid shredder attachment and toss it with a bit of cornstarch. We take a garlic clove and rub it around the warm pot to release the oils and keep it in the pot. You can thin out the melted cheese by using a bit of chicken stock (like the one I make here) or white wine. We use the stock because I can’t drink wine, so I’m not sure how much you would add. You could also use a bit of lemon juice (I recommend using about 1 ½ tbsps or half a lemon).
The cheese fondue can be as simple as you want. Most grocery stores have ready-made cheese fondue in their deli section. Grab a loaf of sourdough bread or another form of crusty bread, some apples and you are all set.
Cheese is so versatile. You can definitely use anything that you enjoy eating with cheese.
What we really love the most with this cheese combo is sourdough bread and Granny Smith apples. Can you tell we live in Washington? It’s the apple capital of the world.
With the broth, we like to eat pieces of thinly cut sirloin, shrimp, and fresh veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, and thinly sliced potatoes (we use my homemade broth for this). This would be considered the main course of the meal.
Chocolate Fondue Recipe
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk (whole, 2%, or 1%) plus a bit more as needed for consistency
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Splash of Kahlua (optional)
- 10 oz. (about 1 ¾ cups) of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (you can do a mixture of both if you want)
We like to dip Rice Krispies bars, marshmallows, angel food and pound cake, bananas, and of course, strawberries (see how I keep mine fresh for weeks here) in our chocolate fondue. There's nothing quite like chocolate covered strawberries for a Valentine's Day dessert.
I will note that if you have little kids, the skewers are quite sharp, so I would recommend that they use a fork instead. I also had them put the food on a plate to cool because fondue sauces hold heat well.
$1 Valentine's Day Tradition
My other favorite Valentine’s Day tradition that I started in the last few years is to go to the Dollar Tree and get the $1 (or thereabouts) heart balloons. I get a dozen of them and put them around the house. There is something about them that makes me smile and I love that you can buy them in the early weeks of the month and they will last for weeks. Spending $12 on these balloons just makes me happy.
Our Love Story
My husband, Mike, and I celebrated our very first Valentine’s Day as a couple in 1994. I was a senior in high school and he just graduated and was in college. I had a huge crush on him, ever since 7th grade, but we finally started dating on Christmas Eve in 1993.
It’s kinda funny; the day that we ran into each other at the mall, after not seeing each other for a while since he wasn’t in high school anymore, I was with my mom and had just finished a photoshoot at The Bon Marché. Mike was there with a friend and I noticed that he had shoulder-length hair. I was not a fan. Still, I had such a huge crush on him since junior high that I didn’t care. We exchanged numbers and started talking again.
Fast Forward to Valentine's Day of 1994
He picked me up at my high school, a dozen roses in hand. I was so excited to see him with the bouquet, but I noticed he seemed a bit upset and I didn’t understand why. If you know Mike, he is one of the most easy-going guys around, so this behavior was really out of character for him.
Well, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day and showing grand gestures of affection, he cut his hair for me. I was so busy gushing over the roses that I failed to notice. Still, to this day, that first Valentine’s Day held the best Valentine’s Day present ever. It is one I will never forget.
Show Your Love
Mike and I have been happily married for 24 years, and as time has passed, we have realized that it’s the little things like these traditions that are most important to me. We chose to stay home on Valentine’s Day and have a family fondue party as a way to show love for the whole household. We can always go out another day to a fancy restaurant and celebrate a different special day, but these traditions are important to our whole family.
I don’t think there is any greater gift that we can give our family than to show our children how much a father loves their mother.
I remember all the times Mike walked in the door to give me a kiss and we got the teasing and the “eww, do you have to?” response so many times. Secretly though, I feel like our kids appreciate that daddy publicly loves on mommy and shows others that he loves and appreciates her. I always would comment, “Wouldn’t you rather have parents that loved each other than fought?"
There isn’t a time when Mike has walked in the door and hasn’t given me a kiss or told me “I love you” one last time before he walked out the door. It’s the small things you do to show love for others that end up meaning the most. Grand gestures are wonderful, but when you walk with someone through the ups and downs of life and show them throughout all those times that you love them, it makes an impact.
Valentine’s Day tends to have a romantic connotation, but I believe it can also be a great way to recognize those you love, be it friends, family, or your spouse. Fondue has been a big hit in our house and you can create a special moment like this with your whole family too.
I encourage you to take the stress and unneeded expectations out of Valentine’s Day and just enjoy spending time with the ones you love. It can be a fancy romantic dinner or a cozy night at home. You can get everything you need for this delicious meal on your next trip to the grocery store and enjoy this homemade meal together.
If you have other favorite Valentine's Day dinner ideas, share them in the comments! I'd love to hear your great ideas too.
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