Quick, Low-Cost Valentine’s Day Recipes

Skip the long Valentine’s Day lines at restaurants and whip up this decadent three-course dinner for your loved one instead. Start with a seasonal pear salad, enjoy a five-star roasted pork entrée and finish things off with light black forest parfaits.
COURSE 1: WINTRY PEAR SALAD
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: $
A wonderful start to the meal, this salad has plenty of flavor to wake up your taste buds. The soft goat cheese and Dijon vinaigrette dressing add a French twist to this fruity salad.
Ingredients
1 jar (26 oz.) sliced pears, drained
4 to 6 oz. chevre (soft goat cheese) or other soft cheese, like feta cheese
1 red pepper, cut into rings
Butterhead lettuce (also called Boston or Bibb lettuce)
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/2 cup salad oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Arrange several pear slices, 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of cheese, and red pepper rings on top of the lettuce on each plate. Sprinkle with nuts
- Combine oil, vinegar and mustard in blender. Cover and run on medium 1 minute. Spoon dressing over each salad
Tip: If pears don’t suit your taste, substitute our flavor-packed tabbouleh salad recipe for the first course.
COURSE 2: PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLES & PEARL ONIONS
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: $$
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless pork tenderloin
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup pearl onions
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced (save stems for garnish)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup chicken stock, divided
1 apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Brush pork with mustard, then coat with bread crumbs
- Heat olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add pork, then sear all sides until crisp and golden brown. Transfer pork to glass baking dish and set aside
- With the skillet still over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add pearl onions, fennel and raisins. Cook until onions and fennel are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken stock, then let simmer for 5 more minutes
- Add apple, cinnamon, sea salt and remaining chicken stock. Return pork to the skillet, then roast in the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes
- Let pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish slices with fennel stems and raisins
Tip: For another deliciously simple main course option, whip up our tasty take on Parmesan chicken.
COURSE 3: BLACK FOREST PARFAITS
Prep time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: $
Ingredients
3 unfrosted chocolate cupcakes
3/4 cup chocolate syrup or chocolate fudge sauce
1 can (21-ounces) cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cups sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Dice cupcakes into 1/2” cubes, yielding 3 cups
- Layer the diced cupcakes in small clear shot glasses or cordial glasses
- Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons of cherry pie filling and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream
- Garnish with shaved chocolate
Tip: To save time, assemble these treats a few hours ahead and refrigerate. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Tip: Substitute our apple crisp recipe to for the dessert course to end things on a different sweet note.
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