Cheap Valentine's Day Dinner Ideas at Home?

I often make chicken breasts with raspberry sauce - I think I originally found it on allrecipes. It is pretty for V-day b/c the pinkish/red sauce is festive. Serve it with a special starch like twice baked potatoes and maybe grilled asparagus or a fancy winter salad with walnuts/green apple/gorgonzala/balasmic vinagrette. You can make fresh baked bread to serve with it or buy a french baugette at the grocery store. Make a chocolate cake for desert or heart shaped iced cookies. I absolutely love Valentine's day - such a pretty day!

How about shrimp scampi over angelhair pasta? Then for dessert you can make a molten chocolate cake. I just the other day realized how easy and inexpensive it is to make.

Just buy some edible underwear, skip dinner, and go straight to dessert.

I would make whatever your husband loves the most. For me that would either be enchiladas or pasta carbonara :-)
Serve the kids bubbly water or sprite in champagne glasses (if they are old enough obviously!)
And of course, you can serve heart shaped food, sandwiches, cheese, cookies, etc.
Here's a link with a lot of cute ideas:
http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=family+valentine+dinner

Can you pull out your white Christmas lights and string them around the room, for mood lighting?

If I were on the receiving end, I would love to have a lasagna, but that's me. My husband would love to have a roast and yorkshire pudding. Cook up the favorites. No need to do a steak if its not in the budget.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

I'm thinking I may do steaks topped with shrimp in a cream sauce or stuffed chicken breasts.

Strawberry cake with frosting is easy and add hearts or cut it into a heart shape.

Get up and make heart shaped pancakes with strawberry syrup (1/2 cup maple syrup, about 1/2 cup frozen berries and sugar to taste).

Make an early dinner for the kids - even grilled cheese cut into hearts that they will think is fun and then make a special dinner for you and hubby

I second the chicken parmesan dinner. Its a favorite of my husband and I and its something the kids enjoy also. We'll probably also figure out a dessert to make that day with the kids in mind. Maybe just some heart-shaped sugar cookies. Other than that nothing fancy but dressing us all in red.

I served meatloaf cupcakes with potatoes on top as the "frosting" once, and everyone loved it. I know you can also buy heart shaped cupcake pans and make the meatloaf if that too. We all got a kick out of it and it was pretty tasty with mashed potatoes on top too!!

Last year I bought little mailboxes at Michaels and each family member sent love notes to each other all month. When we sat down for Valentine's dinner we each read our notes. I had chocolate covered strawberries and did a family friendly fondue. Have fun!

we have done in the past in have breakfast for supper....but.....we have friends over that have kids our sons age and they can't afford a sitter either. one family will bring a breakfast caaserole. and the other family brings juice and milk and bacon for sausage. since i host it i make danish pancakes and Belgium waffles. we have a blast and enjoy time with friends that are in the same boat as us!!

What's his favorite dinner? That's what I would make.

Don't opt for something new and going cheap. I never try something new on a special day.

Cook one of your meals that is a family favorite, or couples favorite. We love prime rib, tender loin and rack of lamb for special meals.... however, I realize those may be out of your budget... just scale it back a bit.

Then get crafty with some very inexpensive ideas from Pinterest on display, ideas, etc.

I haven't thought about it.

Ill probably do shrimp and pasta or lamb. For dessert, apple turnovers because I'm due march 6th and I have turnovers in the freezer!

I don't do much for valentines day. I buy hubby a bottle of whiskey, nod ill get the kids some candy and a book.

We never go out on Valentines day, it is just too crowded. We always make Chicken Parmesian at home, it's a family favorite. I would just go with something you know he really likes. I love the ideas of getting out the white Christmas lights!!

M

A heart shaped pizza?