Valentine’s Date Night Ideas

Valentine’s Day just got a whole lot cuter with these fun at-home ideas.

This Valentine’s Day, show your special someone how much they mean to you with a romantic and cozy night in. Whether you’re celebrating with your long-time partner or just started dating someone new, these unique at-home date ideas are sure to make it a memorable evening. So put away the takeout menus and get creative—you’ll be surprised at what an amazing time you can have without leaving the house! 

Create Your Own Chocolate Tasting 

Chocolate is a classic gift for Valentine’s Day, but why not take it one step further? Set up a chocolate tasting experience right in your own home. Buy several different types of chocolates, such as dark, milk, white and even flavored ones like chili pepper or lavender. Prepare some tiny dishes or plates to serve them on and get out the champagne glasses. Enjoy each chocolate while discussing its flavor notes with each other—it’s fun and educational! 

At-Home Spa Night 

Go all out this Valentine’s Day by treating yourself and your boo to an at-home spa night. Fill up the bathtub with warm water and add soothing bubble bath or essential oils for extra relaxation. Get ready for a night of pampering by setting out plush towels, candles, massage oils and slippers for each of you. Afterward, don’t forget to give each other massages! 

DIY Dessert Bar 

Take dessert to another level this year by creating your own DIY dessert bar! Choose delicious treats like brownies, cookies, cake pops or cupcakes from your favorite bakery (or make them from scratch if you’re feeling adventurous!). Set up a tray full of festive decorations such as sprinkles, chocolate chips or nuts so that each of you can customize their own desserts however they like. Enjoy them while watching one of your favorite movies together—a perfect way to end the evening! 

Celebrating Valentine’s Day together doesn’t have to involve expensive gifts or fancy dinners out; sometimes the best memories are made right at home. With these cute date ideas, it’s easy to create a romantic atmosphere without spending too much money or time planning. So grab some snacks and turn up the music—your cozy night in awaits!

Champagne & Sorbet Float

Perfect for a warm fall night, this Champagne Float is one part night cap and one part palate cleanser. Best of all, it’s simple to make! Feel free to experiment with different flavors of sorbet – I like raspberry best, but it would be wonderful with lemon or peach as well!

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INGREDIENTS:

  1. Raspberry sorbet
  2. Chilled sparkling wine
  3. Garnish of your choice (optional)

RECIPE:

  1. Scoop a small helping of sorbet into a chilled glass. Take note that glassware fresh from the dishwasher may be too warm, and melt the sorbet prematurely!
  2. Add 2 teaspoons lavender simple syrup to glass
  3. Pour sparkling wine over the sorbet to the glass rim.
  4. Garnish if desired, and enjoy!

Candied Mint

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A couple years ago I started a little fresh herb garden in my backyard, and mint is one of the things I produce the most of. My fridge is always stocked with mint, and I’ve found countless ways to use it when I cook. One of my favorite things about mint in particular is that it’s so versatile and easy to use for both savory and sweet dishes. A few weeks ago my sister recommended I try making candied mint, so to Pinterest I went! I found quite a few recipes, all varying slightly in the drying method/time for the leaves, so I just picked the first one I saw and went for it.

Ingredients are super simple. All you need is:

  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 bunch mint leaves
  • ½ cup confectioners (superfine) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)

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Edible Christmas Wreath

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As you know if you read my post on 10/2, I hosted my family Thanksgiving at my house this year. It was a ton of work but also a huge success! It’s crazy to believe it’s been less than two weeks since Thanksgiving, but Christmas is already very much on my mind.

We’re doing Christmas at my parent’s place, but my mom has enlisted my sister and I to plan the menu. I’ve been pinning so many recipes that I almost can’t keep track of them all, but I wanted to share a fun appetizer idea I found: The Edible Christmas Wreath! It’s really cute and Christmas-y and super simple.

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Frozen Chocolate Garnishes

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This is a big year for me, because it’s the first year I’ll be hosting my family at my house for Thanksgiving. We’ve always done it at my parents’ place, but I decided we should shake things up a bit, and surprisingly my family agreed!

We have a tradition in my family of doing super decadent hot drinks on Thanksgiving. Whether it’s rich hot cocoa or cinnamon-packed hot apple cider, we always top them off with a mountain of whipped cream. As a kid this was my favorite part of Thanksgiving, other than my mom’s homemade pumpkin pie of course. Now my favorite part of Thanksgiving is just getting to spend time with my family, but we’ve managed to keep the tradition going all these years!

Since I’m hosting, I feel like I need to do something extra special, so I’ve been playing around with making frozen chocolate garnishes for our drinks. I’ve tried this a few times now, and my most recent attempt wasn’t a total fail, so I thought I’d share.Read More »