Valentine’s Day at Home

In case you haven’t heard…I’m pregnant lol! This means that this Valentine’s Day is gonna need some modifications because I can’t sit in a fancy restaurant or put on some heels with this belly. So for the first time, I have decided to make Valentine’s Day a big deal…at home. I’m planning to prepare dinner, decorate, and dress in my favorite pregnancy outfit. I’ve been getting so many DMs asking me to share recipes, especially my garlic-thyme steak, red onion balsamic reduction, and corn pudding. So I’m finally going to share that in this post along with how I’ll decorate and dress for my first Valentine’s Day at home. This might become a tradition!

Valentine’s Day At-Home Decor 

I’ll set up our round dining table with dinner style placement and some decorations around it. If you know me, you know I’m a big fan of candles. A few months ago I bought enough candles for maybe two years worth and I’ve already burned through half of them (don’t judge!). Anyway, candles will be a big part of VDay-at-Home.

I’ve also been falling in love with fresh flowers. I used to hate flowers because I just felt like, if they’re gonna die, what’s the point of getting them? But recently, I got a bouquet of fresh flowers and I just randomly sat them in the kitchen, but every time I walk into the kitchen now, I get so happy when I see them. So I’ve decided to put a small vase of red roses in the middle of the table next to the candle. I’m also a big fan of red, so I’ll get red napkins and a red charger (which is that fancy decorative plate that people put under plates sometimes – I just Googled the name lol).

I’m using these pins from my Pinterest boards as inspiration: 

The Valentine’s Day Menu

Entrée: Garlic-Thyme Steak in Red Onion Balsamic Reduction and Corn Pudding

The Steak 

Ribeye Steak · Garlic · Fresh Thyme · Butter · Olive Oil· Black Pepper · Salt

• Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan for one or two minutes (until the butter starts foaming)
• Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper
• Once the frying pan is really hot, cook the steak for four to five minutes on each side, then throw in the fresh garlic and fresh thyme with a little bit of butter
• While everything is frying, spoon the melted butter onto the steak
  • If you like your steak medium, you can eat it like this. If you like your steak well done, you can leave it on the frying pan a few minutes longer and even stick it in the oven.

The Red Onion Balsamic Reduction

Balsamic Vinegar · Red Onion · Olive Oil· Black Pepper · Salt · Sugar

• Take one large red onion (or three small) and cut them into thin slices into a bowl
• Add salt, pepper, and the balsamic vinegar to marinate the onion for 20-30 minutes
  • Put enough vinegar to soak the onion and still have some leftover
• Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat
• Once the olive oil is hot, add the onion mixture and let it cook down, then add a little bit of sugar
• Let the mixture cook until the onions are thoroughly cooked and serve with your steak!

The Corn Pudding

Heavy Cream · Unsalted Butter · Sugar · Can of Corn Puree · Cans of Corn Kernels · Corn Meal (Fine) · Salt

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Sautée the corn kettles in butter and salt
• In another pot, bring the heavy cream to a boil
  • Then, take the boiled heavy cream and add it to the sautéed corn kernels. Let it all boil for 5-10 minutes
• Then, whisk in the corn puree and the sugar
• After the mixture boils again, whisk in the cornmeal and cook on low-medium heat until it thickens (just a little bit)
• Put the mixture in an oven friendly ramekin and place in the oven until you get a nice brown crust on top

Desert: Strawberry Bread Pudding 

Strawberries · Brioche Bread · Butter · Sugar · Vanilla Bean Paste · Fresh Lemon Juice · Eggs · Whole Milk · Heavy Cream · A Baking Dish and A Roasting Pan

Strawberry Sauce

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Cut each strawberry into four pieces and remove the stem
• In a saucepan, combine the strawberries, the sugar, the vanilla bean paste, and the lemon juice over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the strawberries cook down
• Remove the strawberries from the stove and let them cool

Vanilla Custard

• Whisk sugar and eggs in a medium-sized bowl and set that aside
• Then, in a different pan, cook the milk, the heavy cream, and some of the vanilla bean to a boil
• When the mixture simmers, remove it from the heat and add it to the egg mixture, whisking it in, VERY SLOWLY, little by little
  • You want to be careful not to cook the eggs by adding the hot mixture too fast.

Putting it All Together

• Take the brioche bread and cut it up into cubes
• Butter an oven safe dish and put in half of the bread cubes to cover the bottom of the dish
• Pour half of the strawberry sauce over the bread
• Repeat steps 1-3 until your dish is full
• Then, take the custard and pour it over everything to make sure your bread soaks up the custard
• Lastly, you can put fresh strawberries on top
• Bake your beautiful dish for 50 minutes by placing your baking dish in a roasting pan filled with enough water to cover around the baking dish halfway

Drink: Sparkling Cider Strawberry Purée Mocktail 

Virgin Strawberry Puree Drink Mixture · Sparkling Cider · Fresh Strawberries · Mint · Fresh Lemon Juice

• Mix the strawberry purée with lemon juice
• Pour the sparkling cider into the mixture
• Cut your fresh strawberry (or strawberries) for garnishing and add mint
• Feel free to add ice or just put your drink in the fridge to cool until you’re ready to serve it

Here are my Pinterest inspirations: 

VDAY-At-Home Fashion

Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, but it can also bring out our biggest insecurities, so it’s important for us to dress in a stylish and comfortable way. Valentine’s Day is usually a special time and I love getting dressed up for it. But being pregnant this year means I have to get creative.

For me, the third trimester in pregnancy has always been the hardest. With all of the weight gain, no clothes fitting, and feeling “meh” all the time, choosing the right outfit can lift our mood all the way up. That’s why I lean more towards comfy clothes during this time. Especially living with the cold weather, a sweater dress or a dress set like the one I’m wearing in this blog post is perfect because not only does it make us feel comfortable, but it also keeps you warm and (I think) looking less bloated. Let me know if you want the link!

New Year, New Traditions 

My life has changed a lot over the past few years.  As a mom now (a very pregnant mom), I have to get creative in order to have fun. Being a mom and a wife doesn’t mean you have to stop having fun…we just have to find ways to do it that work around our schedules and include our families. I think this Valentine’s Day At-Home will be very special. It’ll be easier to convince Hubby to join me for a special dinner downstairs than to drag him to an expensive restaurant in the cold this year lol. I can’t wait!

What are your plans for VDay 2019? Have you ever spent a special evening like this at home? Would you ever try a VDay at home?