Valentine's Day Cooking

Valentine's Day, a day for love and hearts. And what's the key to someone's heart? If you said food, you're absolutely correct. We've got 5 simple, but delicious meals to whip up for your sweetheart this Valentine's Day.

Grilled Orange Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1-1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

Directions

• In a small saucepan, combine juice, sugars and salt; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until mixture reaches a glaze consistency. Remove from heat; stir in mustard and orange zest.
• Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper. On a lightly greased grill rack, grill chicken, covered, over medium heat 6-8 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°, brushing occasionally with some of the sauce during the last 5 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.

Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 2 medium bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/4 c. packed fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 c. packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 3 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• Lettuce cups and Sriracha Hot Sauce, for serving

Directions

• In 12-inch skillet on medium-high, cook bell peppers in vegetable oil 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add ground turkey and fish sauce. Cook 5 minutes, breaking up meat.
• Stir in cilantro, mint leaves, lime juice and sugar. Serve in lettuce cups with Sriracha hot sauce, if desired.

Roasted Tomato Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 lb. mixed-size cherry tomatoes, on the vine if desired (about 4 pints)
• 4 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 lb. chicken breast cutlets (about 1/3" thick)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chopped tarragon

Directions

• Heat oven to 500°F. Heat grill on medium-high. Cut about 1 cup of largest tomatoes in half. On rimmed baking sheet, toss all tomatoes with garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, red pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Roast on upper oven rack, stirring halfway through, until tomatoes burst and soften and some are beginning to char, about 20 minutes. (If most juices have evaporated, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water to create more sauce.)
• Meanwhile, coat chicken cutlets with remaining tablespoon olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Grill until lightly charred and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Gently toss tomatoes with chopped tarragon. Spoon tomatoes and juices on top of chicken.

Seared Steak with Tomatoes

Ingredients

• Two 1 and 1/2-inch-thick strip steaks (about 1 and 1/2 lbs)
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, in their skins
• 2 bunches cherry tomatoes on the vine (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp. crumbled blue cheese (about 1 oz)
• Arugula salad, for serving

Directions

• Heat oven to 450°F. Heat large cast-iron skillet on medium-high. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet, then add steaks and garlic and cook until steaks are browned, 3 minutes per side.
• Place tomatoes on the vine and rosemary in skillet, drizzle with 2 teaspoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until steak is at desired doneness and tomatoes begin to slightly break down, 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before serving. Transfer tomatoes and garlic to platter; squeeze garlic cloves from skins.
• In small bowl, combine vinegar, remaining 3 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; stir in onion and fold in blue cheese. Serve steak, tomatoes and garlic drizzled with vinaigrette, and arugula salad.

Lemon-Ricotta Ravioli with Creamy Herbed Mushrooms

This one is a little complicated, but the results will taste amazing!

Ingredients

Ravioli

• 1 lb. fresh ricotta
• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Chopped chives
• Kosher salt
• pepper
• 1 batch Classic Pasta Dough
• 48 whole flat-leaf parsley leaves, all stems and hard bits removed

Mushrooms

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 12 oz. mixed mushrooms (we used oyster, shiitake, cremini), torn or quartered
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 1/2 c. crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1/4 c. toasted walnuts, chopped
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving

 Directions

• In medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, chopped parsley, chives and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Set filling aside.
• Prepare pasta dough.Lightly flour large baking sheet. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll into pasta sheet as directed (leave remaining portions covered while making each batch of ravioli).
• Transfer pasta sheet to lightly floured work surface and top half of sheet with 12 whole parsley leaves, moistening slightly if necessary to make them adhere. Fold over second half of sheet, gently pressing to adhere. Pass sheet through second- thinnest setting on pasta machine. Place one end of rolled pasta over ravioli form, leaving half of sheet draping off end. Gently press dough down into mold.
• Spoon in filling, about 2 teaspoon in each mold. Use a pastry brush and water to gently brush around each ravioli. Fold over other half of sheet to cover filling and gently press to seal. Run rolling pin firmly over top of ravioli mold to create ravioli shapes; carefully break into pieces. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Bring large pot of water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Cook ravioli to al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
• While water is coming to a boil, make sauce: Heat large skillet on medium-high. Add oil, mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in mustard, then add wine and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Remove from heat, stir in crème fraîche and season with a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; thin with pasta cooking water if necessary. Spoon over ravioli and top with walnuts and parsley if desired.

Do you have any special meals you like to make? Let us know in the comments below!