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Dinner for Two

I’m so excited to share this ‘Dinner for Two’ collection of recipes today!  I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to partner with Overstock.com Farmers Market  – click to get all the recipes and check out the Overstock post.  (I’ll post each recipe separately next week)

 

Dinner for Two is a delicious collection of recipes to inspire some of that Valentine’s Day romance in your life.

When I think of romance my mind immediately drifts to Italy… I mean, the Italian Cuisine is truly a sensual experience.   So, uncork a bottle of wine for sipping while you enjoy the romantic art of preparing, cooking, and eating a 4 course Italian dinner with your lovie.

But, first things first!

How to get farm fresh meat and produce?  A memorable experience starts with high quality ingredients.  Are you aware that Overstock.com has a Farmers Market?  It’s so amazing!  It’s easy to purchase the bundle of your choice online and then local farmers in your area deliver it right to your door.  It just doesn’t get any fresher or easier than The Community Co-op Standard Meat and Produce Share.

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Above is a photo of the beautiful bundle that was delivered to my door and it is the inspiration for our menu today.  We’ll be enjoying a Winter Fruit and Greens Salad,  Pasta with Red Sauce, Basil Chicken with Caramelized Parsnips and Onions, and a Fresh Pear Tart with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Lets get started!

I love communal eating- it takes a romantic dinner to the next level.  Just use large enough plates or platters for serving two portions together.  It’s a beautiful way to connect by sharing one plate with two forks.  Enjoying time together in the kitchen cooking, creating each course, and eating with your sweetie throughout a progressive evening is sure to make for very fond Valentines Day memories.

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Our first course is a crisp Winter Fruit and Greens Salad topped with creamy chevre goats cheese and sunflower seeds.   The Italians aren’t too hip on salad dressings- they just love a good quality olive oil so I like to keep it simple but I’ll add a sweet balsamic vinegar for a bit of a flavor-pop.

Oh, and don’t forget to grab a fresh baguette to enjoy with each of our Dinner for Two courses.

Dinner for Two on www.cookingwithruthie.com is a delicious collection of recipes to inspire some of that Valentine's Day romance in your life. Overstock Farmers Market #spon

 

Traditionally, in Italy the protein and sauce are cooked together but served separately.   The pasta and sauce served first with the protein and vegetable following.  It’s a beautiful way to experience the protein and the sauce in their own individual way- complimenting flavors but without over-powering each other.

Our second course is a hearty traditional tomato sauce, which is cooked with the chicken but served as a separate course over a good quality pasta.  Did you know there over 2000 shapes of pasta?  Pretty amazing!  So, take a look at the different shapes and sizes to pick one that speaks to you.  I chose the Tarchiette shape for this course because I loved the twisty-curly shape which has is large enough in size to have a sufficient bite to it.

Dinner for Two on www.cookingwithruthie.com is a delicious collection of recipes to inspire some of that Valentine's Day romance in your life. Overstock Farmers Market #spon

Our third course is savory Basil Chicken with Caramelized Parsnips and Onions.  You’re about to experience the beautifully layered and robust flavors of traditional Italian cooking.  Do not be afraid, any level of culinary expertise you possess is perfect- these recipes are easily followed.

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Our fourth course is a mildly sweet, but ever so succulent, Fresh Pear Tart.  This course would be good to make ahead.  If time does not allow for that, then prepare it at the beginning of the evening, allowing for it to bake while you enjoy the other courses.  It takes approximatley 45-50 minutes in the oven, so just make sure to keep an eye on it.

Enjoy a communal experience in the comforts of your own home with our Dinner for Two collection of recipes and Overstock.com Farmers Market.

Oh and I wanted to give each recipe a chance to shine so I’ll be sharing them individually next week but for now jump on over to Overstock and grab them there!

Buon Appetito!

Ruthie

 

*The beautiful plates and platters are the work of a local artist here in Salt Lake City, read more about CM Ceramic Art here.

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Overstock.com Farmers Market. All opinions are entirely my own.

Dinner for Two on www.cookingwithruthie.com is a delicious collection of recipes to inspire some of that Valentine's Day romance in your life. Overstock Farmers Market #spon

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