This is Valentine’s Day week! Are you ready to show your sweetheart just how much you care? I have a wonderful menu for Saturday night; it is perfect for this holiday because, with its easy prep, you will be able to enjoy the evening, too!

We had snow here in North Carolina last week so I am planning some cold-weather menus this week. Most of the menus will help with tight budgets, too. I did splurge on the Valentine’s Day menu with fillet Mignon but this is a special meal that calls for a special menu (and it is less expensive than eating out!). I will serve the Easy Elegance ‘Party in a Bag’ for an effortless appetizer course for a great beginning to our evening.

You will find that I use several cooking methods, mix and match, to get dinner on the table quickly! The ingredients in parenthesis show some of my quick-prep steps. You can always substitute your favorite made-from-scratch recipes when you have more time.

I hope you have a great week!

Sunday:

Salisbury Steaks on Bed of Onions

Acorn Squash with Peas (frozen peas)

Citrus Salad (jarred fruit)

Apple Tarts (puff pastry, canned apple pie filling)

Monday:

Fiesta Chicken (Ro*Tel canned tomatoes)

Yellow Rice (mix)

Mexi-Corn (canned corn)

Banana Pudding (instant banana pudding mix)

Tuesday:

Tortellini Rustica with Fresh Vegetables (vegetarian; prepared tortellini, canned tomatoes)

Three Pepper Salad (jarred Italian dressing)

Quick Tortoni and Seasonal Berries (purchased coconut macaroons and ice cream, frozen whipped topping)

Wednesday:

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Rice

Sesame Cuke Salad

Phyllo Raspberry Creams (purchased phyllo shells, instant pistachio pudding mix

Thursday:

Turkey Tettrizini (pre-cooked or canned turkey or chicken)

Vegetable Medley

Ice Cream with Pecan Shortbread Cookies (purchased ice cream and cookies)

Friday:

Not-Your-Mamma’s Tuna Salad (bagged salad greens, canned tomatoes)

Rolls (purchased rolls)

Lemon Cups (tart shells, instant lemon pudding mix)

Saturday (Valentine’s Day):

Fillet Mignon with Bleu Cheese Topper (Panko bread crumbs)

Baked Potatoes (microwaved then baked to finish)

Caesar Salad (bagged salad mix)

Grown Up Smores (graham cracker tart shells)