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Happy Valentine’s Day!

I know everyone is busy making plans for Valentine’s Day, either with their special someone or friends and family. 

Last year Bob and I we went out to a cozy little Italian restaurant for a light lunch and came home for dinner later that evening to heart shaped ravioli, a salad with heart shaped beets, chocolate covered strawberries and cupcakes.

(I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the shape for the beets).

The older I get, the more I want cozy and quiet. I don’t need to go out to a restaurant for the overcrowded “Special Valentine’s Day” Dinner. Although it is quite entertaining to watch young couples out for the evening on Valentine’s Day. Bob and I have this little observation game we play to guess how long the couple has been together based on the way they act and look at each other.

Bob and I have been together for 31 years, so we have some experience with this.

This year, once again we will celebrate the official holiday with a quiet cozy dinner at home instead of dinner out. 

Bob and I celebrate Valentine’s Day every day of the year. I am very fortunate to have married such a loving and caring man and I am grateful every day.

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Last year I posted a Valentine’s Day Breakfast table.

and a Valentine’s Day Dinner table,

so this year, I am posting a 

Valentine’s Day Dessert table. 

For dessert this year I am setting up a chocolate fondue pot. Bob and I received this fondue pot as a wedding gift and this is the third time I have used it.

I placed the fondue pot on a white ceramic cheese board and added the most adorable red ceramic “love birds”. 

I’ve made cheese fondue before, but this time it will be Chocolate Fondue. 

You have to have chocolate on Valentine’s Day.

( I have the recipe posted below).

So let’s start the tablescape….

 I have decided on a pink tablecloth! Nice and cheery.

I am not using the matching cloth napkins. I picked up the cutest luncheon napkins that look like conversation heart candies. 

 Trying to keep to a pink, red and white color scheme; the placemats are red and the chargers are white.

This time, NO dinner plates. I am using pink paper luncheon plates on top of the chargers. (easy clean up)

Even though the fondue is delicious on it’s own, I still have to have cupcakes on Valentine’s Day.  

At each place setting I placed a Valentine’s Day cupcake in a heart shaped ceramic dish surrounded by holiday colored M & M’s. (another candy I love)

I am also serving two of my favorite Valentine’s Day treats, Peeps and conversation hearts. Loved these since I was a child.

It’s just not Valentine’s Day without them.

Now I needed a serving bowl for the treats and I chose red martini glasses. 

Think about how you can re-purpose what you already own.

Golden rule: shop your house first. 

I like the way the red matches both the placemat and ceramic heart dish and it also adds a bit of color to the tablescape.

I think I have enough candy for the dessert table.

For my drinking glasses, I am using decorated goblets with hearts. 

The flatware is good old reliable red.

Now I had to think about what to serve as dippers for the fondue. My final choice was bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe, marshmallows, pretzels, pineapple and pound cake.

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To add to the theme, I cut the pound cake into little hearts.

Trying to have as many hearts on the table as possible, I added heart shaped mirrors to place some votive candles on.

 I had to get candles on the table, so I bought votive candle holders with more hearts painted on.

Now to serve all the dipping goodies for the fondue, I am using various cake stands that I have collected over the years.

 The white with red ribbons cake stand, I received as a “Good Luck” gift when I started the blog last year and I just LOVE it.

The second white cake stand fits so perfectly with the theme of the table because of the colored hearts design.

And the third cake stand blends into the tablescape perfectly with it’s delicate shade of pink glass.

Last year I purchased felt confetti that look like conversation heart candies so I am using the same confetti again this year.

A few heart danglers from the light fixture and we are all set.

Place Setting

Table Details

Pink tablecloth from Linens and Things

Paper Conversation heart napkins from Target

Pink paper luncheon plates from Target

Fondue set was a wedding gift

White ceramic cheese board from Target

Red “love birds” from Pier 1

Red flatware from Homegoods

White chargers from Pfaltzgraff

Red woven placemats from Homegoods

Red ceramic heart shaped dishes from Michael’s Arts & Crafts

Valentine’s Day goblets from Marshalls

Red Martini glasses from Crate and Barrel

White cake stand with red ribbon was a “good luck” gift when I started the blog.

Heart cake stand from Sur La Table

Pink glass cake stand from Pier 1

Heart danglers from Amazon

Heart shaped Mirrors from Oriental Trading

Heart votive candle holders from Amazon

Felt conversation heart confetti from Michael’s Arts & Crafts

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Chocolate Fondue Recipe

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND(R) Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)

• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt chocolate chips and butter with EAGLE BRAND(R) condensed milk and water. Cook and stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla.
2. Serve warm as a fruit and cookie/cracker dipping sauce or drizzle over ice cream or cake. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

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I wish each and every one of you a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

Until my next post, make every day a celebration!

Diane

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