Face it—your man isn’t going to be excited about that glittery picture frame you made him. He probably won’t be thrilled about whatever DIY craft you saw on Pinterest, either (unless it’s a decorated cooler filled with his favorite beer). If you’re having a hard time finding the perfect gift, a home-cooked meal is the best option. Besides, going out for dinner on Valentine’s night is overrated– it can be hard to get a reservation, and a lot of restaurants raise their prices for the night.
With some help from Cooks.com and “What’s New, Cupcake”, HCIU has put together an easy, inexpensive Valentine’s dinner that will leave everybody pleased. This recipe is perfect because it is very flavorful, and it only cost around $35.
We’ve altered the original recipe a bit due to issues with a small crock pot, but it still turned out great!
Crock-Pot Chicken Cacciatore
· 2 Boneless/skinless chicken breasts
· ½ Onion, sliced
· 1 Large green bell pepper
· 3 Cloves garlic (crushed)
· ½ Teaspoon basil
· ½ Teaspoon oregano
· 1 (6 oz.) Can tomato paste
· 2 Cups red wine
· Fresh mushrooms, sliced
· Salt and pepper, to taste
· Pasta noodles
Spread the onion slices across the bottom of your crock-pot and place chicken on top.
In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients, and then pour over the chicken. Cook the chicken on high for 3-4 hours.
When the chicken is almost done, prepare the noodles. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta with some Parmesan cheese, and enjoy!
Valentine’s Candy Hearts Cupcakes
· 1 box of cake mix
· Heart cupcake molds
· Red, green, purple food coloring
· 1 Tube of red gel frosting (for writing)
Grease heart cupcake molds and bake cupcakes accordingly. After the cupcakes have cooled, remove from pan and place on a large plate.
Separate the frosting in to two or three microwave-able bowls, and heat for 15 seconds each. Dye the frosting with food coloring.
Drizzle the melted frosting over cupcakes with a spoon. With a knife, spread frosting to cover the sides and let dry. You want the frosting to look smooth.
When the frosting has dried, decorate cupcakes with various sayings from Valentine’s Day heart candies, like “xoxo”, “call me”, or “B mine.”