Homemade food can be incredibly meaningful. You can feel totally light-headed when that special someone is putting in the thought and effort to make something yummy for you. I always say ‘love is in the details,’ so here are some cute ideas where you can concentrate on the details and show that special someone “Hey, you know what? You’re all right.”
Here are two breakfast ideas to please those with a sweet tooth and others who prefer a savoury start. Now all that remains is to decide who’s cooking! I’d suggest a printed copy on a bedside table might work as a subtle hint!
Strawberries and cream pancakes
Don’t even look at those pre-packed pancake mix boxes. Walk faster when you pass them in the supermarket aisle. Making pancakes from scratch is very easy and it’s a fabulous base to add your favourite flavour profiles.
Since love reminds me of strawberries and cream, I wanted to show you a way you can make your normal pancakes look like a love note. The extra special detail to this dish is making the strawberries look like little hearts floating in the pancakes.
Strawberries and cream pancakes
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Ingredients
- 6-8 medium sized strawberries
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 ¼ cups milk (approx.)
- Oil or butter for frying
- Vanilla ice-cream
Instructions
- Grab some beautiful medium sized strawberries and take the stalks off. Slit two diagonal lines on the top to create the heart shaped arcs (see picture for reference). Slice the strawberries long ways to make thin heart shape strawberry slivers.
- Make a well in the flour, baking powder and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and milk and create a thick smooth batter that will hold its shape on the pan.
- Heat a non-stick pan on the stove. Brush on a little thin layer of oil or butter.
- When you cook the pancakes, all you need to remember is that when the upper side of the pancake is blistering and bubbling, add the slivers of strawberries. Flip the pancake over for 1 min.
- Add cold vanilla of ice-cream on top, drizzle with honey or maple syrup.
Egg hearts on capsicum, macadamia relish and crispy kale
Now, here’s the recipes for families who can’t imagine having a sweet brekkie. This is where my husband (let’s call him Marido Man) would suggest “Por que no los dos” (“Why not have both?”). Diplomatic answer you say? No, he just has major FOMO (fear of missing out).
There’s something about giving everyday things a new presentation. That’s why I looove this recipe. Just normal eggs, packaged all lovey-dovey using just two moulds.
The addition of the capsicum macadamia relish and fried kale just lifts this dish to a yummy, salty, slightly sweet and smoky level. Visually they make you do a double take, for a second you think “do eggs come out out of a chicken like that?”
Egg hearts on capsicum, macadamia relish and crispy kale
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 2 kale leaves roughly shredded
- 1 loaf of rye bread, sliced 1 inch thick
- 1 large heart shaped mould
- 1 small heart shaped mould (that fits inside an egg ring)
- Oil for frying
Capsicum macadamia relish
- 2 roasted capsicum
- ¾ cup of macadamia nuts
- 2 garlic gloves
Instructions
- For the two shapes of the eggs (see picture for reference):
A heart yolk in egg white circle – Separate 3 egg yolks from their whites. Brush oil inside the small heart shaped mould and the egg ring. Place the heart mould on a lightly oiled pan. Place just the yolk in the middle. Once the yolk is cooked, remove mould. Insert the egg mould around the heart shaped yolk and pour the egg white in the empty space. Remove mould once cooked.
Whole egg in heart shape – Leave the other 3 eggs whole. Brush oil inside the large heart shaped mould and place on the lightly oiled pan. Crack the whole egg inside the mould, remove once cooked.
2. Blend all the ingredients of the capsicum macadamia dip with salt and pepper to taste. This stores well in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
3. Assemble all the elements on lightly toasted rye bread and sprinkle fried kale on top to finish.
* Source: Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey.
