A little about our Gourmet Group:  We are 4 couples who enjoy cooking, entertaining, and most of all, each other’s company.

We take turns hosting in our homes.  The hosts decide on the menu (theme) from appetizers to dessert for the evening.  The hosts cook most of the meal, but give at least one course (along with all the recipes) to the other couples to prepare.  We love trying new recipes and ideas.  So most of the time, the recipes are ones we haven’t cooked before, but they don’t have to be.

It was our turn recently to host our Gourmet Cooking Group.  For the first time in many years, I really struggled to come up with a theme and the menu for dinner.  I think this bitter cold winter we have been experiencing added to my dilemma.  It was just too cold to even think about grilling something.  I also had no interest in serving a red meat entrée due to serving it several times over the holiday season.  I did some more pondering and finally decided on a Valentine’s Day Theme.  Once I got my theme down, my menu and tablescape ideas fell into place.

The invitation I sent out to the other couples.

Setting the Mood…

As usual, I wanted to kick off my Valentine’s theme at my foyer chest.

My Tablescape…

I was pretty happy with how my flower centerpiece turned out.  I knew I wanted to do 3 types of  flowers cut to 3 different height levels.

I scattered rose petals on the table…

This tablescape did not cost much money to put together.  Except for the flowers, my only additional expenses were some fun Valentine’s Day items I purchased at Hobby Lobby.

 I found a package of red felt hearts that I also scattered on the table and some pink, red, and white mesh fabric that I used as a table runner (both from Hobby Lobby).

I topped off each female’s glass with a fun light-up heart ring (also from Hobby Lobby).  The red wine glasses which I used for water glasses I’ve had for about 10 years.

Guys were given a red lollipop (lollipops and ribbon also came from Hobby Lobby).  I placed a copy of our dinner menu at each place setting.

No Valentine’s Day table would be complete without “conversation hearts”…

Menu Details…

We made heart-shaped parmesan baskets to serve the salads in.

We used this bowl to shape the cooked parmesan cheese into a heart.

Photo credit: Style Me Pretty.com

One of the other couples made these cute Strawberry Shortcakes (with angel food) for our dessert.

Finishing Details…

The chest in the corner of my dining room…

Once again, I displayed one of my Sid Dickens’ memory blocks, “Whole Heart”.  The sentiment on the back of it reads, “With lightness I offer the gift of laurels and love; I offer myself.