Valentine’s Day is this weekend! It’s exciting that it’s actually falling on a weekend this year!
Now my guys are great about always giving me lots of hugs and kisses but on Valentine’s Day they really turn on the charm! The boys will make me all kinds of special cards and homemade gifts. My homemade flowers will usually be decorated with Darth Vader or Super Mario but that just makes them more precious to me!
One thing that we don’t do on Valentine’s Day is go out and fight the crowds. I learned a long time ago that going out on Valentine’s Day is just not my cup of tea! I just don’t find happiness in waiting forever for a table at an overcrowded restaurant only to be served food that’s just OK. Yes, I know there is the option to get reservations at an expensive restaurant but I just don’t see paying the extra money because they’ve deemed it a “special day”! I’d much rather go out another day when the crowds are gone and the prices have returned to normal.
So, I opt to stay in and put a little love in my dinner at home instead! With a few good ingredients, I can whip up a recipe that just might rival some of those restaurants…and there are no crowds involved! Sometimes, I will even make the boys dinner ahead of time so that my husband and I can enjoy dinner alone…almost like a “mock” date night without leaving the house!
A good Valentine’s Day dinner requires that you have the perfect recipe plus quality ingredients. That way that it seems like you spent a lot of effort on the meal when really it’s quite easy to prepare. I thought I would share my recipe for Stuffed Acorn Squash. It’s the perfect recipe as it’s easy to make and the squash almost look like little hearts. To keep it simple, I use the exceptional taste of Bertolli Riserva pasta sauce to add great flavor to the dish. I don’t need to raid my spice cabinet for dozens of different ingredients, that one jar is packed with tasty ingredients that help you make a delicious meal with almost no effort!
As you read this recipe, you’ll see that it’s really quite simple to prepare but the end result is really very elegant. You can serve up a dinner that is not only delicious but also made with love! Isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is all about?!
- 3 large acorn squash
- 1 jar Bertolli Riserva Balsamic Vinegar & Caramelized Onions
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup orzo pasta, cooked according to package instructions
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Cut squash in half then scoop out the seeds and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast cut side down on a baking sheet for about 30 minutes or until tender. Once tender – remove from oven, flip over and set aside.
- While the squash is baking, prepare the filling by heating the oil in a skillet and cooking the onion over medium heat for 3 – 4 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the sausage and cook until browned, crumbling as you stir.
- Drain any fat and add the Bertolli Riserva Balsamic Vinegar & Caramelized Onions
- Simmer for 5 minutes then add the cooked orzo and the spinach and stir until the spinach wilts.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the meat filling into the cooked acorn squash, mounding slightly.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Broil 3 – 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
The Riserva line includes three sauces that are crafted to deliver exceptional taste. All are made with the finest ingredients such as vine-ripened crushed tomatoes, freshly crushed garlic and imported extra virgin olive oil. Each Bertolli Riserva sauce is made with a selective blend of unique, specialty ingredients that pair beautifully together to add an extra touch of deliciousness. You’ll find the following varieties at Publix –
- Bertolli Riserva Asiago Cheese & Artichokes
- Bertolli Riserva Balsamic Vinegar & Carmelized Onions
- Bertolli Riserva Porcini Mushrooms with White Truffle Oil Sauce
Starting Saturday (2/13) the sauces are on sale in the Advantage Buy flyer and priced at just $4.99. We also have a printable coupon available that you can use to bring that price down even further! It’s the perfect time to whip up a delicious meal for your Valentine!
Bertolli Riserva Sauce, 24 oz, $4.99
–$1.50/2 Bertolli Riserva Sauces printable [15-oz. or 24-oz.; Excludes twin packs and multipack]
–$1.50/2 Bertolli Riserva Sauces printable [15-oz. or 24-oz.; Excludes twin packs and multipack]
–$0.75/1 Bertolli® Pasta Sauce Ibotta offer
As low as $3.87 per jar after coupon and cash back!
In addition, folks in select stores in Florida will be able to try the new Riserva sauces on Friday and Saturday. Look for special in-store sampling tables and you can try the delicious sauces while you are grabbing your last minute Valentine’s Day necessities.
This post is brought to you by the folks at Bertolli. All comments and opinions are my own.
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That looks so delicious and simple to make. I am definitely going to try the Stiffed Acorn Suash
recipe. I wish I were only half as good a cook as you.
Im sorry but if my husband wants to take me out for dinner on valentines day, l never ever going to say no no matter how crowded it is, and he is the best chef in the world by the way