Dateless this Valentine's Day? Why your friends be having all of the fun? Dedicate yourself to something you love this Friday: you. You are so amazing (smart, good-looking — do I sense nodding right now?) that you deserve the best food of all time on the day you hate most. So while your friends are posting pictures of their candlelit dinners and newly received gifts (pfft) online, don't fret, because you'll be posting selfies of wonderful ol' you having dinner made by the person who loves you most: you and only you.
]
For Non-Cooks: It's Okay to Flirt With Pizza
One of the best solo Valentine's Day dinners for non-cooks is a frozen pizza you can get at any grocery store (and don't forget to grab a bottle of ranch or two for dipping.) Sure, a Tony's frozen pizza sounds great, but a day like Valentine's Day is a perfect excuse to go all out — by adding a bottle of Pepsi, some Albertsons wedges, and maybe even some ketchup to your romantic evening.
But that's not all: to truly have a successful Valentine's Day pizza dinner, cut your pizza into the shape of a heart. This'll show you (and all of your followers on Instagram) how much love you have for yourself, as well as your Olympic-worthy ability to craft perfect pizza shapes.
For Intermediate Level Cooks: Go the Extra Mile to Prove You Love Yourself
Making salmon for Valentine's Day proves you care about yourself enough to put seasoning and toppings on your meal. Bake some salmon with butter, garlic, lemon, cream cheese, and dill, and add a side of boiled veggies because that's what people usually do, right?
Salmon is pink, just like the color of the holiday, so it's perfect. Seasoning your salmon shows effort, reflecting your attractive and enviable quality of being a hard worker. The vegetables are just for looks, but hey, the food porn needs some color.
[
For the Okay-Fine-You-Should-Be-On-Top-Chef Cook
Nothing says “I'm in love with myself” like cooking yourself a huge rib eye.
Let's be real, the greatest love stories of all time always include some form of juicy drama. And what's juicier than a medium rare cut of meat? And keep this in mind: your dinner will be so much cheaper than your friends who are at Mastro's.
But rib-eye steak alone is not enough. To truly set yourself apart, supplement your fancy steak with equally fancy sides, like crispy Hasselback potatoes and a chopped salad with cranberries and sweet oranges. (Some foodie will fall in love with your skills, right?)
And for Dessert…
If you're too full from eating a whole pizza, salmon, or rib eye, then go for something light, like a red velvet coffee mug cake for one. It's small, and you'll have to wash one cup, so there's less to do between dinner and Netflix.
However, if you're the type of person who always has room for dessert, no matter the consequences, then make some raspberry truffles. To create these romantic-looking candies, mix jam, sugar, applesauce, vanilla, almond extract, and melted chocolate together and bake until edible. Both the red velvet mug cake and raspberry truffles should leave you feeling sweet and loving, at least for the rest of the month.
If all else fails, you can always fall back on good old pint of ice cream while on your coach in your pjs.
Finally, top off your dinner by decorating the dining table with candles and rose petals. Take a photo and voila! You are officially better than the rest of your friends. (Just make sure you don't accidentally post your pjs.)
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
