Valentine Treats at the Co-op
Are you planning a special home-cooked dinner for your Valentine this year? Are you cooking your special meal together? Then look no further than the co-op for some lovely ideas! Our meat department will have specially cut “heart-shaped” beef rib-eye steaks (all-natural or grass-fed), perfectly sized for sharing with your Valentine. Our meat manager Jason shares his favorite tips for the perfect steak:
Position the top oven rack 3-5″ from the heat element and preheat oven on low broil. Salt and pepper the steak to taste. Mince some fresh garlic and combine with melted butter or olive oil and brush onto the seasoned steak. In a broiler pan, broil for six minutes on each side (for medium-rare) or 8 minutes on each side (for medium to medium-well.) If you are grilling, set grill to medium-heat and cook steak five minutes on each side. While steak is cooking, saute’ up some fresh sliced mushrooms, onions and finely minced fresh garlic in butter or olive oil until mushrooms are just-tender. You can even add some steak pan-drippings for extra flavor. Place steak on a large plate and cover with cooked mushrooms. Garnish with fresh herbs or a little crumbled bleu cheese (Jason’s favorite!)
For an easy and elegant salad, stop by our deli department and pick up a container of grilled pears, cheese and nuts. Toss up some field greens (from our produce department) with your favorite vinaigrette, and top with the pears, cheese and nuts.
If you feel like going all out with your home-cooked meal, heat some wrapped brie in a low oven temperature and garnish with Lucille’s Kitchen Garden Raspberry Pepper Jam right before serving. Serve with flatbread crackers before you start on the main meal.
Don’t forget to check out our deli bakery goodies for dessert! We have cupcakes, heart-shaped cakes and cookies, hand-made chocolate truffles, and even a special Valentine goodie from our Down in the Valley Bakehouse—gluten-free cupcakes specially packaged for two!
Sparkling juices go well with any Valentine meal (Knudsen’s Sparkling Juices are on sale through the 14th) Or go a little more exotic with well-chilled Q Superior Ginger Ale—it comes in a pretty bottle! Don’t forget to drop a few fresh raspberries in the glasses before pouring the juice.
For fun little valentine gifts, you will find our grocery department stocked will with many kinds of chocolates and truffles—many are on sale! Our wellness department has some beautiful soaps, lotions and oils that your Valentine will appreciate!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you from Valley Natural Foods!