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Skip the crowded restaurant! 15 romantic date night in ideas, perfect for celebrating anniversaries, milestones, or a cozy evening together.
Did you know that Scott and Chris are celebrating 50 years of marriage this month? What an amazing milestone! If you know them, you know they are just as crazy about each other today as they were decades ago. As their daughter-in-law, I've had the privilege of watching their love story for over 20 years. I think one of their biggest secrets is their shared sense of adventure- they truly make any occasion feel special. Whether they're riding bikes, traveling to new places, exploring local shops, working on this blog, or simply sharing a meal at home, they genuinely love spending time together. It's inspiring!
In honor of this golden anniversary, we've rounded up some of our favorite date-night-in recipes. Turn on some music, open a bottle of wine, and enjoy a fabulous meal together at home. From elegant entrees to sweet desserts, these recipes feel elevated without the stress (and can easily be halved if you're just cooking for two). Whether you're celebrating a major milestone or just making a regular weeknight a little more romantic, we hope you love these dishes. Cheers to Scott and Chris!
Perfectly Grilled Steak with Garlic Lime Butter
With a delicious Mexican-inspired dry rub, melting garlic lime butter and a few easy grilling tricks this recipe for perfectly grilled steak is sure to become a favorite!
Marry Me Chicken and Spinach Risotto
The ultimate marriage of elegance and comfort, this Chicken and Spinach Risotto is so delicious I'm pretty sure my husband would propose all over again if we weren't married! It's the perfect prep-ahead, let-the-oven-do-the-work meal for entertaining!
Italian Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon
This Italian Garlic Butter Pan-Seared Salmon is a quick and elegant skillet salmon recipe. Salmon fillets are rubbed with a savory spice blend, seared until golden and finished with fragrant garlic herb butter, sun-dried tomatoes and lemon.
Easy Pan Chicken in Mushroom Wine Sauce
This fabulous Chicken in Mushroom Wine Sauce is one of those delicious dinners that comes together quickly enough to serve on a weeknight, yet it's perfect for a fancy dinner party.
Steak and Potato Arugula Salad
A fresh, yet hearty entree with steak, warm potatoes, and a delicious champagne vinaigrette, this healthy salad is a meal in a bowl easy enough for every day, elegant enough for a dinner party!
Brown Butter Tomato Shrimp and Grits
With a creamy, brown butter-tomato-wine sauce this Shrimp and Grits recipe is easy enough for weeknights but also VERY dinner party-worthy! This fabulous meal in a bowl also features barely cooked fresh cherry tomatoes, sweet, tender shrimp and smoky Andouille sausage served over a bed of white cheddar grits.
Easy Date-Night Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breasts
Need a fancy and delicious but easy meal? You can have these delicious Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breasts on the table in 30 minutes, start to finish!
Arugula Corn Salad
This fresh, simple Arugula Corn Salad is a summer favorite with peppery greens tossed with lemon and olive oil, then topped with sweet corn, shaved parmesan, and buttery toasted pine nuts. It's light, flavorful, and ridiculously easy!
Classic French Bistro Salad
This simple Classic French Bistro Salad, served at cafés, brasseries and bistros all over France, is beyond easy and yet one of those recipes you'll be turning to again and again (especially when you want to feel a little "fancy" with minimal effort on your part.
Ridiculously Easy Rosemary Bread
This Ridiculously Easy Rosemary Bread definitely earns its ridiculously easy name, but even better... it's ridiculously delicious!
No-Knead Crusty Dinner Rolls
These No-Knead, Crusty Dinner Rolls are everything you love about artisan European bread, a golden, crackly crust and a tender interior, yet they're incredibly easy to make! Just 3 basic ingredients (4 including water!) and no kneading required. Perfect for dinners, mini sandwiches, or gifting with homemade compound butters.
Ridiculously Easy Lemon Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
A Ridiculously Easy Italian dessert that tastes like it comes from a fancy ristorante, this Lemon Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta will make you look like a kitchen rock star!
Ridiculously Easy Fresh Strawberry Galettes
This Lemon Curd Mousse is so elegant, yet easy enough to make an ordinary day special. It's a creamy, fluffy lemon cloud on top of a graham cracker-y crunch.
Easy Lemon Curd Mousse
This Lemon Curd Mousse is so elegant, yet easy enough to make an ordinary day special. It's a creamy, fluffy lemon cloud on top of a graham cracker-y crunch.
Ridiculously Easy Blender Chocolate Pots de Crème
No one will believe these dinner-party-worthy Blender Chocolate Pots de Crème took 5-minutes of hands-on time. So simple and so delicious!
Shop Our Café Loves
We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen tools, tableware, and entertaining treasures in one place, the Café Loves store. It’s a wonderful spot to find something special for yourself or the cooks and hosts you love!
Thanks, Lindsay. Happy Anniversary to Chris and Scott!!💕🎉