Show your sweetie some love by baking up Better-Than-Boxed Chocolate Cake for Valentine's Day (or any day!).
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here’s a book all about cooking for (and with) your sweetie. For newlyweds and happy couples of all kinds, The Newlywed Cookbook by Food Network Kitchens veteran Sarah Copeland is a delicious guide to nurturing your love with great meals, day after day. I caught up with Sarah by phone to ask her a few questions about her new cookbook.
How did you get the idea for this cookbook?
I always wanted to write a cookbook; I didn’t have an exact idea, I just knew I wanted to make it a garden-to-table or farm-to-table lifestyle easier for people instead of an ambitious change-your-whole-life thing. I met my editor at a workshop, and I must have talked a lot about my husband – I was just married and totally in love. He called me a few months later and said, “We have an idea for a book, and I think you might be our author.” So it’s a book all about my real life. When I actually sat down to write it, it literally poured out onto the page.
Can you describe your cooking style?
It’s really rustic. I’m a gardener, so I cook whatever I pull out of the ground or find at the market – I love it when food has roots and dirt on it. Of course I clean it, but I don’t want to go too much further. So it’s a very breezy style of cooking – it’s delicious and so satisfying, but it doesn’t take long and it doesn’t take tremendous skill. It’s more about getting to the table to spend time with the person you love versus spending all your time in the kitchen preparing the meal.
You include a whole chapter on date nights. What’s the key to a good date night dinner?
The key to a good date night dinner is creating it together because it’s loving and you’re grateful to each other; and then there’s less pressure on one person. And if you think of date night as a regular thing and not just a once-in-a-blue-moon event, it removes the feeling that it has to be an over-the-top meal. It can be fancy, but it doesn’t have to be.
Homey Make-Ahead Lasagna is the perfect date night main dish.
How do you hope people use this cookbook?
For me it’s a work of art because it’s so personal to create the book and all the photography, the prop styling, the food styling and all the love that went into it. But I want people to take it into their home and scribble in it, get chocolate splatters on it and really use it. That’s the most important thing. This is the recipe for a very long-term, healthful life with the one you love.
Give a few of Sarah’s recipes a try:
Better-Than-Boxed Chocolate Cake
Make-Ahead Lasagna
Oatmeal-Yogurt Pancakes with Blackberry Crush
Show your love with a fluffy stack of Oatmeal-Yogurt Pancakes with Blackberry Crush.
We’re giving away one copy of The Newlywed Cookbook to one lucky winner. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling us what you’re cooking for Valentine’s Day.
So, tell us, what are you cooking for Valentine’s Day?
You must include your email address in the “Email” field when submitting your comment so we can communicate back with you if you’re the winner. (But do not post your email address into the actual body of the comment.) We’re giving one copy away to one very lucky, randomly selected commenter.
You may only comment once to be considered, and you don’t have to purchase anything to win; a purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Odds depend on total number of entries. Void where prohibited. Only open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states, D.C. or Puerto Rico, and you must be at least 18 years of age to win. All entries (comments) must be entered between 2:00 p.m. ET on February 8 and 5:00 p.m. ET on February 10. Subject to full Official Rules. By leaving a comment on the blog, you acknowledge your acceptance to the Official Rules. ARV of prize: $35.00. Sponsor: Scripps Networks, LLC, d/b/a/ Cooking Channel, 75 9th Ave., New York, NY 10011.
Browse 50 chocolate desserts and more Valentine’s Day recipes from Cooking Channel.
Since i work later than my husband he will do the cooking. Teriyaki chicken is my favorite w/rice.
Yummmmmmm!!!
I will be making the meal that I made almost 30 years ago, when we were dating. I marianated New York Strip Steaks in teriyaki sauce overnight . Grilled them and served the steak with small amount of Bernaise sauce9 this flavor combination is awesome!). Also served steamed asparagus and baked potato. Later that evening we dipped fresh strawberries in sour cream and them dipped them in brown sugar.Try them you will like them. Simple and delicious!!
We have been married over 29 years and still in love.
My husband proposed on Valentines day 20 years ago, so it is always a special occasion. I will be making tenderloin, salted baked potatoes, and garden salad with home made ranch dressing (his favorites)
I actually do not have a plan for valentines dinner right now. As long as my husband and I are cooking together, it will be perfect. Although, I do think I will be making some chocolate covered strawberries for the evening.
February is a double love celebration for my husband and I..our wedding anniversary and Valentines Day. Food is love, and love is food so I am planning to cook a spicy mexican fiesta..deconstucted chicken enchiladas, fresh pico de gallo, cornbread, and caramel flan…love fiesta!
I love to cook and love reading cookbooks, so I would LOVE to win! I planning on a steak and lobster dinner with fresh asparagus and potatos Anna. For desert, i am making profiterols with a deep dark chocolate sauce! YUM!!!!!!
Im making homemade brownies for my husband and kiddos! I cant wait to make that cake!. Misty
youngmisty@hotmailcom
Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
For Valentine's Day I am making Cheese Fondue, Beef Wellington, Risotto, Roasted Carrots, and Black and White Creme Brulee.
Since I do all the cooking my wife don't have the time we will be going out to dinner that night
but I do like the way some those recipes look I wish everybody a happy Valentine's Day
We are going to have a red meal where everything is red in color.
I am making us filet mignon with a cabernet reduction sauce, roasted potatoes and asparagus. For dessert, double chocolate brownies and red velvet cupcakes with my homemade cream cheese frosting!
We will start our V-day off with homemade heart shaped Cinnamon Rolls! The end with a yummy steak dinner of some sort.
Well, we've been together THIRTY-ONE years and are recent empty nesters. I'm going to make a small standing rib roast, some fresh broccoli, garlic mashed potatoes and finish off with some lemon squares. My husband doesn't even know that I'm planning this, but I'll bet his mouth will just water when he notices all the great smells coming from the kitchen! YUM YUM!
We'll have 2 special meals. The first on Sunday with our daughter and grandson before they have to leave town to go back home and that will be Mexican food with Enchiladas and my grandson's favorite rice. Then Papa and I will have homemade soup that's been in the crockpot while I work and Beer Bread that I'll bake before he goes to bowl. No extra sugar needed or desired.
We are having raw Apalachicola oysters, (The best around), salad and something chocolate!
Love red velvet cake (heart shaped) for Valentine's.
My husband is the self-designated chef in our house, so I don't know but I'm sure it'll be delicious, as usual.
Oh, my! Some of these recipes look wonderful. gosh. Those pancakes are to die for!!!!
I am not a newlywed but there is always another New recipe to try. I love to cook and the pictures look wonderful. I don't know what I am going to fix for Valentines, but it has got to bee Chocolate and sweet.
I know I may be spoiled, but, I have been cooking a lot during the week, every week and this Valentines Day I won't be cooking. We will go out to our favorite Italian resturant. I deserve it!!! Then the next night we will have grilled filet mengon, baked potatoes and grilled veggie kabobs! For desert we will have flourless chocolate cake. We celebrate two nights!!!!
This Valentine's Day I am making a chocolate cake with some strawberries. It should be a hit!
stef42678@cox.net
Not real sure yet, I love to try new recipes for my sweet heart. It has turned cold here and I am leaning to an Italian chicken noodle soup with my lighter version of my wife's Aunt's Italian Cream Cake with cream cheese icing for dessert.
I hate to admit it, but I am going out to eat for Valentine's Day. I have been married 28 years and love a romantic evening out with my sweet husband. The cookbook looks wonderufl and will come in handy for the other 364 days of the year.
I am making beet risoto, beef tenderloing with merlot reduction sauce, garlic sauteed green beans with roasted tomatoes and for dessert creme brulee with an Italian meringue with whipped cream and angel food crums topped with strawberries.
I really, really want to win this!
Looks and sounds terribly YUMMY! I know my sweetie would love for me to make one of these dishes!
It all sounds yummy. Can't wait to read this book.
Ribeye steaks , twice baked loaded potato and spinach salad………………………..
prime rib, my hubby's favorite. we reserve this for a special occasion.
Tuesday night activities doesn't leave much time, so probably pasta
We are having clam spaghetti with chocolate covered strawberries and peanut butter filled chocolate cupcakes. My four year old daughter and I came up with the menu. Yum.
I think I'm making lamb. Can't decide yet!
The balance between I love chocolate and I must eat healthy and eating out because of schedules can make a "nut" out of anyone!
My husband and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversay on Valentines day. We are now empty nesters so we are trying to learn to cook for just the 2 of us instead of 5, although the boys appreciate the leftovers, they do not come over often enough. We will have steak and scallop scampi, smashed potatoes and green beans almondine for dinner, along with some wine and a nice chocolate dessert. Maybe even that chocolate cake. YUMMY…:o)
awheeler@paychex.com
LOVE this cookbook and it really is for everyone. Wait until you try her chocolate chip cookies or ricotta pancakes! AND the book is gorgeous so I feel really excited to give this as a gift to all my special people!