a valentine's menu...

most everything in our household revolves around food. so why should Valentine's Day be any different? last year, I made my then-fiance heart-shaped pizza. this year's menu I ramped it up a bit for my now-husband:

• Heart-shaped, individual turkey meatloaves
• Roasted potatoes
• Peas
• Red velvet cherry cake

The turkey meatloaf recipe is my tried and true recipe with a few additions.
TURKEY MEATLOAF

1/2 cup plain panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons  salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground turkey

Directions

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, onion powder, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine.
4. Carefully pack the ½ of the meat mixture into a ball and then shape into a heart. Do the same with the remaining mixture.
5. Top with a mixture of tomato paste, Worcestershire, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic salt. Mix it to taste.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until completely cooked through.

I love roasted potatoes and this recipe was inspired by one I found on What's Gaby Cooking.

ROASTED POTATOES

4 cups cubed Yukon Gold or regular baking potatoes

5 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp pepper

4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
3. In a bowl mix the olive oil, garlic salt, salt, onion powder, rosemary, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
4. Slowly add the cubed potatoes to the mixture, stirring as you add. Be sure that all of the potatoes are thoroughly coated.
5. Transfer the coated potatoes to your baking dish.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss the potatoes with a pair of tongs. Put the baking dish back into the oven and bake for about 15 – 25 minutes more until they are golden and crispy.
7. Top with salt, pepper and Parmesan if desired. 

The peas were from a can. I just added butter and salt and pepper. Just keeping it real. :)

Here is the finished meal.

And my Valentine. 

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and were surrounded by the ones you love. 

Tomorrow I'll share my Red Velvet Cherry Cake recipe....