My Hungry Valentine

By: Maureen Callahan

The options are endless when love is on the menu.

Get Ready for Romance

Take a few minutes to set the stage the night before so you can enjoy the morning, too.

Decorate a breakfast tray or the dining room table with red or pink cloth napkins and fresh flowers. Or take apart a few roses and refrigerate the petals in a sealed plastic bag so they'll be ready to scatter the next morning.
Write names in icing on heart-shaped cookies for place cards.
Compose special messages to loved ones and tuck them into napkins, lunch bags and briefcases, or place them strategically throughout your home. The more messages, the better: your Valentine may continue to discover love notes long after the day has passed.
Place freshly-squeezed orange juice in a wine carafe; cover and refrigerate. Chill a split of champagne to make mimosas (equal parts orange juice and champagne) for adults if desired.
Assemble and measure breakfast ingredients the night before.
Bake coffeecakes or muffins for a Continental-style bread basket. No time to bake? Stop by a French bakery for chocolate croissants or fruit pastries.
Make a sentimental CD of favorite love songs or download a mix of love songs onto an MP3 player to play during breakfast.

Treat your special Valentine to a scrumptious breakfast in bed, or pamper the whole family with breakfast fare that's just a little fancier than usual.

Cupid's Parisian Menu

Assembly tips: Mix and store crêpe batter in a blender the night before. Assemble banana filling and reheat in microwave. Cook sausage and reheat in microwave or oven.

Freshly-Squeezed Orange Juice
Banana Crêpes
Pan-Seared Sausage Links
Coffee or Hot Chocolate

Cupid's Family Menu

Assembly Tips: Cut up the fruit the day before and combine in the morning. Likewise, prepare French toast filling and egg mixture, and slice bread the night before. Store separately and assemble the next day.

Cupid's Make-Ahead Menu

Assembly tips: Prep the grapefruit the night before and broil in the morning. Bake the casserole fresh in the morning or bake it the night before and preheat individual servings.