Valentine's Day Roundup

As Valentine's Day rounds the corner, the blogosphere is inundated, really, with posts about Valentine food and gift ideas. I like looking at "food porn", plus I do like the inspiration which comes to my mind when looking at these imaginative and creative food creations, so I decided to do my very first Valentine's Day Food Roundup for this blog =)

These are a few ideas, food ones of course, for you to make for the coming Valentine's Day. Of course, you don't really have to make it on 14 February itself, because love between two people should be celebrated every day, all year round. But if there's a special day that the world set aside just for celebrating love, jump in and celebrate! I'm not one for a restaurant meal on Valentine's, because all the hype results in superly inflated prices everywhere. A few days again, the telly was just telling me that a romantic dinner for 2 on the Singapore Flyer is in the region $300-$400. Like what?!! Well, maybe because I'm still a student and also because I'm particularly stingy, but $400 for a meal just seems over the top, especially if it's not a hatted meal. 

Onto the pictures - I claim no ownership for any of the pictures or ideas - all pictures have been linked to their respective blogs and recipe pages, so click on! 

I'll be doing a roundup of what I have been doing at home (all heart-related) at a later date, because I'm just too lazy to take out my CF card to upload the photographs for the time being. Also, I know that all the pictures below are "heart" related, which is cliched, but I really do like hearts (and butterflies) and what better time than Valentine's to have heart-shaped food? =)

Surprise your loved one with a hearty breakfast (pun-intended):

French toast perhaps? 

Or some crepes if you are so inclined?

Mmmm chocolate pancakes!

Sweet Potato pancakes

Or some red velvet pancakes?

And perhaps for lunch, what about some heart-shaped pasta? =)

Heart ravioli?

A simple pasta, shaped in a heart

A heart-shaped pizza? 

Heart-shaped pizza AND heart-shaped pepperoni?

And for tea, here's a smorgasbord of ideas!

Hot cocoa with a pink hearted marshmallow?

Churros

Some jelly pops for you?

YUMMO donuts!

Sweet heart pies

An apple hand pie perhaps?

Fruit pizza decorated with fresh fruit? 

Simple puff pastry hearts!

And onto my favorite parts - dessert!!!

Red velvet cupcakes - the recipe is similar to the one I use

Or a simple chocolate cupcake with heart-shaped sprinkles?

I love this two-in-one red velvet cake idea

Gosh - it's a cake within a cake!

I like the two-tone frosting here :)

Perhaps give a hint with your Valentine ring cupcakes?

I'm pretty sure this cupcake flower bouquet will pretty much trump any bouquet if your guy bought it for you!

If you're really short of time, why not just dip some strawberries into chocolate - just be different :)

Give strawberry roses instead of roses

Some ladybug-berries maybe?

And who can forget cookies?

A vanilla version here

A chocolate version here

Conversation heart cookies by Annie's Eats - she has really good tutorials on icing and I follow her sugar cookies recipe for any cookie I want to ice!

NOT forgetting my craze at the moment - macarons!

Conversation heart macarons are so dear :)

Be more literal with heart-shaped macarons perhaps? Btw, do check out Steph's blog - she has really creative ideas and wonderful photographs to match :)

For those who love flowers and cupcakes, why not this? 

Give flowers AND cupcakes at the same time!

Or cakes disguised as chocolate truffles

Finally, a little crafting to end the post

Use felt to make an envelope to keep a note for your loved one

There's tons of ideas on the internet to give you inspiration, so have a wonderful Valentine's! If you are without a valentine of the opposite sex, it's no time for consternation - use the opportunity to spend more time with your family, or your besties! They too deserve (and enjoy) love from you!

PS: I've not done any round up from local blogs because I believe most of them will be entered into Aspiring Bakers #4 and that round up will be done by Ellena at the end of the month!