Want a romantic Valentine’s evening that won’t break the bank? Check out these five cheap and easy recipes that you can cook for your sweetheart in the comfort of your home or dorm.

Bleu Valentine

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts with skin

5 oz creamy bleu cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and cover the pan with nonstick aluminum foil.
2. Keeping the skin attached to the chicken, pull back the skin enough for your fingers to move around underneath it. Insert an ounce of bleu cheese under the skin.
3. Rub the chicken breast with olive oil and place it on the pan.
4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and put it in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Remove and serve with a side of roasted vegetables.  

Lovesick Lentils

Ingredients:

3 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup of puy lentils

3 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch Lacinato kale, stemmed and roughly chopped

1/4 cup creme fraiche

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Pour the water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put lentils into the water, cover and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain, sprinkle with salt and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Place shallots and garlic in the hot oil. Cook until fragrant.
3. When the shallots and garlic have cooked, add kale and cook until leaves are tender.
4. Combine the mixture of kale, shallots and garlic mixture into the pot of drained lentils.  Stir until well combined and add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve in two bowls with a scoop of crème fraîche. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top for a tangy bite.

You’re The Avocado to My Toast

Ingredients:

1 roll of good brown bread of your choice

1 avocado

1 lemon

5 ounces crumbled goat cheese

10 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper and place the shrimp evenly on the sheet pan. Cook for six to eight minutes or until pink.
2. Slice bread into long, thin slices. Set aside.
3. Remove avocado filling from peel and mash. Squeeze some lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  
4. Spread avocado mixture onto toast and then sprinkle with goat cheese. Place shrimp on top of goat cheese.

Pizza to My Heart

Ingredients:

1 organic pizza crust

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup marinara sauce

Bunch of fresh basil

Pinch of parmesan

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, or according to the pizza crust instructions.
2. Spread marinara sauce over the crust. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan on top of the sauce.  
3. Add extra ingredients of your choosing (onions, spinach, pepperoni, etc.).
4. Sprinkle the shredded basil on top of the pizza in a heart-shaped pattern.
5. Put pizza in the oven and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is completely melted.
6. Take out and cool for three minutes before slicing.

Love Drops

Ingredients:

1 package of cake mix of choice

3/4 cup cream cheese

20 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Pink sprinkles

Directions:

1. Prepare cake mix as per package instructions.
2. Remove the baked cake and wait for it to cool in the fridge. Once fully cooled, crumble cake into a bowl. Mix the cake with cream cheese until it turns into one mixture. Form into small balls and then put in the fridge until cool.
3. Take the semi-sweet chocolate and melt it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each stop until it is completely melted.
4. Using two forks, place the cake truffles into the chocolate. Place these on a covered baking dish covered with parchment paper.
5.  Put the truffles in the fridge and let them set for at least an hour before serving.

Email Olivia Jane Roos at [email protected].