With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we are about to be constantly surrounded by love. This holiday is about celebrating romance and what is more romantic than sharing a nice home-made dinner? So, The Tribune has gathered a selection of recipes to create a complete love-themed meal. 

For amateurs of artsy drinks: Raspberry Crush 

Want to replace the usual wine glass or the basic soda with something more? This tasty pink cocktail—or mocktail—is your answer!

Ingredients (for one drink): 

• 10 raspberries 
• 15 mL of lemon juice
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 shot of vodka (optional)
• 4 ice cubes
• Soda water 

Steps: 

1. In a glass, add the raspberries, lemon juice, and sugar.
2. Mash until it becomes a purée.
3. Add a shot of vodka (optional).
4. Add the ice cubes.
5. Cover the glass and shake it until the ingredients blend.
6. Pour the blended mixture into your prettiest cocktail glass through a strainer.
7. Transfer the ice cubes and fill up the glass with soda water.

For the ardent romantics: Heart-Shaped Pizza

Offer your heart to your valentine with this delicious heart-shaped pizza. This classic is quick and easy to prepare, but definitely not overrated.

Ingredients: 

• Your favourite pizza dough (try Sally’s Homemade pizza dough recipe)
• Tomato sauce 
• Your choice of cheese
• Your choice of toppings

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F (230° C). 
2. Grab a ball of pizza dough and put it on baking paper.
3. Flatten the dough first into a circle. If the dough doesn’t hold its shape, let it sit for a few minutes and then try again.
4. Once the dough is flat, pinch and pull the bottom of the circle to form a point which will be the tip of the heart.
5. Take a finger to the top middle of the circle and push down toward the center of the pizza. You can use a knife to facilitate this step. Then shape the pizza until it looks like the kind of heart you like best.
6. Add the tomato sauce, cheese, and other toppings you chose. 
7. Start checking at eight minutes. Let it sit in the oven until the crust is as crispy as desired.

For sugar lovers: Red Velvet Brownies 

What better way to end this Valentine’s Day meal than with a succulent red velvet brownie? Its soft texture and sweet taste will make you fall in love all over again.  

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup of all-purpose flour 
• 3 tbsp of cocoa powder 
• 1 tbsp of cornstarch or cornflour
• ¼ tsp of salt
• ¾ cup of unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 ¼ cup of granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract 
• 1 tbsp of red food colouring gel or liquid (choose the amount depending on the colour you want to obtain)
• 1 tsp of white vinegar 
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C) and line a pan (preferably 8×8 inch/20×20 cm) with parchment paper so that there is an overhang around the edges. Or lightly grease the pan.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Set it aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter and the sugar until you no longer see the butter sitting on top of the sugar.
4. Add the eggs, the red food colouring, vanilla extract, and vinegar until it is smooth and you no longer see pieces of egg.
5. Gently stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients by hand. Stop mixing when you no longer see lumps of dry ingredients.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until an inserted knife or toothpick comes out (almost) clean.
8. Cool the brownies in the pan until the pan is no longer warm to the touch.
9. Finally, lift the brownies out of the pan using the overhang of the parchment paper. You can slice them in any shape you want, but hearts are cute and efficient.

These recipes were adapted from Alessandra’s Raspberry Crush, Kitchen Treaty’s Heart-shaped pizza, and Just So Tasty’s Red Velvet Brownies.