Admittedly, Mike and I have never been big into Valentine’s Day. We’ve done dates in past years, but it’s not something that we think about a whole lot. Part of that is probably because his birthday is just a week before, so we always try to go out for that to celebrate. Another element is that we both just love being home! It’s fun to try a new restaurant or get out of our usual routine every once in awhile, but we are both very happy to spend most evenings at home together.
If you find yourself without a babysitter or opting for an at-home Valentine’s Day date, I thought it would be fun to share a few things and ideas for how to celebrate! I love the idea of doing something different, like having a charcuterie board and wine for dinner or making a special dessert, like chocolate fondue. Throw on a cute set of pajamas and pick out one of the Oscar-nominated movies and cuddle up for a romantic evening at home!
- Cozy Satin Pajama Set – these come in a couple different patterns and look super comfortable!
- Rose Eye Patches – a great way to prep for a date night or throw them on while you relax and watch a movie
- Fondue Maker – this seems like a fun date night dinner activity! You could go for a savory option as an appetizer or something sweet for dessert
- My Favorite Popcorn – this is the popcorn I always use to make homemade popcorn. I use the stovetop popcorn maker linked here
- Popcorn Seasoning Kit – tons of options for sprucing up a bowl of popcorn
- My Popcorn Maker – the stovetop popcorn maker I use! you can find my homemade popcorn recipe below
- Barefoot Dreams Socks – anything barefoot dreams is going to be super soft and cozy so these socks are perfect for a date night (or any night!)
- Heart Shaped Bowl – a festive way to serve your popcorn or any snack
- Wine Glasses – I love how large these glasses are
- Charcuterie Board Kit – for some charcuterie board inspiration check out this blog post
- Candle – this brand makes really great quality candles
- Cocktail Kit – this would be a fun activity! There’s tons of kit options (and you can easily substitute with Ritual Alcohol Alternatives or sparkling water if you’re like me won’t be drinking this Valentine’s Day)
Elevate Your At-Home Date Night with Homemade Popcorn
One of my favorite snacks to make is homemade popcorn. It’s not unusual for me to make it 2-3 times a week to snack on while Mike and I watch a show in the evenings. Everyone has different methods and ratios that they use for their version of homemade popcorn, but I feel like I’ve perfected how to make it just to our liking! The key is having the right popcorn maker. It’s not cheap, but if you love homemade popcorn, you will get your money’s worth out of it. These makers last years!
To make my homemade popcorn:
I start by getting the popcorn maker warmed up over high heat. Add in enough avocado oil to cover the bottom of the pot, about 1/4 cup or so. Let that heat up for a minute, then pour your popcorn kernels in. I’ve made it so many times that I can just eyeball it, but it’s about 1/2 cup. Slowly start to turn the popcorn maker so that all the popcorn kernels heat up at the same time. Within a minute or two, you will start to hear them pop. Since I cook it over high heat, it only takes a couple minutes from start to finish…and it will be loud! Once the popping starts to slow down, remove the maker from the heat and let it finish on its own. Carefully pour your popcorn into a bit bowl. Because I use a bit more oil than most recipes call for, I usually just add some salt and that’s it! If you like butter or other flavored seasonings, you can add that too!
This makes a lot of popcorn! I usually fill up a bit mixing bowl with this amount because Mike and I love it. If you want less, just use less oil and popcorn kernels. It’s one of those things that you can play around with a bit to get the ratios that you like best!
