Simple Ways to Enjoy Valentine’s Day Date Night at Home

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Bertolli®

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate; however I don't love the expense or the crowds of a night on the town. With kids and crazy schedules, the best gift I can give my husband is an evening of my undivided attention. The beauty is that don't have to be elaborate to be perfect.

Blend Two Sauces For Simple Perfection

A simple way to elevate your Valentine's Day meal is to combine Bertolli® Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Sauce and Bertolli® Organic Creamy Alfredo Sauce in one pasta dish. The good news is that it is flavorful and fast. For this mama, that means I won't be exhausted by slaving over a hot stove, and I'll have a tasty meal to serve my sweetheart.

Here's what you need:

• Bertolli® Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Sauce
• Bertolli® Organic Creamy Alfredo Sauce
• Tortellini
• Parsley
• French Bread

All you do is cook the tortellini according to the package instructions, and then mix the two jars of Bertolli® Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Sauce and Bertolli® Organic Creamy Alfredo Sauce together to make a tasty Rosa sauce that is creamy and rich in flavor.

Both of these sauces are USDA organic products made with non-GMO ingredients and bring authentic homemade flavors to your meals. If you want to take your recipe up a notch, try some of these tasty ideas:

• Rosa Cheese Tortellini Pasta Bake
• Rosa Chicken Bake
• Chicken & Peas Rosa Gnocchi
• Creamy Rosa Caprese Gnocchi with Blistered Tomatoes
• Sausage, Peppers and onions with Creamy Rosa Polenta

Setting the Stage for a Romantic Dinner

If you're like me, the one thing that really gets in the way of truly enjoying a romantic evening at home is my kids. While I love having them around, often the reason we go out is so that we can actually finish sentences and finish our food before it gets cold.

Here's my plan:

1. Set up our dinner in a remote location

If the weather is tolerable, we'll be outside on the deck. In Texas, we can do this kind of crazy thing! We set up our Christmas family dinner out there, and with the fire pit glowing and the heater turned on, it was a beautiful space under the twinkle lights.

If the weather is bad, we'll set up our meal in a location where we can close the door. There are rooms in our house that while not typically set up for dining, can double as a romantic eating space with a little adjusting! Just a couple of candles and some flute glasses can elevate the space instantly.

2. Get the Kids Settled Early

With little kids, it may mean an early bed time and a later dinner. However, my kids are past that point, so I can take care of them by renting a new movie for them to enjoy (or borrowing one from the library for free!). Having a game plan for keeping them happy and settled will help keep the dinner interruptions to a minimum.

3. Make a Romantic Dinner Playlist

Background music is a great way to tune out the sounds of kids and help me focus on good conversation with my sweetie. There are so many great apps out there that give you the ability to make the equivalent of a mix tape like the old days, but just with much less time and effort involved. Look for Valentine's Day options that people have already made! We love the smooth jazz selections because they are relaxing without being overly sleepy or distracting from our conversations.

Enjoy Valentine's Day Date Night at Home

It doesn't take much to have a memorable evening at home with your loved one. The beauty of it is that you save time and money when you keep it simple at home.