Inflatable Kayak Blog

Contributed by Sheryl Brennan

OK, fella’s. It’s no secret Valentine’s Day is on Sunday. Your best gal has been throwing out hints for weeks. It doesn’t matter that the holiday falls only a week after the Super Bowl and on the cusp of Spring Training, if you don’t have “something” planned, that little sumpin’, sumpin’ ain’t happening for you and the couch will be a few degrees warmer than your bedroom.

So, to avoid the glaring stares because you simply haven’t made a plan and all the good restaurants are booked, give her a Valentine’s Day to remember at home. You even get to work the grill in freezing cold temperatures. OOO-RAH!

• Step 1- Call the In-Laws and make overnight accommodations for anyone living in your house under the age of 21, then proudly announce to your special someone that you have made arrangements for the kids and she can sleep in on Valentine’s Day.
• Step 2- While your lady-love is sleeping in on Sunday, drop said inhabitants off at In-Laws and make your way to the nearest gourmet grocery store.
• Step 3- Pick up a bouquet of flowers from the floral department, fancy dessert from the bakery, stick candles and holders from the household supply aisle, nice smelling bubble bath from the Health and Beauty section, Bottle of White Wine from the Beer and Wine aisle (or stop by the Liquor Store on Saturday night if you are in a state that doesn’t allow beer and wine sales in the grocery stores), and the ingredients for the following Valentine’s Day Feast of Grilled Tuna with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans.

Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients: 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into quarters. 2 tablespoons olive oil. Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper (to taste).
Preparation: Drizzle potatoes with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Wrap potatoes in foil leaving the top open for air circulation. Place on top grill rack, over medium-hot fire until golden crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Approximately 30-minutes.

Grilled Tuna
Ingredients: 2 pounds tuna steak. 1 tablespoon olive oil. 1 tablespoon grilled tuna. 5-spice rub (or freshly ground coarse black pepper, if you prefer).
Preparation: Slice the steak into 6″-long sections. Coat lightly with olive oil and roll it in the grilled tuna rub mixture or pepper. Grill over a medium-hot fire for 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare. Slice into ½” slices, and spread on serving platter.

Green Beans
Ingredients: 1 package of microwave steam-in-bag Green Beans
Preparation: Follow product directions

• Step 4- Upon your return to the home front, make lots of noise putting away your supplies and setting the table in preparation for your Valentine’s surprise. Make sure to put the flowers in water in the center of the table and set up the candles far enough away so that her hair doesn’t catch fire or the flowers.
• Step 5- Start the grill, then prepare a bubble bath for your significant other with the good smelling stuff you picked out, turn on her favorite CD, and tell her to go relax. When she is engaged in aromatherapy, crack open a nice cold beer for yourself and take a moment to revel in the confused, dazed, yet pleased look on her face.
• Step 6- Begin preparing your meal. When said lovely lady emerges from her Calgon induced coma, hand her the remote with instructions to pick out a “chic-flick” from pay-per-view while you finish dinner.
• Step 7- Open the bottle of wine, pour her a glass, then give it to her along with a nice big smooch and a sexy wink.
• Step 8- Plate your meal, light the candles, turn down the lights, and escort the woman of your heart to the table. Don’t forget to pull her chair and propose a toast to the two of you.
• Step 9- Bask in the adoration she is sure to give you throughout the meal.
• Step 10- When dinner is done, tell her to leave the dishes and join you in the bedroom for dessert. Clothing is optional.

Happy Valentine’s Day you lucky son-of-a-gun!

Sheryl Brennan is the author of Celtic Sacrifice, single mother of three rambunctious pre-teen girls, and an avid outdoors woman. Read more about Sheryl at www.sherylbrennan.com.