I happen to love the month of February. It's a whole month of love for us, not just Valentine's Day but our anniversary happens in February along with a couple of our kiddos birthdays, so, it feels like we celebrate our family the entire month, which I just love.
On Valentine's Day, I like to go all out at dinnertime and make something for my man and kiddos that we don't eat on a regular basis, just to make them feel extra special. Around our house, that is homemade Fettuccine Alfredo with fresh pasta. I just don't think there is anything better than a rich creamy pasta dish eaten with those you love on Valentine's Day.
This recipe is really simple for those that think homemade alfredo sauce is hard to make, like I used to. It's not. And it tastes so much better than the jarred variety. I wouldn't say it's healthier, loaded with heavy cream, cheese and butter, but at least you know what's going into it. And there is nothing wrong with enjoying a rich dish like this on a special occasion every now and then.
To make the fresh fettuccine, I followed the same pasta recipe that I use here, then use my Kitchenaid attachment for fettuccine to cut the pasta. After it's all cut, toss it with a tiny bit of flour and this pile of golden goodness is what you have.
While your pasta rests, put your salted water on to boil and grab a fry pan.
Throw in 4 TBS of unsalted butter.
It should look like this. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
Set aside and add your fresh pasta to your boiling water. Remember that fresh pasta doesn't take as long to cook as dried so it should be ready in a few minutes. After the fettuccine is done, drain and toss it with the alfredo sauce.
Oh. My. Word. Look at that creamy goodness! Traditionally, nutmeg is grated over this dish but we don't like nutmeg in our family so I leave it out, but feel free to add it if you like it. Oh. Yes. Dinner is ready. It's really quick to make if you prepare your pasta ahead of time. Or you could just buy dried pasta or prepared refrigerated fresh pasta. It's so good! Top it with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I also like to sprinkle a bit of smoked paprika over the top. It really adds a special flavor to the pasta and I happen to love smoked paprika.
Add a simple leafy green salad with a light vinaigrette, some crusty bread and a nice bottle of wine (for the grown ups) and you have yourself a pretty special Valentine's dinner.
I thought it would be fun this week before Valentine's Day to share some fun ideas for making a fabulous dinner/evening for the special people in your life. So stay tuned for some yummy dessert ideas, some cozy decorating ideas, and some fun little goody bags for school parties.
Have a Happy Monday! And for all those that have emailed asking, I just listed more bread boards, finally! Enjoy!
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