Can’t get away for Valentine’s Day? Bring it home, dahling!
Our fabulous west coast writer Whitney Stropp recently spent the evening with fellow hotty Olga Valentina of Olga Cooks and picked up a few new recipes.
My assignment: Ride in a black limousine with mood lighting, champagne, and an Italian driver named René (with a rolling R.) Arrive in the hip area of Venice and follow a gorgeous Russian into a gated courtyard. Attend a fun evening of cocktails and culinary delights from the lovely Olga Valentina of Olgacooks.com.
Say what? I should be cooking for my children???
Olga is bringing sexy back this Valentine’s Day! She created a romantic menu and inspired me to step away from the microwave and bring luxury meals to my own kitchen.
I am not one of those cooking types. I can open a box like nobody’s business but put me in front of the stove, and I’m a basket case! So, to say the least, a luxury meal was intimidating. She says the kitchen shouldn’t be a prison but more of a creative lab! This was a foreign concept for me. That’s where Olga comes in.
Not from a box
Olga creates simple and delicious recipes that are not intimidating to try. “Simple, fresh, whole.” That’s her motto and she’s sticking to it. Cauliflower Soup Shots, Chicken in Butter Lettuce Cups and Citrus Lobster Salad were all part of the appetizer course. This is a Valentine’s menu, so you want to keep things sexy. Olga says toast your date, enjoy some appetizers, and keep it light! The Branzino with Green Beans definitely kept with that vibe. Then turn down the lights and have some luxury romance time. (Hit it, Barry White.) Once you’ve worked up more of an appetite, come back for some food with substance, Cavatelli Bolognese with Venison. Don’t be scared, it is delicious, and everyone should be a bit adventurous, especially on Valentine’s Day! (wink wink)
No LTM post would be complete without a cocktail! Champagne Strawberry Lemonade and Fresh Berry Mojitos were on the menu. Because I was on an “assignment” I was forced to drink both cocktails. Hey- I take my job very seriously
Olga Valentina wants to put fun back in the kitchen! You don’t need to be a master chef, you just need to be willing to take risks and have some fun……sounds like the perfect recipe for Valentine’s Day! Add a Russian accent and you are going for the gold.
Check out Olga’s cooking show and blog, Olga Cooks, for these Simple, Fresh, Whole recipes and more!