Italian Valentine's Day dinner any ideas and hints?

[DodgerGirl]

My mom is having an Italian themed dinner for Valentine's Day and I would like some ideas and hints on how to make it perfect for her? Mom wants a dinner of pizza and pasta but I can't find any good pastas besides spaghetti and then for dessert she wants Italian cookies and chocolates and I would like to know where to find Italian cookies for our dinner and we also plan to have Italian bread too with dinner. Where can you find good pasta and Italian cookies and chocolates?

 

[snowwite]

My mom is having an Italian themed dinner for Valentine's Day and I would like some ideas and hints on how to make it perfect for her? Mom wants a dinner of pizza and pasta but I can't find any good pastas besides spaghetti and then for dessert she wants Italian cookies and chocolates and I would like to know where to find Italian cookies for our dinner and we also plan to have Italian bread too with dinner. Where can you find good pasta and Italian cookies and chocolates?

Do you mean at home or near Disney World?
Are you looking for recipes or somewhere that will deliver a meal?

 

[QueenIsabella]

A lot depends on the region where you're looking. My dad was born in Italy, so I'm used to the authentic stuff. When we lived in the Northeast, Italian bakeries were everywhere, and you could get many shapes/brands of pasta in any grocery store.

Here in North Carolina, it's very different. It's difficult to get good pizza. In order to get fusilli--our family's favorite pasta--I have to go to the one Italian deli in town (luckily, it's not too far). I can get Italian cookies at a bakery, or even some grocery stores, but I can't attest to their authenticity--my grandma never made/bought them (we had other dessert-type stuff, including Dunkin' Donuts, but that's because she lived near Boston).

You're going to have better luck asking around locally.

 

[mjkacmom]

It depends where you live, I have an endless supply of Italian bread, pasta and baked goods, at grocery stores, bakeries, delis, pasta shops (we have an entire aisle at our grocery store for pasta and tomato products, so many brands and shaped).

 

[QueenIsabella]

It depends where you live, I have an endless supply of Italian bread, pasta and baked goods, at grocery stores, bakeries, delis, pasta shops (we have an entire aisle at our grocery store for pasta and tomato products, so many brands and shaped).

Seriously, this is one of the things I miss most where I currently live. I took it so for granted when I lived in NY/New England! Up north, you couldn't spit without hitting an amazing bakery or Italian deli!

 

[mjkacmom]

Seriously, this is one of the things I miss most where I currently live. I took it so for granted when I lived in NY/New England! Up north, you couldn't spit without hitting an amazing bakery or Italian deli!

I think this is what folks who leave miss the most. I follow a few NJ Facebook food pages like sandwiches, pizza and hot dogs. I’ve learned that my little town is known for great pizza! I really want to go gluten free (have 2 kids with celiac, I carry the gene, but I love gluten).

 

[QueenIsabella]

There are definitely regional things you take for granted. Just try finding Fluff down here--a hint: it's in the baking aisle, NOT next to the peanut butter! OTOH, the fried chicken is amazing, pretty much anywhere here.

My oldest lives outside of Boston, she's spoiled for choice on Italian bakeries and delis. She has several favorites, within walking distance of her apartment. I shouldn't be surprised--she lives in the same city my grandma did when I was a kid.

 

[lovesmurfs]

My mom is having an Italian themed dinner for Valentine's Day and I would like some ideas and hints on how to make it perfect for her? Mom wants a dinner of pizza and pasta but I can't find any good pastas besides spaghetti and then for dessert she wants Italian cookies and chocolates and I would like to know where to find Italian cookies for our dinner and we also plan to have Italian bread too with dinner. Where can you find good pasta and Italian cookies and chocolates?

It may be late, but if you want to order online, Eataly has a great selection of pasta, cookies, and chocolates.

https://www.eataly.com/us_en

 

[CGB]

Mom wants a dinner of pizza and pasta but I can't find any good pastas besides spaghetti

Maybe I can help with the pasta part of your question. I discovered an easy but impressive pasta dish recently. I made too much spinach-artichoke dip for New Years (easy crock pot recipe), so to use it up I took the leftovers and filled manicotti with it. I lined them up in a casserole dish and covered it with a red meat sauce, baked it and finished it up with some parmesan cheese on top. It was pretty, delish and easy. DH requested it for his birthday next month (it's way too rich for us to eat normally).

 

[mjkacmom]

There are definitely regional things you take for granted. Just try finding Fluff down here--a hint: it's in the baking aisle, NOT next to the peanut butter! OTOH, the fried chicken is amazing, pretty much anywhere here.

My oldest lives outside of Boston, she's spoiled for choice on Italian bakeries and delis. She has several favorites, within walking distance of her apartment. I shouldn't be surprised--she lives in the same city my grandma did when I was a kid.

I have one in Boston for grad school, and one in SC who misses a lot but loves the bbq. She recently decided to eat vegan, she’s gluten free as well so I think it will be short lived.

 

[princesscinderella]

I would check to see if there’s an Italian market/deli in your area. They sometimes have amazing prepared meals you can get. Cannolis are my favorite Italian dessert.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I have one in Boston for grad school, and one in SC who misses a lot but loves the bbq. She recently decided to eat vegan, she’s gluten free as well so I think it will be short lived.

Vegan and gluten free sounds like a tough combination! My oldest is pescatarian--never liked meat, even as a kid--and when she was doing cross country and taking 8 (!) dance classes a week, I would constantly worry about her protein, iron, and calcium consumption. She was/is lactose intolerant, too. She's a very mindful eater, no problems, and at least she can take lactaid--gluten-free people aren't so lucky.

 

[NYCgrrl]

My mom is having an Italian themed dinner for Valentine's Day and I would like some ideas and hints on how to make it perfect for her? Mom wants a dinner of pizza and pasta but I can't find any good pastas besides spaghetti and then for dessert she wants Italian cookies and chocolates and I would like to know where to find Italian cookies for our dinner and we also plan to have Italian bread too with dinner. Where can you find good pasta and Italian cookies and chocolates?

No idea what part of the country you live in so here’s an online shop that could give menu ideas as well as products to buy:

https://www.eataly.com/us_en

GL!

 

[GAN]

If you have the time and patience….

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015181-marcella-hazans-bolognese-sauce

pickup some fresh pasta from your grocery store

 

[lovesmurfs]

It may be late, but if you want to order online, Eataly has a great selection of pasta, cookies, and chocolates.

https://www.eataly.com/us_en

No idea what part of the country you live in so here’s an online shop that could give menu ideas as well as products to buy:

https://www.eataly.com/us_en

GL!

Great minds!

 

[DodgerGirl]

Those sound like good suggestions and we plan to have pizza but the pasta and the desserts are what we are having trouble finding. But Mom has liked the Barrila Pastas and we plan to buy those if we cannot find the pastas. What Italian desserts would be great to have at my Italian Valentine's Day Dinner?. Because so far the only desserts I found were cannolis

 

[AnnaS]

Are you bringing the items or bringing a cooked dish/pasta?

Many groceries stores have Panettone. You sometimes find the cannoli shells and can make your own filling. (Maybe even Costco/they might sell the "kit"). You can also make cream puffs at home - fill with cream or make your own ricotta - you can google recipe. Simple ingredients. They are big on almond cookies - different varieties - but basically made from almond paste (also pignoli, 7 layer).

You can always make lasagna or baked ziti. There is chicken or veal parmigiana. Italian/American dishes. Restaurants in Italy don't even have these items on their menu - at least all the ones we went to recently. They have varieties of pastas with seafood, carbonara, black ink, etc. etc. It all depends on how authentic (region) one wants to get.

It depends on where you live and if you can find an "Italian" shop. Hopefully you can find something at your local grocery store also.

Curious what you will come up with. Good luck!

 

[mjkacmom]

Vegan and gluten free sounds like a tough combination! My oldest is pescatarian--never liked meat, even as a kid--and when she was doing cross country and taking 8 (!) dance classes a week, I would constantly worry about her protein, iron, and calcium consumption. She was/is lactose intolerant, too. She's a very mindful eater, no problems, and at least she can take lactaid--gluten-free people aren't so lucky.

My 22 year old danced (Irish) 6 days a week since elementary, plus xc/track in HS. She was SO tiny and the school bmi report would alway put her off the charts (underweight). She finally hit 100 pounds junior year after a 3 week hiatus due to injuries (she lived in PT, now she’s getting her DPT). I did my best, but now with all of her knowledge from her exercise science degree, she’s appalled at how hard she was on her body, calorie deficits from not eating enough (she didn’t do that on purpose), I think she was one of the tiniest girls in her class (the other was her gymnast friend). She’s still a gym rat (but into body building) and running, but is very into clean eating, rarely eats meat, and looks very healthy (albeit small). I think the women in our family could survive a pescatarian diet (we love seafood) but yes, dairy would be so missed! I’m glad your daughter has a fix for that.

 

[mjkacmom]

Those sound like good suggestions and we plan to have pizza but the pasta and the desserts are what we are having trouble finding. But Mom has liked the Barrila Pastas and we plan to buy those if we cannot find the pastas. What Italian desserts would be great to have at my Italian Valentine's Day Dinner?. Because so far the only desserts I found were cannolis

Tiramisu.

 

[PollyannaMom]

What Italian desserts would be great to have at my Italian Valentine's Day Dinner?. Because so far the only desserts I found were cannolis

I do like cannolis, but you could see if a local bakery has an "Italian cookie platter" or check the ice cream section of your grocery story for gelato. You might find frozen tiramisu as well.