TV Dinner for Two

Would you like a coffee table for two? Huh, you say? Well, let me explain. On a recent Mother/Daughter night, we opted to stay in, have a homemade meal and watch a movie together. So we had a tv dinner for two. It was a glorious night with Princess Van Gogh who also loves Olive Garden. So we prepared our very own replica meal as if we were in the restaurant – only better!

We set our place settings on the coffee table in front of the tv. I added an old Chianti Wine Bottle with a candle for a simple touch.

I used my Tuscan Italian dishes with espresso cups.

We simply moved the coffee table decor out of the way and got ready for our night in.

This is my oil and vinegar caddy, bought in a little village in Tuscany. Lucky me…it matches my dishes perfectly.

We prepared a simple marinara sauce, baked some frozen breadsticks from New York Bakery, picked up from Piggly Wiggly and made a simple salad.

Another purchase for an easy tv dinner night was Olive Garden’s Salad Dressing

The perfect match to our Italian dinner was this Allegrini Valpolicella.

The Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

8 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup shredded carrots

fresh oregano, basil and thyme to taste

Parmesan Cheese, grated for topping

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

Instructions:

Heat oil in a dutch oven and add onions, carrots and celery. Saute for about 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant – about 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and fresh herbs except for basil. Simmer for about 30 minutes and add basil right before plating. You can add cooked pasta to the sauce, or plate it and top with sauce.

One quick tip: I read somewhere ages ago, that you don’t have to wait for the water to boil in a huge pasta pot to cook your pasta. Add pasta to a large skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn to low. Stir frequently to separate the pasta and keep it from sticking. It cooks quickly and there’s no “watched pot never boils” syndrome!

Movie Night

We decided on the movie, Boyhood, which we had recorded and saved on our DVR. It was a great choice and a fabulous movie. If you’ve not seen it, I highly recommend it!

So… No it wasn’t a fancy meal. But it wasn’t a frozen dinner either. We had a fun night together and both felt special as we sat together at the coffee table. So yes, coffee table for two… any day of the week is fine with me!

Linking with these utterly fabulous parties:

Celebrate Your Story, Mommy Moments, Rustic and Refined, Coastal Charm,