Valentine's dinner for 2

It’s a Wednesday, but that won’t stop you from celebrating Valentine’s Day with your one and only, and why should it? Making a cozy, candlelit dinner doesn’t have to be a drag. It’s easier than you may think. The two recipes—appetizer and main course--won’t take more than 30 minutes to cook and you don’t have to compromise on taste either, so don’t sweat it. Consider this a cooking cheat sheet. As for the dessert, pick some cute cupcakes or donuts on your way back home from work. We recommend you place an order beforehand. Stay tuned till the end of the article for our top picks.

Appetizer: Shrimp cups

You’ll need: The crust2 tortillas 1 tbsp butter, melted 8 small glass cupsThe shrimps8 medium-sized shrimps ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp paprika ¼ tsp chilli powder 1 clove garlic, chopped ½ tbsp lemon juice ½ tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper to tasteThe salsa1 avocado, diced ½ cup tomatoes, diced ½ tbsp lemon juice ½ cup red onion, diced ¼ cup cilantro, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Coat your tortillas with melted butter on both sides and cut them into four equal slices. Now take each quarter and lay it in the cups. Bake at 190-degrees for 10 minutes. In a bowl, take your de-shelled shrimps and add the rest of the ingredients except for olive oil. On a pan, add olive oil and fry the shrimps on low heat, one minute on each side. Once done, take it off the heat and let it cool. In a different bowl, take the diced avocado and tomatoes and start adding all the ingredients for the salsa. Now all you need to do is layer them up. Take your bread cups and put one layer of the salsa, and one shrimp on top. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream (optional), and a drizzle of lemon juice.

Main course: One-pot chicken-mushroom fettuccine alfredo

You’ll need:4 cups of fettuccine, boiled 2 cups of chicken breast, diced 2 cups of canned mushroom, diced 1 tsp butter 2 tsp flour 2 cups of milk 1 cup grated cheddar 1 cup grated mozzarella 1 cup grated parmesan 4 medium-sized onion, diced 4 garlic cloves, chopped ½ tsp fresh parsley, chopped (dried parsley will do too) 2 tsp olive oil Salt and pepper to tasteDirections: Boil your fettuccine and set aside. Next, add some olive oil in a pan and throw in the chopped garlic. After a minute or two, add the diced onions and slowly add the chicken. Flip the pieces and cook the chicken on both sides for two minutes. Toss in the diced mushroom and let it cook for one more minute. Set it aside for now. Now, take another pan and heat the butter. As soon as it melts, add the flour and keep mixing it into the butter. Before the runny consistency thickens, add the milk and there you have it—the cream for your pasta. Now slowly add everything else into the mix—the boiled pasta and the fried chicken-mushroom. Add the cheddar and mozzarella, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, along with the chopped parsley and mix everything well together. You’re almost there; add the parmesan and give it one last stir. Oh cheesy goodness, it tastes as good as it smells.

5 best cupcakes, donuts and desserts

GlazedWhether you have your eyes on their Cookies and Cream, Dazzled, or Double Chocolate donuts, they’ll never fail to amaze you. Top notch quality paired with top notch taste. 1^st Floor, KB Square 736 Satmasjid Road, Dhaka DCC Market Gulshan 2, DhakaTastebudNutella Cupcake, Peanut Butter Cupcake, Butterscotch Cupcake, you name it, they have it. House 52, Road 12/A Block H, Banani, DhakaSecret RecipeTheir Oreo Cheesecake is arguably one of the best in town; why not surprise your Valentine with a slice of this goodness? House 54, Road 10A Dhanmondi, DhakaBittersweet CafeLet their Chocolate Truffle or Caramel Cupcake sweep your Valentine off their feet. House 10, Road 53 Gulshan 2, DhakaSilver LiningCupcakes and desserts come in all shapes, colours and sizes at this online bakery (pre-order based). facebook.com/64silverlining/