This year, I was my own Valentine.  I decided to spoil myself with a tasty dinner since I’ve been pretty good about sticking with my diet, and one day off wouldn’t kill me but would make me happier.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The menu?

• Sugar snap peas sauteed in butter, garlic (3 cloves!) and sherry
• Filet mignon seared with Hawaiian Ono Seasoning Salt, then baked to medium-rare, served with ponzu dipping sauce
• Mashed yukon gold potatoes made with butter, milk, and five spice powder
• A 2003 Priorat that left a little to be desired, but was fine
• Green & Black’s dark chocolate with cherries for dessert

The whole meal complemented itself very well.  Ponzu’s zingy flavor cut the richness of the steak and all the butter.  The five spice powder in the mashed potatoes added a nuttiness and emphasized the sweet, richness of the potatoes.  The peas were only cooked the bare minimum necessary and had just enough pungent garlic and a little bit of a rich juicy, sauce.

Highly recommended.

Many of my male friends were quite jealous of my dinner, needless to say.