Set the table for romance with a delicious date night at home

(Family Features) Planning a delicious, romantic date night doesn’t have to take you any further than your own kitchen. You don’t have to be an accomplished chef to set the table for romance, but you can take inspiration from simple, quality Italian dishes to celebrate the link between food and love.

As these recipes show, a romantic meal can be ready in minutes or, like a great love story, simmered to perfection. To plan the ultimate date night at home, start by choosing one of these dreamy main dishes made with mouthwatering sauces.

Flavorful sauces make a great Italian meal, but the sauce doesn’t need to be made from scratch (at least, not completely). For example, Bertolli d’Italia sauces are made in Italy for authentically delicious flavor. They are crafted with tomatoes vine-ripened under the Italian sun, finely aged Italian cheeses, fresh cream and Mediterranean olive oil. The result is a sauce that’s perfect for your date-night meal.

Once you select your main course, prepare a simple salad of greens with a drizzle of Italian vinaigrette or Caesar dressing. Pop a loaf of bakery-fresh Italian or focaccia bread into the oven to warm through and serve with butter or olive oil for dipping. If you’re so inclined, cap off the meal with a classic Italian dessert from your local bakery, like tiramisu, cannoli or a creamy panna cotta topped with fresh fruit.

Find more romantic dishes perfect for sharing at Bertolli.com.

Italian Sausage Spinach and Tomato Rigatoni

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

• Water
• 1/2 box rigatoni pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 16 ounces sweet Italian sausage
• 1 jar Bertolli d'Italia Marinara Sauce
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Bring large stockpot of water to boil. Boil rigatoni pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until vegetables start to brown. Add Italian sausage and cook until done, breaking into small pieces. Add sauce and bring to low boil.
3. Add baby spinach. Cook until spinach is mostly wilted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Add drained pasta to pan with sausage and sauce. Toss and divide between plates. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
• salt, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 jar Bertolli d'Italia Marinara Sauce
• 2 cups beef bone broth
• water
• 24 ounces pappardelle pasta or preferred pasta
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Season short ribs with salt and ground black pepper, to taste. Place one layer of short ribs in pot. Set remaining ribs aside.
3. Cook ribs 3-4 minutes per side until browned. Transfer to plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining short ribs.
4. Add celery, carrots and onion to pot used to brown ribs. Stir and cook until vegetables are browned, about 15 minutes.
5. Add garlic and stir 1-2 minutes. Add tomato paste. Cook 2-3 minutes.
6. Carefully pour red wine into pot.
7. Stir and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pot. Cook 3-4 minutes until wine is almost completely absorbed into vegetables.
8. Add rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves to pot. Add sauce, bone broth and browned ribs. Cover pot and place in oven 2 1/2-3 hours, or until ribs are fall-apart tender.
9. Remove pot from oven. Transfer ribs to plate or cutting board. Remove and discard herb stems and bay leaves. Remove bones from ribs then shred meat into bite-sized pieces using two forks or tongs. Return shredded ribs to pot with ragu. Stir to combine. Set aside.
10. Bring large stockpot of water to boil. Boil pappardelle pasta until al dente. Add drained pasta to pot with beef ragu and toss until combined.
11. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Creamy Italian Garlic Chicken Pasta

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 6 fresh basil leaves, sliced
• 1 jar Bertolli d'Italia Creamy Rosa Sauce
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• water
• 1/2 box Casarecce or preferred pasta
• parsley, for garnish
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. In saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Season chicken with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Sear chicken breasts on both sides until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add garlic and onions to hot pan. Cook until starting to brown. Add sun-dried tomatoes, capers and basil; stir. Add sauce and heavy cream; cook until mixture starts boiling.
3. Bring large stockpot of water to boil. Boil Casarecce pasta until al dente. Divide pasta between two plates. Place one chicken breast over pasta on each plate and top with additional sauce, parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Source: Bertolli

(Family Features) When your taste buds can’t settle on just one flavor, a fusion dish may be just the answer. Fusion dishes combine some of the best ethnic culinary traditions from around the world, and Asian influences are among the most popular building blocks for fusion cuisine.

One secret to achieving great fusion dishes is the use of cooking wines. For many chefs and home cooks alike, cooking wine is a go-to cooking essential because it can be used in everyday meals. With its versatile array of uses, an option like Holland House®, a line of flavor-enhancing, premium cooking wines, can boost any dish with one of five flavors including Marsala, Sherry, White, Red and White with Lemon.

In addition to these featured dishes, you can find more quick tips for boosting the flavor of your everyday meals on the label of each bottle and explore more recipes at HollandHouseFlavors.com.

Sweet and Spicy Korean-Chinese Fusion Cauliflower Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4, about 1 1/2 cups per portion

• 6          cups fresh cauliflower florets
• 2          tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1          teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4       cup Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine
• 1/4       cup honey
• 2          tablespoons soy sauce
• 1          tablespoon white vinegar
• 2          teaspoons cornstarch
• 2          tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1          small fresh yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1          tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1          tablespoon Korean-style chili flakes
• 1/4       cup chopped fresh green onions
• 1          tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. In large bowl, toss cauliflower, sesame oil and salt until well coated. Arrange on nonstick baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.
3. In small bowl, whisk cooking wine, honey, soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch until well blended; set aside.
4. In large, nonstick skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add yellow onions and garlic; cook 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in chili flakes and wine mixture.
5. Return pan to stove and adjust to medium heat. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring 1-2 minutes, or until thickened. Add cooked cauliflower; stir gently to coat.
6. Transfer cauliflower to serving dish. Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Tips: The sauce mixture can also be used on chicken wings or grilled pork chops. In place of Korean-style chili flakes, use 1 teaspoon regular crushed red pepper flakes or 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper.

Lettuce-Wrapped Korean Short Ribs

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinating
Cook time: 4 minutes
Servings: 4, about 6 ounces (pre-cooked) per portion

• 3          tablespoons packed dark brown sugar, divided
• 2          teaspoons kosher salt
• 1          teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2       teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2    pounds thinly sliced, boneless beef short ribs
• 1          cup Holland House Marsala Cooking Wine
• 6          tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/4       cup roasted garlic paste
• 2          tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2       cup chopped green onions, divided
• 1          teaspoon cornstarch
• 1          head fresh romaine lettuce, separated into large leaves         
• 1/2       cup sliced fresh red radishes
• 1/2       cup shredded fresh carrots dipping sauce

1. In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle evenly over short rib slices, gently rubbing into both sides. Place in re-sealable plastic bag.
2. In bowl, whisk cooking wine, sesame oil, garlic paste, soy sauce and remaining brown sugar. Pour half of mixture into bag with meat and add 1/4 cup green onions. To marinate, refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
3. In small saucepan, whisk remaining wine mixture and cornstarch until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Cook 1 minute, or until thickened, stirring constantly. Set aside until cool. Stir in 2 tablespoons green onions.
4. Heat grill to medium-high.
5. Remove ribs from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Discard marinade. Grill 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
6. Cut ribs into 1-inch pieces. Serve with remaining green onions, lettuce, radishes, carrots and warm dipping sauce.

Tips: For fusion tacos, substitute corn or flour tortillas for lettuce leaves. In place of garlic paste, 2 tablespoons minced garlic can be substituted.

Sizzling Asian Vegetable Fried Rice with Savory White Wine Glaze

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Servings: 4-6, about 1 cup per portion

• 2          tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1          tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/2       cup fresh chopped yellow onions
• 1          cup fresh small white mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2       cup chopped fresh carrots
• 1/2       cup chopped fresh zucchini
• 1/2       cup chopped fresh red bell peppers
• 1/2       cup chopped fresh yellow bell peppers
• 3          cups cold, cooked, long-grain white rice
• 1/2       cup Holland House White Cooking Wine
• 2          tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/2       cup fresh green onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2          teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/4       teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Heat heavy-bottomed, nonstick skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil, garlic and onions. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, red bell peppers and yellow bell peppers; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add rice; stir-fry 3 minutes.
2. Add cooking wine; stir-fry 2 minutes, or until dry. Add oyster sauce; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in green onions, sesame oil and black pepper. Transfer to dish or bowl and serve.

Tip: To turn into a main course, add cooked beef, chicken or pork and serve topped with a fried egg.

Source: Holland House