Simple Dinner for Two + Recipe

Welcome, Friends, to 2023. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year celebrating with Friends, Family or a special Someone. We had a quiet New Year, just Hubby and I and are now ready to begin 2023. I decided to start of the New Year with an intimate dinner for two. Dinner doesn’t have to be an elaborate undertaking. If you’re with the right person, soup and salad can be an event. That’s what we decided on for this meal…homemade tomato soup, a lovely salad with homemade dressing and a loaf of crisp French bread. This will be a perfect light supper for two. I’ll include the recipe at the end of the post for Tomato Soup.

I started the table setting with a simple bowl of flowers. Roses, chrysanthemums, and a couple of other flowers make up the bouquet. The flowers are flanked by simple brass candlesticks with white candles.

Two places were set starting with a brocade placemat in silver and gold. A napkin shot with the same gold color separates the pottery soup bowl from the salad plate. The salad plate sits on a dinner plate showing a winter fox enjoying the snow.

Water goblets and wine glasses in Mikasa’s Park Lane pattern are used for the crystal.

Here’s a close-up of the flatware with burnished handles that work well with the winter scene.

The plate stack sports snowflakes and stars.

The plate stack started with a hand thrown pottery soup bowl. Next came the salad/dessert plate with a central silver star and a border of silver on the outer and inner rims. The dinner plate shows a beautiful snow-covered fox.

The candles were lit and a lovely, simple dinner for two was ready to enjoy.

Our simple dinner consisted of homemade tomato soup garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh basil, a tasty salad with homemade dressing and crusty French bread straight from the oven.

Dessert was apple strudel served warm. I’ll include the recipe for the tomato soup. It’s simple and delicious with a bit of a kick.

A couple of candles, a few flowers, a simple menu and you have a romantic dinner for two without much effort. This simple setting is also frugal since most everything was thrifted. Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.

Recipe for Tomato Soup (takes 30 minutes total time)(This recipe is from The House on Silverado)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion diced

2 – 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup half & half or heavy cream (I use heavy cream)

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a stock pot or dutch oven (I used a large, deep, pan about 5 qts.), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauce for 30 seconds. Add onion and cook, stirring as needed, until translucent.

Add tomatoes (do not drain), stock, and sugar. Bring to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Add the cream, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt/pepper.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth or use a blender.

Serve in soup bowls, add parmesan cheese and fresh basil as garnish. Serve with hot bread.

Enjoy!