Happy Valentine’s Day.

Yes it is commercialised. Yes, it’s over-rated. Yes, it shouldn’t be the only day to treat your partner nice. And yes, it’s perfect excuse to cook something you normally wouldn’t.

# – Bacon wrapped chicken thighs with grey oyster mushroom & herb stuffing, served with roasted potatoes and steamed peas.

Inspired by the Hairy Bikers’ Patagonian Lamb, Gordon Ramsey’s Beef Wellington, and #bbqaddicts’ Rolling Pin, I embarked on a Valentine’s Day Dinner challenge armed with frozen chicken thighs, wilted grey oyster mushrooms, half-dead sprigs of dill, loads of dried herbs and courage the size of planet Jupiter (for daring to mess with the man’s bacon ration).

The result? Perfectly browned bacons with slightly crisp fat, enveloping tender chicken thigh flavoured by chopped mushrooms and herbs. Self-praise is no praise, but man it’s delicious! I’d definitely stock up on more frozen meats, as long as you treat them right, they’ll treat you well right back :)

And oh, I deboned chicken thighs for the very first time with guidance from this very noisy but truly gem of a deboning tutorial…

Thanks, Chef Vy!

As for desserts…I made simple chocolate sugar cookies. Recipe called for creaming of butter and sugar but alas, I’ve yet to acquire an electrical mixer and so did it with my bare hands.

# – Cranking it.

It was tough…and so I got the BF’s mom to help out. I know how the wrist brace makes the picture looks like it came out of a domestic abuse prevention pamphlet but no old ladies were harmed during the production of the chocolate sugar cookies. It was all consensual!!!!

# – Thank you Susan!

I hmmm over-baked the first batch, so I ended up with a batch of chocolate flavoured jaw breakers. Though I must say, once made contact with saliva and softened up, they were pretty delicious! /defensive mode on.

# – Of course must cut heart shapes la…

# – I can be romantic also, you know!

So there, Happy Valentine’s Day. Hope you’ve had a good one too ;)