How2Coupon: Happy Valentine's Day!

My husband and I will be bringing the kiddos along to Qdoba tonight to celebrate Valentine's Day. Exciting, I know! I hope you all having fun and enjoying the ones you love. Valentine's Day doesn't need to be extravagant to be special. The hubs loves his Snickerdoodle cookies, so a big plate of them (heart-shaped, of course) will be waiting for him when he gets home! My eldest son enjoyed using the cookie cutter, and it was fun for him to be a "helper".

I made these delicious Boston Cream Pie cupcakes for the Superbowl party this year, and they were a hit. Trust me, they're easier to make than they look and oh-so-yummy.

And, if you're looking for some last-minute for a special dinner at home tonight, I highly recommend this Pork Tenderloin with Pear Brandy Sauce recipe:

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch slices
4 Tbls. butter
4 firm but ripe, large Anjou pears; peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup pear nectar (not completely necessary)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
1 1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 cup pear brandy, or peach schnapps, brandy, coconut rum, etc.
1 cup whipping cream

1) Place pork slices between plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the slices to 1/4-inch thickness.
2) Melt 2 Tbls. butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add pears and sugar, and saute until pears are tender and a deep golden color (about 8 minutes).
3) Melt 1 Tbls. butter in another non-stick large pan over high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper, and working in batches, add pork and saute until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and cover. Reduce head to medium and melt 1 Tbls. butter. Add shallots and thyme and saute for 2 minutes. Add brandy (or your alcohol of choice) and boil to reduce to a glaze, scraping up any browned bits (about 2 minutes). Add cream and nectar (if desired) and boil until thickened to a sauce, about 5 minutes. Season as desired.
4) Spoon pears onto a plate and arrange pork, then top with the sauce. I like to serve this dish with a side of mashed potatoes or mushroom risotto (as shown) and a green salad. Enjoy!