For Valentines Day and beyond, look for easy recipes. They can be assembled quickly with few ingredients. You can find yummy ideas in some unexpected places.
For example, in the Dockside Dining… Back for Thirds cookbook, recipes were designed for backyard barbequing, tailgating, and simplicity for travelers, particularly on board on on the shore for boaters. But these recipes are easy to do indoors in a traditional kitchen, too! 
So many of them are perfect for pairing with your favorite wines or bubbly, too! For example, here’s a recipe from the Appetizers section.
Super Simple Surfside Crabmeat
Super Simple Surfside Crabmeat
¼ c butter
1 c chopped sweet onion
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ c white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay)
1 lb fresh lump crabmeat (drained)
3 T mayonnaise
¼ tsp paprika plus a dash or 2 cayenne pepper
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1-2 green onions, thinly sliced (green portions)
Melt butter in grill-safe skillet or heavy foil pan over med heat. Add onion & garlic; sauté 2-3 min till onions are tender. Add wine; stir for 1 min. Gently stir in crabmeat; remove from heat. Stir in mayo, seasonings, and parsley. Serve directly from the skillet or foil pan with buttery crackers, pita crisps, tortilla chips or melba toasts. Or spoon into mini phyllo pastry cups. Makes about 2½ cups.
KISS Tips: Try sprinkling a bit of shredded coconut, chopped or sliced almonds, or some panko bread crumbs on top. Or turn this into a brunch or lunch entrée by spooning over warm rice.
Serve some of this to your sweetheart!
Check Dockside Dining out. It’s available in both paperback and digital formats. More than 200 Super Simple recipes are packed into the sweet little 5×8″ size!
There are salads like Orange You Glad You Like Melon and Far Out Far Eastern Chicken Salad. Brunch delights include French Toast Timboo Tavern, the Egg McMushroom Sandwich, and Berried Bacon Waffle Treasures. Other appetizers range from Crabby Bon Bons, Bacon-Stuffed Mushrooms, and Pears in a Blanket to Peachy Brie Bites and Roasted Pecan Crystals. There’s also an amazing Seafood Crisp a la Kretch’s Marco Island and a Sassy Super Hero Dip. Among the stellar entrees is the Sail Away Salmon, Riviera Rack of Lamb, and Cathy’s Lime Pepper Shrimp and Scallops. There are plenty of veggies and sides, soups, lunch ideas,and some saucy condiments. Of course, there are more than 30 sweet treats for dessert… or whenever. Some favorites are the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Dip, Super Simple Peach Cobbler, and a cake treat called For the Love of Eclair. Oh, yeah!!!
