3 Destination-Inspired Meals to Make Your Love This Valentine's Day

Sure, you could buy your beloved a box of chocolates or treat them to dinner at a fancy restaurant. But anyone can do that. Why not find a new way to impress your sweetheart this Valentine's Day and show them what you can do in the kitchen?

Don't consider yourself a chef? Don't know what to make? We've got you. Chefs at our properties in Tucson, Montreal and San Francisco have provided recipes for a romantic breakfast, an impressive dinner and a delicious dessert — all three inspired by their destinations and perfect for a Valentine's Day meal or special treat any time you're feeling the love.

A Romantic Breakfast

Green Chile & Cheese Tamale from Tucson

These locally made, organic, GMO-free Tucson Tamales are topped with over medium eggs and ranchero sauce on a bed of Anazasi beans. They feature tamales from Loews Ventana Canyon Resort Flavor partner, Tucson Tamale Company. The dish is available at Canyon Cafe.

Ranchero Sauce

- 10 oz tomato juice
- 10 oz water
- 1 poblano pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ yellow onion
- 2 oz dried chili
- salt and pepper

1. In a larger pot, bring all ingredients to a boil.
2. Lower heat and simmer until ingredients are tender.
3. Once tender transfer into blender (2 batches).
4. Puree until smooth and then push through strainer into bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Anasazi Beans

- 8 oz dried Anasazi beans (can substitute with Pinto beans)
- ½ yellow onion

1. For a faster cook time, soak beans overnight.
2. Combine beans and onion into large pot and cover with water and bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat and simmer until tender.
4. Strain and transfer to bowl.

Tamales

- 2 Green Chile & Cheese 'The Green Corn Tamale' (can be purchased online at Tucson Tamale or at select local grocery stores nationwide)

1. In a small nonstick pan, sear tamales on each side for about one minute per side.

Over Medium Eggs

- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ oz cooking oil

1. In a small nonstick pan, cook eggs to desired temp with cooking oil over a medium heat

Plating & Garnish

- 1 bundle cilantro
- 1 avocado
- 2 oz Cotija cheese (can substitute any Mexican cheese)

1. On a large round plate, ladle out 3 oz of ranchero sauce.
2. Using a large spoon, place one spoonful of Anasazi beans in the middle of ranchero sauce.
3. Stack tamales around beans.
4. Garnish with smashed avocado and fresh cilantro and finish off with Cotija cheese.

An Impressive Dinner

Mussels Diablo with Flatbread from San Francisco

 "This flatbread has a mussels dip and is inspired by our mussels diablo, with harissa and arugula," says Chef Howard Ko of The Bear & Monarch at Loews Regency San Francisco. Chef Ko makes his own grilled focaccia bread for this, so either make your own or pick up a fresh batch dusted with olive oil and coarse salt.

Mussels Diablo

- 1 lb Washington mussels
- ½ cup capers
- 1 quart of sliced shallots
- ½ cup garlic
- 3 pinches chili flakes
- 3 cups of white wine
- 2 tbsp. harissa paste
- 1 pint canned San Marzano tomatoes, blended
- 4 anchovies, chopped
- 2 tbsp. each of fresh oregano, parsley and chives, chopped
- flatbread or foccacia
- ricotta
- prosciutto
- arugula

1. Start with a very hot pot, smoking, and add a little bit of olive oil
2. Quickly add in shallots and garlic
3. Before the mixture changes color, add white wine
4. Add mussels and rest of ingredients
5. Take off the heat and season with salt when all mussels have opened
6. Once the mixture has cooled, take mussels out and reserve
7. Hand-blend reserved tomato mixture to combine and reserve warm
8. Take your focaccia or flatbread and spread it with some soft ricotta, your cleaned mussels, prosciutto and arugula
9. Serve your blended tomato diablo mixture on the side as a dip for your flatbread. Enjoy!

A Delicious Dessert

Lemon Meringue Pie from Montreal

 This beautiful pastry creation is by Anthony Picard, Pastry Chef at La Société, located at Loews Hotel Vogue in Montreal. Naturally, the French roots of the city make it a super romantic spot for a getaway, or late-night date huddled together in a bistro. Or, follow Chef Picard's recipe below to whip this up at home. Since the recipe originates from Canada, it uses metric measurements. Click here to find measurement conversions.

Sugar Crust

- 250g sugar
- 280g butter
- 100g egg
- 5g salt
- 500g flour

1. Mix the butter, salt and sugar to make a smooth and even texture.
2. Add the eggs and the flour.
3. Refrigerate about 1 hour before pressing the crust.
4. With your fingertips, press dough at the bottom of a pie plate.
5. Bake about 10 minutes at 375°F

Lemon Cream

- 500g lemon juice
- 750g egg
- 650g sugar
- 7 gelatin sheets
- 800g unsalted butter

1. Using a mixer, mix lemon juice, eggs and sugar until it reaches a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius.
2. Beforehand, soak the gelatin in cold water and then wring it out and mix it with the lemon juice.
3. Cool the mixture by mixing it up to 40 degrees Celsius and add the butter little by little.
4. Pour the lemon cream into the cooked pie shell and let cool about 1 hour.

Italian Meringue

- 85g water
- 400 g sugar
- 200g egg white

1. Heat the sugar and water to 116 degrees Celsius.
2. At the same time, whisk the egg whites and pour the sugar and water mixture directly onto the whites.
3. Allow to beat at full speed until the meringue has cooled.
4. Put in a piping bag and garnish the lemon pie.
5. Lightly heat the meringue with a torch and serve.

Happy cooking and Happy Valentine's Day!