I shared our Romantic outdoor dinner at home tablescape yesterday and now I am sharing the details of all the food! As the sun started to set we started the grill. Our Romantic outdoor grilled dinner and dessert turned out so delicious!
Romantic outdoor grilled dinner menu
Grilling food is our all time favorite way to cook! On the menu we had halibut, corn on the cob, asparagus and a green salad. Recipes will be at the end of this post. The veggies have such a sweetness to them when grilled over the fire as does the fish, chicken or pork. Simply sprinkle some seasonings and a little drizzle of olive oil and you’ve got some great grilled food. Awhile back I shared a delicious grilled Lemon Thyme chicken recipe here that you might like.
The salad is a mixture of spinach and arugula and then I added in mandarin oranges, grapes, avocado and honey roasted sliced almonds. For the dressing I used Briannas NEW blueberry balsamic vinaigrette. OH it is so good!!
I just loved how the table looked when the sun set! Can’t get enough of the glowing votive candles against my purple goblets.
Simple details like velvet ribbon tied around flatware and linen napkins make it feel so special and romantic.
Romantic Outdoor Dessert
In Courtney Allison’s book French Country Cottage Inspired Gatherings she shares some beautiful layered cakes. So I decided to make one myself. My hubby said it was one of the best I have made!
This cake is made using a box mix, pudding, sour cream, lemon water, and 4 eggs. It makes the cake mix rich and moist. In between each layer I spread raspberry jam and a buttercream and cream cheese lemon frosting. Is your mouth watering yet? The decoration on the top of the cake is a sprig of rosemary, fresh blueberries and a faux peony flower.
I served the cake on a wooden slab and surrounded the cake with fresh mint leaves and rosemary from my garden. Adding fresh greens of any type just makes everything look so elegant!
You can see the slices of cake here with the raspberry jam in between the layers. You don’t need a lot just a small amount to give it a little more flavor.
It was a perfect ending to a perfect Romantic outdoor grilled dinner 🙂
Recipes
Grilled halibut and veggies
Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
- 2 pieces Halibut fish Rinse off with water and pat dry with paper towel
- 1 tbsp Olive oil rub all over the fish, drizzle of veggies
- sprinkle Webers Beer Can Chicken Seasoning sprinkle all over fish, asparagus and corn
- sprinkle McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite marinade seasoning sprinkle all over fish (do not use entire package save for another use)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt Sprinkle over the fish, asparagus and corn
- 2 pieces Corn on the cob
- 1 bunch asparagus As many as you would like
Instructions
- Rinse fish off in water, pat dry with paper towel. Rub fish with olive oil, drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the fish. Sprinkle with seasonings and kosher salt. Let marinate for 15 min or an hour in fridge. While Fish is marinating prepare vegetables- For asparagus- cut off woody ends, rinse well in water, place in a micorwaveable dish, drizzle olive oil and Beer Can Chicken Seasoning and kosher salt. Microwave for approx. 2 min. until slightly tender. (By doing this you don't need to grill very long and they won't dry out)For Corn on the Cob- Husk the corn, rub with some olive oil or butter if you prefer, add Beer can Chicken seasoning and kosher salt. Grilling-Hot grill, keep the lid open/off once it is hot. Halibut- When grilling fish it only takes a few minutes per side depending on the thickness. You don't want the fish to be dry. Grill 2-3 mintutes per side flippping once.Place Corn on the grill and turn every so often so it gets the dark grill marks on each piece. approx 4-5 min total Asparagus- Put on the grill and turn once or twice 3-5 mintues depending on how thick the asparagus are.
Layered Lemon Raspberry Cake
Equipment
- 2 6" cake pans
Ingredients
- 1 box Pillsbury vanilla cake mix
- 1 box Jello instant cheese cake pudding mix 3.4 ounce
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 Cup sour cream
- 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 Cup lemon water (fresh squeezed lemon mixed with water)
- 3 Cups Powder sugar
- 1/2 Cup Butter Softened
- 1/2 Cup Cream Cheese softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp cream or whole milk Add more or less depending on desired consistency
- 3 tbsp raspberry jam spread between layers of cake
- zest zest of one lemon
Instructions
Making the cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare cake pans with baking spray oil or oil and flour. In a mixer add the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, lemon water and sour cream. Mix well. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when touched.Let cool for 15 minutes. Flip cakes out of pans onto aluminum foil. Once cakes are fully cooled, cut each cake in half to make four layers. Place one layer on cake stand, spread raspberry jam and follow with frosting adding another layer of cake and repeating until top layer. No jam on top layer. Frost entire cake, scraping off sides to look like a naked cake. Top cake with a few fresh blueberries, a sprig of rosemary and a faux flower or real roses (Make sure flowers are not poisinous.)
Frosting
- In a mixer add 3 cups powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, vanilla and milk or creama and zest from one lemon. Mix until light and fluffy. You can add more milk or cream if it is too stiff or add more powdered sugar if it is too runny.
- Removing cakes from pans. Brush off any loose crumbs as best as you can. Cut each layer in half so you end up with four layers.
- Spread frosting in between each layer.
- Tip- Place pieces of aluminum foil around base before you place cake so when you frost it does not get on plate.
Dinner sounds delicious, and that cake? Oh my, four layers! Thank you so much for sharing with Whimsy Home Wednesday!
Such a great idea! I love the table setting.
Thank you soo much 🙂
What a lovely table, Karin!! Everything looks amazing..and that cake!! That is so pretty. I love those purple colored wine glasses as well. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you Rachel 🙂
I’m sure you already know that I and everyone else that sees it is IN LOVE WITH THIS TABLE!!! Thank you for sharing it on Farmhouse Friday. I can hardly wait to feature it tomorrow! And the recipes sound amazing! pinned
Thank you so much Cindy! I really loved how it turned out too! It makes me so happy to know so many like it too! ❤️ This just made my day!
Hugs,
Karin
Karin this is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing and I happy to be featuring you in my weekly link party today! https://www.ourtinynest.com/2023/02/01/weekly-link-party-333/
I am crossing my fingers it’s warm enough to do something similar for my husband for Valentine’s Day <3
Have a good week!
This makes me long for summer evenings and entertaining! Beautiful!
Karin, what a beautiful evening, and that cake looks amazing! I would love to share your post in my weekly roundup this Saturday!
I love this table every time I see it. I just want to sit there for hours and the food looks absolutely delicious! XO- MaryJo
Thank you so much MaryJo! You made my day!
Looks like such a lovely evening! What a pretty table setting. All the food looks delicious – and oh, my, that cake! It looks absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party community. Have a lovely week ahead!
Thank you April L) it really turned out so amazing. You would have thought a card table out in the back yard could be so romantic and enchanting? I appreciate you stopping by 🙂
Hugs,
Karin
Thank you so much!
Hugs,
Karin
Let me start by telling your what is my favorite–everything. The tablesettings and the food!
Have a great week,
Kippi
Awww Thank you so much Kippi! You made my day!
Karin
Everything looks so delicious and beautiful!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
This is gorgeous!! and oh man, do my hubby and I need a romantic dinner for two! lol… maybe in 2021?!
Kalyn,
Thank you for your sweet comments 🙂 Yes take the time to have a romantic dinner for two. It was so nice to relax, have music playing in the background and just enjoy the moment. Let me know if you plan one!
Karin
How delicious! And that cake! Wow! I love the candlelight too!
That cake was seriously the best one I have made in awhile. So delicious! It really was fun to have our little romantic dinner outside and just relax in our own backyard 🙂
Karin
I’ll be right over! What a great set up – so perfect for entertaining or just enjoying the evening with family! Great post!
Thank you so much! It was so much fun to do!
Karin
I just love this post! The food sounds delicious and your pictures are beautiful!!
Thank You Hannah 🥰
This made me so hungry! What a beautiful set up your created to go along with your delicious looking food!
Thank you! 🥰 The food turned out so good!
Karin
Karin,
This is so dreamy and inspiring. I love your beautiful tablescape. I’ve been wanting to grill some fish lately and your post has reminded me that its time. Thanks!
Hi Suzy! It turned out so much better than I thought it would and the food was perfect! Yes get some fish and grill it for sure! It’s the best!
Karin
This is so beautiful, and it made me so hungry! Such a perfect atmosphere! We are starting a new link party tomorrow. Embracing Home and Family LInk Party at https://www.theeverydayfarmhouse.com I would love it if you would join us!