Looking to stay at home this Valentine’s Day and swoon with your sweetie over a home-cooked meal?  This romantic dinner menu starring T-bone steak with Parmesan-crusted mushrooms is made for sharing.  Add a bottle of wine and candlelight – cupid will be calling.

A T-Bone steak is perfect for a pair, because it’s actually two steaks in one: a tenderloin and a top loin, separated by the T-shaped bone.  Season the steak and broil about 15 to 20 minutes, turning only once.  It will be cooked to a juicy, flavorful medium rare to medium doneness.  You’ll just have to decide who gets which steak!

While the steak cooks, there’s time to prepare a decadent – but easy – accompaniment.  Mushrooms are sautéed then topped with a buttery Parmesan cheese-bread crumb mixture.  For an extra special presentation, cut pieces of red bell pepper into heart shapes using a small cookie cutter, and use to garnish the steak.

Make a salad (from bagged, pre-washed mixed greens) and you have a fabulous steak dinner for two.  Of course, no Valentine’s Day would be complete without chocolate for dessert.  Keep it simple and sweet with chocolate dipped strawberries and a glass of bubbly.

T-bone steak with     Parmesan-dusted mushrooms

Total preparation and cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes

1 beef T-bone or Porterhouse steak, cut 1 inch thick

3 teaspoons butter, divided

2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

21⁄4 teaspoons steak seasoning, divided

8 ounces button mushrooms, cut into quarters

1⁄4 cup finely chopped green onions

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat; stir in bread crumbs and cheese. Cook and stir 3 to 6 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from pan. Set aside.

Press 2 teaspoons steak seasoning evenly onto beef steak. Place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil 15 to 20 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once.

Meanwhile melt remaining 2 teaspoons butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green onions and remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon steak seasoning; cook and stir 4 to 6 minutes or until mushrooms are just tender and lightly browned; keep warm.

Remove bone from steak; carve crosswise into slices. Serve with mushrooms. Sprinkle crumb mixture over mushrooms and steak.

Makes 2 servings.

Cook’s Tips: To grill, place well-trimmed steak on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 14 to 16 minutes (gas grill: covered, 15 to 19 minutes) for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.

To pan-broil, remove mushrooms from skillet after cooking; keep warm. Place steak in same skillet over medium heat; cook 14 to 17 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.

Nutrition information per serving (1/2 of recipe): 330 calories; 20 g fat (10 g saturated fat; 8 g monounsaturated fat); 66 mg cholesterol; 913 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 2.0 g fiber;      27 g protein; 4.4 mg niacin; 0.4 mg vitamin B6; 3.1 mcg vitamin B12; 4.5 mg iron; 13.5 mcg selenium; 3.8 mg zinc.

Recipe and photos courtesy The Beef Checkoff