So Valentine's Day is about here, and you want to do something special for that man or woman who makes your little heart go pitter-patter and makes you feel all sparkly inside.

You've done the flowers at work bit, and if you call Godiva one more time they're going to put you on their top customers list. You're running out of ideas for unique ways to celebrate the day of romance.

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Don't mortgage the house for that moonlit Alaska cruise just yet. This year, show your valentine your love and devotion in one of the oldest ways possible: cooking a fine meal.

You say you can't cook? You last used a saucepan to heat up soup, and managed to dirty half the kitchen just doing that? Not to worry. This tried-and-true menu that even the most thumb-fingered kitchen rookie can execute is lightning-quick to make and guaranteed to impress.

Let's start with an appetizer, something light but flavorful that's guaranteed to get tastebuds going while taking minimal preparation time.

This bruschetta recipe comes from celebrity chef Paulette Mitchell, who has won more culinary awards than I can count.

Basic Bruschetta

8 slices French baguette (¾-inch thick slices)
2 plum tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
8 large, fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Adjust oven broiler rack to 4 to 5 inches from the heating element; preheat the broiler.

Place the bread slices on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler for about 1 minute per side to toast lightly.

Combine the plum tomato, olive oil, garlic, and pepper in a small bowl.

Arrange the basil leaves on the toasted bread. Top with the tomato mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Broil for about 2 minutes to warm and melt the cheese. Watch closely! Serve warm.

You can toast the bread and make the dressing ahead of time, making the final cooking even speedier.

Main Course

There are two schools of thought on Valentine's Day meals. One calls for a heavy, very rich and satisfying meal that would make Dionysus blush with its decadence. There's nothing wrong with that, but something lighter can emphasize flavor without leaving you feeling as if you've gone 10 rounds as a Kitchen Stadium judge.

This recipe is my own invention, and one that's been tweaked and fine-tuned over the years into what you'll find today.

Lover's Scallops

8 to 10 sea scallops (depending on your appetites)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 bag baby spinach, rinsed and well-drained
2 tbsp. pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. water
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts, stirring or tossing frequently until they are lightly toasted. Set aside.

Place flour in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Dip one side of each scallop in the flour, lightly shaking off excess, and set dusted-side up on a plate.

Melt the butter in the nonstick skillet, again over medium heat. Add scallops, floured side down. Cook, uncovered, 3 minutes or until a crust begins to form on the bottom. Cover and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, until done. Set aside.

Add olive oil and garlic to skillet and cook until garlic begins to soften, about two minutes. Add spinach and cook, tossing until completely wilted. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.

For serving: Make a bed of the spinach on each plate, top with as many scallops as you wish and scatter with toasted pine nuts.

Now, I can hear you all out there … you don't like shellfish, or perhaps for religious or allergic reasons you can't eat it. No worries! You can do this dish with medallions of pork, veal or beef, or even some pan-grilled salmon. The platform is multipurpose!

What To Drink

You want some beverages with your meal? I cornered our beverage expert, Lisa Morrison, of "Liquid Solutions" fame, for her recommendations.

She suggested that wine drinkers go with a Viognier. She loves the fruitiness and thinks it would go really well with both the sweetness of the scallops and the balsamic reduction.

If you want a red wine for the meal, a nice rose would do the trick, she said.

Beer drinkers also have many options. A nice German-style weissbier or even a dunkelweizen (dark wheat) would play well with the sweetness of the broiled scallops while still working well with the spinach and balsamic. If you want something American, go with a cream ale, a golden ale or even a brown ale or porter, she said.

Bring On The Chocolate

Of course, it wouldn't be a Valentine's Day dinner without dessert, preferably something chocolate-based. On this occasion, you are perfectly welcome to use the services of a professional. Find that little bakery you've been meaning to visit and check out their wares.

Most places have some special heavy-artillery treats they trot out for this holiday. Or, if you're a baker, try Paulette Mitchell's Triple Chocolate-Cassis Brownies, or the serious knockout punch of her Chocolate-Cherry Bread Pudding With Sherry Cream. That one is so good you just might end up taking it to another room to finish dessert, if you get my drift.

Neither recipe involves rocket science, and they're both fairly forgiving of minor mistakes.

Now, get out there and have a happy Valentine's Day! Valentine's Links:

Valentine's Day: Romantic Ideas

Ideas: 20 Dates For Under $20

Staying In? 10 Romance Flicks

Cooking? Food Ideas For Rookies

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