Guys, to really win your valentine's heart, man up and cook dinner

Hey, guys: Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and bet many of you are planning on celebrating the old-fashioned way: with a fancy box of chocolates, reservations at a fancy restaurant or maybe both. We have a better idea for showing your valentine how much you adore and desire her.

Scrap those oh-so-unimaginative plans in favor of a romantic dinner for two that you cook yourself.

Think about it. A quiet evening at home means avoiding the crowds, no worries about driving after too many glasses of champagne and, maybe sweetest of all, no headache of trying to find a teenage babysitter on one of the country's busiest date nights, which this year happens to fall on a school night.

A home-cooked meal also overcomes distractions that keep you from taking immediate advantage of the, um, mood. Because let's be honest: Most everyone is hoping to score with his/her sweetie on Valentine's Day, whether you're already one half of a couple or hoping to be.

Worried you might burn down the kitchen instead of set her heart (and maybe loins) aflame? Don't.

"Chivalry is what she admires and finds impressive," insists Rocky Fino, author of "Will Cook for Sex Again, Again ... and Again." It's not whether the food turns out perfectly. (Though you don't really want to completely wing it, which is why we're including here some easy, but still gourmet, dishes for beginning cooks).

Take it from Rocky: "The act of cooking is the aphrodisiac."

Men who've been with their significant others for a while might view the cooking date as a single, young man's game. Fino begs to differ, arguing it's the older, married man who needs to put forth the effort to avoid the same old, same old.

"You need to approach the evening like it's a first date," he says.

Stress does not evoke romance, so it's best to keep your Valentine's Day dinner fairly simple, with familiar ingredients and basic cooking techniques. Also important is to center the meal around her likes and dislikes -- which may or may not include steak -- and plan it as courses, so all the food doesn't have to hit the table at once. And make sure to garnish, even if it's just a piece of parsley on the plate.

Spreading the food out not only shows some class and gives the two of you time to enjoy each other's company. It also allows you to manage the meal.

"It's all about your date," says Chad Carns, author of "The Gourmet Bachelor." "Even if it takes you 70 hours to prepare the feast, it should feel like it was effortless."

That includes not asking her to help with the dirty dishes.

Says Fino, "The man who coined the phrase 'I cook, you clean' died a lonely man."

SALMON WELLINGTONS

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

"Cooking for your mate is a fail-safe approach to impressing her, thus making you more attractive in her eyes and inevitably setting the mood," writes Rocky Fino, author of "Will Cook for Sex Again, Again ... and Again." In other words, if you want to get lucky, tie on your sweetie's apron and get busy in the kitchen.

This elegant entree will delight fish lovers, as it substitutes salmon fillet for traditional beef. The original recipe called for homemade pastry dough and served eight. The only changes I made to the original recipe were substituting Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheets (so much easier!) and cutting the number of filets in half to four.

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup minced shallots

1 cup minced artichoke buttons

2 cups minced mushrooms

Salt and pepper

4 salmon fillets

1/2 a 17.3-ounce package puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon milk

3 tablespoons minced onion

1 tablespoon flour

Juice of 1 small lemon

1-1/2 cups half-and-half

4 tablespoons fresh dill

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add shallots and artichokes and cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool.

Place salmon fillets on a greased baking sheet, tucking thinner parts underneath to make all the same thickness. Divide filling among fillets and spread evenly on top.

Unfold pastry sheet onto a floured surface. Roll out into a 14-inch square, then cut into four even pieces.

Cover each Wellington with a square of pastry. Tuck 1/2 inch of pastry under each fillet and trim off excess dough. Do not cover the entire bottom with pastry, or it will become soggy.

Mix egg yolk and milk. Brush tops and sides of Wellingtons with glaze, being careful not to let glaze drip.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake Wellingtons for 20 to 25 minutes, or until pastry is golden. (Fillets will be moist and flaky.)

While Wellingtons are baking, prepare sauce by melting remaining tablespoon of butter in a small pan. Add onions and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add flour and stir. Add juice of lemon. Slowly add half-and-half and fresh dill. Stir to combine.

Spoon some sauce onto four plates. Place one Wellington on top of each plate, and put remaining sauce in a

serving dish.

Serves 4.

-- Adapted from "Will Cook for Sex Again, Again ... and Again," by Rocky Fino

FRIED CAKE WITH BANANAS AND BROWN SUGAR

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided

Four 1-inch-thick slices of store-bought pound cake

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 to 3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise, then halved again crosswise

Vanilla ice cream for serving

Over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan. When it's hot but not yet brown, add the pound-cake slices. Saute until lightly browned on both sides and crispy around the edges. Be careful not to burn butter. Transfer slices to a plate, and keep warm in a 200-degree oven.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Melt it down, then stir in brown sugar and vanilla, allowing the sugar to dissolve slightly. Add bananas, using a spoon to coat them with the sauce. Turn heat down to low and saute bananas until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Lay two slices of cake in the bottom of each of two bowls, top with a scoop of ice cream and spoon hot bananas-and-butter mixture over the top.

Serves 2.

-- "Gentlemen, Start Your Ovens," by Tucker Shaw

GREYHOUND PECAN SALAD WITH GRAPEFRUIT VINAIGRETTE

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

A wedge of iceberg lettuce with bottled dressing -- even the fancy stuff you find in the refrigerated section -- is a little pedestrian for Valentine's Day. Set a more sophisticated tone with this easy salad, which marries the tang of citrus with creamy, slightly salted goat cheese.

1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled

1 grapefruit

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon grapefruit juice

1 head butter lettuce, rinsed and dried

2 ounces (1/4 cup) goat cheese

2 ounces (1/4 cup) pecans

Slice avocado into thin wedges. Using a small, sharp knife, peel 1/2 the grapefruit, removing all of the bitter white pith. Cut in between the membranes to release thin wedges, about 2 to 3 per section. Save the other grapefruit half for another use.

Prepare vinaigrette by mixing vinegar, olive oil and grapefruit juice in a cup.

Place medium-sized whole leaves of butter lettuce on plate. Shred center of lettuce into 1/4-inch strips and place on top of leaves.

Alternate slices of avocado with grapefruit wedges on greens. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese and chopped pecans on top. Stir vinaigrette well. Drizzle lightly over salad just before serving.

Serves 2.

-- "Will Cook for Sex: A Guy's Guide to Cooking," by Rocky Fino

SCALLOPS CHORIZO

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The key to scallops is to dry them thoroughly and then cook them quickly on high heat. They should have a golden crust but still be translucent in the center.

1 cup chopped potato

1/2 cup chopped chorizo

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped red and yellow peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon canola (or other mild) oil

8 large scallops

Saute potato, chorizo, onion and peppers in olive oil for 8 minutes. Add parsley, mix and set aside. In a separate pan, sear scallops in canola oil on medium-high heat, 2 minutes per side. Serve scallops over chorizo and peppers.

Serves 2 as a hearty appetizer.

-- "The Gourmet Bachelor: Global Flavor, Local Ingredients," by Chad Carns

CHICKEN PICATTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

(Tested by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Nothing says "love" like Italian comfort food. Serve this tasty classic chicken dish with a small pasta, such as orzo. I substituted green onions for the leek with great results. Capers add a delicious saltiness.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound total), butterflied

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons grated parmesan

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

3/4 cup sliced green onion (or 3/4 cup -- or 1 large -- sliced leek, white part only)

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 tablespoons capers, drained

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet, rolling pin or small cast-iron pan until they are 1/4-inch thick. Season chicken very lightly with salt and pepper (capers will add salt to the sauce).

On a plate, combine parmesan and flour; dredge chicken pieces in the mixture and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter; add olive oil. Cook chicken breasts for 3 minutes per side, or until juices run clear when the tip of a knife is inserted into the center. Remove chicken from pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add mushrooms and onion (or leeks) to skillet and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, lemon juice, chicken stock, wine, capers and parsley. Reduce liquid in pan by about 2/3, until the sauce is thickened