It's never too early to start thinking about Valentine's Day. ... Men, this means you.

Your sweetie would be oh-so-impressed if instead of making reservations, you made dinner. (A good one, that is.) So, the next several installments of the "One Teaspoon from Disaster" cooking blog will be devoted to helping you put together an easy yet yummy meal.

Let's start with starters: bread and soup. Making these two items from scratch is easier than it seems but doubly impressive.

This recipe for focaccia bread would be nice with a pasta dish or even a meat entree. I suggest serving it with tomato and red pepper soup (recipe below) and a green salad with a nice oil and vinegar dressing.

The key to this bread is the heart shape. No, it won't come out perfect (this is bread dough after all), but the mental image of you shaping and baking a large heart is adorable. Be sure to dust your hands with flour to avoid a sticky mess.

This soup is simple as well, and wonderful. It's red -- the perfect compliment to your romanitc dinner.

Good luck.

Next time, I'll showcase some fondue recipes -- another great dinner for couples. Not sure you can handle a whole meal? Why not bake your honey some Valentine cookies? I'll include these recipes soon ...

Know of an easy, fool-proof dish? Share the love, we're celebrating Valentine's Day afterall. E-mail the recipe by CLICKING HERE

V-Day Soup
1 jar roasted red bell peppers
1 Tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken broth
Pepper
Basil
Cook tomatoes in oil until soft. Then in a blender, blend tomatoes with bell peppers. Pour mixture back into the pan and add chicken broth. Cook for five minutes. Serve sprinkled with pepper and basil.

V-Day Focaccia Bread
1 ½ C. warm water
Red food coloring
1 tsp. salt
4 C. flour
3 tsp. dry yeast
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Olive oil
Italian herbs
Add many drops of food coloring to the water. Measure flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour a quarter of the water into the well and add yeast. Let rise for five minutes. Slowly mix with an electric mixer while adding the remaining water. When the dough is too thick for the mixer, knead with your hands. Add salt, herbs and tomato paste. After the dough is soft and even, place in a bowl and put in a warm place for 20 minutes. After dough has risen, punch out air, shape and let rise again for 25 minutes. Then, brush with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Posted by · January 26, 2006 12:25 AM · Comments (0)

In the spirit of New Year's resolutions to eat healthier, eat less and exercise more, "One Teaspoon from Disaster" is featuring the BEST fish entree EVER.

It's a bold statement, I know.

But after you whip up this simple, quick salmon dinner, not only will you think "Omega-3 is yummy," you will also be inspired to eat more non-fried fish, thus fulfilling Resolution No. 1. (You're on your own with No. 2 and 3. There's only so much I can do in a blog.)

You may not have some of the ingredients just laying around, but they're nothing obscure. The prep is simple. And the result: crunchy-coated salmon topped with a nice sauce that even makes the bed of cooked spinach beneath it taste good.

The fish is nice with a side or garlic and chive mashed potatoes (not so healthy), rice or even more cooked veggies.

I found -- and then slightly modiefied this recipe -- on the Internet, but be sure to e-mail me any other health-conscious recipes you have by CLICKING HERE

Also, I'm looking for Valentine recipes to feature.
Feb. 14 is said to be the busiest night all year for restaurants, why not stay in and cook? I'll get you started in the coming weeks ...

Walnut salmon
Sauce:
1/2 C. walnuts
1/4 C. reduced-fat buttermilk
2 Tbsp. feta cheese
2 Tbsp. fat-free half and half
1/4 tsp. pepper
Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth.
Salmon:
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
1/4 C. herb-seasoned bread crumbs
salmon fillets, skinless
fresh baby spinach
Mix nuts and bread crumbs together. Coat salmon in egg and dip in nut mixture on all sides. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Microwave spinach until wilted. Serve salmon on top of spinach and top with desired amount of sauce. Serves four.

Posted by · January 12, 2006 6:44 PM · Comments (0)

The holidays are over, but the celebrating has just begun.

Even if your football team is the big loser in this year's bowl games, there's still reason to cheer: Creamy White Chicken Chili.

This stuff is so good, and it offers a nice twist on an old game-day favorite. Plus, it's hearty, healthy and easy to make. You can basically just throw everything together and then let it simmer until half-time.

The not-so-secret ingredients are fat-free cream cheese (which makes it thick and filling) and cayenne (which gives it some kick).

The ingredients list calls for two,15-ounce cans of great northern beans, but I would double this amount.

This recipe easily serves four. Make a few extra batches for the freezer and pull out the crock pot. Game day with be even easier than opening a bag of chips and a can of dip.

Creamy White Chicken Chili
Two chicken breasts, cubed
One small onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2, 15-ounce cans great northern beans, drained
1 can chicken broth
2, 4-ounce cans chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
½ cup milk
Cook chicken and onion in garlic powder and oil. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or longer. Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese and milk. Can also cook in a crock pot.

Posted by · January 3, 2006 10:28 PM · Comments (1)