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.