No matter who you're with this Valentine's evening, you probably want a meal that is simple yet a treat — something easy to pull together after work, a meal to make you sink into the enjoyment of a quiet evening at home. Here are some suggestions for you: Foolproof instructions for cooking a perfect steak, and a dish of creamy pasta with lemon and hazelnuts. There are some quick, no-cook appetizers, a boozy cup of mocha, and a fizzy pink cocktail. And dessert, of course — the best brownies we know how to make, and a chocolate mousse to dream over. Oh, and real crème brûlée. If that doesn't get you in a Valentine's mood we don't know what will! More

As a restaurant employee, let me just say this. Please don't go out to dinner on Valentine's Day. In fact, please stay home the week before and after. I beg of you. I won't elaborate, but why fight for a reservation when you can cook up a delicious, romantic meal in the privacy of your own home.

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It's about this time of year that I start getting antsy, culinarily speaking. It's still winter and my body craves those hearty dishes of squash and legumes. But I'm also ready for the bright, fresh flavors of spring. This couscous salad with its roasted squash and citrusy vinaigrette bridges the gap. More

Specialty: Inspired touches for your kitchen and beyond
Price Range: ($$) Mid-Range

The trend toward curated shopping makes me happy. I love discovering a new site with a smaller selection of charming objects that tell a story about the owner. Leif's story is that it's those little touches that bring big personality to a space. We couldn't agree more.
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This post is timely for me because I just moved into a new house and spent all last week setting up our kitchen and pantry, organizing the basement, painting, and making a few dump runs. Moving, as most of you already know, has a way of forcing you to think about what you really use and reevaluating the rest. The pantry is no exception. More

Q: I recently received a bag of "Schokonudeln" (chocolate noodles). I hate to let anything go to waste, so I'm determined to make something out of these.

I don't think they're sweet. The ingredient list is simply durum semolina, eggs-20%, and cocoa powder-6%. I thought about making some variation of Cincinnati chili, although these aren't spaghetti noodles. Of course, if they turn out to be sweetened, it may be hard to do a savory dish. Any thoughts?

Sent by Crystal More

IKEA furniture is great but we always love it even more when it has been altered. In addition to the usual DIYing we see, there's a whole industry of aftermarket add-ons for customizing IKEA furniture...

• Resources for Customizing Ikea
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Having people over for dinner entails more than just providing a meal and somewhere to eat it. It's a whole experience, from the invite to the last goodbye at the door. A subtle but important consideration is setting the overall tone for the evening and nothing does that like the pre-dinner beverage. These days I'm a fan of offering a simple aperitif before dinner which strikes a nice balance between simplicity and elegance.

So, what is an aperitif and how does it differ from a cocktail? More

Imke and Thorsten's neat, airy kitchen is situated five stories above Prenzlauer Berg's oldest neighborhood bar in what was formerly East Berlin, and it serves as a hub for an active family of four. More

While roasting beets for Valentine's Day-appropriate pink pasta, we tried something a little different from our usual wrap-in-foil technique, and it resulted in especially succulent tasting, easy-to-peel beets… More