Adapted from Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman.... More

This Valentine's Day, instead of blowing big bucks on a restaurant meal, why not pour a big ol' glass of red wine and whip up this lightened version of Better Homes and Gardens' Spinach Lasagna? It has all the cheesy goodness of regular spinach lasagna, minus a few extra calories. More

As a meat that is best served medium rare, duck breast makes an ideal candidate to cook sous-vide. By cooking it at 135°F for two hours, much of the fat under the skin begins to soften and render out while the proteins in it begin to set, making it much easier to crisp without shrinking on the stovetop just before serving. More

This dish is a monochrome spoof on the traditional steak au poivre. Lamb loin is cooked pink, crusted with pink peppercorns, and served in a reduction of Cognac and cream, blistered with more crushed, popping pink peppercorns. A rose-tinted twist on a classic. More

I'm not sure how this simple recipe from Cathy and Tony Mantuano's Wine Bar Food all comes together, but it's the best steak I've had in ages. Each salty, fatty bite of beef is balanced by the bitter shock of arugula. And even better, cleaning up only required washing one skillet. More

This is a signature dish at Al Di La, and one that I love to order. The jewel-colored beet filling shines through the delicate pasta, just bidding to be eaten. They are so sublimely delicious, I always want more. Now I can make and eat as many as I want at home...and you can too. More