Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I'm in night-school and working full time but that won't stop us from having a great night. Homemade pasta with a 10-minute puttanesca sauce (seems appropriate given its, um, amorous origins), sparkling wine from Trader Joes and chocolate mousse from Cooks Illustrated. Inexpensive, delicious and special foods either prepped in advance or assembled in minutes after getting home. Peaceful, simple dinners from our kitchen inspire more romance than white tablecloths at a crowded restaurant, I say.