Nothing says 'love' like a steaming bowl of Cioppino

After a whirlwind day that included at least one hour of panic when Noah was late returning from his winter camping trip and almost missed serving noon Mass because of it, the day ended with a quiet family dinner at home -- a Garlicky Seafood Cioppino, which turned out to be a happy experiment. Scallops, shrimp and cod swimming in a garlic-laced tomato broth on top of spaghetti. It was delicious, especially with a glass (or two) of red wine on the side.

My first Valentine's Day with Dennis was spent at the Cloisters in upper Manhattan followed by an Italian meal at Dominic's on Arthur Avenue. All these years later, minus the field trip and dinner out, Valentine's Day was perfect. And that's coming from someone who is really not a fan of Valentine's Day. That's amoré!