Embracing garlic in a fast Valentine's Day dinner

As long as you follow the No. 1 rule of garlic and romance -- both of you eat it or neither of you eat it, never just one -- you're safe adding some serious garlic to your Valentine's Day dinner. Best yet, it's such a high-flavor ingredient, it's easy to make a fast dinner with serious wow! factor.

Quick Triple-Garlic Fettuccine

8 ounces fettuccine pasta

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1 tablespoon garlic powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili paste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, return it to the saucepan and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl, mix together the butter and garlic powder. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt half of the garlic butter. When the butter is sizzling, add half of the minced fresh garlic. Saute until it just begins to brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Add the remaining garlic powder-butter blend, the sauteed garlic and any butter in the skillet, the remaining minced fresh garlic and the chili paste to the pasta and toss until the butter is melted. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan and toss until melted. While tossing, add about 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water and toss until smooth.

Divide the pasta between two plates, topping each with diced tomatoes and Parmesan.