Happy Valentine's Day! 10 Things to Make For Someone You Love (who totally can be yourself).

Valentine's Day is almost here! So here are ten super decadent oldies that will give your Friday a lovely sense of occasion. Go make one of these for someone you love. Or just for yourself. I won't tell. Ready for a lot of chocolate? Sweet. Let's do this! 

1. Salty-Sweet Chocolate Mousse. Heavenly. And incidentally vegan.

2. Triple Chocolate Mousse Tart. (Jen, I know you have it under control, but if you are doing your Valentine's Day dinner for several again this year, you might want to consider this tart. It is a CROWD. PLEASER. And easily made ahead. Just sayin.)

3. Flourless Chocolate Cake. Maybe the object of your affection is more of a purest and wants straight-up rich dark chocolate, uncluttered with flour or - horror! - that impostor known as white "chocolate". In that case, you should make the absolute perfection that is this flourless chocolate cake. (But! I'm not gonna lie: the Triple Chocolate Mousse Tart is prettier.)

4. Cherry Smoothie. I'm serving these tangy-sweet, beautifully pink smoothies alongside some Vegan with a Vengeance double chocolate pancakes for my three main squeezes on Friday morning. Jealous?

5. If I weren't short a couple ingredients, I might be serving those pink lovelies with some Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins instead of pancakes. They are so delicious and simple. And did you know chocolate = love?

6. Hearts! The v. best kind of hearts: Whole Wheat Butter Cookies. Use any kind of jam on the inside. (Hearts elsewhere: Joy the Baker's Pie Hearts and My New Roots' Raw Chocolate Caramel Hearts. The latter makes me want to go buy a heart candy mold yesterday.)

7. If you've got more than just yourself + 1 to feed, you might consider a beautiful, aromatic one-pot meal like this Shakshuka, a/k/a Eggs in Purgatory. Love on a budget.

8. Or... Chicken with Cardamom Rice. Chicken thighs might not sound sexy, but when you simmer them with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and juicy currants for a while - I assure you - they really are. And your house will smell good for days.

9. Spiced Ribeye with Caper and Chive Vinaigrette. I said "sense of occasion" and I meant it. What's more occasiony than steak?

10. St. Germaine-Pineapple Martini. I don't think anything says "do me" quite like Elderflower Liqueur and steak. 

Godspeed, lovers. And many more!