With Valentine's Day less than a week away, now is the time to think about how you and your lover are going to celebrate the most romantic of holidays. Whether you have been married "forever" or are in a new relationship, sharing a candlelit dinner is something everyone can enjoy. While many prefer restaurants to provide the ambiance and cuisine, others, either through preference, budgetary or other constraints, will stay at home. That doesn't mean the absence of romance, however. Setting a pretty table with candles and flowers, putting on soft music, sharing a special meal and toasting one's love with fine wine or champagne can be very romantic. Try these recipes and see — and by the way, preparing the meal together will make it extra special.

PRINCELY PORK CHOPS

2 tbsp. olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

1 Granny Smith apple

1 tsp. dried leaf thyme, divided

1 tsp. salt, divided in two portions

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

¾ cup hard apple cider, divided in two portions

4 oz. Brie cheese

4 medium chicken breasts with bone and skin (2 lbs)

HEAT oven to 400 F°. Core and chop apple coarsely. Remove rind from cheese, and cut into little chunks.

Heat oil in non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until quite tender — about 7 to 8 minutes. Add chopped apple, ½ tsp. thyme, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and ¼ cup cider; cook until apples are tender — about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then stir in Brie. Divide this stuffing into 4 equal portions.

Run fingers under breast skin to separate from meat. Put ¼ of the stuffing under the skin of each chicken breast; press gently to distribute filling evenly under skin. Season chicken with ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Place in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Bake until chicken is tender and juices run clear when pierced with a fork — about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove chicken to serving dish and keep warm.

Sauce: Skim fat from baking dish and transfer drippings to a small pot. Heat over medium heat, then add remaining ½ cup apple cider, simmering until mixture is reduced by half. Stir in remaining ½ tsp. thyme and ¼ tsp. salt, spoon over chicken and serve. Serves 4.

DUCKLING DIVINE

1 whole duckling (thawed if frozen)

2 oranges, peeled

salt and pepper

3 tbsp. fresh orange juice

3 tbsp. champagne

3 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

salt and pepper

Orange slices and cherries for garnish

PRE-HEAT oven to 350°F. Wash duck and pat dry with paper towel inside and out. Stuff with peeled oranges, and prick skin all over with fork or skewer. Season skin lightly with salt and pepper, and set on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast 30-35 minutes per pound. Remove from oven and, using poultry shears, cut duck into 4 sections. Discard orange pulp, and turn oven temperature down to Warm. Arrange duck pieces on a hot serving platter and return to oven keep warm while preparing sauce.

Sauce: Combine cream and egg yolks in a shallow pan, heat gently. Add orange juice and champagne a little at a time. Add a little salt to taste.Bring mixture to a simmer and continue to heat for 15 seconds. Do not boil. Pour sauce over duck and garnish with fresh orange slices and cherries. Serves 2.

COSY CORNISH GAME HENS

2 Cornish game hens, (about 1 ½ lbs each)

1 tsp. fresh orange peel, grated

¼ cup orange juice concentrate, thawed, undiluted

3 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

1 ¼ tbsp. honey

½ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. dried thyme

Cooking oil or non-stick cooking spray

½ cup freshly chopped onion

Fresh orange slices for garnish

1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp. cold water

HEAT oven to 350°F. Placing game hens breast side down on a cutting board, but them in half along the backbone. Remove skin and trim excess fat.

Combine orange peel, lemon juice, orange juice concentrate, soy sauce, honey, garlic, onion powder, and thyme in a small bowl and bring to boiling point in microwave, then set aside. Lightly grease a baking dish with oil or spray with cooking spray. Divide chopped onion into four portions in a baking dish and place hens, bone side down, on top. Then gently pour orange juice mixture over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, basting every 10-15 minutes with cooking juices. If you think they're browning too quickly, cover them loosely with aluminum foil. When done, remove hens and underlying onions to warmed dinner plates and garnish with orange slices. Keep warm.Combine cornstarch and water in a teacup, stirring until smooth. Skim fat off the pan juices left in the baking dish. Add cornstarch mixture to pan juices and stir over low heat until thickened. Transfer to small container and serve separately. Cooked rice and a green vegetable make perfect accompaniments.

SENSUOUS SHRIMP

ALFREDO

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 ½ lbs. medium-sized shrimp, peeled/deveined

1 bunch of fresh spinach or 10 oz. thawed and squeezed

1 bunch scallions, sliced (including a few inches of the green part)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkge. Alfredo sauce mix

¾ cup light cream or evaporated milk

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Rice or pasta

MELT butter/margarine over medium-low heat; add shrimp, spinach, and scallions and cook until shrimp turn pink. Add garlic and cook another minute. Sprinkle with dry Alfredo sauce mix and combine. Add milk/cream and cook again until mixture is heated through and thickened. Add pepper to taste and serve over hot cooked rice or your favourite pasta. Yield: 2-4 servings.

LOVERS' CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

1 tsp. plain gelatin

1 tbsp. cold water

2 tbsp. boiling water

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cocoa

1 cup whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate sprinkles or shaved chocolate

IN a small Pyrex cup or jug sprinkle gelatin on top of cold water, let stand a minute then, stirring constantly, add boiling water until gelatin is dissolved.

In a separate bowl combine sugar, cocoa, whipping cream, and vanilla, and stir until well blended. Using electric mixer, beat on medium speed, scraping the bottom of the bowl at intervals, until mixture is stiff. Add the gelatin mixture and beat until well blended. Spoon the chocolate mousse into your prettiest dessert dishes or stemmed glasses. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles or shaved chocolate, and chill for not less than an hour before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

LIP-SMACKIN'

STRAWBERRY PIE

1 9-inch pie crust, pre-baked

3 oz. plain cream cheese, softened

2 pints fresh strawberries, washed, drained and hulled

¾ cup sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch

? cup water

½ pint whipping cream, whipped

SPREAD softened cream cheese over the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Set aside eight whole berries, and cut the rest in half. Arrange haves on top of the cream chease.

In a 2-quart pot, combine sugar, cornstarch and water, and add the rest of the halved berries. Simmer over a medium heat and cook mixture until thickened. Cool this mixture completely, then pour over cream cheese and fruit in the pie crust. Top with a layer of whipped cream and garnish with the whole strawberries. Refrigerate pie until thoroughly chilled. Serve cold.