When it comes to planning a romantic menu for Valentine's Day, chef Elise Wiggins of Panzano restaurant says she wants "sexy from start to finish." And even on a budget, it's easy to put some chef-ly zing into your menu.

We asked Wiggins to design a restaurant-quality, home-cooked dinner for two with ingredients costing less than $25. She chose to serve foods that would be rich and satisfying, starting with mushroom crepes as an appetizer, and a steak, arugula and potato entree. The crepes are the kind of gourmet touch that takes a first course to the next level.

The basil pesto sauce for the main course would work on chicken, fish, beef, pork or, for that matter, pasta, so you can choose your significant other's favorite entree. Plus, the sauce will hide a multitude of sins for the inexperienced cooks among us.

"If you overcook your meat, you won't lose your lover," she says.

Dessert, of course, is a no-brainer: something chocolate. In this case, it's a chocolate-covered banana split.

To stay within budget, you'll have to shop smart, which means buying only what you need. Compare prices per ounce, check the bulk bins and use less-expensive house brands where applicable.

Wiggins was careful to include common items from the pantry. One way to approach what you want to spend is to price the entree at the grocery first - either the pork, chicken, beef, etc. If you and your lover can eat a pound of meat, plan accordingly.

The crepes call for a small amount of white wine, which many people have on hand; otherwise, consider spending extra on a bottle that you can enjoy with the rest of the meal (see recommendations list).

The crepes are the most expensive item on the menu because of the costly ingredients for the cheese sauce. If you'd like to skip the crepes, Wiggins has included a simple vinaigrette and mixed-green salad to substitute, which will reduce the budget to $19.16.

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Ingredients

Before you start, make sure you have these on hand:

Pantry items: olive or canola oil, balsamic or red wine vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, table and/or kosher salt, pepper, flour, dried herbs such as thyme, walnuts (optional)

Refrigerator items: butter, eggs, milk, leftover white wine

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Mushroom Crepes

Mushrooms, 8 ounces, $2.29

Heavy cream, 8 ounces, $1.79

Fontina, 1 ounce, $1.62

Blue cheese, 1 ounce, $1.90

Upgrades: wild mushrooms; Gorgonzola instead of blue cheese

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Salad

4 ounces mixed greens, $1.96

Optional add-ons: goat-cheese crumbles, toasted pecans, dried cherries or cranberries, croutons

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Entree

Skirt steak, 3/4 pound, $4

Russet potatoes, 1 pound, $1.49

Arugula, 3 ounces, $2

Basil Pesto

Pre-made refrigerated container, $3.49

Upgrade: Make your own with fresh basil and pine nuts.

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Dessert

1 large banana, 41 cents

Haagen-Dazs ice cream, 4-ounce container, $1.20

4 ounces chocolate chips, $1

Add-ons: chopped nuts, whipped cream

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Miscellaneous

Small head garlic, 69 cents

1 large shallot, 42 cents

Parmesan cheese, 5 ounces, $2.50

Upgrades: Grana Padano/Parmesan cheese in a 5-ounce package, or Grana Padano to replace Parmesan cheese in entree; shaved Parmesan cheese to top entree, or extra Gorgonzola; Parmigiano-Reggiano to replace Parmesan cheese

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Total expenses

With crepes instead of salad: $24.80

With salad instead of crepes: $19.16

With both: $26.76

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More to love

For each of these upgrades, expect to pay an extra $5 for groceries.

* Instead of the crepes, serve nibbles: a few almonds, a couple of dates, a few cooked asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto. Or buy a package of Boursin cheese, scoop it in little balls, dip it in flour, egg and bread crumbs, and quick-fry. Serve with marinara sauce.

* If using the basil pesto on pasta, build the dish by adding cooked, sliced portobello mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and goat cheese.

* To boost the chocolate in the dessert, add a sauce made from 1 cup melted chocolate chips, with 3/4-cup cream. Remove from heat. Add a dash of vanilla extract, if desired.

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If you're in the mood to splurge . . .

Jason Gordon, sommelier at Panzano, suggests one of these wines as a value accompaniment to the menu (retail store prices):

* A Mano Primativo, an Italian zinfandel, $9.99

* Ruffino Libaio Chardonnay, a crisp, clean Tuscan chardonnay, $9.99

* Lunetta Prosecco, the specialty sparkling wine of 2009, $10.99

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