Valentine's Day Recipes

Wonton Chocolate Kisses

Here's something different for a fun Valentine treat :-)

Ingredients:

• 24 chocolate kisses of your choosing, removed from their wrappers
• 24 wonton wrappers
• Oil for frying
• Powdered sugar

Directions:

Place a chocolate kiss in the center of a wonton wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to use.)

Moisten all four corner edges of the wonton wrappers with water; pinch corners together over candy kiss and press to seal. Repeat. In a large skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 375 degrees F.

Fry wontons on their sides for about two to three minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels and dust with sugar.

Source: Found these at Taste of Home a couple of months ago and had forgotten about them until just now looking up Valentine recipes in my recipe file folder.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

Valentine's Day Hidden Hugs Cookies

These sweet little treats would be a perfect gift for someone you love on Valentine's day. They are also a simple cookie that your kids can help make for a classroom party.

Ingredients

• 1 package Hershey's Hugs Chocolates (8 oz)
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup toasted almonds, finely ground (see note)
• Additional powdered sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces. In large mixer bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Stir together flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Add nuts, blend well. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, then roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely. Before serving, roll again in powdered sugar, if desired.

Note: To toast almonds, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread almonds in thin layer in shallow baking pan. Bake 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown; cool.

By Carolyn from E Northport, NY

Passion-in-a-Pan Cake

A Valentine's Day dessert. My Mom used to make this for for my Dad and she would prepare it in the angel food cake ring. She wrapped the pan's outside in foil to decorate it, and placed a bud vase, with a rose in it, in the middle.

Ingredients:

• one box angel food cake mix or pre-made bakery angel food cake
• 1 can cherry pie filling*
• 1 large tub Cool Whip

Note: Cherry is the best, but you can use any pre-made canned pie filler you like.

Directions:

Prepare your angel food cake mix as the box directs, let cool and remove from pan. No need to wash the pan yet if you plan to use it to hold the finished product.

Open the defrosted Cool Whip, and can of cherry pie filling. Tear the cake into bite size pieces.

Place a layer of cake pieces in the bottom of the pan. Layer this with the pie filling and Cool Whip, spooning a tablespoon dollop of pie filling and right beside it a dollop of Cool Whip.

After each cake/filling layer, tap the pan on the counter top to "pack" the ingredients down. Continue layering till the pan is full.

The top will look attractive enough, but you can spread more Cool Whip and decorate with single cherries if you want. Refrigerate covered at least 2 hours after making, as it needs to set up.

Enjoy!

Chocolate IS Valentine's Day

Many of us are wondering what we can do to save some money this Valentine's Day and still say "I love you" to the wonderful people in our lives. So I scoured my mom's and aunt's and cousin's database for some fun and unusual chocolates for Valentine's Day just for you. Chocolate is Valentine's Day in my opinion. Add a sweet valentine or a love letter from my hubby and I am all set for the day. I love giving my daughters and grandkids chocolates to say I love you to them. I love to wrap each piece in a bright piece of tinfoil and find a great tin that I can paint and decorate for the day. So here we go with some great chocolate recipes.

Fantasy Fudge

This is my all time favorite fudge recipe. It is a classic. I spice it up by adding conversation hearts to the top of each piece as it cools.

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup margarine
• 1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
• 1 package (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2 to 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees F., stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

Stir in chocolate pieces until melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 13-by-9-inch pan.

Cool at room temperature. Cut into squares. Makes 3 pounds.

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Cookies and Creme Fudge

Ingredients

• 3 (6 oz.) packages white chocolate baking squares
• 1 (14 oz.) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 cups coarsely crushed chocolate creme-filled sandwich cookies

Directions

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt white chocolate squares, sweetened condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat; stir in crushed cookies.

Spread evenly into wax-paper-lined 8-inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm.

Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

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Chinese Chocolates

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup chow mein noodles
• 1/2 cup salted peanuts

Directions

In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips; stir until smooth. Stir in chow mein noodles and peanuts until well coated. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Candies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups margarine, melted
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Grease a 10x15 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups melted margarine, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Spread in prepared pan.

Combine 1/2 cup margarine and chocolate chips in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Spread over peanut butter mixture. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Clusters

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. melted chocolate
• 1 lb. peanut butter
• 1 lb. peanuts

Directions

Melt chocolate in double boiler, stirring constantly. When it is creamy add peanut butter, whip until well mixed. Stir in peanuts. Drop by teaspoon on wax paper. Refrigerate until firm. Yield 100 pieces.

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Check out my article on ThriftyFun about recycling tins. Add some red or pink paint and decoupage a great picture on the top and you are all set for making Valentine's Day sweet and memorable.

• Craft Project: Industrial Strength Gift Can

By Debra Frick

Valentine Cookies

My family has made these cookies for many years. every time I get out the faded recipe card, I think of all the memories on valentines days in the past both in making the cookies and the smiles that are always there when I serve or give them away.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Your favorite icing and any sprinkles or chocolate chips you want to add.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, stir the flour and baking powder together. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar and mix well. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and mix again. Add the flour and baking powder to the mixture gradually.

Flatten the dough, cover it in plastic and chill it in the refrigerator for about two hours. Take the dough out of the fridge, and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/4-inch thick.

Cut out hearts or other shapes with cookie cutters. Place the shaped dough on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until very light golden brown. Let cool. Use your favorite icing and sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc. that you like.

Source: Passed on to me from my mother in law many years ago.

By bobbie g from Rockwall, TX

St. Valentine's Day Punch

This flavorful, bubbly punch is easy to make and would be a great drink to serve for a Valentine's Day party.

Ingredients:

• 12 Ice Cubes
• 2 cups chilled grape juice
• 1 qt. (4 c.) chilled orange juice
• 2 qts. (8 c.) ginger ale
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 oranges

Directions:

Put 12 ice cubes in a punch bowl. Pour in the grape juice, orange juice and ginger ale. Add the sugar and mix very well. Peel and slice the oranges. Remove all seeds. Float the orange slices in the punch bowl.

Serves: 18

By Terri

Chocolate Ecstasy Cake

You CAN have your cake and eat it too this Valentine's Day! This recipe has only 6.2 g fat and 234 calories per serving.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 Tbsp. nonfat milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust thoroughly with flour. In a medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa and baking powder. In another bowl, combine oil and sugar. Beat in egg whites, egg, yogurt, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan. In a small bowl, melt coarsely chopped chocolate in the milk; let cool slightly. Invert cake onto platter when cool and spread with melted chocolate

Source: Recipe clipped long ago from a Cosmopolitan magazine

Valentine Delight

This yummy Valentine's Day salad is easy to make. It doesn't require many ingredients either.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 32 graham crackers
• 2 packages of strawberry gelatin
• whipped cream

Directions:

Cook eggs, butter and sugar in a double boiler for 2 minutes. Then cool and add pineapple and pecans. In a 9x13 inch pan, place half of the graham crackers. Pour cooled mixture over and place another layer of crackers on top. Over all, pour prepared strawberry gelatin, which is beginning to thicken. Put in refrigerator to set. When ready, add a layer of whipped cream or Dream Whip.

By Robin from Washington, IA

Chocolate Valentine Pancakes

Normally, I recommend avoiding sugar as much as possible - but once in a while (like on Valentines Day) it's okay. :)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Topping:

• whipped cream
• cake decorating glitter (pink or red)

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add the dry mixture and blend well. Pour batter into heart shaped cookie cutters on hot skillet. Remove cookie cutters and flip.

Decorate with a little whipped cream (use food coloring if it's homemade) and cake glitter. Serve immediately.