Five Sweet Valentine Treats

Since Valentine’s Day is a week from today, I thought I’d share a line-up of sweet treats for you to make for a sweetheart, a child, your Bible study friends or whomever you may want to shower sweet kindness on!

You may be tempted to buy one of those big cookies in the mall, but this first recipe is every bit as good, is so easy and only costs about $2, $3 to make! It is so yummy!!

Colossal Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup chocolate pieces – chips or M&M’s – Pink and Red Valentine would be pretty, or you could use just chocolate chips
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 1/3 cup candies for decorating. Set aside. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. In another bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in 2/3 cup candies. Place dough in center of a 13″ or 15″ round pan and spread out to sides. Decorate with reserved candies. Bake 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.
Yield: 10 servings

The following recipe is one I made my husband on Valentine’s Day when we were dating. He loved it so much that I’ve made it over and over on subsequent Valentin’e s Days! We all know the way to a man’s heart!

Sweetheart Fudge Pie
1/4 Cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 cups semi-sweet real chocolate pieces
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
9 inch unbaked pastry shell
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbl chopped maraschino cherries

Cream butter with brown sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Melt chocolate over hot, not boiling, water; add to creamed mixture with coffee and vanilla. Stir in flour and walnuts. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool. Whip cream stiff (I like to add about 1/4 cup powdered sugar). Fold in cherries. Spread on top of pie; decorate with chocolate or candy hearts.

Red strawberries are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Here’s a treat so start the day –

Strawberry Citrus Muffins

1 1/4 Cups chopped strawberries
3 tbl. margarine, melted
2 tsp grated orange or lemon rind
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar I reduce this to 1 cup – it’s plenty
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Cooking spray
2 tsp sugar I like to use the coarse sugar on top
1/2 Cup strawberry jam (optional) But why wouldn’t you?!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and mix just until mixture is blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until mixture is moist. Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray ( or you could use pretty heart-shaped liners). Sprinkle with 2 tsp sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pan immediately. Serve with jam, if desired.

More Strawberries…

strawberrry shortcake1

Lite Strawberry Shortcakes

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups halved strawberries, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
Whole strawberries (optional)

1. Combine 1 cup strawberry halves, 1/3 cup sugar, orange juice, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Stir in 2 1/2 cups strawberry halves. Cover and chill.
2. Preheat oven to 425°.
  
  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into a 6 x 4-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 squares. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  
  Split shortcakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife; place each bottom half on a dessert plate. Spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each bottom half. Top with shortcake tops; spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each top. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; garnish with whole strawberries, if desired.