All Right this is the final recipe in the Valentine’s Recipe Series.  I hope you enjoyed it!  

Valentine Party Punch

Note:  You can buy heart ice cube trays in several cookware stores or online.  Use these trays to make heart-shaped ice cubes and add cubes to punch.

3 (3oz) packages of strawberry flavor gelatin
9 cups water
2 (26oz) cans pineapple juice
4 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale

In a large bowl mix together the gelatine and the water.  Stir in the juice and mix well.  Pour mixture into three 1-gallon size freezer bags.  When you’re ready to make the punch, remove a portion of frozen punch from freezer bag and place in punch bowl.  Pour over one bottle of ginger ale and mix until slushy.

Valentine’s Day Cake

Ingredients:

1 package white cake mix
1 package strawberry gelatine
4 eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
1 cup fresh sliced strawberries
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8-inch square baking pans.  Combine cake mix and gelatin in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, oil, water and half of the strawberries.  Beat on for a few minutes until well blended.

Divide batter evenly and pour batter into baking pans.  Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until golden and baked through.  Cool for 5 minutes in pans before turning over to wire racks to cool completely.

Top with remaining sliced strawberries and dust with powdered sugar.

Valentine Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Powder sugar for dusting
3 inch metal heart shaped cookie cutters

Instructions:

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.  In a separate bowl combine the milk, eggs, oil and brown sugar and add to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened  (do not over mix)

Heat the griddle or skillet over low to medium heat.  Brush the heart-shaped cookie cutters with a little oil and place in griddle.  Pour ¼ cup batter into cookie cutters and cook until pancake starts to bubble.  Remove the cookie cutters then turn and cook for another minute on the other side or until slightly golden

Sprinkle with dusting sugar and serve.

Sweetheart Cake

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1 large bar baking chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly great a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.  In a large bowl beat butter, sugars and vanilla until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.  In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.  Gradually stir in the milk, mixing well after each addition.  Fold in coarsely chopped chocolate.

Pour batter into pan and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and baked through.  Decorate the cake with kiss-shaped chocolate pieces.

Quick Chocolate Cherry Pie

Ingredients:

1 graham cracker pie crust
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14oz) can condensed milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 (21oz) can cherry pie filling
8 maraschino cherries, stemmed

Instructions:

Place the chocolate chips, condensed milk and salt in a saucepan and heat over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and stir continuously until blended through.   Mix in the cherry pie filling and mix well.  Let cool slightly and then pour intro prepared pie crust.  Chill for approximately 3 to 4 hours and garnish with the maraschino cherries.

Poached pears in red wine

Ingredients:

6 Pears, peeled
½ cup white granulated sugar
2 cups red wine
1 cinnamon stick (or a sprinkle of cinnamon)
The peel of one lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions:

Place the pears (peeled) in a medium saucepan and sprinkle the sugar over the pears.  Pour the red win over to cover the pears.  Add the cut fresh lemon peel and cinnamon stick and mix.  Simmer on low heat until tender, approximately 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.  Serve warm.
 

Heart-Shaped Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar.  Beat in the egg and vanilla and mix well.  Mix in the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.  Mix until smooth.  Divide dough into three equal pieces.

Work with one dough piece at a time.  Roll out on a lightly floured surface.  Using cookie cutters cut out two equal sized heart shapes for each cookie.  Then using a smaller heart shaped cookie cutter cut out another heart in the center of one of the heart shaped cookies.  Spread the solid heart cookie with a little strawberry jam/jelly and place on cookie sheet, top with the second cookie (the one with the heart-shaped center cut out).  The center of each cookie will reveal a red jelly heart.

Repeat process until all dough is used.  Bake cookies at 350F for approximately 8 minutes or until golden and baked through.