Valentine Recipes

Chocolate Marshmallow Puffs

What you need:

36 large marshmallows

1-1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

foil

9 inch square baking pan

Put a piece of foil into the bottom of the baking pan. Rub butter onto the foil and the sides of the pan. Put the marshmallows in the pan.

Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Cook for 30 seconds, check and stir. Repeat until melted.

Pour the chocolate peanut butter mix over the marshmallows. Put into the refrigerator and chill for at least an hour. Cut between the marshmallows.

Red Hot Valentine’s Day Jell-O

What you need: Two 3 ounce packages of Cherry Jell-0

4 ounce package of cinnamon candies

3 cups boiling water

20 ounce can of crushed pineapple – do not drain

2 cups applesauce

Pour the boiling water carefully into a bowl. Stir in the cherry Jell-O and the cinnamon candies and stir until both are completely dissolved.

Let the cherry mix sit until it has cooled off, then add pineapple and applesauce. Stir to mix.

Pour the Jell-O into your favorite mold or leave in the glass bowl to set. Refrigerate for several hours.

Sweetheart Party Punch

What you need:

1 gallon cranberry juice cocktail drink

1 - 2 liter bottle of ginger-ale or other clear fizzy soda

slices of lemon and lime

large bag of frozen strawberries, broken apart but still frozen

Pour the cranberry juice and soda together in a large punch bowl. Add the frozen strawberries and the slices of lemons and limes. Add ice. Sever immediately.

For a slushier punch, put the strawberries in a food processor before adding to the punch.

Candy Kiss Roses

For each rose you will need

Two chocolate Kisses

Red (or you favorite color)cellophane or plastic wrap

Green pipe cleaners

Floral tape

Small green leaves – artificial ones or cut them out of construction paper

Hold the two Kisses with the bottoms together.

Cut a square of cellophane big enough to cover the kisses. Put the cellophane over the kisses tightly to hold them together. Twist the extra together at the bottom.

Fold the pipe cleaner in half. This is your stem. Lay the ends up against the bottom of the candy “rose”.

Start wrapping the floral tape around the pipe cleaner and cellophane just beneath the kisses. Add the artificial leaf near the top of the stem. Continue wrapping the tape down the stem. Overlap the tape and pulling it tight until you reach the bottom. Tear off.

Add a bow or small candy heart beneath the rose if you like.

Delicious Valentine Trifle

What you need:

Pound cake

1 package of instant vanilla pudding

1 1 / 2 cups of milk

3 cups whipped topping

2-3 cups sliced strawberries

pretty glass bowl

Make the pudding using only 1 1/2 cups milk. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken.

Fold 1 cup of the whipped topping into the pudding.

Slice or cube the pound cake and lay it on the bottom and sides of the bowl

Put half of the strawberries on top of the pound cake. Next, pour the pudding mixture over it all.

Layer the rest of the strawberries on top of the pudding. Spread the rest of the whipped topping over the trifle. Garnish with a few strawberry halves. Chill for at least 4 -6 hours before serving.

-Belinda J Mooney