12 slices of white bread

12 slices American cheese

4 T butter, room temperature

How to Make It:

Spread each of the slices of bread on one side with the butter.

Place a skillet or griddle over medium heat on the stove.

Lay 6 slices of bread in the skillet butter side down.

Lay 2 slices of cheese on each piece of bread in the skillet.

Top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices buttered side facing up.

Brown for 3 minutes then flip the sandwiches.

Continue to brown an additional 3 minutes or until the sandwich is a golden brown on both sides and the cheese has melted.

Serving Size:  6 sandwiches

These good old American grilled cheese sandwiches will show your children just how loved they are on Valentine’s Day.  Use heart shaped cookie cutters to cut each sandwich into different size edible hearts for the kids to enjoy. 

You can also use your cookie cutters to make special sandwiches for your hubby today, or any time!

What You Need:

3 eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes

3/4 C butter at room temperature for 30 minutes

3 C flour

2 t unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 t salt

2 1/4 C sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla

2 T red food coloring

1 1/2 C buttermilk

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 1/2 t vinegar

Powdered sugar

Conversation heart candies

How to Make It:

Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees and allow the oven to heat while making the batter.

Spray two twelve cup muffin tins with a non stick cooking spray and sprinkle both with a little flour tapping out any excess.

Place the flour, cocoa powder and the salt together in a mixing bowl and toss to combine.

Place the butter in a separate mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. 

Add the sugar and the vanilla and continue to beat until all the ingredients are incorporated together.

Add the eggs one at a time beating after each egg addition until they are incorporated into the mixture.

Add the food coloring and beat on the low speed until combined.

Alternating back forth between the flour and buttermilk add them to the butter mixture beating on low speed after each addition until both have been added.

Place the baking soda in a small bowl and stir in the vinegar.

Add the mixture to the batter and beat on low speed until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle come out clean.

Remove and cool to room temperature.

Place a heart shaped cookie cutter on top of each cupcake.

Sprinkle powdered sugar carefully inside each cutter.

Remove the cutter and place 1 conversation heart candy in the middle of the powdered sugar heart. 

Serving Size:  24

You can make 12 jumbo cupcakes out of this batter if you prefer.  The baking time will change to 20 minutes but the rest of recipe remains the same. 

What You Need:

1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

1/2 t pepper

1 green onion, chopped

1 1/2 C instant potato flakes

How to Make It:

Pour the broth into a saucepan over medium high heat.

Stir in the pepper well.

Bring the broth to a brisk boil then remove from the heat.

Gently stir in the green onion.

Pour the potato flakes into the pan and let them stand until they have absorbed all the broth liquid.

Lay a heart shaped cookie cutter in a skillet over medium heat.

Fill the cookie cutter with the potato mixture. 

Cook 5 minutes then flip and continue cooking 3 minutes or until browned.

Serving Size:  4

Make these heart potato cakes extra special for your Valentine by adding a spoon of applesauce with red hot candies on the top of each one. 

What You Need:

1/2 tub Raspberry Ice Drink Mix

1 C cranberry juice, cold

1 C water, cold

2 C sparkling water

Frozen raspberries

How to Make It:

Place the drink mix powder into a small pitcher.

Pour the cranberry juice and water into the pitcher and whisk until the powder is completely dissolved and the ingredients are combined well.

Place the pitcher in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

Just before serving stir in the sparkling water.

Place frozen raspberries in the bottom of 2 champagne glasses.

Pour the raspberry rendezvous over the top of the raspberries.

Serving Size: 2

Use this drink to start out your special night with that someone you love.  Make a toast to each other, wrap arms and sip to the soft music and glowing candlelight and watch your night evolve. 

What You Need:

2 C + 1 T canola oil, divided

1 lg. egg, slightly beaten

1/2 C milk

1 C sweet apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 C sugar + 1 T sugar, divided

1 t baking powder

1 1/4 t cinnamon, divided

1/4 t salt

1/2 C strawberry or maple syrup

How to Make It:

Place the 2 C of canola oil into a deep fryer or heavy pan and allow to heat to 365 degrees.

Pour the milk into a bowl with the slightly beaten egg and whisk to combine.

Add the apples to the mixture and gently stir to incorporate.

In a separate mixing bowl toss together the flour, 1 T sugar, the baking powder, 1/4 t cinnamon and the salt.

Add the flour mixture to the egg and milk and blend until all the dry ingredients are just moistened.

Drop 3 to 4 teaspoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry 4 minutes, turning occasionally for even browning.

Remove the fritters when they are a golden brown with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.

Continue deep frying in this manner being sure to allow the oil to return to the correct temperature before adding a new batch.

Place the remaining sugar and 3/4 t of the cinnamon into a sealable plastic bag.

Add the fritters a couple at time.

Seal the bag after each addition and shake to cover the fritters well.

Place the fritters on plates.

Place the syrup into a microwave safe bowl.

Stir in the remaining cinnamon until well combined.

Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until the syrup is warmed.

Pour the syrup over the fritters just before serving.

Serving Size:  16 fritters

Breakfast is a great time to spend together as a family and enjoying a special Valentine’s Day treat.  Add a few fresh strawberries on the side to how them just how much they matter. 

Here are some of the foods you might want to add to the menu on Valentine’s Day.

1.      Oysters – these hard-shelled ocean beauties have long been used to initiate sexual desire. People who never even dared touch an oyster were looking to the slimy delights to help them turn on the charm. Oysters can be eaten in a number of ways from on the half shell to dipped and fried in batter. However you can get them down your gullet, they are said to be a natural aphrodisiac.

2.      Chocolate – Over the last couple of years, everyone has been touting the amazing properties of chocolate. We aren’t just talking about any chocolate but dark chocolate. It contains the largest percentage of cacao and produces those “feel good” endorphins that make us ready for anything. Even the Aztec ruler, Montezuma, used to indulge in a drink made with cacao before spending the evening with his concubines.

3.      Hot Peppers – Have you ever eaten something very hot and felt the warmth run through your body? The substance in hot foods like peppers and cayenne pepper is called capsaicin. It causes a thermogenic reaction in the body that speeds up the metabolism. Combine that with some chocolate and oysters (maybe not all together) and you could have an evening of love that is made to order.

4.      Alcohol – Here we are specifically talking about wine and champagne. Some would argue that the reason that alcohol acts as an aphrodisiac is that it lowers our inhibitions. Even so, we wouldn’t do anything that we didn’t already have in our minds to do. The alcohol is a convenient excuse to have some fun. Let the bubbles tickle your nose and light a fire in your loins.

There are plenty of other things that act as aphrodisiacs, too. If a food gives you that “all over” good feeling, use it to get you in the mood on Valentine’s Day and every day of the year.

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, love is in the air. If you want love to be in the bedroom, choose dinner fare that will lead in that direction. Certain foods are known aphrodisiacs and can inspire romance.

What is an aphrodisiac? It is something that arouses our libido. It can be a scent, an image, or even a food. Eating that particular food will get the eater hot and bothered in a good way. 

If that is the direction you are looking to go with your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day, then look no further than the kitchen. They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. On February 14^th, we will wow his or her brain to turn on the rest of their body.

Fancier Fare

Some of you may use Valentine’s Day as the time to stretch your cooking repertoire. In that case, you want to tantalize your sweetie with a feast for the eyes and the palate. It will take some time to prepare such a meal but that’s okay since it’ll be for a special person.

For a welcome change, consider doing a multiple course dinner. Serve an appetizer, then a salad, and then the dinner meal. Follow with a decadent dessert and coffee or a cognac. He or she will be impressed with a presentation like that.

Set the Mood

While dinner is cooking, have some sort of snack to set the mood for the meal and the rest of the evening. A few strawberries with a glass of champagne aren’t a bad way to begin. The combination of sweet strawberries and sparkling champagne will tickle the tongue and relax you both.

Are you thinking of a romantic dinner this year? Stay home and prepare the meal yourself. Make it a night to remember.

No one takes the day off for Valentine’s Day, so dinner is usually the meal of choice for couples to share. This year, instead of eating out, use your extra cash to create a bistro like setting in your home. Serve up a romantic dinner for two this year that you put together.

The first thing to decide is how fancy you desire this dinner date to be. You can keep it simple and spend more time whipping up a generous dessert or vice versa. Knowing the special person in question like you do, the choice won’t be too hard.

Simple Dinner Ideas

For those of you, who feel the need for speed, go with a dish that is easy to prepare. Since there will be just the two of you, opt for Cornish hens instead of a big roasting chicken. They are so small that you can marinate these little beauties before baking them for a flavor that will infuse through the meat.

Maybe red meat is more to your liking. Find the best cuts of steak or a small roast to be the main dish. New York strip steaks or a T-bone will have everyone’s mouth watering. You don’t usually eat it every day because they are so expensive so treat yourself and your companion. Steaks don’t take long to cook either.

Any dish that can be prepared ahead of time and slipped in the oven on Valentine’s Day is considered a simple dinner. Fix a casserole meal with only a few ingredients. You can do wonders with chicken breasts, rice, and cream soup.

Toss a salad to go with dinner. Instead of store bought croutons on the top, use cubed pieces of wheat bread. Wash them with a little butter or reduced fat margarine and pop them into the oven to bake. They still add crunch to the salad with less fat than regular croutons. Even better would be to sprinkle the salad with shelled sunflower seeds to add crunch.

Soups are a great way to hide lots of vegetables for those who don’t take a shine to them. for Valentine’s Day, serve a simple soup like potato, vegetable, chicken noodle, or tomato. What soup you serve will depend on the meal. The point is that soup helps to fill you up without eating a lot of it.

 Now for the meal. It is hard to eat healthy sometimes, especially if there is a holiday celebration going on. Well, Valentine’s Day is no different. Stick with recipes that use lean cuts of beef, pork, or chicken. Seafood can also be used.

Opt for lower fat ingredients in your recipes. If the main course recipe calls for heavy cream, substitute with half and half or light cream. Substitute margarine with butter. Avoid using too much salt. Use saltless seasonings to add flavor to the meal.

 Let your healthy meals extend to Valentine’s Day. After all, we are supposed to show love to those who mean the world to us. Keep their heart healthy.