Martha Thurston
When it comes to Valentine’s day, we all want to wow our special someone with something creative, and sometimes, homemade. Especially our family!
While boxes of chocolates are readily available to pick up at the stores, there are other options for sweets, and they don’t come wrapped in plastic and placed in a heart shaped box.
1. Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate covered strawberries are something that is easy and tasty. I know that they are my favorite. You can use white and/or chocolate candy bark to create sweet treats for your sweetheart. Simply wash and dry your strawberries. Melt the CandyQuik in the microwave following package directions and stirring often. Dip strawberries into the melted candy coating and sit on parchment or wax paper until hardened. If you want to make them fancy, place some of the melted candy coating into a sandwich baggy, snip the end, and then drizzle across the strawberries. You can even use a fork that is dipped in the candy coating and then swung across the tops of the strawberries.
2. Cupcakes
Simple cupcakes are perfect for a Valentine’s Day treat or dessert. Use a store bought cake mix and prepare according to the package directions. Ice using store bought icing. You can purchase white icing and color it pink with red food coloring to make it festive and add sprinkles.
Want fancy iced cupcakes? Use a 1 quart freezer bag filled with icing and cut off a corner to make a piping bag. The larger the hole, the larger the piped icing.
3. Sugar cookies
Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe or purchased sugar cookie dough in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters, or keep them round. Ice with a thinned out white icing. You can even use the store bought icing in the can. Place in microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Stir. Use it to ice cookies.
4. Homemade Candy
As long as the sky is not cloudy, you can make homemade candy. The easiest to make, and the tastiest, is the Never Fail Fudge recipe that is usually on the back of the Marshmallow Fluff Jar. We used to make this every Christmas. It is easy and as the name of the recipe states, it never fails.
5. Faux Black Forest Cake
This cake, when made from scratch, is complicated, but you can use the flavors to create your own version that is perfect rich and decadent without being complicate. For the cake, use a Devils Food cake mix and make according to the box directions. If making a layer cake, place cherry pie filling between the layers topped with whipped cream and then the next layer. Melt some chocolate icing in the microwave (30 seconds until it is thin enough to pour), and pour slowly over the top of the cake. Add a little more of the cherry topping and whipped cream. You’ll then have a Faux Black Forest cake with all of the flavors.
