Culinary.net : Online Features - Say I Love You With Deliciously Easy Handmade Treats for Valentine's Day

Say I Love You
With Deliciously Easy Handmade Treats
Valentine's Day

I'm Fondue of You
Love Dots
Poke-a-Dot Heart Cake
X's and O's

(Family Features) - This Valentine's Day, show how much you love and care with handmade treats. Put a smile on someone's face (maybe your elderly neighbor's), warm a heart (your sweetie's) or make your friends and family feel a little happier with delicious chocolate confections you've made in your kitchen. They look and taste wonderful, and they're also easy to make — when you use velvety milk or dark chocolate hearts and colorful, versatile candy-covered chocolates.

Give X's and O's (easy-to-make cookies) to everyone on your Valentine's list. Make miniature "love dot" cupcakes even more special with rich, silky and indulgent chocolate hearts. Whip up everything from heart-shaped "poke-a-dot" cakes to a fun and easy fondue — just plunge, dip, soak or plop everything from strawberries to marshmallows in the luscious, melted chocolate. They're all delicious ways to melt hearts this Valentine's Day.

For more recipes for hand made Valentine's treats and family activities visit www.brightideas.com.

I'm Fondue of You
Plunge. Dip. Soak. Plop. Everyone has their own fondue style ... which means chocolate fun for everyone!

1 bag Dove Brand Dark Chocolate Hearts
1 bag Milky Way Brand Minis for Valentine's Day
1 cup heavy cream
Assorted fresh and dried fruits (pineapple, apple, strawberries, grapes)
Regular-sized marshmallows
Store-bought cookies

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate hearts, candy bar minis and heavy cream.
Heat in microwave 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour warm chocolate mixture into bowl surrounded with fruits, marshmallows and cookies.
Can be made in advance, and re-heated when ready to serve!

Makes 1 fondue

Tip: For silky smooth chocolate dipping sauce, substitute 1 bag Promises Dark Chocolates for Milky Way Minis for Valentine's Day.

Love Dots
A little love goes a long way ... and these itty-bitty bites are no exception!

1 bag Dove Brand Dark or Milk Chocolate Hearts
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups pecans, finely chopped, divided (optional)
28 mini paper cupcake liners
Mini muffin pans

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, and slowly stir in flour and (if desired) 1 cup chopped pecans.
Roll nicely rounded teaspoons of dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; then (if desired) roll balls in remaining pecans.
Line mini muffin pans with liners. Place 1 ball into each cup, and bake until golden (about 12 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean).
Remove from oven, and place 1 chocolate heart firmly on top of each ball.
Return to oven 3 minutes, remove, and let cool completely.

Makes 28 mini muffins

Poke-a-Dot Heart Cake
This sweet cake makes it easy to have a heart-to-heart-to-heart with those you love!

1 bag M&M'S Brand Milk Chocolate Candies for Valentine's Day
2 16-ounce boxes pound cake mix*
2 16-ounce cans vanilla frosting, divided
Red food coloring
1 9 x 13-inch pan
Resealable plastic bag
Printable template (at www.brightideas.com/valentines/pop_1371.shtml)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9 x 13-inch pan.
Prepare both cake mixes according to package directions. Pour batters into prepared baking pan, and bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven, transfer to wire rack, and let cool completely. *For easy cutting, make cake a day before, or place cooled cake in freezer for an hour before cutting. Arrange all three sizes of printed heart templates on cake, and cut out 1 cake of each size.
Using red food coloring, tint 1 can vanilla frosting light pink. Spoon 1/2 cup remaining vanilla frosting into resealable plastic bag; set aside.
Cover largest and smallest heart cakes with pink frosting; set aside. Cover remaining heart cake with vanilla frosting. Place cakes in freezer 15 minutes before assembling.
Place largest heart cake on serving platter. Top in center with remaining heart cakes. Arrange red M&M'S on outer edges of each cake.
Snip a corner of resealable plastic bag, and randomly pipe dots of frosting all over cakes. Then, place an M&M on top of dot.

Makes 1 cake

Tip: If tops of cakes are slightly rounded, trim so they are flat!

X's and O's
Hand out X's and O's every day of the week with these extra special Valentine's Day cookies!

1 bag M&M'S Brand Milk Chocolate Candies for Valentine's Day
1 bag peanut butter or sugar cookie mix (approximately 1 pound, 1.5 ounces)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Red and white tube frosting
Waxed-paper sheets
Printable templates (at www.brightideas.com/valentines/pop_1380.shtml) or alphabet cookie cutters in "X"s and "O"s

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Prepare cookie mix according to package instructions. Stir in flour and mix until blended.
Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness between two waxed paper sheets. Using printed templates or cookie cutters, cut out "X"s and "O"s. Transfer cutouts to cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, remove from oven, and let cool completely.
Frost cookies' tops with red or white frosting, and then decorate with M&M'S.

Makes 36 cookies

SOURCE: M&M'S Seasonal Brands