Here’s how you can bake a little love into Valentine’s Day
Make some lovin’ from the oven with sweet treats for Valentine’s Day.
Whether for a spouse, friend or kids’ school parties, stirring up a batch of cookies, cupcakes, bars or candy shows love. Yes, it is easier to buy a box of chocolates or pick up 24 cupcakes at the supermarket, but those on the receiving end will remember the homemade effort.
My grandmother made tea cakes that I still make today. Not too sweet, but so good with a cup or coffee or tea. She would make them in heart shapes for Valentine’s, and I proudly carried them to school.
My granddaughter proudly tells her classmates that “my Mamie made these.” I pray this continues throughout future generations. There is much to be said about family traditions.
Instead of buying cookies or cupcakes, let the kids help make the treats. Cooking teaches them math, reading and science. Most youngsters especially those under 12 clamor for the extra time with parents or grandparents.
Last week was an especially busy one in our house. I had meetings, luncheons and, yes, a basketball games to watch in which the pup squad was cheering. By the time Saturday night rolled around, my granddaughter told me that she had missed me because we didn’t get to spend time together. Talk about guilt!
Here are some valentines treats that require less than an hour in the kitchen. The children can decorate takeout boxes with stickers for their teachers or classmates.
These chocolate chip truffle bars are for kids and adults. Cleanup is a breeze, too, if the pan is lined with foil – no greasy, messy pan to clean.
A healthier treat for school or breakfast on Valentine’s is strawberry muffins, which only have a half cup of sugar for 12 muffins. These can be baked in a heart shape pan to make even more special. Recipes follow at the end of column.
Coast chef carves nitch
Chef Calvin Lipe, room chef at Island View Resort and Casino, carved some beautiful vegetable flowers and fruits for the reorganizational meeting of the Coast Chapter of the American Culinary Federation, The educational demonstration set the tone for what’s to come for the chapter, which hope to involve culinary high school and college students and Coast restaurant chefs in local and national competitions, accredited educational programs and opportunities for the younger chefs to grow in their talents.
“We want the Coast ACF to be active again,” said Jackie Seavey, who is a tough award-winning competitor and the new Coast chapter president. “We know that cooking has changed. We must think gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan and keto in our dishes. We have to know molecular gastronomy.
Chef Lipe echoes that saying, “We all learn from each other. We can never stop learning. That is how I got interested in food carving and ice carving.
The chef for more than 25 years has learned from some of the best, and he has researched and watched videos for years to perfect his talent.
“It is so relaxing to do these carvings and watch how they turn out,” he said.
For a wedding, he carved the couples’ last initial into a watermelon surround by roses carved into the watermelon and surrounded by vegetable flowers.
His demonstration and the kickoff meeting prove that the Coast ACF only wants to offer the public and fellow chefs the best offerings.
The new officers for the Coast ACF are Seavey; Chef Jean-Paul Lavallee, vice president; Chef Demetrio “Chef D” Marquez, treasurer; and Chef Jo Cash Mitchell, treasurer.
Chefs or students needing more information or applications may contact Seavey at Island View.
And now for Valentine goodies:
Chocolate chip truffle bars
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 pouch (1 pound 1.5 ounces) Betty Crocker chocolate chip cooking mix
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 container (1 pound) Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
1 can (6.4 ounces) Betty Crocker Easy Flow pink decorating icing
35 yogurt- covered miniature pretzels
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom or 13-by-9-inch pan with cooking spray or cover bottom with foil. In medium bowl, stir together softened butter and egg. Stir in cooking mix until soft dough forms. Press mixture in bottom of pan using floured fingers.
Bake 19 to 21 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes.
In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chip uncovered on hi 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Stir in frosting. Spread evenly over bars. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
For bars, cut into 7 rows by 5 rows. Using star tip on with pink decorating icing, fill in each hole of each pretzel, forming a heart in center of each. Place decorated pretzel on each bar. – “Betty Crocker Holiday Cookies”
Strawberry muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup Crisco oil
1/4 cup Smucker’s strawberry jam
3/4 cup fresh strawberries, diced
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tins with Crisco No-Stick Cooking Spray.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat egg with buttermilk, stir in oil and strawberry jam. Stir liquid and strawberries into dry ingredients until just blended. Divide mixture between prepared muffin tins.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in tins 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Note: The muffins are best if baked just before serving. If made in advance, reheat at 300 degrees wrapped in foil for 10 minutes. – Crisco
Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.