“All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
— Charles M. Schulz
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. This day is a chocolate lover’s dream. At my house, there will be a special dinner prepared by both of us at home, along with a scrumptious dessert. This year is our 43rd Valentine’s Day together. I will wear my locket Steve gave me in the 10th grade that still contains a very yellowed photo of him in his basketball uniform. The inscription on the back reads “Love Always, Steve.” I guess he really meant it!
This is a special holiday for a lot of people. Here are a few Valentine’s Day facts for you to enjoy.
nIn Victorian times, it was considered bad luck to send or receive a Valentine’s Day card.
nThirty percent of all pet owners will give some type of Valentine’s Day gift to their pets.
nOne billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent. This is the second largest seasonal card sending time of the year.
nSAD is Singles Awareness Day and is celebrated on Valentine’s Day. Remember, the next day is half price on all candy day, so cheer up!
nRichard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day in the late 1800s.
nMore than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates will be sold for Valentine’s Day.
nEighty-five percent of all Valentine’s Day gifts will be bought by women.
nFlowers for Valentine’s Day are bought by 73 percent men and 27 percent women.
nIn the United States, 15 percent of the population of women send themselves flowers.
nIn the United States, over $1 billion worth of chocolate is purchased on Valentine’s Day.
nOn Valentine’s Day, 50 percent of all cards are purchased in the six days prior to Feb. 14
nRed roses are considered the flower of choice because red is the color of love and stands for strong romantic feelings. It is also the flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.
nOver 189 million stems of roses are sold in the United States on Valentine’s Day.
nTeachers receive more cards than anyone else, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.
nThe average number of wedding proposals on Valentine’s Day each year is 220,000.
Hope all of you have a great Valentine’s Day. Maybe today’s recipes will be something you can share with someone you love. Thanks for reading.
CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs, beaten
3 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
Cream butter, shortening and sugar; add eggs and mix well. Sift dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and vanilla. Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan. Pour batter and smooth. Bake at 300 degrees for one and a half to two hours until a toothpick inserted comes out smooth. Cool for five minutes before removing from pan to cool completely. This freezes well.
(You can serve this with Cool Whip and some macerated strawberries for a delicious dessert.)
HERSHEY BAR PIE
7 regular sized Almond Hershey Bars
20 large marshmallows
½ cup milk
½ pint whipping cream
1 (8 oz.) carton Cool Whip
Graham cracker pie crust
Melt candy bars, marshmallows and milk over low heat. Set aside and let cool slightly. Whip cream until it forms peaks; fold into cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon into prepared graham cracker crust, and refrigerate until firm. When firm, top with Cool Whip.
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE
(If ya gotta go, ya gotta go!)
1 box chocolate cake mix (bake according to package directions in a 9-by-13-inch pan)
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
3 (3½-ounce) boxes instant chocolate pudding
6 cups milk
6 Heath toffee candy bars
1 (16-ounce) carton Cool Whip
After preparing cake, punch holes in cake and pour chocolate syrup evenly on top and cool. Prepare pudding mix with milk as directed and chill. Crush candy bars, and set aside. Crumble cake, and layer half of it in a trifle bowl. Add half the pudding, half the topping and half the candy bar crumbles. Repeat the layers, and refrigerate.
• Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
