Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, and many are wondering what kind of gift to present to that special someone. Why not try making a decadent treat, like homemade chocolate covered cherries, a creamy cheesecake or even fancy petits fours? Check out these ideas from Recipes Remembered, a collection of 30 years’ worth of recipes from Our Town/Star Journal readers.
We’ll be posting readers’ recipes on our website every week, so if you have a special recipe you’d like to share with our online viewers, we’d love to hear from you. Send your favorite recipes to [email protected].
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Petits Fours
1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix
3 lg. eggs
1 c. oil
11/4 c. water
3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
11/2 c. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
21/4 c. confectioners’ sugar
Food coloring (opt.)
Candy decorations (opt.)

Line 151/2 x 101/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Preheat oven to 350^o. Combine dry cake mix, eggs, oil and 11/4 cups water in large mixer bowl. Mix cake as directed on package. Turn batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately turn cake onto towel and peel off paper. Cool. Cut into 70 shapes, 11/2 inches. Place on racks with waxed paper under racks. Frosting: Combine granulated sugar, cream of tartar and 11/2 cups hot water in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until syrup reaches 226o on candy thermometer. Cool until lukewarm (110^o). Stir in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until frosting is of good pouring consistency. Tint with food coloring if desired. Pour frosting over cakes on racks. After frosting one rack, remove frosting from waxed paper and return to bowl. If it becomes too thick, heat over hot water or add a few drops of hot water. Repeat until all cakes are frosted. Add candy decorations if desired.
Tricia Rathbun

Double Raspberry Cheesecake
2 c. packaged chocolate wafer crumbs
1/3 c. butter, melted
3 T. sugar
21/2 c. fresh or lightly sweetened frozen red raspberries, thawed
2/3 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
2 tsp. lemon juice
3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites
1 c. whipping cream
1 c. fresh or lightly sweetened frozen red raspberry liqueur or orange juice

Crust: Combine wafer crumbs, butter and 3 tablespoons sugar. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of an ungreased 8- or 9-inch springform pan. Chill while preparing filling. Raspberry Sauce: In a blender container, blend the 21/2 cups raspberries until smooth. Press through a sieve to remove seeds. Add water to sieved raspberries if necessary to equal 1 cup. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan; stir in sieved raspberries. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Stir in lemon juice. Remove 3/4 cup sauce. Cool slightly without stirring. Cover remaining sauce and chill until serving time. Filling: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, flour and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg whites, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in cream. Pour half the mixture into crust-lined pan. Drizzle the 3/4 cup raspberry sauce over cheese mixture in pan. Carefully spoon on remaining cheese mixture, covering sauce. Place in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 375^o oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center appears nearly set when shaken. Cool in spring form pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of pan and remove. Makes 12 servings. Preparation time: 1 hour.
Vicki Mendham-Whitehead

Chocolate-Covered Cherries
1/3 c. butter
2 c. (1 jar) marshmallow crème
Dash of salt
1 tsp. almond extract
4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
11/2 to 2 (10-oz.) jars (60) maraschino cherries
6-oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
6-oz. pkg. milk chocolate chips

Cream butter. Beat in marshmallow crème, salt and almond extract. Add sugar gradually, mixing well after each addition. Turn out and knead in powdered sugar, adding powdered sugar until mixture is no longer sticky. Drain cherries thoroughly. Press thumb into 1-inch pieces of fondant and insert cherry in thumbprint. Wrap each cherry in fondant, being sure it is completely covered. Refrigerate overnight. Melt chocolate chips in small saucepan over very low heat. Remove from heat as soon as chips are melted. Dip wrapped cherries in chocolate. Place dipped cherries on waxed paper and refrigerate to harden.
Darlene Machtan