Valentine's Day Celebration Recipes

Cheese-Filled Endive Spears Yield: 32 appetizers

Place cheeses and seasonings in work bowl of food processor. Process 15 seconds or until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon of cheese mixture onto bottom end of each endive spear. Garnish with walnuts.

Champagne Chops Yield: 4 servings

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge pork chops in flour mixture. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add chops; cook about 2 minutes on each side. Add champagne; cook about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chops; set aside and keep warm. Add cream and mushrooms to skillet; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, just until thickened. Return chops to pan; heat through. Serve immediately.

For cranberry mold, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Break up frozen relish with fork; add to gelatin mixture and stir until relish is thawed and thoroughly combined. Pour into 6-cup mold. Refrigerate until set, several hours or overnight. For dressing, gently stir orange juice, peel and vanilla into sour cream. To serve, unmold cranberry salad onto serving plate; serve with dressing.

Cook beans according to package directions. In a separate bowl, combine butter, garlic and pepper. Drain beans; place in serving bowl. Add butter mixture; toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Browned Butter Makes a Great Fix-Up
Vegetables, such as broccoli and green beans, take on new excitement when served with browned butter. To make browned butter, follow this chef's tip: To give butter a wonderful nutty flavor, cook it until golden brown or the color of a copper penny. This browning gives butter a sweet taste that is excellent over vegetables, for caramel-type sauces, and in a butter frosting for a carrot or applesauce cake.

Pink Passion Cake Yield: one 9-inch cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add egg; mix well. Resift flour into small bowl with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until smooth. Spread evenly in buttered 9-inch heart-shaped pan.* Bake about 35 minutes or until golden and top springs back when lightly touched and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut cake horizontally into two layers. Place one layer on serving plate. Spread strawberry preserves evenly over top; spread pink Rosie's Buttercream (see recipe below) over preserves. Place remaining cake layer on top. Frost top and sides with pink Rosie's Buttercream. Spoon white Rosie's Buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with desired decorating tip; pipe icing decorations onto cake as desired.

*One 8-inch round baking pan may be substituted for heart-shaped pan.

Place butter, sugar and cream in work bowl of food processor; process 5 minutes or until light and fluffy, stopping machine frequently to scrap sides. Transfer to medium mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high speed 15 to 20 minutes or until light and fluffy. Reserve 3/4 cup white buttercream for piping. Stir red food coloring, a few drops at a time, into remaining buttercream until pink.

Baking Like the Pros
Professional bakers recommend using butter when baking because the fresh, unmistakable flavor of butter ensures the highest quality. Here are a few of the reasons why the pros prefer butter:

• Butter is an all-natural product, which ensures fresh taste.
• Baked goods made with butter stay fresh longer.
• Butter contributes a tender, just-right texture that makes cookies and other baked goods outstanding.
• Butter enhances the flavor of other ingredients such as chocolate and nuts.