Valentine's Day Recipes: How to Make Your Favorite Foods Red or Pink

Give some of your favorite foods a pink or red twist this Valentine's Day.

Pink Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies

Use your traditional sugar cookie recipe, but sweeten it up for Valentine's Day by using a heart-shaped cookie cutter and pink or red icing. Our favorite recipe is below:

Ingredients for Cookie Dough:
2/3 cups shortening
¾ cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
4 tsp. milk
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla. Add egg and milk; beat until light and fluffy. Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill at least one hour.

On lightly floured surface, roll to 1/8 inch thickness. (Keep other half chilled until ready to use.) Cut in heart shapes with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased sheet at 375 degrees for about eight to 10 minutes. Cool slightly; remove. Makes about three dozen.

Ingredients for Icing:
2 unbeaten egg whites
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. light corn syrup
1/3 cup cold water
Dash salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Red or pink food coloring

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in top of double boiler (don't place over boiling water). Beat ½ minute at low speed on electric mixer to blend. Place over, but not touching, boiling water. Cook, beating constantly, until frosting forms stiff peaks. This should take about seven minutes. Don't overcook!

Remove from boiling water. Add vanilla and beat until mixture is of spreading consistency, or about two minutes. Frost cookies to your liking and top with any cookie decorations you may desire!

Pink Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:
16 oz. white chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. shortening
1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves
Pink or red candy food coloring*

Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth. Mix in candy food coloring until desired color is reached. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into Styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.

For added decoration, make extra white or regular chocolate dip, and drizzle pink strawberries with designs.

*Make sure you specifically buy candy food coloring. Traditional food coloring will not work right! You can get candy food coloring at An Occasional Chocolate.

Pink Berry Krispy Treats

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
3 Tbsp. margarine
6 cups mini- or 60 regular size marshmallows
9 cups Kellogg's Berry Krispies
Heart-shaped cookie cutter

Lightly coat a 10- by 15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray and set it aside. Melt margarine in a large pot over low heat. Add marshmallows, stirring them continuously until they melt. Remove pan from heat. Add the Berry Krispies, stirring until evenly coated with marshmallow. Spoon mixture onto baking sheet.

With waxed paper (or lightly buttered hands), smooth out the mixture to an even thickness. Cut out hearts with the cookie cutter. Makes seven five-inch hearts.

This recipe is a slight adaptation from FamilyFun holiday recipes.