Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? History of Valentine’s Day
Valentine`s Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia. The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl`s name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honor of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed. The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine`s Day for the celebration of this new feast. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way. Valentine’s Day Delicacies

COCOA KISS COOKIES
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup finely chopped pecans
About 54 dark kiss chocolates
Powered sugar

Directions
1. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Add pecans; beat until well blended. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
2. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again just before serving, if desired. About 4-1/2 dozen cookies. FLUTED CHOCOLATE-MARASCHINO CAKE
Ingredients
2/3 cup butter, softened 1-3/4 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-3/4 all-purpose flour ¾ processed cocoa 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup dairy sour cream powdered sugar Cherry whipped cream

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Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan.
Beat butter and sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs, almond and vanilla extracts; beat well. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well. Pour into pan.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Sift with powdered sugar. Garnish with CHERRY WHIPPED CREAM. 12 servings.

Cherry whipped cream: Beat 1 cup whipping cream, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries. CHERRY-BRIGHT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
Ingredients
½ cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract OR 2 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup chopped silvered almonds
Additional maraschino cherries, halved (optional)
Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Lightly press cherries between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture. In small bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs until creamy. Mix in corn syrup, almond extract and vanilla until well blended. Stir together flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder; add to butter mixture, mixing until well blended. Stir in cherries and almonds; pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost, if desired. Cut into squares. Garnish with additional cherries, if desired. About 16 brownies. Bureau Report