One of my fondest childhood memories is of my mother helping me make a Valentine's box to take to school. We pulled out white paste, an old shoebox, scraps of doilies, and construction paper. There was a flurry of activity as I cut and pasted, and imagined my box filled with homemade Valentines from classmates and secret admirers.

My favorite teacher in the fourth grade was Mrs. Dearing. For Valentine's Day, I wanted to make her something special. My mother had a recipe for sugar cookies that she had made as a child. We stayed up late rolling out the dough, long after my brothers had gone to bed. Carefully, we sprinkled the cookies with sugar and waited for the sparkling wafers to emerge from the oven.

To t Valentine Gifts From The Heart Recipe

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How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner and Enjoy it Anyway

by Skip Lombardi

You've been nominated; or perhaps your family has issued a decree; or perhaps it's simply your turn. No matter what the reason, you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. This need not be a burden. In fact is can be a pleasure, given the right planning and organization.

I've found that the key to an almost effortless-looking dinner is thinking backward. Start your Thanksgiving planning by visualizing yourself, surrounded by family and friends at the dinner table, then work backward to determine how you got there. Ask yourself which foods took the least amount of preparation, which took the most. Write these things down in a list.

Now refine the list--but only slightly. Which dishes can be prepared the day (or evening) before? Which dish How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner and Enjoy it Anyway Recipe

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Harvest Sweet Potato Pie

by News Canada

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) Five Roses All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt

1/2 cup (125 ml) cold butter, cubed

1 egg

1 tsp (5 ml) white vinegar

cold water

Filling:

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cooked, mashed sweet potato

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) coffee cream or milk

3/4 cup (175 ml) packed brown sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon

1 tsp (5 ml) each salt and ginger

1/4 tsp (1 ml) each allspice, cloves and nutmeg

Pastry: Combine flour and salt in food processor, fitted with metal blade. Using pulse button, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg and vinegar in measuring cup; add enough cold water to measure 1/3 cup (75 ml). Add to flour mixture and process until dough begins to clump Harvest Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

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