Recipes inspire romance for Valentine's Day

Surprise your Valentine with French toast, fruit and coffee in bed. For a romantic combination, add whip cream, black cherries and syrup to the menu using the recipes below.

Cherry-stuffed

French toast

with cherry sauce

Ingredients:

1 package frozen dark cherries, defrosted

1/2 cup dark cherry (sugar-free) fruit spread

2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

1/3 cup dried sour cherries

1/3 cup apple juice

8 slices whole-wheat bread

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

3/4 cup skim (fat-free) milk

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons canola oil

Place defrosted cherries in a blender or food processor and reduce to a rough puree. Transfer to a small saucepan, mix in the jam and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir cornstarch/water mixture to recombine and stir into the cherry mix. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, cover and set aside while making French toast. (The sauce can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.)

Combine dried cherries and apple juice in a small bowl. When the fruit is plump, squeeze out excess moisture and coarsely chop. Set aside fruit and discard the juice.

Using a small, round cookie cutter (or fingers), remove the centers from bread slices, leaving about a 1/2-inch of bread inside the crust. Transfer slices to a shallow, flat container. Tear the circles into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Mix in the chopped cherries.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in milk, zest and vanilla. Pour half over the bread/cherry mixture and mix with a fork until combined. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread slices, and let stand until liquid is absorbed.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add the bread slices. (f the skillet holds less than 8 slices, cook the French toast in batches, keeping each batch warm until all are cooked.)

Fill in the empty centers of bread slices with spoonfuls for the filling, pressing down with the back of the spoon to firmly pack the mixture. Brown the bread on one side, 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully turn to brown the second side. Meanwhile, heat cherry sauce over low heat until very warm.

Serve with warmed sauce.

- Recipe courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research

Mocha coffee

Ingredients:

4 cups strong brewed coffee

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional)

In large saucepan, combine coffee, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate and cinnamon. Heat through, stirring constantly. Serve in mugs.

Top with whipped cream or small spoonful of ice cream (optional).

- Recipe courtesy of

foodeditor.com and

Eagle Brand Condensed milk