Treat your Valentine to breakfast in bed

Indulge yourself and your someone special with breakfast in bed for Valentine’s Day.

Feb. 14 is a Tuesday this year, so consider celebrating a bit earlier. Breakfast in bed just isn’t as fun – nor as romantic – when rushed because of the need to get to work or get the kids to school.

Take your time with – let’s call it brunch – in bed this weekend, when it will be even more of a surprise.

Heart-shaped Red Velvet Pancakes with Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread and Strawberry Compote

From Timothy Grayson

1 cup all-purpose or cake flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons red liquid food coloring

1 cup of chocolate-hazelnut spread, room temperature

Sift together the first six dry ingredients into a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, brown sugar and food coloring. Gradually, stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot greased griddle or large nonstick skillet, using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter greased with cooking spray as a mold.

Cook 3-4 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look dry and cooked. With tongs carefully remove cookie cutter from around pancake, turn over with spatula and cook 2-3 minutes more until done. Reserve cooked pancakes on baking sheet in 190-degree oven.

Spread chocolate-hazelnut spread on pancake, then repeat, creating a layered pancake “cake.” Top with strawberry compote (recipe below) and powdered sugar, and serve with syrup on the side.

Yield: 4 servings

Strawberry Compote

From Timothy Grayson

2 cups fresh strawberries

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Remove the tops from and slice the strawberries. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to simmer until the berries are soft and mixture begins to thicken, about 12 minutes. Serve right away.

Yield: 4 servings

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes with Eggs

From Timothy Grayson

2 large russet potatoes

4 tablespoons whole milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

5 large eggs

1 tablespoon fresh chives

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake potatoes on rack until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool. Then cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop white flesh into bowl leaving a potato skin. Add milk, butter, sour cream, and 1/4 cup of each cheese. Season with salt and pepper, fold in 1 lightly beaten egg and chives.

Fill potatoes with sour cream mixture, then make a indentation large enough for an egg in each top with a tablespoon. Then add a raw egg to each potato skin and place in oven-proof dish or casserole and bake an additional 20-30 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and serve with Maple Glazed Bacon (recipe below) crossed over the top of each potato.

Yield: 4 servings

Simple Maple-Glazed Bacon

From Timothy Grayson

12 slices of medium- to thick-sliced bacon

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook bacon over medium-high heat until bacon is browned but not crispy. Drain on paper towels. Mix other ingredients together with whisk, then lay out bacon on baking sheet and glaze bacon with mixture using a pastry brush. Cook in a 300-degree oven for 4 minutes, turn over bacon, then cook 4 more minutes and serve.

Note: This recipe is also great on a sandwich.

Yield: 4 servings

Valentine’s Day Punch

From Timothy Grayson

1/2 (12-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)

1/2 (12-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate or pink lemonade (thawed)

2 cups cranberry juice cocktail (chilled)

1 liter lemon-lime soda (chilled)

1 1/2 cups of ice

1/2 cup sliced strawberries (chilled)

Mix first four ingredients in pitcher. Pour into glasses with ice and garnish with strawberry slices.

Yield: 8 servings

Timothy Grayson is the district executive chef for Sodexo Dining Services and is based at Whitworth University.