Once upon a time, it was me playing the Grinch who Stole Valentine’s Day. I loathed the insufferable bombardment of Valentine’s related advertisements, the way that all the stores look like someone puked red and pink down every isle, and the avalanche of SPAM urging recipients to show their love by buying chocolates, diamonds, and what-nots. This year, my approach was different. Although I still detest the onslaught of insistence that we must show our affection materially or else, I welcome the excuse to do something sweet for the sweet man in my life — not because it’s Valentine’s Day — just because. Seriously, life is too short to only express your love one day a year. It need not be the material giving that the media advises.

I, not wanting to make too much or too little of day, searched for just the right measure of Valentine’s sugariness without giving into the propaganda. If I was to do anything at all, my gift would have to be something handmade. Once that was decided, the only thing left was to figure out what I would make.

I gathered up some of this and a little of that, threw it into a bowl and mixed. I then poured the mixture into my deep [un]covered baker, tossed in a large helping of love, and set it baking. Then I prayed to the baking gods to bestow some kind, sweet, and yummy energy on my Valentine’s Day gift.

By the time my creation emerged from the oven, my sweet man had arrived. I sliced him a piece, drizzled a bit more sugary sweetness across the top of my creation and presented it to him. It was far from the beautiful creation that I’d imagined for but it was just as sweet, warm, and moist as I had hoped for. And the smile on my man’s face said it all.

Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day at any level, I wish you the perfect amount of sweetness and warmth on this day!