Other than being the “sweetest” month of the year, February holds many other surprises. Here are some sweet facts and some really sweet recipes!

February is:

• Berry Fresh in the Sunshine State Month
• National Snack Food Month
• Canned Food Month
• North Carolina Sweet Potato Month
• Great American Pies Month
• National Grapefruit Month
• National Cherry Month
• National Potato Month
• Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month. (I’m not sure what this one is about, but if you have one, I’d say return it!)

Honey Nut White Fudge

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 ounce can evaporated milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups miniature marshmallows

12-ounce package white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts, divided

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Line nine-inch-square baking pan with foil. Combine sugar, evaporated milk and butter in medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, morsels, one cup of peanuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan. Coarsely chop remaining peanuts. Sprinkle over fudge; press in. Refrigerate until firm. Remove foil; cut into squares.

Pecan Dreams

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup flour

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup chopped pecans

Topping:

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup almond toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a nine-inch square pan. In a large bowl, stir together sugar and flour. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the cream cheese and butter into the sugar/flour mixture until crumbly. Press mixture into pan. Sprinkle pecans over top; bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool completely.

For topping, whip cream and sugar together until stiff. Fold in toffee bits; spread over cake. Cut into squares. Refrigerate.

Waffled Monte Cristo Sandwiches

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

16 slices firm white sandwich bread

8 deli-thin slices ham

8 deli-thin slices Swiss cheese

Confectioner’s sugar

Raspberry preserves, warmed

Preheat waffle iron on high until just beginning to smoke. Reduce heat to moderate and brush generously with butter. Making four sandwiches at a time, spread butter on one side of eight bread slices and turn slices over. Top four slices with one slice of ham, one slice of cheese, folding in any overhang, then top with remaining four buttered bread slices, buttered sides up. Cook sandwiches until bread is golden and crisp, four to six minutes. While this batch is cooking, assemble remaining sandwiches. Just before serving, cut each sandwich into triangles, and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with warmed Raspberry Preserves for dipping.