I was hosting a Church Couples Connect Night (CCCN) at my house recently and we decided to go with a Valentine Theme since it was a couples event.

I wanted to make something fun and festive, so I supplied the Punch and a Sweet Bar.

I love making punch for parties and events.

One thing I always try to do, is incorporate the holiday or season into the recipe.  Right now I am into cherry flavoring so I thought why not a cherry punch!

Of course I have to dabble a little here, and dabble a little there, to get the recipe just the way I want it!

And if I think I perfected the taste I was going for.

What you need:

2 quarts of Cherry Flavored Drink (example Koolaid)

1 quart of Pink Lemonade

1 liter of Ginger Ale

12 oz of 100% Pineapple Juice

6 oz of Maraschino Cherries and Juice

What to do:

1) Pour all ingredients together into a large drink dispenser.

2) Stir together.

3) Serve.

*Works best if all ingredients are very cold or are slushy from the freezer.

I also wanted to do a really cute food idea for the CCCN.

I came up with the idea of a Sweet Bar from my Winter Cocoa Bar.  I had decided to leave my Cocoa Bar up all Winter, but when I came up with the Sweet Bar idea, I just rearranged a few things, took away the cocoa supplies and added a lot of sweets and candy instead.

I added jars of gumdrops and jellybeans, chocolate covered pretzels, heart shaped bowls of assortment fun size candy bars, chicken feeders filled with M&M’s, and cute pink and red paper bowls to put our treats in.

It was a big hit and such a cute and simple way to decorate for Valentine’s.

I will leave it up through February and  keep it stocked with sweets for any guests that might drop.