Give your heart away this Valentine's Day with an easy home-baked treat that will capture the affections of the whole family. Everyone loves a chewy chocolate chip cookie, and I've made this classic treat distinctive by shaping cookie dough into a giant heart and topping it with a smooth layer of rich chocolate. Invite the family to gather around this whimsical treat and enjoy.

This is a great baking project for kids, with Mom's help. It's easy, it provides practice measuring and mixing, the giant size is captivating and fun, and decorating the cookie lets kids exercise their creativity:

• Teach kids the good habit of "mise en place" when cooking or baking—that's "get everything out that you need, and measure ingredients, before starting to cook."
• Show kids how to measure flour (scoop into measuring cup and level off with the back of a table knife) and brown sugar (pack, by pressing down on sugar in measuring cup).
• If you don't have a heart-shaped pan, kids will enjoy shaping the heart, with lightly floured hands, in approximately an 8-inch circle on a cookie sheet.
• Provide red, white and pink decorating frosting, in tubes, for kids to dress up the heart after the chocolate topping has cooled. Some Valentine's-colored sugar or sprinkles provides additional inspiration.

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GIANT VALENTINE COOKIE
(Makes 12 servings)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups (11.5-ounce package) Nestlé Toll House Milk Chocolate Morsels, divided

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease and wax paper-line 8 1/2- or 9-inch heart-shaped pan.
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup morsels; spread into prepared pan.
BAKE for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.
MICROWAVE remaining morsels in small, uncovered microwave-safe bowl on medium-high (70%) power for 1 minute; stir. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring until melted; spread over heart.

BAKING SHEET COOKIE VARIATION:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. With floured hands, pat dough into 8-inch heart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden. If necessary, during baking reshape heart with spatula or knife. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.

Nutritional information per serving: 310 calories, 150 calories from fat, 17g total fat, 10g saturated fat, 45mg cholesterol, 0g fiber, 30g sugars, 2g protein