Stevie Wonder may have sung about showing your love with a dozen roses, but there may be a sweeter way to show your love on Valentine’s Day. Think homemade candies.

"Every Valentine’s Day, I give something homemade to the special guy I am seeing. It is never terribly expensive, and never over the top. Just something that says, ‘I was thinking about you,’" said Brynn Brown, author of The Food Evangelist blog.

"It is easy enough to buy a box of chocolates, but it doesn’t compare to the experience of making them yourself and basking in the adoration of the person to whom you give them."

Brown uses her online blog to share recipes and ideas for dishes that are meant to encourage folks to savor special moments everyday, not just sugary sweet holidays.

"I think sometimes we get so busy with our lives that we forget to slow down and really enjoy some of the mundane bits of life," Brown said.

"I am most inspired by the seasons, and the desire to create memories. When I recall some of my happiest memories, almost all of them include food.

"The food has to go with, and be as memorable as whatever happens to be going on. That’s the goal. Without the memories, the food is just fuel."

The same can be said for presents. A thoughtless gift becomes less of a token of appreciation and more of a forgettable trinket.

If your someone special has a sweet tooth, Brown’s recipe for Sea Salt Caramels may come in handy next Tuesday on Valentine’s Day.

"Most people couldn’t remember or describe the taste of the last store-bought chocolates they ate, but they will never forget these caramels," Brown said.

Although the chewy treats may melt hearts, they won’t melt in your hands if they’re stored properly.

"The caramels can be stored for a couple of weeks in a sealed container at room temperature," Brown said.

"You don’t want to put them in the fridge as cold air and condensation does weird things to chocolate."

If handling a bubbling pot of melted sugar and cream fills your heart with more fear than fuzzy feelings of love, consider whipping up a batch of these Linzer Heart-Shaped Cookies.

The recipe was created by Cumming resident, chef Alex Hwang, who is also the American Culinary Federation’s reigning Pastry Chef of the Year.

Instead of being overtly sweet, Hwang’s recipe rests on more delicate flavors like lemon zest and raspberry jam.

When you’re ready to present your treats, line a small tin — which can be purchased at a craft store — with parchment paper, tuck your treats inside dress up the container with a festive bow.

And if the spirit moves you, feel free to seal it with a kiss.