OXYGEN SEXPERT SUE JOHANSON�S VALENTINE RECIPES HEAT THINGS UP IN THE KITCHEN AND BEDROOM

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�Talk Sex� Host and Grandma Bakes Up Aphrodisiac Valentine�s Day Treats

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NEW YORK, February 3, 2005 � Oxygen is heating things up for Valentine�s Day! Sex educator and host of the popular live call-in sex advice show �Talk Sex with Sue Johanson� is offering romancers everywhere the ingredients (literally) to a hot and passionate Valentine�s Day. Since the candid grandmother prides herself as being a swift baker in the kitchen as well as in the bedroom, Sue Johanson created two cookie recipes that will sure wet any love seeker�s appetite. The Nookie Cookie and Passionate Dreams are made from ingredients known for centuries as being aphrodisiacs � or as Johanson says, food that �revs up your engine� in the bedroom or anywhere else!

Whether planning a romantic evening at home or just desiring a tasty treat with an extra kick, Johanson recommends whipping up a batch of Nookie Cookies or Passionate Dreams � they�ll melt in the mouth as you melt in a puddle of passion.

Nookie Cookies

Nookie Cookies are sure to arouse the taste buds � and more. They are a rich blend of seductive ingredients: almonds, which are the spark of passion and fertility; honey, to rev up our hormones and revive exhausted lovers; and ginger, a spice with a talent for lust.

These cookies look as delectable as they taste. Roll them up and fill them with luscious whipped cream. Or arrange a few cookies on a plate, drizzle with melted chocolate and top with a dollop of cream. Simply irresistible!

Ingredients (makes approximately 48 large cookies):
14 tbsp butter
1-1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup organic wildflower honey
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups sliced almonds
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1/3 all-purpose flour
Melted chocolate and whipped cream, as needed

1. Combine the butter, sugar, honey and cream in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for another 5 or 6 minutes, stirring, until the mixture reaches 240�F.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the sugar mixture. Mix well. While the mixture is hot, drop heaping teaspoonfuls (actual measure - 2 tsp. each) on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. The cookies will spread a lot, so leave at least 2 inches between them. Flatten the cookies with a fork.

3. Bake at 375�F until golden brown � around 7 to 9 minutes. Do not overcook! The cookies will spread and lose shape. Let them cool for about a minute, then use a knife or spoon to re-form them into round shapes. Let cool.

4. To serve, pile a few cookies on a plate, drizzle with melted chocolate and add a generous spoonful of whipped cream.

Sidebar:

To jazz up the presentation, use chopped almonds instead of sliced ones. This will make it easier to form the cookies into a roll. While the cookies are still quite warm, roll each one around the handle of a wooden spoon (or � inch x 4 � inch metal rolling tubes) and place carefully on a baking rack. Let cool completely. Take a can of real whipped cream and place the nozzle at one end of each cookie to fill the center.

Passionate Dreams

These fabulous cookies dissolve in the mouth; then you can dissolve into each other�s arms. They will never qualify as dietary delights, but you can enjoy the sugar rush and will burn off the excess calories by romancing the night away. These coconut macaroons are fat free and will provide a small amount of fiber -- two out of three is not bad considering the long-term effects!

Ingredients (makes approximately 24 cookies):
3 egg whites
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup white sugar
1-1/4 cup shredded coconut
Few drops almond extract
1 large bar Belgian or organic chocolate, chopped
24 marachino cherries, drained and patted dry

Preheat oven to 300�F.

1. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until firm peaks form.

2. Gradually add the salt and sugar; continue to beat until soft and glossy.

3. Fold in coconut and almond extract

4. Drop 1 tablespoon of the mixture on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or well greased. Moisten fingers with water and smooth edges to create round cookies. Place in oven

5. Remove cookies after 15 minutes and, after moistening your fingertip slightly with water, make a small well in the peak of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and centers are dry.

6. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over gentle heat.

7. When cookies have cooled for 5 minutes, pour melted chocolate into each well. When the chocolate has set a little, sprinkle it with coconut and top with a cherry. Don�t let the chocolate harden completely, or the cherries will roll off!

Oxygen�s �Talk Sex with Sue Johanson� offers helpful guidance to callers on the sometimes uncomfortable topics of love, relationships and sex. Airing Sunday nights at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on Oxygen, the one-hour series tackles all aspects of sexuality in an informative, non-judgmental and humorous way as Johanson provides insights on revitalizing one�s sex life and the latest information on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexual disorders. A registered nurse, Johanson has completed numerous post-graduate courses, including Family Planning at the University of Toronto, Human Sexuality at the University of Michigan, and Counseling and Communications at the Toronto Institute of Human Relations. In 1970, she established the Don Mills Birth Control Clinic in Toronto. Since 1974, she has been teaching sex and sexuality in schools throughout Canada. Johanson also has been honored with the prestigious Order of Canada award for her work in sex education.