Heart Shaped Carrots for Valentine's Day

My husband totally teased me about these carrots.  He thought it was hilarious that I took the time to carve carrots into shapes and that my kids and I liked them so much.  If something happens to me, promise me you will check in on my husband and make sure my kids are eating veggies.  Because I know there are other crazy moms like me who not only love doing silly things like this for holidays, but who are always thinking of ways to get those veggies in.  So... heart shaped carrots it is!  My kids ate them raw, then I used them in ribolitta soup that night.  Yeah, they were kind of a pain, but no that big of a pain.  Do you know what I mean?  It took way way less time than making cookies, and my kids thought they were a special Valentine's treat... so score, I say!  I do have to point out that I brought some soup over to my mom and dad that night, and my dad ate his whole bowl without noticing there were heart shaped carrots in it. So maybe the boys in my family are not appreciative, but I am choosing to post these darling little Valentine's carrots based on the appreciation of the women and my kids!

PS Here are a few other recipes that you could use these carrots in for Valentine's Day:

Alpine Potato Soup
Broccoli, Chicken and Swiss Soup
Mama Filoso's Chicken Rice Soup
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Lo Mein
Pasta Primavera with Shrimp
Green Curry Chicken

Heart Shaped Carrot
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Peel carrots.  Using a paring knife, cut a wedge out of the top the length of the carrot.  Remove the wedge.  Use a vegetable peeler to shave off the sharp edges created when the wedge was removed.  Then shave each side of the cylindrical bottom until they meet in a point.  You should now have a long heart shaped carrot.  Slice it and repeat the steps on the rest of your carrots.  Enjoy!
Adapted from Sophistimom (who has a nice little tutorial if you get confused)

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls for Valentine's Day

We've been getting excited for Valentine's Day around my house.  And since we've been eating mostly really healthy since the New Year, my family was extra thrilled when they came home to heart shaped orange rolls one afternoon.  I cheated and used a can of pillsbury orange rolls from the store, but I think I might make the real thing Valentine's morning or for Family Home Evening next week.  Some of the rolls end up looking just like hearts and others end up more rounded on the bottom than pointed, but they still look enough like hearts that I think they are adorable!

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Prepare Cinnamon Rolls as directed or use prepackaged can of cinnamon rolls.

When it is time to roll out the cinnamon rolls, roll the dough from each side toward the middle.  Then slice with dental floss, as usual.  Unroll the dough slightly  from the middle and pinch the bottom to form the point of the heart.  Arrange in the pan as shown.  Bake as directed.  Enjoy!

 

White Chocolate Mousse Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Happy Valentine's Day to the readers we love!  I hope you all have fabulous and happy plans for this special holiday.  But just in case you don't, or just in case you need a little pizzazz...  let me introduce (drum roll please)...  White Chocolate Mousse Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries!  (I know the title's a mouthful, but I couldn't figure out what to leave out!)  I have a thing for chocolate dipped strawberries.  They rank right up at the top of my "favorite things" list.  To illustrate this point, my husband proposed to me with 24 dozen roses, a diamond ring, and a box of chocolate dipped strawberries.  Now stuff decadent white chocolate mousse into strawberries dipped into creamy milk chocolate, and I really start to go weak at the knees.  These babies are my new favorites.  I know cheesecake stuffed strawberry recipes float around now and again, and I've tried a few of the recipes for them.  Let me just say... my stuffed strawberries kill cheesecake stuffed strawberries.  It's not even a fair comparison. So are you convinced?

White Chocolate Mousse Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

3.5 ounces white chocolate squares (3.5 one ounce squares)
1 1/4 cups half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
Large strawberries with stems removed and hollowed out (I used a paring knife to do this)
Chocolate Chips (Guittard chocolate chips work well)

Heat chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until the bowl is no longer warm.  Continue to heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between until the chips have completely melted.  Dip the strawberries and place on wax paper or silpat.

In a microwave safe bowl, microwave white chocolate and 3/4 cup half and half 1 1/2 minutes.  Let sit one minute; whisk.  Transfer to chilled bowl.  Chill 45 minutes.  Add remaining half and half, cream, and vanilla pudding.  Beat until stiff.  Pipe into hollowed strawberries.

Remelt the chocolate chips at 50% power and pipe over the top of the stuffed strawberries if desired.  (I usually just use a sandwich bag with the corner cut out for this part).

 

Valentines Day Breakfast Ideas

In our house Valentines Day is a pretty big deal.  In fact my little boys can not figure out why Daddy has to go to work and their big brothers still have school on such an important day:)   Even though it is a little silly I love all our traditions for each and every holiday--hey I'll take any excuse to create a little happiness around here!

 Valentines Day, being all about LOVE is of course one of my favorites!

I like to start the day off with a fun breakfast for my boys and usually have the table set pretty and the kitchen adorned with a few simple decorations before I go to bed the night before.

Pancakes:  To make the heart shaped pancakes, simply spoon two circles of batter onto a hot griddle, and then with the spoon connect the two circles and shape the bottom point of the heart.  Viola!  I usually add a bit of red food coloring to make a nice pink color.  We have lots of pancake recipe here, but my favorites are Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes or Whole Wheat Buttermilk ones.

Frenchtoast: Another idea is heart shaped french toast.  Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut the bread into hearts ahead of time. I usually do it the night before.  Also, Strawberry Stuffed French Toast would be perfect!  Lots of other French Toast recipes are here and some are overnight ones that can save you time in the morning!

Smoothie: A nice pinkish green smoothie is always a nice addition :)

Waffles: Maybe your family is more sophisticated, how about some  Double Chocolate Waffles ?  These waffles are honestly an over the top amazing breakfast treat!

We have lots of other great breakfast ideas here.

I have found that some years breakfast together is just not possible but it doesn't have to stop you from the fun!  You could have a little something set our for your family to grab on the go--like a bagged muffin, pack of gum, a fun bottled juice!  Just don't forget to attach a little love note:)  Sometimes the smallest gesture is all that is needed to send the message that they are loved BIG!

Have a Happy Valentines Day tomorrow!

Want a fun way to increase the LOVE at home this Valentines Day? Try this--it is quick and easy!

Sweet "Heart" Peanut Blossoms

This really isn't a new recipe.  Melanie posted our Mom's Peanut Blossoms ages ago, but this Valentine's version turned out so cute that I thought I would share the idea with you too!  I used Hershey's Bliss heart shaped chocolates instead of Hershey kisses, but you could use any heart shaped chocolates you can find.  This is a great cookie to make with kids.  They love pressing the chocolates into the hot cookies.  Just make sure you make some extras to share the love with some beloved family or friends this Valentine's season!  I'm including the recipe again here for convenience sake.  Enjoy!

Sweet "Heart" Peanut Blossoms
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¾ cup flour
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 package heart shaped chocolates

Cream butter and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Roll into balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes at 375°. Then press heart shaped chocolate gently into each cookie. Bake 1-3 minutes longer.

My FAVORITE Frosted Sugar Cookie Recipe

I have to admit that I have a love hate relationship with decorated sugar cookies. I LOVE the way they look and I LOVE to eat them--but I hate all the time they take and the mess in my kitchen when I am done. So if I am going to take the time and effort to make them, they better taste as good as they look. Some people use royal frosting (made with egg whites or meringue powder) to get that amazing professional looking decorated cookie. They are beautiful cookies, but I don't think that frosting tastes good. I wanted to find a recipe that still looked great, but also tasted great! I think this recipe is the best of both worlds! These sugar cookies are so good--and you can still get the pretty glazed look by piping an outline around the cookie with frosting in a pastry bag and then "flooding" or filling in the outline with frosting that you have thinned a little. You can notice in the picture above that I did that with the white and red frosting. I left the pink frosting pretty thick and so they look like the traditional frosted sugar cookie while the others look glazed. The end result was a very messy kitchen--but oh my these cookies were so GOOD and cute:) So while I won't be making these often, I am happy that I have found the perfect recipe for when I am in the mood!

Happy Valentines Day everybody!

Ideas for celebrating Valentines Day with your family here.  

Favorite Sugar Cookies
submitted by Melanie

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour

Directions:
Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Chill dough until firm. Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 min. Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cool. Yields ~approx 2 dozen cookies.

Powdered Sugar Glaze
Recipe source: cartzine.com

This frosting will harden upon standing, giving cookies a glazed surface.
Ingredients
2½ cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp butter, softened
½ tsp almond extract
Food coloring optional

Directions
In small mixer bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, butter, and extract. Beat at medium speed until smooth, adding additional milk, if necessary, to reach the desired spreading or "flooding" consistency. Color with food coloring, if desired


You can see in the picture that I had the red and white frosting thinned enough for the flooding technique, but the pink was still too thick. They still tasted great--but the pink was too thick to "flood" or fill in the outline, so I ended up spreading it.

Perfect gift for a friend:) Yum!

Double Chocolate Waffles with Berries

I couldn't resist one more chocolate recipe before Valentine's! This is the ultimate Valentine's breakfast. I've tried chocolate waffles before, but this recipe takes the cake. I think it is the melty little chocolate chips... or maybe it is the perfect crispy exterior of the waffle and the soft interior... or maybe it is the combination of the chocolate with the slightly tart berry sauce... Oh, I can't decide. But one thing is for sure, these waffles are sure to please!

P.S. I can't wait to make these for dessert with a scoop of ice cream and caramel sauce... no, fudge sauce... no, with the berries still... I guess I'll just have to make all three!

Double Chocolate Waffles with Berries
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn starch
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips (I just quickly chopped up some regular chocolate chips)

Berry Sauce and Topping:
3 cups berries (Any combination will do. I used 1 cup strawberries and 2 cups blueberries in the picture. Fresh is always best, but frozen is really delicious, too)
1/4 cup raspberry or strawberry jam (I like it with this homemade strawberry jam)
2 Tablespoons hot water
Whipped cream
Cocoa powder for dusting (optional)

Start by making the berry sauce since it can sit while you make the waffle batter.

Combine jam and warm water and whisk until combined. Add in the berries and gently stir until combined. Depending on the sweetness of the berries, you can add a little powdered sugar if you'd like. (I don't). Set berry sauce aside and make waffle batter.

Waffles:
Preheat a waffle iron. Combine flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Use a whisk to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together sugar, milk, oil, egg and vanilla until frothy. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry a little at a time, whisking to combine. Just stir until they are combined and do not over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips. This is a pretty thin batter, so do not be expecting something that looks like pancake batter. It is supposed to be thin. You shouldn't need to grease your waffle iron. Ladle batter in (rather than pouring - you want those chocolate chips evenly distributed!) and cook according to your iron. Be careful not to overfill. This batter has plenty of leavening so it will expand. The waffles are kind of soft when they come off the iron, but they will magically crisp up after they come off. Top with berry sauce and whipped cream. (Made about 4 waffles on my iron)

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites

Stained Glass Cookies

These Stained Glass Cookies from The Sisters Cafe were featured in a Utah based newspaper this week, the Deseret News.  You can see the article and the published picture of our blog here:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700108248/5-simple-and-sweet-creations-for-Valentines-Day-treats.html
These cute cookies definitely deserve the spotlight this Valentines!  Aren't they fun?!

I made a big batch of them this week so that I could give them away with the kids' Valentines when they exchange Valentines at their parties.

This Sunday I am teaching a lesson to the 12-18 year old girls ('Young Women') in our church, so I made one for each of them as well.  And the kids will give one to each of the Primary teachers.  Can you tell that I just love Valentines Day?  And having a darling Valentines treat to give away with my Valentines just doubles my fun!

Valentines Stained-Glass Cookies

Submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe

Originally posted on The Sisters Cafe in February of 2010

*You can use any roll-out sugar cookie recipe with this 'Stained Glass' idea. So if you have a favorite, go ahead and use it.*

Printable Recipe

1 stick butter, softened
½ c. sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour
1 c. colored hard candies

Unwrap candies and double bag them. You may want to wrap the bag in a dish towel as well. Break the candies into small pieces with a mallet or rolling pin. Set aside.
Mix butter and sugar together until they are smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Add flour and stir until combined. Take batter out of bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
On a floured surface, roll out dough 1/3 at a time, to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with heart shapes, then cut out the middles with smaller hearts.
Cover a cookie sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 4 minutes. Take out cookie sheet and carefully put candy pieces inside each heart cookie, filling the tips of the hearts. (Do not fill too full. The candy will melt and fill in the empty space. You want just a thin sheet of candy in the middle so it is still easy to eat.) Put cookies back in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the candy is melted and the dough is golden. Let sit for a few minutes before removing from foil, to allow the candy to harden.

Lindt Truffle Chocolate Cupcakes

I love love love Lindt Lindor Truffles.  Really, who doesn't?  High quality, creamy, melt in your mouth chocolate.  Mmmm.  How can perfection be made any better?  Well, how about combining Lindt truffles with...

 

...chocolate cupcakes and cream cheese frosting!

The result?   The most amazing, out-of-this-world cupcake I have ever eaten. EVER.  And I am not the only one who thought so.  I made these for a family lunch following my baby's blessing, and everyone in attendance gave rave reviews.  Even my mom, and she really isn't a cake kind of girl.  So if you really want to wow your love this Valentine's Day, I suggest you pick up the supplies and be ready to knock some socks off.  Why not wow your friends and family, too?  I mean, it does make a few cupcakes...  Thanks to my friend Brandi Fotheringham for introducing me to my newest love!

P.S.  I made the cupcakes the night before the blessing, and they were absolutely fabulous the next day.  But I did test one the night before when the chocolate was still kind of warm in the center of the cupcake, and it was wonderful, too.

P.P.S. I tried white chocolate and dark chocolate truffles, as well.  Not as good.  I think milk chocolate is definitely a must here.

Lindt Truffle Chocolate Cupcakes
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 box devils food cake
1 box instant vanilla pudding (small box)
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
Milk chocolate Lindor truffles by Lindt ~ approximately 24

Unwrap milk chocolate Lindt truffles and place in a bowl for use later.  In a separate bowl, add all ingredients and mix well.  Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.  Bake at 350.  After five minutes, lightly press a Lindt truffle into each partially baked cupcake.  Let the cupcakes bake an additional 13 minutes (total of 18 minutes).  Cool completely, then frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese together, then add vanilla.  Slowly add powdered sugar.

Brownie Bites with White Chococlate Frosting-and Decorative Chocolate Hearts

Goodness, that is a very big title for such a small treat!

Don't be fooled by the fancy name, because actually these little brownie bites are easy to make! I used a brownie mix that I happened to have in my pantry for the base. While they cooked I whipped up a FABULOUS white chocolate frosting recipe that I got from my sweet friend Starlie. Let me tell you--it is a great frosting--that I love!

I had planned on picking up some big beautiful raspberries that I had spotted at Costco and placing one on top of each brownie bite. Unfortunately when I was ready to make these, the raspberries were gone! I ended up using some dainty chocolate hearts and XOXOs for garnishes that I made out of melted chocolate. I finished them off with a dusting of sprinkles. I think they turned out very pretty, and they tasted GREAT!

A perfect little treat for your loves on Valentine's Day!

For a fun and easy Valentine DIY banner go here.

Brownie Bites with White Chocolate Frosting and Decorative Chocolate Hearts
Submitted by Melanie ~ The Sisters CafeBrownie base:
1 boxed brownie mix or try our Perfect One Bowl Brownie recipe (cake like brownies work best)

Mix according to directions, but instead of using a 9x13 spoon batter into a lightly greased mini muffin pan. I used about a tablespoon of batter in each mini muffin cup. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Don't overcook.

White Chocolate Frosting:
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened (8oz)
2 ounces of white chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp of almond or vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Mix butter and cream cheese together then add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Put frosting into a pastry bag and pipe on cooled brownie bites.

Chocolate Hearts:
Melt some semi sweet chocolate chips on the top of a double broiler or in a bowl in the microwave at 50% power. I usually do it in the microwave. Start out with 30 seconds and then stir, and then 15 second increments until they are melted.

Put the melted chocolate into a pastry bag with a very small tip (#2,3,4 would work) or you can use sandwich bag. Simple scoop the melted chocolate into the bag and cut a tiny bit of the corner off (really small).

Have a silpat (or waxed paper) lined cookie sheet ready. With your pastry or sandwich bag of melted chocolate, write XOXO or draw hearts onto the silpat lined sheet. When you have the amount desired put the whole tray into the freezer to set for 10 minutes or so. Once the chocolate is set, carefully lift them off and place on the top of the frosted brownie bite. ENJOY!

Happy Valentine's Week!

Easy & Fast Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookies

I was surprised by how easy and fast these cookies were. My family LOVES frosted sugar cookies, but I hardly ever make them because I think they require too much time and effort. Not so with this recipe. They were a breeze--and light and tasty! They reminded me of the sugar gems, that I LOVE and posted here, except that these make a much smaller (and quicker)batch. I used almond extract because that is what I had on hand--but next time I am using lemon. I can imagine that lemon would be wonderful with this cookie! Thank you Amy at Frosted Bake shop for posting this little delight! They were such a hit with my boys that I found my youngest boys hiding in their "fort" ( we have this type of tent kids beds) eating one or two bites out of each cookie in the jar! What little stinkers:)

PS Menu Mondays will resume here today. I took a break from menu planning for Spring Break and it was not good. We ended up with PB & J and cereal one too many times!:)

Almond (or Lemon) Sugar Cookies
adapted from Your Home Based Mom via Frosted Bake Shop

Printable Recipe Here

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. almond OR lemon extract

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Glaze: 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. almond or lemon extract, 4-5 tsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix butter, sugar and extract in a large bowl. Mix well, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Beat 1 to 2 more minutes. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and flatten balls to 1/4 inch thickness with the bottom of a floured glass dipped in sugar.

Bake at for 7-9 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. I like mine almost under-baked, remember they stiffen up as they cool. Cool 1 minute.

Stir together glaze ingredients with a wire whisk. Decorate cooled cookies with glaze and sprinkles.

A Romantic Dinner for Two

Valentine's Day
is Tomorrow!

So for all of you who have decided to stay home and make a romantic dinner for two, we thought we'd give you an idea for one fabulous dinner.  This is a dinner that will make your mouth happy and not have you slaving all day in the kitchen.  The point is to enjoy your sweetheart, as well as do something nice for them.  So set a pretty table, light a few candles, and prepare to share a wonderful, romantic dinner with your Valentine! 


First for the main dish:  simple, mouthwatering...

Garlic Rubbed Steak 
I'll probably convince my husband to put on a parka and grill these for us.  But I'm sure they would still be great in a skillet or baked in the oven.

On the side: 
Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce 
This feels gourmet and major bonus... it is super easy!

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Steak doesn't feel complete without potatoes to me.  You could make gravy to go on these, but they are yummy plain, as well.

Grandma's Dinner Rolls What can I say?  Grandma and Grandpa have been married over 60 years.  Their secret to keeping the romance alive?  I don't know... but I do know I wouldn't leave a woman who could cook like that! :)

And now for the most important part... DESSERT!  I couldn't choose just one, so I am giving you a few  to drool over.


Sweetheart Custard Dessert Beautiful, special, and couldn't be more perfect for Heart Day!

Chocolate-Almond-Coconut Fondue This dessert is not only fun, it takes a little while to eat... finally some one-on-one time to chat about anything and everything.  Besides, they say chocolate is an aphrodisiac.

Edible Chocolate Bowls with White Chocolate Mouse and Drizzle This has got to be the ultimate romantic dessert!  I mean, does it get any better than getting to eat your bowl?  And remember what I said about chocolate...

We hope you have a very Happy Valentine's Day!  

Valentines Stained-Glass Cookies

My sweet friend, Jen, made some of these fun cookies with our boys at preschool at her house. They were so cute! She told me she found the recipe in The Friend Magazine, December 2009. I took out my magazine, and sure enough, there it was! The idea from the magazine was actually for Christmas, and they called them Shining Star Cookies. I like how versatile the idea is; it can be used for any holiday, really. You just need different sizes of the same shape to make it really cute. But I think these cookies are especially perfect for Valentines.  I doubled the recipe and it made almost three cookie sheets of hearts.

 

Valentines Stained-Glass Cookies
Submitted by Erin ~ http://www.thesisterscafe.com
Printable Recipe
 

1 stick butter, softened
½ c. sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour
1 c. colored hard candies

Unwrap candies and double bag them. You may want to wrap the bag in a dish towel as well. Break the candies into small pieces with a rolling pin. Set aside.
Mix butter and sugar together until they are smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Add flour and stir until combined. Take batter out of bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
On a floured surface, roll out dough 1/3 at a time, to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with heart shapes, then cut out the middles with smaller hearts.
Cover a cookie sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 4 minutes. Take out cookie sheet and carefully put candy pieces inside each heart cookie, filling the tips of the hearts. Put cookies back in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the candy is melted and the dough is golden. Let sit for a few minutes before removing from foil, to allow the candy to harden. 

Valentine Treat--White Chocolate M&M Popcorn & a winner

I just made this yummy Valentines treat for the ladies that I visit teach and thought I would share the recipe with all of you. It is super easy, very cute and best of all ... this treat is mouthwatering delicious. I had to use 'Butter Lovers' popcorn because that is all I had (my boys LOVE that stuff--and if my husband is picking out the treat they get it:)--thus the popcorn looks so yellow in the picture--but I think it is better with lightly buttered popcorn.
Anyway, have fun getting ready for Valentines days! If you still need some ideas, I found some cute free Valentines printables I posted about here.


White Chocolate M&M Popcorn
submitted by Melanie

Printable recipe here

2 bags microwave lightly buttered popcorn
1 package white chocolate, melted in double broiler or according to package directions
1 cup M&Ms (Use the holiday ones for a cute look)

First pick out all the unpopped kernals. Carefully toss together all ingredients being careful not to crush the popcorn and evenly distribute the M&Ms!


***And the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook winner is:
Dan and Stacy who said:

"I would like to say it is something nutritious...but usually it is some sort of fast food that we can grab on the go or have my husband grab on the way home from work. This cook book would do wonders for my families nutrition. Not to mention our bank account. Thanks for all your fun recipes. I have never enjoyed cooking so much!!"

Please email me at melandboys@gmail.com with your address so we can have your new cook book sent out!

Sweetheart Custard Dessert

I like to make this pretty dessert every Valentines. I love having a special recipe that I only make once a year, and this one just says LOVE all over it! :) I made this for a girl baby shower last week, and it was perfect since I consider this "chick-food." :) I originally found the recipe in a food magazine (when I remember the name of it, I'll include it), and it said to use a store bought pastry crust. Of all the times I've made this, I've only ever attempted to use a store bought pastry crust one year. I was running waaay late for a neighborhood Valentines party and decided to run to the store to buy a crust, quickly roll it out and then assemble the dessert and still not be too late. Well, it was a disaster. The store bought pastry was cracked and paper thin from the beginning. Rolling it out was a ridiculous endeavor. I will never attempt that again! Just making my own pie crust is way easier! (And now it's easier than ever for me because my sweet husband bought me an 11-cup capacity Cuisinart food processor last year, so making a pie crust is now a snap!) I prefer to use the Barefoot Contessa recipe for a double crust pie crust. I'll include that recipe at the end.

The great thing about this recipe is it's easy to make ahead and assemble just beforehand. You can make the pie crust and custard in the morning. Before the party I whip the cream and fold it into the custard, and slice the strawberries. Then I assemble it all together. Before drizzling it with chocolate, I sprinkle the edges of the tart with confectioners' sugar, so it looks pretty on the glass cake stand.

The first time I made this I cut out an 11-inch wide heart using 2 pieces of computer paper taped together. I just fold it and keep it tucked behind the recipe in my recipe binder, and I use it as the heart pattern every year. I just lay the paper pattern on top of the rolled out pastry and cut around it with a knife.

Happy Valentines!

Sweetheart Custard Dessert
Submitted by Erin ~ http://www.thesisterscafe.com/

Printable recipe

Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
Confectioners' sugar 

CUSTARD:
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
11/3 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup lemon juice

1 Tbs butter or margarine
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar 

TOPPING:
2 to 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 Tbs semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp shortening

Roll out each pastry between waxed paper (I just use my silicone mat) into a 12 inch circle; using an 11 inch wide heart shaped pattern, cut each pastry into a heart shape. Place on greased and floured baking sheets; prick with a fork. Bake at 450 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt; gradually stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook
and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. combine the egg yolks and lemon juice. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolk mixture; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cover; refrigerate until cool. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently whisk the lemon custard, then fold in whipped cream.

Place one pastry on a serving plate; spread with half of custard. Arrange half berries over filling. Repeat with second pastry and remaining custard and berries. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over the top.

(With some leftover piecrust, I made a few little tartlettes. I reserved some pudding to put in the insides and topped them with strawberries and chocolate.)

Barefoot Contessa Pie Crust

Submitted by Erin ~ http://www.thesisterscafe.com/

Makes for two 10-inch pie crusts

12 Tbs (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs sugar
1/3 cup very cold shortening
6-8 Tbs (about 1/2 cup) ice water 

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8-12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. (At this point, I like to divide it into two parts and make two discs.) Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board (I use a silicone mat) into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust.

Homemade Oreos

Can you tell that I am getting excited about Valentines Day? I love this holiday. On Friday schools in Chattanooga Tennessee sent the children home at 11am because there was a threat of snow! People take even a little snow as seriously dangerous around here. (I do realize that it is because snow is so unusual that the city does not have snow removal equipment.) Coming from Utah where blizzards stop no one and definitely don't warrant any days off school, my boys are a little puzzled that school has now been cancelled 3 times for very little snow. Including today, due to "freezing conditions", even though there is very little snow in our yard and none on the roads! It must be treacherous somewhere in our school district. Maybe Signal Mountain?? Of course my boys are very excited and starting to really like this new place! On our 'little holiday' Friday we decided to make homemade oreos and watch an old movie I got at the library (Indian in the Cupboard--have you seen it? It is pretty cute!) I had been working on a little Valentines project and had hearts laying around so I tossed a few in the picture:) If you are looking for a fun Valentines project, I am posting a few at melandboys.blogspot.com this week. In the meantime kick off this Valentines month with Homemade Oreos! Your family and friends will LOVE you:)

And now what should I do with the boys all day today??

PS Just to let you know, next Monday we are giving away another awesome cookbook! (Make Ahead meals for Busy Moms)

Homemade Oreo Cookies

submitted by Melanie

Printable recipe here

For the Cookies:
1 package devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 - cup oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add oil and eggs to cake mix and blend together. Roll dough into balls (a little larger than a quarter). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet (until warm). Remove cookies from sheet and place on cooling rack.To assemble the cookies, add about a tablespoon of filling into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie similar in size on top of the filling. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

Cream Cheese Filling Recipe:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 block of cream cheese (8 oz)
3-4 cups - powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency)
1 - tsp vanilla extract

Cream butter and add cream cheese and mix well. Add powdered sugar slowly until you reach your desired consistency.

Toasted Coconut Symphony Balls

I made these on Valentines day and they were addictive and delicious, as always. Melanie made these for us on Valentines a few years ago and I immediately fell in love with them! They are so easy. To make their presentation extra pretty and special you can drop them into mini cupcake liners instead of using a silpat/parchment paper.

Toasted Coconut Symphony Balls
submitted by Erin (Melanie's recipe)

1/2 pkg sweetened flaked coconut
1 extra large Symphony bar (regular chocolate, not with toffee and almonds)

Spread coconut on a plate and microwave on high, stirring every 30 or so seconds Watch carefully to avoid burning it. After a few minutes the coconut will start to toast and turn brown. Continue until all the coconut is golden brown. At this point the coconut will still be slightly soft; let sit for a minute to dry out completely and it will become brittle. (Or you can toast any way you like. Look at the package for other options on how to toast coconut.)
Break apart the Symphony bar and place in a glass bowl. Microwave on low power, stopping frequently to stir, until completely melted.
Pour melted chocolate on the toasted coconut and carefully stir to coat evenly. Using a spoon, drop balls of chocolate covered coconut on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper placed over a cookie sheet. Let dry. (At that point I placed the cookie sheet on my back step in the cold to set up faster.)

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

These bars are simply divine... but very rich! So make sure you have someone to share with when you make them. The bars are gooey until completely cooled, but then hold together very well when cut out with cookie cutters. So find a heart shaped one, and you will have a beautiful and fun Valentine's treat.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bar
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 1/3 c. flour

2/3 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

1 c. chopped nuts - I used pecans, but walnuts or macadamias would be great, too.

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
10 oz. Skor toffee bits

Stir together flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and mix well. Stir in 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips and all of nuts. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture and press remaining into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. Pour milk over hot crust and top with 1 1/2 cups toffee bits. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over top plus remaining chips. Bake 25-30 more minutes. Top with remaining toffee bits.

Linzer Cookies

These cookies are pretty, fun to make, and yummy too! The dough is like a shortbread; it's slightly crisp, flaky, and buttery-delicious. And it's a very simple dough, so the prep time is almost entirely the cookie cutting and assembling, which is the fun part.

Linzer Cookies

submitted by Erin

 

3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature (3 sticks)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup good raspberry preserves

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

 

Roll the dough out (about 1/4-inch thick) and cut hearts with a plain or fluted cutter. With 1/2 of the rounds, cut a hole from the middle of each round with a heart cutter. Place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes. (I don't usually chill.) Bake the cookies until the edges begin to brown, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. Thinly spread raspberry preserves on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with confectioners' sugar and press the flat sides together, with the raspberry preserves in the middle and the confectioners' sugar on the top.

 

You can use hearts for Valentines as pictured, or circles with stars cut out in the middle, etc.

Sugar Gems

These are very tastey, and pretty little sugar cookies. I like that you don't roll the dough and use cookie cutters--these are just quick and easy. The recipe is a bit unusual. I got this recipe from my friend Starlie...she is a gem! I always think of her when I make them.   I love to make these cookies for any holiday--just dye the frosting and use sprinkles to coordinate with the celebration.  These are a much easier sugar cookie than the traditional roll out variety and everyone loves them!

Sugar Gems
submitted by Melanie
printable recipe

Cream together:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup real butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
5 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into golf size balls and place on cookie sheets. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. These are very good frosted.
Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool and frost with sugar gem frosting.

Sugar Gem Frosting
2-2 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup oil
2 tsp flavoring (almond, vanilla etc.)-I prefer 1 tsp of almond
3-4 Tbsp milk
Coloring if wanted
Mix well and add a little more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency.