Valentine Dinner

Super Simple table setting for an Italian Valentine Dinner

Centerpiece:  Clear candle votives (purchased at Walmart)

Favor: Lindt Chocolate Candy Bar Sticks

Appetizer:  Bruschetta with balsamic glaze

Lights:  used Christmas icicle lights to add extra ambiance

Peppermint Andes Chocolate Cookies

These are a spin-off the Andes ChocolaMint Cookies. At Christmas Andes puts out a Peppermint Andes chocolates---SO STOCK UP!!! These leave your breathe deliciously minty fresh for hours! I think these are best eaten the day of baking.

Cream
3/4 cup butter
1 ½ cup brown sugar
2 TB water
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled for 10 minutes
2 eggs
Add:2 ½ cups flour
1 ¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
-Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll dough in balls and place on cookie sheet
-Bake at 350 F for 12-13 minutes· Place Peppermint Andes mint on top, spread when mint melts

Valentines Fun!

Valentines Day is one of my favorite holidays.  One of the reasons is probably because I LOVE making Valentine Cards.  I planned and schemed every year as a child coming up with fun homemade ideas.  Valentines Day is an all-inclusive "tell everyone close to you you love them holiday" for me!

This is a picture of my sister's kitchen table chandelier.  I love her cute paper valentines streamers!  My mother-in-law decorates her chandelier for every holiday.  It is such a simple way to decorate!

Spinach Frittata

Buy a fun heart casserole dish to use for Valentines Day!
Frittatas are easy and simple to make and are delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Vary flavor by adding different cheese and herbs and add as many or as few vegetables as you'd like. It is an easy dish to make for one or twenty, and for entertaining use a mini muffin pan to make mini frittatas.

Here's a simple recipe-(feel free to experiment!):
6 eggs
1 green onion
2 cups spinach, chopped
diced bell peppers (optional)
1/4 c. (swiss, gruyere, chedder, etc)
1-2 TBS cream or milk (cream works better for mini frittatas)
salt/pepper
fresh herbs (basil, thyme, etc--optional)
-Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Preheat oven to 450. While oven heating, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.
-Remove heated dish from oven, coat with butter or oil spray. Immediately pour egg/vegetable mixture into dish and top with a little cheese. Bake until frittata is puffed up and golden brown 15-20 minutes.

Homemade Turtles or Homemade Rolo Treats

You may have eaten some version of this.  I think these are a GREAT treat for involving kids.  They can do all the unwrapping :)  I also love how easy it is to make these fit any holiday by changing the M&M colors, add a candy corn etc.  The ones piecture above are obviously for Christmas.

Ingredients:
1 bag Snyders waffle Pretzels
2 bags rolos (this will fill up one 11x17 cookie sheet packed tight edge to edge with pretzels)
M&M's (any kind!), toasted pecans or almonds, candycorn, etc.

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place pretzels on a 11x17 baking pan.
3. Top each pretzel with one Rolo, larger side faced-down.
4. Put in oven for 3 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and place one M&M (or desired topping) on top of each Rolo and push down slightly.
6. Let cool. **I put them in the fridge/freezer to speed up the cooling process.  I actually then keep them in the fridge because I just like to eat them cold as well.

Holiday M&M Salad

I have another food blog with "less healthy" recipes.  I have found I just can't keep up with two, so I'm going to slowly transfer those recipes to this blog.  

This special recipe 
was shared with me at a book club meeting.  The woman let us know that her husband probably married her for this recipe!  The title is sure to delight your children!  Make this for any fun holiday event.

Ingredients:
Many many bags of different M&M's
-Combine and mix together in a big bowl! (Pictured are pretzel, peanut, almond, peanut butter, and coconut "Easter" M&Ms)