Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day

 

 

 

Do Not Disturb

(A wooden door knob sign I decoupaged many years ago with cupid graphics.)

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Happy Valentine’s Day

I have always loved Valentine’s Day.

Probably because my birthday is the day before and I’ve always had these two great days together.

I Love You, Julie

I know this may sound ridiculous but when I found this Valentine that I made when I was very young I felt as if I had found The Holy Grail.  I don’t know who I wrote it to but the fact that I had it with my school things makes me think that whomever I intended to give it to did not reach them and that makes me very sad.  A lovely homemade Valentine that never made it to my intended.  Whoever that was?  🙂

Vintage Valentine’s From My Collection

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I Heart Cutters  🙂

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A Few of My Decoupage Projects

There was a time when I was slapping decoupage on everything.  Every gift I gave was some decoupaged project that I was working on.  I don’t know if the recipients of my gifts were that impressed, but I know that I enjoyed making them.  🙂

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I had many birthday’s that had Valentine themes with Cupids and Red Roses, Hearts and Red Velvet when I was growing up.

Just a few past birthday’s with cake and ice cream.

Some of my birthday’s from when I was a young girl.

My 9th. birthday.  I am in the back with the red pants.

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I purchased the pretty boxes at thrift stores.  Nice, huh?

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The little dolls and trinkets you see here were gifts to me when I was young.

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without a box of Chocolates.

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Sugar Free Whitman’s is also an excellent option. 

I love them!

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Cocktail Heart Project

I had this oversized Cocktail Glass and thought I could create something with it for Valentine’s Day.

I found these beautiful Heart Plants, and I purchased some Moss from The Dollar Tree.  I also had the Cocktail Stirrer and some mini Chocolate Alcohol Bottles.

I simply just put it all together, while keeping the pots whole inside the glass.  That way I can water them without the whole thing getting soaked. 

I Like It!  🙂

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Miss America Barbie

In the spirit of Barbie, I got out my 1960’s Miss America Barbie.  I have her sitting on my bedroom dresser.  I also placed some sweets on a cake pedestal in the bedroom as well.

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Designer Candles

Valentine Gifts From Me to My Daughter and Future Daughter-In-Law

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Heart Shaped Brownie’s with Chocolates and Marshmallows

(Recipe Down Below)

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Be Sure To Check Out Our Cherries Jubilee

(Recipe Down Below)

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Hot Chocolate Souffle w/ Hearts

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without some decadent chocolate, now would it?

Here, I placed one into a heart shaped locket box.  I didn’t cook it in the locket.  I placed it in when it came out of the oven and was still pliable.  Then, I placed some delicious chocolate hearts into the chocolate to allow them to settle and melt a bit.

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Just a Few Love Notes

(Recipe Down Below)

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A Beautiful Valentine’s Day Card From Veronica

It is very sweet.  I am notorious for saving my children’s childhood.  Sometimes I am criticized for it, other times I am appreciated for it, either way, I am going to continue doing it.

This is a Valentine box I made for Brodie when he was young.  I painted a Clementine produce box blue, decoupaged some Valentine’s all around it of his favorite T.V. cartoon shows at the time, and I would use it to hold Brodie’s Valentine cards and gifts.  He now has it at his home.  I believe I last saw it on top of his refrigerator.  🙂

Valentine Goodies for Gifts

The pink truck with the roses is for my daughter Veronica.  She is really into trucks for some reason.  The funny looking alien mouse was Brodie’s from his young years.  It dances and plays ‘I’m Just a Love Machine’.  I was happy to pass that onto him. He was happy to see it.  He had remembered it.

The pretty Valentine knives and red Spatulas were gifts to our children and their partners as well.  Along with the Valentine dogs toys for our Grand-Dogs.

I Love Valentine’s

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L-O-V-E

These are Brodie’s Childhood Valentine’s Books I Passed Along to Him

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Valentine Lunch

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Brioche Bread Plus Red Wine Cheese Equal:  Valentine Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Nice Little Lunch (or Dinner)

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Little Vintage Cupcake Picks, a Nice Accent

Heart Shaped Cookie Cutters

Instead of using my cookie cutter’s for cookies, we used them to cut out shapes from a red bell pepper.

Here Gordon is sauteing some Red Onions and Red Bell Peppers.

The Red Bell Pepper is really just an accent or garnish to add to our sandwiches.

Cut the Red Bell Pepper in a way to clean out the center of seeds and to use the cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the vegetables.

Two Hearts and Lips for Kisses

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Red Wine Cheese

We love this cheese!  It’s perfect here and picture it on a lovely cheese tray with wine.

Here Gordon is sauteing some Red Onions in Olive Oil in a sauce pan.

We just want the onions to soften.  Here Gordon is adding some table Salt and Pepper.

I didn’t want the Red Bell Pepper Hearts and Lips all mushy.  I told Gordon to remove them from the pan before that happens.  I wanted them to have some firmness to them.

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Now it’s time to start making our grilled cheese sandwiches.

First place some butter into a saucepan on a medium heat.  When the butter has melted place in your bread.

Copa-Cola Ham

This is a delicious Italian ham.  Here Gordon is placing 2 slices onto my sandwich.

Gordon did place some of the Sauteed Red Onions on top of the Copa-Cola Ham, and he is now placing some Goat Cheese on top of the Onions.

My Sandwich is Coming Together Nicely

Now Gordon Added Some Red Wine Cheese to the Top

Now Placing Another Slice of Brioche on Top

Some Garlic Salt to Sprinkle, Some of our White Pearls and Cheese Stuffed Pepperoncini to Accent

Julie’s Delicious Triple Decker Valentine Grilled Cheese

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Gordon’s Grilled Cheese

Guinness Cheddar

Gordon’s Sandwich was a Little Different Than Mine

Made the Same Except with Some Different Cheeses

Gordon Adding Some Swiss Cheese

Another Triple Decker

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Satisfying!

 

Gordon’s Valentine Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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For Valentine’s Day 2022 I wanted a heart shaped pizza.

They were so good that we will be doing the same for 2023.

(Hold That Thought!)

A good bottle of wine, some red roses…

Maybe even a nice salad to go with those pizzas….

Sounds perfect!

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Valentine’s Day 2023

Beautiful Roses, Delicious Candies, Excellent Wine….

NASTY PIZZA!

(It really is hit or miss with these things.  This was a miss!)  🙂

But, Valentine’s Day is not about delicious pizza, it’s about being together.  🙂

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Cherries Jubilee

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We made our version of this famous dessert very easy. 

All the beauty and taste without a bunch of fuss or expense.  Here is what we did……

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Our Ingredients:

2 Boxes of Sugar Free Brownie Mixes, (and the package ingredients of eggs, water, and vegetable oil.)

2 Jars of Maraschino Cherries, drained (preferably without the stems.)

Can of Cherry Pie Filling, any brand you prefer.

Cupcake Cups

Sugar Cubes

White Rum, 4 T.

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My Baking Pans lined with Cupcake Cups

(Just in case you are wondering what those spikes are in my muffin tin on the left in the photo above, it is a special tin that you can place something on that spike and keep it secure while you pour your batter around it.  But here it isn’t necessary as I like the cherries to float around the cupcake cup and  not be so stationary.)

Each brownie mix called for one egg.  I was so impressed with how strong this little egg was.  That has to be the toughest membrane I’m ever come across.  And of course I removed all the shells and didn’t add them to the batter.  I just liked the shot of the tough egg in the batter, hence the photo.

I like these brownie recipes because they taste good and they are easy to make.

As usual I am always standing on the stool taking photos and it just wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without red toes.  🙂

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I drained a jar of Maraschino Cherries of it’s juice and placed about 1-3 in each cupcake cup.

I then placed the Brownie Mixture into the cups over the Cherries.

Bake according to Package Instructions.

Letting them cool on a cooling rack. 

I did leave a few just like this as I thought they were perfect here.  🙂

I’m very excited for my Valentine Treat!

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Now it’s time to soak the Sugar Cubes in about 2 T. of White Rum. 

As many as you like.

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Time to heat up the Cherry Pie Filling in a pot on the stove top.

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While the Sugar Cubes are soaking in the White Rum it’s now time to add some to the Cherry Pie Filling.

Just add about 2 T. of the White Rum here and stir through.

It’s now time to place your Cupcake Brownies onto a nonflammable plate.

We are using a glass one for this.

Just spoon the Cherry Pie Filling over the top and let the goo run down the sides.  🙂

Like so……

Here Gordon is placing a White Rum soaked Sugar Cube on top of each Brownie.

I’m just gonna snack on these while I wait for the fireworks!  🙂

Now you add the flame!

It was subtle, but nice.  Had we used a higher proof of alcohol the flame would have been higher.

We hope your day was very SWEET!

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You can always show that you love someone with a kiss.

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Pretty in Pink Hydrangea’s

(Find the Lollipop)

This was a dessert that I quickly whipped up by slicing a ready made roll cake and arranging the slices on a plate.  I then drizzled some raspberry jelly that I melted down in the microwave on top of the cakes and added some fresh raspberries.  Topped it off with some of my backyard orchids.

I think it’s look very beautiful!

This is a raspberry vanilla ice cream topped with some fresh raspberry’s and I also added some guava paste that I purchased at the Latin Supermarket, that I had chopped up into little squares.  It provided an excellent “chew” to the dessert.  That guava paste is also delicious on it’s own!

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Just a few of my Valentine goodies!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Julie

Hearts in the Garden

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Heart Shaped Brownie’s with Chocolates and Marshmallows

This was easy and fun! 

It was also a throw together dessert using up our leftover chocolates, and marshmallows, and an almost expired box of Sugar Free Brownies.

You will need some oven-safe ramekins for this recipe.

You just want to follow the package instructions on your Brownie mix.

I sprayed each ramekin with a non-stick cooking oil spray. 

And then placed into the bottom of each ramekin, a piece of chocolate.

Made the Brownie mix according to package directions, and then pour the batter into each ramekin.

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Into the oven, following the cooking directions for the Brownie’s.

Here are our marshmallow heart and more chocolates.

Out of the oven and cooling.

While the Brownie’s are still warm, place some of your candies on top.

And now… ENJOY!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Hot Chocolate Souffle w/ Chocolate Hearts

These hearts may look like the heart desserts above, but they aren’t. 

These are more souffle, than brownie.  These are homemade and not from a box.

They are also, so delicious!

Love Notes and Hot Chocolate Souffles

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Time to Make our Souffles

(You will need ramekins for this.)

Ingredients:

Butter/Margarine for Greasing

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

(Plus more for the ramekins.)

3 T. Cornstarch

1 1/8 Cups Milk

4 oz. Chocolate Bar

4 Eggs, Separated

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Optional:

Confectioner’s Sugar

Chocolate Garnishes

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You will need a mixer for this recipe.

Preheat Oven to 375

You want to grease the souffle ramekins with butter, and then sprinkle in sugar to coat.

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Buttering and Sugaring the Ramekins

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Separate your egg yolks from your egg whites.

Lightly beat the egg yolks until smooth and set aside.

Meanwhile, unwrap your chocolates …

then using your knife, chop the chocolate into small pieces.

Lightly pack a heaping cup filled with the chocolate.

In a medium sized bowl, melt your butter gently over medium heat then add your milk and whisk until smooth.

When melted add your chocolate to the milk and butter mixture and turn the heat to low to melt the chocolate.

Whisk the chocolate into the milk and butter until well combined.

Now, add your egg yolks a little at a time to your chocolate, whisking as you go.

Here I poured the mixture back into the larger bowl that had the egg yolks as it is easier to do the next step with a larger bowl.

Pictured are the egg yolks that have been combined with the melted chocolate.

Beat your egg whites to stiff peaks as shown… this takes about 3 to 4 min. with a mixer.

Add a little of your beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture and fold the mixture together.

Fold by using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and go from the bottom of the chocolate to the top center of the egg whites.  Do this action all the way around until the chocolate is mixed with the small portion of your egg whites.  Then add the rest of your beaten egg whites and continue to fold the mixture together.

Butter and sugar your ramekins being sure to remove any excess sugar that doesn’t stick to the butter.  Pour your chocolate mixture 3/4 the way up the ramekin as shown.

Place the ramekins onto a cookie sheet and place them into a preheated 375’F oven for ~40 min. or until the chocolate mixture has risen and it still has a little wobble to it.

Here they have risen and are basically ready to eat.

To make them more festive, we topped them white and milk chocolate hearts.

Perfect!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Headed Out The Door

I do love tacky bags with hearts and roses.  🙂

Valentine Kisses,

Julie