Live to Love

Ahhh, Valentine's Day.  A day loved and despised by so many.  I for one have always loved Valentine's Day. Maybe it was because my mom would have pretty pencils and erasers at our seats when we came to eat breakfast that morning and then we would enjoy some yummy heart shaped pancakes.  Maybe, it's because when I became a hopeless romantic after reading stories like Romeo and Juliette, I fell in love with the idea of someday having my own balcony scene and Valentine's Day provided the perfect excuse for a man to perform such lovestruck acts.  Regardless, I completely embrace a day to celebrate Love.

I could write quite the essay on the many facets of love in this world. (And I still have SO much to learn!)  On just how crazy it is that one word, Love, can cover so so so many types of love. Maybe that's why I love the move Love Actually. That and the fact that Hugh Grant dances around the Prime Ministers mansion to "Jump (for my love)" :)  But it just truly is amazing how love is displayed each day.  Google tried to capture that today.  It's not about gifts...it's about reaching out to people and loving them how they need to be loved, not how we want to love them.

Since I haven't written in a while, I'll just cover a few basic things and let you know a few things to come.  (You know, throw out a little hook and see if anyone bites!)

I have enjoyed prepping for this holiday so in my world, that means baking and cooking.  Way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?


Thanks to Pinterest, I found this idea for cupcakes:

They were super easy, mostly from a box and got just the reaction I was looking for from my husband...he is sharing a few with co-workers but kept about a 1/2 dozen for himself! haha. This made only 30 cupcakes using a small scooper for the brownie mix (I used Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate and mixed according to the box)

 and 3/4 of a large scooper for the cake mix (I used Pillsbury and mixed according to the box).

Once scooped, bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cake springs back when you pat it.

  It was a lot of fun to play with the designs :)

For breakfast this morning, we enjoyed whole-wheat pancakes and in honor of my mother, they were heart shaped :)

I modified the cooking light recipe as follows:
1 C whole-wheat flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 spt baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup skim milk

I put just a pat of butter in the bottom of the pan before the first pancake went in.  Yum :)

Lastly, for my Valentine, being that he is a Kentucky boy and Bourbon lover, I made him Dark Chocolate Bourbon Truffles that I found here.  I used a food processor for the nuts and this made 22 gooey balls.  I rolled 7 in pecans, 7 in Red sugar and 8 in Dutch processed cocoa powder.  Oh, and I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Ok, so what's to come?

There is a hill that I have been climbing and I am about to reach the top of it.  To help me celebrate (and not dwell upon it in a negative way) my 30th birthday, I have decided to do 30 days of 30.  Over the 30 days surrounding my birthday I plan to pay tribute to the most influential people in my first 30 years as well as do some random acts that help me LIVEACHDAY to the fullest.  I am pretty excited about it and can't wait to share with you what I learn.  Starting soon!!

A few last photos from late:

My first cake in the cake class I am taking...Strawberry filled with home-made strawberry jam! Lesson learned though, when you make your own buttercream, DON'T refrigerate it before class...it just doesn't turn out the same if you add water to try and soften it...what a mess!

And, from his Nonnie, the next generation of cooks is ready for the kitchen!

It's a little big but he'll grow into his "tuxedo" apron!

Happy Valentine's Day. May you fill someone's day with Love!