I’m making my normal Monday post a day early just in case you’re looking for a great recipe for tomorrow!
If realizing that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day’s is stressing you because you’re wondering what to do for a special meal, I’ve got you covered! All these recipes I’m posting can be made quickly and easily! Let’s start with a scrumptious breakfast and work our way through the day, shall we?
I hope this list will help you make a plan for tomorrow. It doesn’t have to be dinner for a sweetheart! You could invite some friends over, your nieces or nephews, grandchildren or someone who is alone for the first time this year! Get creative with the love you cook up in your kitchen!
This is a repost of an old post written to especially help men get an idea of what to do for Valentine’s Day. My husband is the BEST at gift-giving, and you’ll find 10 ideas down in this post!
This is the week of Valentine’s – I guess we’re all aware of that. If you have a Valentine, I trust he also realizes that! No slam is suggested in that statement, it’s just that not all men think about these things before the day arrives. So, I thought it might be appropriate to start out today by giving a word to the wise for Valentine’s. If you you or your Valentine could use some suggestions of things to do or gifts to give, read on!
Love is kind. I Corinthians 13:4
Sweet treats are always a good thing for Valentine’s Day! Last weekend I made a recipe of brownies then after they were completely cooled, I cut them in large squares. Using a small heart shaped cookie cutter a cut a heart out of the middle of the brownie as you see in the picture here. I forgot to take a picture of the finished product, but then I made up a butter cream icing, tinted it pink and filled in the heart with the icing. You could use canned icing too in your favorite flavor. I then wrapped each brownie in waxed paper and put them in cute little boxes and shipped them off to my two girls who both love chocolate! The cut out hearts make nice little bite-sized treats too!
Love seeketh not her own. I Cor. 13:5
Some of the other little gifts I put in the pillow pocket have been:
Two gel pens with the note – You are my “write” man! A recent picture of us made into a Valentine Card.
“How much do I love you?” (attached to note)
An OLD picture of us when we first started dating!
Another thought would be to go to Pandora (or Amazon music) and make a play list of music you loved while you were dating, and have it playing when you eat supper or when he gets home.
I’ve asked my husband to share some good ideas for dates and/or gifts for Valentine’s Day. He’s very thoughtful and creative and gets an A+ in this department! Here are his Gift suggestions for men to give their wives:
Ways to say “I love you” 1. Use a dry erase marker and leave a love note scribbled on the bathroom mirror or leave love notes in her purse, dresser drawer, on the fridge door, in her car or by the coffeepot. 2. Write in your own words 10 reasons why you love her and leave it attached to a dozen roses, a box of candy or a piece of jewelry. 3. Wash and vacuum her car; leave a love note on the steering wheel. 4. After the children go to bed, order a personal pan pizza and have a pizza date in the bedroom with candlelight and romantic music. 5. Invite your Sweetheart to Starbucks for a peppermint mocha. While there, play a board game or two and pay no attention to anyone else but your spouse. 6. Make her some chocolate covered strawberries. Pick up some strawberries at the grocery store and in the baking department, find chocolate that is microwaveable. Dip the strawberries in the chocolate, chill and serve on nice plate. 7. Schedule a manicure or a pedicure at a local spa. She needs the time away and the pampering will do her good. Pay for the treatment over the phone so all she’s responsible for is to show up. 8. Instead of going out to eat, order carry-out. Serve it up on your best tableware, have candlelight, and soft music. Be creative and have fun. If you cook, fix her favorite and in either case, clean up too! 9. If you go out on date, you schedule the babysitter, choose the spot, and treat her like a lady by opening the door for her, escorting her into the restaurant, and talk only to each other. Tell the waiter you’ll call him/her when you need them. Every couple needs a quiet date in a corner booth w/out any distractions. Both of you sit on the same side of the booth with your back to the crowd.
It feels like I am in a constant state of purging. As I wipe out a drawer, straighten a closet or decorate for a holiday, I’m forever finding things that need to be tossed. But there are some things in a family that will be kept forever, and those are the memories of times together. Those days that maybe were ordinary, but made just a little more extraordinary by doing something a little special.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, I’m reminded that over the years we have had some special days in our home on February 14th. We always did something as a family first. Of course our girls received a card from us and often a little box of Whitman’s chocolates too. I usually fixed a special dinner and set the table in red or pink. We would have a dessert together as well, then it was bedtime for the girls so Mommy and Daddy could spend time together.
Our girls grew up knowing that we loved each other. I had heard that the best thing a wife could do for her children was to love their daddy. I had witnessed this in my own home when I was growing up, and I know very well the security it gives. My daughters might not have particularly liked going to bed early, or not being included in the evening’s plans, but they grew to appreciate why those things were so.
As you implement your Valentine’s plans for next weekend, I encourage you to plan for time together as a family, AND be sure to set aside time for you and your husband alone. It is the biblicalthing to do. My husband would always tell our girls when we went away for a date, “Your mom and I are going out to make a better home for you.” Your children may not like it now, but they’ll be glad for the sweet memories of a happy home that you’re creating. Those are the best kind of memories because they can’t be put in a box and sent on their way to the trash or to the Goodwill – they’ll be in their hearts forever!
Needs some ideas?
This cake! So easy and my favorite chocolate cake on the planet!
Here’sa post about some simple chocolate and sweet treats!
You can find some budget-friendly gift ideas here.
Since Valentine’s Day is a week from today, I thought I’d share a line-up of sweet treats for you to make for a sweetheart, a child, your Bible study friends or whomever you may want to shower sweet kindness on!
You may be tempted to buy one of those big cookies in the mall, but this first recipe is every bit as good, is so easy and only costs about $2, $3 to make! It is so yummy!!
Colossal Chocolate Chip Cookie
1 cup chocolate pieces – chips or M&M’s – Pink and Red Valentine would be pretty, or you could use just chocolate chips
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 1/3 cup candies for decorating. Set aside. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. In another bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in 2/3 cup candies. Place dough in center of a 13″ or 15″ round pan and spread out to sides. Decorate with reserved candies. Bake 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve. Yield: 10 servings
The following recipe is one I made my husband on Valentine’s Day when we were dating. He loved it so much that I’ve made it over and over on subsequent Valentin’e s Days! We all know the way to a man’s heart!
Sweetheart Fudge Pie
1/4 Cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 cups semi-sweet real chocolate pieces
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
9 inch unbaked pastry shell
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbl chopped maraschino cherries
Cream butter with brown sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Melt chocolate over hot, not boiling, water; add to creamed mixture with coffee and vanilla. Stir in flour and walnuts. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool. Whip cream stiff (I like to add about 1/4 cup powdered sugar). Fold in cherries. Spread on top of pie; decorate with chocolate or candy hearts.
Red strawberries are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Here’s a treat so start the day –
Strawberry Citrus Muffins 1 1/4 Cups chopped strawberries
3 tbl. margarine, melted
2 tsp grated orange or lemon rind
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar I reduce this to 1 cup – it’s plenty
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Cooking spray
2 tsp sugar I like to use the coarse sugar on top
1/2 Cup strawberry jam (optional) But why wouldn’t you?! Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and mix just until mixture is blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until mixture is moist. Spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray ( or you could use pretty heart-shaped liners). Sprinkle with 2 tsp sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pan immediately. Serve with jam, if desired.
More Strawberries…
Lite Strawberry Shortcakes
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups halved strawberries, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
Combine 1 cup strawberry halves, 1/3 cup sugar, orange juice, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Stir in 2 1/2 cups strawberry halves. Cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into a 6 x 4-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 squares. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Split shortcakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife; place each bottom half on a dessert plate. Spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each bottom half. Top with shortcake tops; spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each top. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; garnish with whole strawberries, if desired.
Lastly, think about anything you could cut into a heart-shape, using a cookie cutter.
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