Cup of Love

I never have liked Valentine's Day very much. 

There was always this pressure to have a loved one send flowers to me at work. 

Now that I stay home, there is no point in having flowers delivered here since there is no one to see me get them.  Let's be honest, the big thrill in getting flowers is not getting the flowers, but having all your co workers ooh and ah over you getting the flowers. 

There, I have said it.  Cat's out of the bag.  Valentine's day is all about appearances. 

This year, I like the idea of Valentine's day better.  I am having a good time showing off my baked goods to String Beane's school.  It is a similar thrill as getting the flowers in front of all your co workers, friend and foe alike. 

I have altered a Christmas gift that I made last year to suit my new found Valentine's spirit.  The original recipe can be found here.

I made some homemade, pink, heart shaped marshmallows and some hot chocolate on a stick!  They are adorable, if I do say so myself. 

Look at how cute and fluffy they turned out. 

I stuck a marshmallow on a hot chocolate square and stuck a cookie stick in them.

Then I put them in a baggie with a tag and tied on a ribbon.

And there you have it.  A cup of love!

To make these precious things follow this recipe.

Marshmallows

Ingredients:

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided in halves

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray

Pink food gel

Pour gelatin into the bowl of a  mixer set up with the whisk attachment along with 1/2 cup of the water!!!!

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook  4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, this takes a while!!! 

Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes! Add the vanilla and pink food gel during the last minute of whipping.

Prepare the baking pan!!!

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later!!!

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan.  It is EXTREMELY STICKY!!!!  Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover!!!  I spread the sugar/cornstarch mixture smoothly with a spoon!! Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours!!!

Dump the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into little hearts using a small heart cookie cutter dusted in the powdered sugar mixture.  Lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary.  These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream

 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

One 4-oz bar unsweetened chocolate broken into small pieces

Cookie sticks

8″x8″ pan, lined with wax paper

Heat the cream and sweetened condensed milk over medium-low heat until it starts steaming, stirring periodically. Remove from heat and add chocolate! Stir and let sit for 10 minutes, then put back on medium-low heat and stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted and shiny! I added a couple of teaspoons of vanilla!

Pour chocolate into prepared pan and spread chocolate as level as you possibly can. Let it sit FOR AT LEAST 12 HOURS!!!!

Remove chocolate from pan and cut, top side face down, into squares. Using a long knife that has been dipped in warm watter, slice the block into sixths each direction, so your squares will be a bit larger than 1″ x 1″.  

One stick is good for a regular coffee cup full of milk!!

This is not a milk free recipe in it's entirety.  The marshmallows will work for all the children in String Beane's class since they are top 8 free.  I will tie up the Valentine Hot Chocolate on a Stick for his teacher and the office staff.  

I am linking up at Metamorphosis Monday, Allergy Friendly Friday and These other Awesome Parties!

Chocolate Covered Fluffernutter Hearts

Do you ever have one of those days where you just need a little pick me up? 

Well, this is one of those days for me. 

I don't know what exactly I need a pick me up from, but I have just been a little in the dumps today.

Some of my current issues that might be to blame for my mood are:

String beane has lost two teeth and looks totally more grown up than usual.  I don't know why that depresses me, but it does. 

Butter beane talks non stop about nothing.  I feel partly responsible for this because I think non stop, pointless talking is hereditary.  Sorry Butter beane.

My little Jelly beane has just picked up the habit of doing a blood curdling screech when she doesn't get her way or is frustrated about something.  Nice. 

So, to help my mood, I made a chocolate covered fluffernutter treat.  You heard me.  It did make me feel better.  More loving.  Sweeter even.  You should make you some.

These are so simple to make.  Here is the low down.

Fluffernutter Ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tablespoons softened margarine (I used Fleishman's Unsalted because it is milk free)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Marshmallow Fluff

Directions

In a bowl mix all the ingredients with an electric mixer until it comes together into a yummy, fluffy, mixture of love. 

Use a small cookie scoop and scoop out some of the Fluffernutter mixture onto a pretzel twist.  Top with another pretzel twist to make a sandwich.  Press down slightly so you are sure it will stick together.  Wipe away any squished out Fluffernutter mixture.

Continue until you have used up all your Fluffernutter.  I got about 60 pretzel sandwiches.

Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Semi Sweet since they are milk free) with about a tablespoon of Vegetable Shortening in the microwave.  Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate chips are melted.

Dip each Fluffernutter pretzel sandwich in the chocolate and tap off the excess.  Lay on wax paper to set up.

Sprinkle with Valentine sprinkles if you want.  They are precious either way.

Eat six one and feel better. 



I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!