Happy Valentine's Day!

Are you guys lovers of Valentine's Day like us?  I hope so and not just because of the lovey-dovey stuff.  Mostly because of the treats that go along with it.  And everything heart-shaped and pink and red. Peyton and I have been getting into the spirit and decorating and spreading the love.

It's such a bummer for me when Christmas is over and it's time to take down all the decorations.  Enter Valentine's Day and cheery decorations.  In our new house we have a fireplace so I decided to dress up our mantel and make some things for P's playroom.

The heart garland is actually a table runner from Michael's.  I bought the paper X and O at Jo-Ann and covered them in glitter paper.  The tassel garland was really fun and easy to make, I followed this tutorial exactly.  I will definitely make more of these!

This heart garland frame was another simple DIY project.  I bought a simple frame at Michael's and painted it bright red.  The hearts were punched from cardstock using my Recollections 2 and 3/8 inch heart punch, found at Michael's.  I used double stick tape to attach them to twine and taped the twine to the back of the frame.  Easy and inexpensive!

These same hearts were used in Peyton's raining hearts umbrella.  I bought a big piece of red poster board at Target and just drew the umbrella free hand.  Thanks to Darling Husband I have miles of fishing line on hand and it works so great for crafting!  I taped the hearts to the fishing line in varying numbers.  Those lines were all just taped to the back of the umbrella.  Just be careful not to get your raining hearts tangled!

I wish you a Happy Valentine's Day whether you like it or not!!  We have a low-key day planned , celebrating with a Heart Baker pizza from Papa Murphy's.  I'm sure chocolate will also be consumed...that's something we can all celebrate!

Heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie cake

Dear Little One,

Some days, okay most days, we have our struggles.  We also have the best of moments, that's for sure. My days are better because of you.  My days are also full of a lot of work because of you.  But with this work comes a lot of smiles.

Like your smile when you saw this cookie cake.  You stood next to me, asking to be picked up.  Asking to look at this cookie cake.  Asking, without asking, for a bite.  You laid your head on my shoulder (as you always do when you want something you are pretty sure you can not have).  You pointed and smiled.  I replied with a no.  You again pointed at the cookie and your mouth.  I did my best to divert your attention, but we both really wanted some of that cookie.  

You want to play with all my glass dishes.  I want you to play quietly in your toy room.   You want me to carry you around the house.  I want to be carried to the couch for a nap.  You want a graham cracker...wait, you don't want a graham cracker???

You want your drink out of the BLUE sippy cup.  I'll take a glass of wine..in any cup.

You want cookie cake.  I want cookie cake.  

Heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 cups M&Ms or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare pan with cooking spray, (I also lined with parchment paper). In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Using your hand or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together for 3-4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. With mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients.  Fold in M&Ms, dough will be thick.  Spread evenly in the bottom of your pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Allow to cool completely in pan before removing.  

(I used this Wilton icing tube in red for decorating)

At the end of the day, we both had some cookie cake. We both earned it. Baby girl I envision many more bites of cookie cake.  I envision many more days of battles.  I envision many, many more days of smiles. We share this virtual cookie cake with all of you, for those days when you just need it.

Chocolate heart-shaped sandwich cookies

Is it just me, or has the world gone crazy?  Everyone I talk to is giving something up. 

Carbs. Sugar (??). Gluten. Coffee. Alcohol (??????)  

I just can't get on board.  I never make resolutions because I think I'm living pretty right.  I believe in balance, everything in moderation.  Except for coffee, Target, and Justin Timberlake...these are things you must indulge in.  And cookies, of course.  Lots and lots of cookies.

How fun are these cookies for Valentine's Day?   Perfect little chocolate hearts, with a cream filling and a few little sprinkles for extra fun.  You haven't given up on that have you?  They remind me of Oreos.  The dough is very easy to make and work with.  I would love to try and make them again with a cream cheese filling.  Wait...is everyone dairy free now??

Chocolate heart-shaped sandwich cookies

from Martha Stewart

For cookies:

1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

5 Tablespoons butter, melted

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

For filling:

4 Tablespoons butter, softened at room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 Tablespoons milk, if needed

For Cookies:

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, and egg.  Add dry ingredients to wet, stir to combine.  Knead until a dough forms. Divide dough in half, roll out each half between two pieces of parchment paper to about 1/8 inch thick.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment or a silpat.  Use heart shaped cookie cutter to cut dough, making sure to get an even number of hearts.  You can reroll your scraps once. Place hearts on cookie sheet and place in freezer for 15 minutes.  Bake until firm, about 8-10 minutes.  Let cookies cool completely on baking sheets.

For filling:

Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add sugars, beating until combined.   The granulated sugar does leave it slightly grainy, so don't expect it to be completely smooth.  Beat in vanilla. If filling is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time, until spreadable.  (I used both)  Spread on flat surface of half the cookies and sandwich with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, up to 1 week.

Sugar, carbs, gluten...yep, I put it all in one cookie.  I'll eat the whole batch if I have to...I'm no quitter.

Heart-shaped Shortbread cookies

I can't believe it is already February!  Time to get cracking on some Valentine's Day prep!  
Hmmm....I don't have any Valentine's Day haters for readers do I?  I sincerely hope not!  Maybe you aren't necessarily feeling the love this Valentine's Day, but I mean, there is usually chocolate involved in the day.  I know you like chocolate!

I dipped some of these cookies in chocolate, but some got simple sugar sprinkles.  Others were just left in their simple buttery state.  Shortbread is such a perfect cookie.  It feels like you are eating something so decadent, but the ingredients are simple.  You probably have most of what you need in your home right now. Just five simple ingredients: butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt.

These cookies would be the perfect treat for someone special for Valentine's Day. Even if that someone special is yourself.  You deserve it.  

Here are a few tips I've come up with for shortbread success:

• use good quality butter.  This is a good rule for all cookies, but when butter is one of your main ingredients, you don't want to skimp. Make sure your butter is at room temperature.  
• For a super smooth consistency, I used Baker's Sugar.  This is a very fine sugar, that you can find at regular grocery stores.  It comes in a container that looks just like a milk carton.  It is superfine and just creams so nicely with the butter.  No grainy texture, perfect for shortbread cookies.  I don't think it's necessary for all cookies, but give it a try sometime.  
• Keep your dough nice and chilled.  Chilled dough will help maintain your cookie's shape after baking.

Heart-shaped Shortbread Cookies

from Ina Garten

3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl combine flour and salt.  Set aside.

Using your stand or hand-held mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, until they are just combined.  Add the vanilla.  Next, add in the dry ingredients.  Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Roll into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and let chill for at least 30 minutes.

Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350.  On a floured surface roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut out heart shapes, place on cookie sheet, and chill for about 10 minutes.  If you are sprinkling with sugar, do that prior to baking.  Bake for 11-13 minutes.  Check cookies frequently to prevent over-browning.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Once cookies are cool, you will need to melt your chocolate.  Place in a microwave safe bowl and melt in intervals of 30 seconds until completely melted.  Stir generously to get the chocolate shiny.  Dip your cookies in chocolate and then add sprinkles.  Allow to sit at room temperature until chocolate hardens.

I hope you'll enjoy these cookies and share with someone you like and/or love.  I'll try not to bombard you all with Valentine's hearts and flowers and pink, but those are some of my favorite things!