Valentine Chocolate Pretzel Bites

Here is what you need:

1 bag of the square bite sized pretzels I've heard them called waffle pattern
1 bag of Hershey's Hugs
1 bag of Valentine's M&Ms
Cute little baggies 

Here is what you:

1. Unwrap a bag of Hershey Hugs (preferably with a friend and wine) My mother always said a burden shared is half a burden thus the friend.
2. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees F
3. Using a rimmed baking sheet also called a jelly roll pan. I lined it with parchment paper just to be safe, although I am not sure you really need it.  Lay out as many pretzel bites as you can without them overlapping.
4. Top each pretzel with the Hershey Hug.
5. Place in the oven for 4 minutes.
6. Working quickly, press one M&M down into the chocolate.
7. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.
8. Wrap up in cute little baggies, give to friends and family... 

Hooray for pop-able, Valentines treats!

Happy Valentine's Day! As always, many blessings, much love, and Happy Baking!

Freddy's Valentine Cookies

This was the first year I made Valentine's for Freddy's class. Last year he was only 9 months old and most of his buddies weren't eating solid foods. This year however, we had a bunch of sugar craving toddlers, so cookies were indeed in order. We gave out little baggies, with heart sugar cookies, chocolate chip, and organic lollipops. I tied the whole thing together with a cut out heart and a little smiley face out of construction paper. 

To make the sugar cookies: 
5 cups of flour
5 cups of sugar
2 sticks of butter
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon of baking soda
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese
Food Coloring 
Food Color Markers to draw the faces

Method:

1. Mix all of the ingredients in your standing mixer, it is a lot to do by hand.
2. Once mixed together separate into two discs, and wrap in cling plastic wrap and let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day, or in the freezer up to a month.
3. When ready, roll out the dough, use flour on a board and rolling pin to get the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Cut with your favorite heart shaped cookie cutters and place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are just slightly golden. Let cool and use markers to draw your faces.

To make the Chocolate Chip Cookies with the Heart Chocolate Center

½ cup of sugar bowl sugar
½ cup of brown sugar
1 stick of butter softened overnight
1 egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
½ teaspoon bakind soda
1 and ¼ cup of all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of best quality chocolate chips Ghirardelli is my favorite

24 Dove Hearts

Here is what you do: 

1. Preheat your oven to 325 F.

2. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl (except for the chocolate chips), wooden spoon is fine. 

3.  Place teaspoon dollops on parchment lined sheet pan. 

4. Bake for 18 minutes. ]

5. Place an unwrapped Dove heart in the center of the cookies while they are still warm. Enjoy

There you have it my friends, easy, classic, but delicious cookies. 

Here is a picture of the finished product... 

Happy Valentines'! As always, much love, many blessings, happy baking!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

My little one calls blueberries, b-berries. He is a great fan of them, and he loves oatmeal as well. I know... strange kid, but my husband also like the combination so I thought these would make a fit and easy breakfast treat. Here is the recipe adapted from day dream kitchen.

What you need:
2 cups of rolled oats
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon of orange zest
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of cold cubed butter

3 cups of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons of cornstarch

What you do:

1. Zest a large orange, and juice save the juice and zest separately. 
2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan add the blueberries, sugar. Mix the cornstarch and orange juice to form a slurry, whisk any lumps, add to the blueberries and sugar, cook for 5 minutes or so until thick. Set aside to cool. 
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
4. In your food processor pulse together the oats, flour, brown sugar, orange zest, salt, and cubed butter. 
5. Place parchment paper in a 8 inch square pan. 
6. Pour half of the oat mixture into the pan and press down with your hands. Pour over the cooled blueberry sauce. Then cover with the oat crumbles. 
7. Bake for about 45 minutes. 
8. Let cool completely, refrigerate and cut into squares. Enjoy for breakfast, snack, or dessert with whipped cream. 

They also freeze beautifully so you can keep them in the chiller and take one out when you want a semi healthy dessert, just pop it in the microwave for a minute. 

As always, much love, many blessings, happy baking. 

Butternut Squash Risotto in 20 minutes

I love Butternut Squash, and so does my little one. Which is a bonus, when you can get away with only making one dish for the family. But did you know you can make it in 20 minutes... no really... from scratch.

Here is what you need:

1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed into about 1 inch long
4 cups of chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup of arborio rice
1 shallot diced finely
1 Tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup of white wine (and more for you)
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
shaved Parmesan to taste

Here is what you do:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut and cube your squash and lay on sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
2. Set two pots next to each other on the stove. 1 will be to keep the stock warm the other to make your risotto.
3. Warm your stock on low heat.
4. In the other pan add your diced shallot, rice, butter, thyme, salt and pepper and toast the rice on until they are slightly golden.
5. Add your wine and stir until absorbed. I love this part, 18 minutes of quiet, stirring a pot.
6. As the liquid becomes absorbed in the rice, continue to stir while adding another ladle-full of hot stock. Continue to do this until the rice is cooked, about 18 minutes or so.
7. Once cooked. Turn off the heat, add the hot butternut squash from the oven. They will be tender and easy to mix into your risotto. According to your like, mix in the squash or mash it in. I prefer chunks maintained, but I tend to squish with my fork when it is in my bowl. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and serve with Pinot Grigio. Enjoy

As always, much love, many blessings, and Happy Cooking!!!