Beary Much in Love

We have been in a whirlwind of Vanentines treats for the kids, I'll post a fun cookie tutorial tonight or tomorrow.

I'm taking a break from the treat craziness and making this super fast and easy Valentine Lunch for the kids. The uber-fabulous Kellie over at Little Nummies made these simple bear sandwiches, how cute are they?

Whip them up then print out my "I love you Beary Much" cards (with space to write your "beary favorite things" about your Valentine:)) and you've got one special lunch in 5 minutes. You can download the cards here.
Beary Much in Love Sandwiches from Little Nummies
Ingredients:
Bread
Marshmallows
Peanut Butter (or jam)
Chocolate Chips
Crackers (round)
Bear Cards (download and print here)

Kellie's directions:
I cut the tops off of two pieces of bread. Spread peanut butter on them and put them together as shown in picture. Spread some peanut butter on the ends of ritz crackers and stick them to the back of the “head” for the ears. Cut a mini marshmallow in half and stick mini chocolate chips inside for eyes. A reg chocolate chip for his nose. Use the other two pieces to make a half sandwich.
notes: After downloading the cards, cut along the dotted lines and fold on the pink line. Write your "beary favorite things" about your child and place with lunch.

Sweetie Pie Drinks

Love is in the air and I loooove that Chris over at Let Me Count the Ways. If you're looking for Valentines ideas, you will have a great time on her blog!! I saw this recipe for her fun hot chocolate (we just had strawberry milk) and knew we had to make those marshmallows!
In fact, we made some homemade marshmallows, too (recipe below) and they were fun. I don't know if they were worth all the work, but it was fun to see Gourmet Dad's face when I told him what I was making. His reply? "Aren't they less than a dollar a bag at the grocery store??" :)
Sweetie Pie Drinks
Ingredients:
Milk
Strawberry Quik (or red food coloring if you just want pink milk)
Large Marshmallows
powdered sugar
Small heart-shaped cutter (or sharp paring knife)

Directions:
Mix milk and strawberry quick in mugs. Or, if you just want colored milk, add a drop of red food coloring to milk and mix well. Cut marshmallows in half and dip sticky side in powdered sugar. Using small heart cutter (or paring knife), cut out heart shape and roll any sticky sides in powdered sugar. Drop in strawberry milk and serve. Yummy!

Homemade Marshmallows
Ingredients:
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups granulated 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
Food coloring or flavoring oil (optional)

Directions:
Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water.
In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed (with whisk attachment) and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl 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 any flavors/colors during the last minute of whipping.

While the mixture is whipping, combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly 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 use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza cutter dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Lovin' from the Oven

Nothing says lovin' like warm cinnamon rolls from the oven! How about some luscious easy-as-pie heart-shaped cinnamon rolls for your sweetie this Valentines Day? Yum! You can use any cinnamon roll recipe you want--you can even grab a loaf of frozen Rhodes bread dough if you really want to make it easy.

Lots of Lovin' Cinnamon Rolls
Dough Ingredients:
(or use a loaf of frozen bread dough, let is rise, and join us at assembly directions)
Dry ingredients
2 cups unsifted unbleached floured
¼ c sugar
1 Tbs salt
2 packages of active dry yeast

In sauce pan heat up (until just warm, not boiling):
2 ¼ c. milk
¼ c. cooking oil

Dough Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 egg to flour mixture along with warmed liquid from sauce pan.
Beat it for 30 sec. on low speed, followed by 3 minutes on medium speed.
By hand, gradually stir in 4-5 cups of flour to make a soft dough.
Kneed it on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 1 minute.
After kneeding let it rise covered in a warm place until doubled (45-60 minutes).

Assembly Directions:
Punch down dough. Separate dough into two equal portions. Roll out to form two large squares (about 9 x 11 inches). Spread ¼ c. melted butter on top of dough. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar to heart’s desire (be generous with cinnamon and sugar).

Starting at each long end, roll the dough tightly in a roll toward the center. Pinch the seam shut.

Slice rolls with dental floss about 1 ½ inches thick. Pinch bottom to form heart shape. Place on greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise for another 45-60 minutes. (see quick video tutorial)

Bake for 13-18 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with your favorite icing tinted with just a drop of red food coloring. We used buttercream icing, but cream cheese is good, too! (click on the frosting names for recipes). Enjoy!

Love Bugs

Valentines Day is coming and we've been "bitten" by the Love Bug! Well, actually, WE were the ones doing the biting.:) I had a hard time getting a good picture, the kids were eating them too fast! These are a fun after school project, we just used candy from the pantry and let everyone get creative. Have fun!

Love Bugs
Ingredients:
6 C. breakfast cereal (we used Corn Pops)
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 bag (about 40) large marshmallows
red food coloring
Frosting (any kind)
aluminum foil or wax paper
Cooking spray
assorted candies (circus peanuts for feet, peach rings for eyes, licorice and hershey kisses for anteanne, runts candies for mouths and inside of eyes)

Directions:
You are basically making "rice krispy treats" for the bug's bodies. We just used a larger cereal for a fun texture. In a large bowl, microwave butter and marshmallows for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Add a few drops of red food coloring and stir well. Mix in the breakfast cereal, stir well. Let cool for a minute or two until it is cool enough to handle.

Spray hands with cooking spray then take about 1/2 c. mixture and form into a ball. Squeeze it together firmly to retain shape (if it starts to fall apart, wait until mixture cools a little more). Place balls on wax paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray until cool and completely set.

When set, take two circus peanuts, add a dab of frosting to the top, then attach to the ball to make the "feet". Add various candies to decorate your bugs and enjoy the love!

Chili Cacao Mayan Cupcakes

I wanted something spicy, indulgent and luxurious and thus Chili Cacao Mayan Cupcakes were born…

Why Mayan cupcakes? Well, the ancient Mayans used chili peppers along with vanilla and other ingredients to spice their chocolate drinks. It’s not the hot chocolate we enjoy today, but a bitter, spiced drink enjoyed by the wealthy. After the Aztecs conquered the Mayans, the Aztec king taxed them in cacao and vanilla beans. Why? Legend says he drank as much as 50 cups of the indulgent cacao drink after dinner and wanted his pantry full of the ingredients! This cupcake is patterned after what we know of that ancient, luxurious drink. It’s also said to have great aphrodisiac properties.
Since cacao beans were used as currency by the Mayans, only the very wealthy could afford to “eat” their money. So, these cupcakes have real 23 carat gold flakes on them so you can eat your money, too. :) The symbol on the top is a chocolate replica of the Mayan symbol Hanab Ku, said to represent all consciousness that ever existed in the galaxy. I hope you enjoy them!

Chili Cacao Mayan Cupcakes
with Vanilla Bean/Dark Chocolate Icing
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 C. Dark Cocoa Powder
3 oz. dark chocolate, melted (high quality)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. white vinegar
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. ground Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. ground annato (achiote molido)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cupcake pan or line with paper wrappers. In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat well. Add dark cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and vinegar. Mix well. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground annato, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk. With each addition, mix until the ingredients are incorporated. Put batter into a gallon Ziploc bag, snip off about an inch from one corner, and pipe batter into prepared cupcake pans, filling about ¾ full. Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Frost with icing.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
1 vanilla bean
4 cups confectioner's sugar (approximately 1 lb.) or more, depending on desired thickness
2 Tablespoons Milk

Directions:
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Split open vanilla bean and scrape out seeds, add to butter mixture. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups Confectioners' sugar sifted
3-4 tablespoons Milk

Directions:
Cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add cocoa, melted chocolate and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Lastly, but most importantly, a HUGE THANK YOU to my funny, mind-blowingly-talented, amazing, silly, sweet, perfectly wonderful friend Annie for these photos. She felt sorry for my pitiful photo skills and came over, camera and kids in tow to take these. If you ever need a laugh or a pick-me-up, read her blog. It's hilarious.

A couple people have asked where I got the edible Gold Leaf for the cupcakes. You can get some for your own fancy schmancy desserts here.

Hot Chocolate Foaming Milk Bath

For some special time with your kiddos, read to them (or watch) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory then make your own “Chocolate River” in the tub! Fun with the kids and chocolate…..works for me!!:)
This also makes a great and inexpensive gift for a friend or teacher. I made some cute gift tags for this that you can download here. Enjoy!

Hot Chocolate Foaming Milk Bath
Ingredients:
1/2 C. Powdered Milk
1/2 C. Baking Soda
1 Tbs. Cream of Tartar
1/2 C. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Tbs. Cornstarch
1 Tbs. Ground Cinnamon

Directions:
Let kids pour all ingredients in large Ziploc bag. Let everyone have a turn shaking it up well. Or, you can just use a bowl and mix it but it’s not as fun;). Store in tightly sealed glass jar or container.

To use: Put approx. ½ C. hot water in a mug. Add 3 tablespoons Milk mixture. Pour mixture to bathwater while tub is filling and enjoy the bubbling chocolate extravaganza!

Notes:
For you non-dairy families, pick up some soy or vegetable-based baby formula at the store (or you can use almond meal, but it's too expensive to use for a bath!). It's a great sub for the powdered milk and makes your skin soft.:)

For easy cleanup, sprinkle some baking soda around the tub after the water has gone out. Let the kiddos wipe it around then rinse out. Fun bath, clean tub, two thumbs up!:)

"Q" is for Queen of Hearts Tarts

(we cheated and made these with whipped cream for our lunch dessert. Fast, easy, YUM!:))


Thanks to Christine for the fun idea to make "Queen of Hearts Tarts". Great for Valentines Day or that ever-tricky "Q" snack for preschool. These are easy for the kids to make and so cute! Let the kiddos do all the layering, but you may want to make the embellishments yourself, you can download my template here. Just print it out, lay some wax paper on top, and trace it with your white chocolate. When dry, add to the "tarts" and you have a gorgeous gourmet-looking treat!

Queen of Hearts Tarts
Ingredients:
Box of vanilla wafers
2 boxes of vanilla instant pudding
Milk
Cherry pie filling
½ c. white chocolate chips (or white candy melts)

Directions:
1. Let each child place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of a cupcake liner.
2. Make the pudding according to directions.
3. Pour pudding over vanilla wafer to cover.
4. Chill until set.
5. Just before serving let them spoon a tablespoon of cherries over the pudding. Add white chocolate garnishes and serve.

TO MAKE GARNISHES:Melt chocolate chips in bowl for 1 minute in microwave. Stir, cook additional 10 second intervals until melted. Spoon into Ziploc baggie. Snip a small piece off the corner of baggie and draw heart shapes on wax paper. When dry, peel off and set on top of tarts.
You can draw your own hearts or download a template of hearts and doodles here.

"C" is for Edible Crayons

Yummy! Crayons!
These are simple to make and are sooo fun to eat. My kids thought it was so funny that they got to eat "crayons" (something we're constantly telling the baby NOT to do!).
In addition, they got to break things, dip things, and use tape. What snack could be more fun to make??!:)
You can put several in a Ziploc baggie with a handmade note saying "You Color my World" for an easy class valentine treat. I'd make a few different colors (red, white, etc) but the girls had too much fun with pink so we just went with it.:) These would also be a great "C" snack for preschool or a great "back to school treat". Have fun!

INGREDIENTS:
Pretzel Rods
Candy Melts (or white chocolate chips with a little of your favorite food coloring added)
Paper Labels (make them yourself or download mine here. Print on colored paper of your choice)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Break or cut pretzel rods in half. Melt candy melts or chocoalte chips in microwave on medium heat for 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking at 15 second intervals until melted. Add a few drops food coloring if desired.
Dip ends of pretzels in melted candy.
Place on wax paper or aluminum foil to dry.
When dry, wrap with crayon label and secure with tape.
You can download the labels I made here.