St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Today I am sharing a few delicious St. Patrick's Day recipes for you to share with your friends & family.Here are some starters and desserts ....

Can't have a St. Patrick's Day celebration without potatoes! Here is a comforting,delicious soup recipe.

If you want a little green for on your menu, this soup fits the bill.

Irish Soda Bread is a staple on any St. Patrick's Day  table. No currants or seeds in this one.

I'm all about desserts on any occasion, so here are a few delicious treats with a hint of green.
Mint Brownies

Chocolate Chip Mint Ice-Cream Pie

Irish Creme Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Bites

Truffles

Chocolate Peanut Butter Clovers

Chocolate Covered Oreos..to make these, simply melt some chocolate(I use Merckens) and pour a small amount into the mold. Place an Oreo on top and cover with more chocolate. Place in the freezer for about five minutes,then pop them out of the molds. Drizzle a little melted chocolate on top and add sprinkles if desired, or leave them plain. There are many molds with a variety of shapes to choose from. I like this one and this one.

You can do the same with chocolate covered pretzels. I use these pretzels. I like to add seasonal sprinkles along with mini m&m's ,chocolate chips and nuts to finish them.

Enjoy!

Sweet Valentine's Day Recipes

Today I am sharing a few tried and true sweet recipes with you. They are perfect  for your Valentine's Day celebrations. Enjoy!

  One of our all time favorites around here are these crepes. They are filled with chocolate mousse and served over a cold white chocolate sauce. Definitely high in calories and full of flavor.

These cupcakes are made with a hint of coffee and are absolutely delicious!

Not everyone loves chocolate, and these cookies are the perfect treat for those who don't. Easy and always a hit.

Bananas and chocolate are a wonderful combination. Bake a batch of these for your sweetie and your day will be off to a great start! No special pan needed, bake them in any pans you have.

A sweet breakfast is allowed every so often, right? No need for syrup on these pancakes, they are sweet enough just the way they are.

Decadence.. Nothing further.

One of my favorite french desserts. These can be dipped in chocolate, served plain or with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Yum!

A little spice and the perfect combination of chocolate and cinnamon. Delicious fudge.

This one is for the peanut butter lovers in your life.

Here is a different take on the usual brownies. Red and delicious!

Who doesn't love chocolate pudding?

This next recipe is for those of you who really want to go above and beyond. It takes time and patience, but if you love it,go for it. I suggest finding a similar mold on Amazon or at your local craft store. The one pictured here made it difficult to release the chocolate.

Lastly, here is another popular treat around here. My Triple Chocolate Delights are a tart/brownie/cake all in one. There are a few steps involved making them, but well worth it.

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day and get to share some of my favorite sweet treats with those you love. Enjoy!

Children's Book Club Picks for February

Today I will be sharing some fun stories that you can use for the children's book club idea that I shared in this post.. These are a few that incorporate themes of love,Black History Month ,winter and ,of course, Valentine's Day. I'm offering  suggestions to make your gifts of reading easier, but there are so many wonderful stories out with the themes I've mentioned. Hopefully, a few of these will be what you are looking for to help foster a love of reading in the special children in your lives..

Remember Nancy Drew? This longtime favorite character is back with her Clue Crew in this Valentine adventure. Someone sent a mean Valentine and Nancy and her friends have to find out who and why. This is a great chapter book series for young kids with so many stories, the kids will be reading all the time!

Natasha Wing is a favorite author of ours. Her silly stories make any holiday fun and this one is no exception. This story is a great pick for younger children ,and is sure to become an annual favorite.

This book introduces children to some of the best female scientists and their contributions to our world. It is not only informative, but it takes a look at African American women,their strengths,determination and successes.

We can't forget the great African American men and their achievements! In this book, children will learn about some amazing men who overcame tremendous obstacles and achieved their dreams.

In this story, Hoda Kotb tells of the unconditional love between a parent and child. The perfect book to snuggle up with and spend some special moments with your child. Very sweet with beautiful illustrations.

This next book is all about children learning to love themselves and others. A wonderful way to encourage children to be proud of who they are and accept others for the same.

Children learn all about how animals in the wild survive cold winters in this book. From finding shelter to hibernation,it's a journey into the world of animals during the winter.

These are just a few suggestions for your book club gifts. There are so many more to choose from, especially for Valentine's Day..the selection is endless! I hope you enjoy a few of these and have fun sending some new books to the special children in your lives!

Making Valentines with Children

Today I am sharing some of our favorite Valentine ideas. These are all things we've made in the past and enjoyed sharing with others. I hope you enjoy them and are inspired to make some with your won children!

   If your kids love stickers, this one will make them happy. Adding stickers to the bottom of Hershey's Kisses gets the kids excited to share them with friends. Read all the details here..
 

Kane Chocolate Hearts have been a February favorite for many years in our house. They can be filled with  candies,or turned into delicious desserts by adding pudding and whipped cream . You can even turn them into this sweet treat. Fun and delicious!

Making  your own chocolate cups to fill with treats can turn any day into a sweet one. See how we made them here.

We loved putting these treats together for school parties when the boys were little. I tried to find the link for the tags from Tomkat Studios with no luck, but you can have the kids make their own. The lollipops can be found here and the post on how to make it all happen here.

Another  project for those cold ,boring afternoons is making chocolate covered Oreos. You can pick up molds at most craft stores or on Amazon. With a few different colored candy melts, the kids will have a wonderful time creating their special cookies. Remember, they don't have to be perfect, it's all about the fun and love that goes into making them. I suggest molds with large areas to fill in with color,rather than the ones with tiny hearts. Here are a few of the molds I love.The Conversation Heart mold is for mini Oreos.

Large Hearts

Conversation Hearts

Lips

This  idea I found on Pinterest years ago. It also requires Oreos and melting chocolate. So cute and the kids really enjoy creating their own Love Bugs. It's a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends. 

Getting your children involved in the kitchen is a great way to introduce them to the basics of cooking,measuring,estimating and learning to share responsibilities as well as their treats! When they participate in putting together treats for friends,classmates or anyone else, they take pride in their work.What a wonderful way to spend time together.Have fun!

Sweets for Your Valentine

Valentine's Day is fast approaching so I thought I'd share some of my favorite sweet picks today. There are so many delicious goodies out there right now, and it wasn't easy to narrow it down to only a few,but I did. I tend to like to give things that are a little different and perhaps not the items you pick up at the local pharmacy. With a few weeks to go, you can still order some great edibles for the loves in your life.


You can't go wrong with candies from See's. They have been in business since 1972, and offer a wide variety of goodies.I love  this nice arrangement of candies in a traditional heart shaped box. Yum.

I've been a fan of Godiva chocolates since the days of planning my wedding. We gave them out as favors and I've been a loyal customer ever since. Always delicious and now, more affordable options than ever before. I love this set of three ...they make great teacher gifts.
  

I discovered this company two years ago and they quickly became a favorite. Big Little Fudge Company offers a variety of flavors,all individually wrapped,making them a great option to take to the office or for parties. You can also order tins like the one below.

If your sweetie likes to bake,King Arthur Flour's Baking Box is a wonderful gift idea. The flavor combination of chocolate and raspberries in this kit is perfect for Valentine's Day.It comes with all of the non perishables needed to bake a beautiful cake. They also have several other flavor options.

Perhaps my favorite sweet gift idea of the season is the new gift box from Georgetown Cupcakes. They've teamed up with Darcy Miller from Martha Stewart Living to create a gorgeous,mouthwatering assortment of cupcakes adorned with Darcy's whimsical art. Love, love ,love this! It's called Sweet Talk. So cute!

They also offer a beautiful pink heart box filled with a combination of some of their signature flavors. This is a win for the cupcake lovers in your life!

You can even create your own combination or go with one of the many they've put together for Valentine's Day.

Maggie Louise Confections makes some beautiful chocolates,almost too beautiful to eat, almost....

There is still plenty of time to find that extra special, unique gift for the ones you love. I hope I've given you some fun options to choose from! Enjoy!