Hearts and flowers hodgepodge

 

Wednesday again, and time for the Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond, where Joyce asks the questions and bloggers provide the answers.  Here we go ...

1. Besides the predictable name-rank-serial number, what's something you know by heart?

My kids' phone numbers; my credit card number; certain (simple) recipes; quite a few Scripture verses; the Pledge of Allegiance and probably more, if I take time to think about it.

2. Something recently that had you tickled pink?

Chatting with my Nevada daughter about the likelihood they will drive out here this summer.

3. How do you define the word romantic, and are you one? 

I had to think about this.  Not sure if it's referring to romantic as a noun -- I think so, because the second part of the question asks, "are you one?"  So according to this definition screenshot straight from my computer desktop, a romantic is "a person with romantic beliefs or attitudes."

Honestly, I don't really know how to answer.  I can be romantic.  I love romantic activities like walks on the beach, dinners out with my hubby, evenings by a crackling fireplace.  I love happy endings and seeing God write love stories.  But on the other hand I tend to be a realist as well.

 
4. Finish this verse with your own original thought....'Roses are red, violets are blue...

"... Masks are useless, and mandates are too."

5. Five little things you are loving right now? 

 1.  More daylight at each end of the day.
 2.  Clementines.
 3.  The temps outside today.  Nearly 40º!  That's terrific after recent below zero temps.
 4.  Studying the book of Daniel in my quiet time.
 5. Getting started with making my own kombucha again!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 Thinking about how Valentine's Day used to be a much bigger holiday in some ways than it is now.  Even back during my mother's childhood in the 1930s, Valentines from one's classmates were a given.  I've run across a good many that she received.  And then in my own childhood, making a Valentine box at school in which all of one's Valentines could be placed ... if I remember right, the making of Valentine boxes took up at least one full art class.  Mothers would bake Valentine cookies to be sent to school for the classroom party.  My mom would make cutout heart sugar cookies and frost them with pink frosting.

And that wraps up the Hodgepodge for this week!  Why not head on over to From This Side of the Pond and snag the questions to answer on your own blog?

Friday five for February fifteen

Wow, is that an alliterative title or what?

Somehow it is Friday again, and snowing like a bandstand (as we say in our family -- long story!) so I'm taking a few minutes to share five blessings from the week.

And no, those Valentine cookies aren't real.  I did use a cookie cutter to make them, though. Need to get back to making some felt food, as I still have grandkids young enough to be interested.  My Nevada daughter told me the other week that they had gotten out some of the felt food for the youngest one, but all of the kids ended up getting involved -- playing grocery store, restaurant, and more. 

1.  Breakfast out with my hubby last Friday.  We went to a new-to-us place with a pretty limited breakfast menu, but thoroughly enjoyed our meal and the atmosphere.  Wish I had thought to take some pictures.

2.  Finding time to blog about the Christmas cookie book I made with Shutterfly.  It's on my Christmas blog -- Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen -- so do check it out if you've never visited.  I'm so tickled with this book, as it's a project I've been thinking about for awhile.  (Yep, those are felt Christmas cookies on the cover.  Recipe for those not included, though.) I have lots more photos of pages from the book in the post on my Christmas blog.

3.  Being able to get out and walk both Monday and Tuesday.  The weather hasn't been conducive since, but those days we had mostly bare roads to walk on and got in probably close to 8 miles.

4.  A fun day in the kitchen on Valentine's Day.  I have a friend with a Valentine birthday and really wanted to bake a few goodies for her.  Of course, Mr. T was delighted, as well!
 

There are marshmallows hiding under the frosting ...

 5.  A nice surprise in the mail yesterday when a handmade Christmas ornament I'd ordered from an Etsy shop arrived.  Check out this pretty ornament from Treasures with a Twist!  Check out the shop, too.  Marjorie has made many other gorgeous ornaments of the same type.  They are good quality and good value, too.  My scan does not begin to do it justice.

That's it for this week's Friday five ... Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Valentine Medley for February 13

 Somehow it's Wednesday again, and time for the Wednesday Medley hosted by Terri at Your Friend from Florida!   Terri asks the questions and bloggers come up with their own answers. 

 Wouldn't you like to join in?  It's easy, and could make for a fun blog post on a wintry day; this week's questions have a Valentine theme.  Just head over to Terri's blog, get the questions, then copy, paste, and answer them on your own blog.  Then you can go back to Terri's and link up, if you like.   Here goes!

1.  I think St. Valentine's Day is for everyone, whether you have a romantic love interest or not.  I received a Valentine card from my sister (thank you Patti!) - case in point.  It is all about LOVE, not just romantic love.  What are your traditions for celebrating Valentine's Day?

I agree with you.  Valentine's Day can celebrate family love, the love of friends, and more.  We have no hard-and-fast traditions I guess ... we have learned to be flexible as to how we celebrate.  Sometimes I will make a special supper or breakfast for my husband and myself on Valentine's Day, or sometimes we will go out.  We tend to save money we would have spent on gifts or flowers to use on getaways at a later date.  When the kids were younger, and even a few years with grandkids,  as below, we would make Valentine cookies together.  When my kids were at boarding school for high school, and then when they were away at college, I would send Valentine care packages. 

2.  When you were in elementary school, did you decorate a shoe box and deliver those little valentines to all your classmates?   Perhaps in Sunday School?

Loved this illustration of a Valentine box on Terri's blog, so kept it when I copied and pasted.  It wasn't always a shoe box, but yes -- in elementary school, we would decorate boxes in which the little Valentines from our classmates could be deposited.  Valentines like the one below from the 1960s.  We decorated the boxes with construction paper cutouts, paper lace doilies, red heart stickers, and much more.

3.  Do you enjoy playing Cupid?  Have you ever introduced a couple who really clicked?

Not really.  I know some people love to play matchmaker, but I'm not one of them.  Too much responsibility.  No, I don't think I ever have introduced a couple who really clicked.

4.  Which traditional Valentine's Day gift would you rather receive:  Chocolate, flowers, or a card with a personal message?

A card with a personal message.

My daughter made this Valentine for me probably 30 years ago.

5.  What is the best movie to watch on Valentine's Day?

I almost never watch movies so I have absolutely no idea.

6.  Tell us something random about your week!

It's likely to be interrupted by a major snowstorm -- though nowhere near as major as what those in the midwest and northwest are getting.  Our winter storm warning for Tuesday said snow was to start at 4 pm.  It's Tuesday at 4:07 as I write this and, sure enough, light snow is beginning.

That's the Wednesday Medley for this Valentine week!

Really cold!

Yes, it's really cold here in New Hampshire!  What you see above is the temperature right now, at 4 pm.  And then for tonight, we have the same as last night:

That's right, another wind chill warning!  Even colder than last night's, actually. 

So, how about some other randomness?

Let's see.  Well, yesterday was pretty much a day of snow and wintry mix.  Although we didn't get the huge snow amounts we'd been promised, still there was plenty of snow.  Our church, along with others around the state, cancelled services for the day.  I didn't get any snow pictures because it really seems that we already have plenty of them from previous years. 

Mr. T and I decided to watch the live stream morning worship service from Grace Baptist Church in Elko, NV, where our loved ones attend.  What a lovely surprise to see our daughter playing the piano for yesterday's service!  Yes, she's in a rotation of pianists but there are quite a few, so for her to be playing yesterday was by no means a given.  A special blessing for us!

Friday night we had friends over for supper and a little discipleship type Bible study.  If you're in the mood for a little comfort food, here's what I served for the main course:

Chicken Pot Pie!

It went over really well.  Although the photo above is not mine (it's from Genius Kitchen), it looks exactly like mine.  I prefer to make chicken pot pie in a glass 13x9 pan just like this one. 

One thing I would mention.  I wanted to make the crust (there is only a top crust) gluten free, so I used a King Arthur gluten free pie crust mix.  It really soaked up the gravy, making the chicken pie rather dry.  Still delicious, but rather dry.  If you happen to make this and use a gluten free crust, I definitely recommend making a larger amount of gravy. 

For a side dish, I made this Squash and Apple Bake I've been making for over 40 years. 

Photo from Taste of Home

It also got great reviews.  This recipe was actually published in a Gooseberry Patch cookbook
along with a heartwarming memory of preparing this dish as a newlywed.  I can always find the recipe when I want to use it because it is safely in my free copy of the book!

I also made a cooked cranberry relish from a Ken Haedrich recipe.  It uses apples and oranges in addition to cranberries, and is quite delicious.

For dessert I made a Gingerbread Pudding Cake in the slow cooker.  All of this turned out to be the perfect meal for a cold and snowy night.

Saturday Mr. T had to work, so I just puttered around the house.  It would have been my turn to bring snacks for the coffee break between services at church on Sunday, so I baked a couple of coffee cakes.  I cut them in squares, packed them in tins and froze them, since we didn't have church.

When he got home in the late afternoon, we went and cleaned the church.  Although we were almost sure to cancel services, we wanted to clean anyhow and have it done.  The snow began while we were cleaning.

Yesterday I did lots of work on my Sunday School lesson and listed some vintage Valentines in my Etsy shop. 

Oh, and I've been wanting to make a Christmas cookie recipe book on Shutterfly.  I got a free photo book offer that expired today, so I spent a lot of time on that project yesterday and did get it done.  I'm quite pleased with how it looks; I'll post pictures when the book arrives.

Today has been very cold, as previously mentioned, and I've tried to alternate between upstairs and downstairs and between sitting still and moving around, just to stay warm.  I have Tortilla Enchilada Soup in the slow cooker.  It's one of the most warming suppers I can think of!

Valentine's Day Hodgepodge

This beautiful graphic is by Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

 Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! 

Not only is today Valentine's Day, it's also Wednesday!  That means it's time for the Hodgepodge with Joyce and friends at From This Side of the Pond.  Head on over, get the questions, and then answer them on your own blog (or in the comments if you don't have a blog).  Then go over to Joyce's to link up!   Here are this week's questions:

1. When's the last time you had a heart to heart talk with someone? A change of heart? Experienced figurative 'heart failure?'

Wow, what a bunch of questions!  Probably my most recent heart-to-heart talk was with my husband; they are fairly frequent occurrences.   A change of heart -- well, I have to say that the biggest, most complete change of heart ever would have taken place many years ago when I trusted Jesus as my personal Savior.  Figurative 'heart failure' -- probably last night when I noticed huge amounts of water damage on an upstairs wall and realized we had ice dams again.

2. Champagne, chocolates, flowers...what's your Valentine pleasure? Any special plans for the day?

Oh, of the three I would pick chocolate.  We have no special plans for the day.  My hubby will be working dawn to dusk and we'll just eat a quick supper and head off for our midweek service at church.  We tend to not exchange gifts for any holidays, saving our money for overnight getaways when we can find the time.

3. Are you a hopeless romantic or do you fall more in the category of practical and pragmatic? What's a gesture you find romantic?

I am a romantic, but not a hopeless one.  Romantic gestures on my husband's part may include suggesting a picnic or hike, a meal out, a coffee date, a scenic drive.  But I also see that some very practical things can be romantic gestures -- and we have both done these.  Things like changing the electric toothbrush head when one finishes with it so the toothbrush is ready for one's spouse to use. Taking out trash without being asked.  Answering the phone for the spouse when one is pretty sure there's a difficult person on the other end.  And what I see as the ultimate in this category, something I recall my husband doing more than once:  throwing vomit-covered bedding into the washer when a child is sick. 

4. Do you ask a lot of questions in life or are you pretty content with what you already know?

I very much enjoy learning new things.  I will probably always want to learn new things.  To learn, one has to ask questions. 

But as far as questioning life events ... I have learned that God has a purpose -- a good purpose -- for everything He allows to touch our lives.

5. Your favorite power ballad?

I'm not even sure what that is.  Maybe something by the Righteous Brothers, like Unchained Melody?  I consider it a ballad and it is powerful.  That's the best I can do on this question.  I refuse to delve into it any deeper than this.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm pretty excited that my Etsy shop, A New Hampshire Attic, is finally open and that I've had my first sale.  This is a possibility I've thought about and prayed about for a long time.  It's neat to see it coming to fruition.  Lots of work to this and a pretty steep learning curve.  Thankfully I like learning new things -- see #4 above!

Happy Hodgepodge, all!  Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

A few last-minute Valentine sweets

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

I'm going to share some Valentine sweets with you today, things quick and easy enough to make at the last minute.  But first, something even sweeter.  Stephanie, over at The Enchanting Rose, has written a beautiful post on The Love of God.  If you haven't seen this post, do go on over and read it.  Stephanie's words, the hymns and poems she shares, and her gorgeous, evocative photography will warm your heart today.

For the more temporal sweetness, now, a few candy recipes and a deep-chocolate dessert!  I'll start with the dessert since you might like to make this for after supper tonight:

Photo from Taste of Home

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TORTE

1 package fudge brownie mix (13x9-inch size) plus the eggs, oil and water it calls for
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups whipped topping (or, by all means use real whipped cream if you have it)
Chocolate or heart-shaped sprinkles

Prepare brownie mix as package directs for fudge-like brownies. Spread batter in a greased & floured 9-inch round cake pan. (Or do as I do and don’t bother with greasing & flouring -- just place a 9-inch round of wax paper in the bottom of the cake pan.) Bake at 350º for 38-42 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes.

Invert onto a serving plate and cool completely. In a bowl, stir together the chocolate and butter until smooth. Spread over brownie layer; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Just before serving, top with the whipped topping. Decorate with sprinkles.

Yield: 9-12 servings.

This recipe is so easy and takes such ordinary ingredients, yet produces something really special! You might already have all of the ingredients on hand. It is decadent, for sure. I found this recipe in an early Quick Cooking magazine.

Now just a few simple candy recipes.

Photo from Taste of Home

Angel Food Candy melts in your mouth and is so delicious!  I've had this recipe for years and years.

Photo from Taste of Home

Coffee Shop Fudge is one that I made at Christmas.  It's a lot like Arlene’s Easy Fudge, only with coffee and a touch of cinnamon.  Either one is a quick fudge that you can probably have in the pan in under five minutes.

Photo from Taste of Home

Peanut Butter Balls are a long-time favorite in our family, and maybe in yours too.  If you coat them in white chocolate and add some Valentine sprinkles or red sugar, you will have a festive treat indeed!  This is probably the most time-consuming recipe of the bunch, since it takes time to form the candies and dip them in melted chocolate, not to mention chilling time.

Photo from Taste of Home

Heavenly Delight is a tradition in our family.  Just a double decker chocolate and peanut butter fudge, it is easy and relatively quick to make.

Photo from Taste of Home

Chocolate-Covered Almond Brittle is a delicious candy I've made many times.  It's made in the microwave so it's quite easy, but beware!  The bowl or casserole dish you're cooking the brittle mixture in will get VERY hot.  I once destroyed a glass bowl cooking this mixture.  I recommend a Pyrex casserole to microwave it in.

Photo of full-size chocolate pizza from Taste of Home

And then last but not least, not at all, are Little Chocolate Pizzas.  The recipe is for a large chocolate pizza, but it is much more fun if you make them individual size.

Well, I could go on and on, but I will stop here.  Among these, I'd say you're sure to find a sweet treat that your sweethearts will enjoy!

Some favorite cookies for Valentine's Day

It's cold and oh-so-snowy in New England today and my thoughts are turning toward baking, just to help warm up the house.  Here we are, at two in the afternoon on Saturday -- this is a scheduled post for Monday -- and the temperature is 14 measly degrees!  14º!  It actually feels colder than that to me, so it would seem this is the perfect time to do some Valentine baking.

 💟     💟     💟     💟     💟      💟     💟      💟     💟     💟

When I think of Valentine cookies, I always think of heart-shaped sugar cookies with pink frosting, like my mother would make for our Valentine parties in elementary school.  And I will share some cut-out cookie recipes in this post, along with some non-traditional Valentine baking ideas like the cookies at top, from Taste of Home: Dipped Cherry Cookies.  I originally made these as a Christmas cookie, but they are perfect for Valentine's Day!

These Almond-Raspberry Kisses are also very pretty

Photo from Taste of Home

 and just right for Valentine's Day.

Another great recipe, this one all chocolate, is

HUGS & KISSES COOKIES

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 Tblsp. milk
2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips
9-ounce bag chocolate kisses or hugs, unwrapped

Heat oven to 350º. Beat together butter, sugars, and vanilla until blended. Add eggs and milk; beat well.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake 11 minutes.

Cool 1 minute; press a chocolate kiss or hug into the center of each cookie. Cool another minute before removing cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies.

These were a big favorite when our kids were away at school, regardless of the season. Each weekend I would send a tin of cookies back with them, to get them and their friends through the week.

For Valentine's Day, any cookie topped with a Hershey's kiss or hug would be very appropriate!

Another easy cookie is made with a strawberry cake mix.

(Photo from Tasty Kitchen)

Very pretty and very appropriate for Valentine's Day! They happen to be delicious, too:
Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Now for a few cut-out cookies!  These are not as easy or quick, but they are fun.
There are several cut-out cookie recipes here in this post at my Christmas kitchen blog: Cut-out Cookies . Any of them would make a nice Valentine cookie.
For a chocolate cut-out cookie, this one is my favorite: Cocoa-Molasses Cookies.
But this one, from Cook & Tell, is a close second:

CHOCOLATE JUMBOS
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 cup melted shortening (for example, one Crisco® stick, melted)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup warm water or coffee
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Beat the egg; add sugar and molasses and beat 1 minute more. Dissolve the cocoa in the melted shortening, cool slightly; then add to batter and beat again. Dissolve the soda in the warm water or coffee and vanilla. Sift together the flour and salt. Add soda mixture to the batter alternately with the sifted dry ingredients, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Chill dough for 1 hour before using.

Roll out dough 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface; cut into shapes. Bake about 8 minutes at 350º; do not overbake; you want them to be fudgy, so watch carefully. Remove to racks to cool.

When cool, frost generously with a vanilla butter frosting. If you need a recipe, try this: 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tblsp. softened butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, and up to 5 Tblsp. milk -- start with half that amount and stir in more milk as needed until smooth and spreadable.

Makes a good amount of cookies!

Or, even more special for Valentine's Day, try these:

CHERRY SWEETHEARTS

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups flour
2/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, drained and dried well on paper towels
Glaze:
1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 to 4 Tblsp. cherry juice (from jar of maraschino cherries)
Topping:
About 30 maraschino cherries, halved, blotted well on paper towels
Filling:
About 1/2 cup cherry or raspberry jam

Beat the butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Sift together the nutmeg and flour and beat about half of it into the mixture; add the remaining flour to the dough and beat well. Form dough into a ball; wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a circle, about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the cookies with a 2-1/2-inch scalloped cutter (hearts would be pretty, too) and place on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 13-16 minutes at 350º. Remove and cool on racks.

For glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar and cherry juice to make a thick glaze. Place waxed paper under cooling rack. Pour the glaze carefully over half of the cookies to within a half inch of edges. Let stand 4 to 5 minutes, then place a cherry half (rounded side up) in center of each glazed cookie. Let glaze set completely.

Sandwich together with remaining, unglazed cookies with a thin layer of jam between. Store these cookies airtight at room temperature. Makes about 5 dozen sandwich cookies.

I wish that I had a picture of these to show you.  I have only made them a couple of times, but they are picture-perfect for Valentine's Day -- like something you would see in a child's storybook.  Visualize pink scalloped sandwich cookies with a cherry glaze and a perfect half cherry centered on top.  So pretty!

Tomorrow I will be back with a few simple candies for Valentine's Day.  Meanwhile, why not bake a batch of Valentine cookies?  If you live in New England, you may not be able to get out to the store, so pick a recipe with ingredients already in your pantry and get baking!