Happy Valentine's Day

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE Valentine's Day.  My dad made it special for me by always getting me my own box of chocolates.  My sister in law would make this crazy mousse and whipped topping concoction.  My friends and I would get each other carnations that would be handed out during school (one year I was the one delivering carnations and I would sneak extras to my best friends).  For me it was never about having a boyfriend to buy you huge stuffed teddy bears or roses.  I don't see Valentine's Day as a Hallmark holiday where you suddenly tell the person you love that you...um, love them.  I am very vocal with expressing my love to the loves in my life all the time.  I just like an excuse to overdose on pink and red and STRAWBERRY FROSTED EVERYTHING!!!



I kept adding each decoration little by little.  Joel asked me when I thought I would actually be done seeing as it eventually has to come down.




apple and banana hearts for the Jbear (he also had a cupcake)


but he wanted some of my breakfast too, to which I replied, "Lay off kid" but felt bad and cut him a tiny piece anyway.  Joel has gotten me a strawberry frosted donut and a bagel with strawberry cream cheese on February 14th since 2004.


my breakfast last Valentine's Day


"pean bunner" and jelly sandwich.  I should have cut out the heart myself instead of using a cookie cutter on soft bread.


mmmm so so good.  I knew I had to make these cupcakes when I saw this on pinterest.  I topped them with a strawberry cream cheese/ buttercream frosting.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

In case you missed my obession:
Making Valentine's with my boy.
The decorating has begun.

Breakfast

waffle with almond butter and strawberries for Jbear.


raisin nut bran and strawberries for me.

Did you have a nice weekend?
Joel and I celebrated Valentine's Day on Saturday with a ridiculously yummy dinner at Skappo in New Haven.  The rest of the weekend was spent watching movies and making valentine's with my baby boy.

"Well it's Groundhog Day... Again"

A chai latte in the most coveted mug in our house (even more than Troy & Abed)

I went on and on about my love for Groundhog Day last year so I'll spare you all the ridiculousness of my love for this Holiday!!!  But I will add some photos from one of the trips Joel and I took to Punxsutawney, Pa.









Tonight I will be watching Groundhog Day and reciting every line verbatim!!  Have a great day!

breakfast

My friend Kristin is always posting such wonderful photos of tea with honey, pies, doughnuts with NUTELLA, shortbread and orange slices, etc.  I don't know how often I'll do this, but this morning I felt the desire to photograph our late breakfast.  Jbear and I sitting side by side on the bench enjoying our meal.


I found this quick cinnamon bun recipe: a little different but still so good.
Not pictured is the banana he wolfed down prior to this photo and the waffle in the toaster waiting to be spread with almond butter.


I love chai in any mug but this one makes me smile a lot.

Cookies!!

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies 


I've had this recipe bookmarked for years now and just tried it a few weeks ago.  Then I used it again last weekend for Jodi's shower and again yesterday.  They are so so delicious (especially when I remember not to burn them and add more toffee bits).



Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies


I am a bit obsessed with Sheena's recipes.

Acorn Squash

I've been buying, making, and eating acorn squash regularly this fall.  Jbear and I get to eat it all since Joel is not a fan.  I've used this recipe before but wanted to try something a little sweeter.

I drizzled olive oil on the parchment paper, laid the squash pieces down, drizzled agave nectar all over, sprinkled with brown sugar, baked at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes (flipping the pieces once in between) and then ate it all up.

Celebrating Jbear's 1/2 Birthday!

My favorite part about baking is eating the end result.  Sometimes I think that I'm a really good baker but it's SO not true.  I can NEVER get the cake out of the pan without half of it sticking to the pan or falling, in crumbles, onto my counter.  However, I put 'celebrate Jonah's half birthday' on my birthday list and you can't celebrate without a half birthday cake!!  Please don't take away my blogger card for posting the  atrocity that is this birthday cake.  It tasted delicious but WOW did it look funky!!!



I was wondering how singing "Happy 1/2 Birthday" was going to go since my kid is kind of strange when it comes to that song.  I have never met a little person that doesn't like that song.  Well, now I have and he belongs to me.  I don't know if it's the off pitch voices, his mother pretending she can actually sing, or the loud cheering afterwards but my kid HATES the song!!  


I love making my own buttercream frosting.  Ever since my friend Lee told me that I don't have to use powdered sugar I started making swiss meringue buttercream.  I go back to this recipe from Taste Goblet constantly.  I also used raw sugar which gave it the caramel-ish taste and color.  Dulce de Leche was added in with some frosting for the filling! Yum, yum, yum!!!


And this is Jonah crying to the dessert (before dinner) gods to let him have one more piece.  Oh my goodness the kid is crazy for food.  We could have given him the entire cake and he still would cry once it was all gone.  I'm actually surprised that we didn't get this reaction whilst singing to him.  If you're a mom, does your kid have any quirks like this?  I mean really???  Happy Birthday??