Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's to cards, here's to flowers, here's to candy, here's to LOVE!  Even though you may not receive a card or candy from a special Valentine you can still have a great day.  Treat yourself !  How about a warm mug of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or toffee chips?  Speaking of whipped cream, why not make a super easy dessert filled with whipped cream?  Cream puffs!  I learned to make these when I worked for friends who owned a catering business.  We occassionally catered weddings and one day a bride from Lithuania came in and wanted a traditional french wedding cake.  WHAT? We had no idea what she was talking about, but we told her "sure, yeah, we can do that."  I went to town on the internet and found a wonderful recipe that I use when I want to make something extra special for dessert.  This recipe is from chef Gale Gand.  I taught my daughter how to make cream puffs when she had to take a dessert to a friend's house for a get together.  I hope you'll try these and enjoy them with friends and family. 

Cream Puffs
For the pate a choux pastry:
1 cup water
1 stick butter (unsalted)
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 eggs, plus 1 egg for egg wash

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.  When it boils, immediately take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds.  Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds to evaporate some of the moisture.

Scrape the mixture into the bowl of a mixer and mix on medium speed.  Working one egg at a time add 3 of the eggs, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each egg addition.  Mix until dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated.  The dough should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl.  If the dough is still clinging to the beaters, add the remaining egg and mix until incorporated.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper into 2 inch rounds.  Whisk the remaining egg with 1 1/2 tsp water and brush onto the rounds. (You may have egg wash left.)  Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake until puffed up, and light golden brown, about 18-20 minutes more.  Try not to open the oven door too often during baking.  Let cool on baking sheet.

Filling
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

To fill the cream puffs, use a wooden skewer to poke a hole in the bottom of each puff.  (Swirl the skewer around to make a big enough hole for pastry tip to fit.  Whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff.  (Don't over whip or the cream will turn into butter!)  Pipe whipped cream into each cream puff and chill until ready to serve. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with roasted nuts.

Valentine's Day Isn't Just for Grown Ups!

In celebrating Valentine's Day I always made it a point to have little Valentine surprises for my three children from my husband and I.  The joy on their little faces when they came home from school and looked on their beds to find a card and a small gift was priceless.  I'd set the dinner table with a table cloth, linen napkins and china.  They felt so special.

We've continued the tradition even though they're all teenagers now and one is in college.  They still enjoy receiving a card with a chocolate bar or pair of  heart socks.  I still enjoy the looks on their faces.  It doesn't have to cost a small fortune to celebrate Valentine's Day.  If you want to spend a small fortune by all means go ahead!  The important thing is to let the special people in your life know they are loved.  Simply do what you learned in kindergarten, show and tell!

Regulation Overtime!!!

Super Bowl Parties do not consist of low calorie eats, but you already know that much.  That's why New Year's eating resolutions should start after the Super Bowl.  That being said, one dessert for this party just isn't enough so let's add another!

This recipe is easy, but the presentation makes it look harder than it really is.  I copied this recipe a few years ago while watching Paula Deen's Best Dishes.  It is, without a doubt, one of my family's top favorites.  Instead of a cookie wafer crust I make a cinnamon graham cracker, pecan crust.  Give it a try and you're sure to score extra points!

Cream Cheese Tarts
2 (8 oz) packeages of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
9 cinnamon graham crackers (1 pk)
6 tsp butter
1/4 cup toasted pecans
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place cupcake liners in muffin pan.

Crust:
Toast pecans in oven for 3-4 minutes.  Finely chop the pecans.  Melt butter in microwave oven in a microwave safe bowl.  Crush graham crackers in a large plastic bag by rolling it with a rolling pin.  Pour  graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl and mix with a spoon until mixture sticks together when you pinch it.

Beat cream cheese in mixer until fluffy.  Gradually add sugar.  Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.  Put a rounded tablespoon of crust in bottom of each muffin cup and press down with your thumb.  Sprinkle a little of the pecans on top of crust.  Spoon a rounded tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on top of pecans.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Allow tarts to cool completely.  Top with whipped cream and fruit of your choice.  I usually stretch the cream cheese mixture to get 18 tarts so that I can add more whipped cream on each tart.

Two Minute Warning!!!

What would a Super Bowl Party be without dessert!  Super Bowl Forty-Five will take place at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas. Why not make cupcakes the size of Texas!  Simply take the classic Texas sheet cake recipe and turn it into a dozen, rich, chocolatey, moist, giant cupcakes of pure "happy mouth" pleasure.  Hide one for yourself because these are sure to disappear within two minutes!

I got this recipe years ago from my friend Lana when I lived in Georgia.  Family and friends have enjoyed this recipe many times over the years.  Making this recipe into cupcakes also shortens the clean up time after the party.  Eeeee Doggie!!

Texas Sheet Cake
2 cups sugar 
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 T. cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line giant cupcake pans with paper liners.  Sift together into large mixing bowl sugar, flour, salt.  Into sauce pan put margarine, butter, cocoa, water and bring to a boil.  Pour this hot mixture over flour and stir well.  Add buttermilk, eggs, soda, vanilla and cinnamon.  Mix well.  Pour into cupcake pans about 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven.

Icing:
1/2 cup butter
6 T. cocoa
6 T. milk
1 box powdered sugar sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Put butter, cocoa and milk in pan.  Melt and bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts.  Blend well and spoon onto cupcakes while they are hot.