Valentine Prep.

Valentine prep is in full swing it seems.  I almost love it more than Christmas prep.  Probably because I am so busy during the holidays (packaging, traveling), and don't get to fully enjoy my time at home immersing myself in the preparations.

I love those sort of non-busy baking days. 

I am getting ready to begin my yearly Valentine cookies in a few minutes.  I have been making them every year for over 10 years now.  I love having my own little tradition as such.  I also have some other cakey stuff in the works.

I am blown over by how busy my bloglette gets during holidays, in the way of visitors.  There are so so so many visitors in the free Valentine printables department.  I can't believe it.  I am so glad they are liked, really so glad.

I love being able to give little gifts as such.

Soooooo…

Are you baking anything special?

I think I fully convinced my neighbor that she needs to bake herself a cake for Valentine's day, because she was talking about getting cake pans ready.

I love it!!

I think I am going to whip out all of my heart cake pans this year.

I love gifting sweets.

Don't you?

Question….

Do any of your significant others (or you for that matter) eat Halloween and Valentine candy like it is going out of style?

Mister Lovee buys himself HUGE bags of what he calls "fresh on the shelves" Sweethearts candies, and then proceeds to gobble them all up.

They are super kazooooper fun to look at.  But, I just can't even imagine sitting there and eating them by the bag?  He does the same thing with candy corn.  And jelly beans, and Whoppers, and…

I guess it is why he always smells like fresh baked cookies.

He is a super health nut (oatmeal and grapefruit every single morning, etc etc) - but he incorporates that holiday candy in there, I tell ya.

At least it makes him happy.

I guess that is all that matters.

Candy eaters rock 😉

Come to think of it, my mom is a big time candy eater too.

I can't eat candy like that.

It makes my head more than hurt.

I am more of a proper meal kind of girl.

So, it is good balance, to live with a candy eater.

Although, he likes proper meals too, and kettle corn.

Are you sweet, salty or both?

Oh, speaking of that – if you like sweet and salty and you have not decided what to make for v-day, trust me, you HAVE to make this (photo below).  Recipe right here.

You will not regret it.

Easy and beyond delicious.

I like them without so much chocolate – but you can use as much or as little chocolate as you want per the recipe (above).

I am having such a great time working on print orders lately.  During the holidays the biggest nightmare happened.  My fancy archival pigment ink printer that prints on canvas died.  It was my 6th one sent during my warranty period (all lemons), and had given me so many years of h, e, double hockey sticks.

I found myself praying.  Please please, please live through the holidays.

But, it was dead.

Sooooo, I had to scramble, do research and then purchase an incredibly costly new commercial grade machine.

Well, it turns out to so far (knock on wood) be a dream.

A Godsend really.

Funny how things like that work out…

Nightmare, turned good.

So, I am still printing on hand-cut archival canvas sheets (specially made for prints), with pigment ink.  Only now, it is a great joy with a machine that doesn't spit out torn canvas and puke ink all over the place.

It makes brilliant prints. 

I am so happy each time I get to print an order.

I don't have to live in fear anymore 😉

See, there is always some havoc going on behind the scenes.

But then, somehow, it works itself out.

Thank heavens.

Oh oh, also….

An experimental meal worked out great this weekend…

I was watching this show, and the little girl in the show was making old school Kraft macaroni and cheese.  So of course, it set me on wanting some of my own.  We are not huge pasta eaters, maybe twice a year, if that.  And, I am not a huge cheese eater, especially not yellow or sharp.

I know, boring me.

But, I do like mild cheese, like Jarlsberg swiss.

So, I cooked some penne pasta al dente. (1 whole box)

Whilst that was cooking I popped (okay don't gasp) 1 stick of butter (you can use half as much, I'm sure) and one can of evaporated milk into a pan.  When that came to a barely light boil I slowly tempered in 1 very pre-whisked egg.

As the whole thing was lightly boiling (before the frothing of the milk begins), I put in one cup of grated Jarlsberg swiss and 1 cup of mozzarella.

I whisked until it all melted together.

Then I poured in my well drained, just finished cooking pasta.

Swirled it together, and served.

It was ridiculous good.

I mean, totally and completely ridiculous.

It is pretty rich, so you probably will only be able to eat a cup amount at once.  But served with a lovely fresh tomato salad, mwuah, delicioso!!

I am telling you – it was beyond good.

Make sure your pasta is al dente.

Soooooo, that is all I have to say for now

🙂

I am still listening to Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials album on repeat.

Every single song is excellent.

OKay so… off to bake bake bake!!!!

I am getting dizzy from the scent of that huge platter of sweetheart candies!!

 

Love, V