valentines day

Friday Faves Because I Ruv You Pal

How we shared our first Valentine’s day wasn’t traditionally romantic with flowers and chocolates. It was a little more secretive and even a little bit scandalous.

Flirtation and attraction was in the air with this valentine nearby. It was sweeter than chocolate and longer lasting than roses. We exchanged it back and forth all night, in secret so that nobody would notice.

It’s become our catch phrase, our signature. How we say I love you and how we say we’re sorry. And after a long road together, Valentine’s day will always be our first day.

So what I want to say to my valentine today is, “I Ruv You, Pal,” and I know he’ll tell me the same.

I’ve waxed on all week with odes to Valentine’s Day, making chocolate a savory affair as pasta dressed up in cheese, chocolate that’s been spiced up but still sweet and chocolate paired with fresh fruits in a handily portable hand pie. And did I mention the 55 V-day sips and sweets not to miss?

Let’s just say a detox could be lurking right around the corner.

But until then…

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Chocolate Pasta with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce and 10 Romantic Pasta Dishes

Most gals yearn for chocolate. Put me in the “yes” category on that one. Romantic dinner for two? The occasion definitely calls for pasta. Combine these two ingredients for a romantic Valentine’s Day and wha-la! Chocolate Pasta with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce.

Chocolate pasta? Say what? Did you do a double take?

Okay, I may have lost it this time. Chocolate with cheese? Why not? It certainly works on cheese boards, so why not in one hot bowl for me and my lover?

I’ve been harboring this package of chocolate pasta for a while now all in anticipation of Valentine’s Day. The moment I laid eyes on it while roaming the eyes of Home Goods (I find so many unexpected finds there!) my synapses snapped.

Chocolate. Spunky cheese. Cream. A few really good ingredients to make a really great dish. My head was in forward motion. My recipe practically wrote itself as I was standing in the gourmet foods aisle.

But then this recipe almost didn’t see the light of day.

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55 Lover-ly Valentine Desserts and Drinks

Valentine’s Day is upon us and love is in the air. Everywhere we look around. Every sight and every sound. Were you like me and love this song?

Whether you’ll be in the company of your best girls, celebrating Gal-entine’s Day over cocktails (thanks Leslie Knope), cooking with your sweetie, or rocking it solo, we’ve got you covered. We’ve scoured the web for some of the sexiest, cutest, festive recipes for this holiday, and we think you’ll fall in love (or at least go a bit weak in the knees).

Thanks to my intrepid contributor Hayley, (definitely check her out over here and here) today’s post is chock-full of sweetness, bubbles and lots of pink. And THAT is what Valentine’s Day is all about.

Now, let’s get that heart going pitter-patter…

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15 Favorite Valentine’s Day Recipes

I had every intention of creating something special for you for Valentine’s Day. Something you could share with your honey. Anyway, that was the plan.

I’ve been saving these Harry & David pears until they were perfectly ripe, perfect for poaching. And dunking, or maybe drizzling. In chocolate. And sprinkling with nuts.

This was going to be the day.

I fondled those little babies, got out all of my ingredients. I even instagrammed my little soldiers getting ready to go to war, which is what these images are from.

And I got exactly this far.
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Rice Krispie Valentine Lollipops

Goodbye Superbowl (ugh, my poor 49ers), see ya soon Mr. Groundhog (yes! Spring is in his sights!) but before I break out the daffodils and easter eggs, there’s another holiday in the line-up that I’m more than ready to welcome. Hello my sweet Valentine.

Now, as you may or may not know, I really, really like cookies. So much so, I created two ecookbooks with Maria where we shared her top all-time favorite recipes. And while one of my favorite smells in the kitchen is that of fresh baked cookies, I have a secret affection for sweet treats that don’t require me to even switch on the oven like my Nutella No-Bake Cookies and my Mom’s Fudge. See you later 350 degrees F.

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A Love Note with Harry & David

Oh, the pressure. Oh, the wonder. Will he remember? Will she like it? What if my affection is a one way street? And the classic: What if I spend Valentine’s alone?

Why does Valentine’s Day turn normal functioning human beings with emotions and relationships in check into forlorn, unsure teenagers awaiting the big reveal from a hopefully-he-or-she-likes-me-too-admirer?

Hope. It’s all about hope and love, baby. continue to the recipe… about A Love Note with Harry & David

Sweet on Sugar Cookies Plus Valentine’s Day Hearts

When I was in 7th grade I was OBSESSED with hearts. Anything hearts. Everything hearts. Hearts, hearts, hearts. I’d draw fat bubble hearts over and over, making my mark on just about everything my magic markers could get close to. Oh and rainbows and juicy red lips.

So its no surprise that my Smudge is now equally obsessed with the red pulsating symbols of happiness. She hasn’t quite hit the “love” obsession yet—she still has penguins and puppies inside of hearts on the brain—so in the voice of ex-NFL QB Kurt Warner, “Thank you Jesus!” that we have a few more years before teenage love=angst hits our doorstep.

So Smudge’s request for sugar cookies was no surprise. Of course she had to choose the ittiest, bittiest cookie cutter to create her love cookies and we broke out ALL of the decorating fixins. We made minis, maxis, and cookies on sticks. And then we ate. A lot. And then we made more cookies that may or may not make it into our valentine’s hands featuring these adorbs downloadable tags in one of my fave Foodie Crush fonts from Emily at Tar-Tryin.

This recipe is seriously the bomb and like my other childhood fave—my mom’s fudge—is the one Miss P (my mom) broke out anytime a cookie cutter and rolling pin were involved.

Way more flavorful than other doughs I’ve tried, this is one that you’re lucky if you have any left to actually bake cookies with. Hello beaters! Thanks to a dose of almond flavoring they’re a bit more unique and subbing granular white sugar with powdered sugar gives these cookies a more delicate bite that is far from cakelike that so many other sugar cookies recipes hold dear.

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The Simplest Alaskan King Crab Legs and a Valentine’s Dinner Round-Up

Hearts, sprinkles, love letters and romantic gestures from someone you’ve admired from afar. Or, maybe not. Valentine’s Day is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. And the most dreaded.

But fear not the pudgy cherub with his pointy bow that may or may not be misdirected, it matters not whether you have a love in your life, you still need to feed your face.

A favorite of mine and my honey bunny poochie coo (er, husband) for V-day is keepin’ it simple with a bottle of wine and crackin’ crab in front of the Tivo and catching up on last week’s Parenthood.

Some people think crab is something you only get when you go out for that special meal, but honestly, we’re total opposites in that theory. Why spend all your dough on the restaurant mark-up when instead you can grab yourself a couple of extra legs to heat up toot sweet?

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