Recipe for Love

It is almost Valentine's Day and one of those days where the calendar tells us to love. As if we need a calendar to tell us when to love another or when it is most appropriate. For me Valentine's day is every day. I know that sounds a little over the top, but I'm pretty over the top as it is. Valentine's Day gives me a excuse to finally be normal. My over the top antics all of a sudden don't seem over the top, but appropriate one day a year.

My mom and I dug through our piles of recipes and found recipes for delicious Sugar Cookies and Heart Healthy granola. We adapted them, as we do for every recipe, to the way that we really wanted them to be and are giving cookies and granola to our loved ones for Valentine's Day.

Mom and I sat outside to soak up the sunshine while these little Sugar Cookies baked. The frosting set up just like I hoped, but it ran and I ended up with flour all over myself. It was a messy process, but I ended up with pretty cute sugar cookies. 

I was so busy cooking that it was noon before I realized I hadn't eaten anything. My mom was skyping with dad and eating yogurt and our granola and I grabbed a protein bar and ate that so I didn't pass out. 

Dad was telling us about his fabulous gourmet meal he had eaten for lunch while mom and I, the so called 'chefs' ate cereal and granola bars. 

So, we don't always eat gourmet and sometimes baking actually impedes the good eating. 

That is my truth today. Sometimes even baking can get in the way and eating cookies and granola bars for lunch happens. 

Oh well. These cookies were worth it and I hope you all try them on for size yourself!

Here's hoping you a fabulous Valentine's Day no matter what you do or who you share it with. It is another day for love and how could that suck? I am pretty corney so what I did was modify the sugar cookie recipe and make it into a recipe for love. I know, pretty sappy, but maybe you will think its cute. 

Who knows. It was worth a shot. I couldn't find any heart shaped cookie cutters so I literally had to use the chocolate box lid to make the cookies into hearts! Pretty funny really.

Recipe for Love (or sugar cookies) :)

1/4 pound trust (butter)

3/4 cup honesty (sugar)

1 commitment (egg)

1/2 tsp. humor (vanilla)

1 tbsp. patience (milk or cream)

1 1/4 cup enthusiasm (flour)

1/2 tsp. encouragement (salt)

1/4 tsp. support (baking powder)

1. Preheat yourself to 350 degrees to prepare for the love-fest coming your way! Cream the trust and gradually add honesty. Beat the two until you are light and fluffy! Add the commitment, humor, and patience and continue mixing until smooth. Mix the enthusiasm, encouragement, and support together and combine with the trust, honesty, commitment, humor, and patience. Blend well. Roll it out into sheets and cut anyway you like.

2. Bake for a lifetime! Once done, sprinkle with good times! There you have it a recipe for long lasting love.

Frisky Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

2 egg whites

1. Whip all ingredients together. We don't have a blender and I used a food processor and it worked like a charm. This sets up great in about 15 minutes and you are going to want to make sure the cookies are cooled before you frost them. You can add food coloring if you like. I frosted the cookies and dipped them in pink sprinkles for fun and wrote using colored frosting too. Use your imagination and have fun!

Heart Healthy Granola

1/4 cup smart balance butter

1 cup All Natural Adams peanut butter (can be crunchy or creamy)

1/4 cup honey (we used my honey's - Lambeth Honey)

1/2 cup sugar free syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup flax seed

1 cup dried apples (you can also use cherries or cranberries)

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Combine the butter, peanut butter, syrup, and honey in a microwave safe bowl and on HIGH for 1 minute to soften all ingredients. Add vanilla extract and salt. Stir until smooth, then add oats, walnuts, dried apples. Mix all ingredients until oats and nuts are completely covered.

3. Spread the mixture evenly on an ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Heat in the oven for 60-90 minutes checking after an hour for crispness.

4. This is delicious for breakfast served over low fat yogurt or as a power booster in the afternoon slump! Anyway you serve it those you made this for will know they are loved and cared for!

Mental Health Tip: If you don't know what to get your sweetie for Valentine's Day, a little sugar goes a long way. And I don't just mean food. Sweetness, affection, and tenderness go a long way for me for Valentine's Day and is really all I require. That is why Valentine's Day can be everyday. Be sweet to those you love and they will be sweet back. Share the sugar!

Happy Valentine's Day!

~ "Too Lovely" Hot Messes in the kitchen