Love Potion – Chocolate Kiss Martini

Just doing some quick planning for a friend’s special Valentine evening with her husband and found this wonderful drink for them to share ….. Her guy loves Martini’s.

Planning something special for your loved one doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, just try to do something personal and fun.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Kiss Martini

Ingredients

3/4 oz. Pallini Raspicello
2 oz. Boru Vodka
1/2 oz. Godiva Liqueur
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass rimmed with chocolate shavings. Garnish with a strawberry.

Spring Break: Mocha Brownies Recipe

OK, This week has been an extremely hard week to get anything done with my three kids home on spring break! As much as I want to work, respond to clients, emails and phone calls …. it’s just not happening with a five, four, and two year-old trying to get your attention. So I have decided to call it quits for this week and devote myself to them.

As you know already, I love my children to death and have a definite weakness for sweetness. So for my daughter (who has decided she wants to be a chef, and has bugged me about twenty five times today to do a craft or bake) we are going to make one of my favourite brownies.

Mocha Brownies are to die for and if you are the type of person that likes to sit down and have a brownie along with a cup of coffee, these are perfect for you!

I found the recipe a while back on Blog Chef.

The brownies use instant coffee and cocoa to give them that amazing and rich flavor. The highlight of this recipe is the coffee frosting. The coffee frosting is very delicious and you can adjust the amount of instant coffee in it to your taste. I would recommend about 2 teaspoons but if you want a stronger flavor, I would say go with 3. These mocha brownies are very easy to make and really moist. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

Brownies-

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter

1 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon hot water

4 teaspoons instant coffee

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

Frosting-

½ cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

1 ½ tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons instant coffee

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13” baking dish with tin foil and lightly grease It lightly. Melt butter and shortening in the microwave or on the stove top.

Step 2: Pour melted butter and shortening into a large mixing bowl. Add cocoa and blend in well. Add sugar and mix well. Dissolve instant coffee in tablespoon of hot water and mix into the cocoa mixture. Add eggs one at a time and beat in well by hand. Stir in vanilla, flour and salt. Pour mixture into the baking dish and spread out evenly.

Step 3: Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to fully cool.

Step 4: While brownies are cooling. To make the frosting – In a bowl cream butter and vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat on medium speed. Dissolve instant coffee in milk and add to the mixture. Beat until lightly and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies.

YUMMY & ENJOY!

Happy Valentines…

What have you got planned with your loved ones???

I’ve planned for a no work day (I’m even turning off the computer…right after I post this blog) except for planning fun activities and a whole day with my three kids and hubby!

I am planning on making these cookies with my daughter for dessert later today. I found the recipe on one of my favourite sites Every Day with Rachel Ray.

See below for the recipe and directions. Enjoy.

Love E

Cornmeal Linzer Hearts

^{by Tracey Seaman and Diana Sturgis}

From Every Day with Rachael Ray

December-January 2009

MAKES 16

Prep Time: 30 min (plus chilling and cooling)

Bake Time: 15 min

1 1/2 cups blanched almonds

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 large egg

1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325°. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a food processor, grind the almonds with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Transfer to a large bowl; whisk in the flour, cornmeal and salt

2. Using a food processor, combine the butter, lemon peel and remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar until creamy. Scrape down the bowl, add the egg and process until combined. Stir into the flour mixture. Quarter the dough, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3. On a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll out one-quarter of the dough into a 9-inch round. Using a 2 1/2-inch heartshaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies and, using a metal spatula, transfer to a prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake until lightly colored, about 15 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool.

4. Spread the flat side of half of the cookies with about 1 teaspoon jam; sandwich with the remaining cookies. Dust lightly with the confectioners’ sugar.

YUMMY! Enjoy.