10 Fabulous Valentine's Day Breakfast Ideas

Preparing for Valentine's Day? I'm not one to go all crazy with my food for each holiday, but I think I'll be trying at least one of these this year! After all, Valentine's Day is on a Saturday this year!

Red Velvet Pancakes; Southern Living (there's even a how to video!!)

Two Toned Heart Pancakes: Your Commissary Insider via By Stephanie Lynn

Links to Love: The Paper Mama

Roasted Heart Potatoes: Haniela's

Heart Cinnamon Rolls: Poppies at Play (Whether or not I make these for Valentine's Day has yet to be determined. I will, however, be making my next batch of cinnamon rolls like this regardless of when it is!)

Heart Toast: One Little Project

Pink Ribbon Cinnamon Rolls: Love From the Oven

These were actually made for Pink Ribbon Month but they would be perfect for Valentine's Day too!

Valentine's Day Egg in the Basket: Reclaiming Provincial

How Could I have a list like this and not mention Strawberry Crepes!?! My all time favorite breakfast!

Strawberry Crepes: Utah Munchies

Last but not least...

Heart Shaped French Toast and Berries: A Pretty Cool Life

I have not decided which one yet, but I'll let you know how it goes! I might even get crazy and try a few!

New Year's

Getting ready for a New Year's celebration can be tricky. From deciding what to eat, to finding ways to keep everyone entertained until the golden hour. Personally, since I had kids I've been a bit of a dud on New Year's Eve. I have rarely made it to midnight. Every year I wake up thinking, "What happened to me?" So this year we'll be hosting a few friends in hopes that I can party like a rock star ALL. NIGHT. LONG. Here are a few ideas I've picked up around blogland for the celebration.

Baked Zucchini Sticks and Sweet Onion Dip from King Arthur Flour

I LOVE zucchini and this looks fabulous! I don't know anyone that wouldn't love to have this tonight!

Sweet n' Salty Honey Cheese Dip from My Recipes

Who doesn't love a good cheese log!?! These are one of my favorites. 

Queso Blanco from Pennies on a Platter

Being a Mexican food LOVER  a good queso is always on my appetizer list.

Good luck with your New Year's celebration. Stay Safe!

Like Magic

"It finally came! Just like clockwork, it came again. We opened the package from Grandma and Grandpa S. just like every year. I reached into the oversized box handling every gift with butterfly like fingers, careful not to disturb the vibrant wrapping paper. Not that it mattered. Grandma S. used more tape wrapping our presents than a scrapbook convention. I continued emptying the box one gift at a time until . . . JACKPOT!
My heart fluttered, almost worried it hadn't made it into the package this year. Grandpa came through again. I pulled the tin foil wrapped squares out and read the names aloud until we all had them. Sis, Bugs, Muff, Lou and Buck. Each of us dealt with this present a bit differently. A few tore it open and enjoyed, not me. I like to save the ribbon, so I'm careful with the delicate red ribbon. Gently pulling back the corner of the foil, I can smell it. Sweet, creamy and divine. The color is just as it's supposed to be. Just as I remember from last Christmas. I break off a little piece and squish it together just a little bit and pop it into my mouth, not chewing, but letting it melt as to savor the taste of Grandpa's Peanut Butter Fudge."

Every year that I lived at home, my mom's parent's sent a package of gifts for as long as I can remember. Grandpa's peanut butter fudge was the only thing that we didn't have to wait to open. We usually only have it at Christmas time so that it doesn't lose its specialness. I seriously still have some of the foil from years ago because the tag stuck to it has my grandpa's writing on it. Not very many things have that anymore. Anywho. . . the recipe has been passed to my aunts, uncle, mom cousins and siblings when we turned 18. Except me. That age came and went years ago and my mom never taught me how to make the fudge. No Big, you say. Just have her email it, you say. Just get the recipe, you say. HA! That's cute, because when I say super top secret fudge, I mean SUPER TOP SECRET!!! Only blood relatives have the recipe and it CANNOT be written down. After I turned 18 I moved a lot. Mostly out of state a few, 6 times. That made it difficult to get together just for a fudge making session. So the other night I had had enough waiting. I called my mom and said I would like to know NOW. Please. Then last night I attempted my first batch of the fudge. I put on my super baker cape apron and went to work. It. Was. Perfection. 

Does your family have a Top Secret Recipe? I'd love to know about it! Just what it's for I mean.


Right about the time I was posting this. . . This

Did This.

I can't get mad at that face.

Linked up at

LilLuna

Clean and Scentsible

JaQs Studio

3 Four and Under

Sugar and Dots

Savvy Southern Style

Pizza Bread!!

This is an all time favorite of mine from growing up. It is so simple and delicious! 

 All You Need

1 Loaf of French Bread

1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (I use Prego Garlic and Sausage)

1 lb of Ground Beef

Shredded Cheese (enough to cover the top of the french bread like pizza)

Set your oven to broil. If you don't have a lot of time, set it to Hi and just keep an eye on it. If you have a bit more time set it to Lo)

Cut the loaf of french bread in half (top and bottom halves not left and right halves) and place them on a foil covered cookie sheet. Trust me and cover it. :)

Spread to spaghetti sauce over each half of the bread. Cover the sauce with COOKED ground beef. 

Cover with cheese. We use a generous amount of cheese for this part. It makes it taste better! hehe! 

Then carefully place the pizzas in the oven and cook. . . I can't tell you for how long because every oven is different.  Just watch it and pull it out when the cheese is gooey and melted. Cut into slices and serve. 

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ironically enough, when I was growing up, I HATED soup. Couldn't tell you why. Maybe it was because soup can sometimes look icky to a little kid. My dad tried and tried and tried to get me to eat it, but never had any luck. I never ate it! haha! I was probably a teen when I had my first bowl of soup that I can remember. Now I LOVE it!

This is probably my absolute FAVORITE thing to eat! EVER! HANDS DOWN! I could eat this all day everyday. except it has real whipping cream in it so I don't want to be the next half ton woman on tv.  I got this recipe from my mom. She got it from the Lion House Cook Book that she's had since before I can remember. My favorite thing to have with it, is home-made bread bowls! I have my bread machine make dough, like you would do if you're going to make rolls. Instead of making normal rolls, I make GIANT rolls. Cut off the top pull out the insides. Then you have your own bread bowl! Even though it's 110 degrees outside, I could probably go for some Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup!