Marie Antoinette Award

I received this Marie Antionette Award from Kat at Candles, Crafts and Whatnots.  Thank you!

So, here are the rules for this award:
1. Please put the logo on your blog.
2. Place a link to the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate at least 7 or more blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them.

I am giving this Marie Antoinette Award to the following:
Kristen at My Art and the Mom in Me
Isabella at Bella Casa
Lisa at NY Chica
Mrs. Mecomber at Freaky Frugalite
Dana at Homesteading Housewife
Tina at Mummy Diaries
Susan at A Southern Daydreamer

Thanks again Kat for thinking of me for this award!  Have a great weekend.




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Top Droppers for January

A Huge thank you to all of the TOP DROPPERS on 1 Blog & 2 Sides in the month of January. Thanks also to all of the other people who have visited my blog and left nice comments this month. I hope all of you will continue to visit.

Dropper	# of drops
The Modern Mom	31
moms..... check nyo	31
Cheapest Airfare	31
BeadedTail	31
The Sewing Mom	30
Septagon Studios Inc News Blog	30
Photography by KML	30
A Simple Life	30
Mommy's Little Corner	30
Juliana's Lair	30

Thank you again. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a February filled with lots of love.

One Bowl Death By Chocolate Cookie

Here is another great recipe for Valentines!
This recipe is from Baker's Chocolate and is one of the very best cookies I've eaten.  Make a double batch from the beginning because the first batch will be gone before you get one.          

Death by Chocolate Cookie
  

2 packages (16 square) Bakers Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, divided
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Coarsely chop 8 squares (1 package) of the chocolate; set aside;
MICROWAVE remaining 8 squares chocolate in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1-2 minutes.  Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Stir in sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in flour and baking powder.  Stir in reserved chopped chocolate and nuts.  Drop by 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 12 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and feel set to the touch.  Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute.  Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.

Note:  I make my cookies smaller than the 1/4 cupfuls.  They are too big for my liking.  Adjust the baking time if you adjust the size.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

1 cup artichokes hearts, chopped and drained (There is usually 2 cups in the container.)
1/2 cup frozen spinach thawed, chopped and drained (If you use the boxed spinach from the freezer there is 1 cup in it.)
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
dash black pepper
Boil spinach and artichokes, red pepper flakes, salt, and peppers in 1 cup water until tender (approximately 5 minutes). Drain. Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute. Add spinach, artichokes, and parmesan cheese. Mix well.
Best if served warm either as a dip on bread, tortilla chips, or spread on flat tortillas.

I like the small baguette bread. I slice it thinly on an angle. Brush the bread with olive oil. Cover the top with dip. I usually add a sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top and bake at 400 degrees 5-7 minutes...just until the cheese starts to melt.

Enjoy!

Candies to Make for Valentines

Here are two recipes I made for Christmas but I'm definitely making them again for Valentines. Everyone enjoyed these and both are very simple. In order to give as a gift, I will put these in a decorative container with each candy in a little Valentines paper cup.

Pecan Clusters--Bottom Left of Picture
From: Paula Deen, Food TV

7 ounce jar marshmallow cream
3/4 pound chocolate kisses or chocolate chips (Paula recommended Hershey's but I used milk chocolate chips)
2 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
6 ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter
2 cups pecan halves

Place marshmallow cream and chocolate into a large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugar, milk, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Pour over marshmallow and chocolate, stirring until well blended. Stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Buckeyes - Bottom Right of Picture
Recipe given to me by my friend, Jean

4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup softened butter
chocolate for dipping--sometimes called chocolate coating or chocolate bark.

Mix together until smooth. Make mixture into balls about the size of a whole walnut. Place each ball on waxed paper on a sheet pan to refrigerate and just chill. Dip each ball into the melted chocolate and place back on the waxed paper. Let the chocolate harden. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

********* Side note to the photo *********
The candy on the top left is pretzels dipped in the same chocolate as the buckeyes. The cookies are the mincemeat cookies which I have previously given you the recipe. It is listed in the menu.