Love-ABLE Frosting...

Happy Valentines Day to You LOVELY Ladies!

Did you get roses?

Breakfast in bed?

CHOCOLATES?

....Let's be honest, did your hubby at LEAST give you a hug and kiss before he ran out the door for work? ....

Mine did!!!

I hope yours did too.

It is after all, the day of LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Yummy-Licious Frosting
Yield: 1 cake or 24 cupcakes
Recipe: Brenda

Ingredients:

1 cup cold milk
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 8oz tub Cool Whip
1 small package Jello of choice .... (I used strawberry for Valentines - Day - PINK!)

Directions:

In bowl, combine milk and pudding. Mix until thickened. Add Cool Whip. Mix well. At this point the frosting is yummy! I often use it just like this. But if you want to add some fun color and flavor, add Jello to the mixture! Frost and EN-JOY!
*I like to place frosting in a ziplock bag, cut a hole in the corner, and use it to frost cupcakes. Try it out...it makes it MUCH easier...and very pretty :)

*You can also use chocolate instant pudding, milk and Cool Whip for a YUMMY chocolate frosting!

Valentine Cuteness

My kid-Os really wanted to make a Valentine treat for their little friends, so when I came across these sweet Heart Pops in the Family Fun magazine I just had to try them!  They aren't completely kid friendly when it comes to shaping the candy canes, but they did get to help spoon the melted chocolate into the middle and add the sprinkles...that counts, right? 

I meant to take a picture of our finished masterpieces before they were devoured, but I wasn't fast enough.  A couple of ours actually turned out as cute as the ones in this picture!  And we had a lot of fun :)

Give them a try!  They are easy peasy and the kid-Os love them (I ate a few too many myself.  I'm a sucker for white chocolate).  They make for a super adorable, homemade valentine gift too.

Sweet Heart Pops

Ingredients

* 12 mini candy canes
* 6 (6-inch) paper lollipop sticks
* ½ cup white chocolate chips
* 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
* Red, white, and pink nonpareils or sugar sprinkles

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 235°. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the candy canes as hearts and bake them for 10 minutes.
2. Slide the hearts, still on the parchment paper, onto a work surface. Quickly pinch each heart onto a lollipop stick as shown below (an adult's job & you have to be quick!).
3. In the microwave, melt together the chocolate chips and the oil in 10-second intervals, stirring between heatings.
4. Spoon the chocolate mixture into the center of each heart, then top with nonpareils or sugar sprinkles. Cool the pops before serving or wrapping them.

Tips:
We packaged our Sweet Heart Pops in lollipop bags purchased at a craft store.  But, you could also use saran wrap, or sandwich bags.  We've tried both!

Let's Talk...LOVE

Confession:

I don't LOVE frosting.

I do LOVE Valentines Day.

Weird combination I know. Ya see, as much as I LOVE sweet, amazing, rich, unhealthy food, I just can't get over eating lard. And when I eat frosting, that's all I can think about.

My mother has saved my life. Many times. Recently, she has saved me from a lifetime without cupcakes. She has shared with me the greatest.frosting.recipe.ever!

If you LOVE frosting, you'll LOVE it.

If you don't LOVE frosting, you'll LOVE it.

Seriously.

The day of LOVE is upon us folks. I know. Many of you are not fans of the day of LOVE. I happen to disagree. I LOVE Valentines Day.

In honor of LOVE day - I am making LOVE cupcakes - with LOVE-ABLE frosting.

You'll want to come back...and soon. These LOVELY cupcakes are headed this way.