heart-shaped sugar cookies . . . a sweet Valentine

We baked and decorated heart-shaped sugar cookies today! 

They're one of my all-time favorite cookies, so it's easy for me to find any excuse to make them. I love their simple vanilla flavor . . . and think that they're wonderful with a cup of tea. 

With Valentine's Day just a few days away, I thought it would be fun to decorate sugar cookies for this sweet holiday.

I kept it simple  . . . and we dressed them with a soft pink glaze and then sprinkled them with sanding sugar. They turned out beautiful . . . and most of all . . . we had fun! 

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

12 Tablespoons (1 ½  sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, room temperature
 powder sugar (instead of flour) for rolling out dough

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .    

Preparation

To make the cookies, in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon . . . set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix until just combined.

Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

On a lightly floured powder sugar surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart, and bake until just golden around the edges, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies from the pans and let cool completely.

Makes 10 to 20 cookies, depending on cutter size.

Sugar Cookie GLAZE

2 ¼  cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1 ½  to 2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2-4 drops of pink food coloring

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

Combine ingredients and mix until smooth
Spread on top of cookies

Sprinkle sanding sugar on top of GLAZE

ENJOY!

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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Stephanie Lynn, It's Overflowing, Twelve O Eight, Carrie This Home, Baking in Pajamas, Huckleberry Love, Dwellings, Smart Party Planning,  The Dedicated House, Mod Vintage Life, Lori's Culinary Creations, Home Stories, StoneGable, An Extraordinary Day, I'm Not a Trophy Wife, Between Naps on the Front Porch, Rustic Refined,  Tumbleweed Contessa, A Stroll Thru Life,, Life With Garnish. Elizabeth & Co,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Savvy Southern Style, The Recipe Critic, Janine Huldie, Carolyn's Homework,  Fluster Buster   Designs by Miss Mandee,  Craftie Allie,  Wednesday morning The Blissful Bee,  The Newlywed Pilgrimage,  Chic California, Lamberts Lately, Live Laugh Rowe, Sweet Bella Roos, The Charm of Home, From My Front Porch to ours, Delightsome Life., Posed Perfection, Katherine's Corner, Nancherrow, The Freshman Cook,  Jann Olson, Home  Maid Simple, Anderson + Grant,  Rooted in Thyme, Everyday Enchanted Home, Pure Grace Farms A Dish of Daily Life, Bacon Time, Sunflower Supper Club, Tater Tots and Jello,  Cooking with Curls, Made from Pinterest, Simply Gloria

chocolate and strawberry creme . . . Valentine S'mores

Our kids love PEEPS. Who doesn't, I guess? 

I grew up enjoying the simple bird PEEPS that appeared in stores just before Easter. Do you remember them, too?  

Over the years, I've enjoyed watching them transform from the simple, cute birds to include various shapes and flavors. My mind whirls with ideas when I see them make their debut around the holidays.

So when I saw these adorable PEEP hearts in the market over the weekend, I felt inspired to make Chocolate Strawberry Creme S'mores with my little ones. We had so much fun! 

 

Ingredients

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

package of Strawberry Creme PEEPS

Chocolate bar 

(Since I planned on eating them too, I bought GOOD chocolate!)

Chocolate graham crackers

Preparation

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

Preheat oven to BROIL

Assemble S'mores

Place S'mores on a cookie sheet and broil on a high shelf for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown

Crack your oven door so that you can watch them!

Enjoy!

The dark chocolate and chocolate graham cracker make this S'more special and unique . . . but it's the Strawberry Creme PEEPS that make this fun dessert extra special with its creamy heart topping that pops with hints of strawberry candy. We loved them! 

I can't wait to see what kind of PEEPS we find in stores this Spring!

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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Sharing with . . . .

Stephanie Lynn, It's Overflowing, Twelve O Eight, Carrie This Home, Baking in Pajamas, Huckleberry Love, Dwellings, Smart Party Planning,  The Dedicated House, Mod Vintage Life, Lori's Culinary Creations, Home Stories, StoneGable, An Extraordinary Day, I'm Not a Trophy Wife, Between Naps on the Front Porch, Rustic Refined,  Tumbleweed Contessa, A Stroll Thru Life,, Life With Garnish. Elizabeth & Co,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Savvy Southern Style, The Recipe Critic, Janine Huldie, Carolyn's Homework,  Fluster Buster   Designs by Miss Mandee,  Craftie Allie,  Wednesday morning The Blissful Bee,  The Newlywed Pilgrimage,  Chic California, Lamberts Lately, Live Laugh Rowe, Sweet Bella Roos, The Charm of Home, From My Front Porch to ours, Delightsome Life., Posed Perfection, Katherine's Corner, Nancherrow, The Freshman Cook,  Jann Olson, Home  Maid Simple, Anderson + Grant,  Rooted in Thyme, Everyday Enchanted Home, Pure Grace Farms A Dish of Daily Life, Bacon Time, Sunflower Supper Club, Tater Tots and Jello,  Cooking with Curls, Made from Pinterest, Simply Gloria

vanilla bean pound cake heart cupcakes

I love simple baking and crafting projects that I can do with my little ones . . . and you can't get much easier than making pound cake. There are few ingredients, and its preparation is simple . . . a great recipe to make with kids.

So for this sweet adventure, we baked pound cake cupcakes instead of a traditional pound cake loaf . . . and used heart cut-outs and powdered sugar to decorate our Valentine-inspired treats.

And for an extra special treat, I added vanilla beans to the batter instead of pure vanilla extract. There's something magical about the aroma of fresh vanilla beans AND hundreds of brown specs suspended in creamy white cake. Dreamy!  

a decorating tip . . .

Crease the paper heart so that it stays in place (see above photo).

You can also use the tip of your finger to hold in in place while you shake the powder sugar.

~  and  ~

Because our goal when baking with kids is to have fun AND keep the mess to a minimum, 

I highly recommend sprinkling the powdered sugar over a large plate or baking sheet 

to help contain the creative mess (big smile!).

Vanilla Bean Sour Cream Pound Cake

heart cupcakes

1 ½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1 vanilla bean 

½ cup sour cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds inside using the back of a knife. 

Add vanilla bean seeds to the butter/sugar mixture and mix to incorporate.

Continue mixing and add eggs, one at a time. Add the sour cream and mix well.

Slowly add the flour mixture, and beat just until combined. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into cupcake liners, about ¾ full, and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and remove them from the pan.

Sprinkle with powder sugar or sanding sugar . . . Serve with fresh berries and enjoy!

~ one of my Sweethearts enjoying her creation ~

Because our goal is to have fun AND keep the mess to a minimum, 

I highly recommend sprinkling the powdered sugar over a large plate or baking sheet 

to help contain the creative mess (big smile!).

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

on Facebook

fudgy brownie cake ~ Valrohna chocolate

I love chocolate.

And if you love chocolate like I do, then you're always looking for the ultimate in chocolate flavor and texture.

I found this recipe in this month's Martha Stewart's LIVING magazine . . . and after reading its ingredients and preparation . . . I had to try it! 

Yes, I agree ~ it may look plain . . . but inside, it's moist, dense, and intensely flavored.

In other words, it's a chocolate lover's dream.

I highly recommend using an exceptional chocolate, like Valrohna, for this dessert . . .  especially if you're making it for a special someone. 

Just one slice will completely satisfy your chocolate craving. I promise.

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into large pieces, plus more for pan

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (61 to 70 percent cacao), finely chopped

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 large egg yolk plus 3 large egg whites, room temperature, divided

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt  

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch spring-form pan. Melt butter and chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in 3/4 cup sugar. Whisk in egg yolk, then cocoa powder and salt.

Beat egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high, gradually beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat until soft, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes.

Fold flour into chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula, then fold in egg whites. Pour batter into pan, and bake until set, about 33 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove side of pan, and dust top of cake with cocoa powder.

bon appetit!

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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Suburbs Mama, Carrie This Home, Twelve O Eight, Everyday Home Blog, The Tablescaper, Between Naps on the Front Porch, The Dedicated House, A Bright & Beautiful Life, Finding Silver Pennies, Rain on a Tin Roof, A Stroll Thru Life, CedarHill Ranch, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Mod Vintage Life, Savvy Southern Style, City Farm House, Elizabeth and Co, Chef in Training, Upcycled Treasures, Our Home Away From Home, Finding Fabulous, The Blissful Bee, The Style Sisters, Fluster Buster, Lamberts Lately, StoneGable, Katherine's Corner, Live Laugh Rowe, Jann Olson, From My Front Porch to Yours, The Newleywed Pilgrimage,  Becoming Martha, The Cottage Market, 504 Main, Tater Tots and Jello, Designs by Gollum, Brambleberry Cottage, Nancherro, A Delightsome Life, Jennifer Rizzo, Cooking with Curls, Your Homebased Mom, A Little Claireification, What's Cooking With Ruthie, Lady Behind the Curtain,  Sunflower Supper Club, Living Better Together, Simply Dream and Create, Tumbleweed Contessa, Made from Pinterest, Too Much Time, Simply Gloria, Common Ground

simple Valentine's cake

    

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us. Join me over the next few weeks for desserts and decorating ideas!   

   
What a great, simple idea for decorating your dessert. The hearts above have beaded sticks but could easily be made cutting out small hearts from pretty paper and gluing them to toothpicks or skewers. Although I adore the number wood blocks seen in the photo above, the numbers 1 and 4 could also be cut out from paper and mounted on some cardboard or wooden mounted numbers from a stamp set could be used.

My little lady's 3rd birthday!

My little girl is quite a little lady!

  
She loves pink & lavendar . . . whimsical ladybugs & butterflies . . . hearts & pretty bows . . . flowers . . . and all things shiny!  

Her femininity at such a young age makes being the mom of this little girl so much fun!

She even makes decorating our home ~ whether for a holiday or special occasion ~ or just because ~ a delight! At the young age of 3, she notices and appreciates every detail . . .  and comments with pure excitement. 

So when it came time to planning her 3rd birthday party ~ I was sure to remember all that she adores! 

A unique and special party was planned that started early in the morning with waffles. Yes, we hosted a "Birthday Waffle Breakfast" that included an 18-item topping bar fit for a princess . . . rich syrups, ice cream, fruits, various chocolates, sprinkles galore, and Valentine heart candies. 

Tables were covered in white linens and pink with white polka dot covers. Buckets of pink flowers ~ each holding tall standing beaded hearts ~ centered the tables.  Valentine candies were generously sprinkled about ~ only to add extra fun and splashes of color. A special, hand-made "Happy Birthday" banner was streamed across a tall armoire ~ full of vibrancy and charm. Chairs were generously wrapped with pink tulle ~ and then finished off with big bows. And finally, feminine ivory chargers supported beautiful white plates of which guests were invited to fill with vanilla confetti and/or rich, chocolate waffles. YUM!

~ banner by the Two Savvy Sisters ~

  

~ heart-shaped straws ~

~ Valentine Candy Bar ~

We couldn't end her party without cake!  My extremely talented and dearest friend ~ Alex ~ who finds inspiration from other Cake Artists and then designs &  creates her own cakes ~ made this adorable ladybug and garden-themed cake! She adorned the whimsical two-tiered cake with all those things that my little girl loves . . . . ladybugs, butterflies, caterpillars, snails, and other whimsy critters.  A site to behold, with a most adorable ladybug perched atop ~ my little lady absolutely loved her birthday cake, as seen by her big, beautiful smile every time she saw it!

More fun treats were to be had . . .  Ladybug Cake Pops! I lovingly made these strawberry cake pops with a special surprise tucked inside ~ a maraschino cherry! Dipped in white chocolate and adorned with a petite ladybug and green sprinkles to look like grass ~ these treats were also hit!

Happy 3rd Birthday 

my sweet, little girl!

With Love,

Mommy