Hostess Jo

An Edible Dozen

These rose cupcakes caught my eye right away because they are so pretty.  Then I was curious if the petals were fancy icing or some sort of topper.  You'll never guess what it is! 

Ok, I'll just tell you.

Rose Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 12 mini cupcakes
• White icing
• Scissors
• 6 rolls of Fruit by the Foot fruit leather in Cherry Rage or strawberry flavor
• 1 roll of Fruit by the Foot fruit leather in Color by the Foot flavor

Instructions

1. Frost 12 mini cupcakes with white icing.

2. To make a rose, unroll a piece of the cherry or strawberry fruit leather and divide it in half along the wavy perforated middle line. Take one of the halves and roll up about 5 inches to form the flower's center. Set the rolled strip wavy side up in the middle of a cupcake, as shown, and continue to loosely wrap the remaining fruit leather around the center at a slight angle until the flower is completed.

3. Repeat this process for the remaining flowers. (You should be able to get 2 mini roses out of each roll of fruit leather.)

4. Cut leaf shapes from the wavy edge of the Color by the Foot strip as shown, then tuck the leaves under the roses.

Can you believe it's Fruit by the Foot?  Now everyone can "ice" fancy cupcakes!

 

(photo from familyfun.com)

 

Telling Treats

How cute are these felt fortune cookies for Valentine's Day?!  What a unique way to show someone you love them.  Fill them with candies or love messages. 

For a more romantic gift you could use them as you would a love "coupon book".  Have your significant other open a couple after dinner and unlock things like "Good for one kiss" or "Redeem for a romantic dinner", etc.  Sweet!

Get the how to here. 

Sweet Arrangement

I just love all of the cute Valentine decor ideas out there.  Especially when they involve candy!  Here is a sweet little bouquet to display this time of year. 

To make each flower cut 6 hearts out of colored card stock.  Punch a hole near the tip of each heart.  Thread a lollipop through the holes.  Arrange hearts on stick and fan out to make petals.

Use this as a centerpiece or give as a Valentine!

(photo from bhg.com) 

Valentine's Day Dessert

Well believe it or not Valentine's Day is only a month away.  Red velvetcake seems like the perfect dessert to have for the occasion.  Below is a unique red velvet recipe that appears to have more of that yummy cream cheese icing than just a regular slice of cake.  Can't wait to try it!

Red Velvet Trifle

Yield: Makes 10 servings

• 1  (18.25-oz.) package DUNCAN HINES Moist Deluxe Red Velvet Cake Mix
• 2  (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2  cups  low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1  cup  powdered sugar
• 1  teaspoon  lemon zest
• 1  pt. fresh raspberries
• Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake batter as directed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan.

2. Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

3. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 1 minute or until creamy. Add yogurt, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. Beat 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Cover and chill.

4. Remove cake from oven. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

5. Invert cake onto a cutting board. Cut rounded top off of cake. Trim and discard edges of cake. Cut cake into 32 pieces.

6. Arrange about one-third of cake pieces in a 3-qt. trifle dish. Carefully spread one-third of chilled cream cheese mixture over cake. Repeat layers 2 times, smoothing top layer of cream cheese mixture over cake pieces. Top with raspberries. Cover and chill 1 hour before serving. Garnish, if desired.

(photo and recipe from myrecipes.com)
 

Food from the Heart

Show Mom how much you love her Sunday with these heart shaped foods!  These would also be great for Valentine's Day, wedding showers or any occasion you want to show your love.

Heart Pancakes

 

Heart Shaped Egg Toast

 

A Heartfelt Message

 

Cucumber-Turkey Mini Sandwiches

 

Raspberry Almond Financiers

Romantic Chocolate Cocktails

Enjoy these cocktails Valentine's Night or anytime you are in the mood for chocolatey goodness!

Chocolate Covered Raspberry

 

raspberry vodka
vanilla vodka
light Creme de Coco
dark Creme de Coco
white chocolate liqueur (or cream)
fresh raspberries
chocolate syrup

Preparation:

1. Add ice to mixer.
   
2. Pour raspberry vodka (2 count).
   
3. Pour vanilla vodka (1 count).
   
4. Add both light and dark Creme de Coco (3 count).
   
5. Add a good splash of white chocolate liqueur.
   
6. Add small splash of raspberry liqueur.
   
7. Shake.
   
8. Drizzle chocolate syrup in martini glass.
   
9. Drop 1-3 fresh raspberries in glass and add more chocolate syrup.
   
10. Pour mixture in glass.

Brownie Cognac

 

1 1/2 oz. Courvoisier® VSOP cognac
1 oz. amaretto
Dash of chocolate syrup

Preparation:

1. Fill pint glass with ice.
   
2. Add1 1/2 oz. cognac.
   
3. Add 1 oz. of amaretto.
   
4. Add a dash of chocolate syrup.
   
5. Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass.

Candy Bar Inspired Martinis

 

Almond Joy Martini

1 oz. Three Olives chocolate vodka
1 oz. Frangelica
1 oz. coconut rum

Shake together while chilling and pour.

Milky Way Martini

1 1/2 oz. Starbucks Cream Liqueur
1 oz. Three Olives chocolate vodka
1/2 oz. cream

(photos and recipes from fineliving.com)

 

Last Minute Valentine Napkin Rings

If you are like me and Valentine's Day has snuck up on you, here is an easy way to dress up your napkins for the special day.

 

Buy faux or real roses and sew or glue them to ponytail holders.  How pretty and easy is that?  OR if you are in an even bigger hurry, you could purchase a ponytail holder that already has the rose attached!  These are sold in many accessory stores. This would also be great for Springtime with all of the great Spring blooms to choose from.

(photo from countryliving.com)

Sweet Treat

Red Velvet Cupcakes

What a festive cupcake for Valentine's Day!  Red Velvet is my favorite cake, mostly because of the cream cheese icing.  My mother's birthday is on Valentine's Day and I think these would be perfect for the occasion.

Prep:  15 min.

Bake:  20 min.

Cost per serving:  76 cents

Yield:  16 cupcakes

CUPCAKES:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 Tbsp. red food coloring

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

FROSTING:

6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin and 4 cups of a 6-cup muffin tin. Fill 2 empty muffin cups halfway with water.

2. Mix flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yolks, food coloring and vanilla. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat just until all ingredients are incorporated.

3. Divide batter among cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pans to rack to cool completely.

4. Make frosting: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add sugar and beat until easy to spread.

(photo and recipe from allyou.com)

LOVEly Candles

These candles from Martha Stewart would make a great centerpiece for Valentine's Day or a wonderful gift.  I was actually thinking you could make candles like this for many different occasions.  All you need are different shaped punches.  How about bunnies for Easter or spiders for Halloween?  The wax sheets come in many colors.  Have fun!

 

Tools and Materials
Chopsticks
Blow-dryer
Heart-shaped craft punches in various sizes
Sheet wax
Pillar candle

Candle How-To:
1. Punch hearts from a sheet of wax using heart-shaped craft punches.

2. While holding a single wax heart with chopsticks, heat the pillar candle and wax heart using a blow-dryer (this will soften the wax heart, causing it to adhere to the candle).

3. Repeat this process until you have attached the desired number of hearts to the candle.

Resources
Sheet wax is available at mannlakeltd.com. Heart-shaped craft punches are available on marthastewartcrafts.com.

Valentine's Night Cocktail

This cocktail caught my eye for its bright red coloring and this cool glass.  Then as I was reading that it is like a Sangria with cherries and gin I was in love for sure.  This drink would be great for anytime of year but would look lovely on Valentine's night whether for two or a group.  Enjoy!

Cherry Gin-gria

 

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 2 ounces cherry syrup(recommended: Giammona)
• 2 ounces gin
• 5 to 6 ounces club soda
• 1 ounce red wine
• Maraschino cherries
• Fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in the cherry syrup and the gin; stir to mix together. Lighten the drink with a generous splash of soda. Float a layer of red wine on top by pouring it over the back of a wide, flat spoon. (Don't worry if it doesn't float; it tastes great either way.) Drop a few maraschino cherries and raspberries into the glass. Drink.

(photo and recipe from foodnetwork.com)