Valentine's Day

  

 

   I love Valentine's Day! I guess I love any excuse to put out some holiday decorations. This year I missed my Christmas tree so much that I created a "Valentine's tree". On one of our warmer days, (When was that? You are asking) I went outside and pruned off some of the gnarled branches from one of our ancient apple trees. I placed the branches in one of my antique crocks, put on a strand of white lights from our Christmas tree, decorated the branches with some glass heart decorations and there you go... a Valentine's tree. I put it in my dining room a couple of weeks ago and it really has cheered up these frigid days.

 

   This year my husband will receive some homemade treats for his Valentine's gift. I baked some homemade sugar cookies this morning and decorated them with little hearts. It gave me a reason to use a red rolling pin my husband bought me for Valentine's Day a few years ago. I know, a rolling pin for Valentine's Day? How unromantic, but when you have a penchant for rolling pins, it's a great gift. I saw this rolling pin in a King Arthur catalogue and wanted it so badly, but I didn't want to spend $40 on this "guaranteed not to stick to dough" rolling pin. Guess what? It doesn't stick! After a cup of coffee and a to die for danish at the King Arthur Flour's cafe, with beautiful classical music in the background, my Valentine bought me my red rolling pin. I have a small collection of antique rolling pins, but there is not one that I use to make anything with, so I really love this gift and always remember that Valentine's Day when I use it.

 

The Valentine's Day rolling pin.

Collection of antique rolling pins.

My biggest antique rolling pin- from a Brandon,Vt bakery .

 

 





   My husband will also be the recipient of a huge box of handcrafted dark chocolate mint truffles, which I have come out of retirement to make for him, courtesy of "The Chocolate Moose", my old chocolate shop. I will be more than happy to help him eat both of his gifts!

        Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

The recipe for the sugar cookies is as follows:

 

 



 

It's homemade, if you make it at home!!!