Valentine's Day Guide
Valentine's Day celebrates all the cute, cheesiness love has to offer. The rosey holiday filled with melt-in-your-mouth chocolates and fresh blooms brings out the romantic in many but it also gets its fair amount of grief from burnt-out singles and cynics taking life a bit too seriously.
All confetti aside, I hope this guide gets you in the loving spirit and encourages you to thank a special someone for all the beauty he or she brings to your life whether you are single or attached!
The Art of Giving
Gift giving does not need to be an enormous specticle or break the bank. It can be as simple as spending quality time with someone or making something sweet from the heart.
This Brownie Tart from Ina Garten is a possitively sinful way to say "I love you."
Brownie Tart
Ingredients 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter 3 1/4 cups (20 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 3 extra-large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup (4 ounces) chopped walnuts 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions
Grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a bowl set over simmering water. Add 2 cups of the chocolate chips, remove from the heat, and stir until the chocolate melts. Set aside to cool completely.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, coffee, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cooled chocolate. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and the walnuts. Fold the flour mixture into the batter until just combined.
our into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is puffed (the top may crack). The inside will still be very soft. Cool to room temperature before removing the sides of the tart pan.
Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with the heavy cream and drizzle on the tart.
2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved
Flower Deals!
Thanks to hellobee.com you can also take advantage of these great Valentine's Day flower deals!
Proflowers, 1800flowers, and FTD are all offering 20% cash back through ebates.
Also, 1800flowers and FTD have coupons for 25% off on their sites, and Proflowers has a coupon for 15% off. And if you join ebates, you’ll get a $10 gift card for the first $25 you spend!
Quality Time
Nothing shows you care like spending quality time with the people you love.
Here are some great local activity ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
Walk along the beach