RED CABBAGE AND CARROTS SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups shredded red cabbage,
2 cups shredded carrots,
1/2 chopped small red onion,
1 tablespoon light salad dressing (Ranch),
1/2 teaspoon sugar,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
salt to taste;
Mix and serve!

SAVORY OVEN BAKED CHICKEN WITH STEAMED VEGETABLES

INGREDIENTS for marinade:
Garlic powder,
Lemon Pepper,
Rosemary,
Vegeta,
Thyme;
Olive oil;

INGREDIENTS for seasoning:
garlic,
lemon pepper,
vegeta,
ginger,
olive oil;

CHEDDAR AND BLACK SESAME PUFF PASTRY SNACK

A real quick and tasty snack.

You can make this recipe with any store bought puff pastry.
INGREDIENTS:

2 sheets of puff pastry (about 12x16),
1 egg, beaten,
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated,
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds;

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Roll out sheets of pastry to about 1/4 in thick. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese all over each pastry; sprinkle sesame seeds one tablespoon on each pastry sheet.
Cut into thin strips; transfer strips to ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy!

HEART SHAPED SANDWICHES - VALENTINE'S DAY

I give you my heart
Valentine!
Yes, my heart made of bread, ham and cheese topped with tomato, cucumber and fresh dill. Lovely appetizer or snack!
Enjoy!

SAINT VALENTINE - PART ONE -

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the English-speaking countries, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Older Tradition

The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America, where many Valentine cards are now general greeting cards rather than declarations of love, was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.It's considered one of the Hallmark holidays. The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women.

Saint Valentine
Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine. The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae). Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome. and at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Valentine of Terni became bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) about AD 197 and is said to have been martyred during the persecution under Emperor Aurelian. He is also buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a different location than Valentine of Rome. His relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni (Basilica di San Valentino).

The Catholic Encyclopedia also speaks of a third saint named Valentine who was mentioned in early martyrologies under date of February 14. He was martyred in Africa with a number of companions, but nothing more is known about him.

No romantic elements are present in the original early medieval biographies of either of these martyrs. By the time a Saint Valentine became linked to romance in the fourteenth century, distinctions between Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni were utterly lost.

In the 1969 revision of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints, the feastday of Saint Valentine on February 14 was removed from the General Roman Calendar and relegated to particular (local or even national) calendars for the following reason: "Though the memorial of Saint Valentine is ancient, it is left to particular calendars, since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14."The feast day is still celebrated in Balzan (Malta) where relics of the saint are claimed to be found, and also throughout the world by Traditionalist Catholics who follow the older, pre-Vatican II calendar.

The Early Medieval acta of either Saint Valentine were excerpted by Bede and briefly expounded in Legenda Aurea. According to that version, St Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing the blind daughter of his jailer.

Legenda Aurea still providing no connections whatsoever with sentimental love, appropriate lore has been embroidered in modern times to portray Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail. In an embellishment to The Golden Legend provided by American Greetings, Inc. to History.com and widely repeated, on the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he wrote the first "valentine" himself, addressed to a young girl variously identified as his beloved, as the jailer's daughter whom he had befriended and healed, or both. It was a note that read "From your Valentine."

FOR YOU SWEET VALENTINE!

SOFT AND CHEWY PECANS COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:
(for 6 dozen cookies)
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar,
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar,
1-1/2 cups butter, softened,
2 teaspoons vanilla extract,
3 eggs, room temp.,
4-1/4 cups all purpose flour,
2 teaspoons baking soda,

2 cups chopped pecans;

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, scrapping bowl occasionally. Beat in vanilla extract and eggs until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in chopped pecans.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool one minute before removing from cookie sheets.
Enjoy!

BEAN SOUP WITH SMOKED PORK HOCKS

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups dry beans;
3 pork hocks;(cooked in pressure cooker pot - reserve broth - 2 cups)
1 16 oz. package Goya 16 Bean Soup Mix;
2 large onion, chopped;
4 stalks celery, chopped;
2 large carrot, chopped;
3 large diced tomatoes;
1/3 cup olive oil;
3 bay leaf;
fresh chopped parsley;
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme;
Salt and pepper to taste;
DIRECTIONS:
Soak the beans overnight. Cook the smoked pork hocks (knuckle) in 1/2 quart of water( or pressure cooker - the best!). Reserve broth. Cook the beans until partly tender changing water few times. Saute the vegetable and add to the beans;stir in all the seasonings ; add reserved smoked broth ;cover and let cook for 20 minutes longer. Add more water if necessary ; remove all meat from bones and stir it in the soup; cook for few minutes longer; taste for salt.

CRAB SALAD - APPETIZER -

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups chopped imitation crab meat;
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper;
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper;
1/2 cup chopped green onion;
1/2 cup chopped cucumber;
1/2 cup mixed finely chopped fresh dill and parsley;
2 tablespoons olive oil;
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar;
salt to taste;
Combine all the ingredients; refrigerate until serving time.

This cookie cutter is one of a kind! Why? Because is made with love for me by non other then my loving husband!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!

RUM FLAVORED BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder,

1 cup flour,

1/2 teaspoon baking powder,

1 cup sugar,

1/2 cup butter, melted,

2 large eggs beaten,

1 teaspoon vanilla extract,

2 teaspoon rum extract,

1 cup chopped walnuts:

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat the bottom of your favorite baking dish (a 9 x 13 pan is ideal) with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, and baking powder. Add in the sugar. Stir in the butter. Add the eggs, vanilla and rum. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in by hand the walnuts.Spread the batter into the pan, and bake for about 25 minutes (knife inserted into center should come out clean). Cool on wire rack, and then cut into squares. Makes 24 squares. (48 smaller in my case)

Enjoy!