Valentine 2013

Happy Valentine's Day!  Oh to traditions.  We had our day of Valentine breakfast: pink chocolate chip pancakes, pink eggs, and pink juice, then dinner: dress up dinner, with yummy food and chocolate.  I even got to talk to my sonshine Valentine (that would be my son).  :)  Thought I would share some pictures and recipes.

Heart braids, worth the drama :)

My pretty girls. 

Candle light dinner.

Mocha cheesecake

cheesecake with toppings.  Ohhhhhh so good.

Mocha Cheesecake
Preheat oven to 325.
2 cups crushed grahm crackers
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
   Mix
1/3 cup melted butter Add
Press into greased spring form pan.
In mixer beat 3, 8 ounce packages cream cheese (softened) till fluffy, add but do not stir till end...
1 cup beaten eggs,
1 cup semisweet melted chocolate,
2 tsp vanilla,
1, 14oz can Sweetened Condensed milk,
1/4 cup strong coffee
Mix just until combined.  Pour in pan.  Bake in water bath for 50 minutes, or until all but 3 inches in middle set.  Turn off oven let cake stay in oven for 1 hour.  Refrigerate for several hours until chilled through or until you are ready to eat.  We like to top with chocolate and Carmel sauce.

My Valentine!

Got jelly beans from a friend, David got his girls chocolate flowers, and I made some Oreo truffles that are amazing!

Oreo truffles

1 pckg crushed Oreos
mix with 8 oz softened cream cheese
Refrigerate for 2 hours
roll into balls.  Dip in melted Almond Bark.  Drizzle melted semisweet chocolate chips.

We used left over melted chocolate for dipped strawberries and drizzled the left over almond bark over the chocolate strawberries.  My favorite way to melt semisweet chocolate is in a double boiler on medium low to medium heat.  Stirring carefully until chocolate is melted.

Hope you all had a lovely day.  God bless
Alicia