So I’m finally back on the mainland, and ready for an extremely exciting weekend. Not only is it Valentine’s Day, which means lots of sweets and baking (or in this case, not) but it is also the opening weekend of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics!

I’m actually more excited than I thought I would be, seeing as how it’s all happening right in our backyard! Hopefully I’ll be able to get downtown and see everything that’s going on!

This valentine’s day there wasn’t much time to bake after I got back home for our reading break, so I thought I would whip up a few things that didn’t take any baking at all!

I hope you all have a sweet valentine’s day =)

Chocolate Covered Strawberries:

• 1-2 pkg Strawberries
• 1 cup Melting Chocolate (dark or milk)
• 1/2 cup White Melting Chocolate
• 1/2 cup medium shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Place dark chocolate into a double broiler, and simmer on low. Allow the chocolate to melt completely and transfer to a glass bowl. Allow to cool slightly. ( I always place a glass mixing bowl over the pot, and then transfer the bowl to a hot plate)
2. Do the same with the white chocolate. Then pour the white chocolate into a piping bag, and snip off a tiny bit. You can also reserve some white chocolate to dip the strawberries into as well.
3. Was the strawberries and dry them completely. You’ll want them slightly cool, to help cool the chocolate faster. Dip them one by one into the melted chocolate and place onto a tray, lined in parchment paper or saran wrap. Once you’ve finished all of them place the tray into the fridge to harden the chocolate. I placed them into the fridge one by one onto the tray so they would cool faster and harden while I made the others.
4. You can if you like also dip them/roll them/or sprinkle them with coconut after you have dipped them into the chocolate.
5. Once they have set, using the white chocolate piping bag, drizzle the white chocolate over the dark and place back into the fridge.
6. Once they have set completely, you can package them up and give them to someone special! Not without trying a couple yourself of course.

You can keep the little container that the strawberries come in as well, they make a cute little box to deliver your sweets in!

Have a very sweet valentines!

xo Alicia

I saw these on another website and thought they would be perfect for a quick christmas cookie. They require no butter, and are super easy to make. At first as I made the first batch I thought they weren’t going to turn out at all. I had to convert the measurements and I thought I might have done it wrong, but when I went to get them from the oven 10 minutes later, I was pleasantly surprised to see how great they turned out! I made two batches.

These are super quick and a lighter christmas cookie alternative, crispy and chewy. Their inspired from the Starbucks cookies apparently, which I wouldn’t know as I don’t drink coffee, and rarely visit starbucks. But they are good!

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Now that it’s been over a two weeks since i’ve tempted you with the sticky toffee butterscotch sauce, it’s time for the rest of the recipe!

This has become a definite favorite of mine since I tried it for the first time last year! I didn’t really know what it was, but after trying it at a restaurant a couple time I just had to try it!

It’s the perfect holiday cake to serve this year. It’s warm, gooey-sticky sweet and tastes even better with whipped cream. I made it for Christmas last year and I’m debating on whether or not making it again this year. I made it last week for a family dinner we went to, but this time instead of using a regular cake pan I used a bundt pan and I added a little spice to it! Otherwise, it doesn’t call for any spices and it was just missing that hint of flavor.

If you’ve never eaten sticky toffee pudding, or have been meaning to bake it, do it now. Now! It is so so so so good. I serve it warm with whipped cream on top. Mmm… I wish it were last week all over again!

I’ve also finally found a place to live in Victoria while I’m at school, and lucky me! I even basically get my own little kitchen on the bottom of the house, as most of the roommates don’t use it. I’m just happy I can bring over my baking dishes!! (more…)

First off Happy Mother’s Day to all the yummy mummies out there!

This mother’s day I wanted to bake something a little more special than just a cake, and seeing as how I had just made my mom a Carrot Cake for her birthday a couple weeks ago, I thought I would hold off on another cakey creation, that we would eat for about a week… So I thought about what my mother might like instead, and then it came to me. A Cheesecake!

A couple reasons for this is because a. my mom had actually came home from work one day a while back with a brand new springform pan for me, cause she knew I didn’t have one, and b. because every time my mom has gone on a cruise ship (and believe me, she’s been on a million) she always says she loves having the NY Cheesecake.  I remember she would go to High Tea every day on the ship just for the cheesecake, and was rather dissapointed once when they didn’t have any! Shocking, a cruise ship with no Cheesecake! So I thought it would be nice to bake her one from scratch, non of this no-bake, pre-bought cardboard tasting cheesecake. Nope, it would be straight fom the oven! And, even though It was hard, I waited the agonizing million hours for it to bake, and cool completely, and store in the fridge over night. Luckily she wasn’t home at the time so I could do all this without her knowledge, and have it ready for the reveal on mothers day morning. Along with pancakes for breakfast and of course home made strawberry coulis! I also found the cutest mothers day card, which I thought was quite fitting! (see below)

Now, I think I had only ever made a cheesecake once before for thanksgiving, a pumpkin one, and it didn’t turn out so great. But! this one is definitely a winner and a great basic like Dorie says. You can add many variations to it or have it just plain. I stuck with plain, and made some strawberry coulis to go with it. The recipe is super easy to follow, and I highly recommend the water bath, and hair dryer technique!.. you’ll see.  Enjoy! Love you mom! (more…)

Show some love this Valentine’s Day by pouring your heart out! Or simply show you care with a cupcake choc-full of hearts! A perfect little treat for your sweet-heart! Cupcakes are quick and easy, but hey, its the thought that counts right? So whip up a batch next saturday, Feb. 14 in time for Valentine’s Day. 

Be sure not to skimp on the icing, layer it on! It’s a day of love afterall, and nothing says love like a huge dollop of frosting, at least for me that is. I have a definite sweet tooth, just ask my dentist! This is the day to indulge in a little extra sweet, so go ahead and have one, or two or three. Who’s counting? Or share one with someone you love!…and then get another one for yourslef later. Enjoy! & happy heart day!

Devil’s Food Cake Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 4 ounces (1 stick), room temperature
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
3. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
4. Using a mixer, preferrably with paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until mixed.
5. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then add milk. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients.
6. Divide the batter into a prepared cupcake/muffin tin with liners. About 3/4 fulll.
7. Bake about 20 minutes, or until set. Let cool completely before icing. 

My Friend Steph’s birthday happens to be on Valentine’s Day too! Heart’s to you Juggdish! xo

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I tried this sticky toffee pudding recipe before and decided it would be perfect for Christmas! So I made another one, only jazzed it up for Christmas! If you would like the recipe, from Joy of Cooking, click here

All this sticky tofee goodness is de-licious!

Try this..now!! Sure it starts with Pitted Dates..but this cake give them a good rep!

Thought I’d add some more pics of my lovely table decor!

Hope you had a good holiday break!..back to school and work now!