Valentine's Flower Bouquet

Who needs a boy to give them flowers????? ok ok, every girl wants flowers! But there is nothing in the rule book that says we can't buy them for ourselves every now and then. Flowers can be expensive, so if you are spending Valentine's Day by yourself or if you just want to decorate for the holiday treat yourself to some very beautiful very delicious smelling pink roses or gerber daisies or whatever suits your fancy!

I have to admit I got this idea off pintrest...That website is so great, but it has been KILLING my productivity. At least I know every other girl is spending just as much time on it as I am. This particular project actually turned out a lot better than I thought it would. You just have to mess with it a little bit until you get everything where you want it.

I used a vase that already had a center spot for a candle. I think that's easiest, but I made another one where I just put a plastic cup in the center I could fill with water. The first thing I put in the vase were the candy hearts. You don't have to necessarily use those, I had wanted to use pink and red jelly beans, but I couldn't find a place to just get the individual colors. I was SHOCKED target didn't have a bag of them.

The second layer is just heart peeps. These were kind of tricky. I pulled some of them apart, and I would NOT recommend that. Use a knife so you get a clean cut with less white showing, OR use a round case so you never have to break them apart and you can just curve them along the edge. They are kind of tricky and don't like to stay. I crumpled up some pink toulle and stuck it behind the hearts to help keep them in place. (Lucky for me that toulle came wrapped around my flowers!)

Then I cut the roses pretty short so they would sit low in their holder. When you cut the flowers be sure to cut them at an angle, I'm not sure what exactly that does but my flowers stay fresher much longer. Someone asked me how I change the water for the flowers...haha this might sound ridiculous, but I use a turkey baster! I suck up the water, and then put clean water in! Works like a charm, and I don't ruin the candy :)

If you try this be sure to send me a picture of how it turns out, I'd love to see what candies everyone uses!!!

Champagne Marshmallows

When you think of Valentine's Day, what comes to your mind? Roses, Candy, Love, Hearts.......Champagne! Every thing you hear about Valentine's Day includes Champagne. Want to stay in our love suite for a night? Enjoy a complimentary bottle of Champagne. Don't bother going out to eat that night it can be depressing to watch all of the couples sitting there smiling over their glasses of....you guessed it Champagne.

But this year we are not worried about being a couple, we are worried about loving ourselves and everyone else worth while in our lives. Soooooo why not enjoy some Champagne ourselves? Almost everyone enjoys a glass of it every now and then. Today though we are going to do more than just drink Champagne we are going to eat it! In a big, white, fluffy kind of way. These little marshmallows are surprisingly delicious and taste great on a s'more.

Champagne Marshmallows

1 1/2 oz. gelatin (I use the knox brand)

27 oz. champagne (separated)

11 oz. corn syrup

28 oz. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

optional: seeds from 1 vanilla bean 

Plenty of Powdered Sugar!!

Step 1:

     Lightly grease a 9" x 13" 

Step 2:

     Combine the gelatin and 11 ounces of the Champagne together in a bowl you can use a mixer with. Set it aside

Step 3: 

     Pour 16 oz. of Champagne into a medium pot over medium-low heat. Simmer the champagne for about 15 minutes or until the mixture is reduced by half. You are trying to get to right around 8 oz. If you think it's gone too far, just add a little more Champagne.

Step 4:

     In the same pot add corn syrup, sugar, salt, and vanilla bean scrapings (if using) to the champagne. Turn the heat up to medium and stir. Try not to push the liquid up the sides of the pot. Leave it on the heat undisturbed until mixture registers 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Once you reach that temperature take the pot off the heat and let it cool to 210 degrees. (DON'T BE LAZY OR GENEROUS WITH THE TEMPERATURES!)

Step 5:

     When cooled, pour the mixture into the mixing bowl with the gelatin. Using your mixer, whip the mix on medium speed for about a minute or until gelatin has fully melted. 

Step 6:

     Turn your mixture on high and whip until mixture has tripled in volume...(this takes some time, so don't get discouraged - I thought I was doing it wrong, and my mom and i fuddled with it then all of a sudden it got huge!) Pour this goo into the pan and bang it against the counter to level the mixture. 

Step 7:

      Dust the top of the giant marshmallow with some powdered sugar, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours (preferably overnight)

Step 8:

     To cut the marshmallows....dust a cutting board with powdered sugar. Take the marshmallow out of the pan....all of it...literally pull the entire thing out by digging your fingers under a side. Using a chef's knife, cut it into strips and then cubes of any size you life. Or use cookie cutters to get shapes. 

Step 9:

    Roll each piece in powdered sugar so it isn't sticky and enjoy!

**Note: store them in an air tight container or a zip lock bag. 

   There is a lot you could do with these. You can dye them, use cookie cutters, give them as gifts, put them in ice cream, roast them. They are very versatile and very yummy. I hope they spice up your Valentine's Day! Everyone else will be drinking their glass of Champagne only to be enjoyed for a few minutes one night. You'll get to have your Champagne and continue to enjoy it for weeks!