Happy Valentine’s Day
So today is Valentine’s Day, the official day of love. It is thought that during the 3rd century, Valentine was a priest who was under house arrest for performing Christian marriages so that husbands did not have to go to war, helping persecuted Christians and teaching Christianity. These acts were considered to be extremely serious as the emperor Claudius had declared he did not want anybody but him worshiped. At some point whilst under house arrest it is said that Valentine cured a young girl of blindness and Valentine was released. Refusing to renounce his faith, Valentine was once again arrested and on 14th February he was executed just outside Rome.
Thankfully this tragic story has given way to something to be celebrated now. A day to express your love, old or new. Lots of people don't like to be told when to celebrate their love but I love the idea of having one day to show somebody just how much you care.
Valentines Day is something I always celebrate with the kids, usually by making chocolate baked goods and by giving them cards and heart shaped chocolates - celebrate while you can I think because they don't stay children forever.
So this year I have been inspired by all things chocolate and honestly, what's not to love? It started with a jar of chocolate hazelnut spread. That gorgeous sweet slightly nutty chocolate yumminess that if you have out of the cupboard, you cannot help but dip your spoon into for a sneaky taste - and good on so many things.
For those people not buying Nutella because of their use of palm oil, there are plenty of other alternative chocolate hazelnut spreads and if you can't eat nuts, just use chocolate spread. There are also some really, really good vegan alternatives.
Both of my children have a sweet tooth and both adore chocolate and the perfect start to any day for them is with pancakes, who does not love a good pancake? Matt loves chocolate spread on his and unfortunately a jar does not last very long in this house because of the amount of pancakes I end up making and the thickness it is spread on the bread/bagels. My pancake recipe I describe as slap dash because it is not the usual measurements that I would give which might drive some of you mad. It is however fool proof and always works. Just remember to have your oil shimmering hot and remember the first pancake does not always work.
There is a recipe that I thought I would make that is a gluten free, flour free brownie topped with meringue and because it is the taste of Nutella - chocolate and hazelnut - it is utterly delicious. So Victoria and I made a batch of these. If you have an hour and want something chocolatey and sweet and delicious then this is the thing to make. Add a touch of Frangelico for that extra something.
We also made a gorgeous gorgeous Toblerone cheesecake, improved I must say by Tyler who helped test - thank you Tyler. This cheesecake is a one slice is not enough cheesecake. My brother James thinks that a cheesecake base should be Oreo so wasn’t won over by the base but everybody else really liked it. I do sometimes wonder where he came from. If you make it, let us know what you think.
I also made some Nutella cookies which were lovely and which were gobbled up by my two same day. The trick to getting a gooey centre is to freeze the Nutella before putting into the centre of the dough. Other lovely chocolate recipes of ours are chocolate fondants, chocolate shortbreads and chocolate cupcakes.
A gorgeous meal for tonight if you are celebrating would be coffee steaks and oven baked chips. Not at all difficult and with the chips going in the oven, not too much work.
Another nice and easy meal is Thai moules and frites, buy ready prepped mussels and frozen chips and you have a very quick easy meal that doesn’t taste at all like it is a quick meal.
For vegetarians cauliflower steaks with beurre blanc and chips is also really delicious. I love cauliflower steaks.
For those not liking chocolate, why not try our no-bake strawberry cheesecake with sparkling wine or if you want a vegan dessert, what about meringue.
Whatever you do this evening, enjoy!