Valentine's Day Cookies. And Chocolate Frosting.

When Patrick was born on February 15th it didn't really hit me how close his birthday was to Valentine's Day until he turned one. Valentine's Day has never really been on my radar. It comes around every year, of course, but David and I have never made a big deal about Valentine's Day. We still don't but that doesn't change the fact that every February 13th I remember I need to send some kind of card/treat to school for 50 kids. This year I was actually on top of things and assembled 50 iPhone valentines in the days leading up to February 14th, thanks to this (I used Kit Kat bars as 'iPhones' since I couldn't find boxes of candy hearts). I was also leading a team meeting at work on February 14th and got it into my head that I should make Valentine cookies as a treat for the group. This is classic 'me'. Feeling a bit of pressure? Trying to juggle both Valentine's Day and birthday treats? Why not seek out another activity to make things that much more interesting? So I found me a simple recipe for Valentine's Day Vanilla Cut-Out Cookies, searched out my heart-shaped cookie cutter and got to it.

Kitchen Soundtrack

I use music to motivate me in all kinds of different ways. For example, I took up running a few years ago so I am always on the look out for good cardio songs. And in the mornings during my very short commute I tend to listen to CBC Radio Two because Julie Nesrallah's voice and her mix of 'classic classical' tunes is so soothing and calming after the rush and bustle of getting two little boys out the door for the day. I listen to a lot of classical music when I'm cooking too, but I tend to mix things up a bit depending on my mood and (don't laugh) what I'm cooking. So without further ado (not that you asked) I present my kitchen soundtrack.

Oven Baked Ribs

I actually thought I had already written this post. Could have sworn I had written it. But I haven't. I've been meaning to, since we ate these ribs for Sunday dinner at least a week ago. They were so good. I served them with scalloped potatoes (that were only average) and corn bread (which was fantastic, as usual). I dry rubbed them and sauced them. They made the house smell like a warm Southern Sunday afternoon. While they were cooking I listened to Dan Mangan over and over again. It was a good day.

Clam Chowder

While it hasn't been a particularly cold Winter it is one of the dampest I can remember. Damp, wet cold is so much worse than it's-been-snowing-for-months-and-there's-an-arctic-chill-in-the-air cold. Damp cold feels colder than it actually is and makes you feel less than Canadian when you realize it's only -1 and yet you're complaining about how so, so cold it is.

But really I'm here to talk about chowder. Clam chowder to be precise, which is just as good on a cold, damp day as it is on a cold snowy one. Did you know that January is National Soup Month? Not sure when this was decided or by whom but I'm always up to make soup. It happens to be one of my favourite things to do on the weekend. (The excitement this breeds around the house, as you can imagine, is palpable.)