Sultry Valentine's Treat: Pots De Creme! A Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Rum!

I originally got this recipe from my mom, who makes it every Christmas, and I adapted the original recipe to make the vegan equivalent. It is perfect for a love-filled holiday that demands a decadent dessert, whether you have a special someone to share it with, or you will be enjoying it all to yourself!!!

Pots De Creme

Vegan Version of Rum and Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
2 cups Semisweet Chocolate or Carob Chips
1 can (14 oz) Coconut Milk
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Soy Milk (vanilla soy works just as well in this recipe)
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
6 Tablespoons Rum

Two EXCELLENT variations are: 6 Tablespoons Coconut Rum, or 6 Tablespoons Butterscotch Schnapps in place of the plain rum. The flavors in the alcohol will infuse with the chocolate and produce a truly divine mousse!

Directions:
Step 1: Place the chocolate, salt, vanilla and sugar in a medium size bowl.

Step 2: Pour the coconut milk in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil, a light simmer is perfect. 

Step 3: While you are bringing your milk to a simmer, in a separate microwavable bowl, combine the soy milk and cornstarch. Heat on high in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, whisking at each interval, until the mixture thickens (calcification). In this recipe, that usually takes 1:30 to 2:00 minutes. Then add both the coconut milk and the calcified soy and cornstarch to the bowl of chocolate.

Step 4: Add the Rum, Coconut Rum, or Butterscotch Schnapps while the mixture is still hot and whisk to incorporate. 

Step 5: Pour into individual pots or glass cups for 1-4 hours, or freeze for 30 minutes and return to fridge, to allow to set up. If no individual cups are available, a large pyrex or rummikin can be used instead, it will just take longer to set up!

ENJOY!!! And oh, good heavens, you will!!!

The original recipe calls for half of everything listed in the ingredients (I needed to double them in order to require 1 full can of coconut milk), and calls for 3/4 cup whole milk in place of the coconut milk, and 1 egg instead of the Soy milk and Cornstarch mixture. They also require a blender and heating only the milk. If you are concerned that your dessert might offend a younger pallet, add the rum to the coconut milk and bring both to a simmer to be sure that all of the alcohol cooks off. The taste will still be exquisite!

Homemade Valentines! Toddler-Style

Because I <3 art projects, and I <3 Valentines Day, two simple painted valentines your toddler will enjoy!

Valentine 1: Marbled Heart

It's not original, but it's construction paper. It's kludge-y. And so cute!

Supplies:

Construction Paper in Valentines-y colors

Scissors

Sharpie

Small-medium sized Box

Acrylic Paint

3 Marbles

Foil or Wax Paper

Step 1: Cut construction paper into a bunch of rectangles by halving the paper until you have your desired size and amount of cards.

Step 2: With a sharpie, draw hearts in the middle of the rectangle. They don't have to be perfect!

Step 3: Have child place the card in the box, then squirt some dollops of paint in the box around the card.

Step 4: Allow child to wiggle the box back and forth, running the marbles through the paint, then back onto the card.

Step 5: Take shirts off because you can see by how they are starting to paint their fingers that this is going to go south quickly!

Step 6: Step back and enjoy the full on finger and tummy painting session! (I mean, you can't get a more washable paint than acrylic! So don't fret too much!)

Step 7: Since the backsides of the cards are bound to get some sort of paint on them, I recommend placing them on foil or wax paper to dry so that they do not stick to your counter. After they've dried you can add a note in sharpie and sign their name. ^_^

Valentine 2: Sponged Hearts

This one takes more time per card, so is perfect for that special someone...in our case, DADDY!!!

Supplies:

Construction Paper (preferably white)
Scissors

Easel or Window

Tape

Paper Plates

Acrylic Paint in various valentines-y colors

BIBS!

Sponges

Puffy Paint (acrylic, but pen style)

Step 1: Fold your construction paper in half and cut out half a heart on the seam so that it opens into a full one.

Step 2: Tape to an easel or window, somewhere paint will wash off easily when it doesn't quite make it to the card.

Step 3: Arrange different colors around the circumference of a paper plate as a mock pallet.

Step 4: BIB THOSE BABIES!!!

Step 5: Hand them a sponge and their pallet and let them go to town!

Step 6: Paint usually makes it on the front of the card so it is safe to rest on the counter to dry. At this point, write a cute note and sign their name with the puffy paint, and allow to dry.

I recommend the easel/window placement, versus a table top because it's a different angle to improve the hand-eye coordination, and also works on the supinating wrist motion!

So it's not the most creative card, but kids love sponges, and bonus activity at the end is washing out the sponge and watching all the paint disappear down the drain. 

The Early Valentine's Day

This is a short word to the wise for men, based on a tip from my Mama...

...don't buy flowers on Valentine's Day!

You will pay exorbitant prices for sloppy stems, and whether you care about being cliche or not, you are not getting a deal that makes the pretty petals worth it. 'Nuf Said.

Instead, try a different approach! You'll remember it's Valentine's Day Month when all the commercials crop up, and the stores are decorated in various sultry shades of red. It should sink in when the term, "February" is used...when you hear it, when you recognize that Valentine's Day is upon you (AKA February 1st or 2nd)...

 ...THEN BUY THOSE FLOWERS!!!

My GORGEOUS Gift Pre-Valentine's Day!!

You will buy better, fresher, sweeter flowers at cut prices! There should be plenty of sales around the first week of the month. Buy the bunches with the most buds, the most closed flowers (my dad knows how to pick the perfect bouquet, and that's part of his secret, beyond that is just his magic touch so good luck trying to best him!) and by the 14th your blooming buds will make their debut. Your lovely lady should feel honored, and if she's like me, she will appreciate being thought of BEFORE the 14th! It's a more genuine impression. Annnd, if you're clever, write up a sweet love letter and ON the 14th, place it by her beautiful bunch! Then you'll get the credit "on the actual day," if she cares about that kind of sentiment.  

Vegan Pumpkin "Cheese" Cake

Vegan Pumpkin "Cheese" Cake

SOAK TIME: 4 hours minimum, up to 1 day

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

2 Cups Cashews, raw and are cheapest in pieces
1 Sugar Pumpkin (Or one can of pumpkin puree)

1/2 Cup Agave
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Nutmeg

1 Teaspoon Cloves

1/2 Cup Macadamia Nuts, raw

1/2 Cup Walnuts, raw

4 Dates, pitted

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

Directions:
Step 1: Soak your cashew pieces overnight. The next day, they will be ready for pureeing!
Step 2: Preheat your oven to  350. Roast your pumpkin by splitting it in half, lopping off the stem, and pitting it of seeds and strings, leaving only firm pumpkin meat. Place both halves face down on a cookie sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour!

Step 3: While your pumpkin is roasting, drain cashews and stick them in the blender, puree with agave and spices, then set aside.

Step 4: In a food processor, lightly and sporadically blend the macadamias, walnuts and dates, until the end result is a choppy mess! Then add the coconut oil and pulse a couple more times...be careful not to overblend!!! It will get soupy!

Step 5: Press nut base into spring form pan.
Step 6: When pumpkin is roasted, scoop out the soft flesh from the skin and add it to your blender with the cashew puree. Blend well to incorporate!

Step 7: Pour the cashew mixture over your nutty crust, and smooth over with a spatula.

Step 8: Dust with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and freeze or refrigerate!

ENJOY!

My original recipe, adapted from Raw Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake from The Vegan Zombie!

Christmas Cards...Lovely Little Holiday Inspiration

First off, don't forget to play the ISPY game for your chance to win a wonderful set of Bob Books! I'm extending the guessing to Wednesday the 11th!!!

I love making my own cards, it adds a personal touch, and for holidays, they get me in the spirit of the season! I also love a bargain, and hand-making 60 holiday cards came to less than $30!!!

It starts with a photoshoot in early November. We pick a different outfit and try new setups every year. Then we choose three photos that are worth handing out to the world of friends that we have! We used to use Vistaprint for holiday cards because they usually have screaming deals and fast standard shipping, so they always look like your typical holiday card, with a bit of personalization. This year, I calculated out some pricing, and found it was cheaper to do what I love and make them myself!

I found glittery green plaid paper that was on clearance because it was deemed "spring" paper, with the green being light and bright, but any green will do for "Christmas green" for me!

For 60 cards you will need:
15 sheets of 12x12 paper --mine was 39 cents a sheet, but you can get them as low as 20 cents on a deal.
3 rolls of thin ribbon at 50 cents a roll (30 on a deal) or 60 strands at 1 foot length each.
10 sheets of Vellum (packs of 20ish sell for 5.99, but use a coupon and you halve that price!)
15 sheets of printing paper, either cardstock or regular paper, something to print your "letter" on (Or a stack of 3x5 notecards will print nicely for a buck a pack! Just flip your orientation if your printer has troubles feeding the smaller paper size)
Spray Glue!
Elmer's Craft Glue
Role of Double Sided Foam Sticky Tape (for dimension!)
Hole Punch
Your choice of pictures. We do 3 different wallet size ones. Which ends up being 3 sets of 15 sheets of wallets that come 4 to a sheet...all of it for $19 ...the most expensive part! (MATTE looks best!)
60 Standard Letter (#10) Envelopes...Office Depot sells a 500 pack for $10! Score!

I like to cut my 12x12 paper into 4 cards, each 4x8 inches. There will be a small 4x4 square left over, but that's great for using as gift tags or other projects!

Type up a cutesy little letter that is about 3 inches tall by 5 inches wide, updating your family and friends of any accomplishments you made this year, goals for next year, and a well-wish for sincerity! It's all right to brag about your family a bit, children and spouses should know that we take pride in them! Especially for those of you who, like me, tend to downplay the behavior of our family, be it kids or husbands or wives, it is a nice reminder to keep speaking well of others and building up your family in love!!

At this point I also like to print a little message on the vellum, because it just looks so darn cool! Merry Christmas in Red and Green, or bolded black! Remember, you will be cutting out 6 of these suckers, so place your text in a 4 inch high, 3 inch wide space; two rows of three! It's easiest to split the page into three columns, then copy paste your original text until you have 6 on one page, then space them as evenly as possible.

Next cut all of your pictures down to size, and your vellum and ribbon as well!

Now it's time to glue! I LOVE spray adhesive, it's fast, convenient, and holds just as much glue as a regular squeeze bottle. You can pick them up for about $4 a can, but if you use a coupon, you'll score some sweet savings on that, and you'll be able to continue using it into future projects! If your paper is glittery like mine, pictures won't stick well to the front side, which is where the squeeze bottle of Elmer's comes in. One line down the middle, place your picture, then move on to the next card. This way it is more like an assembly line, glue. stick. stack. glue. stick. stack. 

When you've finished all 60, go back to the beginning! I like to cut four little pieces of foam sticky tape for the corners of the second picture, so I can stack it slightly askew on top of the first for added POP! By little pieces, I mean slivers about 2-3 millimeters in width, since you're doing 4 pieces affixing each corner, it will be secure and uniform.

Finished another 60 pictures? Now flip it over! The backside of my paper boasts flat, blank whiteness, which is perfect for adorning with a picture and a letter. It also is a close friend of spray adhesive...they hug so hard that they instantly bond! ;) Haha, seriously though. Take a plastic bag from your card making purchase and place it on the floor, or desk, wherever you intend to spray the backs of your card accessories. A quick spray to the back of the picture or letter, and press into place on the back of your cardstock! The plastic bag will catch the excess glue sprayed, and keep your process quick but tidy!

Lastly, place your vellum with embellishment on the top of your card. Hold both the vellum and card in your fingertips and hole punch both ends of the card. The holes will be aligned if you punch both at the same time, so then you can slip your ribbon through and tie an adorable bow! Knots are cute if you just can't get a bow down! And you can snip the ends to any tail length you want! I chose a black ribbon to tie the vellum on, since it matched all of the accents, but they sell the thin ribbon in 9 yard spools in just about any color! I also went with a slot punch, but any hole punch works well! 

Each year is different! Sometimes I like to use little corner frames for my photos instead of foam tape! Sometimes a stamp on the vellum works better than printing it! You can even get really fancy and emboss your stamp, but the embossing gun runs about $25 and the glitter is usually $4 a bottle. All depends on what your future cardmaking plans are!

Have fun cutting and pasting, in the old school, not-so-digital, crafty way!