Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 5 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix first 5 ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, and salt.

2. Make three 'wells' (dips) in the flour mixture. In one put the vanilla; in another the vinegar; in the third the oil.

3. Pour the cold water over the mixture and stir until moistened.

4. Pour mixture into pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it spings back when touched lightly or when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.



















Notes: Made with val at her place. We dusted lightly with icing sugar.

Adapted from: Emily's blog Read more...

Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 tb vanilla
- 1 tb butter
- Pinch of salt
- 1/8 cup cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Separate the whites of the eggs and beat them good until stiff. While beating them add 1/4 cup sugar slowly until it's good and foamy.

2. Now get to the yellow of the 6 eggs. Also beat them until good and stiff and add 1/4 cup of sugar.

3. Sift together flour, cocoa and salt in medium bowl. Gently stir flour mixture into yolk mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, just until flour mixture disappears.

4. Cut and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites.

5. Gently spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 325°C for 15-20 minutes. Cool before using cookie cutters.

Notes: This was supposed to be Kev's valentine cake, but the cake failed to rise.

Adapted from: Recipes 4 Cakes Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe with Fruit
Read more...

Cookie
- 4 tablespoons margarine, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups quick cooking oats

Cream Filling
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together margarine, peanut butter, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat well.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir.

3. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown.

4. To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons butter with the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the milk. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.




































Notes: These were Kev's valentine cookies but I made tons and my family couldn't eat all of it, so I ended up giving a lot away.

Adapted from: All Recipes Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies III
Read more...

Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 tb vanilla
- 1 tb butter
- Pinch of salt
- 1/8 cup cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Separate the whites of the eggs and beat them good until stiff. While beating them add 1/4 cup sugar slowly until it's good and foamy.

2. Now get to the yellow of the 6 eggs. Also beat them until good and stiff and add 1/4 cup of sugar.

3. Sift together flour, cocoa and salt in medium bowl. Gently stir flour mixture into yolk mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, just until flour mixture disappears.

4. Cut and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites.

5. Gently spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 325°C for 15-20 minutes. Cool before using cookie cutters.



















Notes: Made this for my family's valentines dessert. The cake failed to rise.


Adapted from: Recipes 4 Cakes Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe with Fruit Read more...

Ingredients
- Strawberries
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate chips
- Milk

Directions:

1. You want the strawberries to sit flat. So if they are a little wobbly with the stems left on, cut the green stems off the strawberries so they will stand upright when placed on your serving tray. With a small sharp knife, cut an "X" in each strawberry, cutting almost to the bottom of each strawberry. (The cut should be such that the strawberry will open up but not fall apart.) Gently, with your fingertips, spread each strawberry apart to make "petals".

2. Melt the chocolate chips and add a bit of milk until it is a smoother consistency. Make as much as you need.

3. Dip the bottom of the strawberries in melted chocolate chips. Leave it in the fridge to cool down.

3. Spoon the cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe the cream into the strawberries. If not serving immediately, cover, and place in the refrigerator until serving time.















Notes: Made this for my family's valentines dessert.

Adapted From: Joy of Baking Strawberries filled with Cream Read more...

Yield: 8 Nests

Nest
- 1 egg
- 3 cups chow mein noodles
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- Lettuce leaves

Egg Salad
- 3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
- Mayonnaise
- Chopped celery
- Chopped red peppers
- Finely chopped onion
- Minced fresh parsley
- Seasoned salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, beat egg. Add chow mein noodles and garlic salt; stir to coat. Drop by 1/3 cupfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Using fingers, shape each into a nest; make an indentation in the center of each. Bake at 350 degrees F for 11-13 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

2. In a bowl, make your favourite egg salad. You can use the ingredients that I used.

3. Just before serving, spoon 1/4 cupful into eat nest. Serve on a lettuce-lined plate if desired.

Notes: Made this as an appetizer for my family's valentines dinner. The chow mein didn't look ready, so I left them in the oven for longer but they ended up a bit on the hard side.

Adapted from: All Recipes Bird's Nest Egg Salad Read more...