The smell of chocolate… <3

Just because Valentines day is over doesn’t mean you cant indulge yourself  in some home made chocolates :9

Ingredients you will need:

1/3  Heavy cream

6 Tbs UNSALTED Butter

2 cup of Semi sweet or Bittersweet chocolate chips

First heat the heavy cream in a small sauce pan heat the cream and add the butter, stir until melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until completely melted and has a smooth texture (note: Chocolate can burn easily so make sure you keep your eye on it.)  After the chocolate is melted  pour it in a shallow bowl and refrigerate it for 2 hours  or at least its firm. Once firm get a melon baller and form chocolate balls and roll it in nuts, coconut or whatever you like 😀 Refrigerate and enjoy last up to 2 weeks in a sealed container. Share the love and give them to a love one or a friend <3

This post was written by:

KAT VERA - (view all posts by Kat)
Kat is a lead pastry chef. When she isn’t in the kitchen she’s traveling space and time with Doctor Who and solving mysteries with Sherlock. Email her at kat@mind-speaks.com

Valentine bottles

Seriously had trouble coming up with a nice Valentine’s gift for my boyfriend, Jody. First of all, I am not a romantic person nor the type to put much thought into gifts but Jody is someone amazing so I figured I should think of something cute and mushy!! Or as my sister Kim puts it….embracing the cheese!!

So I pondered: wouldn’t it be cool to design my very own wine or lemonade bottle to fit our relationship? Make a gourmet picnic and surprise him for a nice lunch?

Things I needed for the bottles:

Old school lemonade bottles. (Found at the Container Store)

Full sheet sticky labels

Minute Maid pink lemonade or fruit punch

Funnel (Found at Container Store)

Mod Podge

Picnic Basket (Found at World Market)

Now, I designed and printed out labels of a vector drawing I did of us. I am 5 feet tall and Jody (boyfriend) is a mere 6 foot 3 soooooo I drew the image of him towering over me. Printed on full page labels, cut to size and placed over the bottles.

I took Mod Podge, and brushed over the label and bottle over night. Thanks to Kim for this tip! Dried like a charm – cleaned bottles and added my juice with my trusty funnel!! And ta-da! Fancy customized bottles! My valentine for my dude!

He seemed to really dig the bottles and I had a great time making them!! Again, thanks to Kim for all the help <3!!

This post was written by:

MIJA VERA - (view all posts by Mija)
Mija has been a designer for the last 15 years. She is a paper obsessed fiend and loves working on new projects while listening to her kids and Maine Coon cat chatter around the house. You can email her at mija@mind-speaks.com