Of Haikus and Cupids

Thanks to all who entered last week's contest. The winner of the Valentine's haiku competition is....drumroll, please....

Glynis Smy (visit her blog HERE). Congrats to you poet/author lady. Lovely work, and oh what a killer last line! Love when a poem's form mirrors the message. The end words -- promise, kiss, farce also make a secondary form, if you've got a wierd brain like mine. Here's Glynis' winning haiku:

Stiletto promise
Floral bribe, sweet chocolate kiss
February farce

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Since today is that special day we spread around the love a little bit more than the other 364 days a year, here's hoping you ALL have a wonderful Valentine's day. [That especially includes those of you who are single or between loves, divorced, widowed, or simply choose to be by yourself for now!]

I planned and executed Operation St. Valentine's and had a great time preparing little treat bags for my loved ones here in town, but I'm sending y'all who live far from me (and you KNOW who you are) thoughts of love and joy too. :)

What is Operation St. Valentine's (OSV), you ask? Just some culinary and therapeutic fun I cooked up.........

Step One -- Decoupage and personalize plain brown paper bags:

Step Two -- While the bags dry, make a big load of brownie balls to put in the freezer to harden for an hour or so (see recipe from last week):

Step Three -- Fill Ziplock bags with Dr. Teal's (Oh myyyyyyy; you just gotta try this new spin on epsom salt!!!). I used Lavender for this project, but love the spearmint and eucalyptus:

Step Four -- Decorate brownie balls with melted chocolate, Heath and Andes Mint chips, sprinkles, etc. Put in fridge for 2 or 3 hours to set:

Step Five -- Group sweets in sandwich bags and tie with a pretty ribbon. Add colorful tissue paper and you're ready to deliver your "Soak and Savor" bags.

X's & O's from me to you!!!





Writerly Wednesday ~~ Contest and Other News...

Hey writerly blog pals! Before other things, I posted the recipe to Beth's yummy Italian Cream Cake below. It's TDF!

How's it going in your corner of the world? I've been b-u-s-y lately, but with good stuff. Cooking, writing projects, some creative endeavors of the Vispo-collage-art kind, reading, researching some new ideas for our beloved Rose & Thorn Journal, (check out our winter issue -- it's fab!), collecting recipes/pics for a cookbook project, etc.

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I've also been doing some background/extras work on the set of HBO's Treme show down in New Orleans. Sooooooo much fun, and an awesome series. Check it out on Hulu if you get a chance. The second season airs starting in April. I'll let you know if I make it past the editing "machine" and actually appear in any of the episodes. haaa

Okay, enough about Gumbo Writer's world. Hope yours is twirling just as nicely as mine! :)

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It's time for a writing contest, dontcha think? This one will honor ST. VALENTINE'S day. It's simple and fun, so enter to win a fab writerly package, which naturally includes lotsa chocolate and coffee -- mainstays of the "job" description. [More on that on Friday's post.] 

All you have to do is write a Valentine's haiku and leave it in a comment. Or, hey, if you're not one of those mushy, gushy, lovey-dovey types, how about an anti-Valentine's haiku? *grin*  

Haiku is that Japanese poetic form that follows the 5 + 7 + 5 = 17 syllabic equation. They're fun, easy and can be surprisingly "deep" if crafted correctly. And the best part? ANYone can write a haiku! 

Here's a quick example~~~~~~~~

He corrected her
drink order: "Two rums and Coke." 
The break-up followed.

So get busy, have fun, and enter to win by midnight February 13! (Leave me an email address if you don't have a Blogger account profile so I can get in touch if you win!) One entry per customer.

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For another cool writerly contest of the Mardi Gras variety, check out Tere Kirkland's at her The Lesser Key of Tere writing blog. Cool prizes to be given!

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Just in case you're wondering...I've got three sticky notes left in my 100-pack Spread the Love project. It's been SOOO much fun. I'm going to do it again soon. Recipients have really enjoyed the little boost to their day and/or an unexpected "love" note.

Now.....get out there and do something nice for somebody, and for yourself too! xxo

Tasty Tuesday ~~ Sweets for Your Sweets?!

If you're trying to think of something to get your Valentine's this year, what about something made with love from your kitchen? Here's a few options...

BROWNIE CAKE BALLS

1 brownie mix cooked according to pkg. directions
1 16-oz can of complimentary flavored frosting (or prepared butter cream icing)
6 or 7 oz. chocolate chips, melts or almond bark

After brownies are cool enough to handle, crumble the panfull into a large mixing bowl. Add 2/3 of the can of frosting or comparapble amount of butter cream. Put bowl in fridge for at least 4 hours.

Form small balls (these are rich!) and put on wax paper-lined cookie sheet using your hands like making meatballs, or a melon baller if you have one. Flash freeze for about an hour.

Melt chips in a small glass bowl in microwave, stirring between heatings to get it smooth. (You can add a few drops of food coloring if you use the almond bark or white chips). Either dip each ball with a spoon into chocolate, or drizzle it on top, or just dunk in the top half! This recipe has lots of leeway and flavor choices! Set balls on clean wax paper. Put in refrigerator until choclate sets.

You can also use the leftover frosting with a cup of chips/melts to drizzle over brownie balls. Or just dust with powdered sugar!

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

1/3 c. margarine or butter, softened
Flavor:  1 1/2 t. vanilla, almond extract OR 1/2 tsp. peppermint
3 T. milk

Mix all ingredients until smooth.

Your love will eat these up! Find a pretty container or tin...or even use candy sticks to make a bouquet of sweets in a styrofoam wedge.

When I get back from New Orleans this afternoon, I'll post the recipe that goes with this...........

Beth Bennett's Italian Creme Cake

1 stick butter
2c. sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 c. flour
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 can coconut
1 c. chopped nuts

Blend sugar, butter and egg yolks. Add flour, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla. Fold in coconut, nuts and beaten egg whites. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting

Blend 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, 1 stick butter and 1 tsp. vanilla. Gradually add in 1 box powdered sugar, then one cup chopped nuts. Apply to cool cake. Garnish with a sprinkle of nuts.

******This cake is amazing!!!! Twin Alaine ate so much of it she got sick. LOL



 What's your plan for the fourteenth???