Happy Sunday! Valentine’s Day ideas.

Hello and happy Sunday! I hope you are having a great weekend! I am, although the crazy blizzard like conditions derailed my plans for Friday night with friends. The snow has stopped and now we are just contending with 0 degree temperature’s. I am fine with that because we are ensconced in the house reading and doing some organizing. 

Photo by me

Do you have plans for Valentine’s Day? As I am in Milwaukee visiting family I am going on a date with my mom to a concert. We will be attending aviolin and cello concertpreformed byJohn Patekand Jared Snyder at the Wisconsin Women’s Club. John Patek is a friend and the son of my former violin teacher and friend, and he is a spectacular performer. If you are lucky enough to hear him or his equally talented sister Rebecca Patekyou will see what I mean. Rebecca currently preforms in Austin, TX.

 If you cannot see John preform here in the states he also plays with the21st Century Symphony Orchestrain Luzern, Switzerland. Their newest CD isThe Lord of the Rings Symphony conducted by Howard Shore.

I also have a few sweet ideas if you are looking for a scrumptious and easy dessert for your romantic dinner at home.

Angel food cake with homemade hot fudge sauce and fresh raspberries.  And chocolate mocha cups with home made vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce garnished with raspberries.

Both of these desserts can be made from scratch or you can take a few short cuts, whatever the case do take the time to whip up the easy hot fudge sauce, it just makes the dessert more special and it is delicious.

 Bittersweet Fudge Sauce

adapted from the Silver Palete Cookbook

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3 tablespoons butter, unsalted

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

6 tablespoons corn syrup

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate and butter very slowly in a double boiler stir frequently until combined, do not let this burn.  Meanwhile, heat the water to boiling in the small, heavy saucepan. When the butter and chocolate have melted, stir the mixture into the boiling water. Add the sugar, corn syrup and salt and mix until smooth. Increase heat to medium and stir until mixture starts to boil; adjust heat so that sauce is just maintained at the boiling point, stirring occasionally. Allow sauce to boil for nine minutes.

Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and serve warm over ice cream, angle food cake or any other dessert you have prepared.

I hope you have a fabulous day! Let me know what great ideas you have for Valentine’s Day! What do you do to celebrate, do you go out, stay in and make something special?

Looking forward to Downton Abbey, I do so hope that Mr. Bates has not killed the former Mrs. Bates!