Valentine Candy Skewers

I've been working on a few ideas for Valentine's Day. I've made these candy skewers before but I thought I would make them again for my Valentine sale. My little Worker Bee Kate came over to help me package them up and sample a few treats.

 Here's a few tips if you want to give them a try. I got 8 inch skewers at a Restaurant supply place. They seemed to be a little thinner then the usual BBQ type and you don't have to cut off the excess, both important when you are threading 25 plus skewers. Spray them with some Pam to help the gummy candies slide on a little more easily. I always secure the bottom with a fairly heavy candy and cover the pointy top with a candy so it won't rip the bag. You can use any type of candy that will hold together when you skewer it. For some reason, candy just looks more appealing on a stick in a bag, tied up with some curling ribbon and a cute tag.....

M & M, Oreo Cookie Bars

One thing about cookie bars is they are very easy to whip up with none of the fuss of scooping out dough and changing cookie sheets. The downside is that I always find the edges are a bit crispier if you want the middle to be cooked. I guess that way you can satisfy both the crispy and soft tastes.
I believe this recipe was satisfactory because I gave  a batch to my neighbours and they served it up and got 2 requests for the recipe, so I will give it my endorsement also. (because you know I tried it too!).

Oreo Cookie, M & M Bars
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup light brown sugar packed
1 cup all purpose flour
15 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup M & M's

Line an 8x8 pan with aluminum foil. Spray with Pam
Melt butter, let it cool a little.
Add egg, sugar, vanilla and whisk. Add flour. Do not overmix.
Stir in Oreos. Smooth down the top a bit with a spatula.
Evenly sprinkle M & M's on top and lightly presss down.
Bake until the top is set and edges are browned. Cool before slicing.

From the Heart Stamps - Monthly Challenge

Look at me go.... This month's Freebie from From the Heart Stamps was this adorable Birdbrain image that comes with a whole whack of sentiments as well. And it's FREE! if you completed last month's challenge.
I thought I would double up my challenge participation and enter the weekly sketch 51 from the same site (you get $ towards future digi purchases)
Here's the Sketch I based my card on....

14 in 14

I decided to continue this year with my list of goals, not things I SHOULD do like go to the gym (ever) or eat better etc. etc but things I'd like to do and be mindful of through the year. The beauty of the list is if you don't complete it you can just add it to the list again the next year or discard it completely. No rules!
So here's my list for 2014. A little late, but then again, they're not resolutions, are they?

1.  Link up to more challenges
2. Try a new Pinterest recipe every month 
3.  Travel someplace I've never been
4.  Donate blood twice
5.  Support two charities (previously unknown to me)
6.  Write to my World Vision child at least twice
7.  Use one new scrapbooking item a month
8.  Compete with Lindor in CKC Rally/Obedience
9.  Use my Green bin (not to hold up the eavestrough)
10.  Use my freezer more wisely and on a regular basis
11. Read 20 books. (Fell a bit short last year)
12.  Participate in the Terry Fox run (walk)
13. Investigate some local Service Clubs
14.  Host another Major Scrapbooking Fundraiser.

From the Heart Stamps Freebie

The Monthly Challenge over at From the Heart Stamps was this cute little kitty with a heart and best of all, it was free! Every month if you play along, you get the next month's image for free. Believe it or not, I finished the challenge a few days early and here is my card....

Just realized I intended to glam up the heart a bit. Oh well!

Microwave Peanut Brittle

A friend of mine at work really likes peanut brittle. I gave her some last year for Christmas and this year I didn't get around to it so I decided to whip up a batch for her last week. It turned out perfectly as it always does despite the fact that I got a new microwave and its much hotter then my old one. Didn't seem to matter. I must confess that I bought a glass measuring cup (large) just for peanut brittle. I guess I figure I'll be making it a time or two from now on.
Give it a try, just make sure you are wearing oven mitts. Not kidding!

Microwave Peanut Brittle
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup salted peanuts
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda

Butter a cookie sheet. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Stir in peanuts and microwave 3 1/2 minutes more.
Stir in butter and vanilla and microwave 1 1/2 minutes more.
Stir in baking soda and quickly pour onto cookie sheet.
Let harden and break into pieces.
So GOOD!

It Runs in the Family

Here's Lindor's beautiful sister Lady who has been matched with 2 Canadian Veterans for the last few years.

And her gorgeous son, Elvis who is also matched with a Canadian soldier....

Dogs can do amazing things for their human counterparts!