SBean is so excited! This is her last year in elementary school which means it is our last year of handing out classroom Valentines! The last few years have been difficult because of Covid protocols but this year, we are able to pick out a cute Valentine craft for all of SBean’s grade 5 friends! I wanted to keep it a packaged treat because although some people haven’t learned from the past 3 years, I have, 😂 this was the easiest Valentine we have ever made, it was just under $25 for the entire craft which is just under $1.00 a classmate and I’m pretty sure ALL the kids are going to love it!
I printed cards from Surviving a Teacher’s Salary, bought mini cereal boxes & bamboo spoons from Superstore and double sided tape and red ribbon from the Dollarstore and TA-DA! 25 adorable Valentine’s treats for SBean’s last class Valentine Party!
So here’s the thing, I want to show him how much I appreciate him, but that takes brain power! Something I don’t have anymore 😂. It feels like every bit of my energy goes into keeping my pain management down, keeping my eyelids open, and staying on my feet rather than my ass 😆. Honestly! My Sis messaged me the other day and asked if we wanted to go away with them for a weekend this summer and it gave me anxiety. Not that I don’t want to spend time with them, of course I do! But planning… The thought of socializing… Thinking about disappointing people, and myself, if I have to cancel… it’s all so much. It’s overwhelming! A year ago all of those things I just said would have sounded like excuses to me, but now… It’s my reality.
I know this isn’t going to be how it is forever. I know this! I think of how far I’ve come in the last year and I know that by next year I will have come even further. I can be angry at myself or I can accept how it is right now and hope for better down the road.
With that being said, I’ve tried to plan a low-key afternoon Valentine date for my Ninja ❤️. Nothing too crazy with some thing that I can handle and I know will make Ninja happy. Ninja is happy when we spend time together and when I’m not sad.
I don’t know how I lucked out?! Ninja is a good man. A good man that has a fantastic head on his shoulders, an impressive work ethic, is crazy good looking, has a great sense of humour, and it is interested in learning new things. I honestly couldn’t ask for a better partner. I love you so much Ninja and I’m so happy that I have you by my side even though I don’t show it or say it 😜 every day. L-O-V-E. 😘
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #314: Losers HERE! Topics: band-aids, Dr Horton, running into people, Little Shop of Horrors, Kevin the Goose, garage project reprise, snow plow names, handling cash, concert tickets, & what we’ve been watching.
Rosemary Garlic Butter Steak
Adapted from Vintage Kitchen Notes
3-4 sirloin strip steaks
5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons rosemary, plus 2 sprigs more
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
A splash of red wine
Mince 3 cloves of garlic and rosemary. Add 1 teaspoon salt and mince it a little longer.
Rub the paste over both sides of each steak. For tender steaks, make sue they are room temperature.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium/high heat and melt butter. Add oil.
Cook the steak 2 or 3 additional minutes for medium rare, remove steaks and let rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the wine until reduced and a kind of sauce if formed.
Slice the steaks and serve them with the sauce.
Adapted from Rasa Malaysia
1 lb. baby potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 dashes paprika
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Clean and rinse the baby potatoes, drain and cut into halves.
Heat up a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet and add the oil. Add the potatoes and cook until the surface turns crispy. Toss until nicely browned.
Turn off the heat and sprinkle the cheese on top of the potatoes.
Transfer the skillet into the oven, roast for 15 minutes. Add the butter cubes on top of the potatoes, serve immediately.
2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups powdered icing sugar
3 tablespoon cocoa powder
4 eggs, room temperature
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter and blend until it’s all moistened.
Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool while making the filling.
Melt 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate and set aside to cool.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed and do not overbeat it.
Add melted chocolate and mix on low speed to combine.
Bake the cheesecake until the centre is set and the top looks dry (about 60-70 minutes).
Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides of the pan and set the cake in the refrigerator (uncovered), for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
In a medium saucepan stir together cream, chocolate and sugar on low heat until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
Cool and pour over the cheesecake.
When the topping is set and cooled again run a thin knife around the sides and remove the springform pan sides.
This cheesecake can be prepared up to 2-3 days in advance just store covered in the refrigerator.
