GRANNY'S KITCHEN: Shortbread Hearts

 These are my two shortbread molds from Pampered Chef.  I always cook in the mold, but you can mold the cookies and pop them out onto a cookie tray for cooking. This way you could cook more than two at a time.  I don't mind only doing two at a time since the recipe only makes 5 cookies, and it is cold..if I were to do these in the summer, I would probably pop them out of the mold and cook all at once.

 My recipe that I like to use:

1 cup butter, 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring), 1/8 tsp salt, and 2 cups flour.
Put in mixer.  If the dough is sticky, add 1/4 cup more flour (up to 1/2 cup).

I spray cooking oil on my molds then flour them well before pressing the dough in.  Prick the cookies with a fork to help prevent bubbling up, then cook at 325* for about 15 - 20 minutes (the time depends on the mold I'm using.. these take about 15.. some take 25).  Loosen around the edges with a knife then pop out and put on cooling rack.

I think these are beautiful just the way they are, but I have some 'food markers' that I painted on a couple with.  Maybe next time, I will use my liquid dyes and paint on the colors.. I bet the colors would be better plus that brush would be easier to use.

I've got my eye on some Easter molds... wonder if I could talk hubby into getting them for my anniversary or something. :o)

GRANNY'S KITCHEN: Valentine's Vase

 My son, Nathan, works on a barge and is gone two weeks at a time. He happens to be coming home on Valentine's Day, so I am planning a wonderful dinner for the family (including his sweetie).

I am going to decorate the dining room, so I went to the dollar tree to see what I could find. 

 There were several vases for sale, and at only $1 each, that was hard to pass up.  I played with all the different sizes and shapes until I found one that would fit inside the other.  The lady bugs are very cute, but they are going to be hidden -- that just happened to be what fit in the larger vase without sticking out the top.






And BONUS: These were BOTH made right here in AMERICA!! Yay!

 There was not much room around the little vase inside the large vase, so I chose red hot candies to fill the void. This could be ANY candy, depending on what time of year you are decorating for: candy corns, sweet heart candies, jelly beans, etc..  I am decorating all in red and white, so red hots were perfect.

 Put the smaller vase inside the larger vase.  Then fill the void with the candy.. It could be any size vase on the outside. The inside should be about as tall as the outside, although you could bring it up to the top by sitting it on top of some candy.  The purpose is to have a place where you can add water for fresh flowers, or possibly a plant.
 While waiting in line at the store, I noticed some silk roses that were pretty. I picked up one bunch of them (the little white flowers were attached) to put in my vase.  For silk flowers, you probably wouldn't need the inside vase: just stick them down in the candy. BUT, it takes less candy with the inside vase in place.  I used less than 2 bags of red hots. I think it turned out lovely.