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Homemade Valentine’s Day Mints

January 27, 2012 By

I had a vision of mints the other day.

Cute, mini, glittery, heart mints for Valentine’s Day.

They are soo much better than those conversation hearts.

First you need a teeny tiny heart cookie cutter (I used this mini heart fondant cutter) or you could use a mini heart mold. I believe using a mold is the typical way to make mints.. but I didn’t have one so I improvised. This way works just fine!

For these hearts you can use a basic mint or cream cheese mint recipe. You first mix 2 Tbs softened butter, 1 Tbs Crisco, 1-2 tsp Peppermint Extract and 1/2 pound of powdered sugar. It should be clumpy. Add 1 Tbs hot water at a time (usually around 2-3 Tbs hot water total) until the mixture can easily be rolled into a ball without being too sticky.

If you want to make different colored or flavored mints, separate your mixture and add your desired food coloring or flavor.

Roll each color into a ball and place on a cutting board with powdered sugar. Roll out each ball flat until it reaches about 1/4 inch.

You want to wait about 10-15 minutes before you cut out your hearts or they will be too soft to handle.

Make sure you dip your cookie cutter in powdered sugar.

The trick to not get the hearts stuck in the cookie cutter is to press down quick and hard. If the mint gets stuck in the cutter, either wait a few minutes longer before continuing or just tap the cookie cutter on the cutting board until your mint comes out.

These are chocolate mints. I added a bit of cocoa powder to the mixture.

You want to then wait another 10-15 minutes after you’ve cut out your hearts. This makes it super easy to remove the surrounding dough and your hearts will come right out. If you want to add Edible Glitter now’s the time. Then place your mints on a cookie sheet and leave out for a few hours.

Then share with your friends and family! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Filed Under: Blog, Desserts, DIY, Featured, Idea Room, Recent Articles, Recipe Box 29 Comments

Our Family Photos: Jill VZ Photography

December 6, 2011 By

I stumbled upon Jill VZ Photography’s website when looking for someone to take family photos for our Christmas card. I just knew I had to have her take them because her lighting, natural posing, and style were exactly my taste. If you happen to be in Iowa and need a Des Moines photographer, I recommend Jill! Here are our family photos that I can’t wait to send out on our Christmas cards!

Another plus to Jill’s photography, besides the wonderful photos are the little details she puts into everything. After working in the photography business for several years, I know how much time it takes to do this:

If you want family portraits taken by Jill, you can visit her at her website Jill VZ Photography and her Facebook page. Thanks for the beautiful photos Jill!

Filed Under: Blog, Family & Adoption, Featured, Recent Articles 13 Comments

Apple Dessert Braid

September 28, 2011 By

Everyone enjoyed the pizza braid I posted last year, so I thought I would turn it into something everyone enjoys – dessert. Not just any dessert though, but a super easy, delicious, and good-looking dessert that you can serve at parties and people will be amazed and think you spent hours in the kitchen.

All you need are about 6 apples, any good baking apple. I used Jonathan. If you are in a rush, you could easily use the canned apple pie filling. Then of course you need the Rhodes bread dough that I used in the pizza braid, thawed and risen. To cook the apples in you need some butter, vanilla, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You can top the braid with toasted almonds and cream cheese frosting.

First, peel and slice all of your apples.

On the stove top, melt your butter and cook your apples for a few minutes. Add in 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Cook about 15 minutes or until tender.

Yum.

Spread your dough out  on a floured, rimmed cookie sheet and place your cooked apples right down the middle.

Using a pizza cutter, cut thin strips on each side of the apples, like the photo below. You want the same amount of strips on each side. Don’t cut too close to the apples or the filling will bubble out during the baking process and make a mess.

This might be a tricky part for some, but now you braid the dough. Fold over the first two strips to make the end of the braid, you don’t want all of the good apple mixture spilling out. Then, you take a strip from one side and bring it across the apple mixture and to the other side. It’s easier to look at pictures…

When you get towards the bottom of the braid, be sure to fold over the last two strips, just like you did in the beginning, to keep that apple goodness inside!

Bake at 325 until golden brown, about 20 – 25 minutes. You can brush with butter and throw on some toasted almonds before the end of baking too. I’m a frosting girl, so I used a basic cream cheese frosting recipe and thinned it down with a little milk and drizzled that right on over the top.

I betchya this will be one for your recipe box! Enjoy!

The fall weather is here and a few of my favorite fall-themed recipes are: caramel apple grapes, apple cider cups, and mini bundt pumpkin cakes!

Apple Dessert Braid
Author: Busy-Mommy.com
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Ingredients
  • 1 loaf of Rhodes Bread dough (found in freezer section), thawed and risen
  • 6 Baking Apples (Granny Smith, Jonathan), peeled and sliced
  • 1 stick Butter
  • 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp. Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • Toasted Almonds
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
  1. Peel and slice your apples.
  2. Melt butter in saucepan and cook apples for a few minutes. Add in the sugars, cinnamon and vanilla, and cook until tender.
  3. Spread the bread dough out on a rimmed cookie sheet in a large rectangle and place the apples all the way down the center.Using a pizza cutter, cut the same amount of strips on each side of the apples.
  4. Fold the top two strips, down over the apples to create the end of the braid and prevent apples from spilling out.
  5. Take the next strip and pull to the other side of the braid. Now from the other side of the braid take that strip and pull to the other side. Braid the bread down to the other end. (Be sure to fold over the last two strips on the end just like you did for the beginning).
  6. Bake at 325 until golden brown. If desired, top with toasted almonds and cream cheese frosting

 

Filed Under: Blog, Desserts, Featured, Recent Articles, Recipe Box 20 Comments
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