Last week we featured a slew of Valentine’s Sweets, including many great recipes you can make at home.  Look, I realize that not everyone has the time or energy to bake up Valentine’s sweets from scratch.  But that doesn’t mean that you can’t treat your loved ones to something special!  Today’s Valentine’s Treats are as simple as point-and-click.  They’re adorable, delicious and available for delivery by Valentine’s Day!

• Message Heart Cookies are entirely hand made at Two Hearts Bakery.  Each crisp heart-shaped chocolate sugar cookie is topped with royal icing and inscribed with a heartfelt message.
• XOXO S’more “hugs” and “kisses” consist hand-cut marshmallow sandwiched between graham crackers, dipped in Guittard milk or dark couverture chocolate.  Also handmade by Two Hearts Bakery.
• Personalized Chocolate Hearts are hand made by Victoria Pastry Co, requiring three hours to complete.  A truly artistic creation, the hollow heart is molded of Guittard dark chocolate with decorative details and personalization in white and rose colored chocolate.
• Heart Petit Fours are hand made with eight layers of light, moist vanilla sponge cake, then enriched with marzipan and three layers of buttercream. The assortment of twelve diamond-shaped cakes includes four of each flavor: lemon, raspberry and vanilla.
• Mini Cupcakes by Perfect Endings are a sweet as can be in this red heart-shaped box.  Devil’s food cupcakes topped with either chocolate-caramel cream or chocolate truffle cream.
• Sweetie Pies are sophisticated whoopie pies.  Made with local butter and free-range eggs, these individual rich, moist red-velvet cakes are filled with decadent buttercream in three delicious flavors: chocolate, raspberry and classic vanilla. The pies are individually wrapped and packaged in a ribbon-tied box.

All of these delicious treats are available via Williams-Sonoma.  So really, how much easier does it need to be?  You have no excuses…. treat your sweetheart to something sweet this Valentine’s Day.  Order by next Monday, Feb 8th to ensure delivery!  Enjoy!

And remember, Thursday is the last day to enter our Wedding JoJo Website Giveaway!

With Valentine’s Day only three weeks away, I thought we’d get you started with some fabulous dessert options for your sweetheart.  Nothing says ‘I Love You’ like something gooey, sweet and delicious.  These treats are so charming, anyone would be thrilled to receive them as a gift… not to mention the pleasure of enjoying every delectable morsel. 

Obviously, I like to bake.  But around the holidays there are so many other things to do!  So I understand that whipping up batches of Christmas cookies is not only time consuming, but can be overwhelming.  That’s why I love the idea hosting a Christmas Cookie Exchange.  It’s a great excuse to get together with your girlfriends.  And when the party is over, you’ll have a nice selection of cookies to take home with you.

Here’s how it works.  Each guest brings one type of cookie, then you swap!  Ask everyone to bring one dozen cookies per attendee, plus one extra to eat during the party.  As the hostess, you’ll supply a large table to lay out the goods, and be sure to keep the milk and coffee flowing.  You can find a detailed checklist to help plan your cookie exchange on Real Simple.  Now, for some cookie recipes to get you started:

Every year we find ourselves in the same situation.  We want to give something special to our friends, neighbors, coworkers and teachers for Christmas.  But since this list of recipients can be lengthy, the gift needs to be relatively inexpensive.  Here are some clever yet simple ideas that will help you spread some holiday cheer.