The UnValentine by Sam Beeson and I Heart You Valentine Breakfast

My aunt bought meThe UnValentine by Sam Beeson last year and it's a great twist on love and the holiday.

"Lily didn't believe in love.
Yes, Lily was a cloaked
and brooding cynical inferno.
And frantically she scratched
her hot misgivings in her journal.
She knew that every word she wrote,
each pointed, prickly curse
Was absolutely true, and Lily
wrote it all in verse."
But when Lily finds a dark note crumpled on her desk she finds her own unValentine.
Happy UnValentine's Day!
Here's a tasty and easy treat you can make for your own Valentine or unValentine:

Spread yogurt on a plate. Slice a strawberry in halve and shape it to resemble a heart. Add fresh raspberries and cream. Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday-Hobo Waffles

Toni Nelson lived close to a railroad where many transient, homeless people would stop to finish off her grandmother's breakfast leftovers. In her memoir, A Beggar's Purse she says,  "I had grown so accustomed to the weary travelers arriving at our back door for food that I hardly ever noticed that they were even there." (p. 29)  These homemade waffles are simple to make and cost very little.  Make a double batch and feed a crowd. 

Hobo Waffles

1 stick butter (4 oz.)
2 cups flour
1/8 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. baking powder
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk or 1 c. buttermilk / 1 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
In a  bowl place one stick butter and melt in microwave until nearly melted. Cool, add baking powder, salt, milk, egg yolks; stir.

Add flour and beat briefly with a hand mixer or whisk. Stir in vanilla.

Beat the egg whites, gradually adding the sugar until soft, foamy stiff peaks form. Fold into batter and bake in waffle iron about 4 minutes or until steaming stops and waffles are golden brown.


source

Nuts and Bolts Snack Mix

Ann Whitford Paul's how to book about writing picture books for children has everything you need to get started.  The nuts and bolts.  The kitchen sink.  :)  You get the picture.

Nuts and Bolts Snack Mix

1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 cup craisins
1 cup strawberried peanut butter M&Ms

Dump all the ingredients into a container or baggie and shake together (kids love this recipe). 

*You can probably see from the picture how I did not use the strawberried peanut butter M&Ms.  I went to four different stores searching for them, but they must be discontinued.  If you can find them, definately use them.  Trust me on this one. Yum.  And they are more colorful.  But alas, I used chocolate chips instead because I had to have some chocolate in there somewhere!