Project Date Night '16: February

For Valentine's Day, we typically prefer to skip the crowds, stay in and spend some quiet time together in the comfort of our own home. We introverts are like two peas in a pod.

This year, we had the added "blessing" of a gut-healing special diet program on top of my usual food allergies, so eating out wasn't an option for us anyway (as well as chocolate, dessert and candy of any type being off limits).

Décor
Have you ever heard of doing a "heart attack" on Valentine's day? Apparently it's similar to a "Ding Dong Ditch" except for Valentine's Day. In a "heart attack" you secretly put heart shapes somewhere near or on the unsuspecting victim's house/car/office/door/etc. I'd never heard of it before, but it sounded like fun.  I "heart attacked" our bedroom door with these heart shaped "I love you because..." tags (they're supposed to be attached to balloons, but I used them in my own way) and also made some paper "conversation hearts" with colored cardstock and a sharpie marker.

V-Day

Jalapeno Popper Eggrolls

This year, I wanted to do something special and creative for Valentine's Day, but didn't want to spend a bundle of cash.  I did some checking around online and came up with some fun ideas...

I made a twist on M's favorite appetizer, Jalapeno Poppers...  I did a jalapeno and cheese filling stuffed into eggroll wrappers, then baked them like I did with the Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls a few weeks ago.  They turned out really good!!! M said he would have like it to be a bit spicier, so next time, I'll leave some of the jalapeno seeds and ribs in. Check out the recipe on my recipage, here.

Banana Bread Love

Banana bread is my comfort food... the aroma takes me back to childhood and simpler times.  It reminds me of good times laughing around a table with loved ones.  It reminds me of all the times my family showed love to a friend or neighbor by sharing a mini loaf of home baked banana bread goodness.

Banana bread was my first successful baking venture.  I won't go into the disaster cookies I baked previous to that first banana bread experience... who knew eggs were important?  Thank goodness for an almost 10-year old brother who would eat pretty much anything... I digress...