Lavinia at Home

It’s February – out with the January blues and in with reds Hearts Chocolates, fudge and roses, wine and red lingerie. The month for romance and chocolate lovers.

I love February. It’s not just a month for lovers, it’s a time to be nice to yourself. Don’t wait for someone to buy you flowers, when you are passing the flowers stand or in the market buy yourself some flowers, put them on your desk at work or in your kitchen, it’s a great pick me up. A drop of bleach in the vase will keep your roses fresh a little longer.

Here are a few helpful hints:
If you are planning a meal for that special someone and you don’t want an unpleasant odor in the room, simmer a small pan of vinegar, or add vinegar in the water. If its fish make sure you wash the cooking implements with vinegar.

If you light candles and the wax gets on a wood surface, you can soften it with a hairdryer. Once softened, remove the wax with a paper towel and wash with vinegar and water. If the wax gets on your linen, remove as much as you can with a butter knife and place fabric between two blotters, such as a paper towel or napkin and press it with a warm iron. If the color from the candle stains the fabric, try some dry cleaning solvent and wash immediately.

If you spill red wine on your linen, you can pour some white wine over the stain immediately or later. You can also make a paste of baking soda and water and leave on to absorbed, while spraying with a little water intermediately.

I am concluding my note with a chocolate lover’ delight – my favorite recipe for rich fudge brownies:

Brownies:

4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of butter (2 sticks of butter)
4 squares of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup of flour

Fudge Topping:

2 cups of sugar
1/3 cup of butter
1 can of condensed milk (12oz)
1 cup (8oz) semisweet special dark chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, prepare a 13×9 inch pan, buttering pan thoroughly. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan, let cool, and gently fold into egg and sugar mixture. Slowly add flour, mixing thoroughly. Pour into pan and bake for 25 mins, do not over bake as brownie should remain moist. In a separate pan, melt your butter slowly adding sugar and condensed milk stirring constantly over low heat for about 5 mins ,add chocolate chips mix thoroughly and beat until smooth, it should be a nice smooth consistency and not thick. Remove from heat pouring (should pour easily) over the brownie immediately. Time the cake to come out of the oven just seconds before the fudge mix is done. Allow to cool. Put in the freezer to set. Cut into one inch squares and enjoy!

Remember … if you are one egg shy for a recipe, substitute I teaspoon of cornstarch.

Don’t forget to check out our website at LaviniaLingerie.com for that someone special you!

Amore!

February is a good pick-me-up month to follow January, which can sometimes be a low time for us after the excitement of the holidays. So, let’s get to the kitchen and make something chocolate and ravishing, well sort of ravishing – it’s chocolate and easy.

Chocolate Shortbread

1 cup flour (unsifted)
½ cup butter
½ cup powder sugar or ¼ cup super fine sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream the butter, add sugar and vanilla until well blended, sift in flour and cocoa until the mixture forms into soft dough.

Cut the dough in half and shape it into two rounds. With your thumb and finger, pinch the dough around the edge and prick all over with a fork. The pattern should resemble the bottom of a petticoat. If you would rather shape the shortbread it into hearts, go for it!

Bake for 30–35 minutes on a cookie sheet. Lightly score the shortbread into wedge slices. Remove from oven. While it’s still warm, completely cut the shortbread into wedges. Let it cool and serve.

There are so many different variations of Scottish shortbread and petticoat tails are just another version of this delicious butter cookie. Petticoat tails originated in Edinburgh around 1560 when Mary Queen of Scots arrived back from France. Her French chefs modified the traditional Scottish recipe for shortbread and produced small thin cakes called “petites gatelles” (little cakes), which later became known as petticoat tails. Although, some believe that the origin of the name came from its shape as the cakes resembled the petticoat hoops worn by the ladies in old Scottish Court. Either way, they are delicious. Yum!

Not all of us have that special someone in our lives, so I think it’s time to be nice to ourselves. Now that the shortbread is ready, sit down, pour yourself a glass of red wine and enjoy your chocolate shortbread. Tomorrow buy yourself some flowers, and don’t forget to take a quick peak at Lavinia’s new lingerie. The brown lingerie is very appealing too.
It might just be what the doctor ordered.

Love is in the air. Love is everywhere!

Enjoy the moment, enjoy the month.