Valentine's Day + Perfect Occasion for #RecipeFriday

Mike and I didn't spend Valentine's Day together. Kind of funny since we live together!

Our work schedules (mainly mine) kept that from happening.

He'd already given me one of my V-Day presents - the iPod Shuffle - the previous weekend so that I could use it at Rock N' Roll. I was so excited when I opened this since I've been eyeing them since sometime last fall! I love my nano, but on these longer runs the belt clip begins to chafe my hip and it's all scarred. Not attractive and makes showertime not so fun.

I woke up around 7:45am to my favorite chocolate! Dove milk chocolate truffles to be exact! Something about Dove chocolate that isn't too rich, but it just melts away. I can usually only eat 1 at a time.

I already had in mind what I wanted to do for him for Valentine's weeks ago.

A couple of times through out the year and a half we've been dating, he's mentioned the House of Blues Gospel Brunch in Orlando.

To me, this sounded like a blast. I looked up dates and tickets and found that they had one going on the weekend after Valentine's day, but that would work out great since I work Valentine's Day night AND the Friday and Saturday night after. Sunday morning brunch would definitely hit the spot. He agreed and I booked the tickets!

I also know Mike loves coconut. I'm not a huge fan. When Laura posted this link for No bake Coconut Delights, I had to try making them for him! I ended up not being able to find unsweetened shredded coconut, so I skipped the sweetener (stevia/xylitol) altogether and kind of just winged it. My recipe is very similar, but slight modification to make this a very typical grocery store friendly recipe (without having to go to a WholeFoods/Fresh Market/other organic or natural market).


I'm linking up with CandyFit for her weekly recipe :)

No Bake White Chocolate Almond Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon + a smidge of salt
• white chocolate melting chips
• chopped almonds

Put the sweetened coconut, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt into a food processor. Mix on medium speed (do NOT use high or you'll end up with batter/butter instead) until combined well and mixture sticks together. This will only take 1-2 minutes tops!

I used a measuring tablespoon to scoop out the mixture and form into small cookies. Using this spoon helped to make them somewhat idential in size. You could make whatever shape you want - balls, hearts, regular size cookies, etc. I chose to go with a macaroon style size. with a flattened top since I knew I'd be drizzling white chocolate and almonds over the top and I didn't want it to slide off.

I placed my cookies onto wax paper on a plate and put them in the fridge for about 10 minutes to firm them.

Melt the white chocoloate in the microwave as directed by package (Mine had directions for: 50% power for 2min - stirring at 30 sec increments). I put the melted white chocolate into a sandwich bag and cut a very small tip off of one corner - home made piping bag that cost nothing!

After drizzling excesive amounts of white chocolate and sprinkling the almonds on top, I transferred the cookies to a new clean piece of wax paper and put the cookies back in the fridge.

You could use dark chocolate, maybe a raspberry gelee' - whatever topping you'd like. The cookies themselves taste pretty similar to the middle of a Mounds/Almond Joy bar!

I really like these (and I'm not a coconut fan). In my opinion, they taste much better chilled!







Mike must have liked them because he posted a picture on Facebook! And then texted me pictures of the beautiful red roses waiting for me when I get home. He couldn't keep it a surprise~ :)


Did you do any baking for a valentine this year?
Do you celebrate Valentine's day by going out, staying in, or not at all?
Do you like coconut?