Cupid's Arrow Popcorn & Candy Munch Cups

Once the festive colors and sweet candies of the impending holiday go up in stores, anyone with little chicas and chicos know that those party donation request forms start showing up in their sweet little bookbags. 

Most likely these forms reach your doorsteps weeks in advance, if you are anything like me ...........

dulce suenos ( sweet dreams) of thick fluffy brownies, stuffed with chocolate chips dripping with rich vanilla frosting, cut into cute little heart shapes with homemade hot pink and red sugar lip sprinkles dripped all over them ( or some fancy pants treat like that) dance in your head.

They sound pretty perfect hugh!?....Right!....Well fast forward to let's say ummmm...........

the day before the big bash and what do I have? Nothing!! Not a chocolate chip, nor a lick of vanilla frosting and the idea of handcrafting sprinkles in the span of a few hours time is like mission impossible! 

So I came up with something that is way less time consuming and super easy to put together, just in case you find yourself in a situation like me and need a cute little party treat in no time flat!

                                                                     
                                        Ingredients
 
popcorn ( microwave or bagged)
Valentine's candy ( I used candy corn and m&m's but you can use anything that will mix well with popcorn, and is red and pink of course)
red or pink candy melts
red, pink and or white sprinkles
red or pink cups
 heart ring pops or regular ring pops
 
The amount of popcorn and candy you will need will all depend on how many cups you plan to fill. If you are going to make enough for about 24 cups, I would buy two bags of popcorn and three bags of candy. 
                                                                

                                                              Directions
1.  Get a large bowl pour in the popcorn and mix in your bags of candies
 
2. Once your popcorn/ candy munch are well mixed, divide them evenly into each individual cup filling them to the top of each cup.
 
3. Next you will need to melt about 1/2 cup of melting chocolate for approx. 24 cups, once chocolate is completely melted,  using a spoon drizzle chocolate quickly over the popcorn and candy in each cup.
4. I placed the ring pops in the middle of the popcorn for my last step,  to secure the pops to the popcorn I dabbed a little chocolate underneath the ring base than placed it in the middle of the popcorn.
 
For extra cuteness you can get a roll of cellophane or individual treat bags and wrap them up with a pretty pink or red bow!
 
Now how easy was that?  These really should be called " No Stress Cups"!

True Amor-Heart Shaped Pancakes

I was always the kind of girl who loved everything whimsical, I had almost every kaleidoscope colored sticker Lisa Frank ever made. I always picked out the notebooks that had brilliant rainbows with fluffy white clouds on the ends with sprinkles coming down from the imaginary bright blue sky.




During school I would love when the teacher gave us free time to draw what we wanted, I look back now and I laugh at the thought of me rushing to get out my fresh piece of manila paper. As I carefully drew the lines to my latest creation, each stroke carefully aligned.  Although I paid great attention to every detail the end result was always the same.

A giant waffle cone with three scoops of ice cream, always three, never one or even two always three! Each scoop would get increasingly larger as they got closer to the cone, I would accent each creamy scoop with every pink, orange, yellow and lime green colored sprinkle Crayola had to offer me. On top would always be a plump fire-engine red cherry with a far-reaching chocolate brown stem. 

As I grew older my love for all things whimsy never faded it actually became more diversified. While in high school I was assigned to a freshman Spanish class with a Profesora who absolutely adored her job, but loved seeing her students absorb the language just as much,

It was during this time that my "like" for the Spanish language became a "love"!   Now instead of just" whimsical things", I now was in love with "whimsical words...but only in Spanish.

Every time I would hear them my ears would perk up, sweetheart was now Corazon, my love translated to Carino and there was no more love, just pure Amor. I mean come on seriously the chica in the Kahlua commercial was right, everything sounds so much more intriguing in Spanish.

So needless to say when I was shopping this weekend and I came across this heart-shaped pancake mold I was totally Enomorada! (in love)



No better way to show your love than with food, and no doubt as soon as you sit these cute little whimsical hearts in front of someone you love, without any words they will know just what you mean.  So I present to you a little bit of my "Amor", pancake style of course!






Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

 
Directions

I actually used a heart shaped pancake mold that I found in the department store. it was just like a cookie cutter except it had a little knob to turn the pancake over.

I found that most of the time I didn't even use it, I used the spatula so I figure a metal cookie cutter could be used just the same.

                   

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.                                   

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter into the pancake mold or cookie cutter, just to the middle of the cutter.

Overflow will cause it become a little misshapen, when you see little bubbles forming in the middle, check to see if the pancake is ready. I like mine at a  light to medium brown on both sides. When they're done butter em up serve and Enjoy! ♥