Valentine Sweets

Did you think I had forgotten to talk about candy this week? Good heavens, no! I will admit that I forget a lot of things. I forget my cell phone and my sunglasses. I forget to feed the dog. I forget what a blog was supposed to be about right in the middle of typing; but, I DO NOT forget about candy.

Two candies in particular have been a staple in our home this month. The funny thing about these candies is, they haven't always been my favorite. I don't have any memories of eating them as a little girl and getting my fingers all sticky from the sugar. There was never a tradition of getting these candies around Valentine's day or of watching my mom and grandmother making them in the kitchen. (That's a completely different group of candies...) In fact, I believe I ate one of these for the very first time just about a month ago. Let's start with that one shall we?

Candy #1: Dark chocolate covered honeycomb

While perusing the candy options at Sunflower, I picked up a box of these babies wondering what they were. The employee next to me began raving about them (I'm sure there was some combination of the words "sinful" and "delicious") and offered to let me try one. I bit into a giant chunk and she and I became BFF. I had found my new favorite candy.

Honeycomb is crunchy with a burnt sugar/camel sort of flavor. The candy crackles as you let it sit on your tongue and if it is covered in quality chocolate, one piece will leave you very satisfied. Okay well, a really big piece. Or two. Also, it's covered in dark chocolate...did I mention the chocolate?

The only problem with honeycomb is that it is not cheap. Nor is it readily available. Both of these downfalls are probably good, as they keep me from starting the tradition of a daily box of honeycomb, something neither my wallet nor my love handles need. Of course, a little DIY is always a nice way to get around scarcity and price and everybody's favorite domestic goddess has this recipe that I guarantee you I will be trying. Only three ingredients? Be still my frugal heart.


Candy #2 Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears

I've always loved cinnamon bears, and then I found out that people covered them in chocolate. Oh, with the covering of the things in the chocolate. Oh, how it makes everything better.

I usually eat a ton of these around Christmas because my mother-in-law loves them too. And if both sides of our family are good at anything, it is surrounding family members in the things that they love. Pies, cupcakes, chap stick, penguins, plain yogurt, whatever it is you have a passion for, my mother/mother-in-law will make sure you have it.

For one reason or another this past Christmas I didn't eat many cinnamon bears. As a result my craving for them had reached an all-time high by February. My cinnamon bear canteen was all but empty. I scooped these up in the bulk aisle at Sunflower even though the chocolate was a little old. I considered, for a second, dipping my own, but then I remembered that the thing that was most important was getting chocolate and cinnamon bear into my mouth at the same time. Also, since I was spending all of my time getting ready for Z-cakes' birthday, I didn't want to bite of more than I could chew...so to speak.

So even though these two candies are not part of a long passed down, "Werthers Originals" type of family tradition, they've become a part of our tradition starting now. You have to start somewhere right?

What are your favorite Valentine's candies? Do tell.

Now I'm off for more Z-cakes' birthday merriment. This post has taken me about an hour and a half to write because I keep being overcome with craft ADD trying to finish this gift and that gift. We've decided to celebrate Z's birthday all weekend long making everyday a mini birthday extravaganza. Because when you're two, isn't everyday an extravaganza of some type anyway?

Happy Valentining Yall!