Valentine's Day - Country Cooking With Snowmen Angels

Snow, ice and love is in the air.  I would sure like to think that it is more of love than snow, but currently we are getting a major snow storm, so for the time being, it may be more snow.  Last night's snowfall totaled eight inches. The significant snow accumulation doesn't, however, stop anyone from thinking of how to celebrate the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday, including me.  Every year I always create a twist on the holiday by incorporating snowmen in my tablescape since there always seem to be a lot of snow around for the eventful day. (If you missed last year's post, Valentine's Day - A Day With Snowmen and Hearts, you can see it here at this link: Valentine's Day 2019 - A Day with Snowmen and Hearts.)

My Valentine's Day tablescape for this year will include adorable snowmen accents, including a set of cute snowmen angel dessert plates which are pictured in this article and will be in the entire tablescape for my next article.  Little winged cupids, which commonly symbolize Valentine's Day, seem to come in all different shapes and forms. For the Little Yellow Corner Store, the cupid angel takes on an additional form, that is, one of a snowman angel with wings.

A set of whimsical Debbie Mumm Snowmen Angels dessert plates were a gift from my sister and has an element of country and folk art design to them.  The charming burgundy and white checkered edge of the plates mirrors the primitive checkered tablecloth that I used and sets the tone for more country decor pieces. Visit again soon for my next posting to see the complete Snowmen Angel tablescape celebrating Valentine's Day.

But for the moment, these precious snowmen angels have inspired some made-from-scratch, country cooking, like a homemade apple pie topped with snowmen crust cut-outs.   A home baked dessert is just the thing for the completion of a cozy, intimate Valentine's Day dinner.  It is just as special and pleasurable as a box of chocolates, if not more, because it is made with love, from the heart and from caring, nurturing hands.

These cute cut-outs in the shape of snowmen are shown here in more detail on the unbaked crust.

When baked and fresh out of the hot oven, this flakey, golden brown apple pie has just the right amount of sweetness and cinnamon.  A spicy, tantalizing and aromatic scent fills the kitchen. A big slice of warm and juicy apple pie and a cup of strong hot coffee makes anyone forget that there is so much snow falling outside the window.

Here is the recipe if you find yourself snowed in and wanting to make a very comforting dessert.

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A Delicious Apple Pie

Crust:

2 C flour, (all-purpose)

1 tsp. salt

3/4 C shortening, (Crisco)

5 or 6 T cold water

Mix flour and salt in large bowl and cut in Crisco shortening.  Add the cold water by one tablespoon at a time mixing until it forms a ball.  Divide into two equal balls.  

Flour surface and ball and roll out one ball to fit the bottom of the pie pan.  Fill the bottom pie crust with apple filling (recipe below.)  Roll out second ball for the top crust of the apple pie.  Before placing it on the bottom crust with the filling, make cut-outs in the top crust, like snowmen.  This will help to release steam while baking.  Use cut out pieces to decorate the top crust before baking.  If you do not use cut-outs, just make slits in the top crust before baking.  Crimp the edges of the pie and bake according to the temperature and time listed below in the filling.

Snowman Apple Pie Filling:

7 Cups of baking, tart or semi-tart apples, cored, peeled and sliced thinly
1/4 C white sugar, (or 1/2 C sugar, depending on the tartness of the apple)
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 T flour
2 T butter

Mix ingredients, except the 2 T butter, and microwave the apple mixture for 3 minutes, stirring after it is finished.  Pour into bottom crust and dot with butter and cover with top crust.  Make slits to release steam if you did not use cut-outs.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees for the remainder of the time, 35-45 minutes or until juices are bubbly or apples are tender.  During the baking time, brush crust with egg whites.  If the outer edges are getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil to avoid burning.

Cool completely or serve slightly warm with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Of course, chocolate is a must for Valentine's Day.  But this year, it is also served up a little differently.  These velvety, smooth and rich hallow chocolate snowmen made by Lindt, makes a perfect dessert beverage when filled with cold chocolate milk for children and an alcohol or non-alcoholic drink, such as a rich, creamy Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur or a smooth, chocolatey Mudslide cocktail for adults. Very cute and absolutely yummy.  It is a unique and an ideal beverage to serve around the fireplace.   The chocolate helps to restore energy levels after a day outside engaged in sledding, tubing, skating, building snowmen or just taking a walk in the crisp, cold air, sunshine and snow.

Just use a pastry tip to poke a hole in the chocolate the size for the straw and use a funnel to fill in your beverage a little at a time in the chocolate in order to prevent a spill-over (see below).  Put in a decorative straw and reshape the foil around the straw and serve!

You can also serve your chocolate snowman without the foil and dressed however you desire.  I left mine in the foil because of the pretty colors and details of the foil.  Let your imagination go wild.  (Also you need to keep in mind that if you serve your chocolate without the foil and the more the chocolate is handled with warm fingers, there is a greater likelihood of it melting and could result in leaking.)

Before I decided to serve the chocolate snowman in its own foil, I purchased some of these black felt top hats and cut slits on the top for the straw.  A little gingham bow was added for embellishment and the snowman is dressed for the fun occasion. 

I am excited to think of how the hallow chocolate bunnies could be decorated for the upcoming Easter holiday with a floppy straw hat and some floral, pastel ribbon.  The possibilities are endless. 

Come out from the cold and join me again as we stay toasty warm and comfy among the many snowmen angels.