Love is in the simplicity, Valentine's Day celebrations made easy

As the day of love approaches, panic can grow to an all time high. Questions like - what should I buy, what dinner reservations are still available, who can find a babysitter - add to the pressure. Instead of over-spending and creating stress over Valentine's Day, focus on a the simplicity.

Of course, I doubt that anyone would turn down a lavish dinner, romantic getaway or sparkling jewelry. These grand gestures are dreams that every movie and romantic novel makes us believe. In reality, the majority of Valentine's Day celebrations involve feeding the kids heart shaped pancakes and eating some chocolate candy after the kids go to bed. Still, a balance between the extravagant and the lack of effort can be found easily.

Why not start the day with an edible bouquet. These yummy and simple treats can be made for less than $10 and no one has to cook Valentine's Day breakfast.

An edible bouquet can be made from Entenmann's rich frosted party sprinkled donuts and holiday sprinkled pop’ems. Here are the steps to make an edible bouquet.

 

1. To create an I Love You Edible Bouquet, follow these simple steps.
2. One 12 count box of Entenmann’s Rich Frosted Party Sprinkled Mini Donuts and one 15 oz box of Entenmann’s Holiday Sprinkled Pop’ems.
3.  Grab a candy stick and dip one end into the Mini Donuts and Pop’ems.
4. Place them stick side down into a mason jar or vase to create your own delicious bouquet.
5. Snack and enjoy.

With breakfast covered, evening festivities take center stage. Why not have a cocktail on hand to unwind on the romantic day. One creative idea is to have his and hers cocktails to toast romance. Here are two cocktails that could spice up the evening. 

Cocktails for Him:

Cupid’s Potion

·         2 parts Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila

·         ½ part fresh lemon juice

·         ¼ part agave nectar

·         ¼ part ginger syrup

·         1 tsp. puréed canned chipotle in adobe

·         ½ lime, quartered lengthwise

·         1 strip red bell pepper, for garnish

·         1 small piece beef jerky, for garnish

Preparation: Combine lemon juice, agave nectar, ginger syrup, chipotle purée, and lime wedges in a cocktail shaker and muddle together. Add ice and tequila, and stir. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with bell pepper and beef jerky.

[To make your own ginger syrup, boil ⅓ cup sugar and ½ cup water with one 2” piece of peeled and smashed ginger for 5 minutes. Strain and refrigerate.]

Cocktails for Her:

Romance-Rita

·         1 part Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila

·         2 parts JDK & Sons™ 03 Premium Orange Liqueur

·         5 cherries (pitted and stemmed)

·         1 tbsp agave nectar

·         1 part fresh lime juice

·         1 part club soda

Preparation: Muddle together cherries, lime juice and agave nectar. Strain into shaker. Add in orange liqueur, tequila, and ice and shake. Top with club soda and garnish with cherries.

In the end, the only thing that matters on Valentine's Day is saying I love you to the special people in your life. Gifts, flavorful drinks and sweet treats mean nothing if you aren't surrounded with friends and family that love and support you. 

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.