Saturday, February 14, 2015

Join a Pig Club for Valentine Circus Fun Every Day!

I know we live in an age when twisted, nonsensical humor is hot. And I like it. Ridiculous imagery and word pairings tickle me.

But this valentine...


I just don't know what to think. And I don't know what the designers were thinking.

But there's one thing I DO know. Pigs in Blankets are the perfect dish to go along with this disturbing Valentine.


These little guys, a box of chocolates, and a bottle of bubbly... Need I say more?

Ok, I'll say one thing more. Did you know there was an effort in World War I to get kids to raise pigs? (Me either.)


Don't delay. Join a pig club today.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Veggie Valentines and Sauteed Tomatoes

Valentine cards were made in all sorts of themes, including fruits and vegetables. Here are some samples for you, followed by a simple recipe appropriate for a St. Valentines Day themed meal.







Sauteed Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

1 pt grape or cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil or garlic herb basting oil
1 tsp. dried basil
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a skillet, and add rinsed tomatoes. Saute over medium heat, turning often. Tomatoes will split as they cook, some sides browning and caramelizing into sweet goodness.  Pierce with the tip of a knife any stubborn tomatoes that refuse to pop on their own. When tomatoes are uniformly softened and popped, add basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for another few minutes to blend flavors. If using fresh basil, add just before serving.

Serve as a side dish for red meats or roast chicken. Crusty bread is wonderful for scooping up the warm, salty, sweet tomato flesh.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Valentine Countdown: for Adult Eyes Only

I found these Valentines and thought they should be passed along immediately.

But first, kick all the little ones out of the room. I mean it.
.
.
.
Are they gone?

If the coast is clear, just look at this:

What sort of insane person creates cards for kids to pass out, which show other kids inside of refrigerators???

Believe it or not, that card isn't the only one.

Not quite so scary, you might think. But wait.

Look what happens when you open the ice box door:


GET LITTLE JIMMY OUT OF THERE, PRONTO!!!

I want you to run out and find some children right now, and tell them to never, ever climb in a refrigerator. Not for love, nor money, nor even cake.

After I recovered from the initial outrage, I figured I should see how widespread a phenomenon fridge-related Valentines had become. Turns out it wasn't much of a movement. Thank goodness.

What I did find were some interesting refrigerator advertisements, many of which did involve children. Some are more innocent than others.








(For some reason this last one makes me want to cry a little bit.)

Not all ads were focused on the family however. Some companies decided to go glamorous. Check these beauties out.



And eventually, along came Space Glamor!




I blame Star Trek for this. Or thank them. Depending on my mood.

Regardless, I'm grateful to see that kids and refrigerators are no longer popular images for Valentines. Today's are so much saner; with little monsters, vampires, zombies, and undersea pineapple houses.

Ah, progress.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Valentines to Relish!

Four our second day of the valentine countdown, I figured we might as well not waste time, and jump right into the hot dog cards.

No commentary. Just lots of weiners, wurst, and relish.