February’s Family Foodies ‘Love’ Round-Up

Gosh, where did February go? I know it’s a short month but really, that was ludicrously quick. At this rate Christmas will be upon us in a few short weeks. And what another lovely month of Family Foodies we’ve had with the ‘Love’ theme proving really popular. A fabulous loved up twenty six entries of deliciousness, thanks so much to all partakers.

As I mentioned at the event launch there’s a wee foodie prize this month for the winning Love recipe. I handed over the tricky task of judging to a fellow Mummy and Foodie, the lovely Emily from A Mummy Too, please do read down to see who Emily picked as our most deservant winner.

Hot off the mark our first entry came from Searching For Spice and her scrumptious looking Banana and Chocolate Chip Bars, I’d happily wolf them down even if her daughter wasn’t so interested!

Next up some highly intriguing Chocolate Black Bean Brownies from Elizabeth’s Kitchen. With my love (make that near obsession) of adding hidden goodies to my bakes I’m drawn to the addition of black beans, and these happen to be gluten and dairy free too. And just how good would they be slathered in Elizabeth’s avocado chocolate frosting?. Too good I’d say.

I entered my filo Baked Prawn & Veggie Spring Rolls I made as part of a special meal for the monsters to celebrate Chinese New Year AND the end of the first week in their new school.

Laura from How to Cook Good Food linked up her delightfully pretty Chocolate & Cocoa Nib Heart Cookies with Lime Cheesecake, now don’t those sound a truly heavenly and special nibble?

Janice from Farmersgirl Kitchen tempted us with her Strawberry and Champagne Aphrodisiac Cheescakes for Valentines Day, and with a title like that who’s going to resist?

The girls at Chez Bangers and Mash have been getting rather chocolatey for the creation of Vanesther’s entry of a very special Valentine Scribble Cake. How much yummy fun must they have had? And just how messy was the post-cake kitchen I wonder?

Kate at Veggie Desserts gave us her pretty heart shaped pink Beetroot, Blueberry and Buckwheat Pancakes. What a lovely and highly original idea, and healthy to boot!

Not quite so high on the health stakes but nevertheless very tasty came my Slow Cooked Beef Shin ‘Love Pie‘. Especially devised for my daughter, and recent pie-fanatic, Francesca using a recipe from my brother.

Sarah from The Garden Deli baked a Cherry & Lime Cake to show her kids a little love (and keep them happy!). Using olive oil and semolina it sounds like a delightfully tasty and healthy wee bake to me.

Perfecting a recipe to the extent Tina at The Worktop has and offering her Double Choco-Love Cookies with Sea Salt as a Valentines gift has got to be LOVE! I’m head over heals just drooling at these perfectly cheeky little numbers.

Jac over at Tinned Tomatoes gave us her super-tempting looking and pretty Easy Valentines Doughnuts, baked as cake rounds and not fried.

Another Valentines entry from myself with my Carrot and White Chocolate Cake Pops. Not your ordinary Valentines bake but as I allowed my kids (and their friends) free range of the chocolate coatings and decorations that truly was LOVE!. And hours of clearing up.

Kate, aka The Gluten Free Alchemist showed the love by concocting a gluten-free pizza dough recipe so her daughter could finally enjoy a homemade pizza. Not only did she put together a perfect recipe but made the dough into special Pizza Hearts. Super-Mum I’d say!

Anneli over at Delicieux offered us hearts in a slightly different form, her quackingly Tasty Little Duck Hearts served on a delightful bed of creamy risotto. Oh yes please. And I was very pleased to read her daughter loved it too.

Choclette of the Chocolate Log Blog baked us some pretty as a picture dainty Mini Blood Orange Cakes, and as she said herself ‘what can be more loving than making scrumptious tiny cakes for all to enjoy’. Here here Choclette!

Sylvia from Happiness is Homemade showed us some banana love with her deliciously tempting Caramalised Bananas for a very special breakfast. I’m reckoning there’s two little people around here that would go just a little crazy for these!.

Vanesther of Bangers and Mash lovingly made her two mini ballerinas their all-time favourite dinner of Spaghetti Bolognese to sustain them through their grueling half term dress rehearsals. It’s funny isn’t it how many kids have this as their favourite meal and I do love to see everyone’s variation of the classic.

Alida over at My Little Italian Kitchen made a Spicy Pizza with Peppers and Salami and I’m so not going to argue with her fine sentiment that ’making pizza for someone you care about is certainly loving’.

Spices Galore baked some super-cute Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting for her son’s birthday. Lucky boy!

We had a fabulous Hazelnut and Chocolate Torte in the shape of a heart from Feed my Family to celebrate 20 years since her Proposal Day.

From a brand new blog to me Spicy, Quirky and Serendipitous we had Mini Egg Muffins filled with Quinoa, Tater Tots and Empathy! They sound very tasty and intriguing indeed.

Another entry from Spicy, Quirky and Serendipitous came in cake form by way of some cute wee Pear Cup Cakes.

Vohn of Vohn’s Vittles gave us her very cute savoury Healthy Hearts, and being made from a homemade rye crispbread mix with plenty of seeds and rapeseed oil they certainly will make for healthier hearts.

Our final entry to the Family Foodies love event came from My Culinary Adventures and some made with love Mickey and Minnie Cookie Pops.

I think you’ll agree we were truly treated to a wonderful bunch of loved up recipes this month on Family Foodies, and it’s been so interesting and fun reading how you all treat your loved ones to a little foodie love. An enormous thanks to everyone who participated. But this is where I hand you over to Emily from A Mummy Too to kindly pick a winner, in Emily’s words:

“I’m picking Kate aka The Gluten Free Alchemist as the winner with her Gluten Free Pizza Hearts because the gluten-free dough sounds like a triumph, the toppings look perfect, the photography is excellent and I love that it was created for her beautiful gluten-free daughter. What a perfect recipe to sum up the ‘love’ theme”

Congratulations Kate from me too, for a very deserving winning post and recipe. I’m betting your daughter was truly delighted with your efforts, and has asked for them since! A wee prize of a cookie stamp will be winging it’s way to you very soon.

So that’s it for another month folks, but please do bob over to Bangers and Mash and see what exciting challenge Vanesther has in store for you all in March. It’s a goodie I can tell you!

Louisa x