Slice and Bake Heart Sugar Cookies

These slice and bake heart cookies are the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. With adorable hearts baked right into the cookie, they’re almost as easy as their store-bought cousins, but way better tasting!

While I’ve already posted Halloween and Christmas versions of these cookies (and been amazed at their popularity), these hearts are actually where it all began. I pinned this recipe from Lauren’s Latest eons ago.

I spotted the pin on one of my boards while searching for inspiration for a Halloween treat, and my pumpkin slice and bake cookies evolved from there. However, I didn’t actually look at Lauren’s post until I started thinking about Valentine’s Day cookies. She uses a cookie cutter to form the colored inside of the cookie, which is way simpler and more precise than what I’ve done previously. So consider these cookies Slice and Bake 2.0!

Baked Chicken Wings

I personally couldn’t care less about the Super Bowl. I can count on one hand the number of football games I’ve watched from start to finish, and those were all during university (Go Gaiters!) I’ve never been to a Super Bowl party, and I’m fine if that never changes. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t create delicious Super Bowl party food, and oven baked chicken wings certainly qualify!

I love chicken wings, but fried ones are way too greasy. These wings bake in the oven, so they’re a bit leaner, but still deliciously crispy. They follow a recurring theme in my kitchen – making foods flavourful on their own, without needing to rely on sauces and toppings for flavour. These wings have tons of flavour on their own, but they’re not so spicy that you can’t jazz them up.  They’re gluten free too! And even better for parties– you can make them ahead of time!

Quick Cinnamon Rolls (No Yeast)

Who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls? Soft, fluffy dough; gooey cinnamon swirls; butter or icing melting over the top. They’re a classic treat, but cinnamon rolls have a reputation for being time consuming. And we tend to assume that “quick cinnamon rolls” spring from a refrigerated tube. I’ve got the solution to both those problems today – cinnamon rolls made totally from scratch, ready in under an hour!

I think cinnamon rolls are the perfect snow day treat. They can be a leisurely breakfast, since you’re not rushing to get out the door. Or perhaps a special dessert or decadent snack. Baking is a great way to keep cabin-fever-stricken kids busy, and this recipe has lots of tasks little hands can help with. We had our first snow day this week, and I managed to both relax and be productive. I worked on a recipe that I’m excited to share with you soon – it got rave reviews at school the next day!

BBQ Meatballs

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday season. We had a wonderful Christmas, our first in our new house, and I enjoyed a really relaxing break. I was without a computer for part of it, so it was a great time to unplug. I took a complete vacation from blogging – no posting, photography, or social media and not even very much baking! It was a lovely week of board games, coloring (I got this book for Christmas) and HGTV marathons. I went more than a week without writing a to-do list – which might be a record for me! I’ve been thinking a lot about what 2016 will hold for The Bluenose Baker, which is one of the reasons that I’ve gotten a slow start to the year (that and the fact that I’ve had anything but a slow start to subbing!)

Christmas was more like spring around here, but winter has officially arrived (we’re under a winter storm warning as I write this) and I’m craving comfort food. Meatballs baked in homemade barbecue sauce definitely qualify! These meatballs are a warm, hearty meal, but still a pretty healthy choice.