5 sweet recipes for valentine's day

 

While browsing through a few of my favorite magazines this week, I could help but notice so many yummy and gorgeous Valentine’s Day recipes. From the pages of Modern Garden, Women’s World and Star magazines, I bring you a delicious collection of 5 desserts that are sure to please your favorite Valentine.

I couldn’t help sharing these 5 fun and easy Valentine’s Day recipes with you all. If you love chocolate like I do, three of these lovely desserts offer a bit of luscious chocolate goodness.

All of these recipes are perfect for the whole family too! 

 

I hope you’ll follow along with me on Instagram for all the latest projects, décor and more Valentine's Day fun. 

 

 

ciao fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on Instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials” 

double chocolate pecan pie

You’re in for a real treat today! A double chocolate pecan pie that is so delicious and easy to make, you’ll be saying, “It’s easy as this pie!”

I originally found this recipe in an old newspaper clipping from 1974. I was intrigued by the simplicity of its ingredients and the fact that it has no corn syrup like most pecan pies do.

Old-fashioned recipes are one of my favorite things to make and collect. They just are so homey and comforting. Check out some of my favorites here. 

The original newspaper clipping suggests eating hot or cold with ice cream or whipped cream, and I couldn’t agree more! It’s delicious any way you slice it!

I created this lux dessert for Country Sampler Farmhouse Style magazine for their Summer 2024 issue and it’s filed under “Blue Ribbon winning Recipes”, and this one sure is!! 

It's very tasty any  time of year, but here I have it styled for a Fourth of July party with lots of vintage accessories and table linens. 

Although the blue check tablecloth is a vintage find, the napkins are from Ikea, and offer that pretty calico country look. In fact, I've spotted these same napkins on the Great British Baking Show! 

A few pretty blooms and ivy from the garden brighten up the whole table! 

I do hope you’ll give it a try!

 

ciao fabiana

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on Instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials” 

 

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

 

set up an easy hot cocoa bar

Hi, friends! 🎅🏻 🎄 I’m sharing my simple and festive hot cocoa bar today. This is as simple as setting out some cute mugs, a cozy plaid throw and a fun little electric kettle!

 

Everyone can serve themselves and garnish with their favorite holiday treats like candy canes, marshmallows, and warm spices. It's a win-win for everyone!

 

A seldom used counter space next to our family room fireplace is the perfect spot to set up this cozy cocoa bar. I recently purchased this handy copper colored electric kettle and I just love how fast it heats up the water.

 

Most everything you see is vintage except the kettle and the fun Hot Cocoa Recipe sign. The sign is actually a print printed on canvas from Olive Branch Farmhouse. From a distance, it really looks like an old vintage chalkboard sign.  

I recently found this wonderful plaid throw at Marshall's. It's the quintessential tartan plaid for Christmas! 

  

Of course, we must have Santa mugs! These are vintage, and somehow drinking out of an adorable Santa Claus mug makes the cocoa taste a little better.

  

Here’s another little fun vintage-inspired hot cocoa bar I set up last year in my kitchen. I brought together some of the same cute holiday collectables that remind me of a cozy winter's day.

 

My favorite time-saving tip is to use chocolate milk for the cocoa and keep it warm in a mini crock pot. 

Here’s another take on hot cocoa… a Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate! Yes, it’s worth a try. It’s soooo good.

 

This is one of my recipes was published in Country Sampler Farmhouse Style magazine a few winters back.

 

It’s really quite simple to make and a fun way to surprise your guests during any holiday celebration.

 

In case you haven’t heard, I started a new Instagram page in October and named it Claudia FabianaHome. My former page, Ciao Fabiana, is still up, but after getting a new phone, I was no longer able to log into this account, so the new profile was born!

 

I hope you’ll follow along with me on Instagram for all the latest projects and décor I will be sharing in 2025.

 

 

 

ciao fabiana

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on Instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials” 

 

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

 

my friday five

 

Hello, dear friends. As 2022 comes to a close, I'd like to show you a few of my favorites from the past few weeks.

 

These five items have brought a smile to my face and made my heart tingle with joy, so I’m sharing them with you now…

 

Candles from Claire Burke have been burning nonstop here at Casa Ciao, and this Heirloom Fontana candle has had a place of honor on my dining room table for the whole month of December.

 

My dining room is at the center of my home, so when this candle is lit, the sweet scents of bergamot, clove, sage and cedarwood fills my home and drift softly from room to room.

For January, my candle of choice is the Claire Burke Original with scentimental notes of rose, lavender and patchouli.

 

This year has been the year of the tablecloth! Pacific and Rose designed so many gorgeous and colorful table linens this past year. One of my favorites is this pattern called Lilibet Cranberry Mint.

 

It’s such a versatile pattern and in this color palette, it’s truly so memorable to use during the holidays. I just love how it looks with my vintage red and white transferware plates and cups.

 

It really brings out the cranberry tones of the plates so beautifully and takes us outside the box of the traditional red and  green Christmas decor.

 

Now if it’s cozy stripes you’re after for your tablescape, look no further that Solino Home. Among my favorites are their

ü  Amalfi Stripe

ü  Capri Ticking Stripe

ü  Farmhouse Stripe

ü  French Stripe

Above you can see the Farmhouse Stripe in Black and Natural that I used for a Thanksgiving table. I also have these gorgeous Farmhouse Stripe linens in red that are soooo gorgeous!

 

Check out my table and blog post here: Gorgeous Farmhouse Stripes for the Christmas Table.

 

A lovely tablecloth with matching napkins are the best way to start your table setting, and then all the pieces seem to fall into place.

Recently, I’ve set several tables using some of August Table’s newest patterns and colorways, so I’m here today sharing with you one of my favorite looks.

This is a brand-new color way of the Talelayo pattern from August Table in brown.

 

I layered the fan-folded napkin on top of a salad plate, a dinner plate and a wooden charger. It's the perfect look for fall, but is also so elegant for starting the new year off in style.

If you’re looking for beautiful bakeware that works great in the oven and looks even better on your table, Wilton Texturra Non-Stick Bakeware is my pick!

 

I recently got this 7-piece baking set, and I’m totally obsessed! Cookies some out crisp and delicious, brownies just pop out of the pan with ease, and cakes come out with perfection!

 

And each pan has a non-stick coating, so cleanup is super easy. The color is just so pretty too, but honestly, these pans from Wilton just making baking my favorite desserts a joy!

 

ciao! fabiana

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*. 

 

 

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

 

a weekend gift of sweets

Do you have a sweet tooth like me? I can forgo a lot of things in this world, but when it comes to desserts, I have many favorites and they’re often a daily necessity!   

 

Over the weekend I received the cutest gift in the mail. This adorable box is shaped like a little house and is filled with different kinds of cookies, brownies and whoopie pies, yum! 

What a fun surprise... 

 

This cozy little cottage came all wrapped up in a navy-blue grosgrain ribbon. Isn’t it sweet? I later learned that it’s one of many charming and delicious gifts created by Gourmet Gift Baskets.  

 

For years and years, we received an annual mail order food basket from my husband’s Uncle Fred for the holidays. We’d get cheeses, crackers, fruit and sometimes even salami! He was always so thoughtful and generous. 

 

Mail order gift baskets are nothing new of course, but this one is so cute and is filled with so many yummy treats! 

 

My family and I had such a fun time sampling all these classic cookie flavors. They were all really very good, but I have to say, my favorite was the peanut butter cookie.  

I have a soft spot in my heart for a good old-fashioned peanut butter cookie, probably because they remind me of my grandmother. They were a favorite after-school treat at her house, served with a tall glass of cold milk, of course!  

 

After checking out the Gourmet Gift Baskets website, I discovered they have all sorts of beautiful gifts for every occasion imaginable. I made a little collage here featuring a few that caught my eye. 

 

Don’t those Breakfast Baskets look amazing?

Having coffee or tea in the morning never looked so good! 

Another thing I really like is the convenience of the Gourmet Gift Basket Store on Amazon.  They don’t have as many choices there as on the website, but it’s a nice quick and easy option for ordering a really nice gift for someone special.  

 

Only a couple of these cookies are left, and they’re disappearing fast! I better get out and do a little exercise to work off those few extra (but delicious) calories!

We had an unexpected rainy day yesterday, so I wasn’t able to get out and do my little daily workout, so I better get at it today! 

 

I’ll be back soon with a few more of my favorite things and fun finds that I love to share with you all. Thanks so much for stopping by! 

 

 
     

  

ciao! fabiana 

 

 

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P.S. You can find more about the cute blue and white table runner here.