Crazy Cooking Couple: Heart to Heart About MY Heart

Happy February & Congenital Heart Awareness month & (early) Valentine’s Day to you! Did you know that Congenital Heart Defects is the world's #1 birth defect. IN THE WORLD PEOPLE THIS IS HUGE! And technology is getting better so these babies are LIVING. Now there are more adults with congenital defects then children. I am one of them.

I have mentioned before that I was born with a"broken heart." And I have had no less then 4 major heart surgeries to make it a little less broken. My heart will never be "normal" but I wear my surgery scars proudly. But it is funny to see people's eyes when I tell them it was a botched boob job because who's cleavage starts at their collarbone?

So this time of year always reminds me of one "The Great Heart Debate of '96" aka a Valentine’s Day party in particular when I was in 3rd grade. I was in Miss. Grant’s class - when I got into a heated debate about hearts with another girl. This girl swore that a heart was the normal hand written, Valentine’s Day, Hallmark card heart. You know the one that you drew on your textbooks in high school and then filled in with your boyfriend’s initials. That was her heart. But me. I knew better. I told her that it was a fake heart. I told her, “That is not the heart that keeps you alive.” She looked at me very confused and I thought that this girl was so silly and stupid. Come on now we are third graders! How does she not know what a heart is?! Did she lose her mind in 2nd grade? I was convinced that she had. It was my obligation, my duty to set her right. I just had to tell and show her what a real heart was. And so I did.

I drew out a very crude, but anatomically correct heart. I am sure it was more of piece of abstract art then concrete but at least I tried. By that time our debate had become a full fledged argument and other kids of the class standing by watching.Then one boy chimed in with a “not- uh” and the class giggled dismissing my drawing. I was embarrassed and on the verge of tears. At that point the whole class was involved in the “The Great Heart Debate.” With that many 3rd graders in one place it was only a matter of time before Miss Grant stepped in.

Miss Grant came over, took a look at my drawing and proclaimed in that “I am the teacher everything I say is right” voice, that me and my heart drawing was, in fact a heart. I was elated and I surged with pride. My face beamed. “I told you so” was all I said. Come on! I was in third grade, what do you except? During our Valentine’s Day party that year Miss. Grant taught the class about a real, beating heart.

Now, several year older and a bit more mature I have come to realize that the hand-drawn heart is important too. It is a universal symbol to show love and appreciation. This Valentine’s day maybe you can make this tasty desert for your loved ones and include a handwritten heart with a cute note to tell them just how much they mean to you!

Ingredients

Dough
1 package of reduced fat Pillsbury crescent rolls
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray

Filling
¼ cup not packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup Splenda
½ T light butter
1.5 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. To make filling, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to make sure the butter gets mixed in evenly. Set aside.

3. Sprinkle a dry, clean surface with a small amount of flour to prevent sticking. Remove dough and knead entire thing into one ball.

4.Using a rolling pin lightly dusted with flour, very firmly roll dough into thin sheet about 8 X 12 inches. Spray the dough's surface evenly with butter spray.

5. Spread filling out evenly over dough leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges.

6. Roll dough ½ way on each side and cut into eigths.

7. Lay logs down in baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM and pinch the middle to create a heart shape. It should look something like this.

8. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 8 minutes.
9. Remove foil, and return pan to oven. Bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cinnamon rolls have risen and are slightly brown on top.