Valentine's Meal & Snack Ideas 2013

Looking for a few creative and yummy ideas to surprise the kids with?  Thanks to one of my friends Michelle My Kansas City Mommy for sharing her creative edge!

BREAKFAST

Refrigerator Cinnamon Roll Hearts. This is the best and easiest option. Open a can of Refrigerator Cinnamon Rolls. Unroll each Cinnamon Roll. Re-Roll them in the shape of a Heart (hint - I pinch the pointed end a bit so they stay pointy when baking. Bake using directions on the can. Ice and Serve (oh and listen for the ooooh's and aaaaah's)

Heart Pancakes. This one is a bit more difficult but still not too bad. You have 2 options here. I usually just make regular pancakes in the shape of hearts by using a spoon to pour the batter in the hear shape on the grill. But I think I will try this option tomorrow. For this I have heard that Aldi's is carrying a Red Velvet Pancake Mix and will be searching for this later today. Make 1 batch of regular pancakes and 1 batch of red colored (you can just use food coloring) pancakes. Take a cookie cutter and cut a heart shape in each of the pancakes and switch the colors around. How cute is that???

LUNCH/SNACK

Apple Snacks

These cute little snacks are going to be in my kids bags for snack time (or lunch time if you don't have snack time at your school). Use a small cookie cutter and cut out a heart shape from each colored apple - use a knife to pull out the heart shape (a small pairing knife works the best. Now reassemble in the opposite colored apple and send off to make you the coolest mom on the planet.

DINNER

Heart Shaped Individual Pizzas

We have made these for years at our house. The kids love them. We make individual pizzas with heart shaped crust and heart shaped pepperoni. Canned biscuits work great for crust - use cookie cutters to cut out the heart shape then add pizza sauce (we use jar spaghetti sauce like Prego or Ragu), add cheese, cut your pepperoni with a small heart shaped cookie cutter and add to the top and if your kids will eat olives buy sliced canned olives and add X's O's for X's cut the O in half and make X.

BONUS IDEAS

Here are a couple of bonus items if you want to make even more treats.

Heart Filled Cupcakes

This one looks more difficult than it really is. Bake your cupcakes normally. When your cupcakes are cooled cut the top off the cupcake at the paper baking cup. Use a cookie cutter to cut a hole in the top - put the lid back on the cupcake and fill with icing. Super cute.

Heart Shaped Cupcakes

If the cupcakes above look too difficult and you want something a little quicker and easier check this out - they used marbles but I use a small ball of aluminum foil and you have instant Heart Shaped Cupcakes, bake as normal and ice. YUMMMM.

I Scream You Scream we all Scream for Ice Cream Hearts

This one is great fun. Check it out. Buy some strawberry or pink colored Ice Cream and let it thaw on the counter for a bit. After it thaws pour it into a pan or cookie sheet, I lined mine with waxed paper for easy removal of the hearts. Then put in freezer and allow to refreeze. Pull out and cut out with a cookie cutter - stick them back in bags in the freezer until ready to serve. My kids are going to LOVE these.

Pocket Full of Love

Refrigerator Pie Crust, Cream Cheese, Sugar and Strawberrys. Super quick and yummy mini pie or tart treat. Cut Pie Crust into Heart Shapes with cookie cutter. Spread Cream Cheese on the bottom layer of the crust. Mix chopped strawberrys with sugar and slightly mash. Drop spoonful of strawberry/sugar mixture on top of the cream cheese. Cover with Heart shaped Pie Crust and use a fork to seal the edges. Bake as directed on the Pie Crust Package. You could even sprinkle some pink or red sugar on the top for an added effect. ENJOY!!!!