Valentine’s Day Treats
Last Friday was Valentine’s Day, one of my favorite holidays. I love love and another great Katharine (Hepburn) explained why far better than I ever could when she said, “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only with what you are expecting to give — which is everything.”
The real joy in Valentine’s Day, and really all the holidays, is giving of our time, talent and treasure. Don’t get me wrong, I love roses and jewelry as much as (probably more) than the next gal but what I truly adore is spoiling the ones I love.
When being a Mommy was my full-time job, Valentine’s Day revolved around my sweet children, Caroline and Carter. We decorated every nook and cranny of the house with cupids and hearts, spent what felt like hours in the aisles at Target picking out the “perfect” paper cards for their friends and then gathered around the kitchen island addressing cards and stuffing treat bags.
We (read “I” here) would make dozens and dozens of cookies, cupcakes and Rice Krispy treats for their class parties. On Valentine’s Day morning I hopped out of bed and made them heartshaped cinnamon rolls and baked heart-shaped bacon for them to enjoy with their baskets of treats.
Back in those days Disney would release a new VHS tape of either a new movie or they would re-release a classic movie that I always included with their presents so our plans for Valentine’s night were already made! Those really were THE days.
This year I got to relive some of those days when I was enlisted to make a game for my favorite three-year-old to share with his class at Mother’s Day Out. I am including instructions for this cute game; it comes together quickly and easily. So simple it was to put together it would make a fun way to celebrate with your children or grandchildren.
This year, planning a “going out” celebration may’ve been a little tricky because the 14th landed on a Friday, which meant every restaurant was FULL, wait times were LONG and babysitters were in short supply.
Fear not, because I have sweet solutions. I’m including a tasty, simple steak marinade so you can grill or broil a restaurant quality main dish at home, an uncomplicated cookie idea that is perfect to send to class parties with ice cream for a sweet dessert, and a kid-friendly appetizer which is a snap to make and can be paired with a salad to double as a fun family meal.
These simple meal ideas can make a Friday at home a great all-in-one family celebration, or they can serve as a placeholder while you wait for the Friday night crowds to die down before you go out to celebrate. I love all of these because they are so straightforward you can put them together even if you are a kitchen novice, but they are all delicious and look special.
If you are a man reading this, take note, these are uncomplicated enough for you to make and they come out even better if you get your children to help.
As we pause to celebrate love I’d like to leave you with the immortal words of Oscar Wilde: “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
Happy Valentine’s Day from my kitchen to yours.
Red Wine Steak Marinade Ingredients:
• 1⁄2 c Cabernet Sauvignon (this is the perfect way to use that last bit of left-over wine)
• 1⁄4 c soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 rib eye steaks
Preparation:
Whisk all the ingredients together, except the steak, then add the steaks and let them marinade for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling or broiling. NOTE - I make this in a Ziplock freezer bag and then add the steaks for no clean up.
Cake Mix Cookies Ingredients:
• 1 box of white cake mix
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature • 2 tsp almond extract (you can substitute clear vanilla)
• Sprinkles
• Dove milk chocolate hearts, unwrapped
Preparation:
Beat the cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs and almond extract together until smooth. Use a cookie scoop to shape the dough into uniform balls, coat them with sprinkles and then press them slightly to form a thick disk. Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until the edges are just crisp. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for about one minute, then lightly press a chocolate heart into the center of each cookie. Cool completely on a wire rack and enjoy!
Pizza Roses Ingredients:
• 1 tube pizza dough
• 1/2 c pizza or pasta sauce plus extra for dipping
• 1 c mozzarella cheese, shredded (pre-shredded cheese won’t melt as smoothly)
• 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
• sliced pepperoni
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 c butter, melted
Preparation:
Mix the cheeses and one teaspoon of the Italian seasoning together and set aside. On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough lengthwise into one-inch strips, using a pizza cutter to make this easy. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the center of each strip, sprinkle with cheese mixture over the sauce and then layer pepperoni on top half of each strip, slightly overlapping the meat. Fold up the bottom half of the dough and tightly roll them cinnamon-roll style. These can be baked individually in greased muffin tins, baking for 10-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
While the rolls are baking add the garlic powder and the remaining teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the butter. When the rolls come out of the oven, brush them with the seasoned butter and serve immediately. I top them with an extra sprinkle of parm and a dollop of extra pizza sauce.
Poke a Prize Materials:
• White Tri-Fold Corrugated Project Board
• Plastic Cups
• Hot Glue Gun and Sticks
• Rubber Bands
• Tissue Paper
• Prizes
Preparation:
Cut the tissue paper into squares that are larger than the openings at the top of the cups. Fill each cup with a small prize, for mine I used small stuffed animals. kazoos, cars, small bags of cotton candy, fidget poppers and heart sunglasses. You could use gift cards or money for older kids and teens. You could also fill the cups with homemade coupons for experiences or tickets, and adding lottery tickets would be fun for adults. I color-coded the tissue paper on my covers so each child got to have the same mix of prizes. Cover the openings of the cups with tissue paper and secure it with a rubber band. Glue the filled cups onto the project board, I did a heart shape for Valentines Day, and let the fun begin!
