Supplies You Need:8 (1 oz) squares milk chocolateHow to Make Them:Place the chocolate squares in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute remove the bowl and stir. Continue at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth being sure to stir after each 30 seconds.Allow the mixture to cool about 5 minutes.Lay wax paper on a flat surface and spread the chocolate mixture on the wax paper to desired thickness.Place the chocolate on the wax paper in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until the chocolate is firm but still pliable. Remove and place on the flat surface. Use heart shaped cookie cutters of different sizes to cut out the solid chocolate hearts.Serving Size: 24 to 32 heartsUse these chocolate hearts for Valentine's Day, in Easter baskets, at place settings or just hand them out throughout the day. You can add a little flavoring such as orange, lemon or raspberry to the melted chocolate for a special treat.
With all the special events taking place on Valentine’s Day it is only right to end the day with a dinner befitting the occasion. Kids can give you some ideas for what they want to have for dinner. If you trust their tastes, let them choose the meal. Here are some kid friendly Valentine’s Day dinner ideas.
1. Make your own pizza. The kids can choose the toppings and fix them up into little bowls so that they are easier to put on the pizza. Parents can shape the dough into a heart when it is ready for toppings. To get the entire family involved, each person can create a personal pizza for themselves with their favorite toppings. Add a salad and you have a perfect Valentine’s Day meal.
2. Heart Shaped Meatloaf. Anything that you can shape can become a Valentine’s Day meal centerpiece. Instead of a loaf pan, put that meatloaf into a heart shaped pan. Let the kids use ketchup to write a loving message on the meatloaf before you bake it.
3. Casseroles for dinner are typical but on Valentine’s Day, we can take some time to give it a unique touch. Parents can use kitchen shears to cut raw chicken breasts into heart like shapes for the casserole. Veggie casseroles are easier to shape and kids can do it with a butter knife.
4. For Valentine’s Day, the drinks are on the kids. Red Kool-Aid is a great choice. Let the kids mix it up. You can also make a Valentine’s Day punch. You can find many punch recipes online and in cookbooks at your local library. If your kids are really creative, they can use heart-shaped ice molds to fashion festive ice cubes to keep their drinks cool and refreshing.
This special dinner takes planning. You and your kids can grocery shop together the week before to find all the necessary ingredients and utensils to make Valentine’s Day a success. You may have to visit a few stores to find the ice molds or non-stick pans for the meals. While you’re at it, you may find some other things that could make your meal more festive on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day takes on new meaning when you have kids. They see each event with new eyes and Valentine’s Day is no different. Take the opportunity to get them interested in cooking and begin new family traditions that they look forward to participating in together each year.
