Simple and Sweet Family Valentine Dinner

Create a Simple and Sweet Valentines dinner kid style with these yummy recipes. Don't forget to decorate the table using a Red and Pink theme.


Lemony Love Potion from: Family Fun

When Cupid invites guests over, this is the beverage he serves. For the first time ever, he has graciously agreed to share his magic recipe--which also happens to make an excellent dessert drink for Valentine's Day dinner.

Ingredients

• 12-ounce can pink lemonade concentrate
• 12-ounce can of lemon/lime soda (we used 7-Up)
• 1 cup raspberry sherbet

Instructions

1. In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water.

2. In a separate pitcher, combine the sherbet with 1 cup of the lemonade mixture.

3. Add the soda, stir, and serve. Makes 3 cups.

Healthy Fruity Hearts from: Family Fun

Move over, Cupid. These edible valentines will win the heart of everyone in the family. They're also sure to be a hit as a classroom snack

Ingredients

• Watermelon slices
• Orange slices
• Bamboo kitchen skewers

Instructions

1. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter on watermelon slices. Poke a bamboo kitchen skewer through each heart, then complete the arrow with an orange slice tip and tail.

Heart Shaped Pizza - Order a Heart shaped pizza from either Papa Johns or Papa Murphy's. ( be sure to call your order in early).

Or you can create your own

Option1 - Purchase Boboli Pizza , then trim the pizza into a heart shape and add sauce, cheese and toppings and bake according to directions on package.

Option2 - Purchase ready to go pizza dough that you can form in to a heart shape. Add sauce, cheese and toppings and bake according to directions on package. ( fresh pizza dough available at Trader Joe's or Pillsbury pizza dough in the refrigerator section of local grocer stores)

Option 3 - Make your own dough ( google for recipes) Add sauce, cheese and toppings and bake according to recipe.


Sweet Heart Brownie from: Family Fun

What do you get when you mix graham cracker crumbs and chocolate morsels? Love at first bite. Earn brownie points with this Valentine's -- or any other day.

Ingredients

• 36 2-inch graham crackers
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (don't use evaporated milk)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 16-ounce package semisweet chocolate morsels
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º (325º for glassware). While you generously grease an 8-inch square baking pan, put your kids to work crushing the graham crackers into fine crumbs. It's especially easy and fun if you seal the crackers in a plastic bag and then use a rolling pin.

2. Stir together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the chocolate morsels, pecans, and graham cracker crumbs and mix with a wooden spoon until well blended.

3. Spoon the batter (it will be very stiff) into the greased pan. Use the back of a wooden spoon (or clean hands) to pat the batter into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.

4. Use a cookie cutter or a butter knife to cut out small (these brownies are rich!) heart shapes. Serve plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or raspberry sherbet. Makes about 8 to 12, depending on size.