Image courtesy of Hungry Happenings
I hate to admit it, but I’m a sap when it comes to Valentine’s Day. Chocolate? Bring it on! Roses? Long-stemmed and thornless, please! But why stop there? As far as I’m concerned, it’s time to get creative.
Over the years, the heart has taken on various forms at my house. Sure, there are heart-shaped sandwiches on the special day, but that’s basically a gimme. Likewise, cutting fruit into the shape of heart is pretty standard as well. Strawberries are exceptionally fit for this task, but if you put two pieces of a clementine next to each other, guess what it looks like?
A few years ago, when lollipops were the rage, I purchased a heart-shaped lollipop tray by Wilton. I can now make chocolate-heart lollipops in no time at all. Likewise, my heart-shaped ramekins have been filled with chocolate souffles or creme brulée, depending on the year. Last year, I broke out my cookie cutters and started making heart-shaped Rice Krispy treats. My kids have already requested a repeat for that one.
This year, in an effort to keep things fresh. I’ve found two new things to try. The first is heart-shaped cheese ravioli, which I found at Costco. It comes in a package of two and combines typical-colored, heart-shaped ravioli with red ones. Together they are adorable and an easy main course on Valentine’s Day for my kids.
An even bigger hit is sure to be the mini heart conversation cheesecakes I discovered today. Using food coloring and a heart-shaped silicone pan, these adorable mini cheesecakes can be made in a variety of pastel colors. They turn out looking like oversized, beautiful versions of the chalky, tasteless candies we all associate with Valentine’s Day. Use a little red food coloring and a paintbrush, and you can make them say anything you’d like.
For me, I think it’s “TRUE LOVE.”
