One Hungry Mama

February 2nd, 2011

{kitchen aids} Easiest Valentine’s Day Treats

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and I feel the (self imposed) pressure to do something super cute and fabulous. Before I had kids, I imagined sitting around with my little ones making homemade love notes, yummy treats and pretty packages to give out on Valentine’s Day. But the reality isn’t nearly as romantic.

Just like with birthdays, Valentine’s Day comes on too quick, I’m always way busier than I expect and, with an older child at just 4-years-old, Martha Stewart-style projects are not in the cards. Instead, we’ve got to keep it quick, simple and preschool friendly. Pink cupcakes (coming soon!), cookies simply dressed in red and pink and, my favorite: brownies cut out into heart shapes!

Using heart (and “XO”) shaped cookie cutters to turn standards like sugar cookies or brownies into special Valentine’s Day treats is about as easy as it gets. Not cutting-corners easy. Or even kinda-cheating-the-kids-out-of-something-better easy. Rather, the kind of easy that’s a win-win for everyone. Simple for mama or papa; fun and totally satisfying (in a using scissors kind of way) for kiddo; and plain lovely for the recipient.

The “technique” is easy:

1. Make your treat as you normally do. If you’re making cookies, be sure that you make them large enough to accommodate the size of your cookie cutter.

2. Spray cookie cutters with cooking spray.

3. Cut out shapes and, if you like, decorate.

It’s that simple. And I LOVE that.

XO