Homemade Valentines for the Family

One of the best things about being a parent is re-living your youth through the eyes of your children. Christmas and Halloween haven't been this fun since I was a kid myself. Bring on the paper snowflakes and fridge art!

Right now, boxes of pre-printed Valentines line the shelves at grocery stores. You know the type; perforated tear sheets featuring Minions or those ubiquitous Frozen characters. My son loves this time of the year, as he can re-stock his candy stash now that his Halloween leftovers have been reduced to Smarties.  I lay awake at night wondering who these neighbors are, and how their life experiences have prohibited them from knowing that no one. Likes. Smarties.

But I digress. Valentine's Day, for me, is a chance to show I care in a personal way. But keep it simple; the holiday only lasts a day and usually lands on a weeknight!

Ideas:

Grab a sheet pan, stack tortillas in a heart shape, and pile on nacho toppings. It's a fun nacho night for the family! Or you can do a tongue-in-cheek nacho gift for your loved ones, using scoop-shaped tortilla chips (pictured above).

Roll out a ball of pizza dough, shape it into a heart and load on your family's favorite toppings. Imagine their surprise when you pull it out of the oven!

Bake a tray of brownies, and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to pop out heart-shaped bites.

Use that same cookie cutter to punch out pieces of a grilled cheese sandwich or garlic bread, to serve with warming tomato soup. I'd be more than happy to gobble up the leftover edges.

For older kids, you can always let them know how much you care with a funny towel. Or this one. Or this one. They'll use it on the daily, and think of you every time they're in the kitchen - the best place in the house.

Here's to a simple and delicious Valentine's Day!