Calling all heart-centered people!

Valentine’s Day is literally around the corner.

Ah, passion, gifts, and goodies! This special day affords us all a time to step up, do a little something special for those we love, and enjoy the immense smiles all along the way. Want to play? Following are a number of things you can do for this Valentine’s Day. These activities don’t require a lot of preparation, don’t cost much, and many can be done with items available (or easily obtained) in most households. We hope you enjoy them with your partners, the loves of your life, and your families.

Before we get to the goodies, here’s a little background we thought you might be interested in…

There are several legends behind just who this “Valentine” character was. One legend has him as a Priest in third century Rome. He became quite popular (to some) when he secretly married young couples, in opposition to the Emperor’s decree. Another legend says he was an imprisoned man, who fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. Before being executed, he sent a card to his beloved and signed it as “Your Valentine”. Sigh. However you see Valentine’s Day, we hope it’s meaningful to you.

Easy-Make Recipes

By now, you probably have your favorite recipes. They’re tested. Everyone loves them. So we’re not here to tell you about what you already know. But we’ve done a little searching, and we’ve come up with some excellent websites for you check out, a simple recipe based on one from Kraft Foods Inc., and two other quick & simple ideas. Our variation of a time-honored Kraft recipe has been ‘Valentine’s Dayed’ (can we use that term?) for you.

Our version of Kraft’s Cranberry Bark

You’ll need these ingredients:
• 2 packages of Baker’s white chocolate, melted (six squares each)
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup slivered or chopped almonds (toast them if you want)
• Red food coloring

How to do it:
• After you melt the chocolate, combine all the ingredients. Note: this is when to add one or two drops (to the extent of pink you like) of the red food coloring, which will add that Valentine’s Day ‘flavor’ to the mix. Then spread onto a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate the mix for about an hour.
• Take it out, and break it into pieces!

TIP: Before the Bark gets too hard, use a heart-shaped cookie-cutter to make nice little hearts.

Something Fun and Simple you can do with Soup

Heat up some tried and true tomato soup (your recipe, or right out of a can), then use the heart-shaped cookie cutter you used for the Bark to make up some hearts from American cheese slices. The next part is even easier: serve the soup out, and float the heart-shaped cheese on top!

An Applesauce Treat for the Kids

(or anyone who feels Like a Kid)

Grab a jar of applesauce, and serve out a few ounces in a bowl. Then outline a heart on top of the apple sauce with Cinnamon Red Hot candies. Yummy!

For more tasty Valentine’s Day recipes, why not visit Kraft’s website or Betty Crocker’s (click on links):

Kraft Foods© – Valentine’s Day Recipes

Betty Crocker® – Valentine’s Day