Valentine recipes that the whole family will love

mMost parents I know will spend Valentine’s Day at home.

There was a time when many of us made reservations, put on high heels, ate penne l’arrabiatta, and drank red wine on candlelit tables.

For many of us, we are more likely to look in leggings and T-shirts Blue over plates of mac and cheese and grape juice.

After all, Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday — a blow to the work week and not an easy night to find a sitter.

That doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate this day of love. If possible, put the kids to bed a little earlier and enjoy dinner for two at home.

Whether or not celebrating romantic love is part of your Valentine’s Day, we can all celebrate family love. We do this every day when we read Small blue truck for the twelfth time in a week, when we stumble into the kitchen at 2 a.m. to warm up a bottle, when we rush to find a Moana patch for a cut on the knee, when we get to staying up late watching Netflix with our teens and as we stand in the doorway at bedtime saying silent prayers, wishing sweet dreams and loving our children until our hearts ache.

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Treat your Valentine to a sweet breakfast. You do not need fresh blueberries for this recipe.

Blueberry Jam Muffins

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup of sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ½ cup of sour cream
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk
• ½ cup blueberry jam

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in the sour cream, butter, banana, egg, vanilla and milk. Add a little milk if the batter seems too thick.
2. Spoon the batter into 10 to 12 lined muffin tins, about half full. Drop a teaspoon of jam into the center of each muffin cup.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

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A red-themed dinner party is fun for the family on Valentine’s Day. Make spaghetti and meatballs or order a pepperoni pizza! We also love this tomato soup. You can make it over the weekend and it’s ready for Valentine’s Day. It is especially delicious with toasted sandwiches with grilled cheese.

Children’s favorite tomato soup

• ¼ cup of olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 (14-ounce) cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes with juice
• 2 ½ cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup of whole milk
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add the tomatoes, stock, tomato puree and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
3. Use an immersion blender to blend, or work in batches to place the soup in the blender and puree a little at a time. Pour the soup back into the pan and add milk. Bring to a boil over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

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These butter cookies are fun to make with kids.

Sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the cream, egg yolks, vanilla and almond extract and mix well. Add the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into heart shapes.
3. Place cookies 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool completely and then drizzle with icing.

CLICK HERE for family-friendly Valentine’s Day events

Natalie Mikles is a mother of three – 12 year old twin girls and an 11 year old boy. She writes about food, shares recipes for busy families and picky eaters. She has been recognized for her food columns as well as articles about families and issues affecting local children. She enjoys pizza and movie nights with her family.

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