Alright Alright Alright (in my Matthew McConaughey voice…can ya hear me?).
It’s Valentines Day this Sunday and there is so much to love about this year’s holiday:
- It’s on a Sunday (which means, if you have kids, it’s easy to pull off a ‘less romantic’ meal on a Sunday than it is on a Saturday night, amiright?)
- It’s followed by Family Day this year (which is a holiday in Canada) so after our sugar high on Sunday, we can have a day to recover!
- We’ve been indoors (at least those of us in Canada have, where the cold keeps us in AND because we listen like good citizens – well, most of us – when we are told to ‘just stay home’) so we need all the celebrations we can get!!!
Last year, me and my pal Jenny from Food Fables created a Palentines feast that could be celebrated with friends (check out her post about it here) and we both talked about what it meant to us in our individual posts (mine is here):
This year, since we will all be home celebrating in our own way, I thought it would be fund to create a sweet board to serve with whichever meal you end up making!
It came to me because I’m trying hard to use up stuff in my pantry…this is what I had:
- a half can of dulce de leche
- some shortbread cookies that I had to use or else I was going to eat them all
- some dark chocolate
- loads of social tea cookies
- Lots of sprinkles (I mean LOTS!)
- Some apples and blackberries I needed to use (I thought I needed raspberries and strawberries for this board to look good, but I think it turned out fine!)
So, let’s start off with this easy hack…
Take some store bought cookies (these ones are shortbread) and sandwich two of them with some dulce de leche (or peanut butter, or Biscoff or Nutella). Next, melt some pink chocolate melts, scrape into a small freezer Ziploc bag and then make a very small snip in the end corner; using it like a pastry bag, drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies and use additional sprinkles to make ’em purty ;). Finally, dip a stick into your chocolate and shove it between the two cookies (the chocolate will harden and you’ll be able to pick up the cookies!)
Next, take the remaining pink melted chocolate and squeeze it onto some parchment into a heart shape and dip some pretzel rods into the rest of the chocolate (they’ll look like matches and, if anyone asks, tell them they are to ‘strike a fire and light your heart a’flame’ – I don’t know why Hallmark hasn’t hired me yet!?)
You can buy cheap chocolate molds at your local dollar store (make sure it’s food grade)…I like to use them for ice cubes but you can also use them for these cute chocolate bites! Just melt some good quality dark chocolate and pour it into the molds…decorate as you wish and place them in the freezer. Pop them out when they are nice and cold and there you have it…instant love bites!!
Finally, let’s make some easy chocolate bark..
I have this easy peasy recipe on the blog that makes crunchy chocolate bark using saltine crackers and you can top it however you like:
I had no saltines – but I did have loads of social tea biscuits so, lets do it!!!!!
Using the same recipe (see original here), just layer the cookies in your pan (if you’re using round, they obvs won’t touch and continue with the recipe). The caramel will fall in the middle but that’s okay! After the chocoalte topping, decorate each as you would like (or leave them plain!)
Now, put all your goodies on a tray, add some sliced apples and berries for good measure (you don’t want to make your dentist super mad, do ya??) and you are golden!
Whether you’re having breakfast, brunch or dinner, this board will be a welcome addition to any meal this Valentine’s Day!!
What goodies are you gonna be putting on your board??
Aaaand if you’re overwhelmed with all the Hallmark ideas I have given you these past few days (ohhhh and I am soooo not finished yet!), here is an image to pin for later!!
