Valentine Day Cookie Fun

There are all kinds of quick and easy cookie recipes out there that are great to make with your kids for Valentine's Day. Here are some of my favorite cookies that come out of the oven tinted a nice loving pink!

Pink Pillows

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Strawberry Flavor NESTLE NESQUIK Powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 375º F.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, Nesquik and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen.

Sweetie Pies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 (21-ounce) can cherry filling and topping
1 teaspoon almond extract

Put butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add flour and pecans; mix well. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Press balls evenly into the bottom and up the sides of 1-3/4- x 1-inch miniature muffin cups.

Combine cherry filling and almond extract. Spoon about 1 tablespoon cherry mixture into each pastry-lined cup.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen.

Here is another great recipe. Even the youngest of kids can put their thumbprint into a cookie and help out with this one!
Maraschino Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
2 (10-ounce) jars maraschino cherries
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 baking powder
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons milk
Drain maraschino cherries, reserving 1 teaspoon juice. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl; mix well.
Put butter and sugar in medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until well blended. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well.
Put chocolate chips and milk in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, over low heat until chocolate melts. Stir in reserve maraschino cherry juice. Let cool slightly.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking pan. Push in centers with thumb; spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture into each thumbprint and top with a cherry.

Bake in 350*F oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are firm. Remove to wire racks. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

All of these recipes are really easy to make!

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Pink Foods for Kids and Valentine’s Day

My last blog inspired me to look up recipes for Pink foods. I have tried quite a few out on the kids and especially my small daughter who is obsessed with the color pink.

Here are some good recipes that will tickle your children's fancy!

Pink Potato Salad
6-8 medium potatoes, boiled
1 red onion, diced
1/4 c. dill pickle relish
2 boiled eggs (if desired)
3/4 c. Hellman’s mayonnaise
1/2 c. Catalina dressing

Several hours before serving, boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain and cool slightly, then peel and slice.
Pour Catalina dressing over warm potato slices coating slices well. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator until cold. Add onion, pickle relish, boiled eggs and mayonnaise. Mix well and serve.

My kids go gaga for this dessert.

Pink Fluff
2 small boxes Raspberry Jell-O
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 9 oz tub Cool Whip
1/2 cup chopped pecans or nuts
Dissolve Jell-O in 2 cups boiling water.
In a blender, combine Jell-O and cream cheese. Refrigerate until the mixture has thickened slightly.
Stir in the pineapple and nuts. Fold in the Cool Whip.
Rinse a silicone mold with cold water and shake out excess water (do not dry).

Transfer mixture to the mold and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
When ready to serve, dip the outside of mold into hot water for a few seconds to release. Run a butter knife along the edge to loosen the gel from the mold. Flip over onto a dish and serve.

The following recipe is the party version of the drink but I serve it to my kids all the time. I don't always add the soda water. The point is that the frozen strawberries make it nice and pink and add this really yummy sweet kick to the whole thing.

Pink Punch
6 (6 oz.) cans frozen pink lemonade concentrate, partially thawed
6 pkgs. frozen strawberries, partly thawed
6 (6 oz.) cans frozen orange juice concentrate
8 qts. ginger ale
4 qts. soda water
Ice

In each of two large punch bowls, combine half of each ingredient. Stir until frozen, lemonade and strawberries soften and break up. Add ice and serve.

I find making fun pink drinks like this is a good way of getting the kids to take their vitamin C!

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