Easy Valentine’s Day Treats via Catherine McCord of Weelicious and One Potato

Easy Valentine’s Day Treats

We love a good excuse to whirl up some sweet treats for Valentine’s Day. Thankfully, Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious and One Potato, always has delicious recipes perfect for the entire family.

Make these super easy treats in minutes as each recipe takes less than 15 minutes, with one not even having to go into the oven. Frankly, when it comes to cooking with kids in the kitchen, these are precisely the recipes we love.

Heart Rice Crispy Treats

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes

Makes: about 14 (2 inch) hearts

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter)
• 4 cups organic crispy brown rice cereal
• 1 cup freeze dried raspberries or strawberries (can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or most any health food store)

How to make:

1. In a large bowl, combine the rice crisps and the freeze dried fruit.
2. In a large sauce pan, heat brown rice syrup and peanut butter over low heat and whisk until melted and combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove sauce pan from heat and pour over rice crisps in a large bowl.
4. Stir with a plastic spatula until completely combined.
5. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch pan and press down to flatten the top (sometimes I put a zipper bag on my hand like a glove, to press into the pan and flatten the treats)
6. Cool for 5 minutes and then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut into hearts.

Puff Pastry Berry Hearts

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Makes: about 18 hearts (depending on the size of the cookie cutter)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
• 1 package frozen puff pastry, defrosted
• ½ cup fresh raspberries (or mixed berries)

How to make:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Unfold the puff pastry and cut into hearts using heart-shaped cookie cutters.
3. Place the puff pastry hearts on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer, or with an electric mixer whip the cream on medium- high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat on high for 30 more seconds or until thick and fluffy.
5. Remove hearts from the oven and allow to cool completely. Slice hearts in half. Top the bottom half with whipped cream and berries, and place the other half on top to form a sandwich.

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