56 THE QUEENS COURIER • VALENTINE’S DAY • FEBRUARY 7, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
valentine’s day
Valentine’s recipes you’ll love to share
If the way to your loved one’s heart
is through the stomach, there’s no better
way to start off this Valentine’s Day
than with a homemade breakfast prepared
with love.
Whether you’re whipping up a breakfast
for a spouse with a sophisticated palate or
trying to tempt the taste buds of your littlest
loves, explore these ideas to get inspired.
• Red is the color of love, so build your
menu around fresh strawberries or raspberries,
which pair perfectly with French
toast or crepes, and can even dress up a
simple cereal.
• For a more sensible menu, opt for a fruity
berry smoothie or a parfait layered with
fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt and granola.
Add a hint of loving indulgence by sprinkling
dark chocolate shavings on top.
• Show your aff ection with a plate of
these colorful Cocoa-Kissed Red Velvet
Pancakes featuring rich 100 percent
cocoa, buttermilk and fresh berries.
Heart-shaped cookie cutters lend a special
touch to these fl uff y, fl avorful pancakes.
Add sweet garnishes like powdered
sugar and berries for a sensational way to
say “I love you.”
Find more recipes you’ll love to share with
your nearest and dearest this Valentine’s
Day at Culinary.net.
Cocoa-Kissed Red
Velvet Pancakes
Recipe courtesy of Nestlé
Servings: 10 pancakes
• 1 cup all-purpose fl our
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons Nestlé Toll House Baking
Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup reduced-fat buttermilk or low-fat
milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring
• heart-shaped pancake cutters or cookie
cutters (optional)
• butter, for garnish (optional)
• powdered sugar, for garnish (optional)
• maple syrup, for garnish (optional)
• fresh berries, for garnish (optional)
In large bowl, combine fl our, sugar, baking
cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and
salt; stir well.
In separate large bowl, whisk together
egg, buttermilk, unsalted butter, vanilla
extract and food coloring. Add to fl our
mixture; stir to combine. Allow mixture to
sit 5 minutes.
Heat nonstick skillet or griddle over
medium heat. Brush with oil or butter. Add
about 1/4 cup batter to skillet. Cook about
2 minutes, or until bubbles start to form
on top. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes, or until
bottom is lightly browned. Serve immediately
with butter, powdered sugar, syrup
and berries, if desired.
Tip: If using pancake or cookie cutters, be
sure to coat with oil so pancakes don’t stick.
Place cutters in skillet and pour batter into
cutters. Remove cutters before fl ipping.
Courtesy Family Features
5 easy ways to say “I Love You”
If gift -giving isn’t your strong suit,
occasions like Valentine’s Day are likely
to bring on stress and worry, but procrastinating
will only serve to elevate
your unease.
Follow these steps to simplify your
shopping, and while you may not come
to love the task of fi nding the perfect gift ,
your loved one will undoubtedly appreciate
your eff ort.
1. Browse for ideas online. Many retailers
off er special promotions and gift idea
sections on their websites, so fi nding
inspiration can be as easy as visiting the
sites of your loved one’s favorite stores.
Th ere are also dozens of articles online to
help get the ideas fl owing. Searches such
as “gift s for horse lovers” or “Valentine’s
gift s for a new boyfriend” will reveal a
long list of ideas to peruse.
2. Keep it simple. Although the advertising
industry works hard to convince
consumers otherwise, Valentine’s Day
isn’t really all about the bling. Sure, a
pretty bauble is a welcome gift , but there
are plenty of ways to show your aff ection
that don’t require spending a month’s
salary. A heartfelt card paired with a
memento of a meaningful event or place
in your relationship sends the same loving
sentiment.
3. Make it a (diff erent) date. For many
couples, navigating the demands of work,
kids and life make spending time together
a luxury. Instead of fi ghting crowds at
busy restaurants on the offi cial date, celebrate
your love on a day of your own
choosing, when you can relax and enjoy
the time together without the pressure to
rush through dessert so your table can be
fl ipped for the next waiting couple.
4. Give blooms a boost. A dozen longstem
red roses is a beautiful gesture, but
unless your intended rose receiver is a
strictly traditional type, try adding a little
spice to your fl oral arrangement. Go for
a bouquet in her favorite color, or have
the fl owers arranged in a practical vessel
she can reuse to remember the occasion,
such as a cocktail shaker or a watering
can.
5. Go ahead, gift yourself. It may seem
counter-intuitive, but fi nding a gift you’ll
enjoy may inspire an idea for your loved
one. Th e trick is fi nding something you
can share together, whether it’s tickets to
a show or his and hers mugs for enjoying
your favorite brew. Just be sure the item
is something your intended will share
your enthusiasm for, or you may as well
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
go buy a blender.
Find more ideas to simplify every occasion
at eLivingToday.com.
Courtesy Family Features
/WWW.QNS.COM
/Culinary.net
/eLivingToday.com
/WWW.QNS.COM
/Culinary.net
/eLivingToday.com
