Valentine’s Day is for the Girls— Recipes to Prepare for the Ultimate Girl Party

Desserts

Rice crispy treats  

Inspired by Ree Drummond 

If I’m being honest, you can never go wrong with a rice crispy treat. They’re sweet, soft, chewy, and all the right amounts of yum. Bake some of these bad boys and you’ll be the talk of the party. 

• 4 tbsp of salted butter 

• One 10oz bag of marshmallows

• ¼ tsp salt

• 6 cups of rice cereal 

• One 10oz bag of mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. In a large pot, melt butter. Once the butter is melted, add in regular marshmallows until they’re melted. Next, stir in the salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Pour in rice cereal and fold gently until combined. Once combined, add the mini marshmallows folding gently. 

3. Add mixture to a greased 9×13 pan and press flat. *You can add sprinkles or pink frosting on top* 

4. Let it cool completely, then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the treats.

Heart-shaped sugar cookies 

No Galentine’s day party – or any party for that matter – is complete without sugar cookies. Although this recipe comes from a mix, I have some tips and tricks that will make your guests believe that you slaved all day making these #AintNobodyGotTimeForThat. 

• 1 Bag of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1 stick (½ cup) butter *melted*

• 1 egg 

 Instructions 

1. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until combined

2. Most important step: Once combined, divide the dough into thirds. Take each individual third and wrap them in saran wrap. After, stick them in the fridge for an hour or until hard. 

3. Preheat oven to 375

4. After the dough has been hardened, take one of the dough balls out of the fridge, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the chilled dough with a rolling pin until the dough is about ⅛ inch thick. 

5. Using your cookie cutter, cut the dough into your desired shapes and place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

6. Bake for around 5-7 min then transfer to a wire rack once cooled. Repeat these steps with all the chilled dough. 

7. After all the cookies are baked and completely cooled, decorate with your favorite frosting and sprinkles and enjoy!

Main Courses

Crepe bar

Your Galentines don’t have to be the only sweet part of your Galentines party! A fun way to show your girls how much you appreciate them is by setting up a delicious crepe bar! Crepes are surprisingly easy to make (see recipe below!). To go with your crepes, get things such as Nutella and peanut butter, chocolate chips, whipped cream, fresh berries, or other fruit, lemon curd (find a super easy recipe here!).

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter or canola oil
• a good pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in order as listed in a blender and blitz until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides and blend again briefly until the batter is lump-free. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, but 2 is ideal.
2. Place a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat* to preheat. Melt a little butter or oil in the bottom of the pan and swirl to coat. With the hot skillet in one hand and the batter in the other, slowly and steadily pour crepe batter into the center of the pan, tilting the skillet around to spread the batter evenly across the bottom in a very thin layer. It takes some practice but after 3 or 4 times, you can get consistently even crepes.
3. After 10-15 seconds, the crepe batter shouldn’t look shiny anymore, it should appear more matte and the bottom should be lightly browned. So, flip it over and cook another 10 seconds or so. Remove from pan and repeat this process until no more batter remains.

(Recipe found  here!)

Heart-shaped pancakes or waffles 

If crepes aren’t your thing, maybe try heart-shaped pancakes or waffles. It’s the same idea with toppings, but there are a lot of recipe options that include vegan or gluten-free recipes. You can make heart-shaped pancakes with a cookie cutter. An option for heart-shaped waffles includes either finding a heart-shaped waffle maker or heart-shaped cookie cutters again.

Ingredients 

• 2 cups all-purpose | plain flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar or sweetener
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk (plus up to 1/4 cup extra if needed)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Instructions

1. Combine together the flour, sugar (or sweetener), baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large-sized bowl. Make a well in the center and add the milk, slightly cooled melted butter, vanilla, and egg.
2. Use a wire whisk to whisk the wet ingredients together first before slowly folding them into the dry ingredients. Mix together until smooth (there may be a couple of lumps but that’s okay).
3. (The batter will be thick and creamy in consistency. If you find the batter too thick — doesn’t pour off the ladle or out of the measuring cup smoothly — fold a couple of tablespoons of extra milk into the batter at a time until reaching desired consistency).
4. Set the batter aside and allow to rest while heating up your pan or griddle. 
5. Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over low-medium heat and wipe over with a little butter to lightly grease pan. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto the pan and spread out gently into a round shape with the back of your ladle or measuring cup.
6. When the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.

(Recipe found here!)

Appetizers

Homemade salsa

Chips and salsa are an absolute staple for any girls night in or out, and Galentines is no exception. A fun way to amp up this classic is through making your own salsa at home! It is not nearly as hard as it sounds, and the results are pretty tasty! If you aren’t totally on board for that, then store-bought salsa can be just as tasty!

Ingredients

• 1 –14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 –10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 1 jalapeno deseeded and membranes removed
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Juice from 1/2 lime

Instructions

1. Roughly chop up 1/2 an onion, 1 jalapeno (remove seeds as desired, the seeds will add heat), and 3 cloves of garlic. Add to food processor.
2. Add in 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles.
3. Add in honey, salt, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, and juice of 1/2 lime (start slow with the lime as it can overpower, you can taste and add more if desired)
4. Blend in a food processor for about 30 seconds or until desired consistency.

(Recipe found here!)

Mini pizza

I don’t know about you, but in my opinion, nothing could be cuter and more delicious than mini pizzas! This twist on a classic will for sure be a hit with your girls and gives you so many different options to mix and match your favorite toppings, sauces, and crusts. Below is a recipe for basic pizza dough, and feel free to get creative with toppings!

Ingredients 

•  1 cup warm water
•  1 tablespoon honey
•  1 tablespoon oil
•  1 tablespoon instant yeast
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  2-3 cups flour (see note)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the water, honey, oil, yeast, and salt. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The exact flour amount will vary so go by the touch and feel of the dough versus the exact cup measurements in the recipe. The dough should be soft and smooth (not leaving a residue on your fingers but not super stiff, either).
2. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes (more like 5-6 minutes if kneading by hand or if using whole wheat flour).
3. Let the dough rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Shape the dough into pizzas, spread with sauce and toppings, and bake at 475 or 500 degrees on a preheated pizza stone or on a lightly greased baking sheet for 8-10 minutes

(Find the recipe here!)

Healthy Options

No Bake Energy Balls!

Recipe courtesy of Gina Bond  

 Are you well into your new year’s fitness goals and you’re looking for a treat that won’t throw you off the rails? Well, look no further because I’ve got the recipe for you! These No-Bake Energy Balls have the perfect amount of sweetness that will leave you wanting more and more. Believe me, I can eat about 10 of these *no shame*.  Without further ado, my mom’s mouth-watering energy balls!

• 15 unpitted dates

• ½ cup creamy almond butter 

• ½ cup cacao powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions 

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender

2. Take a spoonful of dough, roll into a ball, and place onto a baking sheet. Continue until all the dough has been used 

3. Once you’re done, you can roll the balls into toppings of your choice (I like unsweetened shredded coconut and cacao nibs) or you can leave them as is :)

Dark chocolate-covered strawberries  

Recipe courtesy of Izzy Bond 

 In addition to my no-bake energy balls being one of my favorite healthy treats, dark chocolate covered strawberries are a very close second. What most people don’t know is that dark chocolate is actually good for you! Not only is dark chocolate delicious, but it’s loaded with antioxidants !!! This treat is not only a classic for any occasion, but it’s so good for you! Enjoy!

• 10-12 large strawberries 

• 1 cup of dark chocolate ( I love any dark chocolate that’s 50% cacao or higher ) 

Instructions 

1. Wash strawberries

2. Melt chocolate in the microwave for 30-second intervals and stirring until melted 

3. Once the chocolate is melted, dip strawberries in chocolate then place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Continue until all your strawberries are covered in chocolate 

4. Stick strawberries in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more to harden 

5. After they’re hardened, remove, and enjoy!

Drinks

Strawberry lemonade 

Lemonade is always a delicious treat no matter the weather and to make it more on-brand for the holiday is making strawberry lemonade! To top this one off some cute accessories such as themed glasses or straws can totally elevate this drink!

Ingredients 

• 4 1/2 cups fresh strawberries halved
• 4 lemons
• 1/2 cup sugar or to taste
• water
• ice

Instructions

1. Place strawberries and 1 cup water in a blender. Blend until smooth and strain using a fine-mesh strainer. Juice the lemons (you should get about 1 cup of juice).
2. In a small jar, combine sugar and 1/2 cup water. Shake until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. In a 2 quart pitcher add strawberry juice, lemon juice and about 3/4 of the sugar mixture. Fill the pitcher halfway with ice. Add 4-5 cups of cold water and stir.

(Find recipe here!)

Virgin Strawberry Margs

Recipe courtesy of BarbaraBakes.com

You don’t need to be 21 and over to enjoy a drink! Pair this margarita with our homemade salsa and you’ve got yourself a delicious Mexican happy hour.  

• 2 cups of fresh strawberries

• ⅓ cup of fresh orange juice

• ⅓ cup coarse sugar

• 1  ½ cup of crushed ice

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tbsp agave 

• 4 fresh strawberries (for garnish)

Instructions 

1. To prepare the margarita glasses: Add coarse sugar to a shallow bowl. Wet the glasses with a lime wedge and coat the glass rim in the sugar.

2. Place the chopped strawberries, fresh orange juice, fresh lime juice, and agave into your blender and pulse a few times to blend. If need be, taste test it and add extra agave. Once it’s to your desired taste, add the crushed ice and pulse until you get your desired consistency. Pour drink into your prepared glasses

3. Garnish the drink with a fresh strawberry 

Pink hot chocolate 

Yes, hot chocolate is great and all but, do you know what is even better than regular ole brown hot chocolate? Pink hot chocolate! For your Galentine’s party try this super delicious pink hot chocolate recipe to really get into the spirit! It is super easy to make and you can top it off with some themed sprinkles and whipped cream.

Ingredients 

• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2 teaspoons red food coloring
• Whipped cream, for topping
• Pink sprinkles, for topping

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and white chocolate chips. Place over low heat and cook, stirring often until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Add 1 teaspoon red food coloring and then add more until your desired pink color is reached.
2.  Pour the hot chocolate into clear mugs and top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of pink sprinkles. Enjoy!

(Find the recipe here!)

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