This post could alternatively be titled “Five Recipes for Heart-Shaped Food,” because all five of my suggestions are, in fact, heart-shaped. Cheesy, I know, but isn’t everything about Valentine’s Day?
- Heart-shaped ravioli
Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut fresh pasta dough, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal the filling in. Alternatively, some stores sell heart-shaped ravioli molds specifically for this purpose. If you’re looking to lighten your chef responsibilities, Costco usually sells bags of premade heart-shaped ravioli around Valentine’s Day.
- Heart-shaped pizza
My family loves making homemade pizza dough—it’s tasty, and you can make endless combinations of toppings and ingredients. Simply roll or cut your dough into the shape of a heart, and add toppings to your heart’s desire. If you’re extra (like me), you can easily cut pepperoni into hearts too.
- Heart-shaped breadsticks
Breadsticks aren’t technically a meal by themselves, but they make a great side for many dishes (for example, heart-shaped pizza and ravioli). Take your favorite breadstick recipe, and simply mold the dough into hearts instead of leaving it straight.
Alternatively, heart-shaped garlic bread would be just as tasty and a lot faster to make. Either buy a loaf of premade garlic bread or make your own with bread, butter, and garlic. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to get the perfect slices.
- Heart-shaped waffles
Anyone else a proponent of breakfast for dinner? Walmart, Target, and similar stores sell heart-shaped waffle makers. Ikea also sells bags of frozen heart-shaped waffles. You can go for the traditional breakfast waffle or turn it into chicken and waffles for a savory dinner.
- Soup, salad, and sandwiches
Take a heart-shaped cookie cutter and cut your sandwich of choice into a heart. Pair with your favorite soup and salad. For cooks who like to go the extra mile, you can slice some salad ingredients like cucumbers, carrot chips, or cheese cubes into hearts.
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!