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A Kid-Friendly Valentine's Day Menu

I always like to do something fun and festive for my boys when Valentine’s Day arrives. Last year we made Heart-Shaped Pizza using pre-baked dough so to mix things up a bit this year we are making Heart-Shaped garlic bread instead! To go along with the theme, I made pretty pink Beet Pasta (recipe below) and a side of sautéd broccoli rabe– 2 variations on vegetables my kids will actually eat.

Heart-Shaped Garlic Bread

6-8 slices of sourdough bread

3 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 T grated parmesan cheese

1/4 t garlic powder

Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter or scissors to cut hearts out of sliced sourdough bread. Butter each piece and lay them on a baking sheet. Drizzle the whole sheet with olive oil and then sprinkle with the grated parmesan and garlic powder. Broil until golden (about 2-3 minutes).

Use any leftover bread to make homemade croutons like these from the Kitchn.

Enjoy!

Heart-Shaped Garlic Bread

Heart-Shaped Garlic Bread

BEET PASTA

recipe from The Forest Feast Mediterranean

8 oz. (225 g) pasta (I used rigatoni here, but any type works)

1 small beet

2 oz. (55 grams) goat cheese

1/2 lemon

2 T olive oil

Fresh parsley (or other fresh herb you like)

Boil the pasta according to package instructions. As pasta cooks, grate the beet using a fine grater or zester (no need to peel). Drain the pasta and then put it back into the hot cooking pot. Add the grated beet, juice from 1/2 lemon, the goat cheese, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

* For an even more kid-friendly version of this recipe, just use half of a small beet and leave out the lemon and goat cheese. Instead add 1 T butter to make it a little creamier, and a bit more mild. My kids will protest if I put parsley on top, so I leave it on the side, mostly for the grown-ups to sprinkle.

Enjoy!

Max enjoying Beet Pasta

Max enjoying Beet Pasta

Broccoli Rabe sautéd with butter & garlic. Sauté on medium high heat until bright green.

Broccoli Rabe sautéd with butter & garlic. Sauté on medium high heat until bright green.