Valentine’s Day is almost here. It’s a prime time to have some fun in the kitchen with the kids. Whether you’re teaching them how to cook or you’re just trying to find some inexpensive home-style entertainment, this is a good time to pull out your
and make some fun. If you don’t have a blender, a toaster or a hotplate, you can pick one up at the discount store for cheap, and you’ll be able to use it again in cooking everyday meals. Here are three fun kitchen projects for celebrating Valentine’s Day with the kids.

Hearty Toast

Who says that all toast has to be square? Put heart-shaped cookie cutters through the center of a slice of bread. Pop the cut-outs in the toaster and serve them with jam at breakfast or with soups and stews for lunch or dinner. Make heart-shaped cheese toast for a fun snack by setting bread cut-outs on a sheet of foil, topping them with a few slices of cheddar cheese, then sprinkling on some garlic powder and pepper. Put them in a toaster oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Frugal tip:

Set aside the untoasted bread scraps from your cut-outs. They can be chopped into squares and used to make croutons for a salad or pulverized in a blender and turned into bread crumbs for your meatloaf.

Strawberry Smoothies

Smoothies make a tasty Valentine’s Day treat that isn’t loaded with sugar. Wash, core and slice about a cup of fresh strawberries, reserving a few slices for a garnish. Throw them into your blender with 10 to 12 ice cubes, a spoonful of sugar and a cup of orange juice with the pulp included. Run your blender at a medium speed for about 90 seconds to two minutes, or until the mixture is smooth.

Homemade Chocolate Fondue

If you can’t get through Valentine’s Day without chocolate, make some homemade chocolate fondue for some family fun. Use an electric hot plate or your stove on a medium-low setting. Add a teaspoon of vanilla to two tablespoons of water, then stir it into a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk and set it aside. In a two- or three-quart heavy-bottomed sauce pan, place a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and two tablespoons of margarine. Pour the milk mixture into the pan. Heat and stir until it’s smooth. Pour the fondue into a crockpot on warm. Dip fresh strawberries, sliced bananas or other fruits on a toothpick. Use cookie cutters or a butter knife to create heart-shaped pound cake pieces.

Nikki is an independent writer for
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