Dear Reader,
This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children. Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich the beginning reading skills. You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story. Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.
*Read to the children in your life every day. You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!
Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink By: Diane de Groat
Ages: Preschool through Second Grade
Most children have had the experience of exchanging valentines at school. Unfortunately, in our story, Gilbert was angry with a couple of his classmates and made a very poor decision when writing his valentine messages. It caused a lot of chaos during the valentine exchange, but all works out in the end. Children will be able to relate to sharing valentines with their classmates and will enjoy Gilbert’s story.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, ask the child to tell you his/her experience with exchanging valentines at school.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you if he/she has had a negative experience during a valentine exchange.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you how he/she feels about what Gilbert did while he was writing his valentines.
- After reading, help the child make a valentine for a friend or family member and add a rhyming verse.
Additional Books:
- In My Heart, A Book of Feelings By: Jo Witek Illustrated by: Christine Roussey
- The Little Blue Truck’s Valentine By: Alice Schertle Illustrated by: Jill McElmurry
- Pete the Cat, Valentine’s Day is Cool By: James Dean and Kimberly Dean
- Love From the Crayons By: Drew Daywalt Illustrated by: Oliver Jeffers
- Happy Valentine’s Day, Little Critter! By: Mercer Mayer
Cooking Time:
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pastries
These delicious pastries are perfect for a Valentine’s Day breakfast. Children can help by cutting out the heart shapes, adding the ingredients and filling in the pastry.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter
1 (8.6 ounce) sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
2/3 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
Red food coloring
Powdered sugar for dusting
- Mix together the cream cheese and jam, making sure to smooth out all large lumps.
- Add a couple drops of red food coloring and mix completely.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cut the pastry into heart shapes using a 3 inch cookie cutter.
- Place hearts on the baking sheet, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Using a sharp knife, lightly score a heart inside of each cut-out about 1/3 inch from the edge. Do not cut entirely through bottom of dough.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture to center of each heart. Spread outward without covering the 1/3 inch edge.
- Add the strawberries over the cream cheese layer.
- Whisk together the egg and water.
- Using your fingertip, brush the edge of each pastry with the egg wash.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 14 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Cool pastries on a wire rack.
- Dust the cooled pastries with powdered sugar.
Makes 9 servings.
Heart Pizza
Most children love pizza and these heart shaped ones are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Children can help by cutting out the heart shapes and adding all of the toppings.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Premade pizza dough (13.8 ounce package)
Pizza or marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
20 slices pepperoni
Large heart cookie cutter
Small heart cookie cutter
- Using a small heart cutter, cut the pepperoni into heart shapes.
- Roll out the pizza dough and cut out large hearts. Take leftover dough and roll out for additional heart pizzas.
- Place the heart shaped pizza dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Put pizza sauce on each piece of dough.
- Sprinkle each pizza with cheese.
- Place the heart shaped pepperoni over each pizza.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until dough is golden brown.
Makes 6 pizzas.
Valentine Whoopie Pies
Whoopie pies are delicious and more fun when they are in the shape of hearts. Children can help by measuring and adding the ingredients, cracking the egg and assembling the cookies.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the heart shaped pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Cookie Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
Filling
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla
Valentine sprinkles
Valentine candies or red/pink fondant cut into hearts
- Using a mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture until almost incorporated.
- Add the buttermilk. Mix on low until almost combined.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Fill each cavity with 2 tablespoons of batter and spread to the edges.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on wire racks to cool.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove from the pans and return them to the racks to complete the cooling process.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the filling.
- Using a mixer, cream the butter.
- Add the sugar and salt and mix well.
- Add the marshmallow creme and vanilla and blend well.
- To assemble the whoopie pies, spread about 1 tablespoon of filling on one cake and sandwich with another cake. If the cake is too thick, split with a knife and put the filling in the middle.
- After filling, roll the edges of the pies in the sprinkles.
- Add a valentine candy or hearts made from fondant to the center of each pie.
Makes 12 servings. If you split the cakes you will get double the amount.
