Sweet Valentine's Day Treats: Puppy {Love} Chow, Red Velvet Popcorn, and Red Velvet Cookies and Cream Milkshakes

There’s a Valentine’s Day commercial currently playing in my part of the country that talks about how guys have it easy on Valentine’s Day. They only have to buy a gift for their wives. Women, however? They get gifts for their husbands, their kids, their kids’ teachers, their kids’ classmates, etc. I can’t remember exactly how the commercial phrases it, but it calls women Valentine’s Day super heroes, or something like that.

After all the work I did yesterday to prepare for the boys’ Valentine’s Day parties at daycare, I definitely felt like something akin to a super hero. I filled out Valentine’s Day cards (which were store-bought, lest you believe I went to another level of effort), made another batch of sugar cookie bars, made fruit salsa and cinnamon chips, and put together a couple of different types of sweet snacks. After all that, I rewarded myself with the most decadent milkshake in the entire world. I felt like I totally deserved it.

The first thing I made and packaged for the boys’ daycare friends was a sweet treat I’m calling puppy {love} chow. It’s a Valentine’s Day take on the puppy chow/muddy buddies snack we all know and love. I added pretzels to cut all the sweetness, and I think this is even more addictive than its more traditional counterpart. The amount in the picture is what I had left after portioning it into treat bags, and I must admit that it was completely gone by the end of the day.

Here’s the recipe:

Puppy {Love} Chow
adapted from Betty Crocker

5 cups rice Chex cereal
2 cups pretzels
1 cup white chocolate baking chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup Valentine M&Ms
1/4 cup Valentine sprinkles

1. Place cereal and pretzels in medium bowl.

2. In small microwavable bowl, microwave white chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on high 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal and pretzels, stirring until evenly coated.

3. Place mixture in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag. Add powdered sugar and M&Ms. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil; cool about 15 minutes.

4. Return to a serving bowl and stir in sprinkles. Store covered.

As soon as I saw this red velvet popcorn, I knew I’d be making it. What a clever idea – to sprinkle popcorn that’s been coated in white chocolate with cake crumbs. I added some milk chocolate drizzle, just to make this snack even more decadent. I’d love to experiment with red velvet cake mix, pre-baking; I’m sure it would work just as well coated on the popcorn. Although this snack is supposed to be for the daycare kids, it’s going to be really difficult for me to part with it, because it is so incredibly delicious and addictive.

Red Velvet Popcorn
adapted from Cookies and Cups

8 cups popped popcorn, 1/2 cup unpopped kernels (or 2 bags of “natural” microwave popcorn)
3 cups red velvet cake crumbs
12 ounces white chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1. Pour the popcorn into a large bowl. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler.

2. Pour the melted chocolate over the popcorn and stir to coat completely.

3. Pour the popcorn onto a waxed paper lined counter and sprinkle with red velvet crumbs.

4. Melt the milk chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler. Using a fork, drizzle over the popcorn.

5. Let the popcorn set completely before eating.

After making the popcorn, I was left with quite a bit of red velvet cake that I had no immediate use for. In a stroke of brilliance, I recalled the cookies and cream ice cream in the freezer…and I decided to make myself and the boys a little afternoon treat.

I mixed some red velvet cake directly into the ice cream and milk mixture, and it blended in perfectly and added that distinctive red velvet flavor to every drink of the shake. This would be such a delicious, fun dessert for a Valentine’s Day feast!

Red Velvet Cookies and Cream Milkshakes

Cookies and cream ice cream
Red velvet cake
Milk
Whipped cream
Crushed Oreo cookies and red velvet cake crumbs for garnish, if desired

Combine desired amounts of ice cream, cake, and milk to desired consistency. Top with whipped cream and garnish with Oreo cookies and cake crumbs, if desired.

Mint Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

I’m such a spaz. Yesterday I was singing the praises of fall, and today I’m sharing an ice cream recipe that screams summer. But in my mind, ice cream is really a year-round treat, and this particular ice cream is too delicious not to share regardless of the time of year.

This ice cream represents a hybrid of my husband’s two favorite flavors: mint chocolate chip and cookies and cream. Occasionally I like to do nice things for him, and I thought he’d really enjoy this homemade version combining the two. He did. So did I. And so did Andrew. Between the three of us, we polished off the entire batch in less than a week. (Okay, I’ll be honest: It was much less than a week. It may have been more like a couple of days.)

What I love about this ice cream is that it’s not custard-based, so it’s super quick and easy to throw together. The mint Oreos adds such a great minty flavor that you don’t really need to add any mint extract at all. I will change one thing when I make this again, though: I added the cookie pieces while the ice cream was churning in the ice cream maker, and they broke up and made the ice cream look sort of…gray, which wasn’t very appetizing. The gray didn’t go away even when I added green food coloring (which I never really intended to do). Next time I’ll wait until the ice cream is frozen and stir the pieces in then (I’ve indicated this in the recipe below). Regardless of how it looked, though, it sure did taste good!

Mint Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
adapted from Allrecipes

2 cups 2% milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 1/2 cups mint Oreo cookies, roughly chopped

1. In a large bowl, stir together the milk, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved. Color to your liking with the green food coloring, if desired.

2. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream has thickened, about 30 minutes later, stir in cookie pieces. Spoon into a container and freeze for 2 hours before serving.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Everyone knows that when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. But when life hands you strawberries -- big, ripe, juicy strawberries straight from your neighbor’s garden -- what do you do with them? Well, you eat a couple handfuls right away until your hands and face are good and stained, and then you use the rest to make ice cream.

This isn’t the strawberry cheesecake ice cream you typically see in the store -- the vanilla ice cream base with chunks of cheesecake and strawberries in it. In this version the strawberries are pureed right in so they lend their sweetness to the entire batch of ice cream. The cream cheese and chunks of graham cracker really do make this taste just like cheesecake, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds the perfect tangy element. Best of all, this ice cream doesn’t have a custard base, so it comes together in no time. Any fresh berries would be delicious using this method -- I’m trying blueberries next!

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
source: adapted from Epicurious

3/4 pound (1 quart) strawberries
8 ounces softened cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 roughly chopped graham crackers

To make the ice cream, puree the strawberries with the cream cheese, sugar, milk, lemon juice, and salt. Stir in the heavy cream, chill completely, then freeze in an ice-cream maker. Stir in graham crackers. I served my ice cream in martini glasses rimmed with graham crackers and sugar, which is completely unnecessary but really pretty. :)

Elvis Milkshakes

I love getting lost in a really good food blog, spending hours and hours in the archives bookmarking recipes to try. One of my favorite food blogs to do that with is Noble Pig; Cathy’s food always looks so amazing, and every time I visit her site I go away salivating. Our incredibly hot weather has made me pretty much obsessed with ice cream in all its various forms, so when I saw these milkshakes on Cathy's site I knew I had to give ‘em a try.

Whether or not you’re a fan of Elvis, I guarantee that you’ll be a fan of these milkshakes. They’re so delicious -- incredibly rich and creamy and perfectly satisfying on a hot day. I’ve made them quite a few times now, and they’re always a huge hit with my husband and oldest son. You should hear Andrew say "Elvis shakes" -- it’s priceless, and that alone is worth the calories. Next up? Teaching him to sing "You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog."

Elvis Milkshakes
source: Noble Pig

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

3/4 cup milk, divided

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1 banana

1. In a bowl, beat peanut butter and 1/4 cup of milk with a hand mixer until smooth. In a blender, blend ice cream, remaining milk and banana until smooth.

2. Add peanut butter mixture to ice cream mixture and blend until just combined.

3. Pour into glasses and garnish with banana slices.

Snow Ice Cream

It may sound silly, but when I decided I wanted to have children, one of the things I always envisioned doing with my potential offspring was making snow ice cream every winter. It just always sounded like so much fun, a winter activity we could make into a tradition. And this year, I finally got to start that tradition with my little guy Andrew. We got a massive amount of snow here last week (although not nearly as much as those further east!), and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to let him try snow ice cream for the first time. He helped me collect the snow and mix the ice cream, and when it was ready I served him a bowl. He definitely approved!

This ice cream isn't going to knock your socks off or anything, flavor-wise. It just tastes like vanilla ice cream. It's more about the method than the end product, in this case. I know I'm going to cherish this tradition with my boys every year!

Snow Ice Cream
source: Food Network

8 cups clean snow
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place snow in a large bowl. Pour condensed milk over and add vanilla. Mix to combine and serve immediately.

Grilled Banana Sundaes

One of the things I'm definitely going to do next spring and summer is experiment with more grilled fruits. Earlier this summer I made pork chops with grilled peaches, and I absolutely loved the extra flavor and sweetness the grill gave the peaches. When I saw a recipe on the Better Homes and Gardens website for grilled banana sundaes, I was instantly intrigued. Since bananas are so soft, I had my doubts about how well they'd hold up to grilling -- but much to my surprise, they actually held up very well. The warm bananas had a velvety texture, and grilling them gave them such an interesting depth of flavor. They were the perfect pairing for spicy caramel sauce and cool, creamy vanilla ice cream.

We liked these sundaes a lot, and I think I'll make them frequently when we start grilling again next spring. We don't typically do dessert during the week, so this was a nice mid-week treat for us. The original recipe suggests topping the sundaes with toasted coconut and sliced almonds, but I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanuts instead -- both because I had them on hand, and because I thought they'd be the perfect toppings. They were. What a yummy treat!

Grilled Banana Sundaes
source: slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

2 large firm bananas
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 teaspoons orange juice, divided
1/2 cup caramel ice-cream topping
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream
Optional toppings: semi-sweet chocolate chips, honey-roasted peanuts, toasted coconut, sliced toasted almonds

1. Cut bananas in half lengthwise, then cut each piece in half crosswise. Stir together margarine or butter and 1 teaspoon of the orange juice. Brush mixture on all sides of banana pieces.

2. Place bananas directly on the grill rack over medium-hot coals. Grill, uncovered, for 2 minutes; turn over and grill for 2 minutes more or until heated through.

3. Meanwhile, in a heavy, medium skillet or saucepan combine the caramel topping and the remaining 1 teaspoon orange juice. Heat on the grill rack alongside bananas directly over the coals, or on a stovetop, until bubbly, stirring frequently. Stir in cinnamon. Add bananas and stir gently to coat.

4. To serve, scoop ice cream into dessert dishes. Spoon sauce and bananas atop ice cream. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and peanuts, if desired.

Egg Nog Cream Cheese Ice Cream Pie

This recipe comes from Fun Foods on a Budget, one of my very favorite food blogs. I love Stephanie's food philosophy, and her blog is always full of scrumptious recipes that aren't expensive to make. When I saw this pie, I knew I had to make it. After all, it combines my culinary love (cream cheese) with my husband's favorite holiday drink (egg nog).

Stephanie calls this the most delicious frozen pie she's ever tasted, and I have to say that I agree with her. This pie is ohhhh so good. We both loved it. And what's even better is that it literally took three minutes to make. It's so creamy and decadent and rich; I just can't rave enough about it. Definitely try this one! I didn't make my own crust (a graham cracker pie shell works just fine for this), but I've included Stephanie's crust recipe below. Warm mulled cranberries would be delicious on top of this, and would make it a perfect holiday dessert!

Egg Nog Cream Cheese Ice Cream Pie

Source: Fun Foods on a Budget

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons melted margarine or butter

For the filling:

1 package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup eggnog

1/2 cup butter pecan ice cream, softened

1. Combine crust ingredients and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggnog and ice cream. Pour into crust and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 10 to 15 minutes before slicing to soften the pie. Return any uneaten portion to the freezer.

Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

Ohhh, how I wish I could take credit for this idea, but alas, I cannot. I was at McDonald's the other day and noticed that they have a specialty milkshake on the menu, like the shamrock shake but better. Their current specialty shake is a pumpkin milkshake, which I knew I had to try immediately. And I did, and it was delicious.

I decided to try my hand at making an at-home version, and I have to say -- my version's even better than theirs, and it's a lot cheaper per serving too. Joe and I absolutely loved these, and I think I'll be making them for years to come. Hey, any excuse to eat ice cream in cold weather, right? This recipe makes two healthy-sized shakes.


Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes
Source: inspired by McDonald's

8-10 scoops vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup to 1 cup milk (depending on how thick you like your shakes)
4 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
Pumpkin pie spice to taste

Blend ice cream and milk in a blender. Stir in pureed pumpkin and pulse to combine. Add pumpkin pie spice to taste. Pour into tall, frosty glasses, drink, and die a little death at the deliciousness.