Icecreamhearts Recipes

ELMO'S HEARTY OATMEAL HEARTS

Steps:

• Step 1: Sweeten the Mix Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl cream the butter with the granulated and brown sugars. Add the eggs and stir. Little Hands Tip: After you've gotten the batter started, let your child have a try with the spoon. Take turns mixing until the ingredients are blended together.
• Step 2: Get Spicy Add the cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar and vanilla to the mixture. Then stir in the oats. Little Hands Tips: Let your child help measure out dry ingredients like sugar and oats and put them into the bowl. Talk as you measure together. For example, ask: "If we have one cup of oats, how many more do we need to make two?"
• Step 3: Red, Healthy Cranberries Mix in the all-purpose and whole wheat flours. Then add the cranberries. Little Hands Tip: Talk about how cranberries are a kind of fruit that is good for our bodies. Cranberries are filled with Vitamin C that helps us stay healthy. What other fruits are red?
• Step 4: Give It Some Love Put a spoon of batter down on the cookie tray, put the cookie cutter around it and press the dough into the shape (you can flour the cutter to keep it from sticking.) No cookie cutter? No problem! These can be made as traditional round cookies, too. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
• Step 5: Share with Someone Special! While you eat these sweet treats with your little sweetheart, talk together about the people you love and care about.

PINK PUFFED RICE CEREAL HEARTS

Steps:

• Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Pulse the freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor until very coarsely chopped. If you don't have a food processor, you can do this with a rolling pin using a zip-top bag.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Quickly stir in the marshmallows and cook until completely melted. Add the chopped strawberries, combine with the mixture and remove from the heat. Stir in the cereal until well-coated and combined. Spray a rubber spatula or wooden spoon with nonstick cooking spray and press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Let cool until set.
• With the assorted heart cookie cutters, cut out different heart shapes.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ICE CREAM HEARTS

Steps:

• Lay a pint of strawberry ice cream on its side and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds with a large serrated knife; peel off the carton. Cut out hearts with a 2-inch cookie cutter, place on a rack set on a baking sheet and freeze 30 minutes. For the coating, combine 3 ounces chopped chocolate with 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Pour over the ice cream hearts. Freeze until set, then drizzle with melted candy melts.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ICE CREAM TACOS

Steps:

• First, gather six to eight 1-inch-thick hardcover books and wipe the spines and covers clean (you could also cover them in parchment paper). Set them up vertically, spine up, so that they can be your taco shell molds.
• For the taco shells: To make the taco shell batter, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter to a separate bowl and whisk in the milk, vanilla extract and almond extract. Then whisk in the egg whites. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to form a smooth batter.
• To cook the shells, heat a skillet over medium heat. Grease it with butter and then spoon in 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter. Spread it out gently with the back of a spoon or offset spatula so you have an even circle. Cook until slightly brown on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until slightly brown on the second side, 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove it from the skillet and gently fold it over the spine of the book to make a taco shell shape. Let cool on the book. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• For the fillings and toppings: To make the chocolate topping, place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Let the chocolate cool slightly before topping the tacos.
• Let the ice cream soften a bit, fill the taco shells, drizzle with as much chocolate as you wish, top with nuts and enjoy! If you're making these in advance, stick them in the freezer, uncovered, for a few minutes until the chocolate hardens, and then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until you're ready to eat them.