Heart Shaped Pizza & Strawberry Poke Cupcakes {Valentines Day Family Dinner}

Valentines Day is just around the corner. In fact it's only a week away. Do you have big plans for Valentines Day or do you plan anything at all? Lets face it folks I know it's all about romancing your sweetie, but when you have kids that can be difficult sometimes.

Also when Valentines Day falls on a weekday that makes it even more difficult. I know we can get a sitter and go out, but when the following day is a work day going out usually doesn't happen.

I still love to celebrate, so we just do things a little simpler instead. One of my favorite ways to celebrate Valentines Day is together as a family. What better way than to plan a Valentines Day Family Dinner!

As a Walmart Mom I was challenged to come up with a romantic dinner for two for around $20. Well, since were celebrating family style I thought a fun valentine themed dinner would be perfect. Off to Walmart I went and purchased everything I needed.

As you can see by my photos our Valentines Dinner came a bit early so I could get this posted, but that's OK we still had a great time. On the menu was Heart Shaped Pizza & Strawberry Jell-O Poke Cupcakes for dessert.

I wanted to keep it festive yet simple, so I purchased some Valentine themed plates and napkins. Everyone loved the heart shaped pizza's and we even added heart shaped pepperonis on some of the pizzas. My daughter Mackenzie was tickled when she saw those.

Remember Valentines Day doesn't have to break the bank. If you can't go out for a night on the town with your sweet heart consider staying home instead. It's really all about having fun and being together with the ones you love. For me it's the little things that matter most of all. I have included some step by step photos on how we shaped and assembled our heart pizza's.

Roll out the pizza to form a circle. I found it easier to press the pizza dough into the pizza pan and then shape into a heart. To shape the pizza crust trace a heart using a sharp knife. I used a heart shaped diagram made from poster board, but paper will work just as well.

Using a fork poke the crust in a few places. This makes the crust crispy. Place crust on a pizza pan, stone or baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil or olive oil baking spray. Pre bake the pizza crust for 5-7 minutes and then remove from oven.

Add the pizza sauce and your topping of choice. Return to the oven and bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Let cool and slice.

Heart Shaped Pepperoni Pizza

Ingredients:

4 - (6.5 oz) packages store bought or use a homemade pizza crust (double recipe) 

1 - (14 oz) jar pizza sauce or homemade pizza sauce

1 - (16 oz) package mozzarella cheese  

1 - (6 oz) package pepperonis or toppings of choice 

mini heart shaped cookie cutter for heart shaped pepperonis, optional 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare pizza crust according to package directions or prepare your own homemade pizza crust. 

Knead the dough on a floured surface about 5 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticky. Let pizza dough rest for about 10 minutes covered in a glass bowl that has been sprayed with baking spray.

Roll out the pizza dough to form a circle and then trace a heart using a knife. I found it easier to press the pizza dough into the pizza pan and then shape into a heart.

 I used a heart shaped diagram made from poster board, but paper will work just as well.

Using a fork poke the crust in a few places. Place crust on a pizza pan, stone or baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil or olive oil baking spray.

Pre-bake the pizza crust for 5-7 minutes and then remove from oven. Add the pizza sauce and your topping of choice. 

Return to the oven and bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is melted.

Recipe yields: 2 - large pizza's or 1 large + 5 -6 smaller pizza hearts

Strawberry Jell-O Poke Cupcakes

1 - pkg white or vanilla cake mix, prepared according to package - $1.34
1 - cup boiling water
1 - pkg (3 oz.) strawberry flavored gelatin - .62
1 - (16 oz) container (great value) Whipped Topping (cool whip)
or one container vanilla frosting - $1.97
valentine sprinkles - $2.00
valentine cupcake liners - $1.47
valentine plates & napkins - $2.00

Place 24 cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Prepare cake as directed on package. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely. Take a fork and poke about 6 six holes in each cupcake.

Prepare Jell-O by mixing one cup boiling water with the dry jello. Mix to combine. Instead of spooning the Jell-O over each cupcake I used a medicine dropper. Make sure the jello runs into the holes of each cupcake. You can also use a squeeze bottle.

Place the cupcakes in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill. Then frost with Cool Whip or your choice of vanilla frosting. Add some festive sprinkles. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator.

I have also included a link to my new Pink Velvet Poke Cake in case you want to make a cake versus cupcakes.

I am participating in the Walmart Moms Program. Walmart has provided me with a GC and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. Participation in this program is voluntary and the opinions stated above are entirely my own.