Valentine Snack Mix Printables

         I really wanted to make a printable for the Valentine's Day trail mix I made last year. It was such a fun Valentine! I changed a couple of things before I created it, I called it "snack mix" since mine is mostly sugar, but that way you can put whatever you want in yours and still be able to use the printable. I would say, since it is "Happy Hearts", that you should include a few heart shaped things, but this time of year that is easy! I especially love the big puffy pink heart shaped marshmallows. But whatever you put in yours, I hope you enjoy using this printable! Simply print as many copies as you need. Then you can cut apart the rectangles, fold them over (the white part forms the back) and use them as bag toppers to cellophane treart bags. Or, to change it up, only cut out the colored parts of the printable, and punch a hole wherever you like, and tie them onto your bags with ribbon. If you don't want to use bags, tape the labels onto whatever container you like! Lots of choices. :)

    I really wanted to make this recipe again, and I think we will (my daughter wants to hand these out as her Valentines again this year because she loved it so much last year) but I have not had the time to put any together. Since I wanted you to be able to use the printables, you will just have to imagine them on cute little bags of snacks! Either way, these snack mix Valentines will be a fun, original treat for your kids (or you!) to bless friends and family with this Valentine's Day.

Valentine Snack Mix Recipe:

5 cups of Quaker "Whole Heart" cereal

2 cups of chocolate chips

1 bag of Twizzler cherry bites

2 8 oz. bags of conversation hearts (I know, disgusting, but I was going for looks!)

1 and 1/2 bags of Jet Puffed Strawberry HeartMallows

Gently toss all the ingredients together except marshmallows. Add the marshmallows in equal portions after measuring the snack mix into containers or bags. It will make enough trail mix for about 40 half cup servings (including marshmallows). You can add or substitute to your "heart's" content-have fun!

Right click the image to download and save, then print!

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Easy Vanilla Caramel Fruit Dip

      Sooo, if you thought that my last recipe was ridiculously simple, you may as well not read any further. However, if you like no-brainer recipes that surprise you by how delicious they are for their lack of complex ingredients or directions, please continue!

    This recipe was born of a left-over part of a block of cream cheese and one of my most favorite things ever: Kraft's Jet-Puffed Caramel and Vanilla Mallow Bites (This is not a sponsored post, by the way, I truly just love them!). So, just so you know *exactly* what you are looking for, I have a really bad ingredient photo:

Aren't they pretty? To make this dip all you need is:

-4 oz. (1/2 a block) of cream cheese
-12 Caramel & Vanilla Mallow Bites

To serve:
-fruit of your choice: apples, bananas, strawberries, this would also be good with graham crackers!Or on brownies, or ice cream... ;)

     Cut your block of cream cheese into 4-6 rough chunks into a large microwave safe dish. Add about 6 of the marshmallows. Heat on high in the microwave for 1 minute. When you pull it out, you will see why I recommended a large dish.

See how puffy the marshmallows get? Give it a good stir and add the rest of the marshmallows. Depending on how melted your cream cheese is at this point, microwave in 30 second increments until you can mix it all together fairly well. There may be a few little bits of cream cheese, but it will still be delicious, it doesn't need to be heated to death! Serve warm, if you like, or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers. Serves 4-6.

     And in less than 5 minutes you have a creamy, tasty dip for your fruit! My kids absolutely adore this, but don't think it is just for them. The marshmallows have such a great flavor, it is really amazing how it makes it seem like there are lots of different ingredients! That can be your little secret, but it is one I am happy to share with you.

     I actually think you could use any flavor of marshmallow you like (regular ones would be a teeny bit sweet and bland for my tastes) I think it would be really fun with the chocolate swirled ones, or the strawberry ones. There are even ice cream flavored ones... so many choices! However, I love the caramel vanilla ones so much, I don't know if I would be willing to try anything else...

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