On Valentine’s Day, there are many ways to show loved ones that you care. Instead of overspending on an expensive dinner out, consider staying in for a romantic dinner. Wow your sweetheart with festive heart-shaped culinary delights. Below are a list of savory and sweet dishes that can be made heart-shaped for Valentine’s Day.

Breakfast

Whether it is breakfast in bed or a family brunch, there’s no better way of showing that you care than by making a breakfast feast in the shape of a heart. Whip up some crispy bacon and fluffy and flavorful pancakes with the recipes below.

Pancakes

1) Use a premade pancake mix or a homemade recipe to make the pancake batter.

2) Coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray and the inside of a metal heart-shaped cookie cutter.

2) Fill a squeeze bottle with pancake batter.

4) Heat a griddle pan to medium low heat.

5) Place the heart-shaped cookie cutter on the pan and fill with about 1/4 cup of pancake batter.

6) Add finely chopped strawberries after the batter is poured

7) Cook until you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake (about 1 to 2 minutes.)

8) Carefully flip the pancake with a spatula.

9) Cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more before removing from the pan.

10) Serve the pancakes with a real maple syrup, a pad of butter and whipped cream.

Bacon

Turning bacon into hearts is not only easy, it’s less messy than cooking it in a pan. Simply fold the bacon into a heart shape, then cook in the oven at 400 degrees until crisp. For an added treat, sprinkle with maple brown sugar or black pepper.

Lunch/Dinner

A thoughtful lunch or romantic dinner is the perfect opportunity to make heart-shaped food.

Pizza

A number of local pizzerias offer heart-shaped pizza around Valentine’s Day, including Brooklyn Square Pizza in Seaford and Nina’s Pizza and Restaurant in Northport but it’s also fun to roll out your own. Top the pizza with your partner and show off your dough-throwing abilities.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches are a lunch staple that can’t be beat. Use a large cookie cutter to cut off the edges of the heart, leaving a heart-shaped sandwich, perfect for Valentine’s Day. This is great to lunch to pack for your kids for school or your significant other for work.

Nothing quite tops of a dinner than a decadent dessert. Make a pan of heart-shaped cookies using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. You can buy a roll of cookie dough at your local store or make your own batter from scratch. Decorate your cookies with colorful pink and red sugar for a sweet finish.

Brownies and rice cereal treats can be easily cut into hearts, although it is worth remembering that cookies should be cut prior to cooking, brownies and rice cereal treats need to be cooked and cool down first before they are cut.

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