Kid-Friendly Valentine Breakfast Inspiration
Who can say no to pink hot chocolate and goldfish cracker crusted quiche?! Not even our kids. We kicked off the first weekend in February with a fun little Valentine brunch and it would make a delicious start to anyone’s Valentines Day. Not to mention, I am loving having a little Valentine hot chocolate bar in my kitchen; such a festive and fun treat that’s pretty to look at! Check out the tasty recipes below that would be a perfect way to kick off your Valentines day with the family.
Pink Hot Chocolate
- 2 cups whole milk
- Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons beet juice (or use red food coloring)
- Whipped cream and valentine sprinkles for serving
Bring milk and a small pinch of salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Add in beet juice or red food coloring a little at a time until you achieve desired pink hue. Serve warm with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Want to make an adult version of pink hot chocolate? Add a little Peppermint Schnapps or Rumple Minze Peppermint Liquor to your hot chocolate to taste because mom and dad can enjoy pink cocoa too!
Recipe Credit: Real Simple
Goldfish Cracker Crust Quiche
Crust
- 4 tablespoons cubed, chilled butter
- 8 tablespoons cubed, chilled shortening
- 1 1/4 cup ground-up cheddar goldfish crackers (approximately one 6.6 oz. bag)
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Approx. 1/2 cup ice water
- pinch Kosher salt
Filling
- 6 ounces pre-cooked ham, bacon or sausage
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Pinch kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Trader Joe’s Swiss Cheese & Gruyère shredded cheese blend (or swap in 1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese and 1/2 cup grated Gruyère) OR swap in 1 cup of your favorite shredded cheese
For the crust: Add goldfish crackers to a food processor and pulse until you have a very fine meal. Measure out 1 1/4 cup of the ground goldfish crackers and put aside any extra. Return the 1 1/4 cups ground goldfish crackers to your food processor. Add the all-purpose flour, sugar, and pinch of kosher salt to the food processor and pulse a few times. Add the cubed and chilled butter and shortening pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Mix together the vinegar and 1/4 cup of ice water and drizzle into the flour mixture. Pulse 4 times. Open the food processor and drizzle in the remaining water a little at a time while pulsing twice to combine. Keep adding water and pulsing until the dough looks crumbly but holds together when you pick it up and squeeze.
Dump the dough onto a work surface and gently pat it together into a cohesive ball. Wrap the dough in Saran wrap, then gently flatten into a 1/2-inch disk. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to make the quiche, take the dough out of the fridge to soften slightly. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment into a round, about 14 inches in diameter.
Lift the parchment paper with the dough and gently flip it over on top of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Careful! The dough is very delicate! Gently but firmly press it into the edges of the plate to ensure it is tightly fitted. The dough may (will!) crack while you’re pressing it in—simply mold the dough back together wherever it cracks. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself and crimp the edges in whatever manner pleases you. Place the crust in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350ºF and line the interior of the chilled crust with the parchment round. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans, all the way up to the crimped section. Place the pie dish on a sheet pan and bake the crust until it just begins to take on color, 25 to 35 minutes. Pull the pan from the oven and carefully remove pie weights and parchment. Continue baking until even more golden, but not brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over the bottom of the crust. Let the crust continue to cool on the sheet pan while you make the filling.
For the filling: Reduce the oven heat to 325ºF. Dice cooked ham or sausage and cook in a nonstick skillet until starting to brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cook. If using bacon, cook according to package instructions and then crumble once cool.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk in the mustard, milk, cream, salt, and lots of freshly ground pepper until completely combined. Stir in remaining cheese.
Scatter the crisped meat over the cheese-covered goldfish cracker crust. Slowly pour the egg mixture on top of the meat into the crust, then open the oven and place the sheet pan with the pie plate in the oven. Bake the quiche until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set around the outside and just set in the center, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
Note: Using a sheet pan underneath your pie plate is critical. If you don’t, you crust will crack ever time you handle the pie plate.
Note: If you notice that the crust around the edge of your quiche is browning too quickly, tear off a strip of tin foil and wrap it around your pie plate edge to keep the crust from burning.
Recipe Inspiration: Food52
Clearly one of our favorite ways to celebrate holidays is by making holiday-themed food for our families! Let us know if you try it or have any other great valentine-themed food ideas you love! XO
