M&M’S RED VELVET VALENTINE’S DAY PARFAITS

Our children are growing older. Why do they have to get older? These kids were asking about Valentine’s Day before Christmas. I don’t know what it is about Valentine’s Day that has captured their attention, but they are begging me to do something special. I can’t say no to these kids because it is the holiday of love.

We like to make family traditions around the holidays. Valentine’s Day has been a holiday that we’ve not done much for other than exchanging candy and a few small gifts. It’s time to create some memories. It was decided that we would make a treat or breakfast using M&M(r) Red Velvet.

As always, I told them with great enthusiasm that we would be making breakfast parfaits. This time, I was excited to talk to them. The blank stares I received were not encouraging. Really? This was exciting to me. I looked at them with a puzzled look.

My daughter quickly figured out the problem. “What are the parfaits, Mom?”

How could I not have introduced her to a delicious parfait in the six years that she has lived? I described the deliciousness of each layer. We used berries, yogurt, and granola because it was a parfait for breakfast. We would add something sweet to the sweets because it is a special occasion, like the M&M(r) Red Velvet or some homemade whipped crème.

Now, I could understand their excitement. Our first Valentine’s Day Tradition was in full swing. It was time to head to Walmart and test this recipe. After picking up all the ingredients in the grocery section, we stopped at the holiday section to get the M&M(r) Red Velvet.

This recipe was a must-try before Valentine’s Day. Right? Right.

I got to work preparing the parfaits. Each berry has its bowl. We used strawberries and raspberries. In a small bowl, we placed our favorite granola. Then, I made homemade whipped cream. You can make it yourself. Just put a small container of whipping cream into a stand mixer. Add a little sugar and vanilla to taste (I didn’t measure it out). Then whip on high using the whisk attachment until you get the desired consistency. It whips up quickly, so don’t wait!

It’s time to prepare the M&M(r) Red Velvet. This recipe required both crushed and whole M&M(r) Red Velvet. To overcome them, I added a few handfuls to a resealable plastic bag and then used the smooth side on my meat tenderizer. I whack the baggie until the M&M’s(r) Red Velvet is crushed to the desired consistency. All the ingredients are now ready. To build the parfaits, I grabbed three tall glasses. Clear glasses are best for parfaits so that you can appreciate the layers. Unintentionally, the colors of the M&M(r) Red Velvet were exactly matched by the strawberries and raspberries. The unintentional Valentine’s Day color surprise made me proud.

The best part is almost here, the eating! We need first to assemble the parfaits. You can let the children build their parfaits if they are old enough. You can develop your parfait however you like. I prefer berries, yogurt, granola, and M&M(r) Red Velvet. The colors, sweetness, and flavor were all perfect for Valentine’s Day. If you are using raspberries, don’t overdo it. The raspberries can be pretty tart. The girls laughed when I puckered a lot.

Breakfast for Valentine’s Day will be served at our house. The rest of the Day is still to be planned, but we’ve already started a new tradition! This may be a tradition every Valentine’s Day or each year, but we’ll find a delicious and fun recipe to cook together. I don’t worry; we have a whole year to work out the details.

Ingredients

• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• M&M(r) Red Velvet, one package
• Whipping cream (homemade or purchased from a store of your choice).
• Your favorite granola
• Vanilla, Strawberry, or Raspberry yogurt

Instructions

1. Use a rolling pin, a hammer, or the smooth side of a meat tenderizer to crush a handful of M&M(r) Red Velvet into a plastic bag.
2. In a tall, narrow glass, layer berries, M&M(r) Red Velvet, granola, and yogurt.
3. Top with crushed M&M(r) Red Velvet and whipped cream
4. Enjoy!