Happy early Valentine’s Day!

As you know by now, I’m Andrea from the blog, Cooking with a Wallflower, and I’m so excited to share with you this brand new Valentine’s Day inspired rice crispy treats.

This month is all about strawberries and chocolate. At least to me, anyways. So I wanted to share a dessert that is a combination of both. Rice crispy treats are simple to make with just a few ingredients. They take little effort so it’s perfect as a snack or dessert for the holidays.

What will you be making for Valentine’s Day?

Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside for now.

In a large pot, melt butter over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add mini marshmallows to the pot. Use a wooden spoon or a heat resistant spatula to stir until the marshmallows have melted. Remove the pot from heat.

Pour the chocolate crispy rice cereal to the pot, one cup at a time. Stirring in between each addition until all the cereal is covered in the melted marshmallow.

Add the freeze dried strawberries. I used freeze dried strawberries for the strawberry flavor. Fresh strawberries would have been too soggy. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients.

Transfer the marshmallow cereal mixture over to the baking pan. Use the spatula or wooden spoon to smooth out the surface and press down against the pan. Press extra freeze dried strawberries over the top the rice crispy treats if desired. Press down to make them stick.

Let the rice crispy treats sit on the counter for at least a half hour before slicing into 16 bars.

Make these strawberry chocolate rice crispy treats for Valentine’s Day!

Enjoy!

Andrea

Cooking With a Wallflower

Strawberry Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats

 

Print

Author: Anna

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 10 ounce mini marshmallows
• 5 cups chocolate rice crisp cereal
• 2 cups freeze dried strawberries

Instructions

1. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside for now.
2. In a large pot, melt butter over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add mini marshmallows to the pot. Use a wooden spoon or a heat resistant spatula to stir until the marshmallows have melted. Remove the pot from heat.
3. Pour the chocolate crispy rice cereal to the pot, one cup at a time. Stirring in between each addition until all the cereal is covered in the melted marshmallow.
4. Add the freeze dried strawberries. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients.
5. Transfer the marshmallow cereal mixture over to the baking pan. Use the spatula or wooden spoon to smooth out the surface and press down against the pan. Press extra freeze dried strawberries over the top the rice crispy treats if desired. Press down to make them stick.
6. Let the rice crispy treats sit on the counter for at least a half hour before slicing into 16 bars.

3.5.3251

The post Strawberry Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats appeared first on Ask Anna.

Hi! This is Andrea from Cooking with a Wallflower, and I’m back this month to share with you a super easy recipe just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Growing up, we often got boxes of See’s Candies as gifts for the holidays. Our favorite box was the Nuts and Chews, and in that box, there were always clusters of chocolate covered almonds that were soo addictive.

So for this Valentine’s Day, I thought we could create our own little box of chocolates. Except instead of a mix of unknown chocolates, this box of chocolate will only be filled with chocolate covered almond clusters.

I seriously love how simple it is to make these little treats. And the best part is that you only need a few ingredients: chocolate, roasted almonds, and vanilla salt or sea salt. Both sweet and savory, these chocolates are the perfect gift.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil to prevent the chocolate from sticking.

Place pieces of good quality chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Heat the chocolate for 30 seconds, mix the chocolate, and heat for another 30 seconds, then mix. Heat the chocolate for 10 second increments until the chocolate has completely melted and appears smooth.

Add roasted almonds to the melted chocolate, and mix until all the almonds are coated with the chocolate.

Drop several chocolate covered almonds in a cluster onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Do this for the rest of the almonds. Sprinkle either vanilla salt or sea salt over the almond clusters.

Refrigerate the chocolate covered almond clusters for about a half hour or longer until the chocolate has hardened.

Serve these chocolate covered almond clusters as a snack, or they can be packaged for a homemade last minute gift.

Enjoy!

Andrea

Cooking With a Wallflower

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Covered Almond Clusters

 

Print

Roasted almonds coated with semi sweet chocolate then topped with a pinch of vanilla salt. These chocolate covered almond clusters are so simple to make and perfect for gifting.

Author: Andrea

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

• 4 oz semi sweet chocolate
• 1 cup roasted almonds
• Vanilla Salt or Sea Salt

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil to prevent the chocolate from sticking.
2. Place pieces of good quality chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Heat the chocolate for 30 seconds, mix the chocolate, and heat for another 30 seconds, then mix. Heat the chocolate for 10 second increments until the chocolate has completely melted and appears smooth.
3. Add roasted almonds to the melted chocolate, and mix until all the almonds are coated with the chocolate.
4. Drop several chocolate covered almonds in a cluster onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Do this for the rest of the almonds. Sprinkle either vanilla salt or sea salt over the almond clusters.
5. Refrigerate the chocolate covered almond clusters for about a half hour or longer until the chocolate has hardened.
6. Serve the chocolate covered almond clusters as a snack or packaged for a homemade last minute gift.

3.5.3229

The post Chocolate Covered Almond Clusters appeared first on Ask Anna.

Hi! This is Andrea from Cooking with a Wallflower. I’m back on Ask Anna this month to share with you this amazingly simple yet delicious chocolate bark.

I think chocolate bark is one of my favorite treats. I’ve made so many different versions in the past. And this is the latest one.

The best part about this chocolate bark? It just takes 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of your time! How could anything beat that?

Topped with cranberries and pistachios, this cranberry pistachio chocolate bark is both sweet and savory and sooo perfect as a dessert. The colors are gorgeous too so it’s great for gifting. Just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside for now.

Break 4 ounces of chocolate into a medium sized bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat it for 30 seconds. Use a spoon to mix the chocolate. Then heat the chocolate in the microwave for another 30 seconds. Use a spoon to mix. And heat in 10 second intervals until the chocolate has completely melted and appears smooth.

Pour the chocolate onto the parchment paper. Use the back of the spoon or a spatula to spread the chocolate into a thin layer. I like my chocolate bark thin because it’s easier to eat.

While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle salted pistachios and dried cranberries on top. Gently press the pistachios and cranberries into the chocolate so that it will stick better.

Refrigerate the chocolate for at least a half hour or until the chocolate has completely solidified.

Remove the chocolate bark from the fridge and break into smaller pieces.

The cranberry pistachio chocolate bark can be served as a snack or ready for gifting!

Enjoy!

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Andrea

Cooking With a Wallflower

Cranberry Pistachio Chocolate Bark

 

Print

Semi sweet chocolate bark topped with sweet dried cranberries and salted pistachios. This cranberry pistachio chocolate bark is the perfect gift.

Author: Anna

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 4 oz semi sweet chocolate bar
• 1 tablespoon pistachios, deshelled
• 1 tablespoon dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside for now.
2. Break 4 ounces of chocolate into a medium sized bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat it for 30 seconds. Use a spoon to mix the chocolate. Then heat the chocolate in the microwave for another 30 seconds. Use a spoon to mix. And heat in 10 second intervals until the chocolate has completely melted and appears smooth.
3. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment paper. Use the back of the spoon or a spatula to spread the chocolate into a thin layer.
4. While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle salted pistachios and dried cranberries on top. Gently press the pistachios and cranberries into the chocolate so that it will stick better.
5. Refrigerate the chocolate for at least a half hour or until the chocolate has completely solidified.
6. Remove the chocolate bark from the fridge and break into smaller pieces.
7. The cranberry pistachio chocolate bark can be served as a snack or ready for gifting!

3.5.3226

Save

Save

The post Cranberry Pistachio Chocolate Bark appeared first on Ask Anna.

Hi! This is Andrea from Cooking with a Wallflower, and this month I’m back to share with you the perfect little treat for Valentine’s Day.

One of my favorite combinations is S’mores. Mini marshmallows and graham crackers with chocolate is soo amazing. But, if you have other favorite cookies, you can add them too! I actually used thin cinnamon cookies for added flavor.

If you want a festive pop of color, you can also add sprinkles.

This bark is super easy to make and takes very little time.

First, melt 8 ounces of good quality semi sweet chocolate. I used two 4 ounce bars of Baker’s chocolate. Break the chocolate into pieces and microwave them according to the directions on the package. It took me about 2 minutes and 10 seconds to melt the chocolate completely.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, pour the chocolate onto the baking sheet and spread the chocolate with a spatula or spoon to the thickness of your liking. For this bark, I preferred the chocolate to be thicker so I can add mini marshmallows and cookies/crackers. If the thickness of the chocolate is thinner, it won’t work as well.

While the chocolate is still melted, add the mini marshmallows and broken crackers and cookies. And for a pop of color, add sprinkles to the chocolate. I used stars since I already had them on hand. But for a more Valentine’s Day theme, add hearts.

Allow the chocolate to sit for about half an hour to 45 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. If you would like the chocolate to harden faster, you can place them in the fridge.

Once the chocolate has hardened, break the bark into pieces.

Enjoy!

Andrea

Cooing With a Wallflower

S'mores Bark

 

Print

Semi sweet chocolate bark loaded with mini marshmallows and graham crackers or your favorite cookies. This S’mores Bark is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day.

Author: Anna

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 8-10 pieces

Ingredients

• 2 four ounce bars of semi sweet chocolate
• ⅛ – ¼ cup mini marshmallows
• 1 sheet of graham cracker or other cookies
• Sprinkles for decoration (optional)

Instructions

1. First, break the chocolate into pieces and microwave them according to the directions on the package.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Once the chocolate has melted and appears smooth, pour the chocolate onto the baking sheet and spread the chocolate with a spatula or spoon to the thickness of your liking.
4. While the chocolate is still melted, add the mini marshmallows and broken crackers and cookies. For a pop of color, add sprinkles to the chocolate.
5. Allow the chocolate to sit for about 30- 45 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Place them in the fridge to harden the chocolate faster.
6. Once the chocolate has hardened, break the bark into pieces.

3.5.3208

The post S’mores Bark appeared first on Ask Anna.

Hi again! This is Andrea from Cooking with a Wallflower. I’m back this week to share with you a recipe just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Who doesn’t love those gorgeous chocolate covered strawberries? Especially during Valentine’s Day. But I find that they don’t last too long. Sometimes the strawberries get soft underneath the chocolate. And if you receive a bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries, you probably should eat them soon.

So! Why not use freeze dried strawberries to resolve the problem?

Freeze dried strawberries are sweet and tart with no added sugar, just like fresh strawberries. But it also has an added crunch and lots of flavor.

I used freeze fried strawberries and added them to melted semi-sweet chocolate to create chocolate covered strawberry bark. They taste soo amazing with strawberries in every bite. The semi-sweet chocolate is rich and slightly bitter. If you prefer other chocolates, you’re welcome to use white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate. It’s all about preference. You can also create a mixture of chocolate and white chocolate to create swirls. This recipe is super easy to make with very little ingredients and prep required. You’ll want to make this all the time.

Line a 9×5 inch baking pan with parchment paper as best as you can. It doesn’t quite stay, but don’t worry about it.

Crush freeze dried strawberries into small pieces and scatter some of the strawberries on the parchment paper.

Remove the chocolate from the packaging and break the bar into several pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the directions on the packaging. I microwaved my chocolate for 30 seconds and then in 10 seconds intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate has completely melted.

Pour the chocolate over the strawberries and spread the chocolate out in an even thin layer.

Sprinkle the rest of the crushed strawberries over the chocolate.

Refrigerate the bark in the fridge for at least an hour until the chocolate has hardened.

Break the chocolate into pieces, and serve as desired.

Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bark

 

Print

Semi-sweet chocolate with crushed freeze dried strawberries. Slightly sweet and tart, this chocolate covered strawberry bark is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day.

Author: Andrea Giang

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 – 4 ounce package semi sweet chocolate bar
• ⅛ cup + 1 tablespoon crushed freeze dried strawberries

Instructions

1. Line a 9x5 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Crush the freeze dried strawberries into small pieces. Place half of the freeze dried strawberries on the parchment paper. Make sure that the strawberries are spread out.
3. Remove the chocolate from the package, and break the bar into small pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the direction on the package.
4. Once the chocolate has melted, pour the chocolate over the crushed freeze dried strawberries. Use a spoon or a spatula to spread the chocolate into a thin even layer.
5. Sprinkle the rest of the freeze dried strawberries over the chocolate.
6. Place the baking pan into the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to harden for at least an hour.
7. Once the chocolate has hardened, break the chocolate into pieces, and serve as desired.

Notes

*You can use your favorite type of chocolate instead of the semi-sweet chocolate.
**It takes about ½ - 1 hour for the chocolate to harden

3.2.2885

The post Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bark appeared first on Ask Anna.