I grew up in a single income home.
While my mom was almost always involved in generating income on the side, there was no doubt where my parents’ priorities were. They wanted at least one of them to be able to stay home and raise us kids.
And I appreciated it – especially since this gave us the opportunity to be homeschooled.
Which opened even greater opportunities, like more time for volunteering, and the ability to go on a foreign missions trip in the middle of the school year. I was also able to get all my required classes finished early and spent my senior year writing a book instead (and it was published two years later! if you want to check it out, go here.)
However, especially as I got older, I realized what a financial sacrifice this situation was. Budget night was the evening my dad was stressed, trying to make ends meet, and my mom rarely bought anything that didn’t fall into the clothes and food categories.
So Valentine’s Day wasn’t a big hairy deal. We didn’t get smothered in tons of candy, although I remember at least one year my dad came home with a single rose for each of us girls.
Instead of hitting up the drugstore for heart day paraphernalia, my mom would whip up something that was so creative and delicious, it took me years to realize that it didn’t even cost her a dime extra.
More multiple years, my siblings and I woke up to warm, syrupy, heart-shaped pancakes.
I know. Heart-shaped pancakes. Maybe that seems over-the-top susie homemaker-ish. But we loved them. It was almost as good as getting to eat cereal shaped like chocolate cookies or old Irish relics.
My mom eventually taught me how to make them, and in this post I will gladly pass the knowledge on to you. So you too, if you wish, can surprise your kids or pancake-loving spouse or roommates with a fun and frugal Valentine’s surprise.
Step 1
Make pancake batter and heat griddle to normal temperature. (Try this oatmeal pancake recipe, or my newly-discovered soaked pancakes.)
Step 2
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out some pancake batter and pour a long strip of it onto the warm griddle.
Step 3
Pour another strip of batter on the griddle, starting off to the side of the first strip, then tilting towards it so that it eventually meets it at the tip, creating a heart shape.
Step 4
Finish cooking as you would any other pancake.
Optional:
If you’re daring – and not trying to avoid dumping artificial color into your children’s food – try adding a few drops of red food coloring to the pancake batter to make red or pink pancake hearts.
I’ll admit, for myself (and perhaps since I have no cute kids old enough to let me know what they think of red pancakes), I thought they looked kind of creepy, especially after they cooked and took on a brownish tint on top of the red.
However, I get the feeling my siblings and I would have loved them 15-odd years ago.
My kid just loved the chocolate chips in them.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
In what frugal ways do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?
On a side note, I told Chris I didn’t really care about going out on a date (and I’m not the girl who says that, but really means I do want to go out). I just want a box of assorted chocolates – preferably bought on sale the day after Valentine’s.
Happy Heart Day,
P.S. Get ready for next week! I’ve been collaborating with a bunch of you – your fellow cooks and readers – to serve up a series of posts and recipes called Frugal Soups & Stews. Not only will this give you a chance to fill your recipe box with fabulous frugal meals for the rest of these chilly days, but it will also introduce you to several readers who you’ve probably seen in the comments, but will get to know even better through their fantastic cooking and frugal experiences.
Don’t miss it! First post goes live this Monday.
4 comments
2 pings
Erin
02/11/2011 at 6:19 PM (UTC -6)
I was trying to think of a more natural way to add the red coloring, and I think I’m going to experiment with adding some thawed blended raspberries to the batter. I’ll let you know if it’s a flop or a success.
Steph
02/12/2011 at 10:40 AM (UTC -6)
Erin – Fabulous idea! I’ve heard of several natural methods of coloring food (like frosting, etc.), but I couldn’t remember them. I’d love to hear how it goes!
Leslie
02/12/2011 at 7:36 PM (UTC -6)
My mom would make a heart shaped meatloaf with tomato sauce every year for our valentine’s day meal. We would eat in the dining room and have a cherry pie for desert with a heart cut out in the center of the crust. Eating in the dining room on a weekday made it feel special. We all groaned at bit over the meatloaf, but now that my brothers and I are all grown up with kids of our own, we have carried on the meatloaf tradition. It wouldn’t be Valentine’s day without it.
Steph
02/14/2011 at 7:38 AM (UTC -6)
Leslie – That’s awesome! Funny how some traditions seem so silly as you get older… but you can’t help but carry them on
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Valentine’s Day | The More With Less Mom
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