Decorate fortune cookies for Valentine's treats

Although I have my menu set for Valentine's Day dinner at home with my husband, there is still another group to impress - about 20 first graders.

My son's Valentine's party is Friday and I want the treats attached to the cards he hands out to his classmates to stand out.

Valentine's cards and treats for kids haven't changed much since I was his age.

Charlie's Angels and Star Wars cards of the '70s have been replaced by Hannah Montana and Harry Potter, but pastel hearts imprinted with cute sayings and chocolate hearts wrapped in foil are still popular.

But what if you want to hand out a homemade treat that is simple to make?

Melanie “Pete” Primasing, owner of Simply Divine Candy, 129 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, gave me a few tips without giving out all of her top secrets.

One of the easiest ways to dress up an otherwise colorless food item is to dip it in white or dark chocolate or bark and sprinkle with small candies, Primasing says.

Using a double boiler is the best way to melt chocolate or bark, she says.

Keep the heat as low as possible, reducing the temperature as the amount of chocolate decreases in the pan.

If you're like me, you'll get impatient and be tempted to throw the chocolate in the microwave after a few minutes. But to melt it right, it takes at least a half-hour in a double boiler, Primasing says.

Stir slowly with a wooden spoon or paddle and don't use any burned chocolate.

Among the more popular items that can be dipped are Rice Krispie treats, pretzel rods and graham crackers.

After dipping the item, let the chocolate drip off and shake it gently. Set on heavy-duty wax paper and decorate with sprinkles, mini chocolate bits or hearts before the chocolate hardens.

Dipped fortune cookies are becoming more popular.

“Kids love them,” Primasing says.

Shop around for cookies with fortunes appropriate for children. Some companies will even let you write your own messages.

Fortune cookies are rather delicate so you don't want the chocolate too thick or they'll collapse, Primasing says. Thin the chocolate by adding cream, little by little.

Dip the cookie enough to cover it, but thin enough to still see the cookie through the chocolate.

Be creative while wrapping the treat as well, using red and white ribbons or pipe cleaners to tie the cellophane.

Sounds easy enough. Now the pressure is back on to make the perfect

Pasta Bolognese for that romantic dinner Sunday.