Valentine’s Day Dinner – Brownie Cake in Mason Jars

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This year Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend so we will be celebrating with our kids.  We love preparing fancy meals at home instead of venturing out to a crowded restaurant.  Plus, it gives me an excuse to serve mason jar brownie cake sundaes as a dessert!

The kids love helping me bake and after spending time in the kitchen creating our delicious dessert, we like to save time on the main course without skimping on flavor.  The Bertolli Family Size meals are perfect for our large family.

You can find several varieties of Bertolli meals in the frozen aisle at Kroger.  Our family loves the Chicken Florentine.  There is just something about a creamy sauce!

The 13-minute meal prep in a skillet makes dinner a breeze.  Italian food is the favorite for our entire family.  With Bertolli we are able to bring a little Italy to the table, not only on special occasions but year round.  “Mangia” means eat in Italian, but it’s so much more than that, it’s an experience!

There are endless ways you can make your family dinner a memorable experience.  Here are a few ideas to dine in style by only taking simple steps.

Ways to Host a Special Mangia Night

• Custom Placemats – let the kids help pick their own placemats for the table by using decorative scrapbook paper.  You can use square sheets or cut into rectangles.  Each person can have their own unique setting to make the night feel special.
• Drinking Glasses – use glass drinking cups instead of plastic.  Pull out the fancy stuff to make it a special night!
• Candles – add candles to the dining table and eat by candlelight.
• Fresh Flowers – whether you pick fresh flowers out of your own home garden or buy a bouquet while shopping for dinner.  Fresh flowers make a beautiful and inexpensive centerpiece for your table.

Find Bertolli items at some of the lowest prices of the year in a Kroger or Kroger banner store near you. Kroger banners include Fred Meyer, Smiths, Frys, Dillions, King Soopers, City Market, and QFC. Find a store near you.

Valentine’s Day Dessert

I love serving individual desserts in mason jars.  This recipe allows you to bake the dessert right inside a mason jar for your family to enjoy.

Ingredients

•  1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup walnuts finely chopped

Stir together your flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium size bowl and set to the side.

In a medium saucepan combine butter, water and cocoa powder; heat and stir until butter is melted and mixture is well blended.

Once it is complete, pour into a mixing bowl and add your egg, buttermilk and vanilla.  Beat by hand until smooth.

Now add to your flour mixture.  Stir until the dough is smooth and well blended.  The dough will not be thick.

Add your finely chopped walnuts and stir.

Now it’s time to fill your mason jars.  I used 1/2 pint wide mouth mason jars.  Only fill the jars about half way because the brownie cake will rise.

Once you have finished adding the dough to your jars, clean off any excess around the rim.  Bake in the oven on 325 for 35-40 minutes.

The toothpick test will let you know if your brownie cakes are finished.

Mason Jar Brownie Cakes

Add a scoop of ice cream, hot fudge and/or sprinkles to the top and serve.  They are delicious and sure to be a hit among the family.

How do you plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Make the night special with Bertolli.