Yikes! Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  There are so many people to whom you’d like to give a little something, but your wallet may still be reeling from the holidays. What to do?

How about baking homemade treats that are sure to make you the most popular Valentine around? Oh, I can hear the excuses now: “I don’t know how to bake.”  “I don’t know what to make.”  “I don’t have time.”

Thank goodness you came to me.

If chocolate, caramel, and salty pretzels sound good, then I have a fool-proof recipe for you that can be put together in minutes: VALENTINE PRETZELS!

A popular version of this recipe uses small pretzel twists. The problem is the candy melts through the holes. So I looked in the cracker aisle and found the perfect solution:  a new product from Keebler (and, no, they’re not paying me) called Town House Pretzel Thins with sea salt. Not only are they the right taste and construction – THEY’RE HEART SHAPED!!! Products are pictured below to aid in your search.

VALENTINE PRETZELS

• Keebler Town House Pretzel Thins – sea salt flavor
• Rolo candies (or other caramel filled candy)
• pecan halves, lightly toasted

You’ll need one of each per Valentine Pretzel.

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

Place crackers salted side down on ungreased cookie sheet, so that they’re curving downwards.  I place the crackers salted side down so that your tongue gets bathed in salt as you bite into the chocolate and caramel. Don’t worry if you forget – they’re still delicious!

Top with unwrapped candy. Bake for approximately 4 minutes, until candy is soft but still retains its shape. Remove from oven.

Press one pecan half into each softened candy, firmly enough that the pecan embeds into the candy, but not so hard that the caramel comes squirting out.

Let cool either on the counter or briefly in fridge.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!