Kids in the Kitchen

I absolutely love cooking with my kids, and it seems like none of the recipes I have are easy enough for them to understand. That is why I love childrens cookbooks! There are many bennefits for your kids if they're able to help in the kitchen; math, reading, bonding, responsibility. I love it and I know they do too

 Childrens cookbooks are so cute too!

Some not so much, but equally great!

The kids can even check them out at the school library!

Love how they have pictures for the recipes, helps the kiddos understand better. Sometimes it's difficult for them to understand what "fold in butter" means

 In most of them, the glossary is very helpful

Some are just too fun!

Some have great themes

and others are just pretty to look at, while still having excelent recipes for kids

But no matter what they look like, most important thing is that they're fun!!!

So get  out your cookbooks and enjoy an April shower inside, by the oven with your kids! Spring Break is  next week, so I know we will be doing alot of this!

And they say you can't play with your food...

Today while at the Dr.'s office, I was fumbling through one of the child magazines and came across this idea, I thought it was so cool and knew the kids would love it too. I can't remember what magazine it was to give the proper credit.
It's so simple too. I love it! I want to start a series for fun, easy, kids meals that they can prepare. All I had to do was boil the water and cut the hotdog!

 "Squid Dogs"

Just cut up a few hotdogs

Let the kids spear them with thin spaghetti noodles

Drop them in boiling water, and cook until noodles are tender!

And ENJOY!!

It was pretty good!

Recipe, Ramblings.. Oh and a WINNER!!

Happy St. Patty's Day!This has always been one of my favorite "fun" holidays. Mainly cause it's 2 days before my Birthday, and my mom used to always have green themes for my parties growing up, just brings back childhood memories.

 Not much new here. We are enjoying the gorgeous weather and I have not been in front of my machine at all in over a week, I need to do so. I am supposed to be making aprons for my sisters bridal shower, but I've totaly been slacking.
I've been watching Idol and I must say that this season is quite the disapointment. I do have 1 fave: Siobhan. My others went home last week.

Ok Are you ready for the winners?.................

They are # 2 ~ Cole's Corner
Who said she was leaning more towards the "yellow flower one"
& #9 ~ Sim's Family Who liked "I Love You, Paris"

I will have these out in the mail to you lovely ladies by the end of the week. Just send me an E-mail with your address.
Thank you all for joining the fun, and following my madness!

So on a different note thought I'd share my most Favorite Cupcake recipe. My sister shared it with me and I shared it with you last year. It's just green and spring-y. I heart these. You MUST try them! Super Delish!!!

 Click Here To go to recipe

Kinda a crazy all over the place post. But thats kinda how I'm feeling!

Are you watching American idol? Who are you voting for?

Chicken and Dumplings

I read an article not to long ago about how people don't use the food they have in their pantry before going out and buying more.I'm SO guilty of that one. And the kids are always saying stuff like.."we have no food, and I'm soooo hungry" And I say "there is food you just have to make it" but then when I want something or I'm looking for a quick meal, I do the same, so we go out and buy more groceries that are "easy meals"and leave the perfectly fine stuff sitting up in the pantry never getting eaten.So tonight is the night before our Friday grocery shopping, dinner usually consists of something unhealthy that comes from a box in the freezer. But I thought that I would "use the food we have". I had everything on hand to make this yummy dinner. Otherwise, the ingredients would have been over looked and sat waiting to be made.Plus it's something to think about when your trying to cut costs.
So P#3 and I starting preparing diner while the other Sweet P's were at school( you always got to start early when P#3 is helping!)And It turned out SO delicious. P#1 kept mmm-ing while eating. I think we will be making this again in the near future.Plus P#3 loves to help cook and bake, mostly just for the mess, and blowing into a cup filled with flour is always so much fun!

The recipe:

For the chicken:

2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

4 chicken breast, cut into fourths

3 cloves garlic

3 cups fresh vegetables of your liking(i used carrots,broccoli,celery,cauliflower,onions)

2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper

1 cup milk

1/3 cup flour

recipe for dumplings(below)

In lg saucepan heat EVOO, add chicken,salt and pepper to taste, garlic.Cook until no longer pink.

Add veggies and chicken stock.Heat to boiling.Reduce heat and cover. Cook 10 min.

In Small bowl mix milk and flour.Add to chicken mixture, heat to boiling until mixture thickens.Reduce heat to low.

For the Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. Dried Basil

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp.Shortening

3/4 cup milk

In med bowl, add flour,basil,baking powder,salt. Mix. Cut in shortening. Mix well until soft crumbs form. mix in milk.

Drop by Spoonfuls into chicken mixture.Cover and cook an additional 30-35 mins.

Serve and Enjoy!!

Saturday Morning

I woke up pretty early this morning to get a few things done before the kiddos woke up. I was quite productive!!This is the Cream Cheese & Raspberry Coffee Cake, YUMMM!!

Recipe:

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 recipe raspberry filling

sifted powdered sugar

Raspberry filling:

2 cups fresh raspberries ( or frozen)

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbs. flour

-Grease and flour 13x9 in. pan, set aside

-In Lg. bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and butter until smooth.Add half flour, the eggs,milk,vanilla,baking powder and soda,and salt.Beat for about 2 min., then add rest of flour.Spread batter in pan, add raspberries to top in spoonfulls, lightly spread then with knife swirl into batter.

- Bake in 350' oven for 30-35 min. or until toothpick comes clean. Top with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!!

My new purse. I love it. I'm totally obsessed with this fabric! I got the pattern from a great website and it was SO easy, only took about an hour. And just thought I'd share P#3 being a goof ball!He woke up in a great mood, thankfully I think he is completely feeling better!

cupcakes!!

I made a bunch of key lime cupcakes for Cory's family reunion. They are sooo delishious!!I posted the recipe for everyone if they would like to make them. YUMMY!! Thanks Carmen for sharing it with me!

Key Lime Cupcakes

Ingredients:
Cupcake:

1 cup flour

¾ cup self rising flour

1 stick unsalted butter @ room temp

1 ¼ cup sugar

2 Lg. eggs

2 ½ tbs.fresh squeezed lime juice

1 tbs.finely grated lime peel

¼ tsp. neon green food coloring
¾ cup buttermilk

Frosting:

1 8 oz cream cheese @ room temp

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 stick butter @ room temp

1 tbs. finely grated lime peel

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350', Line standard cupcake pan, or mini man w/ liners.
-In regular bowl add both flours together,blend.
--In lg. bowl beat butter til soft add sugar, beat in both eggs 1 at a time .Beat in next 3 ingredients.
Batter may look currdeled. Add some flour, then ½ buttermilk,more flour,remaining milk, then rest of flour.
Pour into pan, bake for 20 minutes for regular pan, 12-14 min for mini. Or until toothpick comes clean.
~TIP: to have this go alittle faster, prepare all items before you begin, e.g; grate lime peel, squeeze limes, and make sure to set butter and cream cheese out atleast 1 hour prior.
FROSTING:

-In lg. bowl add all ingredients and mix until smooth,let cupcakes cool completely, then frost.