Category: Recipes

Take it from me…these are delicious! I found the recipe on Better Homes & Garden’s website and decided to try them. I made a test batch yesterday and they are gone! I gave lots away and ate lots myself. These are going to be so cute for Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup cold butter

12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 drops red food coloring

2 teaspoons shortening

White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

6. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

We tried a new recipe for dinner last night. It was a nice change from the regular spaghetti we usually have. This is the recipe we tried. It’s a keeper for our family and we will have it again! We paired it with a little salad and some 5 cheese garlic bread. Yummy!

Spaghetti Carbonara

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 slices bacon, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine if desired; cook one more minute.
3. Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty).
4. Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table.

Serves 8

This recipe is easy enough for you kids to help prepare. It’s also a tasty way to get a serving of fruit in for the day! Our girls love desserts and fruit so this is a perfect way to give them something healthy and delicious. They also think they are getting something fancy because of the way the layers look in the glass. Parfaits are a wonderful recipe to play around with different tastes. You can also easily customize them to your liking. Don’t like yogurt? Try some pudding. Strawberries not your thing? Throw in some blueberries. Want another layer? Angel food cake is a great layer for parfaits and it’s fat free. This recipe makes a great breakfast too!

What you will need:

• 2 Cups of vanilla yogurt
• 1 Cup granola
• sliced strawberries

Directions:

Layer 1 cup of yogurt in a glass. Top with granola and then berries. Repeat the layers once and dig in!

Place the parfait in a disposable, plastic cup and you have a breakfast or snack to go!

It’s time to start getting ready for back to school! I can’t believe the summer is almost over for us. Kraft foods was the source for these lunchbox tricks.

Tonight while I was browsing my favorite recipe site allrecipes.com I found these air travel snack idea for traveling with your kids.  So I thought I would pass along the information.

By: Sydny Carter

Even if everything goes according to schedule, traveling with children can be a challenge. Children run better on a full tank, but chips, cookies, and sugary drinks are not going to get you far. And since airlines are cutting back on in-flight meals, it’s more important than ever to plan ahead to bring your own. Here are some strategies to make your trip easier, plus a few tips on air travel regulations.

Infants & Toddlers

Begin your child’s kitchen adventure with…wooden spoons, plastic or metal mixing bowls, wire whisk, kid’s cookbook, step stool, hot pads, plastic nesting measuring cups, and a child sized apron.

Safety first. Keep young children away from a hot stove, oven, sharp knives and cheese graters.

Allow even the youngest chef to pour the ingredients into a bowl; flour, sugar, eggs etc. Remember to turn the mixer off first.

Cracking eggs can be a challenge for little chefs. Allow them to practice a bit by cracking the eggs into a separate bowl at first. then you can remove any shells before adding the eggs to remaining ingredients.

Keep the recipes simple at first. No bake cookie recipes, fresh fruit salad, smoothies, dips and sandwiches are a great start.

Start with a cookbook that has illustrations to coincide with the instructions. This will develop your child’s to ability to follow sequential instructions.

Purchase, or make an apron that is solely for your little cook to wear.

Here are the cute aprons our girls have, complete with their monogram on the front.

Consider switching from glass measuring cups, mixing bowls and baking dishes, to plastic. They are easier/safer for kids to manage and you may feel more comfortable.

Pour on the praise, if the outcome isn’t exactly as expected.

Expect a mess…spills will happen. Take it in stride and simply use the opportunity to teach that clean-up is one aspect of cooking.

Now get in the kitchen with your kids and make some magic!

What better way to cool off on a hot summer day than with some homemade ice cream? Have the kids make it themselves for the treat to be even sweeter. Here are two very easy ways for your children to have fun making it.

Ice Cream In A Bag

This no-cook recipe for vanilla ice cream makes about eight half-cup servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 bag crushed ice
• 4 cups coarse salt

For each kid you’ll need:

• 2 pint-size resealable plastic freezer bags
• 1 gallon-size resealable plastic freezer bag
• Gloves or towel to protect fingers

Directions:

1. In a pitcher or large measuring cup, stir together the whipping cream, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla extract until sugar has dissolved.

2. Pour about 1/2 cup of mixture into a pint-size plastic bag and seal carefully, squeezing out extra air. Place each sealed bag into a second pint-size bag, again squeezing out extra air. Seal carefully.

3. Fill each gallon-size plastic bag about halfway with ice and add 1/2 cup coarse salt. Place one sealed small bag into the large bag, squeeze out most of the air, and seal the large bag.

4. Wear mittens or thick gloves, or wrap the bag in a towel to protect hands against the extreme cold. Shake and massage the bag for about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens into ice cream. Add more salt and ice to the outer bag if ice cream hasn’t formed after 10 minutes of continuous motion.

5. Remove the outer pint-size bag before you open the inner bag so you don’t get any of the salty ice on your ice cream!

Coffee Can Ice Cream

The other option is to use two coffee cans instead off bags.

You will need:

• Two clean, empty coffee cans. Make sure one is smaller than the other one and will fit easily inside.
• The above recipe

DIrections:

1. Place the ice cream mixture in the smaller coffee can (make sure it’s clean) and seal with the lid on tightly.
2. Place the smaller can in the larger can. Pour the ice and salt around the smaller can making sure it is more or less in the center.
3. Seal the larger can with its lid tightly and roll it around for about a half hour. Let them sit on the floor and roll the can between them or let them play kick the can with it. When it’s done you’ll have a nice container to keep the ice cream in!

These popcorn balls are easy to make and delicious to eat! Little hands really enjoy getting to form the popcorn mixture into balls. Just make sure you let the mixture cool a bit on the popcorn before you let them touch it. It is very hot! Also, it’s best to make sure your hands are really greased up otherwise the stuff will stick to you!

Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 Cup margarine
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 2 5/8 Cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 Cup marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 quarts plain popped popcorn (3 bags of microwave popcorn works well)

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.
2. Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools. Wrap with plastic wrap or place bags and store at room temperature.

This is a fun snack that the kids can easily help you prepare. It will also teach them a bit of patience. Older kids can pour the juice and younger kids can poke in the sticks. There are many different combinations you can make so have fun with different flavors!

You will need

• Your favorite fruit juice
• Your favorite fruit
• Ice cube tray or small paper cups
• Aluminum foil
• Popsicle sticks or toothpicks

Directions

1. Pour the juice into the tray or cups
2. Drop in some fruit. Make sure you cut it up if it’s too big for the tray or cups
3. Cover the tray/cups with foil
4. Poke your sticks/toothpicks through the foil far enough to dip into the juice
5. Place your creation in the freezer
6. Wait a day and remove your popsicles from the freezer and enjoy!

Using a sharp knife, slice the hot dog in half lengthwise, leaving 1 to 2 inches connected at one end.

Roll the hot dog 90 degrees, and repeat, slicing lengthwise in half but leaving the 1 to 2 inches connected at one end. You should now have 4 legs for the octopus.

Of course, an octopus has 8 legs, so carefully cut each of the 4 hot dog legs in half. This is where a sharp knife is essential, because the legs will be thin and fragile with some hot dogs.

Boil in a pot of water until heated through. The legs will curl up some. Make a face with mustard and serve over Ramen noodle seaweed (throw some green food coloring into the water when they cook).