Monday, September 19, 2011

Ready to eat cookie dough

Single Serving Ready to Eat Cookie Dough Recipe: 1 tbsp Milk, 3 tbsp Flour, 2 tbsp Sugar (white or brown), 1 1/2 tbsp Butter, splash of vanilla extract & as many Chocolate Chips as you want!

I'm not big on baking batches of chocolate chips cookies, lots of dirty cookie sheets and usually my cookies are wither too crispy or not done enough. PLUS I LOVE THE DOUGH MORE THAN A COOKIE!!!! And preggers and kids really need to stay away from raw eggs so here is a yummy solution you can make anytime and not have a whole bowl of cookie dough either needing to be eaten or baked. Its just enough to satisfy the "Mmmm cookie dough sounds good" craving with no mess!

Kid helper:
  • Measuring ingredients
  • Stirring
  • No oven, no knives, no raw eggs, no dirty dishes... this is the ultimate quick kid friendly treat!
  • Count the chocolate chips as you add them

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Flag cake

Um no recipe for this one. I just found the picture and would looooove to make it successfully. Unfortunately I see this ending up looking more like a pile of red white and blue goo mess! The 4th of July is my favorite holiday and I really wish I was talented enough to tackle something like this. I think I will stick with a large cookie pizza with blue berries in one corner for stars and rows of strawberries for the stripes. That's more my level. This pic is pretty nonetheless and we can always dream right?

Mexican Cassarole

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided
  • 1 3/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup evaporated skim milk
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
  • 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips)

Preparation

  • Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid; cool chicken. Shred meat with two forks, and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can of chiles and onion; sauté 3 minutes or until soft. Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Stir in shredded chicken; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Kid Helper:
  • X the onion. Thats enough to scare a kid out of the kitchen forever :) LOL. Our little Loomis family does not eat onions so we do not buy them.
  • Smash the chips! So fun!
  • Shred the chicken with their fingers. Why wash more utinsils when your kid can have fun getting their hands dirty?! *Just make sure the chicken is completely cooled.
  • Put the cheese and chips on top before baking.
  • Savana also likes to spray the pan with Pam.

Caramel Apple Trifle

Colossal Caramel Apple Trifle Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
  • 6 cups cold milk
  • 3 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
  • 1 jar (12-1/4 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
  • 2 cans (21 ounces each) apple pie filling
  • 2 cartons (16 ounces each) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

  • Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
  • In a large bowl, whisk milk, pudding mixes and apple pie spice for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.
  • Cut one cake layer if necessary to fit evenly in an 8-qt. punch bowl. Poke holes in cake with a long wooden skewer; gradually pour a third of the caramel topping over cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans and spread with half of the pudding mixture.
  • Spoon one can of pie filling over pudding; spread with one carton of whipped topping.
  • Top with remaining cake and repeat layers. Drizzle with remaining caramel topping and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 42 servings (3/4 cup each).
I have not made this yet. I plan to this fall season...but here are a few thoughts before hand

Kid Helper:
  • Make the pudding
  • Kids love layering!
  • Have the child taste test each layer and describe it using new words: fluffy, sweet, crunchy, delishissss- vocab lesson?
  • * Watch kiddos around nuts! I will probably omit them as no one in my family likes nuts and they are choking hazards for the kids.

  • 42 Servings
  • Prep: 40 min.
40 40

Toddler in the kitchen ideas

  1. Jello – if you heat the water, they can enjoy stirring until the gelatin dissolves. It’s a fast and easy recipe they’ll love to eat later.
  2. Chex mix – You might be hearing crunches underfoot for a few days, but measuring out chex mix can be a great way to have them practice scoop and pouring skills! Maybe counting too?
  3. GORP – similar to the chex mix, throwing together some Good Old Raisins and Peanuts (and whatever other goodies you like to include) is pretty much no fail? I mean, can you really add in TOO many chocolate chips?
  4. Shape cookies – Bring out the cookie cutters, or have children cut their own shapes with plastic knives. You’ll have to roll the dough out… and this one does have the potential for great mess. But it’s a good supervised cooking activity.
  5. Thumb print cookies – Plan to make and drop your own cookies on the sheet. Then call your little one over to smash each ball down with their thumb. You’ll be eating those little love-printed cookies in no time!
  6. Ants on a log - Shmear a celery stick (deveined) with peanut butter (or substitute). Then let your child plop the “ants (raisins or craisins) onto the “log!” Yummy!
  7. Cupcake decorating – Anything goes on top of frosting. Try sprinkles, mini M&Ms or chocolate chips!
  8. Apple Shake – put sliced apples, sugar and cinnamon into a Ziploc bag. Have your toddler shake to coat. Eat.
  9. Sandwiches - Kids will love to spread jelly onto bread. Or layer lunchmeat. And maybe they’ll even eat their crusts?!

Sopapilla Cheesecake


Ingredients:
-2 cans Pillsbury butter crescent rolls
-1 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
-3/4 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tbs butter (melted)
-Cinnamon & sugar

Instructions:
Unrolled and spread 1 can crescent rolls on bottom of ungreased pan. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Unroll and spread remaining crescent rolls over mixture. Spread melted butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
( It actually took about 35 minutes in my oven today)

Kid Helper:
  • Pop open the crescent rolls. Savana loves it when they pop! She laughs every time.
  • The cream cheese mixture is very yummy, Savana had to taste test... a lot... of it.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar on top!
* These are pretty darn tasty! Kind of more like a cinnamon roll than cheesecake, make for a brunch? Savana wanted ice cream with hers :) It would be good to add thin sliced apples as a layer over the cream cheese mixture before putting the top dough on. It would make it like a really easy apple pie. Apple pie? Cheesecake? Cinnamon Rolls? Whatever... they are good. And it makes your house smell SUPER good! Like fall :)

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Rainbow cupcakes

*Don't get discouraged, this is easy!! And oooober fun for kids! Anyone working on learning their colors?

Ingredients:
1 box of white cake mix
2 muffin tins- most cake mixes make 24 cupcakes
cupcake liners
food coloring - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple
rainbow chip frosting
APRONS! For both you and kiddo! And maybe a wet paper towel handy. We don't like stains :)

Instructions:
Make cake batter as directed
Separate the batter evenly into cereal bowls, one bowl for each color
Add the food coloring. Don't get discouraged if you do not have purple food coloring... **just combine red and blue :)**  or yellow and red for orange...
Make sure to have a spoon for each color so you don't get brown in your rainbow.
Spoon one color at a time in the cupcake tins. I followed the rainbow pattern ROYGBP
Bake as directed on the box. Allow them to cool and top with rainbow chip frosting.

* Also very cute to just to red white and blue for 4th of July, or red and green for Christmas... etc.

Kid Helper:
  • Got a star at breaking eggs yet? They won't learn if you don't teach them. I remember in my high school cooking class kids did not know how to break open/separate and egg... Please don't let that be your child.
  • Add the food coloring to the batter in the cereal bowls and stir. Watching anything change color is fun!
  • Spoon in the batter
  • Frost the baked cupcakes

Green Enchiladas



Ingredients:
10 flour tortillas
2 cans Old El Paso Mild Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
1 8oz package of cream cheese, cut in cubes
1 can green chiles
1 lb cubed uncooked chicken breast
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Heat oven to 400
Spray a 9x13 pan
Spray a skillet and cook the chicken until no longer pink in the middle
Stir in cream cheese and chiles, stir until the cream cheese is melted
Spoon the creamy filling into the tortillas, roll up like enchiladas
Pour the 2 cans of sauce over the filled, rolled tortillas
Top with cheese
Bake 15-20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Or as Savana says "They look bubbly melty!"

Kid Helper:
  • Gather ingredients from the fridge and set out on counter
  • I have a no blade can opener so Savana loves opening the cans because there are no blades or sharp edges on the can or lid, even after opened.
  • Spray the pan and lay in the tortillas
  • Roll up the tortilla *it can be pretty hot so watch little fingers so they don't touch the filling
  • Sprinkle the cheese on top!
  • Turn the light on the oven and let them watch and tell you when it starts to get "Bubbly Melty"


Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies



1 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cup flour
1 cup blueberries

1/2 pkg cream cheese, cut into 1 tsp cubes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Blend in the lemon zest, juice and eggs. Make sure to scrape off any bits of zest that stick to the mixer paddle.

In a separate bowl whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour then mix it into the wet ingredients. Gently fold in the blueberries so as not to burst any. Refrigerate the dough for about 15 – 20 minutes to make it stiff enough to roll.

For each cookie, roll 1 heaping tbsp of dough into a ball then flatten it slightly into a disc shape. Place a 1 tsp cream cheese cube into the center and form the dough around it creating a ball again. Bake them for about 10 - 14 minutes until the edges brown slightly. Transfer them to a cooling rack and enjoy!


Kid Helper:
  • Wash and dry blueberries
  • Measure ingredients and add them to the bowl
  • Do taste testing, taste new ingredients. Sample the cream cheese, little drops of lemon juice etc. Its fun to see their reaction to new things. Savana started to love eating raw zucchini doing this. And her face when licking a lime for the first time was a moment I will treasure forever! *not all ingredients are meant for taste testing*
  • Everyone needs to lick a beater :) I'm going to be a little sad when I have 2 kids and there won't be a beater for me! Anyone know of a 3-4 beater hand mixer? lol. I will survive with licking out the bowl I guess:) *careful when using raw eggs.

Mini Cookie Pizzas

Ingredients:
Sugar cookies (I used Pillsbury sugar cookies to make it really easy)

Frosting:
I did half a batch of buttercream frosting and folded in Home Made Whipping Cream

Home Made Whipping Cream: Whipping cream, 3 Tablespoons of sugar and a tsp of vanilla. Whipped with my hand mixer for about 3 minutes on medium speed.

Fruit for topping: strawberries, blue berries, kiwi.

Let your cookies cool completely. Add the yummy topping and arrange fruit pretty :)

Kid Helper:
  • Place the premade Pillsbury cookies on the baking sheet
  • Use the hand mixer while making the Whipped Cream
  • Arrange fruit on the top

Day Before Savana Was Born Cookies

AKA Rollo Cookies:

Ingredients:
2 chocolate cake mixes
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
bag of Rollos
3/4 cup sugar

Mix the cake mixes, eggs and oil in a large bowl. Dough will be very thick! Unwrap rollos have them handy in a bowl. Pour sugar in a cereal sized bowl. Form the cookie dough around the Rollo and roll in a ball. Roll the ball in sugar and place on cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until cracked on top.

YUMMMMMM!!!!

Kid Helper:
  • Unwrap the rollos
  • Help make dough balls and roll in sugar

Butterfinger Blondies

 

 

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 cups coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 16 “Fun Size” bars)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°
Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl.
Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.
On low add your dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) until just combined.
Stir in your chopped Butterfinger.
Spread in a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until center is JUST set.
Remove from oven and cool completely.

Butter cream ingredients:
1/2 cup room temp butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 4 “Fun Size” bars)

Instructions

Cream the butter and shortening together until smooth.
Add in you powdered sugar on low speed.  Turn speed up to medium and mix until smooth
Stir in your chopped Butterfinger. (I sprinkled mine on top rather than stirring them in!)
Spread on your cooled blondies.

Kid Helper:
  • Open the candy bar wrappers
  • Instead of chopping the Butterfinger, put them in a large plastic bag and let the kiddo go to town with a rolling pin smashing/rolling the candy
  • Hold the hand mixer while making the buttercream
  • Sprinkle the goodies on top