Cupcake Fun!

The last few days have been filled with play dates, great conversations, and lots of laughs.  While I was at a friends house yesterday, we got on the subject of cooking/baking with kids.  My friend asked for a favor, a play date at my house where we bake something with the kids.  I responded with an enthusiastic, ABSOLUTELY!!!

My friend admits she doesn't cook or bake very often, but would love to let her child experience the fun, creativity, and learning experience.  So today, I was watching our sweet neighbor for a bit, and decided to do a test run. 

My participants were a 6 year old and two 4 year olds.  We made chocolate vegan cupcakes with chocolate glaze.  The kids each had a job in the kitchen with the making of the batter.  Brandon was in charge of putting the cupcake liners in the pan, Adam was in charge of the wet ingredients, and my neighbor was in charge of the dry ingredients.  I poured the batter into the pan, and was in charge of the baking and cooling.

Then I made a quick chocolate glaze and set up the decorating stations.  I simply gave each child a cookie sheet, a bowl of glaze, some cupcakes, and different sprinkles.  I put the sprinkles in extra cupcake liners (this made for easy clean up).  Then they dipped and decorated.

It's a great way to use up holiday sprinkles too.  After the cupcakes were dry from the glaze, everyone got to enjoy one for a snack, and the rest went home.  It was a fun rainy day activity, and the kids really love being creative.

Baby It's Cold Outside!!! (Tortellini Soup)

Yesterday was rainy, windy, and a bit yucky.  I woke up this morning to snow :)  Gotta love New York.  Cold weather, snowy day,  perfect for soup making.

After the kids had a play date, we stopped by the grocery store for a few ingredients. Soup is quite simple to make.  You can add a few ingredients or really amp it up with the whole pantry.  We chose to make a soup with a short ingredient list. 

Adam was my sous chef.  I am really determined that both of my boys will know how to cook basics.  They have been helping me in the kitchen with age appropriate tasks for a while.  Today's lesson had Adam front and center.  While he doesn't eat soup right now, he's learning basic kitchen skills, and someday may try it.

He had the job of peeling carrots, chopping the onion (in the mini chopper, with supervision), and dumping all the veggies into the soup pot.  I stirred, added the stock, and kept a watchful eye on the simmering pot.  Together we made a tasty pot of tortellini vegetable soup, and more importantly had much needed "Adam and Mommy time".

recipe (yields 4 servings)

1 small onion, chopped fine
3 ribs of celery, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced (I used a Yukon Gold)
1 box of vegetable stock, 4 cups
1 lb. bag of frozen cheese tortellini
1 tsp. ground pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
Parmesan cheese for garnish

In a large stock pot, heat a tablespoon of oil.  Add chopped vegetables, salt, pepper, and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes.  Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil.  Once the soup is boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes.  The vegetables should be tender.  Add frozen tortellini, cover, and cook another 5 to 7 minutes.  Once the tortellini is cooked through, remove from heat.  Check for salt and pepper, and adjust to taste.  Ladle into bowl and top with Parmesan cheese.  Serve with bread, such as my Italian Bread.

** NOTE: If you are making this ahead or freezing it, don't add the tortellini until you are ready to serve.  **

Wholesome Wednesday (Chocolate Covered Bananas)

Growing up, I attended our county fair every year.  It is quite a large fair and my most favorite part has always been the food.  I LOVE fair food.  By far, my favorite sweet treat is the chocolate covered bananas.  Each year I would make a bee line for the stand and get one plain chocolate dipped treat. 

There are various toppings you can use such as nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, or sprinkles.  Today I used rainbow sprinkles because they were handy.  I love this treat as a mom too.  It's a little indulgent with the chocolate, but for the most part, a healthier option than say ice cream.  This is also a great activity to get the kids involved in.  They can help roll the bananas in the toppings.

What you need:

3 to 4 firm ripe bananas, not too ripe
2 cups milk chocolate chips or merkens
Popsicle sticks
various toppings (sprinkles, nuts, coconut, etc.)

Peel and cut the bananas in half.  Insert the popsicle sticks and lay on a cookie sheet.  At this point put them in the freezer until very cold and firm (several hours).

After the bananas are frozen, in a double boiler, melt your chocolate until smooth.  Hanging onto the popsicle stick, roll your banana through the chocolate until evenly coated.  Top with nuts, sprinkles, coconut, etc.   Put back in the freezer until hardened.  Store in an airtight container in the freezer for several days.

Chocolate Chip Bat Cookies

I love making little treats for the boys that make them smile.  The whole month of October I have been cutting their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into ghosts.  Adam loves to show his classmates at lunch time his ghost-wiches. So after making the ghost treats for a party on Sunday, I thought I better make something Halloweenish for home.

When I was a young baker, I asked my mom to make chocolate chip cut out cookies. My mom explained it wouldn't work, but I insisted it would. So I made a dough, cut out my shapes, and proceeded to bake them. What I wound up with was a big blob on my cookie sheet. What I didnt' realize was chocolate chip cookie dough is much different that cut out dough and won't hold it's shape during baking.

Fast forward a couple years later, I discovered if I baked the cookies in a cake pan first, then cut out my shapes, it would work.  So this weeks treat for the boys is chocolate chip bat cookies. You can use any shape cutter you desire, just follow the simple steps bellow.

Preheat your oven to the temperature your cookie recipe calls for. Then line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.

pan lined with parchment

Next prepare your favorite cookie dough recipe. I cheated and used a packaged cookie mix that yields three dozen cookies. Press dough into the bottom of pan in a 1/4" layer.

Mine baked for 16 to 18 minutes at 375 degrees.  Baking times will vary depending on thickness of dough in pan.  They are done with the cookies turn golden brown and not  longer wet looking.

Allow to cool in pan. Then using the edges of the parchment paper lift out of pan, and cut with any shape cutter you wish.

tip: don't throw out all the little cut out scraps....use them to make an ice cream sundae or put them in a container to save for a nibble here and there.

Ghostly Wreath

Years and years ago, when I first started craft shows (almost 20 years now), I would make these ghost wreaths and brooms every fall season.  They would always fly off the table and then I got away from them, wanting to do new ideas.  Well, I figured it was time to dust off an oldie but goodie.  This wreath idea can be adapted to any size and any budget. The one I did cost $4.00.

What you need:

wreath form (grapevine or straw)
small to medium bush of fall flowers
white glue
wire cutters
ribbon
used dryer sheets
floral wire (for bow)
ribbon for tying the ghosts (curling or spool-o-ribbon)

This is really easy and takes about 15 minutes worth of work. 

First thing is make a bow using the instructions found at my previous post, Bow Making 101 and set it aside. 

Next, snip off the floral stems from the bush using wire cutters and leaving about 2 inch length on the stem.  Simply start arranging the flowers on the wreath in a nice pattern, remember to work in odd numbers, three or five and leave room at the top or bottom for the bow.  Dip the ends of the stems in white glue before inserting them into the wreath, this way they will hold.

Finally, make the ghosts by using two dryer sheets. Take one dryer sheet and roll it into a ball (you can also use a cotton ball for this), this will be the ghosts head.  Then take the next dryer sheet and drape it over the head and tie it off with curling ribbon. Viola, a ghost. Attach them to the wreath with white glue.

Allow the wreath to dry over night. You can also use a glue gun for immediate dry time.  This is a great project to have the kids help with. It also teaches about recycling and reusing the dryer sheets that would normally be tossed away.

another idea: make ghosts and attach pin backs for a cute holiday decoration

Traveling with Toddlers

Today is Monday, and the start of getting back into our routine.  We are done with summer time travel and the kids will start school next week.  I am looking forward to getting back to our regularly scheduled program :o)  I have updated the Places To Go page with some handy travel tips.  Most of the tips are common sense, but I find sometimes we need to be reminded of stuff we may already know.

Tomorrow I will post instructions on how to make a bow, and don't forget on September 1st the cupcake of the month will have it's debut. So have a Happy Monday, and come back tomorrow :o)

Handy Toothbrush

Over the last week I have visited the dentist as well as the boys.  Adam was wonderful for his cleaning and exam. We also discovered that he has his first loose tooth and is very excited about getting money from the tooth fairy!  Brandon while not as cooperative as Adam did well too. He is no longer tongue-tied, which is wonderful news, and his teeth and gums look great.  And for a little report on my visit, I held still and cooperated but now have entered into the world of sensitive teeth. So my much loved Crest toothpaste is on the shelf and I have to start brushing with Sensodyne.  Now that everyone is updated on our dentist check-ups, I'll get to the actual point of this post. 

Last Christmas, my husband's grandmother bought the kids toothbrushes that light up.  The brand was firefly and I thought it was cute enough. Not until I started using it with the boys, did I see the helpfulness of this product.  Basically, you push the end of the brush to activate the light and it stays on for about 90 seconds. This helps both the boys and myself to make sure they are brushing long enough.  It also saves everyone in the house from listening to me sing ABC's or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  I have bought several more of these tooth brushes over the last year and just wanted to share with everyone out in the blog-o-sphere how handy they are.  It makes it fun for them to brush and anything I can do to make personal hygiene fun for toddlers, I am all for. 

p.s.  I also love the neon colored dental flossers, both boys let me floss them as long as they can pick their color :o)