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I guess every birthday these days is a reminder of how fast time is flying by. It's hard to believe our sweet not-so-little-anymore Kendry is two years old. And yet at the same time, the newborn stage of two years ago seems so long ago compared with his giggly, chatty personality who loves and wants to be a part of anything and everything. The Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb theme came together a fe
This watermelon {cake} is a fun twist on fruit salad and makes a great healthy dessert or snack and beautiful centerpiece for any party or function. Use your favorite fruits or whatever is in season to decorate the watermelon. Related posts: Watermelon Fruit Salad This fruit salad is all about the presentation and will... Fruit Bouquet: DailyBuzz Moms 9×9 Fruit bouquets make the perfect heal
These healthy chocolate banana oat bars {homemade energy bars} taste just like the moist chocolate banana cookies that my mom always made for my sister and me. Wishing all of you mommies a Happy Mother's Day! Related posts: Chocolate Banana Cookies If you like chocolate and you like bananas, then you... Homemade Energy Bars These bars are a cross between a granola bar, muffin... White Chocolate
These simple pancakes are easy and entertaining, and they make a healthy breakfast, snack or dessert. Your kids will most likely have fun creating the monkey pancakes, too. Related posts: Mickey Mouse Pancakes {Chocolate Chip-Banana-Oatmeal Pancakes} Regardless of their shape, these chocolate chip-banana-oatmeal pancakes will be... Peanut Butter-Banana Pancakes The combination of peanut butter,
This time around, I skipped the step of making gyoza altogether and simply made the meat filling, forming it into mini patties for gyoza sliders. When dressed with sauteed mushrooms and red onions, wasabi, pickled ginger and gyoza dipping sauce, these fusion burgers are a unique twist on the classic American burger and they make a tasty appetizer or main course. Related posts: Gyoza Making gyoza
With our recent first marshmallow-making adventure the week before Easter it was a natural progression to transform some of them into Peeps. Even if you don't make them look like the store-bought Peeps, you can cut them out in Easter shapes and decorate them with sprinkles, chocolate and more. Related posts: Homemade Marshmallows Making marshmallows is a lot simpler than you might think... Easter
Making marshmallows is a lot simpler than you might think and allows you to make personalized flavors and shapes for fun gifts and party favors. Related posts: Homemade Easter Peeps With our recent first marshmallow-making adventure the week before Easter... Mickey Mouse Marshmallow Treats Rice Krispie treats are such an easy filler for parties... Stars and Stripes Rice Krispie Treats Rice Krispie
This could also be called the cleaning-out-the-fridge salad because that's literally what I was doing the first time I made it. However, we knew it was a keeper when we went to the store the next day to buy the same ingredients for another batch. Related posts: Chicken Quinoa Taco Salad Adding quinoa to the mix is a great way to... Pesto Chicken Roll-ups In this cordon bleu-inspired chicken, the
Amidst the checkout chaos of paying for groceries with my 4 and almost 2-year olds, I started envisioning a naturally-dyed green jelly roll cake in the shape of a shamrock. And voilà! Here we are a few days before St. Patrick's Day and my brainstorm image has come to life. You can enjoy your jelly roll in individual slices or arrange three slices per plate to make a festive St. Paddy's shamrock
This creamy baked {spinach} mac and cheese is another way to introduce healthy greens into your family's diet. And if your kids are like mine and love dyeing foods whacky colors, then the natural green color is a little bonus, especially with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner. Related posts: Macaroni and Cheese Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. I like... Spinach Pesto Trad
Itsy Bitsy Foodies turned 3 and I chose to celebrate with {Happy Birthday} Cake Batter Ice Cream. The best part about homemade cake batter ice cream is that you can control the sweetness and intensity of cake flavor by adding your favorite cake batter/cake mix to taste. Related posts: Mini Heart Ice Cream Cakes I had some some beautiful pink peppermint ice cream so... Strawberry Ice Cream This
Our now 4-year old has been our little Super Cooper since the day he was born so when he requested a Super Hero 4th birthday party it was a natural choice. The bold colors of red, blue, yellow and green and the high energy of super heroes fit our son perfectly. Related posts: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Birthday Party It's hard to believe that my little Cooper is 3!... Train 1st Birthday Party The f
As popular as red velvet cake (and red velvet everything) has become, I don't remember ever having red velvet cake as a kid. I do, however, have a vivid childhood memory of gasping with girlish delight as they cut into the armadillo cake in the movie Steel Magnolias. I guess ever since then I've had red velvet cake on my mental baking list. Related posts: Ovarian Cancer Awareness Cupcakes Thes
These individually-wrapped filet mignons work well for holiday entertaining and dinner parties. And the fancy little filets enveloped in puff pastry {definitely rich comfort food!} are perfect for sharing with your Valentine, too! Related posts: Palmiers You might recall that not too long ago I posted... Homemade Pizza Pockets Pizza pockets are easy to make at home. My family... Blue Cheese Teriy
This combo of natural food dyes isn't just about avoiding artificial dyes and coming up with beautiful {natural} colors. It's also because I simply love the combination of almond and berries. Related posts: Valentine Heart Sugar Cookies For Valentine's Day give your someone special heart sugar cookies... St. Patrick’s Day Cookies We don't have a shamrock cookie cutter so we improvised... Ha
Simply layer white (plain or vanilla) yogurt, red berries & fruit, a spoonful of raspberry freezer jam if you want to sweeten your plain Greek yogurt just a bit, and heart-shaped oatmeal pancakes to make a heart healthy breakfast, snack or dessert. And it doubles as an activity: my boys love every opportunity to create with cookie cutters! Related posts: Patriotic Parfait Parfait, French f
My family loves monkey bread. This time we mixed grated apple into the cinnamon-sugar syrup and baked it in a heart pan for a festive and comforting Valentine's Day treat. With or without apple, this sweet gooey cinnamon pull-apart bread is sure to make your Valentine happy. Related posts: Dessert Pizza My sister-in-law came up with this idea when she was... White Chocolate & Raspberry Mu
These naturally-dyed pink beet rolls are a festive Valentine's Day treat. And they double as a fun activity because the vibrant-colored dough (reminiscent of playdough) should keep your kids entertained for a while. Happy Heart Day! Related posts: Spinach Rolls My almost four-year old son has been showing more signs... Hot Cross Buns This Easter season I decided to mix it up and... Crusty White
Well, I finally did it. I broke down and made macarons. They have only been on my "to-do" list for more than ten years, ever since I visited Ladurée {Maison de Macarons in Paris}. These natural macarons with pink raspberry buttercream filling taste deliciously like raspberries and are the perfect bite-sized melt-in-your-mouth raspberry almond treat for Valentine's Day or any other day. No relat
Inspired by the peanut butter chocolate kiss cookies that, to me, have always seemed so fitting for Valentine's Day, these little Hershey's kiss gems even fit the color scheme for the big day of hearts. And the melt-in-your-mouth vanilla sugar cookie makes a neutral base that can work with any color or flavor of Hershey's kiss, for any time of year. Related posts: Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Yo
This caramelized roasted veggie medley is a colorful, nutritious and comforting vegetable side dish for the winter holidays and all winter long. Related posts: Caramelized Beets In a nutshell, these caramelized beets are the best beets... Quinoa Chicken Satay Salad with Peanut Dressing This quinoa salad with peanut dressing is full of colorful... Mr. Baked Potato Heads Dress up your baked potato (
Dress up your baked potato (or sweet potato/yam) with an assortment of veggies to make an edible Mr. {Baked} Potato Head. This edible art project is fun for all ages and allows kids to play with healthy foods. Related posts: Chili in Baked Potato Bowls Serve your favorite chili in baked potato "bowls" for a... Mashed Yam and Sweet Potato Casserole I like serving mashed sweet potatoes and yams ins
I LOVE oatmeal so I was excited at the opportunity to sample a selection of Better Oats instant oatmeal and create a recipe. As I enter the pre-school years and realize that I am now responsible for getting three people ready and out the door in the morning, I was intrigued by Better Oats which promises quick instant oatmeal in tasty flavors while still offering 100% whole grain, added flax seeds
You might recall that not too long ago I posted about the Pepperidge Farm "Puffection" Holiday Entertaining Challenge. Now for the second part of the challenge: my own "Puffection" creation using Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry. Golden, caramelized sugar coats these puff pastry palmiers. Enjoy them plain, with cinnamon and sugar, or dipped in chocolate for a special holiday treat. Related posts: Ch
When Pepperidge Farm contacted me about the “Puffection” Holiday Entertaining challenge I was intrigued and gladly accepted. The first part of the challenge involved cooking an existing Pepperidge Farm recipe. I chose these individual Chocolate Fondue Cups because they are festive and perfect for holiday (or anytime) entertaining. Related posts: Almond Poppy Seed Cupcakes Itsy Bitsy Foodies turn
Fortune cookies have been on my list for a while now so when DailyBuzz Moms announced the Thanksgiving Kids Table 9x9 I thought that it was the perfect opportunity to make "I am Thankful for..." Fortune cookies. Related posts: Homemade Ice Cream Cones I used a recipe for vanilla tuiles from The Bon...
This caramel corn is one of the many food-related traditions in my family. All you have to do is boil the caramel ingredients for a few minutes, toss the popped popcorn in the caramel, and bake it in the oven to golden, crispy perfection. Related posts: Caramel Apples With the arrival of fall, it's time for caramel apples.... Caramel Sauce There are many variations of caramel, but I love this... F
Maple cinnamon whipped cream was the finishing touch for our decadent pumpkin pie oatmeal pancakes with maple pecans but I can envision many other sweets and hot drinks topped with this fall-spiced whipped cream. Related posts: Almond Whipped Cream Homemade whipped cream with a rich almond flavor is a... Homemade Whipped Cream It is so easy to make whipped cream and the... Peaches and Cream Waff
One of my favorite things about fall is eating squash -- they are easy to prepare, flavorful, nutritious and comforting. I'm now a big fan of delicata squash and I especially love the fact that you can eat the beautiful yellow skin that is striped in green. Related posts: Kabocha Squash Soup Sometimes basic is best, as with this simple roasted kabocha... Kale Wraps These kale wraps are one of the
These pumpkin pie {buttermilk} pancakes topped with maple cinnamon whipped cream and maple pecans transition from a comforting breakfast to a decadent dessert. The finishing touch of maple cinnamon whipped cream and maple pecans is admittedly not the healthiest option but for a special Thanksgiving treat, you'll be thankful that you indulged! Related posts: Mickey Mouse Pancakes {Chocolate Chip-B
These pumpkin pie-spiced energy bars are loaded with flax, whole oats, whole grains, Greek yogurt and nutrient-dense pumpkin to make them a healthy, energizing snack that also satisfy a sweet-tooth craving. Related posts: Pumpkin Oat Bars A cross between a bar cookie and a muffin, these... Homemade Energy Bars These bars are a cross between a granola bar, muffin... White Chocolate Craisin Oat Bars
My almost four-year old son has been showing more signs of independent eating but he didn't even care that these rolls contained two cups of spinach. They have a lovely shade of green so I will definitely tuck them away for St. Patrick's Day but we will be making these many times before then, too. Related posts: Cinnamon Rolls In my family, we always have these cinnamon rolls at... Hot Cross Bu
When I want to play with food but I don't have time to really be creative, I pull out the cookie cutters and let my four-year old son do the creating. Simply cutting sandwiches (and quesadillas) into different shapes is a fun project for him and it's an easy way to make a holiday (or any day's) meal more festive. Happy Halloween! Related posts: Peanut Butter & Jelly Fish Sandwiches Most kid
Using banana bread as the cake and peanut butter as the frosting you can have all the fun of a cake pop with a little less guilt. My son loves these and we don't miss all of the extra sugar and butter. Related posts: Peanut Butter Banana Muffins My family loves banana bread and one of my favorite... Naked {Jack-o-lantern} Cake Pops These cake pops without a chocolate candy coating came about...
These cake pops without a chocolate candy coating came about by accident. In the middle of making cake pops we ran out of Wilton dipping chocolate but I realized that my whole family still devoured them. Admittedly, they are less polished looking, but they are also less sweet and we didn't miss the chocolate coating at all. Related posts: Football Cake Pops The Super Bowl is just around the co
Sometimes basic is best, as with this simple roasted kabocha squash soup flavored with sage mushrooms. Inspired by all of the beautiful and interesting winter squash that we've seen on our recent trips to local farms and pumpkin patches, this soup satisfies my craving for warm comfort foods now that the chilly fall temperatures are here to stay for a while. Related posts: Lentil Soup in Acorn Squ
This train cake from my son's Train 1st Birthday Party earlier this year can easily be decorated to match any color scheme. And the durable graham cracker cars can even hold other goodies to make a colorful and eye-catching dessert centerpiece. Related posts: Train 1st Birthday Party The first year flew by even faster the second time... Edible Train Landscape My son's 1st train birthday party se
The day after I made the chicken quinoa taco salad I made quesadillas with the leftovers. Considering that the taco salad was acutally a leftover meal, that means that I got three completely different meals out of our chicken tacos. That's music to my ears for busy weekday dinners and lunches! Related posts: Chicken Quinoa Taco Salad Adding quinoa to the mix is a great way to... Taco Salad Turn
Adding quinoa to the mix is a great way to add protein along with other nutrients to this healthy and flavorful taco salad. If you have the chicken and salsa done in advance, it's a quick way to turn leftover tacos into a new meal. Related posts: Quinoa Chicken Satay Salad with Peanut Dressing This quinoa salad with peanut dressing is full of colorful... Taco Salad Turn your leftover taco meat
Summer is lingering, providing us with beautiful warm days, but as of today I can say that fall is finally in the air, bringing with it fall cravings {enter sweet potatoes and maple pecans}. It's the perfect equation for an autumn ice cream. Although it's worth saying that I've been making this ice cream for over a year now and it has been a family favorite in every season of the year. Related p
In this cordon bleu-inspired chicken, I love the combination of pistou/pesto, artichoke hearts, feta cheese and roasted red peppers. Related posts: Pistou (Pesto) This sauce is excellent on pizzas and pastas! It is... Chicken Pistou Pasta I'm a fan of pistou, the French version of pesto,... Spinach Pesto Traditional pesto is intense and, as I guessed, you don't...
Earlier this summer we had an overflowing bowl of cherries and out of nowhere my son wanted to make cherry pancakes. Inspired by Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream, I decided to take it up a notch and add chocolate. Related posts: Mickey Mouse Pancakes {Chocolate Chip-Banana-Oatmeal Pancakes} Regardless of their shape, these chocolate chip-banana-oatmeal pancakes will be... Buttermilk Pan
I love how simple the ingredient list is for this zucchini & tomato gratin. And unlike most gratins, this healthy rendition is devoid of cream or butter, solely featuring the veggies with a small amount of cheese. Related posts: Cucumber Tomato Salad This salad is light, refreshing and easy to make. It's... Eggplant Tomato Stacks These eggplant tomato stacks make a refreshing appetizer or si
Back to school has kicked into full gear and we are saying our goodbyes to summer but I still find myself thinking back to one of my all-time summer favorites: s'mores. In this rendition of the nostalgic treat, rich {milk chocolate} fudge is dipped in marshmallow creme and then rolled in crushed graham crackers. Related posts: S’mores Ice Cream Sandwiches To celebrate National Ice Cream Day
This chilled vegetable soup is the perfect light and refreshing meal or side dish during the heat of summer and a great way to use up tomatoes and cucumbers from your garden or market. Related posts: Insalata Caprese This colorful salad of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil has... Lentil Soup Lentils are high in protein, fiber and folate and are... Love Apples Love Apples, otherwise known as to
My son's 1st train birthday party seems like so long ago now but the edible landscape idea is perfect for back to school and it makes eating healthy snacks fun for your kiddos all year. Depending on the age of your kids, they may even like to help create the scene before eating it! Related posts: Train Toast One morning I was playing around with my son's toast... Christmas Edible Art: Rudolph the
My sister surprised me with this Kit Kat cake on my birthday this past week. I have seen versions of it filled with M&M's and other candies but I have to say that I love how it looks overflowing with berries. I wish we had pictures of all of the kids sneaking away with the Kit Kat bars and their little hands grabbing all of the berries. Related posts: Chocolate Cake This chocolate cake is
This light, refreshing slaw is an easy salad for summer picnics and potlucks. Related posts: Marinated Veggie Salad I love how colorful this salad is, which is also... Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette This lemon-thyme-honey vinaigrette is light, refreshing and easy to make.... Pear, Walnut & Blue Cheese Salad This trendy salad is easy to make at home and...
My family loves banana bread and one of my favorite banana bread toppings is peanut butter so it was a natural for me to incorporate peanut butter into the bread this time. Related posts: Raspberry Banana Oat Muffins Instead of mixing berries throughout these muffins I dollop raspberry... Banana Bread Don't be surprised if you intentionally let your bananas ripen... Low-Fat Banana Bread Substituti
My family likes to add chicken or chicken sausage, and feta crumbles to the creamy avocado pasta. Outside of pasta dishes, the avocado pesto is also like an Italian-style guacamole that is flavorful simply as a dip for breadsticks and veggies. Related posts: Pistou (Pesto) This sauce is excellent on pizzas and pastas! It is... Spinach Pesto Traditional pesto is intense and, as I guessed, you do
