Delectable Drinks

Hope you guys enjoy these tasty drinks as much as we do! Use your imagination when choosing flavor combinations for smoothies, shakes, floats, and punch. It's a neverending idea parade that can't go wrong... Well, if it does go wrong, you can just keep trying other combinations! Here are the recipes from today's show! (We will upload the pics sometime this weekend!)



Sunrise Smoothie


1 c. frozen strawberries, slightly thawed
1 c. frozen peach slices, slight thawed
1/2 c. orange juice
1 (6 oz.) container Rasberry Yogurt


Blend all ingredients until smooth. Say hello to morning! =)




Purple Cow Milkshake


4 scoops vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup frozen grape juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup milk


Blend ingredients until smooth. Drink up and enjoy! =)




Sherbet Punch


1 46 oz. bottle Tropical Punch
2 liter Ginger Ale
1 6 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 container pineapple sherbet


Mix equal parts tropical punch and gingerale. Add frozen lemonade concentrate. (You can add less than the 6 oz., if you would like.) Add scoops of pineapple sherbet, and stir gently. This punch tastes a little like a Cherry Limeade. It's delicious!

Soups & Salads

Hope you enjoyed this special 1 hour edition of Cooking with Mommy. First up - Soups & Salads! Kids, we hope you enjoy making these yummy dishes with your grown-up helpers. Let us know what you think!!! =)

French Onion Soup
3 small onions, diced
1/2 stick butter
2 cans beef broth
1 can chicken broth
1/2 c. cooking sherry
1 pkt. onion soup mix
1 loaf french bread
1 pkt. (12 slices) provolone cheese

Saute onions in butter for 3-5 minutes, or until transluscent. Add beef and chicken broths, cooking sherry, and onion soup mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 3/4 cup soup in crock-style bowl or ramekin. Slice french bread into 1 inch slices. Lay provolone slice on bread. Place 6-8 bowls on cookie sheet or stone cooking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

4 large Yukon Gold Potatoes
8 slices bacon
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups milk
16 oz. Velveeta cheese
8 oz. sour cream
3 green onion stalks

Microwave potatoes for approximately 10 minutes. Allow potatoes to cool. Microwave bacon for 1 minute per slice. (I microwave 4 slices at a time for 4 minutes.) Remove bacon from plate and pat dry with paper towel. Crumble bacon. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into cubes, approximately 1/2 inch to 1 inch in size.

Slice green onions into thin slices. Cut Velveeta into small cubes for easier melting.

Heat chicken broth, milk, and Velveeta in pot, stirring frequently. Once cheese has melted completely, add potatoes, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. Stir until fully incorporated. Simmer another 10- 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and serve.

Mandarin Chicken Salad

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. orange juice
1 tsp. Asian seasoning (recommended: Emeril's Asian Essence)
Romaine lettuce hearts, chopped or torn
1 can Mandarin oranges
1 can water chesnuts
3 stalks green onions, sliced
Sliced almonds, to taste
Chow Mein noodles, to taste
Asian dressing

Marinate chicken breasts in orange juice and Asian seasoning for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Grill chicken breasts over medium heat 6-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. (If using cutlets, chicken may grill a little more quickly.) Let chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, slice chicken in thin slices.

To assemble salad, put chopped or torn lettuce in a bowl. Top with remaining ingredients and chicken. It's yummy!!!

Crafts in the Kitchen

Hey kids! Here are some SUPER recipes to use when you want to explore your artistic talents. Head to the kitchen with a grown-up helper and have fun with the following recipes! I'll add pictures later!

Kool-Aid Playdough

3 c. flour
1 c. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. boiling water
2 packets unsweetened Kool-aid (in color of your choice)

Have your grown-up helper bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, mix flour and salt thoroughly. In a separate bowl, add Kool-aid and oil to boiling water. Mix until Kool-aid dissolves completely. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until incorporated. (Add extra flour if needed to get playdough consistency.)

Knead dough until flour is no longer visible. Allow to cool. Play and enjoy. (Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.)

*Note - we divided the recipe in two halves, and used a different Kool-aid color in each half.


Puff Paint

1 can shaving cream
1-2 containers white school glue
Food Coloring

Mix equal parts shaving cream and school glue in the amount you desire. Add food coloring to achieve desired color. (You can make several colors using the above ingredients.)


Bath Crayons

1 bar (3.1 oz.) Ivory soap
1/4 c. to 1/2 c. warm water
Food Coloring

Grate Soap using a cheese grater. Microwave water for 1-2 minutes. Mix soap, water, and food coloring. Knead until the consistency of a very thick dough.

Shape with hands as a ball or crayon. You can also use ice cube trays or cookie cutters. Place crayons in freezer for 15 minutes.

Remove crayons from freezer and allow to dry until hard (overnight or all day.) Enjoy at bathtime!!! =)


Have fun kiddos! Check in tomorrow for another recipe just for you!

Tour of Italy

Hope you enjoyed today's show! Let us know how your Italian feast goes. We would love to hear from you! Below are today's recipes. Remember that each recipe serves 8-10 people. So, invite your friends over, and let your kids be proud that they were able to help prepare a meal for company!!!

Sundried Tomato Bruschetta

1 baguette

1 jar Sundried Tomato Pesto (We used Classico brand, found near the spaghetti sauce in your grocery store.)

1 (12 slice)pkg. Provolone cheese

Have your grown-up helper slice the baguette into approximately 20 slices. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of pesto on each slice of bread. Break cheese slices into quarters. Top with 2 pieces of provolone cheese. Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese begins to turn golden and bubbly.

Caesar Salad

2 bags chopped romaine lettuce

1 bag garlic cheese croutons

4 oz. fresh parmesan cheese, shredded

Your favorite Caesar dressing

Toss first 3 ingredients. Pour Caesar dressing to taste.

Stuffed Shells

1 (32 oz.) container part-skim ricotta cheese

1 1/2 c. mozzarella

1 c. fresh parmesan cheese, grated (plus additional for topping)

1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 (2lb.) jar spaghetti sauce (your favorite)

1 box jumbo pasta shells

1 (10 oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed and patted dry

Have your grown-up helper boil shells for 14-15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop cooking process. Pour 1 cup spaghetti sauce in a 9x13 baker.

Meanwhile, mix ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and eggs thoroughly. Separate mixture into 2 halves. Add spinach to second half of mixture.

Fill halve your shells with cheese mixture and place in 9x13 baker. Top with 1 cup spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese to taste. (You can top with mozzarella, as well.) Repeat steps in second 9x13 baker with spinach mixture. (You can use browned ground beef or Italian sausage instead of spinach, if you prefer.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated thoroughly.

Tiramisu Pudding Parfait

1 cups milk

1/4 c. instant coffee granules (You may use 1/8 cup if you desire a less strong coffee taste.)

1/4 c. sugar

1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip

2 boxes Cheesecake flavor instant pudding (8 servings total), plus ingredients to make pudding

16 Ladyfingers (Need 2 cookies per parfait.)

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix 1 cup milk with instant coffee granules and sugar until coffee and sugar are dissolved. Mix in container of Cool Whip. (Mixture will be runny.)

In a separate bowl, prepare pudding according to package directions. Chill in refrigerator.

Break Ladyfingers into quarters. Place 4 pieces in bottom of parfait glass. Add 1/4 cup. coffee Cool Whip mixture. Next, add 1/4 cup pudding. Top with shredded chocolate chips as desired. Repeat layers one time. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to eating. (This allows the cookies to absorb some of the coffee mixture. Enjoy!

Lunchbox Ideas

We hope you enjoyed the show today. We have LOTS of ideas for "thinking outside the lunchbox". Hope you liked these three today! (Remember to try both of the Asian marinades and let us know who your vote goes to. It was a true Asian marinade throwdown!)














Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 head iceburg lettuce, torn
2 Golden Delicious apples, cored and chopped
1/3 cup vidalia onions (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (like Craisins)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Your favorite poppy seed dressing

Mix all ingredients except the dressing. Serve in bowls. Drizzle with poppy seed dressing.















Asian Chicken Legs

1 dozen chicken legs, without skin
1 marinade recipe (Choose 1 below)

Marinate chicken legs in marinade for several hours. (We recommend marinating overnight.) Grill over medium-low heat for approximately 20-25 minutes, turning chicken every 5 minutes. Put aluminum foil on end of chicken legs to keep fingers clean at lunchtime! =)

Mark's Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tblsp. ketchup
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. ground ginger (or substitute 1 Tblsp. fresh ground ginger)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tblsp. apricot preserves
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tblsp. rice vinegar
1 Tblsp. honey
1/2 tsp. grated zest of lemon

In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Stir until sugar is dissolved completely. Reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and let cool.

Kara's Marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup plum sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 pinch salt

Stir until mixed thoroughly.
















Creamy Tomato Soup

1 can condensed tomato soup
1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth
1 lg. can Italian diced tomatoes
1 cup whole milk (For an even creamier soup, substitute heavy cream.)

Heat 1st three ingredients over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Add cream and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat. Blend in blender until smooth. Place in thermos, and enjoy at lunchtime!!!

Healthy & Tasty Snacks

We hope you enjoyed the show today. For more details on what your child's nutrition demands, please check out MyPyramid.gov. Below are today's recipes! Hope you enjoy them!

Fruit & Yogurt Parfait

1 French Vanilla Yogurt cup, about 6 oz. (Our favorite is Stonyfield Farms with cream on top!)
Granola
Fresh Strawberries (sliced) and Blueberries

If using a cream on top yogurt, mix with spoon until cream is thoroughly incorporated. Pour half a container of yogurt into cup. Top with enough granola to fully cover yogurt. Layer sliced strawberries on granola, followed by blueberries. Repeat layers one more time. This makes one parfait.

Black Bean Hummus

1 can black beans
2 garlc cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. tahini
1/4 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
Juice of 1 lemon

Place all ingredients in food processor. (Be sure to have a grown up helper on hand!) Blend until smooth. Serve with pita chips or veggies (like carrots, celery, bell pepper, etc.)

Strawberry Ice Pops

10 oz. pkg. frozen, sweetened strawberries
2 strawberry yogurt cups (Again, we use Stonyfield Farms cream on the top!)
3 popsicle sticks or spoons
3 small plastic cups or gladware containers
Plastic Wrap (3 squares)

Thaw frozen strawberries. Blend in blender until they are smooth. (Get that grown-up helper to help!) Pour 1/3 container of yogurt into cup. (Mix first if using a cream on top yogurt.) Pour 1/3 blended strawberries on yogurt. Pour another 1/3 container of yogurt on top. Repeat process to fill 2 more cups.

Cut a small "x" in each plastic wrap square. Top each cup with plastic wrap. Insert popsicle stick or spoon through hole in plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.

Tip: To help the ice pop release from the cup, run the cup under hot water for a small period to soften the sides.

Hope you enjoy these snacks!

Breakfast Foods

Hey guys! We had so much fun getting ready for this show. We hope you enjoy these three recipes as much as we do! Have fun getting in the kitchen, getting messy, and making memories!

First up - Mexican Breakfast Pizzas!!! =)

Mexican Breakfast Pizzas

1 pkg. chorizo sausage, sliced

6 eggs

1 to 1 1/2 c. Mexican blend shredded cheese

4 flour tortillas, soft taco size

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, heat an 8 to 10 inch non-stick pan over medium-low to medium heat. Place 10 to 12 slices of chorizo in hot pan. Pour 1/3 c. egg mixture over chorizo. Before egg completely sets, sprinkle cheese over egg and chorizo. Place tortilla over top of eggs. Press down lightly, and let set for approximately 2 minutes. Flip pizza over in pan, allowing tortilla to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top. Remove pizza from pan and let cool for 5 minutes. (Repeat process 3 more times.) Recipe yields 4 servings. Try with sour cream, salsa, etc. on the side!

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Muffin

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 tsp. baking powder

1 egg

1/2 c. applesauce

1/2 c. milk

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 c. peeled, shredded apples (about 1 lg. apple)

Streusel Topping

1/4 c. flour

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray. Mix first 5 muffin ingredients in bowl. In a separate bowl, mix last five muffin ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture until fully incorporated. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix all streusel topping ingredients.

Pour approximately 3 tablespoons muffin batter in each muffin tin. Sprinkle streusel topping over each muffin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean. Trust me! They are delicious!!!

Egg Bites

1 doz. eggs

1/2 c. milk

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

1 c. shredded cheese (your choice)

****Other toppings of your choice****

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle shredded cheese in each mini-muffin tin. (You may also sprinkle additional toppings, such as bacon, ham, spinach, chicken, sausage, peppers, onion, etc.) Fill each tin approximately 1/2 full with toppings. Pour egg mixture over each tin, filling to rim. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until egg has set. Egg Bites will puff up higher than the muffin tins, but will settle once out of the oven. Let cool 5 minutes. Enjoy!

(My favorite variation of these Egg Bites is spinach and swiss. Kaiya's favorite is plain cheddar. Juke loves his with cheddar and bacon or ham. As I said, the possibilities are endless with this one, and it is a great breakfast when you are on the go! No utensils needed!!!)

Hope you all enjoyed this week's show! Tune in next week to hear great snack recipes!

Delicious Desserts

Today's radio show was all about delicious desserts you can make with kids in the kitchen. Our first recipe with Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. We hope you love it!














Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 box (20 oz.) Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup cocoa

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Blend eggs and butter in bowl until smooth. Add cookie mix and cocoa.

Stir until thoroughly incorporated. (We recommend using an electric mixer. This is not a very wet mix, so it can be hard for the child or grown-up helper to mix thoroughly - although I usually do it by hand. =) I hate the extra dishes!) If using a mixer, this will take about 1 1/2 minutes.

Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet. This recipe yields approximately 1 dozen large cookies. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack. Then enjoy!!!

Our second yummy recipe was Mini Caramel Chocolate Cheesecakes. Yummy!















Mini Caramel Chocolate Cheesecakes
**Note: We forgot something!!! On our radio show, we forgot to tell you that we added 1 egg to the cream cheese mixture. We have included it in the below recipe.**

Crust
2 T. butter, melted
5 graham cracker sheets
1/8 c. sugar

Cream Cheese Mixture
2 pkgs. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. sugar


24 Rolos candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray (like Pam).

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Place 5 graham crackers in ziplock bag and mash until crumb consistency. Mix melted butter, crushed graham crackers, and 1/8 c. sugar. Put approximately 1 teaspoon in each muffin tin and press down.

In large bowl, mix softened cream cheese with vanilla, lemon juice, and 1 egg. Once consistency is smooth, mix in 1/4 cup sugar. In your electric mixer, pour 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. Start at low speed, increasing to highest speed. Mix until heavy whipping cream has consistency of whipped cream, approximately 1-3 minutes. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.


Place 1 unwrapped Rolo candy in the center of each muffin well. Do not push into crust; let rest gently on top of crust. Pour approximately 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture over the top of the Rolo. (Cream cheese mixture will be taller than muffin pan well.)

Place in oven for 25 minutes, or when edges are just starting to become golden. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool on cooling rack. Enjoy!!!














Join us on BlogTalkRadio next Friday when we talk about creative breakfast ideas. And check back on this site on Mondays and Wednesdays for new recipe ideas! In the meantime, go make some memories in the kitchen with your kids!!!

Our Radio Debut

Today marked our radio debut on BlogTalkRadio.com. Kaiya was at my side as my trusty co-host, and I found that there are definitely some kinks to work out. We can cover A LOT in 30 minutes. I guess we'll have to find more content & create specialized segments, or cut the show back to 15 minutes. My vote is for more content, but I know I can find a million kitchen related things to talk about! Did I mention my favorite place in the world is in the kitchen with my kids? (I like my hubby in there, too! He's a terrific cook!)

As promised, the featured recipe on today's show, Twice Baked Potatoes Delight is listed below.


Twice Baked Potatoes Delight














5 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened (8oz.)
3 T. ranch seasoning (or a 1 oz. pkt.)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
1 T. bacon bits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes in microwave on HIGH for 16 minutes. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients, being sure to incorporate fully.

After potatoes have cooled enough to handle safely, cut slice down center of the potato, stopping halfway through the potato. Gently spoon potato out of the potato skin, being careful not to tear the skin. Set the potato skins to the side, to be used later. Using a potato masher, mix the potato into the cream cheese mixture.

Spoon the potato/cream cheese mixture into the potato "pocket" created by the potato skin. There will be a lot of filling, so be generous. Place filled potatoes on a baking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese 5 minutes before cook time is finished.

Next week's radio show is all about desserts. Join us for this tasty show! I can't wait. Chocolate, anyone?!?!