In the Kitchen with Audrey

No Bake Energy Bites

2012-05-24T19:48:00.001-05:00

Ready to go!

We are camping this week and needed some easy snacks. A wonderful Kansas City Food Blogger I know has an amazing and easy recipe for the yummiest snacks that do not require any baking. Toddler friendly. Just keep an eye on your helper, I found Mo eating the mix straight from the bowl. Check out the No Bake Energy Bites and she if you love them as much as Mo.

I think she likes them.

A friendly tip we received was to make them in mini muffin pans. Press them in good and then chill. It worked wonderfully!

What's For Lunch Wednesday, Crunchy Munchy Honey Cakes

2012-05-23T10:41:00.000-05:00

Audrey and Maurene love making Crunchy Munchy Honey Cakes. They are heard in a song by The Wiggles and the girls love it. We made this batch for Audrey's teachers as a thank you gift but I let the girls keep a few for themselves.

Audrey had a PB&J Goldfish Sandwich with her lunch and Maurene a cheese sandwich. They both had grapes.

Check out what everyone else had at What's For Lunch Wednesday.

Fruit Bread Pudding

2012-05-22T11:01:00.001-05:00

With the overripe berries we picked this week I helped the girls make a yummy and healthy dessert from our fun new cookbook, Kids Fun and Healthy Cookbook. We used fresh, local berries and whole grain bread. Not only was it healthy but it tasted so good!

Checking out the recipe.

8 slices whole grain bread
1 lb 5 oz fresh or frozen berries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

Place berries, water, and sugar in a pot and cook until berries are very soft. Strain juice from berries. Cut bread into fun shapes and place 4 slices in a shallow dish. Pour half the juice over bread. Place remaining slices on top and add remaining juice. Place the dish in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour. Top with a few whole berries and enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday, Walking Tacos

2012-05-21T07:38:00.000-05:00

Walking tacos and fruit.

I am trying a few new ideas with the girls. I learned about Walking Tacos in Yum Fun and Food for Kids in an article by the fabulous Kristen Doyle of Dine and Dish. Don't know how I had never heard about this yummy take on the standard taco. We stopped at the store on the way home from the park and picked up a few ingredients I thought would taste great and be enticing to the girls. I followed no recipe just an idea of what I wanted in the meal.

For the Meat:

1 lb ground chicken
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 sweet red pepper, diced
1/4 onion, diced
fresh ground pepper
dash of salt
1 can no-salt-added back beans
1 can no-salt-added Italian diced tomatoes

Brown the meat and then add red pepper and onion. Cook 4 minutes and then add garlic and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and heat for 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly. In the meantime make walking packets. I was at the grocery store so I could not purchase the individual size corn chips bags. Instead I decided to make some.

Filling containers with taco ingredients.

I took waxed paper and folded it up into squares. To keep the heat in I added a layer of foil folded over the outside. The packets held up very well.

For the Tacos:

Corn chips
Meat mixture
Shredded cheese
Lettuce or shredded cabbage
Salsa, optional

Place all ingredients into the packet and enjoy! These are great for meals on the go and backyard parties.

Check out what the other children had this week at Muffin Tin Monday.

#SundaySupper Marinated Tofu

2012-05-20T18:50:00.001-05:00

Grilled tofu.

We are a family of traditional and bland. Our dinners are mostly family favorites and American classics. Not much in the way of new and different. I am trying to change that. It is hard because I want to make sure my family has a full belly before bed but I would still like to try new ideas.

I decided to go out on a limb with a tofu recipe that could easily be added to a dish of safe foods. It was not a huge success but it was not a total failure either.

9oz Firm tofu
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cumin

Drain tofu and cut into strips. Pat dry with a towel and set in large shallow dish. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over tofu. Let set at least one hour. Place a little olive oil in a large skillet or griddle pan and cook tofu minutes on each side. I served these over a bed of noddles and the girls mostly ate the noddles. I let them play with chop sticks so they had fun with the noodles.

Helping sister measure.

Noodles with chop sticks!

Food Revolution Day!

2012-05-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Food Revolution Day! The girls and I are celebrating by co-hosting a food demonstration at Hy-Vee on Clinton Parkway from 11am-1pm. We will be sharing our Salad on a Stick recipe. If you live in Lawrence come check us out.

For those outside of Lawrence check out the Food Revolution Day page for celebrations around the world.

Five Fun Summer Foods

2012-05-18T09:18:00.001-05:00

Audrey asked recently if it was summer. In our fair city the temperature climbed to the high 80s this week. We went to our favorite little market and purchased local ice cream. The girls wore shorts and dripped ice cream all over their legs. It was hard to explain that summer is still over a month away. I told her it would be June 22nd. She asked me to let her know. In order to prepare for that day I thought I would share our favorite summer foods to make and eat.

Breakfast Banana Ice Cream. Yes, ice cream for breakfast. It is healthy and yummy!
Mango Soup. Or any fruit soup, really. They are a cool and easy way to enjoy the bounty of summer fruit.
Green Monster. You have to try this. Stop letting the green color stop you and give it a try.We love them.
Fruit Salad. Another simple way to use fruit. We love to mix whatever is fresh and enjoy.
Banana Split Breakfast. This is more of a parfait with bananas but it is yummy just the same.

None of these require heat and they are all sure to please. Get the blender or food processor out and get busy!

Pick Your Own

2012-05-17T21:22:00.001-05:00

This week we completed an item on our bucket list. We have yet to publish our list this year but this item is a holdover from last summer.

Strawberry picking season is short and if you blink you miss it. We caught one of the last days and had a blast! It was warm and there was no mud anywhere. The strawberries were so ripe the entire area smelled sweet. We only stayed for a short time and picked around 5lbs. It was just enough for us to enjoy the experience and left us wanting to do it again soon.

We have gone to pick your own for many other vegetables but never strawberries. I thought the girls would immediately shove their faces full of the beloved fruit. When they did not even try one I offered them each a ripe berry as we were walking away. Then the had to sit at the bench after we paid and devour several more.

I let them have free reign on the strawberries until they were finished. Several of the really ripe mushy ones ended up in a fabulous dessert we had after dinner. It was an amazing fruit juice soaked whole grain bread. Check back for that recipe soon.

We will be picking several more crops in the future, have you ever picked your own?

They went right to work.

She was so serious about her work.

Their haul.

Enjoying the pickings.

What's For Lunch Wednesday, Banana Wraps for Mo

2012-05-16T22:54:00.000-05:00

Banana wraps and fruit

Mo has had a case of the terrible twos lately. Her grandparents came to visit and when grandma left she said Mo was a bit more of a challenge this time. That made me chuckle a little because Mo is so much like her daddy in many ways. I think grandma is just a little older this time around. And she reads this blog so we have to be nice.

Everything is no. If I give Mo a choice in the morning of what to wear she will say, 'nothing' in a sad little voice. She is grumpy in the mornings and at midday when she needs her snack. Lunches can be a challenge unless you have bananas, graham crackers, or cheese, and afternoons are shot because she needs a nap and won't take one. Evenings are total meltdown because she is hungry but only wants milk and chicken and then does not want to brush her teeth or put on pajamas.

I love my Mo. She is everything I love about her father but in a smaller, irrational package. Her father is driven, passionate, focused, and did I say driven? I always tell people he has two speeds: On, and Off, and Off is asleep. Mo is that way but two years old.

She will be amazing at 35. Today she wanted bananas. I relented and helped her make banana and peanut butter wraps for the girls. Mo ate the banana, leaving the wrap behind. Audrey unwrapped the banana, took a few bites and then opted for the peanut butter covered wrap to nibble on instead. Both enjoyed the other fruit.

Checking out the picks.

Check out what the other kids had today at What's For Lunch Wednesday. I hope not all of them are two.

Fabulous Summer Dinners with Family

2012-05-15T17:12:00.000-05:00

Delicious Light Summer Dinners to Make for Your Family

In general, summer foods should be kept simple and light, so that eating them is a refreshing break from the day. Winter dishes are often intentionally heavy to help you feel warm and comforted in cold months. Summer fare, on the other hand, should be fairly quick to make and get you ready for an evening or afternoon of family fun. For information on learning to cook a wide range of meals, look at www.onlineuniversities.net for available culinary arts programs.

Salads – One of the simplest and lightest meals that really takes advantage of the summer bounty are salads. While lettuce can work just fine to start off this type of meal, a really great salad goes well beyond the first ingredient. You can add a wide range of fruits and vegetables to the foundation of a salad. With so many different types of produce in season during the summer months, everything from asparagus and artichoke hearts to strawberries and orange slices can make a delicious summer salad.
Salads may seem like a secondary dish, but a large and diverse one can easily become the focus of a meal. Adding hard-boiled eggs or slices of grilled chicken breast is a great way to put protein into a salad, though some nuts and beans can also be used for this. Light dressings using only some olive oil or vinegar and various seasonings keep the taste of the salad fresh without adding a heavy sauce.
Sandwiches – There are many different types of sandwiches that you can make for a great summer meal, for both lunch and dinner. Chicken and tuna salad sandwiches are often ideal, since the filling can be made ahead of time and they are served cold. During hot summer months, a cold sandwich and salad make a great meal that keeps you from feeling too full or heavy. Only some mayonnaise and meat are necessary, though adding relish, diced celery, and other ingredients can make a delicious sandwich even better.
Grilling – Elaborate summer meals often involve a barbeque and grilling as the warm weather is ideal for cooking outdoors. If you are interested in learning to cook, you might consider online courses that can teach you what you need to know to become a fantastic home chef. These classes instruct you on how to grill, poach and roast a wide range of different foods. Steaks, cheeseburgers and chicken are all ideal for outdoor cooking, though a grill can be used on lighter foods like fresh fish and even vegetables such as asparagus, onions and potatoes in a pouch.

Summer Salad.

Sources

Jewish Woman International (2003)
WGBH (2011)

Another Muffin Tin Monday?

2012-05-14T14:48:00.002-05:00

Simple and yummy.

We have been trying to get back in the swing of things around here now that daddy is home. It seems like every time we try to maintain there is something to cause chaos. This weekend we were so excited to have the girl's grandparents visit for the celebration of Cousin Susie's Hooding Ceremony. She has worked very hard on her dissertation and we were so proud she graduated.

With all of the family visiting and eating out we have not had much in the fridge and I have not had much time for fabulous design ideas. So a simple fruit meal was the most appealing to the girls. We had a few left over Gold Fish Crackers and some pretzels to add to the meal. I have been eating a lot of carrots with peanut butter so Audrey wanted that as well.

Helping prepare the tins.

Check out what the others are having today at Muffin Tin Monday!

Five For Friday, Fun!

2012-05-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

So excited to make her own breakfast!

I have been putting together lists of one kind or another most Fridays for a little bit now. They include favorite meals or cooking with kids tips. Now I would like to share, in honor of Mother's Day, the five things I love about cooking with my children:

The pride they share when a task is completed well. I exclaimed once how good a meal was, Audrey proudly said it was because she made it.
Fun time with the girls. Sometimes between the hurry to activities and the reminder to pick up the shoes I forget to have fun with my girls. Cooking together is an easy way to solve that.
I am teaching them something great. Real food is not something my mother was able to share. It was the late '70s/early '80s and everyone was in love with convenience. Audrey is learning the difference between a zucchini and a cucumber.
It may not be much but I know they eat better when they help cook a meal. Audrey is a lot more likely to try food out of curiosity when she helps with prep. They also better understand the yummy ingredients we place in dishes and like to see how they taste.
How much more fun is it to enjoy food you created?! Had I known I would enjoy cooking so much I might have started before the age of 36.

What is your favorite things about the kitchen? Cooking, eating, baking?

Simple Chicken Dinner

2012-05-10T21:13:00.002-05:00

Adding chopped garlic scapes.

Daddy is back and life is slowly returning to normal. While we are still very busy most of our school year activities are ending and we should have some free time soon. Our busy schedule has meant that meal planning has been vague at best. Sometimes I just pick up our favorite veggies and cuts of meat and hope for the best when we get home. That is how we ended up with this yummy meal!

Our dinner consisted of fingerling potatoes, cut and drizzled with Sea Salt, pepper and olive oil then baked at 400F for 20 minutes. Frozen Cascadian Farms Organic Peas were quickly heated up in the microwave after the boneless, skinless chicken thighs were cooked in a bit of broth. The addition of mushrooms and garlic scapes made the chicken very tasty and flavored it during the 20 minutes in the microwave on high.

Audrey helped with the chicken, potatoes and then set the table. I like to set up the meal prep and let her do the rest. Once the chicken was in the Pyrex and the ingredients set out I pretty much let her do the rest. For the potatoes I sliced them and placed them on the baking dish. She brushed them with oil and sprinkled on the salt.

After helping with the food Audrey set the table for her and sister. She also got the milk out and poured a glass for each of them. I like to let her pour when the container gets low and easier for her to handle.

The meal required a little less than 10 minutes prep and then cooked for 20 minutes. In 30 minutes I had a family sitting around the table eating real food.

What are your family favorites? Do you have an easy, go-to meal that everyone enjoys? We are working on more of these as we only have a few currently.

Wordless Wednesday, Profile

2012-05-09T18:44:00.003-05:00

"Take a picture of this side, mamma!"

What's That on Your Waffle?

2012-05-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is a trick I learned almost two years ago while visiting my in-laws. We had a nice long visit planned so I borrowed a library card and checked out several cookbooks. The trip is too far to drive and I do not want to pack heavy books. With my cookbook addiction I thought the library would be the best bet. I found a great cabbage roll recipe, a marinated chicken recipe, and this one for a faux egg topped waffle. I wish I remembered the book I found it in so I could give credit.

1 frozen (preferably whole grain) waffle
2 or 3 tbsp plain yogurt
1 half apricot or peach, packed in light syrup or juice.

This serves one. Toast the waffle and top with yogurt and apricot or peach. After you get to see how adorable the meal is cut into bit-sized pieces. The fruit and yogurt serve as flavoring/topping for the waffle. If your little one is used to syrup a small amount can be added just before consuming.

The fruit is the best part!

Muffin Tin Monday, To Go!

2012-05-07T09:15:00.004-05:00

Simple bagel sandwich and fruit.

The girls went with me on a run for this fun meal so I could do more training. My first goal was a 5k and now I am working toward a 10k. With daddy gone training has been a little bit more of a challenge. This is our way of getting around the obstacles.

Maurene helped me pack lunches with half bagel sandwiches and fruit. The muffin tins held pineapple and apple with peanut butter. They were simple but tasty meals. Once we had lunch and our Re-Play Cups filled with water we set out for a run. It ended up being a shorter run than usual because I was not used to pushing the stroller.

Placing the pineapple in the tins.

Check out what the other kids had in their tins at Muffin Tin Monday.

20 Meals to Cook With Children

2012-05-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

I recently shared 20 Ways for Children to Help in the Kitchen. With these ideas there are many meals you can make with your young child. I have had Audrey in the kitchen since she was 20 months and Maurene since about 14 months. It is harder to remember with Maurene because she was always in the kitchen with us. Regardless of how old your help is you can find a fun meal for them to enjoy making with you.

These are tasty and easy recipes to make. Plan a fun afternoon in the kitchen with one of them this week. Take pictures of what you make and share it on our Facebook page.

Pizza Dogs

2012-05-03T18:47:00.001-05:00

I had to add a few more strawberries and grapes for them.

We are entering the home stretch. Daddy returns Sunday and the girls are so excited. I have continued to let them have fun, little girl meals. This is a good way to enjoy cooking and eating. This meal was a simple refrigerator dough, pizza sauce, cheese, and hot dog concoction.

Spreading sauce.

Adding hot dogs.

Sprinkling with cheese.

You can see it was a very easy meal to make. Audrey did everything after I set her up. I baked them and then we added the most adorable strawberries from our garden! Good thing they are perennial because we have been super busy.

How cute!

What's For Lunch Wednesday, Watermelon Flower

2012-05-02T21:13:00.001-05:00

Audrey's beautiful flower.

Mo doubled up on strawberries instead.

Audrey and Maurene went with me recently to Target to pick up some organizing bins for their room. We are lucky enough to have a Super Target so I decided to make it a double trip and pick up some fresh produce.

As soon as we walked in the door Audrey spotted the most adorable little watermelons and picked one up. I helped her place it in the basket and then she ran off in search of more produce. By the time the trip was complete we had grapes, an English cucumber, watermelon, apples, bananas, blueberries, and more strawberries. We had strawberries at home but it was the only item Maurene wanted and she would not take no for an answer.

This morning the girls helped me pack a lunch for our weekly playgroup. Since the weather is so nice we spend half the time outside on the play equipment at the church that hosts the gathering.

Audrey filling the boxes and Mo getting dip.

Mo wanted all the dip.

This was a simple meal that I helped prep for the girls. I cut the watermelon, cucumbers, and strawberries for the girls. They filled the tins and added dip. Audrey bargained for the last Baby Bel Cheese so I cut it in half to share. At lunch she did not want it so Mo ate hers as well.

Check out what everyone else had in their lunch boxes at What's For Lunch Wednesday.

Re-Play Recycled Tableware

2012-05-01T21:28:00.000-05:00

Audrey and Maurene love getting new dishes. We received a set of these matching plates, bowls, cups, and utensils. The best part is that they are made from recycled milk jugs! Re-Play Recycled Tableware has turned our meals into something more colorful. I know we are supposed to be more excited by the fact that all of the items are made from recycled milk jugs but the girls are too young to understand this. They just know the plates match the utensils and the cups. I love how well they stand up to washing.

Cookout plates.

Yummy pork dinners.

We have had this set for a while and they have held up amazing! The girls love to run to the drawer and pick out their favorite color. Check out Re-Play Recycled Tableware to find out more.

Muffin Tin Monday, Chicken Dinner

2012-04-30T17:47:00.002-05:00

Dinner time!

The girls enjoyed a yummy chicken drumstick dinner yesterday in their muffin tins. We have missed Muffin Tin Monday so often recently they did not mind that it was Sunday. Maurene helped me spread sauce on the chicken with her pastry brush.

Head Chef Pastry Brush

Applying sauce.

Shredding cheese.

Mo got to shred as well.

Dishing everything up.

Both girls helped with this meal. We had chicken drumsticks, brown sugar carrots, shortcut scalloped potatoes, and some fruit. Both girls love drumsticks so it was an easy to please meal.

Check out what everyone else had today for other Muffin Tin Monday Meal ideas.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2012-04-29T18:25:00.000-05:00

Homemade cupcakes.

The girls were so excited to make a special batch of cupcakes for daddy this weekend. And he was able to come home for the weekend to enjoy them. An email from him informed us he wanted cherry cupcakes with vanilla frosting. That was easy.

We pulled out my favorite cookbook with the easiest batter recipe. (That would be the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook for those of you who do not know my love for it.) The girls took up their standard positions with Mo handling wet ingredients and Audrey on dry ingredients. Mo just has to crack the eggs.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Pour wet into dry and stir to combine. At this point we added about 1 cup of chopped frozen cherries. Pour into a greased and floured 8 inch round baking pan or 12 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes.

Audrey's Tasks:

Help measure and add all dry ingredients (she measured flour by herself)
Stir
Place batter in muffin cups

Maurene's Tasks:

Crack eggs
Add wet ingredients
Stir

Mom's Tasks:

Gather ingredients
Help girls
Chop cherries
Bake cupcakes

It really was a team effort. The girls have been making muffins with me for so long they have gotten really good at it. Now, instead of worrying about the mess they might make, I am looking forward to the added help. They can stir the batter while I am putting away the ingredients and we are done twice as fast.

Mini Cheesecakes

2012-04-26T23:00:00.000-05:00

A miniature treat.

Anyone who has read this blog will know that my favorite cookbook is the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. It is simple but full of helpful information. It was the first, and only, cookbook I owned throughout my early adult years.

Now that I am a mom, cooking with my children, I have many more cookbooks. One of them is the Junior Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. There are fun recipes as well as cool pictures inside. Audrey loves it.

This was a simple recipe I decided we should make because I was craving cheese cake. Probably from watching too many episodes of The Big Bang Theory.

8 squares of graham crackers
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tbsp sugar
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
mandarin oranges
2 tbsp apricot spread

Crush crackers and then mix with sugar and melted butter. Place in 8 muffin cups and press down. Freeze for 10 minutes to harden. Beat cream cheese for 30 seconds then add cream, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until light and fluffy. Spoon on top of graham cracker crust. Top with 2 - 3 mandarin orange sections. Melt apricot spread in the microwave and spoon over oranges. Freeze for 15 minutes and then refrigerate until ready to eat. We had ours right after dinner. And they were so yummy.

Audrey and Maurene's Tasks:

Crush graham crackers
Mix with butter
Press mix into muffin cups
Whip remaining ingredients
Place oranges on top

Mom's Tasks:

Gather ingredients
Melt butter
Spoon crust into cups
Add ingredients to mixing bowl
Spoon cream cheese mixture into muffin cups
Melt apricot spread and place on top

So happy to work the mixer.

Topping cheese cakes

Ready to chill.

The girls and their dessert.

What's For Lunch Wednesday, Dinosaurs

2012-04-25T20:39:00.001-05:00

Boulders on his back.

This was actually the end of the dinosaurs. When I made these lunches for the girls recently they had so much fun playing with them that Maurene forgot she has not been eating sandwiches recently. Half of her dinosaur was consumed.

For this meal I gave Audrey dried fruit to represent rocks and boulders. She placed them on top of the dinosaurs. Now we know what happened to eradicate the dinosaur.

Wiping out the dinosaurs.

Check out what the others are having for lunch at What's For Lunch Wednesday.

Cookout and a Jog

2012-04-24T21:48:00.001-05:00

I decided to let the girls have a fun evening meal for the first night with daddy gone again. He was with us for a 3 day weekend and they had a wonderful time playing, flying kites, and riding in the bike trailer.

There was no way I could top kite flying so I decided a cookout at one of their favorite parks was in order.

Audrey helped me make chicken packets and we packed up some side items.

It was a nice relaxing evening. Except for the 2 mile jog to the park and 2 mile return home. I ran a 5k on Sunday and am trying to keep up my running habit. Running while pushing a stroller is hard!

Foil packets.

A toddler and frozen berries.

Chicken Packets

Skinless, boneless chicken thighs (quarter breast will work)
Mushrooms
Instant rice

We placed one thigh, a few mushrooms, and 2 tablespoons rice in each packet. Once we arrived at the park I put the coals on to heat and the girls went off to play. Put the packets on for 30-45 minutes. When it was time for dinner they were more interested in the flavored yogurt and frozen berries than the yummy chicken.