Foodie Patoodie!

What's For Breakfast? - Healthy Blue Vanilla Protein Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 20:41:00 +0000

As any parent knows, choices are a big deal with toddlers and preschoolers. It gives them a sense of control and independence. Give your child a wide variety of choices when it comes to the foods she eats, especially if your child has become the "picky eater" as mine has. It may be your only saving grace. **DISCLAIMER: When giving choices, be very aware that you may end up making dishes that make no sense to you. Nevermind. Fix it anyway.** When you let them help and they can "make it themselves," it adds another bonus. You can use it as mealtime ammunition. "But Mooooommyyyyy, I don't want to eat breakfast any-MORE!" "You made it yourself! Of course you want to eat your own awesome breakfast that YOU made!" Like that.

Here is basically the same recipe as my Healthy Vanilla Caramel Cinnamon Pancakes I blogged a little while back. Only no cinnamon or caramel. And Pip wanted them bright blue. Obviously, make any color you want.

~Ingredients~

2 scoops vanilla creme whey protein powder
2 cups quick oats (food-processed into a fine powder)
3 tsp. Stevia
1/2 cup water
6 egg whites
neon blue food coloring

~Directions~

1. Combine all ingredients and mix with a food processor, blender, or submersible wand until smooth. Let the mini-person participate.

2. Start with 5 drops of food coloring and add more drops until you reach desired color. I think I used 15.

3. Let the small person help stir! They'll enjoy seeing the color appear.

4. Make pancakes as usual. Your child should look something like this, and so should you knowing that you fixed a healthy and substantial breakfast!

Foodie Fun! - Finger Paint Hand/Footprint Valentine Posters!

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 19:36:00 +0000

It's a cold, snowy January or February afternoon and your little one is a bit antsy. The buzz of the holiday season is no longer in the air. Maybe you and your little one are feeling sad and need something to look forward to. What can Mom do to relieve some boredom without having to resort to popping in the same old movies? How about making homemade finger paints with your kiddo to make hand and footprint Valentines Day posters! They can help stir, and you have all the ingredients you need in your own kitchen. I made these with my class today and they came out SO CUTE!!

~Ingredients~

4 cups water
2 cups flour
pink, red, or purple food coloring
white or off-white poster board

~Directions~

1. Mix the flour and water in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium-low and stir until it is thick.
2. Remove from heat. Separate in various bowls. Add desired food color to each bowl.
3. Allow to cool.
4. Let the child decide which color they'd like their hand and footprint to be, and which hand he/she would like to use for the letter "o" in the world L-O-V-E, and paint their hand. Press in the middle of the piece of poster board.
5. Paint the bottoms of both feet and have them step down one at a time so a "v" is formed.
6. Draw an "L" with a pencil before their hand print. The pencil is used in case you make a mistake and need to erase to make it look a little nicer.
7. Draw an "E" after their footprints.
8. Trace the "L" and "E" with the other shades of paint you created.
9. Let them splatter some paint on the poster board to add a little pizazz.
10. Draw a heart in pencil and fill in with paint as well.
11. Embellish however you'd like! Have fun!

Kitchen Goddess - Cotton Candy Champagne

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 04:32:00 +0000

Thanks again, Pinterest! Such a cute idea. Place cotton candy in a glass and slowly pour champagne over it. What you get is a super sweet tinted champagne. Buy more cotton candy than you need so you can pair the two. DELICIOUS!

I would have rather had pink, but couldn't find any in the grocery store!

Foodie Fix-It: Overnight Onion Poultice

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 04:54:00 +0000

Another tried and true method to relieve cough, cold, and flu virus is to leave chopped onion near your bed. According to this article, which I found really informative, leaving onion around your house any old time will help to capture viruses and germs that may be floating in the air: Click here to see the article. That being read, I chopped the other half of the large white sweet onion left over from the homemade onion and honey home remedy I made in this post, and decided to see what happened if I left it next to Piper's crib while she slept. It is currently 10:42pm and I have not heard her COUGH OR SNIFFLE ONE TIME. This is miraculous to me as during her nap earlier she was coughing so much I thought she'd wake herself up. I am now an absolute believer in the power of onions and all the health benefits they can provide. The true test will come tomorrow morning to see if these last few posts combined has made any difference in her state of health. If it has, I will blog again to let you know that onions & honey elixir, bone broth, and onion poultices are the ticket to health and wellness. Stay tuned! Here is how I made the onion poultice!

~Ingredients~

1/2 large white sweet onion

medium-sized square of cheesecloth

small bowl

~Directions~

1. Place the 1/2 of an onion in a food processor and process until chopped.

2. Scoop chopped onion onto cheesecloth square.

3. Bring the corners of the cheesecloth up to meet each other and twist together so that the dry corners are underneath the wet onion section.

4. Place the bowl and onion poultice on a nightstand (or in my case, and upside-down diaper box because it's the only thing I could find) as near as possible to your own head or the head of the sleeping child.

Pay no attention to Peeky McLurkerson.

5. Listen to the sound of no coughing, sneezing, sniffling, or moaning for the rest of the night!! It's a beautiful sound!!

Foodie Fix-It: All About The Bone Broth, Baby

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 04:24:00 +0000

Tonight's mission was to cure the yuckies that ail us. And when I get on a mission, I will not stop until it is completed. We all know that chicken soup cures everything. But what is it about the soup that can practically resurrect the dead? Is it the chicken? The noodles? Nope. It's all about the broth. And a good broth has become a lost art form. I won't delve into a bunch of details as to why it is also financially so much cheaper to make and freeze your own broth while utilizing the chicken in various dishes, but rather focus on the types of chicken broth.

For one, there is the chicken bouillon cube. Now I'm not dissing the cube. It has its purposes. But health benefits, not so much. If you dissolve the cube in a hot mug of water and drink it, the heat alone may help to loosen up some mucus but that's about it. You'll also have high blood pressure.

Another type of broth is canned or boxed. Not altogether bad. It does its job for quick cooking purposes, but it's more expensive and doesn't boast HALF of the flavor as a prepared broth. Not to mention, it is highly processed and doesn't boast any real health benefits.

Next is a broth made from boiling actual chicken. Okay, now we're getting somewhere. This is an actual broth. The flavor is drawn from the meat where the amount and strength of broth you yield is dependent on the chicken-water ratio.

The best, most healthful, and flavorful type of chicken broth is dark meat bone-in broth. There is more fat, moisture, and flavor in the dark meat of a chicken so that will be very evident in the broth. Beautiful shimmering greasy circles will form on the top letting you know it will be delicious. But the most important part is the bone itself. By boiling the bone, there are trace minerals such as glucosamine and chondroiton that are released which are fairly expensive supplements to buy in a store. A good bone broth is also rich in magnesium and calcium as well as phosphorous. All very necessary for healthy body function. Gelatin is also found in the bones of animals and if ingested can be wonderful for joint health.

To ease my daughter's head and chest congestion, I boiled her a bone-in organic chicken thigh and let her hang her head over the yummy smelling broth steam. It cleared her temporarily and I boiled her brown rice in the homemade chicken stock, then froze the rest for later consumption. This in conjunction with the onion & honey syrup I made for her earlier, and she sounded exponentially better than she did earlier this afternoon.

I hope this information can help your family's stuffy noses or chest congestion in the future! Please feel free to leave comments and let me know if you know any more helpful home remedies relating to good 'ol fashioned chicken broth!

Foodie Fix-It: Onion & Honey for Cough & Cold

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 03:35:00 +0000

It's that time of year! Some very nasty viruses are floating around and if you're one of the unlucky ones that gets kicked in the ribs (or sinuses) by Virus McNastybug, I have a home remedy that as of tonight has worked very well for myself and Pip. I gathered some opinions from friends and quantities from various websites and put together what I thought to be the appropriate amount of both chopped onions and honey. Click here to read a totally fascinating article on the healing power of onions!

If your two-year old is reluctant to try a strange mixture he or she has never seen before directly off of a spoon, mix it in with some orange juice. The Vitamin C is helpful anyway, as well as the hydration, and it masks the taste of any onion that might be offensive to the toddler. I added 3 tsp. to one full sippy cup of orange juice.

~Ingredients~

1 cup sweet white onion (about 1/2 of a large one), chopped

1/2 cup raw honey

~Directions~

1. Place the onions and honey in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes.

2. Strain the onions and capture the rest of the mixture in a bowl. I simply sat the colander on top of the bowl.

3. Push the onion around a bit and press down with a spoon to squeeze out any extra moisture.

4. What remains in the bowl is your homemade cough and cold syrup! Place in a sealed container and store in the fridge for when you need it!

What's For Breakfast? - Healthy Vanilla Caramel Cinnamon Protein Pancakes!

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 18:16:00 +0000

Piper eats very healthy throughout the week so the weekend is when I let a few special treats sneak in. The girl is addicted to pancakes and would eat them all day every day if I let her. So of course I wanted to try and make a plain 'ol pancake into something with some nutrition in it while still being super delicious. Pip also still eats very little meat and only gets her protein from yogurt, cheeses, edamame, etc. That means I pour a little whey protein powder in her milk on those days when she has avoided good sources of protein. I have chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla caramel (her fave) in the pantry so I figured I'd put one of them to use for extra protein! I think I found the perfect balance of "yum" and "health" in these pancakes and I hope your family loves them too!

~Ingredients~

2 scoops vanilla caramel whey protein powder

2 cups quick oats (food processed into a powder)

3 tsp. Stevia

3 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup water

6 egg whites

Non-stick cooking spray

~Directions~

1. Combine the food-processed oats, protein powder, Stevia, baking powder, and cinnamon and mix well. Let your toddler help!

2. Add egg whites and water. Mix well. Let your toddler help!

3. Put the mixture in a food processor or blender and process until very thin and no large chunks remain.

4. Spray non-stick cooking spray into some pans and make your pancakes as usual! They will come out so lovely!

5. Healthy AND kid-approved!

Foodie Fun: Moon Sand For Sensory Learning!

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 21:46:00 +0000

Much like the dry, dyed pasta, there are so many sensory activities at your fingertips right in your own kitchen! Today while Pip snoozed at nap time, I made her a big bucket of MOON SAND. Soft, silky, and cool to the touch but like sand, it can be molded into sculptures, shapes, hand prints, etc. I think at 2 years and 4 months of age, it might still be a good idea to keep some newspaper under the bucket, or the Dustbuster around. But the older your child gets, the better their gross and fine motor control will be and they will be able to keep the moon sand in the bucket with little to no accidents. I know I made this for Pip but as was the case with the Calming Jars, I CAN'T STOP PLAYING WITH IT MYSELF!!!

~Ingredients~

8 cups of flour

1 cup baby oil

~Directions~

1. Mix ingredients together and squeeze with your hands until all of the baby oil is absorbed and evenly distributed throughout.

VOILA!

Reflections In The Kitchen Window - Tranquil Calming Jar: Part Vert

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 01:49:00 +0000

So after the first Calming Jar I made Piper earlier today, I became a little obsessed and had to make another. I love them. They're like lava lamps. *Note to self, I need to buy another lava lamp.* This one I made out of a plastic peanut butter jar. I removed the label residue with Goo Gone and created it exactly the same as the blue one, only this time I used two drops of green food coloring, one tube of green glitter glue, and one tube of yellow glitter glue. The green is equally as soothing as the blue and this one is a lot less weight for someone as small as Piper to handle. Maybe Mommy will have to keep the blue one....

Here is a video of the green one I just made. The videos don't do them justice. They're SO BEAUTIFUL in real life! Be sure to let me know how the ones you make turn out!

Reflections In The Kitchen Window - Tranquil Calming Jar

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 22:57:00 +0000

Although I feel blessed to have a two-year old who doesn't throw too many temper tantrums, I almost feel less equipped to handle them when they do come around because they happen so infrequently. I find myself needed to take a deep breath, count to ten, and keep my voice at a very low volume. Adding to the chaos does no one any good and two humans yelling surely doesn't make anything more pleasant. So I did a little research and gathered the best methods from a few different people's trials and errors, and created a PERFECTLY TRANQUIL CALMING JAR.

Especially teaching a classroom full of 2 and 3-year olds I have come to realize that sometimes their poor choices and behavior are much like a snowball effect. Once they start an undesirable behavior, it sort of escalates and can't be stopped until an adult can come into the picture and redirect the channel. That's the purpose of the Calming Jar. They can shake it and watch the glitter swirl to the bottom, which takes about 1 and 1/2 to 2 minutes. Perfect amount of time to regroup and go on about their activities, hopefully in a more peaceful state of mind.

I chose blue food coloring in the water because I love the cool and calm serenity that it represents. For the 2 tubes of glitter glue I used blue and silver. Now that I have made one for Piper, I think I may make one for myself. Who can't use a little decompression from time to time?

~Ingredients~

Warm water

Goo Gone (to remove any sticky residue on the bottle once any label is removed)

Food coloring (I used 2 drops of neon blue in a 1 liter bottle)

Two tubes of glitter glue

Bowl with a lip

Funnel

Wire Whisk

~Directions~

1. Fill container 90% full with warm water. Add desired amount of food coloring.

2. Add your tubes of glitter glue and shake. It will seem a little clumpy even after shaking.

3. Pour the mixture into a bowl with a lip.

4. Get the clumps out by whisking the mixture.

5. Set the funnel on top of your container to prevent spilling, and pour the mixture back in.

6. Ta da! Here is the super duper tranquil calming jar. I love it!!

Foodie Beauty: Hot Oils & Honey Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? In the lane, snow is glistening. On my head, ends are splitting. Yep, that's right. It's that time of year again for dry, dull, cold-weather damaged hair. As many of you know, I'm a huge honey adherent. For me it's a cure all, internally and externally. Not only does it have healing properties but it also retains moisture. PERFECT for readying your tresses for these colder months. I also have a bazillion oils on hand for cooking AND my skin. So why not see how they work on my hair? It's so simple!

~Ingredients~

1Tbsp. honey
1Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. heated coconut oil (so that it is not solid anymore, 10-15 seconds)

~Directions~

1. Stir the honey and oils together.
2. Wet your hair, but not to the point that it's dripping. Just a little more than damp.
3. Heat the oils in the microwave until it's very warm or hot, but you are still able to touch it and apply it to your hair somewhat comfortably (about 30 seconds).
4. Massage the mixture into your hair, starting at the ends (that's where your hair needs it the most) and ending at the scalp until all of the mixture is used.
5. Wet a towel with really hot water from the sink, wring it out thoroughly, and wrap around your head.
6. Keep in the hot towel for a minimum of 30 minutes.
7. Wash out of your hair with shampoo. Repeat a few times if you can still feel it in your hair. There is no need to use conditioner.

So far, as my hair air dries, it feels incredibly light and super soft. Not a bit greasy, heavy, or oily. So awesome!

Foodie Baby - Easy as 1-2-3 Applesauce

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:08:00 +0000

It's September! The weather is crisp, pumpkins being displayed in front of grocery stores, crock pot recipes creeping their way to magazine covers, and lots and lots of apples. In the first chilly days of the fall season, there are few better ways to ring it in than having your child help you make homemade applesauce. I chose to make this a very simple and interactive project for the kids in my classroom today. Each child was to bring 2 apples from their very own home so they can see and help with the process.

I cut up all of the apples except for two while the kids slept. You may want to consider this as well with your kids at home. It is a bit much to expect them to sit through the cutting of 8 entire apples or more patiently without being distracted by something else.

As you cut the remaining two apples, this is the perfect time to slip in a little math lesson. One apple cut in half makes two halves. If you cut those halves in half, you get 4 pieces called quarters, etc.

Give them a butter knife and let them try to chop one slice into smaller pieces. This helps them tackle some practical learning as well as strengthening their gross and fine motor skills.

Here is the recipe. It's very easy and the amount of cinnamon or other spices is completely up to you, should you decide to add them at all.

~Ingredients~

8 apples, cored and seeded, cut into small pieces (I leave my skins on, you can peel yours if desired)
1 cup water
1/2 cup of sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg

~Directions~

1. Have your child/ren help transfer the apple chunks into a big pot.
2. Have your child/ren pour in the 1 cup of water.
3. Have your child/ren pour in the 1/2 cup of sugar.
4. Stir until sugar is evenly distributed.
5. Bring to a low boil over medium to medium-high heat.
6. Allow to boil for 20 minutes.
7. Stir and mash.
8. Repeat these last two steps until you reach the smoothness or chunkiness you prefer.
9. Remove from heat and serve either warm, or refrigerate to serve cold.

Foodie Fun: Colored Pasta For Sensory Learning!

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 04:48:00 +0000

Well guys, since my last blog I've had my fair share of huge life changes! One is that I lost my job as a Chiropractic Assistant. I was really hurt in the beginning because I did not see it coming, but it turned into a really wonderful change. My heart has always been with the Montessori school of thought and I decided to finally give in to what I've always wanted to do. I am now a lead teacher for a wonderful early learning center and can finally incorporate all that I've done at home into the classroom. Because the children I'm teaching are older than Piper, I can bring some of the classroom home for her! I have a feeling that this will be a good road and I'm very excited to get started. Now that I've explained why I've been so AWOL, let's get down to some serious sensory stimulation!

For starters, this is something I would not introduce any earlier than 2 years of age. Otherwise the pasta will not remain in the bucket, and it will become an uphill battle between you, your strained back, and your wild, chortling offspring.

Sensory development is crucial in a toddler's development. It helps develop gross and fine motor skills as well as spatial awareness. When you see a child filling a cup to its brink, they are answering their own question as to how much it can hold before overflowing. As they play, they learn. Touch, sight, smell, and sound are all ways to decompress and can be very soothing to a small child, as well as an adult for that matter. The more variety, the better. Soft, hard, fuzzy, round, square, dry, sticky, slippery, loud, light, heavy, quiet, fluttery, etc. Incorporating lots of tools for the children to use is incredibly important. When they pick up a spoon or small cup and transfer the materials from one point to another, it is developing hand-eye coordination that will later become useful when learning to write or tie their shoes!

Today I chose to stain some various types of pasta to keep in a plastic sensory tub for my daughter, and here was my process:

~Ingredients~

1 cup of pasta per color - I used Orzo, Tubetti, Gemelli, and Rings
2 Tbsp. of rubbing alcohol for each cup
3-4 drops of food coloring for each cup
Ziploc sandwich baggies
Aluminum foil
Cookie sheet

~Directions~

1. Pour 2 Tbsp. of rubbing alcohol in a sandwich baggie.
2. Add the 3-4 drops of desired food coloring.

3. Add the 1 cup of pasta.
4. Mix well and let the color soak in for 5 minutes, flipping occasionally.

5. Drain off any excess liquid.
6. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spread the pasta on foil, and let dry for an hour.
* I made an extra batch and ran out of aluminum foil, so I used waxed paper instead. It worked even BETTER and the pasta slid right off. I would substitute waxed paper in the future.

7. Transfer into sensory tub.

8. Watch your toddler concentrate and focus. It's rare, so be sure to take pictures. I know I did.

Oh, joy!

Look at that focus!

Must. Concentrate. Can't. Spill.

Watching it drop into the bucket!

What's For Breakfast? - Healthy Chocolate Chunk Muffins!

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:55:00 +0000

The most sinfully decadent, yet healthy muffin YOU WILL EVER EAT. They certainly don't taste like they should be consumed for breakfast, that's for sure. These taste like uber-rich ooey gooey chocolate cake, plain 'n simple. I'm not sure your family will wish for you to make another type of muffin ever again after these, so proceed with caution. At first, Piper didn't want anything to do with the them, but a couple of hours later after they had cooled completely I caught her sitting at the kitchen table, totally covered in chocolate, devouring an entire muffin herself. If you have texture or temperature-sensitive toddlers, I would wait until they aren't so ooey gooey and warm before introducing them. As my toddler proved, they may be better received if given at room temperature.

As for the adult, you can always switch out the semi-sweet milk chocolate chips with dark chocolate chips if you'd feel better about the heart health benefits. And consumed with a glass of red wine in the evening, I'd say it's about the most heart-healthy indulgence one could have. ;-) I really do hope you all enjoy these muffins as much as our family did!! You will not regret making these for one second!

~Ingredients~

1 and 3/4 cup of quick oats

3 egg whites (9 Tbsp.)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup of very hot water

1/2 cup Stevia

1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

cooking spray

Oh, let your toddler sample. It won't hurt anything. :-)

~Instructions~

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray.

2. With a food processor, blender, or submersible wand (that's what I used and it worked GREAT), mix all the ingredients together except the chocolate chips. Mix until the oats are completely blended and the mixture is very smooth.

3. Stir in half of the chocolate chips and set the rest of them aside.

4. Pour this mixture into your sprayed muffin tins.

Sneaky McDippyfingers

5. Sprinkle half of the remaining chocolate chips over the muffin mixture.

Chocolate chip stealer!!!!

6. Bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the muffins from the oven and sprinkle the last of the chocolate chips over the muffins and bake another 3-4 minutes or so. Aaaaaand (prepare yourself)......

This is as far as Pip got in the warm gooey muffin before she realized she didn't like something about it.

A couple hours later after the muffins had cooled off a bit....

Reflections in the Kitchen Window: Whole Foods - 1, Crap - 0

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 17:47:00 +0000

I catch myself comparing my child to the vast majority of other children and get myself in a tizzy about things that aren't really that bad. Today I made these amazing super duper Healthy Triple Chocolate Chunk Protein Muffins thinking that Piper would just be in HEAVEN to practically eat chocolate cake for breakfast. She took two bites and said she didn't want it, but wanted a banana instead. For lunch I told her I was making "circles," when really it was a hot dog cut into round cross-sections (if i were to say "hot dog," she'd want nothing to do with it from the get go). When I made her all-beef Hebrew National "circles," she acted like she was actually afraid of it. So she ate cheese, lima beans, whole wheat bread, and 5 strawberries for lunch instead. I found myself getting frustrated and thinking things like, "What kid doesn't like chocolate muffins for breakfast and hot dogs for lunch??!!" But I wasn't focusing on the positive. This child loves WHOLE foods. How can I be upset with that? Cheese, fruits, grains, and greens vs. chocolate and nitrates. I will try harder not to focus so much on what society's expectations are of a toddler and take my cues from her. She seems to gravitate toward a healthier lifestyle anyway. I suppose she could teach me a thing or two!

vs.

Reflections in the Kitchen Window: TOO BUSY TO BLOG, ARGH!

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 17:33:00 +0000

July is by far the most chaotic month for Piper and me. My birthday is the 22nd, so was the 2nd Annual Foodie Festival this year, her birthday is the 27th, plenty of out-of-town guests and just not enough time to plan it all! I am far behind I know, please bear with me. Today we painted bread with milk and food coloring and had a very good time incorporating food and art. I hope to blog about that as soon as tonight! Please don't forget about me, I'm sorry I've been a very bad blogger.

Love and munchies,

Bailey Jane and The Pip

Foodie Baby: Morning Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:06:00 +0000

Very important lesson: Take the time out of your busy schedule to teach your toddler to see the beauty in everyday things. We make a scrambled egg together and take pleasure in touching it to our skin, cracking it, stirring the pretty yellow yolk, sprinkling pepper in it, and plopping shredded cheese in it. Making your toddler a part of your daily routine will make them feel included and important while they learn. Pretty simple.

What's for Dinner? - Salty, Sweet, Sexy Scallops

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 03:57:00 +0000

This particular dish has been a home run every single time I have ever prepared it, be it in St. Louis, St. Thomas, or here in Kansas City. There is something so deliciously naughty about teasing one's tongue between salty and sweet. The taste buds for both of these are located on the very tip and front sides of the tongue, perfect for a candy-like, slightly sticky, but just a little salty after-dinner kiss...Yes that's right, for this dinner your inner kitchen goddess needs to come out and play. Perfect for a date night, or maybe when you plan on reading a few more chapters of "Fifty Shades of Gray....." *giggle*

~Ingredients~

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup lite soy sauce

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

10-12 large sea scallops, cut in half

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

*10-12 slices of bacon, cut in half

*toothpicks

~Directions~

1. Whisk together maple syrup, soy sauce, and Dijon until smooth.

2. Add the scallops and toss until they are coated.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate for at least an hour.

4. Preheat oven to 375.

5. If you are wrapping your scallops in bacon, this is when you would prepare it either in the oven or in a skillet. However you prepare it, the bacon should still be very soft and pliable so that it is easily wrapped around a scallop.

6. When the bacon is finished cooking, wrap each piece around each scallop and secure it with a toothpick.

7. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and transfer scallops after each process.

8. Sprinkle each scallop (whether wrapped in bacon or not) with the brown sugar.

9. Bake in oven 10-15 minutes, until scallops are pink and opaque. Turn them once halfway through.0.

10. Serve as is and enjoy your sticky-sweet-salty-sexy dinner!

What's For Dessert? - Summertime Pink Lemonade Cake

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:49:00 +0000

Here's the deal. I am not an expert baker. It take exactness and precision, two qualities of which I am sorely deficient. BUT! This cake came out tasting absolutely wonderful! Light, summery, cool, dense, and creamy. The appearance wasn't exactly what I was going for though...I will admit it looks a bit Seuss-ish. If you think you can take my method and tweak it just a little to make it prettier, by all means have at it! I will say that if you make it exactly how I did, you and your family will not be disappointed!

~Ingredients~

2 sticks of butter

4 eggs

1 Tbsp. baking powder

3 and 1/3 cups all-purpose white flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 and 1/3 cups whole milk

1/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

2 cans of vanilla or buttercream frosting

1 tsp. lemon extract

strawberry extract

purple or red food coloring

lemon, thinly sliced horizontally

~Directions~

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while you are measuring the other ingredients. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. In a medium bowl stir together, flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

4. In an extra large mixing bowl, beat butter with a mixer on high for 30 seconds.

5. Gradually add the sugar a little bit at a time, beating until mixed thoroughly. Make sure the sides of the bowl are scraped and beat for 2 more minutes.

6. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of food coloring and mix until well combined.

7. Add eggs one at a time, beating each one well until they are mixed thoroughly.

Pretty colors!

8. In a bowl, stir together the milk, pink lemonade concentrate, and lemon extract. It will look curdled.

9. Alternately, add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating after each until combined.

Soooo pretty.

10. Remove 4 cups of colored batter and spread into one greased pan.

11. In the remaining batter left in the bowl, add 1/4 tsp. more of food coloring and spread in second pan.

12. Bake 35 minutes. Meanwhile, add a little lemon and strawberry extract to your frosting to your desired taste.

13. Cool in pans for 15 minutes.

14. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

15. Trim off domed tops of the cakes so that each one is flat.

16. With a long, serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally so that there are four layers.

17. Place one darker layer, cut-side down, on a plate. Spread frosting on top of the layer, to the edges.

18. Top with a light layer, topped with another dark layer, spreading frosting just to the edges again with each layer. Stack the last light layer, cut-side down on the top, frost the top and sides as desired.

19. After frosting the entire cake, add the thinly-sliced lemons to the top for garnish...

IT REALLY IS A BEAUTIFUL, SUMMERY CAKE!!

Kitchen Goddess: NO MORE MUFFINS??

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:44:00 +0000

I know I've been a little crazy with the muffins lately, but apparently things have gotten just way outta control in the freezer. What with the zucchini-carrot whole wheat, banana oat protein, strawberries 'n cream protein, carrot cate protein, sausage-corn breakfast, and the buckwheat maple syrup pancake muffins I made just this last weekend, I came home to find this note left on my laptop:

Apparently I need to find a new kick. Because this one has worn out its welcome.

Reflections In the Kitchen Window: Happy Birthday, Pearl S. Buck

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:52:00 +0000

Today in 1892, Pearl S. Buck, the author of Pulitzer Prize winning novel "The Good Earth" was born. In it she writes, "To eat bread without hope is still slowly to starve to death."

It's only metaphorically food-related, but a nice way to start the day nonetheless. I hope everyone has a fantastic Tuesday!

Kitchen Goddess: Homemade Paints For Toddler!

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 02:46:00 +0000

We don't have to spend nearly as much money on things we can simply make from ingredients right in our own kitchens! All you need is a little cornstarch, some water, and a little food coloring, and VOILA! You have homemade paints for your little person. Don't worry about the food coloring staining their skin for long. One bath, maybe two, does the trick. Their artwork masterpieces are way worth it anyway.

~Ingredients~

1 cup water

1 cup cornstarch + 1/4 cup

Neon and regular food coloring

aluminum muffin tin

~Directions~

1. Mix water and cornstarch together. Sprinkle more cornstarch in to achieve desired consistency.

2. Pour the mixture into the muffin tins.

3. Add food coloring to each to create different colored paint.

4. Give the kid a brush or let them use their hands and feet!

Kitchen Goddess: Salty 'n Sweet

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 00:10:00 +0000

If you don't work up a little sweat while you're cooking, you're doing it wrong...

Just thought I'd reintroduce myself since my blog has been up a year and all you ever see are pictures of my food and my daughter. Well it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance! Again! Hope everyone's summer is going "swimmingly." Ha. Ha. Ha.

What's for Dinner? - Savory & Sweet Sausage Bacon Corn Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 21:53:00 +0000

I realize I've been on a muffin kick lately. Forgive me, they're just so CUTE. Delicious little serving-sized poofs of deliciousness. What's not to love?? I've been doing a lot of sweet and healthy muffins for Piper's breakfasts including fruits and veggies, but this time I wanted to stray just a little and try something sweet and salty. Not quite as healthy as the others but geez, every now and again it's nice to indulge. They came out sooooooo yummy I had to share on the day of making them rather than wait and accidentally forget to share the recipe with you all. My little creation came out SO GOOD, and there's nothing about these that the kids won't love as well. Bon appetit!

~Ingredients~

1/2 pound of Farmland Pork & Bacon Pork Sausage

2 cups of all-purpose white flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. wheat germ

2 Tbsp. Stevia

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup whole milk

2 brown eggs, beaten

1 cup canned creamed corn

1/4 cup Canola oil

1/4 cup butter, melted

~Directions~

1. Cut the 1 pound of pork & bacon sausage in half and place only one of the halves into a skillet, brown thoroughly, chopping the meat into very small pieces.

2. While meat is browning, preheat the oven to 375 and spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray.

3. Drain the meat using a colander with very small holes.

4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, wheat germ, Stevia, and salt.

5. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, butter, corn, oil, and meat.

6. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until mixed together well.

7. Spoon the batter into your sprayed muffin tins.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops are perfectly golden brown....aaaaannnnndddddd.....

THESE MUFFINS ARE SO DELICIOUS! I plan on serving them with a big bowl of butter beans with plenty of celery seed. The perfect complimentary dish. Leave comments and let me know how yours turn out!

Foodie Baby: Egg Case, Cracked

noreply@blogger.com (MsBaileyJane) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:31:00 +0000

Ok. It seems as though I haven't completely warped my child's brain regarding eggs. Yesterday's smiley-face egg debacle seems to have only lasted for that day. Lesson learned: No more putting smiley faces on Piper's food. As a test, this morning I had her help me make her "pretty eggs with cheese" and all was well in Breakfast Land. Whew!

Please heed my warning. If your child is naturally animal-friendly and wishes to not eat things with a face on his or her own accord, do not carve faces into their food. Unless you just plan on having an ongoing therapy fund set aside, which obviously I do.