Merry Christmas! Reindeer Pancakes

Merry Christmas!  Today was a memorable and exhausting day.  And to kick off Christmas 2012 I treated the family to extra yummy yogurt parfaits (honey greek yogurt layered with Bob's Red Mill granola and fresh berries), and reindeer pancakes.  The pancakes were so cute and really easy - you just need to make 3 different sized circle pancakes, some bacon and have fruit (or chocolate chips) for the eyes/nose.

Make a large pancake for the head, medium pancake for the 'muzzle' and two tiny pancakes for the ears.

To create the antlers I took two slices of bacon and cut them in half and made in to a 'Y' shape.

The blueberry eyes and raspberry nose were stuck to the pancakes with some yogurt.

Enjoy your reindeers and Merry Christmas to you!  I think I need to make these again soon, they were so cute!

Annual Girls Party

This morning I hosted my annual girls only gift exchange party.  Each year promises fantastic food (each guest brings a favorite item) and great gift exchange items. Of course there are no photos from the actual party or all the amazing food that we consumed, but I did take a photo of the little party gift I gave each gal as well as the table early today.

"A little something for your Mistle-Toes"

Santa's Beard

I forgot to post this Christmas craft!  I cut out shapes to create a Santa face (circle for face, two small circles for eyes, a mustache, hat and some fluffy looking trim for the hat) and the kids pasted the shapes together on green construction paper.  Every day in December until Christmas Eve, the kids add a cotton ball to create Santa's beard.  It is pretty cute and a fun decoration for our kitchen wall!

Terribly Terrific Toffee

I have been staring at this toffee recipe for some time.  I like the idea of making toffee for the holidays, but a toffee recipe that includes Saltine crackers?  Serious hesitation.  But, the recipe seems simple enough and Blake was excited to help me make something in the kitchen.  So I put the boy to work and had him line my 10x15 pan with Saltine crackers.

Meanwhile, I melted the butter and sugar together as directed.

Once the butter/sugar mixture is ready, it gets poured over the crackers and placed in the oven.

Once out of the oven I sprinkled the chocolate chips on top and let them melt a bit before spreading across the cracker/toffee layer.  When it was completely cooled I broke it up in to small one to two inch size pieces.  The end result was fantastic!  And it does make quite a bit - perfect for giving away to friends in cute packaging.

Terribly Terrific Toffee
1 c. unsalted butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
40 Saltine crackers (YES! Saltines...)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan (or a 12x17-inch cookie sheet) with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil. 
Melt the sugar and butter until a boil is reached. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the toffee becomes bubbly. 

After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, and then spread them into an even layer.  Let cool and break into pieces the size of your choice.

Thanksgiving

Every year I make the pies for Thanksgiving.  I always make too many pies and this year was going to be no different.  I had a hard time decided on a pecan pie recipe so I made two.  Yes, two pecan pies!  One was my grandma's recipe and the other was a Cooks Illustrated recipe.  People who want a slice of pecan have to have one slice of each pie because I'm very curious to see what they think - and I won't tell them which pie is which.

Buttery, sugary, pecan goodness....

Pecan pie #1:

Pecan Pie #2:

The pumpkin pies asked to pose next to pecan #2:

And all five pies... two pecan, apple, and two pumpkin.

Oh, apple pie, how I love you...

Bennett and his mommy made a great, kid friendly appetizer.  A 'turkey' with cheese and grape skewers for feathers, an apple beak, bell pepper 'wobbler' and grape eyes!

And the real turkey.  Yum.

And no Thanksgiving is complete without Prudence the pitcher.  She loves to stare at you with this nasty face while you stuff yours. 

And the pecan pie taste test 2012 was a success!  I was amazed... everyone preferred my grandma's recipe (basically all butter) to the much lighter colored Cooks Illustrated recipe.  Both pies were phenomenal but they each had their own strong points.  Grandma Charlotte's pie won overall for texture, taste and flavor.

Below is grandma Charlotte's winning pecan pie recipe.

Pecan Pie, courtesy of Charlotte Smith

3 slightly beaten eggs

1 c. sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1 c. pecans

1 1/4 c. melted butter

Combine eggs, sugar and syrup, vanilla, salt.  Put nuts in unbaked shell and add filling.  Bake at 400 for 10 min and at 345 for 40min.

Patriotic Food

Last night we had some friends over for a BBQ and to decorate the bikes and wagons that our children will ride in the annual neighborhood parade.  I made a few patriotic treats for the evening!

Fruit Sparklers.... long skewers with blueberries, raspberry and a piece of watermelon shaped as a star.  I did discover that these are pretty top-heavy.  Be warned!

And a red, white and blue cake!  A single layer 9" vanilla cake topped with vanilla frosting and decorated with blueberries and raspberries.  I will admit that I used a box cake mix and frosting to keep the day easy.  I did bake two 9" rounds, but saved the other 9" for our family dinner tonight!

This morning was the annual parade and "That Guy" (his license plate) lead the parade of kids.

We celebrated the 4th with smoked ribs, corn and another patriotic cake.  Today's cake had a big blueberry star surrounded by halved strawberries.  I love summer fruits!

And to cap it all off... a big fireworks show! :)

Easter Treat or Ice Cream Themed Goody Bag

Easter is right around the corner and I love all the colors that come with this holiday.  And the candy.  Especially those Cadbury Mini Egg candies.  The minute they hit the store shelves I know spring is on it's way. And that I also have to buy a bag...

I saw a fun idea on Pinterest that could be used for easter, a birthday party, ice cream party, and many different themed events. An ice cream cone filled with candy and wrapped in cello.

I went to the store and bought a box of ice cream cones and Cadbury Mini Eggs (in regular and in dark chocolate - for me).

After experimenting, I found that there is way too much candy in the cone once you've got it stacked up nice and high to resemble 'ice cream'.  And there is no way I'm giving my kids two adult handfuls of chocolate. In their Easter Basket.  In the morning...  Solution?  Put a marshmallow in the cone and this will cut down significantly on the candy you'll need, plus everyone loves a marshmallow, right?

Gently drop the cone in to a triangle shaped cello bag.

Fill with candy and tie shut with a festive ribbon.

This makes for a great Easter basket stuffer, decor for place settings, or as a goody bag after a bridal or baby shower!

Happy Easter and Spring!

April Fool's!

How about a nice, cold glass of cranberry juice?  The kids loved the offer and couldn't wait to gulp the juice down.

Until they realized the straw wasn't working.  And the juice wasn't juice.  It was hard!  Huh!?  April Fool's!   The juice is really strawberry-banana Jello!  This was an awesome prank that I definitely plan to use in the future! 



St.Patrick's Day Treats

I'll be away on a girls getaway this weekend, and over the St.Patty's day holiday.  I love St.Patrick's Day and dying food green.  Green milk, green pancakes, green cookies, green whatever!  Each year I typically dye the kids' milk green and make green pancakes, followed by corned beef and cabbage for dinner with green beer (for the adults!) and a green themed dessert.  And no, we're not Irish.

To make up for being gone, today the kids and I made green cookies.  We did this last year, and my son still remembers it! So, now it has apparently become a tradition of sorts. 

We cheated and used a store bought sugar cookie mix and during the mixing process I added a few globs of green food coloring gel.  The kids rolled the dough in to balls and threw them on the cookie sheets.  I smooshed the cookies down a bit and then the kids topped with festive sprinkles.

For the girls trip I decided to make rice krispie treats.  One of the gals has gone insane and gave up chocolate and hard alcohol for Lent.  Who does that?  And when there is a girls weekend involved!? :)  So, this dessert was just for her.  I tried to be festive and make the treats green, but clearly I didn't put nearly enough green dye in the melted marshmallows.  So I added some of those festive sprinkles to the top of the treats after the cereal/marshmallow mix had been pressed down in to the pan.

Happy (early) St. Patrick's Day!

Valentine Sweets

Today I made a batch of cookies and cupcakes for a bake sale taking place tomorrow.  The sorority I belonged to in college was hosting the fundraiser and I love helping to only support the active members, but to know that all the money would be going towards a great mentoring program for 50 Seattle area middle school girls.

I tried out a cupcake recipe that I saw on pinterest.  It was a big risk hoping that the recipe was not only as good as it said, but that it made as many as it promised.  The final result was an extra moist cupcake and was a big hit with not only myself, but the Kappa gals and my kids too!  Best part?  The base of the recipe starts with white cake mix!  I ended up with about 30 cupcakes from the recipe.  You can find the cupcake recipe here as well as the buttercream frosting I used, both are from the Recipe Girl blog.

To make the cupcakes stand out a bit, I added some pink coloring to the batter and topped each finished cupcake with a conversation heart.  Tomorrow is Valentine's Day after all.

The next project of the day was helping my son create his Valentine's for school.  I had him write "Happy Valentine's Day" and sign his name.  I then scanned the message and printed on to little labels that were stuck on to lollipops.  I cut out mustaches and lips and we slid them on to lollipops to make the person sucking on the lollipop look as if they have a mustache or big pink lips.  Pretty comical.

Winter Food Ideas

Just because Christmas is over, doesn't mean you can't serve festive foods to the kids.  What about snowman pancakes?  Two round pancakes with a bacon slice used as a scarf, chocolate chips for eyes/buttons and some mini marshmallows for snow!

And a really fun idea I recently saw online... fruit candy canes.  Slice some bananas and strawberries and shape in to a candy cane. 

My kids gobbled both these ideas up! 

Gifts for the Kitchen

If you have someone on your list that loves to cook, check out a few of these ideas.  I have all of these in my kitchen, and they all get used constantly! Most of these can be found at local specialty kitchen stores or online at websites like Amazon.com.

iSi Basics Flex-it Measuring Cups, Set of 3 (approx $25)

I received these as a gift last year and wasn't sure what to think.  I have a liquid measuring cup as well as metal measuring cups.  So why did I need more?  These do more than just measure.  You can use the big one to make smoothies with your immersion blender then easily pour directly in to serving cups without spilling.

You can pour pancake batter, drip free.  Cupcake batter... filling for mini quiches, pies, muffins.  I think of more uses every time I bake something.

Immersion Blender ($20 and up)

You can puree soups as they cook on the stove.  In the pot!  No need to transfer soups to a blender.  You can use your immersion blender emulsify, whip, to make smoothies, milkshakes, salad dressing, mayo, quick blending of batters or mixes.

I have the Cuisinart Quick Prep, which costs around $20.  Its not fancy, its just your basic immersion blender.  Plus, mine came with a mixing cup that fits the blender perfectly.  I've never had an issue with it, and mine gets heavy use.

Trudeau Utensil Pot Clip (Prices vary, but start at $7)

Best invention!  My mom and I have given these to most of our friends.  Used them as stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, as a garnish to a kitchen themed gift...  They come in a rainbow of color options.

It clips to the edge of your pot and holds your mixing spoon or spatula so you don't have to deal with placing the utensil on the kitchen counter and making a mess.  If you don't have one of these, add it to your wish list.  Better yet, just buy one for yourself the next time you're near a kitchen shop!

Silicone Sleeve for Pot/Pan Handles ($8 and up)

I have made the mistake of grabbing the handle of a hot frying pan that needs to come out of the oven.  Do not make this same mistake!  The next day I went out and purchased a silicone pot handle sleeve for all of my All-Clad cookware and to protect my hands the next time a recipe calls for a dish to go from stovetop to oven.  This isn't something people usually think of for themselves!

They come in a variety of colors.  This is a purchase for someone with cookware that goes from stove to oven. This isn't a must for everyday stovetop cooking. 

 

Silicone hot pads or mitts ($8 and up)

Anyone who bakes or cooks can always use a nice set of hot pads or mitts.  I'm embarassed at the amount of hot pads and mits that I own... thick cotton, the 'Oven Glove', holiday themed,... but my silicone hot pads are my go-to item.  They withstand a lot of heat, can be used as a protector of tabletops, can be rinsed off in the sink (instead of the need of a washing machine with cloth pads/mits), and come in a variety of colors.

I own the brand from Sur la Table for both the silicone sleeve hot pad, and love them! 

Mini Food Processor ($35 and up)

I have the DeLonghi mini food processor that is no longer available online (very similar to the Cuisinart brand).  Perfect for grinding flaxseed, oats, seasonings and herbs, making breadcrumbs, making baby food, etc.  Making small batches of salsa, dressings...

I have the giant Cuisinart, so having the option of using something much smaller for quick items is nice.  Plus, it has less parts to clean.

Kitchen Scale ($20 and up)

I LOVE my kitchen scale.  It allows me to: measure things exact; divide things evenly (like pie dough or cake batter poured in 2 pans...); easily half a recipe or double/triple a recipe when odd measurements are involved.  These days, I think most people assume kitchen scales are used for dieting.  But if you love to cook, a kitchen scale is a must.  I've even used it to weigh non-food items.

I have the EatSmart Precision Pro.  It measures in ounces/lbs/grams/kgs and has a tare feature that lets you subtract the weight of the plate or bowl holding the item you're weighing.

Salt Keeper ($10 and up)

I cook/bake every day of the week.  This results in lots of salt being used.  Salt in boiling water, seasoning steaks, chicken or fish, marinades... I used to keep a mini glass prep bowl full of kosher salt on my stove.  It was very convenient, but very unattractive.  It also spilled on occasion, and cleaning spilled kosher salt from my circa '84 stove is a chore.  Thats where a salt keeper, also called a salt pig, comes in handy.

These pretty ceramic or wood vessels for salt are meant to be kept out on the counter and within arms reach of the stove or kitchen prep areas. Available in many colors too!  I own a beautiful olive wood salt keeper from Sur la Table.  It is higher priced ($48.95) but a little piece of art on the kitchen counter, and something I never would have bought for myself.  One of my favorite gifts that I received this year.

These are just a few of my favorite things in the kitchen.  Do you have a favorite thing in the kitchen, or that makes the perfect gift for a person that loves to cook?

Sweet Potato Souffle

My must for Thanksgiving dinner, aside from turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy?  Sweet potato souffle!  It is creamy, sweet, with nice body and topped with roasted marshmallows.

I found this sweet potato recipe years ago, and every time I make it, we all go back for second or third helpings.  If you enjoy sweet potatoes, and also love marshmallows, you need to try this!

The finished product... Served alongside a mini Thanksgiving meal I made tonight.  Roast chicken, stuffing, salad and my beloved sweet potato dish.  I did learn to not put the marshmallows so close to the edge of the dish.  They melted over the side! 

Sweet Potato Souffle

3 large sweet potatoes cooked and whipped

1 c. sugar – try less sugar and brown
2 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1/2 c. evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 bag marshmallows

Peel and cook potatoes until tender. Drain potatoes and whip. Add sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix well and put in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes. Place marshmallows on top and return to oven for about 5 minutes or until brown on top.