script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"> google.com, pub-0949974396517105, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0

Share Family Traditions – Join Our Little Chefs Cook-Along!

We’re part of The Little Chefs Project series on The Motherhood – and I would love to have you guys join us for our live Cook-Along event! Abby and I helped create the new Chef Boyardee eCookbook – which was an absolute blast. I mean, what kid doesn’t love Chef Boyardee, right? And now they’ve put together a collection of recipes featuring your favorites like Beefaroni, Mini Raviolis, or Spaghetti and Meatballs. They make it easy to create simple dinners that the whole family is going to love – check it out!!

The Little Chefs - cooking with kidsThis is Abby and I in the kitchen – She turned two in late July, and is becoming such a great little helper. We get to learn measurements as we fill up the cups and empty them out again. We talk about the colors of the different ingredients. We stir, we taste, we giggle, and we usually make a pretty darn big mess. But I absolutely adore it.

cooking in the kitchen with kids - Chef BoyardeeTo celebrate the launch of the eCookbook {get it here: The Little Chefs Project: A Collection of Kid-Friendly Tips, Tricks and Recipes for Fun in the Kitchen. We’re in the last chapter – Family Traditions!} These pictures above are from our photo shoot for the book, when Abby and I baked cookies together from one of my grandma’s recipes. About 10 years ago, one of my aunts put together a big cookbook filled with family recipes, and gave all us girls a copy. It’s one of my favorite gifts, ever. I love being able to make all of my childhood favorites – and so glad that they put them all together like this, so that I can share them with Abby too.

Make new Family Traditions with Chef Boyardee!!

The Little Chefs Project series consists of live chats called Cook-Alongs taking place every Thursday at 2 p.m. ET until November 15, and each Cook-Along covers a different topic around cooking with kids. Family Traditions is the final Cook-Along in the series and addresses how you can carry on existing family traditions (such as baking for the holidays) or create your own new traditions with your kids.

  • What: A virtual Cook-Along called Family Traditions, part of The Little Chefs Project series on The Motherhood.
  • When: Thursday, November 15, at 2 p.m. ET.  It will last 30 minutes.
  • Where: The Motherhood – here is the link to the page where the class will be held: http://bit.ly/R1ekBM

About the class: More than 85 years ago, Chef Hector Boiardi migrated to the United States and began sharing his delicious meals made with real quality ingredients – a tradition which is carried on today. For any holiday or occasion, or simply for the everyday, traditions are important to your family history. Whether you’re looking to pass your age-old family meal traditions to the next generation or create new ones, these moms have advice and stories to share.

To participate, just click the link above, log into The Motherhood using your member ID (if you don’t have one, it’s easy and free to sign up), and chat away in the text-based comments. We’ll also have a video feed running during the half-hour Cook-Along, so you’re welcome to show up simply to watch if you’d like! You’ll get to meet some of the other families from our chapter, and watch my recipe video too!

The Cook-Along is sponsored by Chef Boyardee, and it is hosted by The Motherhood.  You can visit Chef Boyardee online at http://www.chefboyardee.com/ or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/chefboyardee.

I’ll be there with several other bloggers to co-host the class, and I hope you’ll join us!  The fabulous people who will be co-hosting with me are:

Hope to see you at the Cook Along!! Feel free to use the social buttons below or at the top of the post to share this event with your friends too!

Powerful Websites for Micro Business -- Free Trial

signature

How to Make a Brownie in a Mug: Simple Tutorial Recipe

How to make a brownie in a mug… How fun is this? And what a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen, helping to make their own quick brownies, with very little mess, and minimal clean up. Love this! I’m all about “Smart Solutions for Busy Moms” – and this is a perfect fit for my cooking style. Be sure to check out the other simple recipes at the bottom too! [Read more…]

signature

7 Creative Ways to Get Kids to Eat More Veggies

“No, candy corn is not a vegetable. Potato chips aren’t either.”… Do you have trouble getting your kids to eat veggies? My two year old loves her veggies, all of ’em – but my nephews who live with me definitely do NOT. They are 6 and 9, and very opinionated and a bit stubborn. {A lot like their dad, my younger brother, lol.} So since healthy eating is a bit of a passion of mine – and kids need about 2 1/2 cups of veggies every day – I had to start getting creative to encourage them to try new foods without a fight. Here are my top 7 tips and tricks to easily get your kids to eat more veggies – and if you’ve a tip that works great in your house, be sure to share it in the comments after the post.

How to get the kids to eat more veggies [Read more…]

signature

Homemade Chocolate & Pumpkin Spice Swirled Fall Dessert Bread

How many times have I told you guys how much I love, love, LOVE the cartons of Iced Coffee from International Delight? Well, let me count the times…. I saved a ton of money when I did a month-long challenge to initially try this stuff out, switching from coffee house drinks to enjoying this amazingly creamy drink at home. {I saved over $100 bucks!} And I’ve showed you how you can use it in recipes like Candy Bar & Cookie Coffee, or Irish Cream Mocha Brownies. And now, I have another sweet idea for using these amazing cartons of coffee for more than energizing my mornings – Homemade Chocolate & Pumpkin Spice Swirled Fall Dessert Bread. SO good!

Fall chocolate and pumpkin spice [Read more…]

signature

Dinnertime Shortcuts: Bacon, steak, potato and cheese kabobs

“As a child my family’s menu consisted of two choices:  take it or leave it.” – Buddy Hackett… “Hey mom – What’s for dinner?” *Sigh* Those can be some of the most stressful words you’ll hear all day, am I right? About six months ago, I started using an online meal planning service, which seriously changed my life – I love knowing at the beginning of the week what I’ll be preparing each night. I plan more labor-intensive meals for the nights where I’ll have more time, and schedule super quick dinners for our super hectic days. And, I’ve got a few tips to help with those crazy-busy days when you need a fast weeknight meal solution….

Rethink tator-tots: Recipe for tator-tot shish kabobs

Simplify Dinnertime

I’ve told you guys before – I’m a “kinda-homemade” type of girl. I hate just using something out of a box or a can – but I do love using packaged foods as a base to help make a meal quicker and easier. And one brand that I rely on often is Ore-Ida potatoes. From classic crinkle fries to the new Steam ‘n Mash bags, we use these at least a couple of times a week – on their own, or as ingredients in our favorite recipes. {See some faves here: Favorite Weeknight Meals.} Since one of the kids favorite foods of all time, ever, are Tator-Tots, I’m always looking for creative new ways to serve them. We make a few different variations of Tator-Tot Casserole, and they love them. But I wanted to do something to kind of “fancy” them up a bit – make them a little more grown-up. We had a few friends over for a game night last week, and I used Tator-Tots to create these awesome Bacon, Steak, Potato & Cheese Kabobs. Huge hit, with the kids AND the adults. Definitely a recipe going into my “to-do again” file.

bacon, steak, potato and cheese kabobs

Bacon, steak, potato and cheese kabobs

These were as simple as you can get – I bought a bag of Ore-Ida Tator-Tots, and a package of frozen Herbed Cheese Puffs. I then cut up some steaks we cooked up on the indoor grill, and wrapped them in bacon. Then I threaded them onto wooden BBQ skewers. That’s it! You can’t get much easier than that – and they looked, and tasted, soooo good. There are so many ways you can think outside the box when using packaged foods like Ore-Ida – find more ideas on Twitter and Pinterest, just search for #OreIdaDinner.

Ore-Ida Logo

What are some of your favorite dinnertime shortcuts?

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Ore-Ida® via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Ore-Ida.}

signature

8 Perfect Indoor Grilling Recipes for Fall

Best Buy for MomsWhen you think Best Buy, you probably don’t think about cooking, right? You probably think gadgets and games, computers,  Geek Squad assistance, stuff like that. But – Best Buy is so much more than just smart tech – they also have super smart solutions you can use in throughout your whole home. As a member of the Best Buy Blogging Board, I get to learn about a lot of the cool new products they’re carrying for fall – but never would have expected a gadget that can feed my family breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Learn how I do it with my totally awesome new kitchen helper – the Griddler, by Cuisinart. {And prepare to have your mind blown – this thing rocks.} See it in action here…

Grilling isn’t just for summer anymore – Indoor Grilling Made Easy with the Griddler

Awesome, right? You can use it as a griddle or grill – or half and half – to cook up a super hearty breakfast for you and the fam in the morning. Then it can be used to make perfect paninis at lunch time – or use it to make quesadillas or grilled cheese. At dinner time, you can make just about anything you can think of – veggies, steaks, chicken, kabobs, pork, steaks… This baby makes it super simple to cook them all. LOVE it. You know what else I love? That I was able to clear out a whole kitchen cupboard now that I have the Griddler – I donated our quesadilla maker, the sandwich maker, our small grill, the old super small panini maker, and the waffle maker {you can buy waffle plates for the Griddler too!} – this gadget does everything that ALL of those things can do, in one super cool looking appliance.

Indoor Grilling Recipes

Eight Indoor Grilling Recipes

Want some mouth-watering inspiration for using the Griddler? It can convert to a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, half grill/half griddle – and even a waffle maker with the extra attachment plates. That means that you can cook a crazy-huge variety of stuff on it – Check out some of my personal favorite indoor grilling recipes:

  • Bacon-Stuffed Pancakes: This totally amazing idea for stuffing your pancakes with bacon can be cooked using the griddle pans of the Griddler. I’ve made these a few times – and they are definitely a “man-pleasing” breakfast choice, lol.
  • Breakfast Griddle Sandwich: This is sooooo good – great combination of sweet and savory. Again, like many breakfast choices, you’ll make this using the griddle plates.
  • Snickers Grilled Dessert Panini: I was part of a group project to come up with recipes featuring Snickers minis {see my Snickers Football Snackadium recipe} – and I came across this idea that another member of the group came up with. SO on my list of to-makes this week!
  • Vegan Philly Cheese Panini: SUPER great idea for switching up a usually Philly sandwich into a healthier vegetarian version that’s sure to please even most meat-lovers. Can’t wait to try this one too! And the Panini plates on the Griddler make it a snap!
  • Homemade Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burgers: This copy cat recipe is seriously delicious. I’d actually never tried the original, and have never had any type of Chili Lime style chicken. But it was love at first bite. For reals.
  • Grilled Corn with Parmesean Butter: This super simple recipe from Rachael Ray is perfect for cooking on the full grill plates – and the perfect side dish for any meal! And, did I tell you how easy clean up is, since the grill plates pop right into the dishwasher? Love that.
  • Grilled Tandoori Chicken: Cook up this amazingly good main course using the grill plates – the drip pan catches any bits of grease, the chicken cooks super quickly since the Griddler cooks both sides at the same time, and you’ve got a totally easy clean up when you’re finished.
  • Red Wine Grilled Steak: See those beautiful grill marks on the steaks? Hard to believe that this was cooked indoors! This is my own recipe – incredibly simple, and is a perfect fit for cooking up quick on the Griddler. I ove that you can get serious steakhouse quality meals cooked on this thing. Rockin’.

You’re getting excited, aren’t you? The Griddler is a busy mom’s best friend – Easy to use, simple to store, cleans up in a snap, and versatile enough to cook up anything you need to please picky eaters, finicky foodies, and starving teens. But – it’s not the only awesome kitchen problem solver that you’ll find at Best Buy – I’m telling you, check out their awesome selection the next time you’re there. They’ve got tons of stuff that I never would have expected, and awesome prices. Just like they’re total pros at choosing the smartest tech to fit your families needs – they’re also pros at choosing cool home, health, and beauty gadgets to fit your needs too {remember the Fitbit weight loss super star?}. Seriously – Check Out this Week’s Home & Appliance Offers! You’ll love it. Check out a few more of my faves…

OXO kitchen gear

Best Buy is your Busy Mom Solution Headquarters!

Seriously – how cool is it that Best Buy is now stocking other non-techy solutions that help solve the challenges of our busy lives? OXO makes some of the smartest kitchen gear – the POP containers are a super cool way to ensure that you don’t waste money on groceries, since they help keep all of your pantry staples stored safely and air-tight. {Plus, they’re a total-space saver since they’re rectangle shaped and easily stackable!} Their reusable water bottle means you cut down on waste by not buying and throwing away a ton of disposables. And there are so many other cool pieces – Cocktail shakers, avocado slicers, measuring cup with fat seperator, and more! You’ll find them all at a Best Buy near you, or on BestBuy.com.

Love it? Share it!

Learn more about the unexpected products perfect for the whole home that are available at Best Buy on Pinterest!

Best Buy WOLF Blogging Ambassador

{Disclaimer: As a member of the Best Buy Blogging Board and Product Ambassador team, I received compensation for this post in the form of the reviewed product or a gift card. All opinions and overuse of the words awesome and amazing are 100% my own. Only the best products reviewed make it onto this site – I love the Griddler & Best Buy, and know you will too!}


 

signature

Red Wine & Pepper Grilled Steak Recipe

Grilling is not just for summer anymore. Simple indoor grilling recipes… You guys know that I am totally in love with the Griddler from Best Buy, right? {Want one? Check out the Best Buy Free Shipping offer to get it shipped asap!} I totally cleared out a whole kitchen cupboard, and tossed a bunch of my old gadgets, since this baby does the work of them all in one sleek, easy-to-store appliance. And I am so excited to be able to do some great grilling indoors, as the weather starts to turn colder. {We’ve been known to grill outside in the snow at times – we love dinner made on the grill!} So, let me share a super simple new recipe we cooked up this week on the Griddler – Red Wine & Pepper Grilled Steak. So good.

Indoor Grilling Recipes: Red Wine & Pepper Grilled Steak Recipe

Red Wine & Pepper Grilled Steak Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning
  • Pinch of white sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Dash or two of coarse black pepper

Instructions

  1. Mix up the red wine, peppercorns, Grill Mates, sugar, salt, and pepper all together in a saucepan, and heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring well. Let it cool a bit, then pour into a big resealable plastic bag, Add the steak, seal the bag, flip around to coat - then refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate. {Marinating is like meat magic....}
  2. Use the Griddler full grill plates, and heat to medium high. Grill for about 5 to 8 minutes for medium-rare doneness. Time will depend on thickness of steak, and how you like 'em cooked.
  3. Open the Griddler, and take steaks off the grill. Let 'em rest for 2 to 3 minutes to let the juices reabsorb into the steak. Serve. Love.
https://sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/09/red-wine-pepper-grilled-steak-recipe/

The Griddler: Smart Dinnertime Solution for Busy Moms

This recipe makes enough marinade for about 2 pounds of steaks. It’s super simple, so good, and with the Griddler it’s even easy to clean up. For more amazing indoor grilling ideas see my post – How a Best Buy Gadget Can Feed Your Family All Day Long. And if you have a fave tip or recipe for indoor grilling – post a link in the comments so I can try it out!

Learn more about the unexpected products perfect for the whole home that are available at Best Buy on Pinterest!


signature