Library Card Holder
We have been frequenting the library quite a bit while my Little Chefs were out of school. They absolutely love the library. When we go during the school year they have too many books to read and the library ones go unread, or are only partially read. Before moving our library had a fun summer reading program with incentives each week. They would set their own reading goal and if they accomplished it each week they could go back into the library for their reward. They were usually BOGO or ...
Basil can stay green for a few hours!
I have always used the chopped basil immediately because it turns brown quickly and then doesn't look appealing. Basil leaves are delicate and bruise easily. When you cut basil you are creating surfaces to be exposed to air. The basil turns black because it is oxidizing, just like an apple. You cannot stop this process, but you can slow it down.
Using a chiffonade cut is one way to slow it down. A chiffonade cut makes the basil into ribbons. How do you create the ribbons? Choose sprigs ...
Fla-Vor-Ice Freezer Pops
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Jel Sert for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
When I was young I spent a lot of my summer outside riding my bike to the school to ride in safety on the playground, to the park for tennis or to the pool for fun. There is only one summertime treat I know of you can eat while riding a bike...Fla-Vor-Ice! Cut the top off and let it hang out of your mouth while you ride. No hands are needed!
My Little Chefs play outside just as much ...
Simple Chocolate Sauce
Do you ever need a last minute dessert? Every now and then while eating dinner my Little Chefs ask if we could have dessert. I usually start to panic and think what do we have already made that can be a dessert. Sometimes we have more options then others, but we always seem to have ice cream. So then the question arrives how do we embellish the ice cream? We always have sprinkles, unless Little Chef H finds the latest hiding place and eats them out of the container! A simple chocolate sauce ...
Sponsor Post: Wonderful Brands – Wonderful Snacking & GIVEAWAY
I am sure all of you are familiar with Pom Wonderful Pomegranets - well, did you know that the Wonderful Brand also offers snacking nuts?! We are always on the hunt for something new, something different, and even something a bit healthier for the Little Chefs - and myself for snacks. In the craziness and fun of summer - going to playdates, the beach or pool, swimming lessons, soccer, camping or traveling - we need snacks that are easy to grab on the go, and that will satisfy hungry ...
Vanilla Mixed Berry Popsicle
Popsicles are a big part of summer in our house. My Little Chefs go outside to play but then it seems almost immediately they come back in asking for a popsicle. I'm amazed at what they can do with a popsicle hanging out of their mouths! We found they molds one day while shopping and thought we could try making our own. The good part is the mixing of the ingredients is very quick. The bad part is they have a hard time waiting for four hours until they are sufficiently frozen to ...
End of Summer Party {FREE Printable}
Last year, as the summer came to a close, the Little Chefs wanted to end the summer with a BANG! So we had our first ever End of Summer Party. It was a great way to end the summer, a fun way to get all the Little Chefs friends together that they had not seen during the summer - and a good way to ease into the new school year!! When school started, the End of Summer Party was the hot topic!
Now we are again here towards the end of another summer - which means.....another End of Summer ...
Cilantro Lime Corn Saute
I love this time of the year when I can drive around and find fruit and vegetable stands on many different corners. This is a great recipe to use either fresh corn in the summer or frozen corn in the winter months. This recipe is a quick one for Little Chefs as well. In fact, Little Chef A thought it was very boring because she didn't need to do much.
If you are using fresh corn the first step is to cut it off the cob as described here. In a large skillet over medium high heat add the ...
Funnel Cake
My only memory of funnel cake is being at an amusement park with family and my sisters boyfriend. As I recall he loved funnel cakes and had to get one upon seeing them. My Little Chefs have never been in a location where funnel cakes were served. A friend gave us a funnel cake kit and we have had a great time using it and creating our own memories.
We describe funnel cake like a donut. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with just enough sweetness from cinnamon and powdered sugar ...
How to select, store, prepare and steam an ARTICHOKE
How do I select an artichoke?
The best way to choose an artichoke is to pick them up and ask yourself three questions.
Is it heavy? You want to select the heaviest.
When I squeeze it is it hard? You want the firmest with tight leaves that do not appear wrinkly or dehydrated.
What color is it? The bright green color is best. If it is slightly purple it is overripe. If there are brown patches or white sports the artichoke has been exposed to colder temperatures and frost. This will ...
Clown Serving Plate
Clowns are very common with birthday parties, especially those parties the first few years of ones life. We wanted to do something a little different incorporating clowns into the food display at a party.
To be honest I gave my Little Chefs free reign of the craft room to create whatever type of clown they wanted to create. I gave them the basic idea and helped with the construction and then I didn't see them for at least 30 minutes. When I went to check on them they were ...
Cinnaberry Peach Delight
We hope you are enjoying your summer. It has been so hot here we are drinking whatever we can find! Little Chef A has been asking for a long time to make up her own recipe. Well....she has done it! I let her create her very own smoothie recipe. This is her very first of many, I'm sure! How did this come about?? Well, I let her know what ingredients we had available and let her decide how much of what she wanted to include in the smoothie.
She chose 1 cup of frozen mixed berries.
1 ...
