Mixing Bowl Kids

Franken-Mallow Heads

Short on time this week (it's a busy one, isn't it?), I wanted to prepare something fun for all the kiddies, but specifically the preschoolers out there who are probably bursting with excitement over Halloween.   I think this would be a great food-craft for a class, home or church party and using nothing more than marshmallows, chocolate, pretzels and green food colouring this is super simple fun for everyone, including all your little chefs.

So, with Halloween just a few days away are you all ready and organized? What are your kids dressing up as this year? I'd love to hear your ideas....have a great day!

Franken-Mallow Heads

20 large marshmallows

20 long pretzel sticks

1 cup chocolate chips

1 tbsp table cream

green food colouring 

water

~ Place 2 tbsp of water in a shallow bowl and 5-6 drops of food colouring and combine well.

~ Place the marshmallows, one at a time, in the bowl and turn over to completely coat with the coloured water.  Remove and place on a cooling rack placed over a cutting board covered with paper towel to dry.

~ Melt the chocolate in double broiler, or heat-proof bowl set over a pot of boiling water.  Add the cream and mix well. 

~ Dip one end of the marshmallow into the chocolate and place on the drying rack.  The chocolate will be Franken-Mallow's hair.  Dip the end of the toothpick or a wooden skewer into the chocolate and draw eyes, a nose and mouth into the marshmallow.

~ Stick pretzels into the sides of the marshmallow (for the bolts) and allow to completely dry.

~ Enjoy!

Witchy-Finger Sandwiches for Halloween

October has moved along at quite a clip and Halloween is finally just a few days away.  My children, like yours I'm sure, are getting excited and the countdown for costume-day has begun.  I was never much of Halloween fan myself when I was a child (I always wore the oddest costumes!) but I have a new found appreciation for it now that I'm seeing the day through the eyes of my boys.

So, as we've prepared for all the fun, spooky food has been at the forefront of my mind.  I've been planning a few fun things for, and with my boys, like these Witchy Finger Sandwiches. My youngest and I worked on these "bewitching" fingers this past weekend and they were easy-peasy to assemble.  So much so that once I demonstrated the process he went to work on the remaining pieces of bread.  I rounded everything once it was rolled and together we adorned the fingers with their long, painted fingernails. My quick-thinking husband suggested we add a ring to the third finger for authenticity,  so I grabbed a spider and put it in place.  Such a fun project for us to work on together! 

I have a few more gruesome goodies to share with you this week as we get ready for the upcoming weekend.  In the meantime, try tucking these into your young ones lunch this week, or serve them with a steaming mug of soup for dinner and I'm sure your meal will be a howling success.  Have a great day!  

Witchy Finger Sandwiches
yields: one hand

5 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removes

five almonds (optional:painted red or black with gel colour-paste)

filling of your choice: peanut butter, jam, nutella, cream cheese, tuna etc.

~ Remove the crusts from each piece of bread and roll flat with the rolling pin.

~ Spread or top each slice with your choice of filling (I used peanut butter) and roll lengthwise into a thin log.  

~Round the tips, then score the bread with a sharp knife where the knuckles would be.

~ Add the almonds (you can paint them first with gel colour or food colouring) and stick them into place by adding a dab of your filling to the back of the almond before placing it on the bread.

~ Enjoy!

Ghoulish Goodies are Coming

We're feeling very Halloween'ish around these parts.  Decorations are in place, bats have been cut out and are ready to be hung, the mini graveyard planted and costumes have finally, finally been decided upon.  While we still have a bit of work to do on that front - like sewing some parts of one and making and designing pieces of the other - we're mostly organized and very excited for next weeks festivities.

Because Halloween is such a kid-friendly day I've decided to spend the next week featuring recipes and ideas for fun Halloween fare to make with your kiddies.  Most little ones (and big ones too!) have a class party or some sort of event to attend this time of year, and making treats or food to take along is almost always an essential part of the week...and it's really fun too!  I have yet to meet a young one who isn't excited to work on some spooky edibles.

The first idea I wanted to share is something I've done for the past three or four years for my boys' class parties.  So simple to prepare and made with nothing more than a slightly hollowed out pumpkin lined with a few lettuce leaves, this seasonal staple is then filled with a container of delicious homemade or store-bought dip.  Embellish with a big spider and surrounded with an assortment of crunchy veggies for dunking, and your festive food is ready to serve .  I think we can all agree that there is enough candy floating around at the end of October and this provides a great treat while keeping the kids eating as healthy as possible.  For extra fun, I like to place these goods on a tarnished silver tray as it reminds me of something I might find in an old haunted house.  

Are you ready for Halloween?  What are you handing out this year?  Have a lovely, lovely weekend friends!

K is for Kebabs

We're off to school this morning, for the first time in almost eleven weeks.  My boys will be staying for lunch a few times a week and I've been in need of a simple sandwich, or fun alternative, for the lunch-box.  Enter the kebab.  Made from nothing more than a few skewered items, these little gems really make a simple lunch so much more appealing and yummy for my boys.

I've been known to make salad kebabs, fruit kebabs and even dessert kebabs.  This year I think we'll experiment with sandwich kebabs.  They're quick and easy and really rev up the excitement factor, which I think is due to allowing my little chefs to make their own variations, while experimenting and trying new combinations of foods. 

In the photo above we have simply cubed some bread, folded some salami, sliced some cheese and chopped some pickles.  We could have also added a chunk of lettuce, cucumber or even some cherry tomatoes. Anything is a possibility so long as it can slide onto the skewer with ease, and remain there (one note: I have tried feta cheese and it breaks so easily that it's almost impossible to have it remain on the stick).

What are you adding to your lunch-box this week?  Anything that begins with the letter "K"?  Don't forget...I will be compiling a printable A to Z list of fun foods for you and your children at the end of this feature and any comments with some alphabetical suggestions will be entered into a draw for a fun foodie prize.  And whether you homeschool, unschool or send your children out into the world of academia, I wish all of you a wonderful day to come!

J is for Jam Tarts

Don't these look lovely? The idea of making vintage jam tarts has been in my mental recipe queue for quite some time now.  I truly enjoy revisiting desserts from the past and am particularly interested in rustic sweets served for English tea or somewhere off in the French countryside as part of a picnic that's made up of fresh bread, great cheese and some wine.  Yes, if you didn't know it before, you now know that I am a dreamer.

Back here in the real world, I think these tarts would make for a delightful addition to the lunch-box or the perfect after-school treat when accompanied by a warm cup of tea (my seven year old is quite fond of the warm beverage).  I've been thinking that if I had a daughter I would plan a birthday tea-party and serve these with tea sandwiches and lemon curd.  How fun would that be?

Beyond simple to make, these treat are possible for the everyday, and with only five ingredients to the recipe (yes, only five) the kiddies will be able to work on these with you easily and quickly.  I might suggest making a double batch and freezing them for several months, or at least wrapping the dough in plastic wrap and freezing it, so these can be put together in a pinch if needed. 

The weekend is finally upon us and I plan on enjoying this one immensely.  The next long weekend we see will be our Canadian Thanksgiving (I can't believe that!), so this one, the last of summer, needs to be enjoyed.  

Don't forget to leave your comments and your suggestions for lunch-box foods that start with "J".  All will be entered in a draw for a fun foodie prize pack at the end of this feature.  Happy weekend-ing everyone! 

Vintage Jam Tarts, my recipe

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup cold butter, grated

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/4 cup cold milk

Jam (strawberry, peach, blueberry, raspberry...whatever you like)

~ Stir the flour and confectioners sugar together.  

~ Add the grated cold butter and rub into the flour mixture until it becomes mealy and crumbly.

~ Mix in the milk and stir until a soft dough forms.

~ Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refridgerate for 20 minutes.

~ Once chilled roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface.

~ Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

~ Cut circles using a scalloped cookie cutter (I use a 3" one)

~ Place the rounds of dough into lightly oiled muffin tins and press down to create a tart shell.

~ Fill each shell with 1 tbsp of jam and bake for 15 minutes.

D is for Dilly Tuna Cups

This was the most challenging letter so far!  Other than duck and dill pickles I couldn't really think of anything that began with the letter "D".  But that's okay, because these are good.  Really good, actually!

Inspired by the increasing trend in Bento-style lunches, these treats are easily made with nothing more than a few ingredients you're sure to have on hand in your pantry and fridge.  What I really like about these is not only are they great for the lunch-box, both the school and work version, they're also wonderful as a quick hors d'oeuvres for that dinner party you may just try to put together sometime soon. Also, if you have a fussy child, who prefers the cucumber skins to the insides of the cucumber (I promise you there are children like this...I know from personal experience), then these little cups will be very well received.

I used tuna packed in oil for this recipe and I must say, I'm quite fond of the taste.  Canned tuna has never really been my thing, my boys do love it and this recipe is certainly no exception.  Little ones can easily assist with this but they will need your hands as well.  Once the can has been opened and the tuna drained and removed (your job, Moms) you can let the kitchen helpers add the seasonings, lemon, mayo and chop the dill.  Let them get creative.  They may like to add something to the tuna mixture that you, or I, wouldn't have thought of.

What "D" foods are you packing in your lunch-box this year?  Let me know and I'll enter your name in the giveaway for a fun food prize pack.  Have a great day, friends....

Dilly Tuna Cups

yields 12 pieces

2 cans of tuna packed in oil, drained

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried dill

2 tbsp mayo

juice of 1 lemon

1 dill pickled, minced

1 English cucumber, sliced into 1 inch pieces

~ Using a melon baller or small spoon remove the insides of the cucumber cups.  Set aside.

~ In a large mixing bowl combine the tuna, salt, pepper, dill, mayo, lemon and pickles and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

~ Using a small ice cream scoop, or spoon, stuff the cucumber cups with the tuna mixture.  Serve cold.

~ Enjoy!

Cookie Art

My son has a great fondness, dare I even say love, for a sweet girl that was in his class last year.  He wrote letters, finger-knitted bracelets and tried to woo her in any way his seven-year-old self could. Late this past Spring, he came home and triumphantly announced that she loved him too, and all was right in his world until June, when he suddenly realized that the impending arrival of the school year's end was right around the corner.  He was so fraught with worry over when he would see her again that I promised him I would try to arrange for a play-date with her at some point before she left for five weeks holiday with her family.

That arranged play-date, to my son's utter delight, took place this week.  To be honest, I haven't entertained many girls in our home yet.  My niece visits once in while but she's so easy going that she just joins in with whatever my boys are doing, so I haven't had to plan a specific-activity yet.  I knew that this girl who was coming over was a very "girly girl" and playing adventurers and Lego's wasn't going to cut it. So, while my son readied his room, made his brother's bed (yes, he didn't think his older brother was capable of doing a good job on the bed himself) and sprayed air-freshener through the house (I kid you, not), I prepared a cookie art project for the kids to enjoy together.

I'm happy to report that, while initially a tad uncomfortable (I think the month apart made the kids a little awkward with each other), the play-date went quite well and the cookie art was huge success.  I think this would also make for a great activity at a birthday party...a nice alternative to plain cookie decorating. 

This was done by making a simple sugar cookie dough, which I rolled out and cut into "canvases" - square cookies that could be painted.  We place the cookies in the fridge to chill and made a large bowl of egg wash, which we divided into smaller bowls and tinted with food colouring.  The kids painted on their canvasses, and then we baked the cookies and everyone enjoyed some edible art. 

If you're looking for an activity for the kids on the holiday weekend, give this a try...I'm sure you'll all pleased that you did.  Happy Friday, friends!

Cookie Art, adapted from Martha Stewart

• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1 cup butter
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 tsp vanilla 
• Assorted liquid food coloring, for decorating
  
• Egg Wash (4 eggs and 4 tbsp cold water)  

~ Line two baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

~ In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and set aside.

~ In the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one a time and beat well.  Mix in the vanilla.

~ Add the flour mixture to the butter.  Mix until well combines.  Place the dough out on a sheet of parchment paper.  Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll to 1/2 inch thickness.  Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into squares, or "canvasses".

~ Place the squares on the lined cookie sheets and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

~ Combine the eggs and water to make an egg wash.  Divide the wash into a few smaller bowls and tint with food colouring.

~ Remove the cookies, decorated with paint brushes and place in the oven for 13 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack once out of the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

~ Store in an air-tight container for up to three days.

~ Enjoy!

Pizza and the Park

A simple outing to a near-to-us park inspired the lovely BBQ pizza dinner you see above.  How so, you might ask?  Well, this park, a new-to-me location, has a wonderful food-focused philosophy which includes a local and organic farmers market, food cart and bake ovens. The latter are extremely popular as local residents gather near the wood oven to make and bake their own homemade pizzas after a play at the park or skate around the rink, which is located a few feet away from the ovens. How genius is that?! 

 

The park hosts Pizza Days, which run twice a week and for a mere $2.50 you'll receive a piece of dough, some sauce and cheese - and if you're visiting in the right season, feel free to wander off to the "pizza toppings" garden where you can select the items you'd like to add to your baked meal.  I can't tell you how much I love this idea!  You can also book the wood-ovens for a child's birthday party and for a small fee (and I really mean small when compared to the fees of many popular birthday party destinations) the bake-ovens are yours for an hour.  Add in a quick soccer game, a skate in the winter, or a visit to the playground and your birthday party is complete.

Our outing to this park yesterday fell on a non-pizza day so we came home and made our own using the BBQ.  They turned out great and if you haven't yet attempted to grill your pizzas I encourage you to give it a try.  Not quite the same as wood-oven but great none the less, and oh so easy.  Make your pizzas as you normal would and (after our experience last night) I would suggest placing the dough on the grill, and then adding the toppings right there at the side of the BBQ.  We topped the pizza before moving outside and transferring the dough to the grill was no easy feat.

Happy Friday Friends...enjoy the weekend and if you're planning on having or hosting a BBQ, consider adding pizza to your menu - you won't be disappointed.

BBQ Pizzas

Pizza dough

Pizza sauce or pesto

Mozzarella cheese

Toppings: ie mushrooms, asparagus, onion, sausage

bacon, basil, etc.

~ Make your pizza dough as you normally would

~ Lightly oil the grill and place the dough on the rack.

~ Add the desired toppings.

~ Close the grill and cook for 10-15 minutes.

~ Remove carefully and enjoy!

 

Maple Baked Beans

Our annual BBQ was a success.  I have a great group of family and friends who all brought some yummy foods with them for the pot-luck - and aside from putting together the meat for the grill and the butter tart bars, I was left with only having to prepare one additional dish....maple baked beans.

The recipe comes from Barefoot Contessa's At Home cookbook, where I have yet to make anything that wasn't truly delicious.  I love Ina and her wonderful books and recipes and these beans were no exception. My boys had no part in yesterday's cooking, as they were keeping themselves busy by playing outside in our first non-rainy day in four days - so really, can you blame them?  Had they been interested in joining me in the kitchen, I would've'e had them mix up the ingredients for the sauce, pour it over the cooked beans and mix it all up.  Other than that, there really isn't much cooking involved (it cooks itself in an oven or pot) which makes this an even more appealing recipe, especially when hosting a summer gathering.

Enjoy the day...we're facing the last of our rainy days for a while (we hope!)...

Maple Baked Beans, adapted from Ina Garten's At Home Cookbook

1 pkg white navy beans

1 large onion

2 tbsp white or black peppercorns

3/4 cups maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup bbq sauce

1 tbsp hot sauce

1 tsp salt

1/2 lb thick-cut bacon

~ Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with water.  Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

~ Drain the beans reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Place them in a large pot covered by a few inches of water.  Add the onion and peppercorns.  

~ Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, or until very tender.

~ Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

~ Combine with maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, hot sauce, salt and bbq sauce in a small bowl.  Add the cooking liquid and stir until well incorporated.

~ Place the drained beans in a baking dish.  Add the bacon and toss around.  Pour the sauce over the beans and combine.  

~ Bake uncovered for 1 - 1/2 hours, or until the beans are soft and the sauce has thickened.

~ Serve warm or at room temperature.  

~ Enjoy!

Butter Tart Bars for Canada Day

For Canada Day, it only made sense to profile one of our most beloved treats - the butter tart.  Similar in taste and texture to the American classic Pecan Pie, or the English Butter Pie, this brown sugar, butter and egg delight was the staple of pioneer cooking and still remain a Canadian delicacy today.

Of course, being the experimenter that I am, I felt the need to change the traditional up a bit for our annual Canada Day BBQ. Traditionally rather large in size, I decided to deconstruct the butter tart into a square, or bar if you will, for ease of eating and a more bite-sized treat.  Don't faint when you read the ingredients list...pretend everything you see if healthy and good for you..and if that doesn't work, feel comfort in the fact that this recipe makes A LOT of bars (maybe 60 or so) so if you indulge in one or two it won't be so bad.

Happy Canada Day friends...I'll be back tomorrow with another yummy recipe from today!

Butter Tart Bars, my recipe

For the crust:

1 cup butter, cold and diced

1/4 cup icing sugar

3 cups flour, scooped and leveled

For the topping:

1 1/2 cups of butter, melted

4 eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup cream (half and half works great)

2 1/2 cups of brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

2 tbsp vanilla

2 cups sultana raisins (or currents if you prefer)

1 cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

~ Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

~ Combine the flour and icing sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl.  Using a pastry cutter, or your fingers, work in the butter until you are left with a mealy consistency.

~ Press the mixture into a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan, and be sure to make it as even as possible.  Bake for 15 minutes.

~ While the crust is baking, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and whisk in the sugar, corn syrup, cream, eggs and vanilla.  Whisk quickly to avoid cooking the eggs. 

~ Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.  Add the raisins and stir until incorporated. 

~ When the crust has finished baking, remove from the oven and top with the sugar/butter mixture.

~ Return to the oven and baked for an additional 20 minutes or until the top is bubbling and set.

~ Allow to cool for a few hours, or alternatively place in the fridge to cool.

~ Using the parchment, lift the squares off of the baking sheet and cut into 2x2 inch bars.

~ Place in the freezer until ready to serve.  This will allow the bars to set more thorougly and they taste delicious served cold.

~ Enjoy!