When the little ones come

Summer Sliders On Homemade Buns

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:56:40 -0600

I don’t know many people who have fond memories of school lunch, but I do remember TWO things that I loved. One was the homemade rolls/buns/breadsticks,etc... that were probably all made from the same quantity recipe. Somehow, heading for the lunchroom to the smell of freshly baked bread is one of my fondest memories. The other was Tater Tots. To this day, I still love them like a kid - and yes, I know they are NOT in any of the food groups.

These are two ground beef recipes that kids love. A simple hamburger made with some unusual ingredients - very moist and just spicy enough. A great sloppy joe recipe made like my mother’s - using condensed Chicken Gumbo Soup.

Kids enjoy ‘helping’ you make their summer meals - which is a better alternative to having them whine, complain, and hang onto your legs while you try to get things ready. These recipes are kid-friendly, and since they can help make them - they are more likely to eat them without being coerced.

Give these a try in place of the standard mac ‘n cheese or ramen - and you might be voted mom of the year. But do it before mid-July - because after that, all bets are off.

Kid-Friendly Burgers:

2 lbs ground beef
1 sleeve soda crackers, finely crushed
Kraft French Dressing
Coca Cola
Preferred spices (onion flakes, salt, pepper, etc...)

Directions:
Add cracker crumbs to meat. Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup French dressing. Now add enough Coke to make the mixture moist. (You can also add 1 egg if you like yours to hold together well, but try it without first). Form into patties and grill or pan-fry as desired. Serve on buns with garnishes of choice - catsup, mayo, pickles, mustard, etc...

Kid-Friendly Sloppy Joes

1 to 1-1/2 lbs ground beef
1 can condensed Chicken Gumbo Soup (Campbell’s makes this brand)
Catsup
Mustard
Spices
1 to 2 Tbs vinegar to add flavor - to taste as desired.

Directions:
Brown meat and drain fat. Add the condensed soup (do not reconstitute). Stir in enough catsup, mustard, and spices to taste. Add vinegar, heat, and serve.

Homemade Hamburger Buns:

3/4 cup hot water
2 Tbs oil
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp yeast
1 egg
2-3/4 to 3 cups flour

Directions:
Combine oil, water, sugar, yeast, salt, and egg with 1-1/2 cups of the flour in a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Add enough flour to make a dough that is slightly sticky, but doesn’t stick to your finger. Knead 5 minutes. Let rest 3 minutes. Divide into 8 portions. Roll into balls. Place on greased baking sheet and press down with the palm of your hand to flatten slightly. Let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes. *Note: to make “slider-size” buns - divide dough into 16 portions.

Strawberry Swirled Yogurt Pops

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:35:26 -0600

I have a new love affair with yogurt - especially greek yogurt. It’s been years since I could even open a container and stay composed. When I was in the middle of health issues several months ago, I needed to boost my protein intake - and that’s when I discovered greek yogurt.

The texture was wonderful - so smooth and creamy it’s amazing. But it also packs a strong, tart flavor that’s hard to come to terms with if you’re not used to it. That’s when I started using fresh frozen strawberry jam to sweeten it. It became a treat to me then, almost like rich ice cream. In fact I still prefer it over ice cream.

My mother, as she goes through radiation, needs a lot more protein in foods that are easy to swallow. Yet, she is concerned if she has too much sugar that will not be good for her in the long run. That’s how I came up with these little treats.

I’m not a big fan of agave - I’ve always thought that sweeteners are all the same (and according to this article, that’s pretty close to the truth) The only advantage to using agave instead of any other sweetener is that it is lower on the glycemic index. That’s it. So... use your own preference for a sweetener in this recipe.

I did find that using some kind of sweetener to make the yogurt more pleasing was important - that way I didn’t use a LOT of the jam to make it taste good. I mixed it in before swirling the yogurt with a smaller amount of jam.

These were fun to snack on, and unlike popsicles, they don’t drip as you enjoy them. They are a fun way to get some extra protein, calcium, and nutrients into kids - while they think they are getting a treat.

Ingredients:

2 cups greek yogurt
1/4 cup agave (or sweeten to taste with sugar or honey)
2 Tbs frozen fresh strawberry jam (any flavor will do, but the fresh is best)

Directions:

Stir sweetener into yogurt, taste, and adjust by adding more if needed. Yogurt should be just sweet enough to take away the tangy taste.

Add strawberry jam and stir just a few times to make it “swirl” through the yogurt. This will make them look very appetizing once frozen.

Pour into popsicle molds, small cups, or even paper drink cups (bathroom size) - with a popsicle stick. You can also use a smaller size plastic spoon as a “handle” for your pops.

Freeze for at least 8 hours till solid.

Peppermint Rice Krispie Treat Snowballs

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:55:36 -0700

Just about anything can be shaped from Rice Krispie Treats - it’s hard not to find a recipe book without a variation of one kind or another. I was skeptical of whether I would like them laced with crushed peppermint candy. I can (enthusiastically) say that they are wonderful - you’ll be full of Christmas spirit at first bite.

Making these made me wonder who gets the credit for inventing Rice Krispie Treats, anyway? (And - by the way - they are spelled “Krispies”, not “Krispys” - that spelling and name are trademarked by Kellogg Company) Two Kellogg’s employees, Matilda Jensen and Mildred Day, are credited with their invention in 1939. Similar recipes already existed at the time for Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat - but they were very sticky, as neither used marshmallows - using instead other ingredients such as molasses (can you IMAGINE?)

Supposedly it took them two weeks to perfect the recipe. These two women were home economists whose job it was to promote the cereals manufactured at Kelloggs. Mildred’s daughter Sandra asked her why she never made the snack for her - she said “If you’d made them for two weeks from 6:30 AM until 10:30 at night - you wouldn’t want to make them again, either.” Touche’ Mildred! The recipe first appeared on the cereal’s packaging in 1941, and were sold as a ready-made product in 1995.

This recipe is just one (of many!) variations of the original recipe - which, by the way, has NEVER changed. There are only a few hints to make this easier. One - don’t push the candy canes into the balls until they have cooled, but are not yet hard. Two - dip the candy cane into the white candy coating after making the indentation in each ball (this helps it stay put so you can dip it) Three - (this is important) don’t taste them until they are all packaged to give away, or you’ll have to make a second batch.

Recipe source: adapted from shewearsmanyhats.com

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1 10-oz package of marshmallows
1/3 cup crushed candy canes
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 14-oz bags white candy melts
2 Tbs vegetable oil

Directions:

Prepare a large baking sheet with waxed paper. Take the time to unwrap about 30-35 mini candy canes and have them ready.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium low heat. Add marshmallows and melt completely while stirring occasionally.

Once melted, add the crushed candy canes and stir.

Remove from heat and add cereal, stirring gently until completely coated.

Butter hands (generously - as the already sticky marshmallow mixture had sugary candy mixed in!).

Using a spoon (or just your fingers) pull off golf-ball sized pieces of coated krispies and roll quickly into balls. Place on baking sheet to cool.

When almost cooled (but don’t wait too long, or the candy canes will break when you push them into the balls) - press the straight end of a candy cane into the top of ball. You may need to press the cereal mixture around the candy cane to get it to stay put.

Continue with entire batch. If you have trouble keeping the candy canes upright - don’t worry too much. Continue on to heating the candy melts.

Heat candy melts according to package directions - adding in the vegetable oil to thin the mixture if desired (I chose not to add it - and it turned out fine).

If your candy canes are tipsy, dip just the end of the cane into the melted candy and press back into indentation. Hold it steady for a few seconds until the candy hardens.

Make sure krispie treats are cooled well, and then dip into candy coating - shaking off excess and using a spoon to scrape off the bottom (or the coating will “pool” when you place it on the waxed paper)

Before placing on baking sheet - sprinkle with colored sugar, jimmies, crushed candy canes, or other decorations as desired.

Place upright on lined baking sheet, holding it steady until it adheres.

Allow treats to cool completely before moving and packaging.

Chewy Brownie Cookies with Variations

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 11:39:03 -0700

A chocolate cookie is a good base for all our favorite things - nuts, marshmallows, cream filling, chocolate frosting... you name it - it’s always better on a chocolate pillow.

I made these into a cookie kit for my grandchildren to use in one of their Christmas Advent Calendar activities this month. I placed a disposable decorating bag of mint frosting in with the cookie mix so they didn’t have to make their own frosting (that can be the last straw when you are making cookies with kids!)

The cookie comes together easily with only eggs, flour, baking soda, and a teaspoon of vanilla added to the basic mix. They bake up puffy, yet chewy - ready to garnish as you desire.

I made Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies, and Chocolate Mint Cookies from this basic cookie recipe. I was surprised by how good they were, and they stayed chewy for days.

I used the MEGA marshmallows that were all the rage this past summer, cut in half so they didn’t dwarf the cookie. I allowed them to just barely brown in the oven before removing them to cool, then frosted them later.

The second half of the recipe I drizzled with mint glaze. Simple and delicious - these were wonderful. Then I combined the two into Chocolate Frosted Mint Cookies.

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups Brownie Mix (recipe is HERE)
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Use parchment paper on baking sheets, or lightly grease (or use Silpat liner) to prevent sticking.

Combine eggs and water in bowl, beating well.

Stir in brownie mix, soda, flour, and vanilla. Blend well.

Drop onto baking sheets with teaspoons about 2” apart to allow for spreading.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until cookie is just set.

Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 36 (medium) cookies.

For Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies:
Remove from oven just before completely done. Top with halved marshmallow and return to oven until puffy. Remove, allow to cool, and frost with chocolate frosting.

For Chocolate Mint Cookies:
Make a glaze from powdered sugar, water, a drop of green food coloring, and a few drops of mint flavoring. It should be the consistency that will be easy to drizzle. Use a large kitchen glass to hold a disposable piping bag (as shown at right). Fold edge of piping bag over the top, then pour glaze into bag. Tie bag off with a twist tie. Snip tip to allow glaze to drizzle out. Using back and forth motion, drizzle over each cookie on wire rack. Allow to set before moving cookies.

Brownie Mix

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 11:06:28 -0700

The first brownie appeared in public during the 1893 Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago, Illinois. The chef at the city’s Palmer House Hotel created it after Bertha Palmer requested a confection that was smaller than a piece of cake and could easily be eaten from boxed lunches. This same brownie (which had an apricot glaze and walnuts) is said to be made today at the hotel using the original recipe.

Many people feel that brownies shouldn’t need to be turned into a convenience food - it is (after all) one of the most simple recipes out there. There are some things that I can see buying a shortcut for - one of them being puff pastry! But for those of us who occasionally want to make a comfort food like brownies without measuring our own ingredients - this mix is a great help. Measure once, package, and save for a day you don’t want to think before you indulge.

Like the Basic Cookie Mix (from 12/7/11) - this brownie mix is from the book “Make-A-Mix Cookery”. I had to halve the batch to have it fit in my 14-cup food processor, which involved weighing the cocoa. If you have a large capacity bread mixer (such as a Bosch) - it would handle the entire batch at once.

This makes fast work of a batch of brownies, and is especially good as a Chewy Chocolate Cookie (for Whoopie Pies, and the like) See the next post for two variations of the chocolate cookie. The brownie recipe is included below.

Recipe source: Adapted from “Make-A-Mix Cookery” - 1978

Ingredients:

6 cups all-purpose flour
8 cups sugar
4 tsp baking powder
4 tsp salt
1 (8-oz) can unsweetened cocoa
2 cups vegetable shortening

Directions:

(You can assemble this mix in a large mixing bowl by cutting the shortening in with a pastry blender or two knives - but I’m lazy and prefer to use a food processor or bread mixer as outlined below)

In bowl of food processor or bread mixer - measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Close lid or cover - and process until combined.

Add shortening and process until shortening is evenly distributed (there should be no visible clumps of shortening left)

Store in airtight container in a cool, dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks. Makes about 17 cups of brownie mix.

Recipe for Brownies (using this mix)

2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2-1/2 cups brownie mix (above)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour an 8” square pan. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, beating until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool and cut into 2” bars. Sprinkle or frost with brownie topping of your choice (powdered sugar, mini chocolate chips, marshmallows, nuts, frosting, etc)

Holiday M&M Cookies (from a Mix)

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 20:59:20 -0700

Most of us expect our cookies to be high and lofty - but this mix yields a flatter, chewier type of cookie. It is a softer, moister dough - which is probably why the M&M’s spread their color as they baked.

This same mix makes Macaroons, Snickerdoodles, Icebox Cookies (slice & bake), and Peanut Butter Blossoms (from the last post).

Take care how close you place the cookies on the baking sheet, as they have a tendency to spread as they bake.

You can add nuts, coconut, and even Rice Krispies to the batter and end up with an entirely different cookie.

When I made this into cookie kits - I added about 1 cup of Holiday M&M’s in a separate bag to add on top of the mix.

Ingredients:

3 cups Basic Cookie Mix (recipe is HERE)
3 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips, M&M’s, etc...
1/2 cup nuts or coconut (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Grease baking sheets, or spray with non-stick cooking spray (or use parchment or silpat liners)

Place cookie mix into mixing bowl.

Add 1 egg, 3 Tbs milk, and 1 tsp vanilla.

Blend well.

At this point, add M&Ms (or save them to press into top of dough as shown)

You can also add JUST red or green candies onto top of each cookie.

Drop by teaspoons and place 2” apart onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake @ 375° for 10-15 minutes (depending on size of cookies) until barely browned around edges and barely set.

Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (from a Mix)

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 20:32:07 -0700

I made this mix for both my grandchildren, and my son serving a mission. Since they are making them to give away - I thought I had better make some myself to make sure they were up to standard.

I was really surprised at how good these turned out. I’ve had Peanut Butter Blossoms before, and most of the time they are quite dry and tasteless. These melt in your mouth, but (like any GOOD peanut butter cookie) you’ll still reach for a nice glass of cold milk to dip them in.

I made mine quite large (which helps with the chewiness) - but you can make them any size, just adjust the baking time accordingly so they don’t turn out dry and hard.

When putting together the kits, I went to the dollar store and found a tiny jar of peanut butter to put in the bottom of the bag. The bag of cookie mix was next, with a small bag holding the brown sugar called for. I sprinkled in about 20 Hershey Kisses on top before I folded down the top of the bag. The only ingredients they had to come up with were an egg and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Ingredients:

3 cups Basic Cookie Mix (recipe is HERE)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy OR chunky - your preference

Directions:

Measure 1/2 cup of the peanut butter and place into mixing bowl.

Add cookie mix, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Mix well with hand mixer.

Roll into balls (the cookies above were about the size of a golf ball - which yielded about 16 cookies from this mix)

Roll balls in granulated sugar (optional - but this makes a nice-looking cookie)

Place on baking sheet about 2” apart.

Bake at 375° for about 10-14 minutes - depending on size of cookies - until BARELY done.

*(Meanwhile, have someone unwrap the Hershey Kisses - watching that they don’t eat too many...)

Remove from oven and press one (unwrapped) Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie while still warm. You’ll see the cookie “crackle” as you do this.

Allow to cool on wire racks. The Hershey Kiss will remain quite soft for a long time, but will eventually harden up.

I packaged my missionary son’s cookies in a ‘Cafe Rio’ type take-out container with a foil lid. I stuffed it with waxed paper (to keep the cookies from shifting around) and sealed the lid tightly. Hopefully they will arrive in one piece!

Basic Cookie Mix

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 19:31:52 -0700

When I finished Christmas Advent Calendars for my grandkids a few weeks ago, I had to find cookie kits/mixes that would be used on three days during December. The first one was to make cookies for their school or Primary teachers, the second one to take to a family whose home they awarded “Best Christmas Lights”, and a third to take treats to their local (overworked!) Post Office workers a few days before Christmas.

I looked everywhere. The packaged mixes (in the cake mix section) had so many artificial ingredients that I could scarcely find “flour” and “sugar” in the list. The refrigerated doughs were even worse, and those wouldn’t ship (or keep) well. When I looked at the ingredients on the cans of frosting, I decided it was time to make my own.

I did a search on the web, but good recipes (for an actual MIX) are hard to find. Most are for “cookies in a jar” - where the ingredients are layered in a mason jar. They look nice, but whoever receives them has to provide butter, eggs, and several other ingredients.

I took a look on my ANCIENT cookbook shelf - and I had totally forgotten about two cookbooks my mother gave me right after I was married. “Make-A-Mix Cookery” and “More Make-A-Mix Cookery” by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover. I remember this was quite a trend (way back then) and, like most food trends, enjoyed a following for a few years before convenience foods became all the rage.

What’s the biggest problem with making your own mixes? If you’ve been baking for long (as I have) - you may have noticed that vegetable shortening has drastically changed over the past several years. Many companies (in particular “Crisco” - now owned by JM Smucker Company) continue to tweak the formulation of their shortening products to trim down the trans fats, as well as experiment with the hydrogenation of the oils they use. It seems every time I use shortening (in pie crust, cakes, cookies, etc...) the results are different. Often I find my shortening has started to “liquify” - making it difficult to know how to measure it.

So. How will that affect this recipe? You may find that once you make the mix, it seems to “compact” easily. When measuring, you might find it forming clumps. That is why I like to use a kitchen scale to measure the total weight of the master mix. Then I divide that weight by the number of mixes it should yield.

I made this mix two ways - once in my food processor, and once in my bread mixer. The food processor almost over-mixed it - so I found I had to be very careful not to overprocess. The bread mixer yielded a lighter, airier mix - easier to measure. But both worked when I measured by WEIGHT instead of volume.

Recipe Source: “Make-A-Mix Cookery” - 1978

Ingredients:

8 cups all purpose flour
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
4 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups vegetable shortening

Directions:

In large bowl of either a food processor, or a bread mixer - measure the flour, sugars, salt, and baking soda until well blended.

Add shortening and process until the shortening is evenly distributed (you can even cut it in with a pastry blender - if you have enough patience and arm strength!)

Store in an airtight container, store in a cool dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks.

Makes about 16 cups of basic cookie mix.

*For recipes using this mix - check the next post.

Look Forward to Lunch

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:17:48 -0600

My daughter Aryn, and my daughter-in-law Tara have officially survived their first week of getting back on a schedule, establishing a homework routine, tucking the kids in earlier, AND worrying about lunch again! Each of them have their own bag of tricks for this time of year, and they are the best mothers!

Today, Aryn sent me some photos she took of a presentation she made in her ward Relief Society Meeting last night. I thought it was awesome! (It’s great to be able to feature one of my children - thanks honey!)

Their meeting focused on getting yourself organized so you can spend time doing what matters most in your family (see a great talk or video on that very topic) Sometimes I find myself doing everything BUT what I really need to do - I’m great at avoidance. When I actually take the time to do a little preparation beforehand, I always wonder what the big DEAL was about taking the first step and doing it. Maybe you can relate.

Aryn found (and sent me a link to) an excellent article on avoidance - wish I had read it when I was mothering all my children. It’s called “Going on a Bear Hunt” - and the link is HERE. You’ll love it - no matter what stage of life you’re in - it’s well worth your time.

I’ll share the recipe Aryn found for “Stick-wiches”... but enjoy all the other hints and tricks in the photos. These little sandwiches are so much more fun than two slices of bread with something in the middle. They even made ME hungry. Food is so much better when you can play with it!

(The link to the recipe for the great packable Brown Bag Bar cookie is HERE)

Recipe source: familyfun.go.com

Ingredients:

bread (a firmer bread, such as ciabatta, baguette, etc... works well)
cheese
lunch meat of choice
grape tomatoes
lettuce
pickles
olives

Directions:

Cut up cubes of bread, cheese, and lunch meat (order your meat from the deli cut into 1/2” slices - which makes it easy to cut nice cubes)

String the cubes onto a skewer with other foods your child likes, such as a grape tomato, piece of lettuce, pickle, or an olive.

(*Here’s something Aryn discovered by trial and error - to make it easier to pierce each cube of cheese and meat - use a straw to poke a small hole first. Threads right on without pushing so hard)

Set out a side of mayo or mustard for dipping - even ranch dressing!

If packaging for sack lunches, wrap in saran wrap - and be sure your lunchbox is kept very cool to prevent spoilage.

Aryn's friend Angela (the counselor in their Relief Society)
put together this visual comparing the processed convenience foods
we typically reach for with healthier (and less expensive) alternatives
that can be made at home. An additional step that doesn't take that long
can yield dollars over an entire school year.

Edible Playdough

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:37:08 -0600

My three oldest grandchildren are experiencing true boredom this summer. I remember summer looming before me back in the day my children were in school and would soon be home ALL DAY LONG. (And I would be the one in charge of providing them with a stimulating environment in addition to mac’n cheese, swimming lessons, and letting them watch TV ALL DAY LONG... you know I’m kidding, right?)

Each summer I had to learn the process of embracing summer. My husband was an educator, and I told myself that having him home for three months every summer would prepare me for his retirement. Having both a husband AND children home for three months of the year taught me that this glorious season has three parts.

Part One: Mourning. I will admit I had a few weeks of mourning the loss of my free time. I couldn’t count on having a few hours to myself at a predictable time every day - in other words, no me time. The kids and I would often find ourselves in a face-off several times a day. Have you ever mentally calculated how many more days till school starts?

Part Two: The Schedule. After my period of (selfish) yearning for free time, I launched into efficiency. This gave me a sense of being in control (who was I kidding?) This worked pretty well for a while until the family figured it out. Mom just thought she was in charge. But it was good while it lasted.

Part Three: The Flow. This is when the kids and I let our guard down and learned to enjoy each other. I decided to put aside my agenda, and play WITH them - not just give them an activity to keep them busy. A psychologist would describe “flow” as a time when you are doing something challenging, but not so hard that you are stressed.

The ideal is when kids find “flow” on their own, but sometimes all it takes is getting them started and letting them run with it. This little recipe is great because you can let them play with it until it loses it’s appeal - then clue them in that it’s EDIBLE!

(And... fyi - this is delicious rolled in balls, then dipped in chocolate. Kind of reminiscent of a peanut butter cup)

Recipe source: several sources all over the internet

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (creamy, of course)
1/2 cup honey
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Make sure honey is not crystallized - heating and stirring to remove if necessary. Be sure to cool it completely before adding to other ingredients.

Stir well with a sturdy spoon (wooden spoon or a heavy spatula are a better choice than a metal spoon, as it will bend with the pressure!)

Give every kid a hunk and let them knead it until smooth.

Only spill the fact that it’s edible AFTER you’ve had lots of fun. It really is delicious!