Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Cherry Cheese Danish


2 (8 ounce) tubes refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup PLUS 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (21 ounce) can Cherry Pie Filling
1 tablespoon butter, melted
½ cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F. Unroll 1 package of crescent rolls
and fit into bottom of an ungreased 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 cup of the sugar and vanilla.
Spread mixture over dough in baking dish. Spread cherry pie
filling over cream cheese mixture. Unroll remaining crescent
rolls and lay dough over pie filling. Mix 1 tablespoon sugar,
½ cup almonds and 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle mixture
over top of dough. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Beef and Broccoli noodle bowl

Recipe from Little Momma and Co.



1 pkg. Fettuccine noodles
Stir Fry Beef
Broccoli
2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1/2 Cup Italian dressing
chopped carrots

Chop your veggies into bite size pieces. Meanwhile, heat
enough water in a large pot to cook your fettuccine. In a
large frying pan stir fry your beef until browned, and
then remove from heat. When your water comes up
to a rapid boil, add your fettuccine. Cook half way, and then
add the veggies. Boil until pasta is al dente' and veggies are
crisp tender. Drain pasta and veggies in a colander and add
them to the beef. Return to heat. Add Hoisin sauce and
Italian dressing. Stir well, coating the noodles and veggies.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Pasta with Bacon and Mushrooms


Recipe and photo from The Pioneer Woman

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1/2-inch Pieces

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 package (10 Ounce) White Button Mushrooms, Sliced Thin

1 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth (OR Dry White Wine) 1 cup Half-and-half ¼ cups Heavy Whipping Cream

3 whole Green Onions, White And Light Green Parts Sliced

¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced

½ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

1 pound Thin Spaghetti Or Angel Hair Pasta

Extra Parmesan, For Sprinkling

Preparation Instructions Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon pieces and cook until light brown but not crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Do not clean pan. Add mushrooms and garlic to pan. Toss/stir around and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes; increase heat to high if needed to help mushrooms begin to turn golden brown. Pour in chicken broth. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Cook over medium-high heat for several minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half. Reduce heat and pour in half and half and cream. Stir and allow to bubble and thicken for a couple of minutes. Add sliced green onions and parsley, then cook for one more minute. Finally, add Parmesan and stir, allowing cheese to melt and incorporate into the sauce. Turn off heat. Add cooked pasta to a large bowl. Add half the sauce from the pan. Toss with tongs.


***Add 1/2 cup hot pasta water at this point if the pasta mixture is too thick and gunky. Toss and add more water until it reaches the consistency you need.***

Serve pasta in individual bowls, topping each helping with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with extra parsley and extra Parmesan. Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Peep S'mores

Check out these fun Peep S'mores from Serious Eats.

Click here to find out how to make these fun colorful treats. Picture from Serious Eats

Friday, April 8, 2011

Cooking with Children

I received this article from Emily Patterson about cooking with children a couple of days ago. She had asked me to read it. I thought it was a great article and thought I would share it with you. I really enjoy cooking with my boys. Not only are they learning new things, but I enjoy spending time with them in the kitchen. One thing I do with my boys is let them pick one night each week to cook with me. They get to choose what we will have for dinner and help me in the kitchen. They love it and I love that they are enjoying cooking. Hope you get some great ideas from this article to help you cook with your children. I appreciate any feedback regarding the things you like to do, or make in the kitchen with your children.

Cooking with Children: A Recipe for Kitchen Safety & Fun


Bubbling pots, sizzling skillets and delicious smells can make the kitchen a fascinating – yet dangerous – place for young children. However, the potential hazards don’t have to keep children out of the kitchen. Dr. Mary Zurn, vice president of education for Primrose Child Care Facilities, says kitchen time can be a great way for families to regain some lost, but valuable, family time. “The kitchen is often the most popular place in the house for families to gather. It’s a place for learning and sharing, where the family can enjoy quality time. Children can also develop a sense of responsibility by participating in daily tasks,” said Dr. Zurn. Parents can keep the kitchen safe and fun for children by following this simple recipe:

1. Engage your child meaningfully. Think about what tasks your child can do independently. Completing simple jobs like mixing batter, rolling dough and measuring water can boost a child’s sense of pride and accomplishment. Tearing lettuce, adding sprinkles to sweets and shaking Parmesan onto pasta are other safe, satisfying tasks children can easily accomplish. Even very young children can get involved – give them some pots, pans and wooden spoons so they can pretend to cook with you or use them for music-making. The tuneful accompaniment will let you know they’re safely engaged and give them a way to feel like they’re helping too.

2. Set some ground rules. Children need supervision when they’re in the kitchen, so establish a list of basic safety rules and make sure children are always within sight. Teach children to wash their hands before and after handling food to avoid spreading germs. Discuss on a regular basis what’s safe to touch and what’s not. Make sure the handles of pots and pans are turned inward on the stove top so you and older children don’t accidentally bump them and spill hot liquids or food.

3. Build up skills step-by-step. Children can develop many essential skills in the kitchen, such as following recipes or counting slices of bread. For more advanced skills, start slowly and have your child master easy tasks before attempting harder ones. Teach older children to use a knife by starting them off with cutting soft items like cheese and cooked noodles with a dull spreader. As your child’s coordination develops, they can move on to slicing or sawing vegetables and fruit with a plastic knife.

4. Keep it fun. Cooking can be messy even without children, so don’t stress over the “oops” moments. If the cookie batter ends up on the floor instead of the baking sheet, offer some guidance and let your child try again. You can make cleaning it up fun too!

When your meal is complete, be sure to compliment your sous chef on a job well done. Offer them the first taste of whatever you cooked together and ask them what you should make next time. Bon appétit!

 Submitted on behalf of Primrose Schools: Child Care building the right foundation by Emily Patterson (@epatt1062)