Recipes Archives - Page 5 of 13 - Look What Mom Found

Potato, Mushroom & Sausage Bake Recipe

October 24, 2014 by Melissa

It’s takes a drastic weather change to come up with new meal ideas. The cool weather that crept up on us the past couple of weeks brought on thoughts of layered casseroles, hearty soups, warm breads and sinful desserts. This latest meal, Potato, Mushroom and Sausage Bake hit the spot on a particular windy and rainy day.

Shopping for ingredients is always fun but going out to the store in the rain isn’t what I wanted to do. I scoured my fridge and pantry for those just right items to warm up our bellies.

Sausage of all kinds is one of our favorite meats. We grill it, saute it, crumble it on pizza and even roast it over the campfire. It made sense to create a meal surrounding it. Jimmy Dean Sausage is a staple in our house so with a roll of their Premium Pork Regular Sausage (Sage Sausage would be great too) and basic ingredients I made a meal that the family loved.

Potato, Mushroom & Sausage Bake

Ingredients

Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage Roll
3 lbs potatoes, cut into 2″ cubes
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 lb baby Portobello mushrooms
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 red wine vinegar
1/4 water
1 cup finely chopped granny smith apple
salt, pepper, garlic powder as needed

Directions

In a large stock pot over medium heat cook & crumble Jimmy Dean sausage.
Remove & drain sausage and set aside. Wipe pan of excess liquid or fat. In same pan saute celery, onions, mushrooms and thyme till just tender.
Remove veggies and set aside.
In same pot, add potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic powder & water, cover pot and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.
Add red wine vinegar to deglaze pan and scrape up bits cooked onto pan. Stir in sausage, veggies and apple.
Transfer to large casserole dish and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes at 350°.
Top should be golden brown and crisp.
Serve with steamed veggies of choice for a balanced dinner with the family.

****Don’t leave out the apple. It provides a touch of sweet and tart that goes perfectly with the saltiness of the sausage.

This served our family of 5 with some leftover. I had the best lunch the next day. This is a great make ahead meal. Do all the steps except baking. Bring to a potluck dinner, new family in the neighborhood or double the recipe to have another meal on hand for those busy holiday shopping days. In fact we keep cooked sausage in our fridge most of the time. It’s a simple way to create a healthy but quick pasta dish or bulk up an omelette for breakfast and of course as our favorite pizza topping.

Shop for Jimmy Dean Sausage at Safeway and don’t forget to grab this coupon and other valuable Hillshire Brands coupons from the Just For U center. Save money on your favorite brands such as Hillshire Farm, Ball Park and State Fair.

Here are some MORE Hillshire Brand meals to give you some inspiration for tasty, wholesome and delicious meals.

Smoked Sausage with Peppers
Fried Rice
Kielbasa with Apples and Potatoes
Sausage Sliders with Broccoli Slaw
Easy Sausage Jambalaya
Chicago Style HotDogs
Mummy Dogs
Corn and Sausage Chowder

What kind of hearty meals do you prepare for your family in the cooler seasons?

Vanilla Brown Sugar French Toast

October 16, 2014 by Melissa

Breakfast for dinner is like the greatest idea ever. No one ever moans and groans about that. The thought of gooey syrup or loaded up eggs makes everyone in our house smile. One day this week when my dinner plans fell through we went to plan B, French Toast. But we gave it a spin making it Vanilla Brown Sugar French Toast with the addition of Bailey’s coffee creamer.

We happened to have a sliced loaf of country bread leftover from the weekend. That’s something that never happens. I said breakfast for dinner and the kids immediately say pancakes or waffles. They prefer sweet breakfast for sure. I mentioned French Toast and got YES’s all around.

I turned to Shae and said it’s time to make dinner. She cracked the eggs, whisked them up, dunked the bread and sprinkled the cinnamon. She was the last to eat because she wanted to be sure she made dinner not just her serving. She’s not too eager to use the spatula right now. She got a little burn a week ago and it tore down her confidence in the kitchen a little. We have to build up those skills a little more again.

French Toast is always one of those meals that gets eaten so quickly. It takes just a little syrup or honey or powdered sugar to make it perfect. This one was doctored up with my coffee creamer. I don’t use it very often so I thought it would make a tasty addition to the egg mix instead of milk. I now want to try this with all different kinds of creamers.

Vanilla Brown Sugar French Toast

Ingredients

Hearty Sliced Bread
4-6 eggs
1/4 cup flavored creamer
cinnamon
butter for pan

Directions

In a large skillet melt a teaspoon of butter over medium heat.
In a wide bowl whisk together eggs and creamer.
Dunk bread in egg mixture and place in hot skillet. Fit 2-3 slices in pan but don’t overcrowd.
Sprinkle cinnamon on bread in the pan.
Flip over to brown second side of bread. Continue through loaf of bread, adding more butter as needed.
Serve with butter, syrup or honey and powdered sugar.

Having the right bread is key for this recipe. It doesn’t work as well with super soft breads as you won’t get a really good crisp. Don’t skip the butter either.

Vanilla Brown Sugar French Toast

Ingredients

Hearty Sliced Bread
4-6 eggs
1/4 cup flavored creamer
cinnamon
butter for pan

Instructions

In a large skillet melt a teaspoon of butter over medium heat.
In a wide bowl whisk together eggs and creamer.
Dunk bread in egg mixture and place in hot skillet. Fit 2-3 slices in pan but don't overcrowd.
Sprinkle cinnamon on bread in the pan.
Flip over to brown second side of bread. Continue through loaf of bread, adding more butter as needed.
Serve with butter, syrup or honey and powdered sugar.

https://lookwhatmomfound.com/2014/10/vanilla-brown-sugar-french-toast.html

Come join me and my co-hosts, Paula at Frosted Fingers, Sara at Sensibly Sara, Kate of Busy Bee Kate & Jeannette of EcoIncognito each week linking up a post, new or old, that feature the theme Kids in the Kitchen. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as you are doing it together, enjoying it and learning something along the way.

preparing healthy snacks
having a tea party
counting skills with m&ms
pouring from measuring cups
discovering a local restaurant that your kids love
creating new family friendly recipes

You’ll find these and many more ideas for healthful and unique food fun on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

An InLinkz Link-up

Double Chocolate Candy Bar Milkshake #TruMooTreats

October 16, 2014 by Melissa

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TruMoo for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The candy is about to roll in. Trick or Treating is such a big deal with my kids. It’s like a competition who can get the most candy. What they don’t seem to understand is they visit the same houses so the quantity is the same. Then when we get home everything goes into one bowl, a communal bowl, a family bowl of goodies to be enjoyed over the next few months.

Candy is important for kids but that’s not how we live our lives all the time. We are pretty healthy eaters. The kids have balanced meals and snacks but we don’t deny some treats and sweets. Sometimes this means cakes, cookies and candy. Sometimes this means an icy cold glass of TruMoo Chocolate Milk.

TruMoo Chocolate Milk has just the right about of sweetness and the creamy silky finish. For a long time chocolate milk has been seen as an unhealthy choice for a kid’s diet due to the added extra sugar & calories. TruMoo offers their flavored milks with NO high fructose corn syrup and less sugar then other brands.

Nutritionally 1 cup of low fat chocolate milk comes in at 140 calories and provides 25% of your needed calcium. This equals the amount of calcium on 5 cups of broccoli. No matter how hard you try you’re not going to get a kid to sit and eat 5 cups of broccoli a day. Give in and feel good about TruMoo Chocolate Milk.

I went above and beyond and made the kids one of their favorite treats. Milkshakes. Not just any milkshake. Double Chocolate Candy Bar Milkshakes. This idea comes from knowing the candy bars are going to be making their way into our way very soon. Here’s a way to use up the candy in a new and fun way. This is meant to be a dessert, a fun dessert that the kids will remember and ask for over and over.

Double Chocolate Candy Bar Milkshake-serves 2

Ingredients

3-4 scoops Chocolate ice cream of choice (we used chocolate marshmallow)
1-2 cups TruMoo Chocolate Milk
4-6 fun size Snickers bars
chocolate syrup
caramel syrup
whipped cream
mini chocolate chips

Directions

Rinse mugs/glasses with water and place in freezer while building milkshake.
In a blender combine ice cream and candy, blend for 5 seconds to chop candy.
Add 1 cup of milk to blender (more or less depending how thick you prefer your milkshake). Blend for another 5-10 seconds.
Remove glasses from freezer and drizzle inside with caramel and chocolate sauce.
Pour milkshakes into each glass and top with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips or chopped candy pieces.
Add a straw and spoon and enjoy.

This is just one way to create an indulgent treat from wholesome chocolate milk from TruMoo. visit their website for more delicious TruMoo Halloween recipes or on Facebook or Pinterest to treat your family to something new and yummy.

Double Chocolate Candy Bar Milkshake

Ingredients

3-4 scoops Chocolate ice cream of choice (we used chocolate marshmallow)
1-2 cups TruMoo Chocolate Milk
4-6 fun size Snickers bars
chocolate syrup
caramel syrup
whipped cream
mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Rinse mugs/glasses with water and place in freezer while building milkshake.
In a blender combine ice cream and candy, blend for 5 seconds to chop candy.
Add 1 cup of milk to blender (more or less depending how thick you prefer your milkshake). Blend for another 5-10 seconds.
Remove glasses from freezer and drizzle inside with caramel and chocolate sauce.
Pour milkshakes into each glass and top with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips or chopped candy pieces.
Add a straw and spoon and enjoy.

https://lookwhatmomfound.com/2014/10/double-chocolate-candy-bar-milkshake-trumootreats.html

S’mores Chex Mix

October 15, 2014 by Melissa

Halloween in just weeks away and the neighbors and I are planning a big community party and parade. We’re a small community but there are lots of families that would really enjoy this event. I’m in charge of snacks for the party after the parade. I know with kids there are lots of food restrictions but Chex Mix is one of those things that can lots of different tastebuds.

Our S’more’s Chex Mix isn’t geared just towards the kids though. This fall favorite flavor seemed like a no-brainer when it come to putting together a menu plan for our party. Our weekend firepits are gonna have to come to a stop sometime soon but the flavors can be enjoyed all year long just by whipping up a quick batch

S’mores Chex Mix
Ingredients

3 cups Vanilla Chex
3 Cups Rice Chex
3 cups graham cereal or teddy bear graham cookies
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 TBLS butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1-2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

In a large bowl combine cereal/cookies and half of the mini marshmallows.
In a double boiler melt chocolate with butter and cream till smooth.
Pour melted chocolate over cereal/cookie mixture and stir with a rubber spatula for 1 minute.
Add remaining marshmallows and continue to stir till cereal/cookies are coated with chocolate.
Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and thoroughly mix/shake to coat cereal/cookie mixture. Add more or less sugar as you prefer.
Store in a tight storage container.

Keep this gluten free by omitting the graham cereal and cookies and adding more Rice or Corn Chex. Or add gluten free graham cookies that can be found at many grocery stores today.

Serve this mix in little treat bags or cupcake liners for kid size portions.

S’mores Chex Mix

Ingredients

3 cups Vanilla Chex
3 Cups Rice Chex
3 cups graham cereal or teddy bear graham cookies
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 TBLS butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1-2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

In a large bowl combine cereal/cookies and half of the mini marshmallows.
In a double boiler melt chocolate with butter and cream till smooth.
Pour melted chocolate over cereal/cookie mixture and stir with a rubber spatula for 1 minute.
Add remaining marshmallows and continue to stir till cereal/cookies are coated with chocolate.
Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and thoroughly mix/shake to coat cereal/cookie mixture. Add more or less sugar as you prefer.
Store in a tight storage container.

https://lookwhatmomfound.com/2014/10/smores-chex-mix.html

Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Butterscotch Cookies #kidsinthekitchen

October 10, 2014 by Melissa

When fall rolls around the tastes for snacks and treats change. When it’s time for dessert its usually fewer requests for ice cream but more for gooey brownies. After School Snacks are now warm or spicy or sometimes a little of both like these oatmeal raisin butterscotch cookies.

With a big dose of cinnamon and a pinch each of chili, ginger, clove and nutmeg they give off a warmth that feels so good especially as the season cools off.

Shae saw me bring home a huge container of oatmeal and said she wanted to make cookies. Who am I to deny a girl and her cookies. I gave her all the ingredients, the recipe and let her get to work.

Oatmeal Raisin Butterscotch Cookies-makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 white sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch each of chili powder, ginger, clove & nutmeg (cardamom would be a great here too)
1/2 salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars till creamy.
Beat in vanilla and eggs till smooth. Occasionally scrape down sides.
In a separate bowl blend together flour, baking soda, spices and salt
Add flour mixture to sugar and eggs slowly to prevent flour from flying into theair. Do not over mix.
Add oats, raisins and butterscotch chips and blend for 10 seconds.
Drop heaping spoonfuls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 11-13 minutes and cool on wire racks. Cookies should be crisp on the edges and bottom and chewy in the middle.

These are quickly becoming a family fall favorite. What flavors do you crave in the cooler weather?

Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 white sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch each of chili powder, ginger, clove & nutmeg (cardamom would be a great here too)
1/2 salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars till creamy.
Beat in vanilla and eggs till smooth. Occasionally scrape down sides.
In a separate bowl blend together flour, baking soda and salt
Add flour mixture to sugar and eggs slowly to prevent flour from flying into theair. Do not over mix.
Add oats, raisins and butterscotch chips and blend for 10 seconds.
Drop heaping spoonfuls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 11-13 minutes and cool on wire racks. Cookies should be crisp on the edges and bottom and chewy in the middle.

https://lookwhatmomfound.com/2014/10/spicy-oatmeal-raisin-butterscotch-cookies-kidsinthekitchen.html

preparing healthy snacks
having a tea party
counting skills with m&ms
pouring from measuring cups
discovering a local restaurant that your kids love
creating new family friendly recipes

You’ll find these and many more ideas for healthful and unique food fun on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sweet & Spicy Garlic Chili Chicken #recipe

October 9, 2014 by Melissa

It was a hot and humid day and I had no desire to man the grill to cook dinner. The house was cool because the air was cranked down to 70 degrees so the kitchen felt very good to cook a meal. I’d been craving Chinese food for days but instead of ordering I created. Our favorite General Tso’s Chicken inspired this Sweet & Spicy Garlic Chili Chicken.

I had 8 small chicken breasts from Five Star Home Foods to use and I wanted something that was different from our normal meals. I also knew I had to make lots of adjustments to the heat level for different members of the family. Rob loves lots of spice and heat. Sabreena and I can deal with some heat but Shaun and Shae have more tame palates. The sauce on the side provides the kick that Rob likes. Doing a separate sauce lets each person add just as much as they want.

Sweet & Spicy Garlic Chili Chicken

Ingredients

2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 2″ pieces
1 tsp Sesame oil
2 TBLS Soy Sauce
3 TBLS Chili Garlic sauce (Huy Fong Vietnamese Chili Garlic Sauce is my go to)
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup chopped carrots
scallions
jalapenos
cooking oil for frying

Spicy Chili Sauce

1/3 cup chili garlic sauce
2 TBLS honey (or more)
1 tsp soy sauce

Directions

In a large bowl thoroughly mix together the chicken, sesame oil, soy sauce, chili sauce, garlic, black pepper, vinegar and ginger and set aside for at least 2 hours.

In a small bowl mix together the chili garlic sauce, honey and soy sauce. Set aside so the flavors come together. *Add more or less honey to adjust the heat level to your preference.

To cook the chicken bring 2 inches of canola or peanut oil to a medium high temperature, 350 degrees. Drain the marinated chicken and coat pieces in cornstarch, shaking off to remove excess.

Fry the chicken pieces and carrots in small batches till just cooked, turning to brown on all sides then set aside while remaining chicken cooks. I kept mine on a plate in the oven at low heat.

Serve over rice with chopped scallions and thinly sliced jalapenos and spicy chili sauce on top or as a dipping sauce on the side.

I’ve been wanting to make this again. I actually crave it, think about it.

As with any recipe adjust seasonings to your preference. Recipes (except for baking) should never be the final say on a dish. Use it as a guide to create something you and your family will love and want to make again and again.

For the best recipes start with quality ingredients. Using Five Star Home Foods for the past 3 months has inspired many new recipes.

Homemade Cheese Crackers Recipe #KidsintheKitchen

September 25, 2014 by Melissa

Here’s another snack time adventure with me and Shae. This time I wanted to see what all the hype was about homemade cheez-its. I’ve seen so many recipes saying how good they were, how easy they were, blah blah. This is our version of homemade cheese cracker for #kidsinthekitchen.First off I’ll start off by saying these tasted nothing like cheez-its. But that’s a good thing. These were by far better. Their real cheese and butter flavor cannot be imitated in a box. The ingredient list if short, the mixing was easy and they baked quickly. They do take some time to create especially if you want small bite size crackers. I’m guessing they made bigger would work too but I like the small pop in your mouth size of these.

Shae was the main chef again so that’s telling you how simple this truly was.

Ingredients

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (not bagged shredded)
1 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 tbls butter slightly softened, cut into cubes
3-4 tbls cold water

Directions

In the bowl of your mixer or food processor add all of the ingredient except for the water.

When the cheese mixture resembles pebbles or gravel start adding water 1 tablespoon at a time of the cold water. Let the dough blend for a few moments in between to allow water to be absorbed.

Once dough just starts to stick together remove it from mixer/processor and knead for 2 minutes on the counter and form into a ball. Do not add any other flour.

Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove from fridge, divide into 2 sections and start working on 1st half.

Roll out dough till 1/8″ thick.

Using a bench scraper or knife cut your dough into bite size squares, approx 1″ x 1″. Don’t let those little end bits go to waste, bake them up too.

Arrange your crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 16-19 minutes till golden brown. The darker they are the more crisp they will be.

Top with salt, parmesan cheese, chili powder, fresh herbs or pepper if you desired.

Remove from baking sheet and allow to cool thoroughly for 1 hour. The temptation is great but the longer they sit the more crisp they’ll be. I find them several hours later.

Store in an airtight container.

Ours were gone in less than 3 days and that was because we rationed them. I’m going to invest in a simpler cutting method or maybe even cookie cutters for next time. I already know there’s going to be a next time.

Homemade Cheese Crackers

Ingredients

2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
4 tbls butter slightly softened, cut into cubes
3-4 tbls cold water

Instructions

In the bowl of your mixer or food processor add all of the ingredient except for the water.
When the cheese mixture resembles pebbles or gravel start adding water 1 tablespoon at a time of the cold water. Let the dough blend for a few moments in between to allow water to be absorbed.
Once dough just starts to stick together remove it from mixer/processor and knead for 2 minutes on the counter and form into a ball. Do not add any other flour.
Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove from fridge, divide into 2 sections and start working on 1st half.
Roll out dough till 1/8" thick.
Using a bench scraper or knife cut your dough into bite size squares, approx 1" x 1". Don't let those little end bits go to waste, bake them up too.
Arrange your crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350° for 16-19 minutes till golden brown. The darker they are the more crisp they will be.
Top with salt, Parmesan cheese, chili powder, fresh herbs or pepper if you desired.
Remove from baking sheet and allow to cool thoroughly for 1 hour. The temptation is great but the longer they sit the more crisp they'll be. I find them several hours later.
Store in an airtight container.

https://lookwhatmomfound.com/2014/09/homemade-cheese-crackers-recipe-kidsinthekitchen.html

preparing healthy snacks
having a tea party
counting skills with m&ms
pouring from measuring cups
discovering a local restaurant that your kids love
creating new family friendly recipes

You’ll find these and many more ideas for healthful and unique food fun on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

An InLinkz Link-up

Shepherds Pie Dinner with Manwich Thick & Chunky

September 22, 2014 by Melissa

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Manwich for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Family meal time is important. It’s often the only time in a day that we all come together to reconnect after busy days at work and school. Coming together around the table lets us talk about not just our days but about family matters, events coming up and of course to share laughs. Making sure we have hearty, healthy and delicious meals encourages more time gathered around the table. One of my latest meal creations came from the help of Manwich with this Turkey Manwich Shepherds Pie.

I’ll be honest the idea of a Manwich sloppy joe sandwich is not my favorite. Strictly due to the mess involved I avoid making them and serving them. What I do enjoy is the slight bbq tangy flavor that comes from the sauce so I knew I had to recreate a family favorite with a Manwich twist. I turned to Manwich because I trust them to provide easy weeknight meals without artificial flavors or preservatives.

Over the last 2 weeks the temperatures dropped, it’s definitely not summer any more. The cooler nights invite more comforting meals and to my family there isn’t much more comforting and belly filling than shepards pie. My regular recipe is very simple but I knew I could kick it up TONS with the addition of Manwich Thick and Chunky. The texture was just right for this recipe.

Manwich Shepards Pie

Ingredients

3lbs homemade mashed potatoes
1 1/3 lb ground lean turkey or beef
1/2 chopped onion
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1 cup frozen corn
Manwich Thick and Chunky
shredded cheese optional

Directions

Start with a creamy delicious homemade mashed potato base. Mine consists of 3lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes, 3 tbls butter, 3 tbls sour cream, 3 tbls cream cheese and warm milk.

In a large skillet over medium heat cook down your onions and ground meat, season with salt, pepper & oregano. Add frozen corn and Manwich Thick and Chunky and stir to combine.

Preheat your oven for 350°.

In a large casserole dish spread your prepared mashed potatoes and top with the meat mixture. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on top for extra flavor.

Bake in a 350° for 30-40 minutes until the dish is hot and bubbly. Serve alongside steamed broccoli or your own favorite veggie.

The meal was well received. I already knew the kids loved sloppy joe sandwiches but I didn’t expect such rave reviews. I really liked this dish too and will be adding it into our winter meal rotation. I’ve even going to check out the other Manwich recipes because I already know it’s good for so many other things.

Fried Cinnamon Sugar Apple Rings #kidsinthekitchen

September 12, 2014 by Melissa

This might be my proudest moment ever as a parent. Cooking with the kids has had many stumbling blocks and of course successes. One of my favorite moments was when Shae and I made our own chewy soft pretzels and the non-cooking post with the clay mini food. This week for #kidsinthekitchen Shaun stepped up to the plate and cooked these Fried Cinnamon Apple Rings just about by himself.

Shae and I started on our own like usual. I cut & cored the apples, Shae made the batter, cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar glaze. We had a little assembly line going and I attempted to have her add the apples to the oil but she was scared so I stepped in for that.

Shaun wandered in and immediately wanted to help. He took over at the stove and manned the frying stage. I stepped to the other side of the kitchen and let him do it. He did wonderfully with very little guidance from me. We didn’t have the Copper Crisper from New Easy so I was nervous with him being so close to a pot of hot oil but he proved himself worthy. Shae kept saying that they were doing so good they could make these all the time. I squashed that idea and made sure they understood this was a parent supervised activity.

They made a great team. Shae dried the apple rings, dipped them and Shaun fried them. Great teamwork.

These tasted just like the apple cider doughnuts we get from the orchard. The apple is still a bit firm but the cinnamon and crisp batter are warm and inviting and it’s easy to eat and eat and eat.

Ingredients

3 medium size apples, we used honey crisp but granny smith would be great
1 cup plus 1 cup complete pancake mix
1 cup water
2 tbls sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 powdered sugar
2-3 tsp milk
canola or vegetable oil for cooking

Directions

In a large sauce pan heat oil up to 350 degrees

Slice peeled apples into 1/2 inch thick rings. Using a small cookie cutter (or large frosting tip) remove core and seeds.

Set aside on paper towels to dry.

Mix 1 cup pancake mix & 1 cup of water till most lumps are gone, set aside.

Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl, set aside.

Mix powdered sugar and milk in small bowl till smooth, set aside.

When oil has come to temperature dip apple rings in remaining dry pancake mix then into prepared pancake batter. Shake excess batter off apple rings before gently dropping in oil. I had Shaun hold 1 inch of the coated apple in the oil to set before dropping in. This helped them from sticking to each other.

As they turn a golden brown gently turn them and cook the other side. The rings should be done in 3-4 minutes.

Remove and let drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while they are hot. Drizzle them with glaze as you serve them.

preparing healthy snacks
having a tea party
counting skills with m&ms
pouring from measuring cups
discovering a local restaurant that your kids love
creating new family friendly recipes

You’ll find these and many more ideas for healthful and unique food fun on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

An InLinkz Link-up

Salted Caramel Monkey Bread #recipe #streamteam

August 30, 2014 by Melissa

Breakfast is the most important meal of my day. I love having something special and delicious first thing in the morning like chocolate chip waffles or Nutella and banana pancakes. Basically I just like having chocolate and candy for breakfast. One of my favorite special breakfasts to have is monkey bread. Its essentially just biscuits cut up and covered in caramel sauce but it’s one of the most delicious things you can have. One morning this week, I decided to make it for my family. There are so few ingredients you can almost always whip some monkey bread up in the morning. This recipe is adapted from Andrea Lynn, Salted Caramel Monkey Bread.

For the caramel:

¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon sea salt, not-optional

For the monkey bread:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cans (4.5-ounce) Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1/3 cup melted butter

I had to run to the store in the morning to get heavy cream and biscuit dough but everything else was right there in my cabinets. There are two main steps to making monkey bread, coating the biscuit pieces and making the caramel. I cut up the biscuit dough into small chunks and shook them in a mixture of white sugar and a little cinnamon. I put them in a greased bundt pan and sprinkled a little bit of the leftover sugar on top. I also added some chopped pecans for extra goodness.

In a saucepan, I mixed a 1/4 cup of butter and 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream together. Then I added a good shake of sea salt and poured the caramel sauce over the biscuits. Then I baked it at 350 for 40 minutes until the biscuits were totally cooked.

Before it cools off, you have to flip the bread out on to a plate. The caramel will have melted and pooled at the bottom and will run down the sides of the bread and harden. It looks so delicious and tastes just as good. Just wait for it to cool down a bit and pull out chunks and enjoy.

With our monkey bread in our laps, Shae and I cuddled up on the sofa and watched some My Little Pony, one of her favorite shows on Netflix. (and maybe one of the cutest cartoons ever.) I already miss spending time with her now that she’s away at school. But we will always have great cartoons to watch together.

What kind of hearty meals do you prepare for your family in the cooler seasons?

These are quickly becoming a family fall favorite. What flavors do you crave in the cooler weather?

Read Something

Kids in the Kitchen Linky Party

Find it Here

How To Cancel?

What’s Mom Found Now?