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Chewy Coconut Cookies #recipe

May 15, 2014 by Melissa

I’m a cookie brat. I’m particular about the flavors and types of cookies I eat. I don’t eat packaged cookies except for the occasional Oreo or Samoa. I prefer my cookies fresh, made from scratch and warm. This means homemade cookies often get eaten before they’re even cooled. These Chewy Coconut Cookies are especially good when warm out of the oven.

I’m really the only one in the house the loves these cookies so that just means more for me. I realize that’s a curse I bring onto myself but I’m willing to sacrifice for these sweet chewy treats.

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flaked or shredded coconut

Directions

Start by preheating your oven to 350º.

In a large mixing bowl add butter and sugars. Combine till smooth.

Then add egg and vanilla and mix till fluffy.

Gradually add flour/baking powder/baking soda/salt mixture and coconut.

Chill batter for 30 minutes.

Drop even rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 2″ apart.

Bake for 9-12 minutes till edges are browned. Cool on wire racks.

Cookie should be crisp on edges and underside but chewy in the middle. Store in container with tight-fitting lid. Makes 30 cookies.

This cookie is for the coconut lover. Upping the coconut flavor is simple with the addition of coconut extract and more flaked coconut. You’ll end up with something that resembles a macaroon but that’s not a bad thing.

Mac and Cheese Muffins #kidsinthekitchen #recipe

May 8, 2014 by Melissa

I hate to admit this but Shae prefers boxed mac and cheese to my homemade kind.The rest of the family prefers mine so most of the time she’s out voted. Sometimes when time is of the essence I have to rely on the boxed kind even though I don’t like it very much. I found a way to kick up the flavor and presentation but using one of my favorite methods, muffin shaped food.

Adding prepared mac and cheese, and some other yummy ingredients, to muffin tins creates something magical. The Mac and Cheese Muffins come out with a crispy crust and creamy inside, making them very different from their boxed beginnings.

These Green Onion Mac and Cheese Muffins turned out incredibly good. I’m going to add green onions more often because they add a great fresh onion taste without the harsh bite white onions tend to do.

Ingredients

2 boxes of box mac and cheese
1 cup shredded cheese (we used mexican blend and mozzerella)
1 cup milk
2 tbls softened butter
4 stalks of green onions chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
bread crumbs
*any chopped meat of choice

Directions
Preheat oven to 375° and coat your muffin tins (12 cups)with cooking spray.

Prepare your macaroni according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Have you child add in all of the ingredients plus the cheese packets except bread crumbs and mix, mix, mix.

Taste to be sure it tastes the way you like it and adding meat or veggies if you choose.

Now it’s time to spoon your mixture into the muffin tins. Fill them all the way till almost overflowing. Top with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes till bubbly and browned.

We enjoyed along side of Italian sausage and peppers.

Shae loved that she did most of the work!
Come join me and my co-hosts, Sarah of Play to Learn with Sarah, Paula at Frosted Fingers and Sara at Sensibly Sara, 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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

An InLinkz Link-up

Italian Meatloaf Muffins #recipe

May 6, 2014 by Melissa

Everything tastes better in the form of a muffin. Muffins are cute, a great portion size and appealing to all ages. That’s why I love making meals in muffin form like these Italian Meatloaf Muffins.

It’s Thursday, that means Shaun has basketball clinic from 3:15-5:15 then Lacrosse practice from 6:00-7″30. By the time we get home and he gets the stink showered off of him it’s bedtime. These days call for dinner in the car. If you know me you know I don’t do fast food for dinner. Maybe it’s guilt from too many years of drive-thru dinners or just knowing I shouldn’t be so lazy and just make a good dinner.

Meatloaf muffins are easy to make, quick to cook and can be eaten on the go. I made these right before I picked Shaun up from practice so they were still warm but I’ve made them in the morning, packed them up and had them in stored for trouble-free meals later.

Start with your favorite meatloaf recipe but I’ll share mine. My kids actually really love it. It’s something they actually cheer for when I tell them it’s for dinner.

Ingredients
1 1/2lbs ground meat of choice. I prefer traditional meatloaf mix and loathe all ground turkey.
1 1/2 cups of finely shredded/chopped veggies of choice. This time I used carrots, garlic, red & orange peppers & onions. sautéing before adding to meat adds great flavor
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1tsp freshly cracked pepper
1tsp kosher salt
1 egg
*1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1TBLS dried
*2TBLS chopped fresh oregano or 2tsp dried

Directions
Using your hands mix the all ingredients but don’t overmix. You should still see the ground meat texture.
Fill 12 muffin cups with the meatloaf mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes till cooked through.
Top with shredded mozzarella and a side of marinara or favorite pasta sauce.

*There are many variations of meatloaf you can make just by switching the ingredients that go into your ground meat & veggie mixture
Mexican-add cumin and garlic, top with salsa and shredded cheddar
Greek-add oregano and mint, top with crumbled feta and cucumber yogurt sauce
BBQ-add chopped chipotle peppers and top with favorite bbq sauce

Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Power Bites #kidsinthekitchen

May 1, 2014 by Melissa

MOM! Can I have a snack?
It’s 2 hours before dinner and the kids are hovering looking for a snack. I hate to say no but I know giving in will just ruin their appetite. Shae suggested we make oatmeal power bites. They are small enough to curb an appetite but are still healthy so I don’t feel guilty.
Best of all they are a no bake treat the kids can do almost all by themselves.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Power Bites

1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter or other nut butter
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup coconut, toasted if preferred
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, any flavor
1/4 finely chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 dried cranberries
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Dump all of the ingredients into a large bowl. With a rubber spatula mix thoroughly till combined. Chill in fridge for 1 hour.

Form into balls with the palms of your hands. If you find the mixture too sticky add 1/4 more oatmeal. If the mixture is too dry add 1 tbls more peanut butter.

Store in fridge to keep them firm but these can be eaten at room temperature. They are high in protein and good fats so feel good about the kids popping 2 or 3 after a hard day of play.

*Make these how you want them to taste. Substitute with white chocolate chips, dark chocolate shavings, pecans, chopped dates or figs, nutmeg and smoked sea salt. It’s all about ratio, add about 1 cup of “toppings”.
**Boost the health factor by adding a couple teaspoons of flax seed, chia seed, hemp or wheat germ.

Would your kids eat these?

Come join me and my co-hosts, Sarah of Play to Learn with Sarah, Paula at Frosted Fingers and Sara at Sensibly Sara, 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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

An InLinkz Link-up

Mom’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies #kidsinthekitchen #recipe

March 21, 2014 by Melissa

Baking cookies with your kids is probably the most fun you can have in the kitchen besides eating them. This week for #kidsinthekitchen we made MY favorite chocolate chip cookies. The recipe is simple, but you’ll notice a little twist in them. I’m not sure it that’s what makes them my favorite but I’ll keep making them this way.

Mom’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts of choice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter and sugars together until smooth and fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at a time till combined then add vanilla.

In a small cup dissolve baking soda in 2 tsps of HOT water.

Add baking soda mixture and salt to batter, mix lightly.

Beat in Flour, chocolate chips and nuts till combined.

Drop rounded spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 9-12 minutes till edges are just crisp. This should leave you with a soft gooey center and lightly crisp bottom.

Set aside to cool for 5 minutes and enjoy.

Cookie recipes like these are so easy for kids to help with. Ingredients are easy to measure or require little assistance depending on the child’s age. Give your child a spoon and let them scoop up dough to bake. Keep it fun.
Come join me and my co-hosts, Sarah of Play to Learn with Sarah, Paula at Frosted Fingers and Sara at Sensibly Sara, 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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sweet Irish Soda Bread #Recipe #KidsintheKitchen

March 7, 2014 by Melissa

While my Irish heritage is by maiden name only I still like to partake in some of the traditions. Irish Soda Bread is something we’ve never made though. I never really what it exactly what it was but after some research, recommendations and modifications we came up version that is truly tasty. Is it authentic, probably not but I’m ok with that.

Shae has been more involved in baking these days. I can hand her measuring cups and all the ingredients and she’ll dole out all of the ingredients for me. She even pours out the liquids to precise quantities.

This particular recipe called for a HUGE loaf of bread. Next time I’ll split it into 2 loaves so it is easier to handle. I also think I’ll make it in a bread loaf for a more uniform product. We’re eating this for snack, dessert and breakfast just as it is.

Sweet Irish Soda Bread

4 1/2 cups flour
1/14 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter softened, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 egg
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a large dutch oven pot or 2 bread pans or 2 round cake pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together your flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & baking soda.

Blend in butter, raisins and almonds till butter is pea size crumbs.

Add egg, buttermilk & milk and mix till just combined.

Pour this batter into your prepared pan(s) and bake for 45-70 minutes depending on size of loaf. An inserted toothpick should come out clean and the top of your bread should be a beautiful golden brown.

If you’re lucky you’ll have some to enjoy for 2 days.

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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

Brown Paper Bag Microwave Popcorn #kidsinthekitchen

February 27, 2014 by Melissa

I’ve said it on numerous occasion, My Kids Love To Snack? We definitely encourage healthy snacking by providing plenty of fruits and veggies but there is not denying those cravings for a a salty crunchy eat from a bag kinda snack. How about Brown Bag Microwave Popcorn.

We love love love popcorn. The kids know to bring home a fresh full tub when they leave the movies. I buy the big wholesale club container of kernels so we can make my own in the air popper and sometimes we have a few microwave bags in the pantry. BUT this is definitely a better to enjoy popcorn fresher, healthier and easier then all those other choices above.

You’ll need 2 things

brown paper bag
popcorn kernels

Directions

Simply add 1/4 of popcorn kernels to a brown bag and close with a couple folds tightly creased.

Place in your microwave and cook for 2 – 2 1/2 minutes, laying down or standing up is fine. Our first bag was bit burnt at 2 1/2 minutes. Our second bag was better but still had a burnt aroma at 2:20. The magic number for us is 2:10.

Now it’s time to remove your bag from the microwave, add toppings, shake and enjoy.

The kids have been using a cheddar cheese popcorn topping but I like mine a little more simple. I like to add a big pinch of kosher salt and a few sprays of “fake butter”.

This is something the kids (depending on their age) can do pretty much on their own or with just a little help.

The bag doesn’t get hot to the touch.
There isn’t a huge scalding burst of steam coming out of the bag.
The measurements and ingredient list is so easy.
Clean up is done in a snap.
Serving size is perfect for one.

I’m loving this version of popcorn so much. I find it to be slightly crunchier than traditional air popped and the bag isn’t gross and greasy so eating right from it is convenient and clean. Try it and let me know how it turns out for you.
Come join me and my co-hosts, Sarah of Play to Learn with Sarah, Paula at Frosted Fingers and Sara at Sensibly Sara, 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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream #kidsinthekitchen

February 6, 2014 by Melissa

The kid’s and I have been chatting Valentine’s Day desserts this week. They have off of school on the 14th so I said we could make something special.

We made a test batch of these Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Pink Buttercream and Arrow decorations. They are adorbs! The icing was done with a butter knife by Shae so it isn’t fancy but it’s handmade.

Here is the recipe for cupcakes & icing.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

2 ounces bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 350° and prep a 12 muffin cups with liners.

Gather all of your ingredients, measured and ready to use. If you don’t have buttermilk now if the time to make some. In a measuring cup add 2 tsp of lemon juice or white vinegar and fill to the 1/2 cup line with milk. Let this sit for 5 minutes till thick and curdled.

In a microwave proof bowl melt the butter and chocolate in 30 second increments till smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt till thoroughly combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer with the whisk attachment combine sugars, eggs and vanilla till silky smooth. Slowly add in the butter/chocolate mixture till combined.
Add the remaining ingredients, flour mixture & buttermilk half at a time and mix just till combined. Doing the final mixing by hand ensures you won’t over mix the batter. You’ll have a very thick batter, one that resembles brownie mix more than cake batter.

Evenly scoop into muffin cups and bake for 17-19 minutes. A toothpick should come out with specks of crumbs.

Remove from oven, set aside to cool for 5 minutes then transfer cupcakes to cooling rack.

Let come to room temperature before icing.

Simple Buttercream Icing (easily doubles or triples)

2 sticks softened NOT MELTED butter
4-5 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
2-3 drops pink food coloring
1-2 tbls heavy cream

Mix all of your ingredients except for heavy cream with a paddle attachment on your mixer until you achieve smooth consistency. Slowly add cream 1 tbls at a time for a soft frosting. Your icing should not be stiff but not runny. If you add too much cream add in more sugar a couple tablespoons at a time.

Ice you cupcakes with a piping bag and tip or keep it rustic and family style with just a warm butter knife.

Decorate as you wish and share with your loved ones.

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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.

Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

Homemade Baked Soft Pretzels #kidsinthekitchen

January 23, 2014 by Melissa

With all the snow we had this week i vowed it would be a a baking week. Shae said “YAY” and Rob said “Nope, not for you”. Her poor little spirit was crushed. Ok, it really wasn’t, she knew he was kidding. I decided on a couple of things but this is what turn out successful. Baked Soft Pretzels.

Soft Baked Pretzels were made and they will be made again and again and again. They were THAT good. The whole process wasn’t hard. As with just about any recipe where dough is used it’s a long process but so worth it. Next time we are doubling.

We followed Alton Brown’s Homemade Soft Pretzel recipe from 2007 to a tee, no adjustments, no modifications, just as he posts it here. Watch Shae roll out and shape the pretzels all on her own. We ate them while they were still hot with spicy brown mustard and honey mustard.

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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.
Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

Valentine’s Day Thumbprint Heart Cookies

January 16, 2014 by Melissa

To wrap up our week of Valentine’s Day themed crafts and activities we’re showing off our Thumbprint Heart Strawberry Preserve Cookies. As you’ll see Shae and Shaun didn’t really use their thumbs but Fingerprint cookies don’t have the same ring to it.

We started with a simple soft cookie dough.

Ingredients

1cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1tsp vanilla or almond extract
2 egg yolks, room temperature
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup strawberry/raspberry jam or preserves

Directions
In bowl of stand mixer combine butter and sugar till fluffy then add vanilla and eggs, beat till smooth.

Add flour and salt and blend till combined. Set aside in fridge for 1 hour to chill.

Form 1inch balls of chilled cookie dough and place on parchment covered baking sheet .

Using fingers press a heart shape into the cookie dough. Reform edges if needed. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Fill with 1/2 tsp of favorite jam.

Cool and enjoy.

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 so many more ideas on the #KidsintheKitchen Pinterest Board.
Follow Melinda Babiak’s board #KidsintheKitchen on Pinterest.

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