Tiny Tummies

I don't know about you, but I've found that getting nutricious food into a Knox's toddler belly to be somewhat challenging. Oh he's a great eater. It's just that the things he likes aren't neccessarily the things I like for him to have.
So I thought I'd share with ya'll some of my Toddler Recipes that seem to please Knox AND Mommy. Please feel free to let me know what works for you and your kids. I'm constantly scrounging for new ideas :)

1. Pitas
We've been on a pita craze lately because I've found they are perfect for self-feeders. They stay together better than sandwhiches, making it easier for tiny hands to manage. And I love that I can stuff them with all of the little green things that Knox usually refuses to eat, top with a little cheese, melt, slice into wedges with a pizza cutter, and VOILA! He loves them and has no idea that he's putting anything nutricious inside his belly :)
James and I are loving us some pitas too. Here's some of our families favorite ways to eat them:

- Spread hummus and drizzle a little honey inside and you've got a healthy snack for your toddler. (And you!)

- Pita pizzas. I try to keep some pizza sauce (the kind in the squeezie bottle) in the fridge for just this purpose. Top pita with sauce, your choice of veggies/meat, and cheese. Melt in microwave for a quick kid-approved lunch.
- Sandwiches. Chop up lunch meat and spinach leaves together. Stuff inside pita along with a little grated cheddar. Melt.

- Burgers. We love burger night. And sometimes we'll love them on pitas. Just grill half-moon shaped burgers, stuff inside pita along with half a slice of cheese, melt in a 400 degree over for a minute or so. Then add your toppings of choice.

- Philly Pitas. (*Love*) Cook Philly Cheesesteak Meat (found in frozen food section) with chopped onions and green peppers, and a little salt and pepper. Stuff pitas with meat mixture and then a half slice of provolone cheese. Wrap each pita in foil. Heat in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Add mayo before devouring!

2. Chicken

Another one of Knox's favorites. (And no, I'm not just talking chicken nuggets.) I like to keep a bag of Tyson's frozen tenderloins on hand at all times. You can get a big bag from Sam's for next to nothing. Whenever we're making chicken for dinner or piping up the grill for any reason, I always thaw out about 6 tenderloins for Knox. They only take about 10 minutes in warm water to thaw, and I'll usually throw them in some Italian dressing to marinade. James puts them on the grill and then Knox will eat on them for lunch all week! (And yep - sometimes I'll throw them in a pita!)

Yes, he does love chicken nuggets. And yes, I do keep them in the freezer because in a bind, they're quick and easy. But he really only has them about once a week, because I just feel that the tenderloins are just so much healthier, and I don't want him to grow up being one of those kids who refuses to eat anything but nuggets and hotdogs.

3. Cheese
Shredded. Slices. Strings. Knox is not picky about how he likes his dairy!

4. Sneaky Cooking
As I've mentioned before - Knox hates all things green. But Lord knows I keep trying to give it to him. Subsequently, I've gotten pretty creative with my cooking. Lately I've been sneaking veggies into meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, homemade pizza, etc. I've also been known to douse greens in butter, sugar, cheese, you-name-it, in order to get them in his belly!

...I try to to let Knox eat just like us, so we don't rely on a whole lot of "toddler" foods, but there are a few products out there that we like to keep handy...

5. Gerber Graduates Pasta Pickups
These are great for those nights when James is working and we're out of leftovers. I'll have a bowl of cereal and whip these out for Knox. I don't feel too terribly bad about giving them to him because they are stuffed with either beef or chicken and some type of vegetable (tomato, carrots, or spinach). And oh my he LOVES them. He starts hyperventilating when he sees me pull them out.

6. Easy Mac
Baby boy loves his mac-n-cheese. And heck I can't blame him. I let him have some Easy Mac every now and then for lunch to go along with his chicken.

7. Mini Lunchables
I recently found these at the grocery store and they have been PERFECT lunches for sending to MDO with Knox. They are smaller portions cut into mini pieces just right for toddlers. And since school doesn't like for the kids to have 'messy' foods, these along with a little box of raisins are just right. I stock up on them now because they're kind of hard to find. I guess I'm not the only Mommy who's loving them :)

Pineapple Cherry Dumpcake

This is one of my favorite 'last-minute' desserts to make. It's so easy it's a sin. Great recipe for younger kids learning to cook. Everyone seems to love it too...



{ Print }

Printing Recipe Cards

So I've finally figured out an easier way to share my recipe cards with ya'll!
From here on out, I'll be uploading my recipes as PDF's onto Google Docs, and then posting the link to view & print them here. This way, the original size is preserved (4x6in) and you don't have to worry about doing any sort of editing to them... Just click and print :) Geeze I don't know why I didn't do this a long time ago...

However, you will need Adobe Reader (something you probably/should have anyway) on your computer in order to view the PDF format. You can download a free version here.

I've uploaded all of my previously posted recipes, so I'm providing links to those now if you would like to print them:

Asparagus
Banana Nut Bread
Buttercream Frosting
Chicken Pasta
Chicken Tetrazzini
Corn Casserole
Corn Dip
Fruit Cobbler
Hamburger Mac
Taco Pie
Onion Dip
Pecan Encrusted Chicken
Smothered Pork Chops
Pumpkin Bread
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Taco Soup
Fruit Pizza
Summer Tomatoes
I recommend using sturdy cardstock paper for these. And I've found that sometimes adjusting the color settings on my printer helps to create a more "true" color once printed.

Show Us Your Life : Dinner Recipes

Kelly's Korner is doing a blog carnival today on dinner recipes, so I had to join in!
This first one is new to my blog, but the others are recycled from my old recipes posts. However, they are all favorite dinners in our house. And EASY too!
[Click on images to enlarge.]

{ Print }

Oh this is so good. And it's been too long since I've made it. Hmmmm...

{ Print }

This is also really yummy using crushed pretzels instead of pecans. If so, throw in a little honey mustard in the basting mixture. YUM!

{ Print }

Definitely a kid pleaser! But adults will love it just the same...


{ Print }

Nice dish, especially in the cold winter months...

**And I'm finally getting around to adding a picture for this one:



Please disregard the disposable bakeware. This was our frozen-and-thawed half of my latest batch. Definitely a great dish to stock the freezer with!

We also love to grill around here. Recently I posted some of our grilling secrets - so go check them out!

Pumpkin Bread

 What is it with bakery breads? Sometimes they come out fabulous for me - like above - and sometimes they don't cook through the middle. I haven't figured out the secret yet but I swear I think it has to do with the weather... I have the same trouble with my Banana Bread. With that said - here's the recipe I currently use for Pumpkin Bread. When it's a good "baking day" it turns out soooo yummy...
[click to enlarge]{ Print } *For the nuts you will probably want to use walnuts instead of pecans.

Grillin' Like a Villian

(The title, I know... But I just couldn't resist. Oh hush...)
Around here, we LOVE to grill. (And by that I mean James loves to grill. I marinate and do side dishes...) And since it's Labor Day, what better time than to share some of  James' Our favorite grilling secrets :)

Favorite Chicken Marinades:
- Kraft Honey Dijon Vinaigrette salad dressing
- Archer Farms (Target brand) Teriyaki Grilling Sauce
- Any of McCormick's Grill Mates packets (esp. Garlic Herb & Wine, Zesty Herb, and Tomato Garlic & Basil). Tip: They will all call for an oil and a vinegar; I always use olive oil and balsamic vinegar no matter what it says. Gives it an awesome, tender flavor.
James "Secret" Steak Marinade:
- 1 part olive oil
- 1 part Dale's marinade (Is this only available in the South???)
- 1 part Allegro's marinade
- Mrs. Dash Table blend to taste
*Marinade only for 15-30 minutes, otherwise it will get too salty. Try this and you'll never want your steaks any other way... Promise :)

Our Burgers:
- Mix 2lb ground beef (or turkey) with 1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix. Or half it if you only want four 1/4lb burgers. Grill. (We also sometimes use Gourmet Burger Seasoning by Weber: Grill Creations.)
- Top with your favorite cheese. We are currently loving New York Sharp White Cheddar by Sargento.
- Lightly butter the insides of honey wheat buns. Have hubby throw them on the grill to toast.
{Burger night is Knox's favorite. He's even been known to tear through some Black & Blue burgers...}

Kabobs:
- Marinate meat and veggies/pineapple (separately) in Archer Farms Teriyaki Grilling sauce and juice from your can of pineapple chunks.
- Soak wood skewers in olive oil before adding meat and veggies.
- Again, have hubby grill.
*Our veggies of choice are usually sweet vidalia onion, stop light bell peppers (green, yellow, red), and the pineapple chunks just make it. Sometimes we'll throw little cherry tomatoes on there too, but careful cause those suckers get HOT!

Corn on the Cob:
- Submerge ears of corn in water for 15-20 minutes. Remove and shake out excess water.
- Peel back husks, butter, replace husks.
- Grill, making sure to turn every 5 minutes.
- Husks will be dark brown/black when corn is ready.
Happy Grilling to all!

Diptacular!

So when I 'heard' BooMama was having a Dip-tacular blog tour today, I just couldn't resist! Football is in full swing here in Texas and the holidays are just around the corner so...
'tis the season for DIPS!

My most favorite dip of all time is Hot Onion Souffle! Mmmm... You may have had it before? This warm, comforting appetizer is especially good during the winter months. I highly recommend it for your next get-together/covered-dish...

[click to enlarge]

{ Print }

And also...

[click to enlarge]

{ Print }

Now, now ladies... don't be scared off by all the mayo, sour cream, and cheeses in these 2 recipes. After all, those are just the makings of a great, finger-licking dip!

Chicken Tetrazzini

This is one of my mom's old recipes...

{ Print }

This is an easy dish, but it does involve a little more "prep" work. Definitely worth it though! It's especially good for feeding a large group of people (easy to double).

Stuffed Bell Peppers

6 large bell peppers
2 cups cooked rice
1lb ground beef/turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
ketchup

{1} Cut tops off peppers and scoop out seeds to hollow out. OR - I sometimes slice the peppers in half, longways, and snap off the stems. This makes smaller, shallower servings and cooks more evenly.

{2} Combine meat, rice, egg, milk, and soup mix.

{3} Scoop meat mixture in to peppers but do not "pack" it in.

{4} Arrange peppers in a baking dish and drizzle ketchup over each.

{5} Bake at 375 for 50 minutes.

Buttercream Icing and a TIGER Cake!

As you may/may not know, my Dad's wedding is tonight and I've been delegated as photographer. And my sister was kind enough to volunteer me to make Dad's grooms cake as well! {Oh I'm just being dramatic... I LOVE an excuse to bake :)} So I've been busy these past few days gathering supplies, ingredients, and creative ideas, and low-and-behold I just put the finishing touches on my-so-called-masterpiece a little while ago:

My Dad's a Memphis basketball fanatic, so I think he's gonna love it. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out myself.

I debated on using fondant icing becasue cutting out those tiger stripes would have been A LOT easier then piping them (my hands hurt!) - but I finally settled on good old fashioned buttercream due to the fact that humidity and fondant don't mix well (outdoor wedding) and also because I'm partial to the taste of buttercream. But geeze it took long to pipe this thing!

This was actually my first time making a true butttercream from scratch and I was very pleased with the recipe I used:

As for the cake itself: Pilsbury Classic White mix :) You really can't beat it on taste for just a plain white cake, don't ya think?

Taco Soup

This is a favorite recipe from one of my Southern Living cook books...

{ Print }

I know July isn't really "soup weather" - but the Tex-Mex flavors in this one make it seem more like a summery vegetable soup.

Pecan Encrusted Chicken

Have you ever had the Pecan Chicken Tender Salad at O'Charley's? Well if you haven't you should. It's the only dish I can eat there. (TGI Friday's has a version, but it's not as yummy.)

It's so good, in fact, that I had to come up with my own Pecan Encrusted Chicken recipe just so we can enjoy it at home:

{ Print }

I added step 5 after my first trial run because I found it hard to get the batter to "stick" to the chicken. And if you want a more "candied" finish, add more honey and/or broil for a few minutes at the end of baking. (James likes it that way.)

Another tip - Cut your chicken breasts in to 2" strips. Will result in more crunch and bakes faster.

And if you want to imitate O'Charley's salad - here's how I do it...

- Pecan Encrusted Chicken (cut into strips)
- romaine lettuce
- mandarin oranges (drained)
- feta cheese (OC uses blue cheese)
- Salad Pizazz Cherry Cranberry Pecano
- your favorite Balsamic Vinegarette salad dressing

Hamburger-Mac & Asparagus

This is actually one my mom created back when we were young, and now I can see why it was a family staple: It's cheap. Easy. And all ages can enjoy! Especially little ones. But let's be honest, anything having to do with mac-n-cheese is bound to go over well with kids, right? And another plus: you probably have everything you need for this one right in your pantry!


{Print}

And for our side - Asparagus... My favorite kind, actually. (Thanks to Mom again!) I used to steam my asparagus, but it always seemed to get soggy and over-cooked if I was one second late getting it out of the basket. Well, I've found that this baked recipe cooks it to absolute perfection. Crisp yet Tender...

{ Print }



This is actually a pic of our left-overs, but they were just as tasty!

Chicken Pasta

[click to enlarge]{ Print }

Tips...
- I use whole wheat pasta because it adds so much flavor and texture.
- I put 1.5 tsp. crushed red pepper in mine and it was a little spicy for my taste but J loved it. That's why I recommend 1 tsp. in the recipe. However if you're not big on spicy or if you're feeding kids, I'd cut it down to 1/2 tsp. or omit it altogether.
- I used Del Monte's diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano.
- If you don't have sea salt I'd just substitute a pinch of table salt.
- You can kind of play around with the spices, garlic, and cheese to suit your family's taste.

Banana Nut Bread

{ Print }

Fruit Cobbler

My grandmother's age-old recipe for Cobbler...


{ Print }

I love this one (a) for it's buttery, cinnamon & nutmeg crust, and
(b) because you can use absolutely any pie filling you want! My favorites are strawberry, blueberry, & apple.

In that order.



{Blueberry}

 

Note: Don't think you're losing your mind as you're spooning the filling over the crust. I promise it will rise as it bakes and turn out perfect ;) And the 45-60min baking time will depend on your oven and [I don't know why, but I swear...] the weather.

Corn Casserole

This one is an old family favortie: Corn Casserole.

Not sure where it came from originally. I've just loved it for as long as I can remember. A side dish compliments just about anything. Think 'your mama's cornbread with a KICK'...

{--click to view--}
{ Print }

A very smart woman once told me that every good recipe starts with a stick of butter, and this one is no exception!

Mr. Frog Cupcakes

I made these adorable cupcakes for Knox's 1st birthday.

Having planned this party 3 states away, my resources were limited when it came to feeding 60 people dessert. I try to shy away from plain ole sheet cakes whenever possible; so - opting for variety - I ended up making 3 desserts: a coconut cake, Fruit Pizza, and Mr. Frog cupcakes for the kiddos. They loved them! (And so did the adults, if we're being honest.)

I'll credit Google for this idea:

- Tint plain white icing green with food coloring (I used mainly green and a few drops of yellow). Frost cupcakes.
- Cut chilled marshmallows with clean scissors to make 4 circles. Dab with black icing to make "googly" eyes.
- Create smile with black icing.
- Cut chilled fruit roll-ups into forked strips to make tongues.
- Sprinkle cupcakes with green sugar to make freckles.


They were almost too good to eat.

Oh and I know I said I made them, but I really just did the first one and then delegated them to my sister to finish.

She did a fantastic job!