Momathon Blog

Behind-the-Scenes Look at Food Blogging

Watching this behind-the-scenes video about the gluten-free foodie Lisa Thiele—she blogs at With Style and Grace—makes me want to stock up on fresh veggies and whip up a healthy meal for dinner. How does Lisa work her kitchen magic and manage to create mouth-watering blog posts? Her blog name gives it away—she has both style and grace.

Everything looks delicious thanks to Lisa's cooking finesse and the awesome food styling by Erin at Apartment 34. The video features Erin's beautiful loft home. You can find out more about how they made the video at theglitterguide.com. 

You can find Lisa's Mediterranean Chickpea Salad here. Yum!

The Little Paris Kitchen with Rachel Khoo

When I was in college I worked in the French Hotel Sofitel bakery as a pastry chef. I will never know why I got the job. I don't know which I exaggerated about more in my job interview—my cooking skills or my French speaking skills. Anyway, I worked physically harder at that job than any other job—lugging around huge metal bowls of 101 combinations of pastry dough, burning my wrists and hands on baking pans, and sweating from 6 am until 3 pm in a kitchen that had a wall of floor-to-ceiling walk-in ovens. I admit eating as many ice cream filled Profiteroles you want was a perk, but it was soooo hot in the bakery that near the end of my tenure working in the hotel, I moved to the much cooler main kitchen in the hotel making Coquilles St. Jacques and Ratatouille.

Check out a more lighthearted look at a French kitchen in the video below. The beautiful cookbook, The Little Paris Kitchen, also has a brand new BBC2 TV series with Rachel Khoo cooking up a storm from her tiny Parisian kitchen. She is a British chef and she admits that the hardest people to cook for are French chefs. I agree with that! But she seems fluent in both her cooking and French speaking. Her skills tower over mine. Maybe I need some more practice. A trip to France would be nice this summer I'm sure...

 

You can watch the video above on YouTube also.

(Collage images designed by me, Chris Olson, using photos from the short film The Little Paris Kitchen.)

New Year's Eve: Jell-ing Classic Cocktails for Party Drinks

Blogger Michelle Palm started her Jelly Shot Test Kitchen blog in 2009 after perfecting the recipes for grown-up gelatin treats such as Champagne Cocktails, Cosmopolitans, Tequila Sunrises, Pink Squirrels, Mojitos, Gimlets, and Chocolate Martinis. Palm's book Jelly Shot Test Kitchen: Jell-ing Classic Cocktails-One Drink at a Time is a perfect recipe book for New Year's Eve party planning. It includes more than 60 recipes for "boozy delights." You can try out many of her recipes here. One of my faves is the Cosmopolitan Jelly Shot Recipe. If you want to make the jelly shot recipes for a party, they need to set several hours before serving.

Here are just a few of the many treats from her book showcasing her gorgeous jelly jewels.

Melon Ball Jelly Shot

Tomato and Lemon Fettucine Recipe

This is a favorite fast pasta meal at my house. I love the fact it is a very forgiving recipe too. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes work well. I even substitute lemon concentrate for fresh lemons when I'm in a hurry. (See Tomato and lemon fettuccine below)

Cooking with Kids: Mediterranean Pizzas

The best part of making your own pizza at home is you can personalize each pizza. Get your kids involved in the menu planning and the grocery shopping. Things to consider: select veggies they love on pizza, decide if they want pre-made red pizza sauce or just a drizzle of oil, and select a combo of their favorite cheeses. Recipe below.

Kiss the cook

 

Hope you had a lovely long holiday weekend. Having the kids cook with me in the kitchen always makes the holidays a fun family time. My daughter loves to bake and she surprised me with a delicious Sunday breakfast. So sweet!

If you want to check out my cooking with kids recipes, click on this Momathon recipe link that includes Buttery Holiday Spritz, Mini German Pancakes, Easy Raspberry Tiramisu, Kids' Choice Citrus Cranberry Chicken, and many more kid-friendly recipes.

Bon appetit!

Photo: by me, Chris Olson

 

Cooking with Kids: Buttery Holiday Spritz Cookies

The holiday season is starting early at my house this year. I have been craving these buttery cookies for days. This recipe is a perfect cookie to make with kids. Mixing the 5-ingredient dough is a snap. Plus your kids will love using the cookie press to make the cookies.

Buttery Spritz

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp flavoring (almond or vanilla)
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Heat oven to 400. Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks, and flavoring. Add flour to mixture. Select the cookie press shape you want to use. (Each time you fill the press you can change the cookie press shape.) Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, force the dough through the cookie press (see the photo below) onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 7-10 minutes--be careful not to overbake. Makes about 6 dozen cookies. 

Photo by me, Chris Olson

Cooking with Kids: Mini German Pancakes Recipe

Here's a quick recipe that multi-tasks! My mini german pancakes are perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. My mom is a home economist and when I was a kid she made a similar recipe in a 13x9x2-inch pan. I modified the recipe and reduced the amount of butter (and calories) and also bake my "eggies" in a cupcake pan. This is an easy recipe--only four ingredients, plus the toppings. It's one you can make with your kids.

Click my blog link below to get recipe. You can find more of my easy recipes on Facebook too.

Cooking with Kids: Easy Raspberry Tiramisu

 

 

 

Tiramsu–sometimes called "heaven in your mouth"–is a refreshing Italian dessert that's as much fun to make as it is to say: tih-ruh-mee-SOO. The raspberry version in this recipe is easy enough to make with the kids. I modified the original recipe by Dorie Greenspan and added family-friendly cooking tips so the kids can help you make this layered treat recipe. (Note: This is a no-fuss recipe, don't worry if you can't find fresh raspberries for the top layer–just use slightly thawed frozen berries.)

Kid-friendly directions below.

Farmer's Market

Fresh from a garden, so many delicious treats here. No one leaves a farmer's market empty handed.

More farmer's market photos on the following link:

Summer in the kitchen with Giada De Laurentiis

The book Giada's Kitchen by Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis is my favorite cookbook this summer. (I also like her cookbook Giada at Home.)

 

 

Giada's Kitchen is California cooking with an Italian twist. Amazon.com explains:

Italy meets California in Giada De Laurentiis’s collection of 100 new recipes. She focuses on fresh ingredients, simple preparation, and bright flavors. Anyone who wants to indulge in the pleasures of Italian food without feeling weighed down will find inspiration for delicious, hearty yet healthy weekday meals. Giada’s recipes satisfy both our desire to eat with gusto and to feel good about what we eat.

And why not love this cookbook--I think Giada wrote Giada's Kitchen with busy moms in mind. According to Barnes & Noble:

She even made us fall in love with pasta again by opening us up to lighter, healthier versions that don’t weigh us down... Yes, you will still find those fabulous recipes she remembers so fondly from family meals, but you’ll also find updated twists on classic trattoria favorites—California-inflected, hearty but not overwhelming, and with the perfect balance of healthfulness and terrific flavor. 

The recipes by Giada are delicious and family-pleasing. And the photos are what makes this cookbook easy to use.

Here are a few of Giada's recipes on the Food Network and in her cookbook:

• Whole-Wheat Linguine with Green Beans, Ricotta, and Lemon Recipe
• Italian Ice Recipe
• Apple and Thyme Martini Recipe

 

Cookbook review by me, Chris Olson, writer and illustrator.

 

 

Kids' Choice Citrus Cranberry Chicken

Cooking is quickly becoming a favorite hobby of kids of all ages. Your kids can cook up some fun with this easy make-ahead citrus and cranberry chicken recipe.

Kids' Choice Citrus Cranberry Chicken

Prep: 20-30 minutes.
Make this dish ahead, 8 hours or overnight in fridge, then bake as directed.
Bake: 45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Ingredients 

• non stick cooking spray
• approximately 10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
• 1 14oz - 16 oz can of whole cranberry sauce
• 1 cup French (or Catalina) salad dressing
• 1/2 cup orange jouice
• 1 envelope (1 oz. package) onion soup mix
• side dish: approximate 5 cups cooked brown or white rice

 

1) Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish (approx. 3 quart dish) with nonstick cooking spray.

2) Have an adult cut the chicken breast halves into smaller pieces to make the dish easier to serve.

3) Arrange chicken pieces in the baking dish.

4) Combine in a bowl:

• cranberry sauce
• salad dressing
• orange juice
• onion soup mix (dry)

5) Evenly pour sauce above over the chicken in baking dish.

6) Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

7) Remove plastic wrap and bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 45 - 50 minutes.

Have an adult slice into a piece of cooked chicken to make sure the chicken is no longer pink inside or you can use a meat thermometer. Cooked chicken should reach 170 degrees F.

8) Serve with brown rice.

Approximately 8 - 10 servings

(Photo by me, Chris Olson)

Too tired to cook recipes: Gingery peanut noodles with chicken + chicken and gruyere turnovers

We've all been there, it's nearly 5 pm, you wander aimlessly through the grocery store, your kids are hip to your frazzled state and they dump enough bags of chips and cookies into the grocery cart to last a month. You are too tired to care what they are up to at this point, all you want is something healthy and simple to make for dinner tonight.

You spot the rotisserie chicken over in the deli section--it's a great convenience food that is not overly processed--but you are not interested in serving the same old chicken and sides.

Thanks to Allie Lewis Clapp, food director of Real Simple magazine, you don't have to do the same old thing. You can make a varitety of yummy meals with the grocery store rotisserie chicken. I like all three of her ideas:

• Gingery Peanut Noodles With Chicken--all you have to cook is the noodles, add some shredded rotisserie chicken, bell peppers, and prepare the easy peanut dressing.
• Chicken and Gruyère Turnovers--a fancy (and healthier) version of a Hot Pocket meal that uses puff pastry, shredded rotisserie chicken, grated Gruyere cheese (Swiss cheese), Dijon mustard, and frozen pees.
• Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches--a quick meal using Buffalo wing sauce from the grocery store, shredded rotisserie chicken, melted butter, and your favorite melted cheese.

Watch the demo video featuring
Allie Lewis Clap on the TODAY Show here.

• • •

Recipe: Gingery Peanut Noodles with Chicken 

Allie Lewis Clapp, Real Simple Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 8 oz. spaghetti (cooked)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into strips
• 2 scallions
• Chopped peanuts

For the complete recipe, check out the delicious recipes posted by Allie Lewis Clapp at this link: Real Simple Recipes.

Photo: a scene from the great recipe demo video on  TODAYshow.com.

Cook lasagna in your dishwasher!?

I love my dishwasher's geeky control panel with lots of cool wash options. However, I guess Whirlpool forgot one: the cook dinner setting.

Evidently my loyal dishwasher is also a mighty multi-tasker because it can double as an oven too! I'm not sure I'm going to cook my dinner in the dishwasher tonight, but the recipe does seem easy.

Is dishwasher lasagna just another crazy cooking concoction or will it turn into the next culinary trend? The dishwasher dinner recipes may have originated around the campfire. According to CityPages.com,  

The foil-wrapped meal is placed on the washer's lower rack and left to cook through the wash cycle--the method is a little like a water-based version of a campfire hobo pack. 

Next time you have a dinner party, consider putting your dishwasher to work in the prep! This lasagna in the dishwasher recipe is guaranteed to leave your guests speechless, but happy with the clever meal. Seeing is believing--check out the Dishwasher Lasagna demo video featured on PartSelect.com.

Not in the mood for lasagna, check out this list of dishwasher dinners:

 

• Salmon with Piquant Dill Sauce. Recipe on Food Network.
• Shrimp A La Dishwasher. Recipe on Cooking-With-Us
• Salmon Steaks with Dill and Lemon. Recipe on Urban Bushcraft.
• Poached Salmon. Recipe on Wine X Magazine.
• Salmon with Cilantro. Recipe on Salon: Surreal Gourmet.
• Beef Cooked in Dishwasher. Recipe on Cooking-With-Us.
• Perfectly Poached Salmon. Recipe on ModernMom.com.

 

NOTE: I am not a professional chef and I have not tried any of the dishwasher dinner recipes, so I can't personally endorse cooking in the dishwasher.

Photo above is from the PartSelect.com video on Vimeo. Doodle text above is by me. (You can see more of my doodles at Momathon doodles.)

 

Back for seconds: Easy Raspberry Tiramisu

Only 7 delicious ingredients and 3 steps to make Raspberry Tiramsu! Sometimes called "heaven in your mouth," this refreshing Italian dessert is as much fun to eat as it is to say: tih-ruh-mee-SOO. The raspberry version in this post is easy enough to make with the kids. Dorie Greenspan has the complete recipe for this layered treat at Parade.com. 

Ingredients:

12 oz. frozen raspberries, thawed

1/4 cup sugar

2 oz. (2-inch-thick slice) pound cake

1/4 cup mascarpone (an Italian triple cream cheese)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly whipped

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Now all I need to do is decide what to serve the desert in... Wine glasses? Martini glasses? Or just some pretty glass bowls?

 

(Tiramisu image by Bloggyboulga)

Back for seconds... I posted this recipe last year. For more recipes and cooking ideas, check out Momathon cooking and recipes

 

 

Bloat busters

If you have a slinky LBD you want to wear at a holiday party you probably want to avoid that dreaded bloated feeling. Nutritionist Joy Bauer on the TODAY Show offers four foods and drinks you should cut back on one to two days before the party.

1) Starch in carbs including bread, pasta, potatoes
2) Gas producing veggies including broccoli, cauliflower, and potatoes
3) Carbonated beverages
4) Sodium in salty foods

Drinking lots of plain water during the holidays will help keep you hydrated and looking svelte.

Illustration: Chris Olson © 2010.

Roasted pumpkin seed recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 pinch salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. 
• Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet with edges so seeds do not fall off.
• Bake seeds for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Stir occasionally.

Recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups

Photo: Jenib320

Busy mom cookbook by Ina Garten: How Easy Is That?

I have a new cookbook on my wish list. I don't think I can wait until Christmas to buy the book. I need these recipes for Thanksgiving. See Ina's fool-proof turkey recipe below (via Amazon.com.)

Ina Garten shares three super simple recipes on The TODAY Show from her new book How Easy Is That?

Turkey recipe from Ina's new cookbook:

Ingredients

1 whole bone-in turkey breast (6½ to 7 pounds)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan, skin side up.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly all over the skin of the turkey breast. (You can also loosen the skin and smear half of the paste underneath, directly on the meat.) Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1½ to 1 ¾ hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest and meatiest area of the breast. Check the breast after an hour or so; if the skin is overbrowning, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

When the turkey is done, remove from the oven, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and allow the turkey to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm with the pan juices.

Cooking with Kids: Pizza Lollipops

Is it possible to combine two of my favoriet things--lollipops and pizza?

Meaghan Montford, The decorated cookie blogger, loves tiny versions of things. And she can almost always think of a clever way to add a lollipop stick to an edible craft. (She also writes the Edible Crafts blog.)

Recipe:
In her pizza pops post Meaghan tells you exactly how to make your own Pizza Lollipops at home. And if you are really adventurous you can make a lollipop calzone too! Too cool.

I think making a half a dozen of the cute pops would make a clever gift idea.

(Photo: the decorated cookie blog.)

 

Busy Mom Recipe: Raspberry Tiramisu

 

 

Only 7 delicious ingredients and 3 steps to make Raspberry Tiramsu! Sometimes called "heaven in your mouth," this refreshing Italian dessert is as much fun to eat as it is to say: tih-ruh-mee-SOO. The raspberry version in this post is easy enough to make with the kids. Dorie Greenspan has a quick recipe for this layered treat at Parade.com. Try out this easy recipe with your family. Directions below.

Cooking with kids: Ribbon Candy

 

Linda V. of Brisbane, Australia loves baking, decorating cakes and cookies, and party planning. Just reading her blog Bubble and Sweet makes my mouth water. Her recent blog post all about making Marshmallow Ribbon Candy is now on my new recipes to try list. Besides creating food in the yummiest colors, your kids will love to help out because making the candy is like an oh-so-cool (and edible) science experiment right in your kitchen. 

I think this recipe is a great one to try with older kids, but an adult should be supervising because you end up making a VERY HOT marshmallow lava bowl in the microwave.

To make the ribbon candy, you first need to make the marshmallow fondant. Just four ingredients:

• sugar
• marshmallows
• Crisco
• water

For the complete recipe, check out Linda's Marshmallow Fondant Recipe online. After you make the fondant, follow her directions for coloring the fondant and rolling out the Marshmallow Ribbon Candy.

For more recipes for moms and kids, check out Momathon food and recipes.

5 bad fast food meals kids love

Even though I don't think I frequent fast food places, the evidence of stopping once in a while for fries or a burger is clear: Before my kids could read a picture book, they could "read" the Burger King logo sign. 

Sigh. We all know eating healthy meals and snacks is best, but many of us still crave a fresh salad with a gallon of dressing or a sugary fruit smoothie. Nutrition, it turns out, is not always easy to recognize.

Recently Dr. Susan Albers, a psychologist who specializes in eating issues and body image concerns, made a list of foods kids should avoid in Huffington Post. According to Albers, a recent study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) examined fast food favorites for kids that are popular because they are heavily marketed. Turns out the nutritional content on these meals is less than favorable. Surprise. Surprise. Kids love junk. And I'm guessing that anything labeled a "Happy Meal" sounds good to a six-year-old.

According to Albers article, here are the five worst fast food kids meals (using data from PCRM's study):

Worst
McDonald's Mighty Kids Meal: Double Cheeseburger, French fries, and chocolate milk. 840 calories, 37 grams of fat

2nd Worst
Wendy's Kids Meal: Chicken Sandwich, French fries and chocolate Frosty. 770 calories, 34 grams of fat.

3rd Worst
KFC Kids Meal: Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, string cheese and soda. 800 calories, 1,800 milligrams of sodium.

4th Worst
A&W Kids Meal: Cheeseburger, French fries and soda. 780 calories, 9 grams of saturated fat.

5th Worst
Burger King's BK Kids: Breakfast muffin sandwich meal. 95 milligrams of cholesterol (exceeds the Institute of Medicine's limit on sodium intake.)

For more information on healthy eating habits, check out the Momathon health & wellness news.

Quick Recipe: Tomato and lemon fettuccine

 

 

Tomato and lemon fettuccine

1 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes

3/4 lb fresh fettucine (spinach or egg fettuccine)

2 lemons 

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp salt

black pepper

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
• In a smaller saucepan, mix together the cream, salt and pepper.
• Wash the lemon and then remove the rind from lemons in long strips using a vegetable peeler. Cut strips into thin strips. Set aside to use as a topping.
• Wash the tomatoes and slice in half. Set aside.
• Squeeze the juice from the lemons, strain the juice, and pour into the saucepan with the cream mixture. (You can also use pre-packaged lemon juice that equals 2 lemons.)
• Bring the creamy mixture to a boil for one minute and then reduce heat to simmer.
• Cook the fettuccine in the boiling water until barely done. This takes about 3-8 minutes depending on the freshness of the pasta. Drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the cream sauce.
• Divide the pasta into 4 to 6 portions. Top each pasta portion with tomato halves, strips of julienned lemon rind, and freshly ground pepper.

Bon Appetit!

For more recipes, click on Momathon recipes.

(Fettuccine photo by me.)

It's so Etsy: Angel Kiss Organic Coffee

 

 

Perfect for iced coffees or hot in a mug, Angel Kiss organic coffee is a delicious mix of caramel pecan, butter rum, vanilla notes and a touch of cinnamon. Coffee orders are available ground or whole bean. Perfect for gift giving. You can even add a custom label. Each order comes with a simple recipe for making your own Lattes at home too. $11.45

Angel Kiss flavored coffee beans available at katherynmd's online store at Etsy.com--your place to buy and sell all things handmade.

DIY: Homemade sugar bliss lip scrub

 

Feeling a bit flaky? I know the feeling. In the morning when I put on layer after layer of my favorite cotton candy gloss, sometimes the flakiness won't go away. 

If you are longing for the days when your lips felt soft and smooth, then try this homemade lip scrub to make your lips ultra kissable. The sugar in the recipe exfoliates and softens your lips and the Vaseline moisturizes and soothes your lips. 

Sugar Bliss Lip Scrub:

• Moisturize your lips generously with Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly.
• Add a tsp. of sugar into a small bowl.
• Lightly moisten your finger in water and dip it into the sugar.
• Apply sugar to both the upper and lower lips with your finger.
• Gently rub the sugar into the Vaseline for about 30 seconds in a circular motion and you will remove the dry, flaky skin.
• Rinse off your lips with warm (not cold) water.
• Dry off your lips and add your favorite lip gloss or lipstick.

(Lip photo by Apdk on Flickr)

I also posted this DIY lip scrub recipe in April.

For more recipes, click on Momathon recipes.

I also posted this DIY lip scrub recipe in April.

For more recipes, click on Momathon recipes.

The high cost of low-cost foods

Finding a deal on a pantry staple at the grocery is a great feeling. That is, until you realize that the low cost of some foods comes with a high price--our safety. Critics of the centralized food production system note the current practices allow for lower costs, but the voluntary recall by large corporations means they are also overseeing their own safety measures. 

The current egg recall by large-scale egg producers involves more than a half-billion eggs linked to a Salmonella outbreak. I recently wrote about the egg recall at BlogHer. The egg recall is only one of many current recalls including a deli meat recall from Wal-Mart. For more details on recalls check out: FDA: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts.

Improved safety measures
Under current legislation the FDA does not have the necessary power to trace safety violations and impose a recall. The bipartisan Food Safety Bill (S510) under consideration in the Senate now might be the key to improving the situation by giving the FDA new powers to safeguard our food and track down violators.

Meanwhile, cook your eggs thoroughly and prevent cross-contamination by cleaning all surfaces and utensils.

For additional information on recent food recalls, check out these links:

FDA: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts

Deli Meat Tests Positive for Bacteria - US News and World Report

Nationwide deli meat recall announced - CNN.com

Egg recall points up need for Senate action on food safety - Washington Post

Got egs? Read this - Momathon Blog

Island cooking with easy breezy fish tacos

Fish tacos is a meal we all love at my house. Simple to make. Only few ingredients. Best of all, kids can assemble their own tacos and get exactly the taco combo they want.

Giada De Laurentiis on The Today Show shares a yummy tiki-themed meal in the video below.

Giada's fish tacos

taco filling
tilapia filets baby arugula
avocado olive oil
mango kosher salt
green onions pepper

dressing
olive oil
lime juice
kosher salt

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Sex and the City 2: Glamour Gal Cocktail (Carrie's drink)

Move over Cosmo, 

the girls have a new sublime cocktail to share.

Recipe compliments of SKYY vodka.

 

2 oz. SKYY Vodka 
0.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz. fresh lime juice
0.5 oz. simple syrup (or 1 tsp. sugar)
Drop of Crème de cassis

1) To rim a martini glass with a bit of sweet sparkle, dip the rim of the glass in a shallow dish filled with crème de cassis and immediately place rim in another shallow dish with sugar, rotating the glass to ensure the whole rim is covered.

2) Combine  citrus juices, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. 

3) Shake vigorously and strain into the martini glass. Finish the cocktail with a drop of Crème de cassis on top.

DIY: Homemade sugar bliss lip scrub

 

 

Feeling a bit flaky? I know the feeling. In the morning when I put on layer after layer of my favorite cotton candy gloss, sometimes the flakiness won't go away. 

If you are longing for the days when your lips felt soft and smooth, then try this homemade lip scrub to make your lips ultra kissable. The sugar in the recipe exfoliates and softens your lips and the Vaseline moisturizes and soothes your lips. 

Sugar Bliss Lip Scrub:

• Moisturize your lips generously with Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly.
• Add a tsp. of sugar into a small bowl.
• Lightly moisten your finger in water and dip it into the sugar.
• Apply sugar to both the upper and lower lips with your finger.
• Gently rub the sugar into the Vaseline for about 30 seconds in a circular motion and you will remove the dry, flaky skin.
• Rinse off your lips with warm (not cold) water.
• Dry off your lips and add your favorite lip gloss or lipstick.

(Lip photo by Apdk on Flickr)

Best mom food bloggers according to Babble.com

 

I don't know how the editors could narrow it down to only 50--so many talented foodies write blogs. Check out Babble.com's 50 Best Mom Food Bloggers list including these yummy blogs Food Allergy Mama, Steamy Kitchen, Kayotic Kitchen and Seven Spoons.

One of the best things about these blogs is you don't have to be another Martha Stewart in the kitchen to enjoy reading them. Of course, great recipes are key to their success, but you can also check out these blogs for their humor and beautiful photography. 

The staff and contributors at Babble "picked these fifty because each demonstrated excellence in voice, photography, design, or all three."

Love, love, love the listing by the editors on Babble, but have to admit their photo of chocolate dripping off the mixer is making me very hungry. Cupcakes anyone?

Bon Appetit!

(Image: Babble.com post)

 

Move over cupcake, the macaroons are here

 

 
A new tasty treat is vying for the cupcakes top spot this year. Just in time for Easter. Could it be the coconut macaroon looks like the grass in your Easter basket. Or maybe we just love the outlandish unfoodly colors they come in--hot pink, sunshine orange, snowball white, and neon green. 

Macaroons are a classic French dessert. The first macaroons were an egg white and almond paste variety called almond meringues. The crisp crust and soft interior reminds me of the fabulous amaretti cookies so delicious with a latte.

Popular for the observation of Passover because they need no flour or leavening, the Italian Jews developed the coconut macaroons.

Recipe links:

Parisian Macaroons @ Martha Stewart

Coconut Macaroons II @ All Recipes

(Photo: Mezuni via Flickr)

Childhood obesity: Will we live longer lives than our kids?

In the rush to get everything done in a day, maintaining a healthy lifestyle with healthy meals and exercise often seems impossible. If you are like me, then getting take-out or fast food is a big temptation when you feel like you have no time to cook dinner. Unfortunately, when eating out becomes the norm, eating healthy is not always an option. 

Childhood obesity is a growing trend that threatens about one in three kids in the U.S. Increasing rates of obesity in America means that for the first time in our history, kids may face a shorter lifespan than their parents.

That's why First Lady Michelle Obama is encouraging doctors, nurses, parents, and community leaders to join Let’s Move, a nationwide campaign to change the trend and solve the epidemic of childhood obesity.

The First Lady's nationwide initiative's goal is to raise a healthier generation of kids. Let’s Move aims to give families the support needed to live healthier lives by eating healthy and getting more exercise.

4 key components of Let’s Move

1. Improve the information and tools families need to make healthy changes.
2. Improve quality of food in schools.
3. Improve access and affordability of food including eliminating "food deserts" in the community.
4. Increase physical education for kids to get them moving.

Do I really need a CookVook?

 

The $9.99 price tag is my excuse for not downloading the Woman's Day Cookvook: Healthy Eating for Everyday Living iPhone app. According to WD, the CookVook provides healthy recipes in an "elegant, fun and easy to use application." Sounds like an interesting app, but this app only contains 45 recipes including Chicken Tortilla Soup and Cioppino. 

What makes it a cookvook? Video. It contain a how-to video for each recipe including a video that explains how to clean a leeks. (That video actually sounds useful in my quest to keep the germs out of my kitchen.) The CookVook is based on their hardcover book, The Woman's Day Cookbook for Healthy Living. If I was really bored, missing home-cooked meals and sitting in an airport terminal, then maybe this would be fun. But the CookVook's small cooking repertoire doesn't seem very practical when I am searching for new and interesting recipes. 

Another option...
Last year WD introduced their first iPhone app called the Cooking Assistant which is FREE. This app contains thousands of simple recipes tested by the cooks at WD. And it has a cool cooking time calculator and a shopping list feature so you can import the ingredients from a recipe into a shopping list feature. 

Bon Appetit from the Geeky Mom at Momathon.

Un-fried fries recipe

 

Gotta love a nutritionist who thinks up a yummy recipe for healthy fries! Joy Bauer, a nutritionist and a contributor at the TODAY show, seems to be always looking for unique ways to keep our kids happy with healthy food choices. Joy's Un-fried Fries recipe using sweet potatoes or white potatoes looks yummy and easy. 

I haven't tried Joy's exact recipe yet, but for years I have made my own version which is almost the same. Here's what I do: These healthy fries are not fried so this recipe puts the oven to work. Just preheat the oven to 400. Wash and scrub 2-3 white or sweet potatoes. Coat a baking sheet with an oil spray such as Pam Spray. Cut the potatoes into skinny potato wedges or strips and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Now you get to be creative. In my recipe I spray a light covering of more oil spray on the potatoes in a neutral flavor, but you can get creative with oil spray flavorings. Next add a spice--salt, pepper, or sweet flavorings like cinnamon (for sweet potatoes). Bake fries for about 20 minutes depending on the size of your fries. To make them crispy on all sides, remember to flip them halfway through the baking cycle. In Joy's recipe she recommends placing the fries under the broiler for a few minutes at the end to make them extra crispy, but this step is not necessary.

Click on the image below to watch the TODAY Show how-to video for making Un-fried Fries using white or sweet potatoes. 

 

Click on the image above to go to the TODAY show video. 

(Oh so cute image of the heart-shaped potato at the top of the page by lovelypetal)

2009 was a very good year in the kitchen

If you like lists and you like to cook, then check out the top ten recipes (plus five runners-up) according to the LA Times.

1. Rice noodles with Chinese chives, shrimp and pork (banh pho xao he)
2. Quinoa salad with shiitakes, fennel and cashews
3. Pizza Margherita
4. Sizzling shrimp with garlic and hot pepper
5. Neapolitan-style ragu
6. Orange-flavored shortcakes with strawberries and cream
7. White-chocolate bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce
8. Bell pepper and corn slaw
9. Potato gratin with caramelized onions and prosciutto
10. Julienne's graham cracker chewy bars

The five runners-up recipes available here.

Best cookbooks for families according to Babble.com

I love browsing the cookbook section at bookstores. Certain things catch my attention and great food photos are a must. And I recently decided that a cookbook with a carrot cake sandwich recipe must be very good. (See below.)

Here are a few cookbook suggestions from the clever editors at Babble.com:

 

 

"When it comes to pleasing everyone at the table, many cookbooks miss the mark — either aiming too squarely for the more sophisticated palates of mom and dad or resorting to nursery food and babytalk. During the holidays, especially, when dozens of glossy new titles beckon from bookstore shelves, it can be hard for a practical cook to know where to look. Well, search no further. We've combed the shops for the latest crop of cookbooks and selected a handful that promise to entice readers — and eaters — of all ages." — Sarah Karnasiewicz at Babble.com

(Quoted text via www.babble.com)

My thoughts on the best cookbooks:

• Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals (Great for finding recipes to feed the kids.)
• The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets with Ideas for Inventing Your Own (Did you know you could make carrot cake sandwiches?)
• Get Cooking: 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen (A hippie-chick Rachel Ray?)
• The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern: Knockout Dishes with Down-Home Flavor (I'm a MN-slash-CO gal, but I want to devour the photos in this southern cookbook.)
• Salt to Taste: The Key to Confident, Delicious Cooking (Yes! Flavorful recipes that are not complicated.)

Simply Delish Peppermint Bark Recipe

 

Looking for an easy last-minute holiday candy recipe? Here is one of my favorites: Last Christmas I wrote a post about an easy and delish recipe for classic peppermint bark. You can check out the recipe and a how-to video on the TODAY Show with Chef Kathleen Daelemans. Full recipe is available on the Today Show website.

The inexpensive homemade version is a great gift idea too. The candy recipe only has four ingredients:

• bittersweet chocolate wafers or chips
• white chocolate wafers or white chocolate
• canola oil
• peppermint candy

If you don't want to make the peppermint bark at home, check out the yummy Williams-Sonoma Original Peppermint Bark ($26.50 for a one-pound tin).

You can watch a short how-to video on making the peppermint candy on The TODAY Show. below. (Note: The TODAY Show clip starts out talking about cookie swaps with homemade gingerbread and then the next item they discuss is the peppermint bark.)

Holiday cooking: Bread pudding recipe for kids

 

 

Do you have fussy eaters at your house? Cooking for kids is always better if the kids join you in the kitchen.

At my house, if I want the cooking project to be a success, then the kids need to be in charge. And grown-ups need to chill. Don't worry about the mess while the kids cook, as long as all of the cooks agree to help with the clean up afterwards.

I love to hear about families cooking together. For example, Sisters Belle (13) and Liv (11) started cooking with their dad when they were only two. They started the Spatulatta: Cooking 4 Kids Online series in 2005 and won the prestigious James Beard award in 2006. 

Watch Belle make a yummy Bread Pudding recipe in this video link featured on their cooking for kids website. The complete recipe is on this link too.

 Bread pudding is a great way to use up leftover French bread. 

(Note: Lovely bread pudding photo at the top of this post is by WayTru.)

Party foods that make kids happy according to Oprah.com

Looking for food ideas that will please both young and old party guests? Check out these kid-friendly recipe ideas from Oprah:

• Sausage Rolls with Worcestershire Sauce
• Lemon Pepper Dry-Rub Ribs with Vegetables
• Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins - Food to Make Kids Happy - Oprah.com
• Classic Hot Chocolate
• 12-Layer Chocolate Cake

(image by ajagendorf25)

Geeky Mom: Eat This, Not That app for the iPhone

You've probably already heard of the wildly successful Eat This, Not That book series by Men's Health editors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. Now you can get the book translated into an iPhone app format.

The ETNT app price at $4.99 is higher than many similar apps costing less than a buck, but the creators promise you get more.

Here is what the ETNT app offers according to their promo featured on the iPhone app store.

• complete no-diet weight loss solution
• discover thousands of simple food swaps
• track calories for over 13,000 menu items and 10,000 grocery products
• tools to build a healthier grocery list
• tools to view nutritional grades for over 13,000 adult and kid menu options at restaurants
• food comparison chart lets you put two foods head-to-toe to see which is the healthier option.

One obvious benefit of the app over lugging around the book is the fact you can take Zinczenko and Goulding's advice with you everywhere--in the grocery store, at a restaurant, or at a fast food place.

We all know that sometimes it is difficult to get kids to eat healthy, but this app could make the difference. The graphics and interactive features will make it more fun for you to help younger children decide which item is the healthier choice. Of course, older kids with an iPhone can use the app themselves--just don't tell them it was your idea.

Ooo La La! Raspberry Tiramisu

 

I can't take credit for this yummy recipe by Dorie Greenspan at Parade.com. Only 7 delicious ingredients. Looks easy enough to make with the kids. 

The fabulous red berries make this tiramisu the perfect holiday treat.

Now all I need to do is decide what to serve the desert in... Wine glasses? Martini glasses? Or just some pretty glass bowls?

Go to this link for Dorie's recipe for Raspberry Tiramisu

(Image by Bloggyboulga)

What makes a perfect brownie?

Are brownies with chewy edges better? Brownie lovers have definite opinions on this one. I took a poll at my house and two wanted chewy edges and two did not.

If you are like me and, of course, you know best, then chewy edges are deelish! In a regular 9"x13" pan, most of the brownies you make do not have chewy edges. Now with the Edge Brownie Pan by Baker's Edge every brownie serving has two yummy, chewy edges! The pan's unique design prevents burned edges and undercooked middles. I love the fact this pan fits most box mixes and recipes for 9"x9" or 9"x13" pans. 

Shopping links

$34.95 at CHEFS Catalog

$39.95 at Solutions

$34.95 at Amazon.com

$39.95 at Sur La Table

I don't have the brownie pan yet, but it's on my list. 

Bon Appetit!

(image from CHEFS Catalog)

Spritz cookie recipe

Okay, mommies. Show of hands. How many of you wait till the very last minute to make holiday cookies?

Here's a quick and easy recipe for those of you procrastinators like me. (It may look familiar to some of you, I posted this recipe last year too.) Enjoy! Note that you will need a cookie press to make them. Here is the recipe:

Buttery Spritz cookies are not just tempting, they are addictive. So make sure you whip up a batch with the kids so you don't eat the whole batch yourself! This spritz recipe is perfect for baking with the kids because mixing the 5-ingredient dough is a snap. Plus your kids will love using the cookie press to make the cookies.

Buttery Spritz

1 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp flavoring (almond or vanilla)

2 1/2 cups flour

Heat oven to 400. Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks, and flavoring. Add flour to mixture. Select the cookie press shape you want to use. (Each time you fill the press you can change the cookie press shape.) Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, force the dough through the cookie press (see the photo below) onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes--be careful not to overbake. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Happy baking!

Perfect Travel Cookie: Spanish Anise

Back in February I wrote a post about a yummy cookie that travels well in the mail or in your suitcase! Since so many of you might be packing your bags for a Thanksgiving reunion, I thought this recipe might come in handy again. So here is the cookie recipe from earlier this year.

Have fun baking!

 

You never know what you might happen when your kids say they need help with homework. Sometimes it's long division or pre-calc. Or maybe writing an essay on Thomas Jefferson. Or a paper mache volcano.

And sometimes it's food. These are the projects I like...as long as it doesn't involve frying anything. A recent donut-making episode for a Social Studies project would have been simpler if I have just stopped at Dunkin' Donuts.

Recently my son made a Spanish cookie for a Spanish class. I give him an A for effort and an A+ for presentation/taste. And I give him an A++ for finding a great recipe for cookies that travel well--in the car or via mail.

Here is the cookie recipe:

SPANISH ANISE COOKIES

Ingredients:

2 cups four

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup margarine

2 eggs, well-beaten

approx. 1/8 to 1/4 tsp anise extract

Preheat oven to 375

Blend dry ingredients, cut in margarine until particles are size of large peas. Stir in eggs and anise extract. Mix thoroughly with hands or use a heavy-duty mixer. When mixed, divide into two parts. Using 1/2 dough at a time, roll 1/4" thick on a lightly foured board. Cut into sticks, approx. 4 x 12". (You can also cut into squares.) Place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush with melted margarine. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly brown on edges. Makes 3 dozen or so sticks/squares.

Delicioso!

Homemade Lattes

Image: Stephen Cummings on Flickr

One of my favorite crafters, Lauren at Etsy, writes a cute blog called Lost Mitten. Today she writes a post about making homemade lattes: 

 "I do love my grande vanilla soy latte, but I've found a reasonable substitute that can be made quickly and easily at home! Not only is this a tasty recipe, but it will surely save tons of $$$. Plus, I can choose to use my own organic soy milk, don't have to worry about wasting a paper cup/plastic lid, and don't have to drive to the Starbucks to purchase one, so this is a much "greener" option as well!" 

 You can see Lauren's easy recipe at: Lost Mitten

Rachael's Picks: Music To Cook To

I find dozens of great cooking ideas and more in each issue of the Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine. Sometimes the odd bits of trivia are the most fun. Take September's 2nd Annual Food A to Z...

Keep yourself company in the kitchen with playlists 
 for Rachael's favorite 30-Minute Meals:

MUSIC TO CHOP TO

When you're making Caponata Frittata
 with Grilled Panettone

The First Cut Is the Deepest
 by Sheryl Crow

Cuts Like a Knife
 by Bryan Adams

Another One Bites the Dust
 by Queen

Into the Groove
 by Madonna

EverY Time I Eat Vegetables It Makes Me Think of You
 by the Ramones

....The September issue also includes:
Music To Stir To and Music To Grill To

Find Recipes that Match Your Ingredients at SuperCook.com

Ever look in your fridge or pantry and wonder just what you can make for dinner without making a last-minute shopping run? That's exactly the problem solved by the clever folks at SuperCook.com--a user-friendly website that does a recipe search according to the ingredients you have at home. 

To start all you have to do enter the ingredients you have at home on the website, the more ingredients you list on SuperCook, the more recipe options you will get.

Bon appetit!

Why Buy Local?

The buy local movement is gaining popularity with moms across the country. Why is buying local important? Buying local usually means you are getting fresher food with higher nutrient levels. Plus, if you go to a farmer's market you meet the local growers in your area and they can introduce you to yummy new veggies and fruits that you might not have tried otherwise. Buying local means buying green too. When food or other products do not have to be shipped long distances, fewer barrels of oil are consumed in shipping. Using less oil helps the environment.

If you are interested in learning more about buying local, here are just a few online resources:

• The buy local terminology can be confusing. What is the difference between buying local and buying sustainable? Get the scoop on Sustainable Table.
• BuyLocal.net will help you find local organizations and support local businesses. 
• Looking for farmer's markets and family farms in your area? Check out this link Local Harvest. You can also follow Local Harvest on Twitter.
• Interested in finding food that is sustainably produced in North America? Check out Food Alliance.

French Cooking School--No Passport Required

My home economist mom taught me how to make mouthwatering midwestern meals with garden-fresh veggies, Norwegian salmon, and Scandinavian cookies. I never knew why people made such a big deal about French cooking until I worked at a French restaurant staffed almost entirely by chefs who never spoke a word of English. Besides improving my French, I discovered a whole new world of spices and sauces. 

If you want to learn how to pan sear tuna or grill a rack of lamb sesame style without leaving the US, check out the EVOO Cannon  Beach Cooking School on the Oregon coast. No passport required. Chef Robert Neroni leads the classes. The school offers a wide variety of classes. A 2-day Vegetarian Fundamental class in June where students learn to plan menus and create vegetarian meals is $125/day. The Dinner Show class featuring coriander seared wild salmon, halibut and grilled prosciutto, garlic seared lamb chop, and strawberry sorbet shortcake with whipped creme fraiche is a festive three course format--2 1/2 hours of dinner, entertainment, and lively interactive educational  banter--$89 per person.

Go Around the World with Key Spices

Some days being a mom takes all the fun out of cooking. Trying to find a meal that pleases everyone at dinner is never an easy task. Basically, I have given up trying. Instead when the schedule permits, I try to make meals that involve the kids in the kitchen. When they help out, the meal is always more fun. 

That's why I love versatile recipes that are simple to make--like the recipes by chef Mark Bittman featuring international spices on a recent segment on the TODAY Show. Imagine just alternating a four spices you keep on hand and creating a dee-lish international meal.

In the video below Bittman shows how to stock an international kitchen. With Bittman's spice advice you can turn an ordinary meal into an international dish that is a crowd pleaser.

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International Spice Checklist according to Mark Bittman, a guest chef on the TODAY Show.

India

Curry Powder

Coconut Milk

Fresh Ginger

Mint

Mexican

Chili Powder

Cilantro

Fresh Chilies

Lime

Southeast Asia

Coconut Milk

Fish Sauce (or Soy Sauce)

Lime

Cilantro

China

Soy Sauce

Sesame Oil

Five Spice Powder

Garlic