Momathon Blog

Container Gardens: Grow Your Own Salad Greens

If you want an easy garden project salad greens grow well in a container garden. Plant the seeds in a pot that has several small holes in the bottom so the plants do not become water logged. Lettuce tolerates a variety of conditions, but they do need a healthy dose of sunshine every day. Try to keep the plants away from an area that is too shady. 

You can grow yummy salad greens right on your patio or deck in a container garden. No need to go to a gourmet market, these specialty baby greens will grow in your backyard for a fraction of the cost. I add my fresh greens to sandwiches, salads, cold pasta, chicken and tuna.

I like a variety of textures in my salad so when I plant mini gardens in containers on my deck I include several lettuce plants including:

Lolla Rossa: A classic green in Italian salads, this red, heavily frilled leaves provide loft, texture, and color. I also love the fact it's a "cut-and-come-again" green—if you pick the outer leaves, the plant will continue to grow. Given the right conditions, this type of lettuce will produce leaves for three months or more. Plus the plant does well in summer heat and in the cold.

Red Oakleaf: Delicate sweet flavor and a rich red color with notched leaves make this a good addition to the kitchen garden

Rouge d'Hiver: An old French variety with medium-red tinted leaves and excellent taste. Good regrowth. Tolerant to cold, but avoid hot weather. Sweet taste, not bitter.

Green Salad Bowl: Light-green, long, wavy, deeply notched leaves are one of my favorite for it's sweetness and tenderness. It does not get bitter when it matures. Plant tolerates hot weather too.

Black Seeded Simpson: A reliable lettuce with bright green leaves produces tender and sweet leaves. This fast growing lettuce produces greens over a long period of time

Buttercrunch: A mild and sweet buttery-flavored lettuce with rich green leaves—sometimes tinged with red—and forms a beautiful rosette. Thi Bibb-type lettuce is easy to grow and tolerates heat—that's one reason why it grows well in a container garden.

 

Images: Instagram photos above by me, Chris Olson. Feel free to pin images on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!

Gluten-Free Halloween Treats {Pinterest}

Are you looking for new gluten-free ideas for Halloween besides the traditional chocolate candy bar? I found some clever gluten-free Halloween treats to make this year on Pinterest.  Check out the links with recipes on my Halloween Pinterest board.

I am not a gluten-free expert. Please double check each recipe to make sure it follows your specific gluten-free diet requirements. All the links for the treats in the image above—plus many more—are on my Halloween Pinterest board.

You can also find individual links here: Top Row: Sugar-Free Apple Pie Chia Seed Jam + Breakfast Parfait (Vegan, gluten-free) via  Oh She Glows, Tasty Mice via Hallmark, Apple Monster Mouths via CompleteRecipes.com. Middle Row: Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins via Gluten Free Mom, Caramel Apples Recipe White-Chocolate & Caramel Corn with Cashews via Martha Stewart Recipes, Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe via MomathonBlog. Bottom Row: Ghoulishly Gluten-Free Halloween Cupcake Recipe via Stephanie Stiavetti @ BlogHer, Udi's Gluten Free Halloween Candy Corn Pudding via Flour On My Face, Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate recipe via TaterTots&Jello.

More Halloween Ideas

 

• Halloween Makeup Ideas {Pinterest}
• Pinterest Halloween {Party Food and Decorations}
• A Pinterest Halloween {Part 1}
• Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe {Halloween}

 

  

 

Image: Graphics by me, Chris Olson, featuring Halloween ideas from Pinterest. Feel free to pin image on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!

Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe {Halloween}

Hi, friends! Hope you had a great weekend. I'm reposting my pumpkin seed recipe—one that even the kids will enjoy making with you. Enjoy!

I have tried a variety of pumpkin seed recipes over the years. I prefer the simple recipes that the kids can help out with. Depending on the personalities of your kids, making the recipe and separating all that pumpkin goop from the seeds can be lots of fun.

 

Here is my favorite recipe—just three ingredients. Pretty foolproof :)

Three-Ingredient Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

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

(For extra spice, trying adding one of the flavors listed below in the "Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe.")

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

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.

 

SPICY ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Whole Foods Market has a recipe that includes boiling the seeds before you roast them. I haven't tried that recipe yet, but I do like the Whole Foods ideas for making spicy pumpkin seeds:

For spicy pumpkin seeds, mix 1/2 teaspoon each garlic salt, cumin, coriander and cardamom with seeds and oil before roasting. 
For sweet pumpkin seeds, mix 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, cloves and ginger and 1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar with seeds and oil before roasting.

 

 

Image: Graphic featuring the EASY ROASTED PUMPKIN SEED RECIPE is by me. Feel free to Pin them on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!

 

In the Kitchen with Rachael Ray: My Year in Meals

What are you making for dinner tonight? I've always been intrigued by dinner menus. Even as a kid I wanted to know what my friends were having for dinner. If it was something new and delicious, you can be sure I ran home and told my home-ec teacher mom exactly what our family should make tomorrow! I still love hearing what my neighbors are grilling outside for tonight's dinner. That's exactly why Rachael Ray's new book, My Year in Meals with a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her kitchen is so intriguing.

Reading her book is like sitting down for dinner with her family and friends. If you like the conversational and friendly style of her magazine, you'll love her new book. Here are some of the yummy recipes that have me hooked on this book:

Need something to get you out of bed in the morning? Try the Almond Custard Brioche Toast or Eastern Egg Sandwiches with Bacon. Looking to fire up that backyard barbecue? Try the Baby Back Ribs with Bourbon BBQ sauce. For something simple that will knock your guests’ socks off, try Rachael’s Egg Tagliatelle with Truffle Butter and Butternut Squash Risotto.  

In the book Rachael chronicles what she cooked for her own family and friends for an entire year and because the book is a flip book you also get a second book—Rachael’s husband and manager John Cusimano offers his personal cocktail recipes. I'm thinking the dinner recipes plus the skinny on some amazing drinks is a win-win combo:

Rachael’s husband, John Cusimano, is no stranger to the cocktail shaker. Now he’s sharing his secrets with you. Whether shaken or stirred, straight up or on the rocks, with a cherry or a twist, John’s creations—like his Strawberry Velvet featuring honey liqueur, strawberries, and lime—are always fresh, fun, and certain to make any gathering more memorable. With plenty of options for every occasion and season, such as the Pomegranate Margarita, the Halloween Fizz, and the Nod to Nog,

 

What I like best about the book:

• recipes from Rachael's kitchen diary
• includes a variety of menus, weekday dinners to complex party menus
• her coauthor hubby John shares his personal cocktail recipes
• packed with mouth-watering illustrations and photographs throughout
• book contains Microsoft tags that connect readers to videos of Rachael demonstrating techniques, explaining how to prepare each meal, and sharing personal cooking stories

You can order My Year in Meals at the Rachael Ray online store here  and get the autographed bookplate. You can also order it here.

Note to readers: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own :)

Images: MY YEAR IN MEALS cookbook graphic by me, Chris Olson and features photos from the book by Rachael Ray. Feel free to Pin images on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!

 

Pinterest Halloween Recipes {Spooky Cookies and Sweet Treats}

I'm back again with more Halloween treats thanks to Pinterest.

1) I like to wander over to Camille Styles blog daily because it is so pretty and inspiring. Turns out Camille has a spooky side too... Her "The Birds" black frosted cookies with the Alfred Hitchcock movie theme are splendid. You can find this recipe Camille Styles blog with directions by Sara of Sara Belle's Bakery. Here is the recipe link.

Source: camillestyles.com via Chris on Pinterest

 

 

2) Would you pick the red apple or one of the black apples? I love these decadently dark candy apples via Country Living with the recipe here.

Source: countryliving.com via Chris on Pinterest

 

3) I love the how the lemony royal icing cloaks the cookies with spider web and bat disguises. Martha Stewart has the recipe (and the templates) here.

Source: marthastewart.com via Chris on Pinterest

 

 

4) I did a double take when I first saw these creepy bones. They are made of meringues. Check out the Martha Stewart recipe here. 

Source: marthastewart.com via Chris on Pinterest

 

5) Here's a sweet twist on the sugar cookie recipe that is more fun than spooky. Anytime I have an excuse to eat a purple cookie, count me in! Check out the clever tutorial on the blog that keeps it crafty and sassy—The Alison Show.

Source: thealisonshow.com via Chris on Pinterest

 

Happy Halloween! You can follow my pins on Pinterest at Chrisolsonart on Pinterest.

Looking for more Halloween ideas? I've got DIY costumes, decor and more on my blog here: 

A Pinterest Halloween {Part 1}

Pinterest Halloween {Party Food and Decorations}

 

IMAGE: Recipe collage at the top of post features:  Camille Styles | Country Living | Martha Stewart | Martha Stewart | The Alison Show. 

Pinterest Halloween {Party Food and Decorations}

Pinterest is a wonderful place to find Halloween treats! Check out some of my faves for party food and decorations below.

Halloween Inspiration Links:

Sibylle, blogger at Funkytime, always has original ideas. Love her ombre twist on DIY pumpkins. 

Creating a pumpkin design freehand can be tricky—that why Chelsey at  The Paper Mama has a free printable you can use to make this dreamy Welcome pumpkin. Pumpkin is featured on BHG Style Spotters. 

Over at Nikkis' Nacs, I found a cute Herringbone Pumpkin.

Imagine a s'mores and apple combo. Yum. Country Living has a delicious recipe for Triple Dipped S'mores Apples. Halloween Sweets and Treats Recipes - Halloween Party Sweets - Country Living

Kids and adults will gobble up the Skeleton Cupcakes via MyRecipes.com. The My Recipes board Halloween Treats has dozens of clever ideas.

Of course, Rachael Ray has the perfect place on Pinterest for party ideas. She has two boards with clever DIY tips and yummy party recipes. Check out her boards Halloween Party Ideas and Halloween Recipes, Parties, & Decorating Ideas. 

All those sweet treats are making me thirsty. I think I need a dozen of these juice boxes from the clever folks at  Parents.com.

Looking for more Halloween ideas? I've got DIY costumes, decor and more on my post A Pinterest Halloween {Part 1}.

Happy Halloween!

IMAGE LINKS: Spooky Party Table for Halloween|Eyeball Wreath | Ombre Pumpkins | Currently » The Paper Mama

MORE HALLOWEEN IDEAS

Halloween Makeup Ideas {Pinterest}  |  Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe | A Pinterest Halloween {Part 1}

 

Weekend Playlist {Singing in the Kitchen}

Happy weekend! Here's my pick for a perfect handcrafted playlist for baking cookies, eating lots of pie, or doing dishes. Go ahead, pour a glass of pinot grigio and dance around the kitchen—it's the weekend! 

xo 

Chris

In the Kitchen from takesome_time on 8tracks Radio.

Image: WE MUST HAVE PIE graphic by me, Chris Olson. Feel free to Pin it on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks!

>•<  Connect on Facebook  >•<   

 

Kiss the Cook: Pineapple Shrimp and Crispy Noodles

This yummy twist on an Asian noodle dish is not your college ramen. I first saw a version of a shrimp and crispy noodle recipe on Rachael Ray. Due to my garlic allergy I created a new recipe and voila —something delicious with just the right amount of spice for your family. This recipe is broken down into three basic steps: Noodle Prep, Sauce Prep, and Shrimp/Pineapple/Green Beans Prep. If you are cooking with kids remember to supervise and assist with cooking in the skillet.

Pineapple Shrimp and Crispy Noodles

Serves 4

• One 10-oz package ramen noodles
• One 20-oz can pineapple chunks (save the juice for sauce)
• One 10-oz bag frozen cut green beans (thaw and pat dry)
• One pound bag of medium or large peeled/deveined shrimp
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 8 T canola oil

Noodle prep

1. Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions—you can add salt to water if you want.
2. Drain noodles.
3. Make noodle "cake" by pressing the noodles into a greased 9-inch (or larger) pan.
4. Let the noodle cake cool.
5. Heat 3 T oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
6. Carefully slide the noodle cake into skillet.
7. Cook the cake until the noodles turn a light golden brown underneath—3-5 minutes.
8. Carefully flip the cake and cook until golden brown—be careful not to burn the cake :)

Sauce prep

Stir together in a medium bowl:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup soy sauce (the amount you use depends on your taste buds)
• drain the pineapple chunks and set aside, use approximately 1/2 cup of juice for sauce (you can increase the juice amount if you want a sweeter sauce)
• 2 T oil
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper (use less if you use pepper flakes)

Shrimp, pineapple and green beans prep

1. Heat 2 T oil over medium to high heat.
2. Add the drained pineapple chunks and thawed green beans.
3. Stir and cook until the pineapple is lightly brown on edges and beans begin to brown with small blisters. Be careful not to overcook.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large plate.
5. Add 1 T of oil to skillet.
6. Add the shrimp and cook them until the meat begins to turn opaque white.
7. Stir in the sauce.
8. Add the pineapple and green bean mixture.
9. Lower the heat and cook the mixture until the shrimp are fully done—opaque .

Suggestions fo serving the meal

1. I like to divide the noodle cake into 4 sections first to make the meal easy to serve 4 people.
2. Place a cake section on each dinner plate.
3. Your family then can serve themselves the shrimp + green beans + pineapple mixture (I like to let the kids dish up their own meal because then they get exactly what they want. No more complaints :)

Image: KISS THE COOK RECIPE photos above by me, Chris Olson. Feel free to Pin them on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks! 

 >•<  Connect on Facebook  >•<  

 

Homemade Ice Cream

When the temps are soaring, making homemade ice cream is a delicious summer project! Here are a few of my favorite recipes for ice cream, sorbet, and gelato by the pros. If you want to involve your kids in the fun, try the homemade ice cream in a bag recipe below.

• Skip endlessly cranking the handle of an ice-cream maker and try the Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag Recipe at FamilyFun
• I think the Berry Sorbet is my fave, but check out the 20 Homemade Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Gelato Recipes by Martha Stewart.
• This recipe rivals the drinks at StarBucks, Espresso Ice Cream Recipe by Ina Garten
• Imagine you are in Florence enjoying Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato by Giada De Laurentiis
• If your kids like Twix or KitKats, try the Candy Jar Ice Cream by Rachael Ray.

Bon Appetit... That reminds me, check out the Bon Appetit recipe for Bourbon Ice Cream.

  >•<  Connect on Facebook  >•<  

Image: Photo and graphics above by me, Chris Olson. Feel free to Pin it on Pinterest with a link back to this post. Thanks! 

 

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.

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

 

 

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.)

 

Momathon's Faves: Mini German Pancakes Recipe

If you are looking for a recipe for a quick meal--breakfast, lunch or dinner--then try one of my favorites. 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.

 

Mini German Pancakes

(from Chris O's kitchen)

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 cup milk (you can use skim or low fat milk if you want)

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

Toppings: Powdered sugar and lemon juice, or maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425. Spray cupcake pans with no-stick cooking spray. Mix eggs, milk, flour and salt just enough to blend. (Do not over mix. Batter will be lumpy.) Pour batter in cupcake pans. Makes approx. 12-16 mini German pancakes. Bake 18-25 minutes depending on type of cupcake pan and the amount of batter in each cupcake tin. Remove from oven. Let cool for just a minute or two. Remove mini pancakes from pan. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with powdered sugar. You can also serve with maple syrup if you prefer instead of using lemon juice. Enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Looking for more recipes? Here are a few of my faves:

Mini Mediterranean Pizzas

Kids' Choice Citrus Cranberry Chicken

Perfect Travel Cookie: Spanish Anise

 

You can find more of my favorite recipes on Facebook too.

 >•<  Connect on Facebook  >•< 

(Web recipe and image © Chris Olson at MomathonBlog.com.)