Showing posts with label Kid-friendly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kid-friendly. Show all posts

Monday, June 9, 2008

Chocolate Fondue

1/2 Cup whipping cream
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

1. In the top of a double broiler over hot (not boiling) water, heat cream until warm. Add chocolate, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and transfer immediately to dessert fondue pot over candle flame.

Some ideas to serve with strawberries, banana slices, orange sections, pear wedges, apple wedges, pineapple, vanilla wafers, sponge cake cubes, marshmallows, maraschino cherries, broken sugar cookies, etc.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Easy microwave fudge

This is an update of my favorite stovetop fudge recipe. It is super easy to make!!

1½ sticks margarine or butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3 cups sugar
2 cups (1 bag) chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tub marshmallow crème

Using a large microwavable bowl, mix together margarine or butter, sugar and evaporated milk. Microwave for 3 minutes. After the first 3 mintues, open microwave and stir mixture. Microwave for another 2 minutes, then take out and stir. Microwave for 2.5 minutes (watch for runover) then take out and stir. Microwave for a final 2 minutes (watching for runover), then take out and stir. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Pour into greased 9x13 pan then cover with plastic wrap. When ready to serve, cut into pieces.

Parmesan Fettuccine Alfredo

It's taken us a few years to find fettucine alfredo recipe that we actually enjoyed. We got this one off of Kraftfoods.com (I'm sure that surprises no one by now!). You can easily add cooked chicken and other things to it according to your family's desires (veggies, etc)

8 oz. fettuccine, uncooked
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of ground nutmeg

Cook fettuccine as directed on package. Drain fettuccine. Return to pan. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat.

Puffed Oven Pancake (aka German pancake)

This is a fun pancake to do when you want to change things up a bit. My kids & I really enjoy this one.

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
3 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup milk
¼ tsp. salt

Place butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet. Place in a 400 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until butter melts. Meanwhile, for batter, in a medium bowl use a wire whisk or rotary beater to beat eggs until combined. Add flour, milk, and salt; beat until mixture is smooth. Immediately pour batter into the hot skillet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and well browned. If desired serve with marmalade & fruit or powdered sugar or whipped cream. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Buttermilk Pancakes

My kids ask for these almost every morning. They are very easy to make. If you don't have buttermilk, just mix one tablespoon of lemon juice in one cup of milk and let sit for 5 minutes. Even now with Chase's gluten sensitivity, I can still make these pancakes - I just use a mixture of rice, tapioca and potato flour - he can't tell the difference! These pancakes also freeze very well - I make a double or triple batch most times and freeze the extras.

1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. cooking oil

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside. Combine the egg, buttermilk, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened.

For standard-size pancakes, pour or spread about 1/4 cup batter into a 3-inch circle onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet. For dollar-size pancakes, pour or spread about 1 tablespoon batter into a 1-inch circle onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are golden brown, turning to second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and edges are slightly dry.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Strawberry Crepes

We love crepes!! We make these up regularly for dessert or snacks. You can use other fillings, it doesn't have to be just strawberries and cream.

CREPES
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 Tbsp. oil
2/3 cup flour
¼ tsp. sugar

FILLING
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sliced strawberries
¾ cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. In a large bowl, beat together egg, milk, water and oil. Beat in flour, sugar and salt until smooth.

2. Heat a medium, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place a ladleful of crepe batter into center of pan, tilting to coat the bottom. Cook until golden brown on one side, turning once, 2 to 5 minutes. Continue with remaining batter.

3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

4. To assemble, spread some melted chocolate on the lighter side of one crepe. Place a line of overlapping strawberries down the center of the crepe and roll it up. Top with whipped topping and drizzle with a bit more chocolate. Repeat with remaining crepes.

Like Cinnabonn Cinnamon Rolls

If you like Cinnabonn cinnamon rolls, you'll love these! They are a copycat recipe that someone passed along to me. They do take some work to make but are so delicious!! Just make sure you have some people in mind to take them to or you'll be eating more than you'd like to think about.

Dough:
3t yeast
1c warm milk
1/2c sugar
1/2c melted margarine
1t salt
2 eggs
4c flour

Filling:
1c brown sugar
2 1/2T cinnamon
1/3c softened margarine

Icing:
8T softened margarine
1 1/2c powdered sugar
1/4c (2oz) cream cheese
1/2t vanilla
1/8t salt

Dough: Mix all ingredients until a smooth ball of dough. You can use your bread machine for this part. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down and roll out to 21"x16"x1/4".

Brush with softened margarine and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over it. Roll up lengthwise. To cut into rolls, use a piece of thread and go under and crisscross the thread so that it cuts through. Dental floss works well too.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until brown around the edges. The dough does not need to rise again.

While baking, beat together the icing ingredients and spread generously on each roll.

Joanne's Chocolate chip cookies

This recipe came from Greg's BioChem teacher. They stay soft for several days (that is, if they are even still around by then)!!

½ cup butter, margarine or Crisco
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 3.4 ounce pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp. hot water
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars. Add pudding, eggs, water & vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to cream mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 9 minutes or until lightly browned.

Chicken pot pie

This is so easy that I always make two when I make it up. That way I can just freeze one or take it to someone.

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (10 ¾ ounces) cream of chicken soup
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
1 double crust

1. Cook and cube chicken breasts.

2. Combine cheese, vegetables, soup and chicken. Place in crust. Cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Whole wheat pizza crust

One of our favorite things to do as a family is make homemade pizza. We discovered this whole wheat pizza crust and like it better than any of the crusts we've made before (white or wheat). The taste is not obvious that it's whole wheat but has great texture.


1 teaspoon white sugar
1 ½ cups warm water
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crusts or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.

5. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on top.

Buttermilk waffles

This is my kids' favorite waffle recipe. We make it regularly. I thought whole wheat waffles would be weird but they're actually very good!

1 Cup Whole wheat flour
1 Cup Old-fashioned rolled oats
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
3 Tablespoons Sugar
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 1/4 Cups Buttermilk
1/2 Cup Water
1 Large Egg
3/4 Cup Jam

1. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk together oil, buttermilk, water, and egg in a separate bowl. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.

2. Heat waffle iron, coat lightly with cooking spray. Add a generous 1/2 cup batter per waffle and cook until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Serve with jam.

Four-Layer Dessert

Another new-found favorite from Kraft Foods :)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup finely chopped Slivered Almonds
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups thawed Whipped Topping, divided
3 cups fat-free milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Pudding & Pie Filling, any flavor

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Mix flour, almonds and margarine until well blended. (Mixture will be crumbly.) Press onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 min. or until lightly browned. Cool.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Spread onto crust.

POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Spread over cream cheese mixture; cover with remaining 1 cup whipped topping. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

White chocolate mousse with raspberries

One of our favorite desserts!
2 Cups Fat free milk
1 pkg white chocolate pudding
1/2 cup whipped cream
1 Cup Fresh raspberries

Add milk to dry pudding mix in medium bowl. Beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes or until well blended.

Add the whipped topping and raspberries; stir gently until well blended.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Western Wraps

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
8 ounces cream cheese
6 tortillas
Romaine lettuce
8 ounces roast beef
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 large diced tomato
½ thinly sliced small red onion

Combine cream cheese with barbecue sauce. Spread over tortillas.

Layer with lettuce, meat, cheese and vegetables.

Roll up each tortilla tightly and serve.

Aunt Helen's Taco Soup

The secret to this recipe is using vegetable juice instead of tomato sauce. It adds a little bit more flavor and more nutrients (no worries - if you don't live vegetable juice, you won't even notice!).

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can corn
2 11oz cans V8 juice
1 small can green chilies diced
1 large can kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
Taco seasoning

Brown hamburger & onion together. Add remaining ingredients (don't drain the juice out of the canned items). Heat. Serve over tortilla chips. Top with sour cream, cheese and guacamole if desired.

Strawberry Fruit Frost

1½ cups strawberries
2 small bananas
1 cup frozen peaches
1 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup ice cubes

Combine all ingredients except ice in blender. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes - blend until smooth.

Steak & Mushroom Kabobs

This is one of our favorites to prepare during the nice grilling months.

1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 pounds sirloin steak, cut in 2" pieces
2 cups mushroom
1 large bell pepper
1 large onion

In a large bowl, combine the oil, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, marjoram, and oregano. Add the steak and stir to coat. Cover and allow to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.

Coat a grill rack or broiler-pan rack with cooking spray. Preheat the grill or broiler.

Drain and discard the marinade. Thread the meat, mushrooms, pepper and onion onto skewers.

Grill over hot coals or broil 4" from the heat, turning occasionally, for 7 minutes, or until the mean is no longer pink.

Simply lasagna

No recipe collection would be complete without a version of lasagna. This one is a crowd pleaser every time (and came from Kraft Foods website).
15 ounces Cottage cheese
2 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 can spaghetti sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 cup water
12 lasagna noodles, UNcooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cottage cheese, 1 1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, parsley and egg until well blended; set aside.

Pour spaghetti sauce into meat in skillet. Pour water into empty sauce jar; cover and shake well. Pour into skillet; stir until well mixed. Place 1 cup meat sauce on bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish.

Layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup meat sauce. Repeat layers 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with greased aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes or until cooked through. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until bubbling. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting for easier serving.

Sauerbraten

Our first year of marriage, Greg was really craving German food. Of all the different types of restaurants we could find on Oahu, we couldn't find a German one. We went to Oktoberfest to enjoy some German foods. Greg's mom sent us this recipe that Greg enjoyed back home. It's name literally means sour roast - but don't let that fool you! It's not sour and is very tasty. The kids love it, and it's easy to make.

1 1/2 pounds steak
1/4 Cup Brown gravy mix
2 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Onion, Minced
2 Teaspoons Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Brown sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Bay leaf
1/2 Package Egg noodles

Cube steak into 1" pieces, brown, remove. Add gravy mix and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in remaining ingredients except for noodles.

Return steak. Cover and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Serve over noodles.

If cooking in slow cooker, combine all ingredients into slow cooker. Cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours on High or 8 to 10 hours on Low.

Quesadillas

2 Cups Cheese, Shredded
6 Flour tortillas
3 Tablespoons Green chiles, Diced
3 Tablespoons Green onion, Chopped
4 Ounces Chicken, Cooked

1. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of cheese over half of each tortilla. Top with chile peppers, green onion, and chicken. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently.

2. In a skillet cook quesadillas, 2 at a time, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove quesadillas from skillet; place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 300 degree oven. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. To serve, cut quesadillas into wedges. If desired, serve with salsa.