Thanks for following up on our second Tips and Tricks Friday post; if you missed out on the first one, you can click here to view it! Elaine from Let’s Get Wokking has experience with preparing meals for a picky eater. She offers us a few creative tips on how to sneak in the good stuff or just present nutritious food in a way that will actually appeal to your kiddos; she also offers examples from her blog. This is what she has to say:

- Plan what and how to you want to present the food so time is not wasted.

- If you don’t mind the haste of clearing and cleaning up, get the kids to help. The kids somehow find food more tasty if it was prepared on their own.
For example: http://wokkingmum.blogspot.com/2007/04/pizza-rice.html

- Kids like colourful things. Making the food colourful makes the food more enticing to them.
For example: http://wokkingmum.blogspot.com/2008/11/lunch-box-4.html

- They like cute and fun looking things too. Making and/or cutting food into shapes makes they more attracted to the food.
For example: http://wokkingmum.blogspot.com/2007/10/mr-happy-rice-ball.html

- Don’t prepare food that the kids hate. If you are trying to get kids to eat a certain food, mix it together with their favourite. If it’s not possible, make sure there are other foods they like and serve them a smaller amount of what they don’t like. They will usually compromise and finish it.
For Example: http://wokkingmum.blogspot.com/2007/09/vegetable-rice-balls.html and http://wokkingmum.blogspot.com/2007/07/colourful-tamago.htm

Click here to see one of Elaine’s son’s favorite colorful and delicious dishes.

We have two special guests for this week’s Tips and Tricks Friday, they are Whitney of Rookie Cookie and Elaine from Let’s Get Wokking! Both of them are very clever ladies that know how to prepare fun treats and foods that their kiddos will enjoy.

Now, I’m sure you’re thinking edible treats, right? Though Whitney whipped up a batch of Jell-O Playdough and Homemade Finger Paint using edible ingredients, they’re things they can play with; homemade toys that you don’t have to worry about your kiddos accidentally ingesting ;). The ingredients are non-toxic!

These are affordable toys you can make in a flash using pantry items. Whitney also offers us a few tips on how to safely have fun with your kiddos while they help out in the kitchen. Be sure to visit our blog later this evening to find out how Elaine from Let’s Get Wokking prepares kid friendly meals at home!

Hey there! I am Whitney of Rookie Cookie. I have three boys, one of which is my handsome husband. The other two are the light of our lives. Son One is almost 4 and Son Two is 8 months. Both boys are happy, funny, naughty, smiley and sweet.

Today I pleased to share my tricks and tips with you by way of kid-friendly fun. On my blog, I recently posted about Jack (Son One) ruining my sister’s latest painting that she had been working on for weeks. As you can imagine, I was beyond mad. But I was able to see through the angry haze and recognize that the boy needed a creative outlet. So I made some jell-o playdough that he could use his creative tendencies on.

Jell-O Playdough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 Tbsp cream of tartar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
1 3 oz package of Jell-O (any flavor)

Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of pot and becomes dull. Mold and knead with the wooden spoon until cool enough to touch. Turn it out onto a table and continue kneading until cool enough for little hands to play with it. Store in a closed plastic bag.

We live in the mountains in Utah and even as I type, the snow is still falling. We moved here from Southern California, so adjusting to the snow has been, well, an adjustment. I still am trying to figure out ways to entertain Son One since the snow is too deep for him to play in. Here is a recipe for homemade finger paints. It helps pass the time as the snow piles up.

Homemade Finger Paint
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cold water
food coloring

In a medium pan, combine cornstarch, sugar, salt and cold water. Whisk to combine. Cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes. Keep stirring the finger paint mixture until it is smooth and thick. After the finger paint has thickened take the pan off the stove and let the mixture cool.

After cooling, divide the finger paint into storage containers depending on how many colors you would like. Add a few drops of food coloring to each container. Stir the coloring in to the paint to determine the shade of color. Cover tightly when storing.

Besides art projects, Jack likes to help in the kitchen. Over the years, his “hanging out” in the kitchen has evolved. When he was a baby, he would sit on the floor and play with the spice jars. When he could stand well, he started helping with stirring a pan of something. Now that he is a little older, he helps with a lot. He loves juicing lemons and measuring dry ingredients. Having a child in the kitchen is more work than it should be, but I think the benefit of him helping goes far beyond the meal we are preparing.

One huge benefit of him helping as much as he does is that he wants to eat the food he makes. I remember the day I figured that out. Instead of shooing him away, I pulled up a chair and he helped make lunch. I can’t remember what it was, but he was proud that he helped. The pride resulted in not a crumb remaining. The amount of satisfaction I get from his empty plate is a little excessive. But I am sure there are some moms out there that can relate.

I think the best advice I can give other moms out there is to be patient. Let them help. Teach them. Show them what you are doing. The time spent will always be remembered.

Andrea’s blog might be called Off Her Cork, but we know she’s far from it; she is the clever creator of Sage Sausage Biscuits, after all. She knows what it means to eat breakfast on the run. You get in line at the drive-thru and when you’re finally ’served’ whatever it is you ordered, it’s cold! You struggle with the wrapper while trying to put on your seat belt and drive at the same time, then…there’s traffic!

Wouldn’t it be great if you could avoid that circus act? Though we can’t promise you a traffic-free ride to work, we can say this much: If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and don’t want to deal with drive-thru madness, go for Andrea’s Sage Sausage Biscuits! Fast food jingles aside, these will certainly put a smile on your face!

How will they do that? Well, not only are they easy to eat because they’re delicious and homemade, but also because you get everything a breakfast sandwich has to offer in just one nibble! That’s right, no more struggling behind the wheel while you inhale a greasy breakfast sandwich; it’s time to enjoy something fresh and, surprisingly, healthy!

Here it is… How to Make Pig Cookies on a Stick, a tutorial by Meaghan of The Decorated Cookie. And if you’re wondering what cookie recipe she likes to use to make these fun piggies on a stick, you can check out her blog, click here for the recipe!

notes: lollipop sticks, the bags, couplers and tips, the cutters and maybe even the gourmet writer should be available at any major craft store. You can of course use any coloring, but I prefer Americolor. I experimented with different size circle cutters, but you only really need 2 (one for the head cookie and a smaller one for the fondant snout).

step one: bake your cookies
Roll your cookie dough somewhat thick (about 3/8 to 1/4 inch) to accommodate the sticks. Cut out circles (using the larger cutter, if using two. I cut out 2 1/2 inch circles for big pig heads and 1 1/2 inch circles for mini pig heads.) Place on parchment paper-lined baking trays. Insert lollipop sticks about halfway into the circle. Pat back into shape if necessary. Bake and let cool. (If you recognize the picture here from my clock cookies, it’s because I used the same picture from my clock cookies.)

step two: frost your pig head
Prepare a frosting bag with a size 4 tip. Tint frosting light pink (use only a drop or two of Electric Pink) and fill bag, reserving about half your frosting. Tie closed with rubber band. Outline the circles with pink. Let set a good 15 minutes. Thin the remaining light pink frosting with water, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until it is of a syrupy consistency. Pour a small amount in the center of each circle and spread to fill the circle with a small knife or spatula. Let set very well, a couple hours at least.

step three: make your fondant snouts and ears
Add a few drops of Electric Pink to a palmful of rolled fondant and knead very well. I colored the frosting to be a bit darker than the head. Roll fondant between two pieces of wax paper thinly.

For snouts, cut out circles, pull away fondant, and let set until hard, at least a couple of hours. (For 2 1/2 inch cookies, I used 1 1/2 inch fondant circles, for 1 1/2 inch cookies, I used 1/2 inch fondant circles). For ears, take a pea size bit of fondant and roll into a sphere. Hold between thumb and forefinger and press onto wax paper to flatten one side. (Leave on wax paper to dry). Pinch top of sphere to form a little triangle.

step four: assemble your pig heads
When everything is dry enough to work with, dip your finger in light corn syrup and dab on the back of a snout circle. Press gently but firmly onto the pig head. Repeat with the rest of your circles. Dab corn syrup on the flat side of the ears and attach to head. With marker, draw eyes and nostrils.

I have a confession to make, whenever I type the word pumpkin, I always find myself typing pumpking. In fact, I did it just now, as I was typing in the name of today’s featured recipe! I won’t go into detail about my obsession with pumpkin, but it would probably be accurate to say that my typo is a big give-away! I can’t think of a better way to use pumpkin than in Sara’s Pumpkin White Chocolate Cheesecake with Pecan-Gingersnap Crust!

If the title hasn’t lured you in, then the photo well; who can resist? Pecan pie definitely has its place on the dessert table, but maybe not when this cheesecake is right next to it. Caramelized pecans finish off layers of sweet whipped cream and a creamy pumpkin cheesecake filling, both sitting atop a pie crust that’s delicious on its own. So what’s this crust all about? More pecans and gingersnaps!

If you want to impress; if you can’t decide between pumpkin and pecan pie, cheesecake, or gingersnaps, then roll out the red carpet for Sara’s Pumpking Cheesecake. Check out the rave reviews this cheesecake received on Sara’s blog, Our Best Bites!

Meaghan from The Decorated Cookie is our guest for this week’s first Tutorial Tuesday post! She’s the expert when it comes to making cute cookies that are great for giving away as gifts or enjoying for yourself. Tomorrow, we’ll be featuring her Piggies on a Stick tutorial, but we want to ask her a few questions first. Here’s all you wanted to know about Meaghan, blogger and author of Cookie Sensations!

What first inspired you to become a cookie decorator?

While I’ve always enjoyed drawing, crafts and baking, I did not set out to be a cookie decorator. I had been managing a paint-your-own-pottery store when a woman who was opening her own cookie business came in, saw my display pieces and asked if I wanted to work for her, as she needed an artist. I agreed, though I had never picked up a frosting bag, thinking it would be a temporary job until I figured out what I really wanted to do. I spent ten years at the shop, leaving only because I had my daughter. Not only did the flexibility of the job enable me to continue working through my graduate degrees, but I loved it. And I found I was good at it. Just about any object you name, I’ve put on a cookie: Elvis, popcorn, movie cameras, bulldozers, Dorothy’s ruby slippers, mac n’ cheese, cartoon characters, appliances, every animal from alligators to zebras, sneakers, beer, martinis, people’s dogs, human organs… I could go on for pages with both the common and bizarre requests. And as my other world is literature (I’d like to publish children’s books), cookie decorating allowed me to write my first book, “Cookie Sensations,” and gain entry into the tightly locked publishing world.

Some folks (myself included :) find cookie decorating challenging, would you say the key to making the perfectly decorated cookie is in the frosting?

Yes. Yes. And one more yes. More so than the cookie itself. Even misshapen cookies can be decorated. In fact, for cookies that have no cutter, such as a woman in a yoga pose, I would cut out imperfect shapes or fit the design on other shapes. Frosting consistency is key. I tend to use the outline and fill method. I use one frosting of medium stiffness to both pipe an outline and fill in, as opposed to flooding (piping a stiff outline and filling with runny icing). The former is not as smooth, but gives you total control to do intricate designs.

Aside from the frosting, practice is the other key to perfectly decorated cookies. I’ve trained many cookie decorators over the years, and their early cookies aren’t even sellable. Time will help you build some hand muscle, control the frosting, maintain consistency with piping and rid of shaky lines or holes.

What are your favorite sugar cookie and frosting recipes to work with?

I have an almond sugar cookie on my blog and in my book that I love. It bakes perfectly without losing shape, has a bit of softness, and people go nuts for the flavor (I’ve seen party-goers stuff them in their pockets. Really.) I also only use the frosting recipe from my blog, also in the book. It’s a version of royal icing with meringue powder in lieu of fresh egg whites and shortening added for an ideal consistency. It dries enough to handle and package, needs no refrigeration, takes color well, and lasts for several weeks.

As a mom who holds a Masters in Liberal Arts with a children’s literature focus, have any of the cookies featured in your book, Cookie Sensations, been created with children in mind?

In terms of gifts for children, yes…sports cookies, baby shower cookies, bugs, etc. In terms of having kids decorate themselves, not as much. The art can be pretty challenging. But that said, I’ve had readers contact me with pictures of cookies their kids have baked using the book with raves of how much fun they’ve had. And the cookies looked amazing, so I may be underestimating young bakers. I am working on a proposal for a second book with even more user-friendly designs, which will translate better for kids (that is, simpler designs, such as the piggies).

Cookies are a fun and popular treat to make around the holidays. Do you have any tips or shortcuts to share with families who enjoy making cookies during the busiest times of the year?

With all on my plate, I feel like it’s always holiday time! When working on the book, I had to make hundreds of cookies quickly in a Washington, DC rowhouse with about a foot of kitchen counterspace. Efficiency is key. When I have a lot to bake, I rarely do everything in one day. I’ll make several batches of cookie dough and freeze portions in plastic bags, then let it thaw for a couple hours at room temperature (you want your dough chilled to roll, so don’t let it thaw too much). And the beauty of the frosting is that it will keep for weeks. So I also make several batches of frosting, mix all my colors and prepare all the frosting bags in advance. Making the dough and frosting and preparing the frosting bags are by far the most time-consuming steps, so getting these done ahead of time is a huge help. Come cookie decorating day, all I have to do is roll out, bake and decorate with minimal prep time.

You might’ve had your fair share of chicken and dumplings this past winter, but it is simple comfort food at its best. There’s something special about sinking your teeth into a dumpling, small bundles of doughy goodness that complete a hearty stew or…a bowl of lentil soup! Gopi’s lentil soup is pureed and combined with a few unique ingredients, including dumplings, or dhokli.

Gopi from Health N Taste shares a recipe with us that’s special not only because it’s homemade, but because it combines tradition with originality. She mentions that dhokli are usually stuffed with potatoes or a few different spices, but hers include seeds like cardamom and sesame.

A lot of love went into making Gopi’s Daldhokli, and though she says it can take some time to prepare, we know it’s worth it and so does she. This is a soup that will awaken all the senses. Peanuts, tumeric, cardamom, and even lemon juice are just a few of the soup’s many savory ingredients, all of their flavors are soaked up by each tasty dhokli (whole wheat dumpling).

What do we love about cookies? The way they magically dissolve in our mouths after they’ve taken a dip in our tall glass of milk? Or maybe it’s that they leave crumbs behind, on the bottom of that milky glass or our dessert plates, a perfect snack for later? Oh, I know what it is…they’re just darn good.

Most of us probably became addicted to these treats during our childhood, when all was well with the world when we had a cookie in hand. Some of us think, the bigger the cookie, the better! But remember, great things come in small packages, like Lintang’s Chocolate Almond Cookies. Only thing is, there is no package, really, just a delicious cookie with a beautiful edible exterior.

These Chocolate Almond Cookies are completely egg free! They’re what Lintang, from Cooked Uncooked, likes to bake up for her kiddos, who don’t object to snacking on these sweet star-shaped chocolatey cookies that have a subtle almond flavor. Though Lintang made these in the shape of a star to fit the Christmas season, I don’t see why you can’t make these heart-shaped for Valentine’s Day! It’s right around the corner!

Carolina from Gabe’s Baby Momma has a fun and affordable Valentine’s Day spread, she’s making this special day extra festive by focusing on both the sweet and the savory!

Keep It Simple and Sweet by Carolina

I have always tried to be a resourceful romantic. I find that it usually is the little things that mean the most. A person does not have to look any farther than when a little child makes something in school to give to his parents. His wonderfully, open, honest feelings and thoughts are revealed in swirly crayon lines and unrecognizable characters on construction paper. This token is made from the heart and it cost no more than a few cents, but everyone knows that kind of genuine sentiment is priceless.

Really, we are all that way, not just children and parents. We just tend to forget and get caught up in the commercial hype. Displaying our feelings and the depth of them does not require breaking the bank. All it requires is putting a little of yourself and genuine feelings into the project. If you save money, than you have just optimized the situation.

I would like to share with you special treats that I like to make everyone to show them I care and keep me out of financial bankruptcy! They are simple. They are easy. They are quick. More importantly, they are just down right affordable on a very, very low budget!

First, lets start with the savory.

I picked up these little heart-shaped pancake and egg molds at a specialty shop while I was on a romantic getaway with my hubby. Unfortunately I spent more on them out of whimsy than I should have if I had been in the “real” world. In the real world, these cost $2.98 (or so) at H.E.B, Target, and Wal-Mart. These molds are great. My kids love them, because they can make heart-shaped scrambled eggs, pancakes, cookies, biscuits, and even, mashed potatoes! Try these out on anyone, for a meal you were going to make anyway, and see their reaction. Not only will they giggle at the shape, but they will swear that your ordinary mashed potatoes taste extraordinary! The first time I used them was to make my hubby an “I Love You” pancake breakfast at our B&B. He just had to take a picture of the heart-shaped pancakes.

To use them for your side of mashed potatoes, just make potatoes as directed, then scoop them in mold with the mold placed on your plate, fill, then lift.



Now, we are ready to hit my favorite department, dessert! I love sweets, truly. When it comes to sweets and making them for all my sweeties, I could break the bank, if not for these tricks, especially for special occasions, like Valentine’s Day. However, being the ex-single mom and current frugal stay-at-home mom that I am, I have learned to incorporate semi-homemade methods when required. For Valentine’s Day, it is required, between classroom parties, friends, family, and neighbors, it simply is too taxing and time consuming to do it 100% homemade and too costly to do it 100% store bought. I like to meet in the middle, 50/50.

For the first sweet treat recipe, I would like to share the Queen of Semi-Homemade herself, Sandra Lee’s,

Sensuous Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

* 1 (16-ounce) container chocolate frosting
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. With a hand mixer, beat frosting, powdered sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Using a tablespoon measuring spoon or a 1-ounce cookie scoop, form into balls and place on cookie sheet. Dust truffles with cocoa powder. Cover and refrigerate truffles until ready to serve.

This easy recipe took about 15 minutes from beginning to end. It is really easy and the truffles are sweet. I used $ 0.98 frosting. The rest was in my pantry. It makes easily two dozen depending on size.

The next treat is chocolate chip cookies, because face it, very few people do not love these things. I bought store-bought refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, Wal-mart’s Great Value brand, and baked according to package directions. Then, I melted bark chocolate and drizzled and dipped the chocolate on them AFTER they cooled. You can melt the bark chocolate ($1.98) on defrost in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, while stirring and checking constantly, so your chocolate does not burn. It takes only a few minutes.

This made them special and elegant looking. I played around with them some more and added things from my pantry, like crushed nuts, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.

Next up, cupcakes. Use any brand, any flavor. I used Duncan Hines’ (my preference) Strawberry flavored cake mix. I used mini-cupcake pans and mini-bundt pans that I bought on sale for $2 each. You can use any size. The important thing is to frost them pink, red, or white and decorate them with inexpensive candies, like sprinkles or Red Hots. Then, wrap a dainty ribbon around them after the frosting has set. I bought this curly red ribbon at Wal-Mart for $0.94.

Finally, the sweetest of them all, chocolate-covered strawberries! The strawberries will range in price, from ($1.98 to $3.00). The bark chocolate (used for cookies) costs around $2. Overall, the look and taste is expensive, but it is not. It is easy to do. Just dip your dry, cool strawberry into melted chocolate and let set on wax paper. You can even roll them in nuts, mini-kisses, crushed cookies, or simply drizzle chocolate with a fork on top of these luscious sweets. Place them in a decorative tin ($1) and the special look is complete!

I hope you will share these special treats and tips with all the special ones in your life You can do so with joy and stress-free spending!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so start preheating your ovens because Madalina from Duhlicious was sweet enough to share a great cookie decorating tip with us for this week’s Tips and Tricks Friday.

Beneath her tip, you’ll find a classic sugar cookie recipe that I’ve personally tested out myself! It’s the perfect recipe to use if you want to decorate a few cookies this Valentine’s Day, but even if you don’t, Madalina’s tips will come in handy!

Cookies with a Valentines twist:

In a hurry, and on a budget this Valentines Day? No problem, you can still show that someone special you love them by making your own cookies~

The week before Valentine’s day, I baked a batch of heart shaped sugar cookies and I froze them. Sugar cookies can be made weeks ahead of time, and stored in an air tight container, and thawed for when you have time to decorate them.

You can choose to decorate them, and make them fancy with Royal Icing, but this usually takes time, and some skill — Instead, I take the cookies and dip them in Red, Pink, and White Candy Melts! This gives the cookies a nice clean look, while making them extra delicious.

You can sprinkle them with red sugar, or drizzle chocolate for an added effect.

If you don’t have time to make your sugar cookies ahead of time, dipping OREOS (or any other commercial cookie) will give you great results. It shows that you took extra time to make these for someone, and get you bonus points with cupid <3