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.

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!

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

If you’ve resolved to eat healthier this year but are finding it difficult to do so, then you’ll appreciate the following tips and stories from our bloggers.

Here’s a healthy meal that Alisa, The Meat and Potatoes Foodie, put together under an hour. It has texture, flavor and it creatively makes use of chicken breast! Who says chicken breast has to be served plain, anyway?

Alisa knows eating right isn’t about completely restricting yourself, your food can have flavor and still be healthy, let’s check out her story!

I have never been a good dieter. In fact, the few times I attempted dieting in my life directly correlated to me gaining weight. I would do as we’re all told - eliminate this and avoid that, etc. only to end up breaking down and scarfing down a pizza and a bucket of beer two days later. For me, putting restrictions on food was always dangerous territory.

And it’s not that shocking when you think about it. We’ve gotten so confused as a society about food, blindly jumping on the fat free bandwagon, the no carb bandwagon, etc., we’ve forgotten to use common sense. Fat isn’t evil - nor is pasta! There’s no more any ‘lethal’ food than there is a miracle one. So if I have anything worth listening to about healthier eating, it’s to use your head. Eat a lot of vegetables. Limit your sweets. Put balance ahead of worrying about ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods and things will net out as they should.

It sometimes helps me to apply a ‘what have I eaten today?’ checklist. For example, if I have a salad for lunch, which I often do, then I have a green light to do have a nice well rounded dinner including a protein and vegetables, anything from roasted chicken with sauteed asparagus and some potatoes roasted with olive oil. Again - it’s not like ‘Oh I had a salad for lunch - cheese enchiladas for dinner it is!’ I use common sense. I eat a ton of roasted vegetables (Even my husband, the anti health freak, would take roasted Brussels Sprouts or asparagus over french fries any day.) And I do eat pasta - I just tend to pass up the ones drenched in a heavy cream sauce in favor of light, veggie filled olive oil based dishes. And if I’ve had a carb heavy lunch, than I’ll skip the pasta that night in lieu of something relatively low in carbs such as a turkey burger sans the bun and a salad.

Another minor revelation that helped me in my attitude towards food was getting to know my body. In my opinion, there are two types of people - grazers and meal people. For me, ‘grazing’, i.e. eating 5 to 6 small meals a day rather than 3 larger meals, led to metabolic catastrophe. I found instead of stabilizing my hunger, it jump started it. By dinner time, instead of being satiated, I was ready for a deep fried turkey! Once I finally figured out I was a ‘meal’ girl, life got so much easier.

So I eat 3 meals a day and don’t snack. If I do, I have a piece of fruit or a small bag of pretzels (common sense again), but I usually don’t have to if I keep on a schedule. Dinner is my heaviest meal in actual quantity of food, because I don’t need much for breakfast and only a salad or soup for lunch. Figure out when your body needs its biggest meal and plan accordingly.

Again, I’m not an expert or even someone you should listen to - but for me, applying balance to food and figuring out what kind of eater I was made a big difference in my life. And I hope it does yours.

Balance definitely is key. This is why enjoying a dessert every now and then can be a pleasant experience! Especially when it’s something Dhivya from Culinary Bazaar put together. Dhivya knows how to bake a delicious and lean sweet treat; she also has a few helpful tips to offer us!

1) Never eyeball the oil for cooking. Next time you reach out for cooking oil for a supposedly healthy stir fry, take a measuring spoon to do so. Most of time you would find that so called little oil turns out to be much more than 2-3 tbsp. For most vegetable stir fries, 1/2 tsp of oil is sufficient.

2) Next time you fill out some water to boil, reconsider. Use the steamer instead. Less contact with water, more the nutrition.
Example : Mashed Potatoes can be made equally yummy by steaming the potatoes instead of boiling.

3) Adding lentils and legumes to the diet is not only healthy but also heavy in protein but low in fat. Such proteins fill us faster making us eat less and also not worry about calories since they are very low in bad calories.

4) Desserts need not be avoided. Little substitutions like using honey instead of sugar, using egg whites instead of whole eggs, using whole wheat pastry flour instead of plain refined flour makes a huge difference.

Here are a few more of Dhivya’s desserts:
Sakkara Pongal: Traditional South Indian Sweet Lentil and Milk Stew

Poli: Sweet South Indian Flatbread