cook with your kids — Ma Whats For Dinner?

Tropical Noodle Kugel

December 7, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 16 Comments

What do you get when you cross a Pina Colada and Bubbie’s Kugel?

Tropical Noodle Kugel!

Try this fun fruity version of the good ol’ fashioned kind that Bubbie used to make.

It’s like being in the islands…on Hanukkah.

Tropical Noodle Kugel

Serves 8-10 Prep time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes

Try this fun new spin on Bubbie’s traditional noodle kugel. This one has the feel of the islands infused into its layers of yummy creamy goodness.

1 16 ounce package egg noodles

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

6 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups sour cream

1 t coconut extract

1 t cinnamon

1 cup sweetened coconut milk

1 cup cottage cheese

¾ cup diced pineapple

1 t kosher salt

Topping:

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup shredded coconut

3 T unsalted butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil. When it’s boiling salt the water well and add noodles. Cook to al dente, about 1 -2 minutes shy of package directions for fully cooked noodles. Drain well and toss with melted butter.

While your noodles cook grab a large mixing bowl. Stir together eggs, sugar, sour cream, coconut extract, coconut milk, cinnamon, salt and cottage cheese. When well blended, gently fold in your pineapple chunks. Add noodles and mix well.

In a small bowl combine remaining melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and coconut. Transfer noodle mixture to a greased 13×9 baking dish. Top with graham cracker mixture.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Trust me…This is the most delicious kugel you have ever had. Try not to eat the whole pan before Bubbie gets to try it. Not that I ate the whole pan, well not on purpose at least…

Filed Under: Baking Recipes For Kids, Featured, Fruit Recipes For Kids, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids Tagged With: coconut, cook with your kids, desserts, hanukkah, hanukkah recipes, holiday recipes, noodles, pineapple, traditional jewish desserts

Homemade Holiday Caramel

December 6, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 18 Comments

I love caramel. It’s got to be one of the best candy inventions of all time.

Whenever someone sends me a chocolate box, guess which ones are gone first?

We decided to make our own at home and wrap them up as little goodie and hostess bags to give away this holiday season.

You can too…

The boys are also bringing them as gifts to school…though they’ll be bringing them without nuts, we’re all nut free facilities around here.

Homemade Holiday Caramels

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Cool Time: 2 hours

What you need:

Candy Thermometer

Parchment Paper

Cooking spray

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup evaporated milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter

½ t salt

1 T vanilla extract

optional

Fancy Sea Salt (i.e. Fleur de Sel)

Chopped toasted pecans

Chopped peanuts

Gift Bags

Wax Paper

Ribbon or Raffia

What to do:

Line a 13×9 baking dish with parchment paper.

Lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a medium pot combine sugars, corn syrup, evaporated milk, whipping cream, butter, and salt. Mix well. Heat over medium heat.

Using your candy thermometer watch the heat and when it reaches 250 degrees remove from the pot. Stir in your vanilla then pour into baking dish.

Cool in the fridge. Once cooled cut into small pieces and wrap in wax paper.

Place in gift bags and tie with ribbon and raffia. Optional….top your caramels with sea salt, or chopped nuts.

Filed Under: Crafts, Featured, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids, Snacks Tagged With: candy, candy crafts, candy making, caramel, cook with your kids, gift ideas, holiday gift ideas

Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

April 30, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 11 Comments

My lawn has exploded…

Exploded with dandelions…

And I couldn’t be more excited.

They may be seen as weeds…

But they’re actually delish!

I love to pair them up with a pasta.

Then my aunt mentioned her quick go to pasta was with turkey bacon and peas….

Hmmm, sounds like a match made in heaven!

This is a delicious and quick dish that’s good for you and tastes great!

The boys loved the sweetness of the peas and I love the smoky turkey bacon and whole wheat pasta.

Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge…

Makes a great quick lunch with a salad!

Super easy…

Super quick…

Super delicious!

kid favorite recipes side dishes healthy eating for kids featured dinner Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 box whole wheat pasta (I like fusilli)

1 t extra virgin olive oil

4 slices organic turkey bacon (We use Applewood Farms)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup english peas (you could use frozen, I had fresh on hand)

1 bunch dandelion greens

S&P

1 cup of pasta water (if necessary)

parmesan cheese

WHAT TO DO:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add your pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions. When you have about 2 minutes left to cook grab a cup of the cooking water and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add in your olive oil and then toss in your bacon. Cook til crisp, about 7-8 minutes. Toss in your garlic and let cook for another minute. Add in peas and dandelion greens, and season with S&P. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes and then add in your pasta water.

Drain your pasta and toss in the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve.

YUM!!!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Featured, Healthy Recipes For Kids, Healthy Side Dish Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: bacon, buy local, cook with your kids, csa, dandelion greens, farm to table, pasta recipes, peas, Stone Garden Farms, turkey bacon, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat pasta recipes

Secret Recipe Club – Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch Taquitos

April 23, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 13 Comments

Oh I’m so excited.

I joined a club…

An awesome club.

I’m a joiner…

What can I say.

Today is my first reveal as a full fledged member of

The Secret Recipe Club

And this month I got assigned to pick a recipe to try from the wonderful

Carries Sweet Life

And there was so much to choose from!

I finally settled on a true crowd pleaser.

And even with my recipe OCD I hardly changed a thing!

Check out these baked taquitos that pretty much brought the house down!

Carries Sweet Life Chicken Bacon and Ranch Taquitos

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
12 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken I used a rotisserie chicken
1/2 packet dry Ranch Dressing mix
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
3-4 Tablespoons green onion, chopped
20 (6-inch) whole wheat or flour tortillas
Salt
Non-stick cooking spray
bacon drippings

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Brown your bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside.

Toss in diced jalapeno and scallions into your bacon drippings and quickly saute until slightly soft. Remove from drippings…be sure to keep the grease!

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, chicken, bacon, cheese, jalapeno and green onions.

Fold in your ranch mix.

Mix well.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into a tortilla and roll it up.

Place taquito seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat until you are out of chicken.

Brush tops of taquitos with the reserved bacon drippings and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them in case you have to run upstairs to say hand out time outs to 3 year olds who hit their brothers in the face with a Wii remote…just saying.

Serve these bad boys up with ranch dressing or salsa!

Delish!

Thanks Carrie…these are going into permanent rotation!

Filed Under: Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes, Lunch Ideas For Kids, Snacks Tagged With: bacon, chicken, cook with your kids, Hidden Valley Ranch, jalapeno, ranch, scallions, Secret Recipe Club

Baseball Week – Cracker Jack Popcorn Balls

April 13, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 9 Comments

Cracker Jacks…

Get your Cracker Jacks…

Here’s a quick, easy and fun way to get your team to eat their favorite snack on the run!

WHAT YOU NEED:

3/4 c light corn syrup

1/4 c butter

2 t cold water

2 1/2 c confectioners’ sugar

1 c marshmallows

5 quarts plain popped popcorn

1 cup shelled peanuts

WHAT TO DO:

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add in the corn syrup, butter, cold water, sugar and marshmallows.

Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine your popcorn and peanuts.

Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, get each and every kernal and peanut.

To make this easier you can rub some vegetable oil on your hands.

Shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools.

Wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

What’s your favorite snack at the ball park?

For the record, this is not my picture. It’s is courtesy of Amazon. My camera decided to lose the pictures I took of our popcorn balls, so sadly this will have to do. Maybe you can make some and send them to me?

Filed Under: Kid Favorite Recipes, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids, Snacks, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids Tagged With: baseball food, cook with your kids, fun food, popcorn

Baseball Week – Sloppy Joe Dimaggios

April 11, 2012 by Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 8 Comments

This is one of my favorite of Rachael Ray’s quick meals with a couple of tweaks due to my massive recipe OCD condition.

It’s perfect for Baseball Week!

Make this for your little sluggers and the whole team’ll be over to eat!

Serves: 9 little leaguers Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 T olive oil

2 lbs ground sirloin

1 package hebrew national hot dogs, sliced

1 onion chopped

1 garlic clove chopped

1 T steak seasoning

1 T chili powder

3 T brown sugar

3 T worcestershire sauce

3 T dark beer, like Guinness

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

Burger rolls

WHAT TO DO:

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Add meat and crumble as it browns.

Add chopped hot dogs after 3 to 4 minutes then cook 3 to 4 minutes more.

Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook to soften, 5 to 6 minutes more.

In a bowl mix the spices, sugar, Worcestershire, Guinness and tomato sauce.

Pour sauce over the meat and simmer a few minutes to combine flavors.

Slop onto buns and serve.

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Dinners on a Dime, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: Baseball, burgers, cook with your kids, cooking with kids, food for kids, fun food, game day recipes, hot dogs, sloppy joes

Tropical Noodle Kugel

Homemade Holiday Caramel

Pasta with turkey bacon, peas, and dandelion greens

Secret Recipe Club – Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch Taquitos