Archive for the ‘Food & Recipes’ Category

Chicken Gyros

Monday, May 27th, 2013

Homemade Chicken Gyros

I think there are few things in the world as yummy as a gyro. I have been making homemade gyros for years now, but was so excited to try a healthier spin with a chicken gyro this time. And what could be yummier than a chicken gyro? I say, nothing.

This chicken meat is so tender thanks to the acidic blend of lemon and red wine vinegar that helps to tenderize the meat in just one hour. With the addition of a little Greek yogurt to the marinade and a shake of dried oregano, the meat is moist and flavorful with just a few sweetly simple ingredients.

If you are looking to save money and control the quality of ingredients in this dish, you can make everything from the pitas to the tzatziki (recipe below).

If you are looking to save time, you can buy everything from the pitas to the tzatziki.

I will not judge you either way!

Serve these delicious chicken gyros with some fresh veggies and hummus for an easy summer side dish that everyone will love. I also recommend double or triple batching this meat because these gyros magically disappear pretty quickly. At least they did in our house!

If you are looking for another fun spin on gyros, be sure to check out these Grilled Ground Beef Gyros for the summer, or visit my Get Grilling Pinterest board for many more great ideas for outdoor grilling. I also highly recommend this easy tutorial for getting your grill clean while you sleep!

Happy grilling, friends!

Homemade Chicken Gyros

Chicken Gyros
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Author: Amy Clark
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Give these easy chicken gyros a spin for a fun weeknight meal that your whole family will love.
Ingredients
  • 16 oz. Greek yogurt
  • 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
  • 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • For the chicken: 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 heaping tbsp. plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp. dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1¼ lbs. chicken tenderloins
  • Toppings: Pita bread
  • Fresh tomato slices
  • Red onion slices (optional)
Instructions
  1. To make the tzatziki sauce,shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together your Greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
  2. To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. You want to avoid marinating longer than this due to the acidic nature of this marinade.
  3. Grill your chicken strips on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked completely through. Set aside for five minutes.
  4. Heat pitas for 15-20 seconds in the microwave to warm.
  5. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.
Adapted from Annie’s Eats

 

 

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100 Days of Summer Pinterest Board- 2013 Edition!

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013

100 Days of Summer 2013

Summer is just around the corner and I am so excited to share with you that I have gathered another 100 Days of Summer activities for you to do with your kids in the summer months. These are 100 activities that are all low to no cost, screen-free, and a fun way to build truly memorable moments with your kids in the summer months.

I had the best time creating our very first 100 days of summer activities board for our family to do and share with you and then last year’s 100 Days of Summer was another huge hit. It was so huge that I just knew I had to repeat it all again this year for you.

100 Days of Summer 2013

I am looking forward to tackling our own summer list and will be documenting our projects through mobile pictures.You can catch me on Instagram, where I am documenting our summer. Just search for the username momadvice and you will find me there. Just as a side note, I try to always answer all the comments on my pictures if I can. If you have questions about projects we are doing or just want to say hello, I will do my best to respond!

If you are on Instagram, you can join in on the fun by taking pictures and sharing all of your summer adventures through there. Let’s use the hashtag #100summerdays again like we did last year.

By tagging your photos, it will make it easy to find each other in the group and share the projects we are tackling together. You can add the tags to your caption or you can add them as a comment later. In either scenario, the tag will pull it into our summer group.

I still will be sharing our apron full of giveaways and our notebook of inspiration each week. I will also have fresh content through my freelance writing jobs this summer with Kenmore, Goodwill, Jack’s Pizza, & Walmart that will keep our site fully loaded with great ideas for your summer.

For the rest of my entries, I will be sharing what we are working on from our summer list through mobile pictures and quick notes on what fun activities we are doing at our house. I am hoping it will be an inspiration to you to get out and enjoy the summer with your children. I can’t say we will tackle a hundred activities, but I will be awfully proud if we do one cool activity a week.

100 Days of Summer 2013

This year’s list is AMAZING and my favorite so far from making chevron friendship bracelets, to building race tracks, to painting techniques on rain days, to creating popsicle light sabers. There really is something for EVERY age group this year.

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for inspiration for your meal planning, home, reading, wardrobe and more! I am one happy little pinner!

Happy summer to each of you!

xo,
Amy

 

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Baked Donut Recipes – Our Family’s Favorite!

Monday, May 13th, 2013

Baked Donuts_MomAdvice

You may have noticed over the last few years that our family has fallen in love with baked donuts. Literally head-over-heals, preferring them to muffins (which baked donuts actually are more like) and in the case of our kids, even over the regular fried version (yes, it’s weird).

You also may have noticed that I have spelled them both ways occasionally – donut and doughnut – because we here in the states actually use both, although Google tells me that ‘doughnut’ is the grammatically correct version, while my spell checker prefers ‘donut.’ Kinda reminds me of that tomato-potato song:

You say doughnut and I say donut…let’s call the whole thing off!

No matter – both spellings work and the most important thing is that you try one of these easy baked donut recipes and see if your family likes them as much as mine does! (You will need a special pan, though, and this mini doughnut pan makes seriously cute donuts which may (or may not!) help keep the portions under control.)

baked_apple_pie_donuts

1. Baked Apple Pie Donuts

baked_blueberry_donuts

2. Baked Blueberry Donuts with a Lemon Glaze

baked-chocolate-donuts

3. Fluffy Baked Chocolate Donuts

fluffy glazed donuts

4. Fluffy Glazed Baked Donuts

pumpkin-donuts

5. Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Syrup Glaze

snickerdoodle_donuts

6. Baked Snickerdoodle Donuts

baked_strawberry_doughnuts_2

7. Baked Strawberry Donuts

french_breakfast_donuts

8. Baked French Breakfast Donuts

Gingerbread Donuts

9. Baked Glazed Gingerbread Donuts

Have you made any baked donuts? What are your favorites?

 

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Baked Strawberry Doughnuts

Monday, May 6th, 2013

Baked Strawberry DoughnutsIf there is one thing this family loves it is baked doughnuts. Today we baked up a bath of baked strawberry doughnuts that would be perfect to enjoy during the summer months. Walmart challenged me to share a fresh new take on a strawberry recipe and I couldn’t wait to share this doughnut recipe with you!

Fresh StrawberriesPicking the perfect strawberries for your dishes is relatively easy compared to other fruits where the flesh is hidden from view. I always pick the package up and examine underneath since bad berries can be nestled on the underside of the package. Be sure to select berries that are not overly ripe, mushy, or are starting to mold. Since berries have such a short shelf life, you want to make sure you are really off to a good start with the best berries from the store.

Did you know strawberries taste best at room temperature? If you are eating them whole, pull them out of the fridge one hour before eating to eat them at their peak flavor.

Baked Strawberry Doughnuts

Baked Strawberry Doughnuts

I found a great recipe for beautifully baked strawberry doughnuts from Cooking Classy that I couldn’t wait to try. To really heighten the berry flavor of these doughnuts, the glaze incorporates both fresh and freeze dried berries. You can find freeze-dried strawberries over in the same aisle as the nuts, granola bars, and dried fruits. When these freeze-dried berries are broken, it creates the pretty color and adds a burst of berry flavor to the glaze that would be mild in comparison with the fresh berries.

The flavor of these is surprisingly light thanks to the buttermilk and fresh berries that are thrown into the batter. The glaze adds that bright berry flavor to the coating and makes these baked doughnuts feel truly indulgent.

Baked Strawberry Doughnuts

Baked Strawberry Doughnuts
Recipe Type: Breakfast
Author: Adapted From Cooking Classy
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 18
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup canola
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped strawberries (I use my hand chopper to chop these)
  • Strawberry Glaze
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries
  • 1/2 cup (6 g) freeze dried strawberries, finely crushed to powder (place in a Ziploc bag, crush with rolling pin)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease doughnut pans well by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
  3. Make a well in center of mixture and set aside.
  4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs and then pour into well in flour.
  5. Using a wooden spoon, stir mixture just until combined, then fold in 2/3 cup finely chopped strawberries. Spoon 2 1/2 Tbsp batter evenly into each well of the doughnut pans.
  6. Bake in preheated oven 11-13 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of doughnut comes out clean.
  7. Prepare glaze just before dipping cooled doughnuts. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries and half of the powdered sugar. Stir until mixture starts to become moistened, then allow to rest 1 minute.
  8. Add in remaining powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder and stir until well combined . Use glaze immediately. If glaze is too thick, thin with 1 tablespoon of milk.
  9. Allow to cool several minutes in doughnut pan then invert onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. Once cool dip top halves of doughnuts into glaze and allow some of excess to run off, then return to wire rack, glazed side facing upward.
  11. Transfer doughnuts to freezer to allow glaze to set, about 5 minutes.

Recipe Slightly Adapted from Cooking Classy.

walmart_mom_disclaimer
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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

Pasta salad is one of my favorite dishes to make when the weather turns warmer,  thanks to it’s simplicity and ease in preparation. My favorite pasta salad is my Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad because it incorporates all of my favorite salad flavors into one dish. This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a crowd-pleaser, a fun picnic dish to share, and an easy weeknight meal.

I have been making this salad for years and recently made some new additions to it to incorporate more flavors. I roasted my chicken, but coated it in Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning (along with the olive oil, salt, and pepper that I traditionally do) that I found at our grocery store to add spice to it, added more of this fun seasoning to the dressing mixture itself, and thinned the dressing with red wine vinegar so it coated the noodles better.

The fresh additions of romaine and tomatoes add brightness and freshness to this dish. You can, of course layer on the Caesar salad flavorings by adding parmesan cheese and croutons, but it is delicious with or without these additions.

I have yet to meet a person that didn’t love this pasta salad as much as I did. If you intend to eat this one all week long, I recommend storing the romaine separately and adding it when dishing it up so you don’t have soggy lettuce in your dish.

I hope you can give this dish a try!

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Recipe Type: Main
Author: Amy Allen Clark
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Total time: 27 mins
Serves: 6
To make this dish quicker, use a rotisserie chicken instead of roasting your own!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound dry penne pasta
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts, roasted & seasoned with Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning (see link above for preparation technique)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic seasoning
  • 1 (8 ounce) bottle Caesar salad dressing
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 head romaine lettuce – rinsed, dried and
  • shredded
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prepare chicken as directed above. Allow the meat to rest ten minutes and then dice or shred for your pasta salad.
  2. Prepare your lettuce and tomatoes and toss them into a large bowl with the cooled chicken.
  3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  4. In a bowl, mix together salad dressing, vinegar, and seasonings. Toss together pasta, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing mixture.
  5. Garnish with croutons and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

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Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders With Yogurt Dill Dip

Monday, April 8th, 2013

pecan chicken tenders

I love crunchy breaded chicken and these Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders fit the bill perfectly with a healthy and wholesome breading that you will love. These pecan-crusted chicken tenders have a pecan coating made from pecans, a little whole wheat flour, and panko.

pecan-chicken-tenders-1
I made a triple batch of these for our family. If you have the food processor out, you might as well make a large batch of coating so that you can enjoy these all week long.These can be wrapped in tortillas with a smear of the yogurt dill sauce or they can be placed on top of a delicious salad with homemade dressing.

Lining the pan with parchment paper makes for easy clean-up and still browns the bottom of the tenders beautifully!

pecan-chicken-tenders-2
There are two things that really make these tenders a standout. One is the incorporation of spices in the coating. Dry mustard, the smokiness of the paprika, the rich flavor of garlic and onion powder all add to the flavorful coating and make the coating as delicious as the tender chicken inside. The second thing that really makes these is the yogurt-dill sauce for dipping your tenders in. I used Chobani Greek Yogurt which, thanks to the thickness and flavor, it makes this sauce feel as indulgent as Ranch dressing.

My kids were happy little dippers and this was a great way for them to get a little dairy in their diet without them knowing.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders With Yogurt Dill Dip
Recipe Type: Main
Author: Adapted from Clean Eating for Busy Families: Get Meals on the Table in Minutes with Simple and Satisfying Whole-Foods Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 4
Don’t be afraid to make a double or triple batch for your week- these pecan crusted chicken tenders with yogurt dill sauce go fast!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup pecans
  • ⅓ cup whole-wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pound chicken tenders, larger pieces cut in half lengthwise
  • For dip:
  • ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup light mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon dried dill
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Whir pecans, flour, paprika, dry mustard, garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper in a food processor until pecans are ground to a powder, about 30 seconds.
  3. Drizzle in the oil with the motor running, blending completely. Transfer mixture to a shallow dish and stir in the panko bread crumbs.
  4. Beat egg in a second shallow dish and add chicken tenders, coating them completely. Transfer each tender to the breading, turning to coat evenly. Arrange chicken on the prepared pan.
  5. Bake until golden brown and nearly firm, 8-10 minutes.
  6. Stir all dip ingredients together in a small bowl.
  7. Serve and eat immediately.

Slightly Adapted From: Clean Eating for Busy Families: Get Meals on the Table in Minutes with Simple and Satisfying Whole-Foods Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love 

 

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Easy Bloody Mary Mix

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013

Bloody Mary drinks trump a Mimosa any day in my book thanks to their rich tomato flavor and addition of everything in your pantry and spice cabinet. Today’s recipe is for an easy Bloody Mary Mix that you can create with items you probably already have in your home. This Bloody Mary Mix can be enjoyed with vodka or without and garnished with delicious green olives and celery stalks for stirrers.

Thanks to the kiddos being in school during the day, my husband and I have been enjoying day dates instead where we can save on the babysitter and I have more time to really enjoy being leisurely in the kitchen.

I decided one week to test a variety of breakfast recipes from our French Breakfast Donuts to these Quinioa Berry Breakfast Bowls to the Bloody Mary, and my husband took the day off so we could sit around and brunch all day long while watching a movie on the television at home.

It was an inexpensive date that yielded breakfast treats and snacks all week long and tasted far better than anything we would enjoy when dining out. The bonus was that I never left my pajamas.  Doesn’t everything taste better when you are in your pajamas?

I am a little picky about my Bloody Mary so it can be a gamble when dining out if the Bloody Mary will be to my liking. I like it spicy, but not too spicy. I also like a little bit of seasoning, but I don’t like it to be gritty. This Bloody Mary mix is my favorite because it has just the right balance of spices, heat, and has a good balance of flavors, especially when left overnight in the fridge so that the flavors can all blend well together.

I hope you can give this Bloody Mary Mix a try! It is a great recipe to have tucked away for your next brunch especially since a big batch can be made the day before along with an overnight strata or quiche. This is effortless entertaining, truly at it’s finest!

 

 

Easy Bloody Mary Mix
Recipe Type: Drink
Author: AllRecipes.com
Prep time: 5 mins
Total time: 5 mins
Serves: 8
Make this one the night before so that the flavors truly can meld together!
Ingredients
  • 1 (46 fluid ounce) bottle tomato-vegetable
  • juice cocktail
  • 1 1/2 lemons, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon steak sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Instructions
  1. In a large pitcher, combine juice cocktail, lemon juice and brown sugar.
  2. Season with Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce and celery salt.
  3. Cover, and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours to allow flavors to meld.

Recipe Courtesy of AllRecipes.com.

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Homemade Whole Wheat Toasted Tarts

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

I love, love, love breakfast tarts and today I wanted to share with you a cute homemade whole wheat toasted tart version of this delicious treat that you can make right in your own kitchen. This recipe for whole wheat toasted tarts is so delicious that you won’t believe how much yum can be packed into one little treat.

These whole wheat toasted tarts incorporate a little whole wheat flour and in lieu of a frosting topping, I have mixed raw sugar & wheat germ for a sweet and toasty combination of deliciousness that is a little bit healthier than sprinkles and frosting (although we do love sprinkles and frosting around here too!).

I had never eaten a homemade toasted tart before and can I say…holy yum?! These are flaky, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, and just the right balance of filling and crust.

I hit my local Walmart store to grab supplies for this yummy treat. They offer absolutely delicious gourmet Bonne Maman fruit preserves that have become a special treat in our house for everything from waffle topping to my kid’s peanut butter & jellies. They retail for $3.95 each and come in delicious berry combinations, strawberry, cherry, and wild blueberry. One of these days I will get the hang of canning, but for now, these are my go-to preserves and make a delicious filling for homemade toasted tarts.

Just like my all butter pie crust (you can check out a picture tutorial over there),  I employ the use of my food processor to create an easy crust without the kneading. To make sure I don’t overwork the dough, I only use the Pulse on my food processor so I can make sure that I have a very tender dough. This is really essential for a flaky crust especially since we are creating this dough with whole wheat flour incorporated in it.

You can roll your dough out on a well-floured surface or roll it between two pieces of parchment paper. I highly recommend the parchment paper since this dough is a sticky one!

Did I mention sticky? This dough is a tricky little beast for a novice chef. Refrigeration of your crust is really essential for nice crisp edges and workable dough. The experts advise chilling your dough before using it and then chilling your tarts before you bake them to retain their shape. I do the same tactic with my sugar cookies and it yields crisp results. This will be doubly important if you live somewhere with a humid climate or are working in a hot kitchen.

My advice, chill out!

Seriously, just chill out for as long as you can!

My crunchy & sweet topping is raw sugar mixed with wheat germ. A generous sprinkle of this adds another layer of deliciousness. Although the dough is chock-full of butter (as all good crusts are!), there is very little sugar in the dough itself and the raw sugar adds a crunchy texture as well as a little sweetness to this homemade delight.

These little toasty tarts were meant to be cut in perfect measurements with crisp corners.

I am no baker though, so these are imperfect…

Just like me!

The kids never noticed the difference and busy moms don’t have time for perfection when it comes to snacks.

Can I get an, “Amen?”

Toasted Tart Filling Ideas

Fruit Preserve Filling: 3/4 cup (8 ounces) jam, 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water. Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use to fill the pastry tarts.

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Filling: 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, & 4 teaspoons flour. Whisk together.

Chocolate Filling: 9 tablespoons mini chocolate chips or 9 tablespoons Nutella. Spread or sprinkle chocolate filling.

Homemade Whole Wheat Toasted Tarts
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Adapted from King Author Flour
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins
Total time: 1 hour 45 mins
Serves: 9
Surprise the kids with a homemade version of this favorite breakfast treat. Be sure to visit the post for filling ideas for your homemade whole wheat toasted tarts.
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 quarter-pound sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk
  • 1 additional large egg (for brushing on the pastry)
  • 1 tablespoon raw sugar
  • 1 tablespoon wheat germ
Instructions
  1. Process flour, sugar, and salt together until combined.
  2. Add butter and pulse until the mixture holds together when you squeeze it, with pecan-sized lumps of butter still visible.
  3. Mix the egg and milk, and add it to the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive.
  4. Divide the dough in half. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days or for 30 minutes.
  5. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes.
  6. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. Laying a 9″ x 13″ pan atop the dough will give you an idea if you’ve rolled it large enough. Trim off the edges; place the scraps on a baking sheet, and set them aside, along with the 9″ x 12″ rectangle of dough.
  7. Roll the second piece of dough just as you did the first. Press the edge of a ruler into the dough you’ve just rolled, to gently score it in thirds lengthwise and widthwise; you’ll see nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.
  8. Beat the egg, and brush it over the entire surface of the dough. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each marked rectangle.
  9. Place the second sheet of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around each pocket of jam, sealing the dough well on all sides.
  10. Brush the tops of the pastry with the remainder of the egg and then sprinkle the wheat germ and raw sugar topping on top of your tart.
  11. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Cut the dough evenly in between the filling mounds to make nine tarts. Press the cut edges with your fingers to seal, then press with a fork, to seal again.
  12. Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
  13. Remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake them for 25-28 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan.

Recipe Adapted from King Author Flour.

 

Afraid to tackle a homemade crust? I get it! You can find an easy DIY Pop Tart made from store-bought crust over here!

 

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Peeptini Cocktail Recipe

Monday, March 18th, 2013

Looking for a fun new way to celebrate Easter? I have the perfect martini for you! Peep Martinis are a fun way to celebrate the season that is sure to be a crowd pleaser! This Peep-tini is an adorable nod to this beloved little candy!

This martini is made with marshmallow fluff vodka, heavy cream, and a vanilla simple syrup. Simple syrup is the easiest way to add flavor to cocktails or coffee drinks and is made from items you already have in your pantry.I love my peppermint syrup for my homemade peppermint mochas and my plain simple syrup for the perfect mojito. It takes only a few minutes to make a simple syrup and is a great little item to have tucked away in your fridge for cocktail or coffee-making!

If you have a dairy sensitivity, the heavy cream can be replaced with your favorite dairy substitute like vanilla almond milk, thick and rich coconut milk, or even rice milk for a more mild flavor. They all will taste absolutely delicious and paired with the vanilla vodka, it feels a little like you are cheating!

Peeptini Cocktail Recipe
Recipe Type: Drink
Author: Adapted from SheKnows.com
Prep time: 10 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: 2
A fun spin on an Easter martini utilizing the infamous Peep candy for garnish.
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 ounces fluffed marshmallow vodka
  • 1/2 ounce vanilla syrup, plus extra for rim
  • 1 ounce cream
  • Sugar
  • To make vanilla syrup: 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. Cool to room temperature and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to three months.
  4. Pour a small amount of vanilla syrup onto one plate and sprinkle sugar onto another plate. Dip rim of glass in syrup and then into sugar to coat.
  5. Put vodka, syrup and cream in a cocktail shaker with ice.
  6. Shake.
  7. Strain into glass.
  8. Adorn with a Peep.

I highly recommend enjoy that cocktail while gazing at your beautiful Peep Wreath that is decorating your door. You can’t beat a Peep show like that!

 The fun started with me today, but you can catch our projects all week long! Have a fun Spring project you have been working on? Be sure to add your Spring projects on Friday, March 22nd at 8 a.m. CST…on any of our blogs.  So…mark your calendars! The fun starts on Monday, March 18th! And add your Spring projects on Friday, March 22nd at 8 a.m. CST…see you there!! This is another great link-up like our Valentine’s Day link-up that was such a success in February so start thinking about your favorite Spring projects you would like to share.

Today you can also check out these Chalkboard Crosses on The Pennington Point!

This week we will each be showcasing a project and here are all of the great hostesses that will be offering fun projects this week!

Meet your hostesses…

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22 Spring Break Boredom Busters

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

It’s that time of the year again – over the next month it will be Spring Break somewhere in the US and MomAdvice has you covered with Spring Break Boredom Busters for your kids. No need to worry about how to fill those days when you have fun and free Spring Break activities to do at home.

If you’re anything like me, you’re looking for some quick, clever, and kid-tested ways to fill some of those school-less hours. How about a list of twenty-two awesome Spring Break Boredom Buster Ideas I found – everything from classics like homemade playdough, fun foods, and games to a “how’d you make that?” activity such as glow-in-the-dark jello?

Here are six Mom Advice classics:

homemade_playdough_recipe

Homemade Playdough
homemade_bubbles

World’s Greatest Homemade Bubbles
car_smores

How to Make Car S’Mores
Glow_In_The_Dark_Jello_1

Make Glow-In-The-Dark Jello
butterbeer-lattes

Homemade Butterbeer Lattes
shower_curtain_canvas

Shower Curtain Art Canvas
Coffee_Filter_Flowers

Easy Coffee Filter Flowers
And sixteen more fun boredom busters:

Fizzing Sidewalk Paint @ Kid’s Activities Blog

Food Coloring Art @ B-Inspired Mama

Make the always popular Gak-Slime @ Skip To My Lou

DIY Indoor Obstacle Course @ Crumb Bums
ladybug-game

Ladybug Spots Game @ Piikea Street
Lego Capes

Duct Tape Lego Capes @ Busy Kids Happy Mom
Painted-Garden-Marker-Rocks

DIY Painted Rock Garden Markers @ Mom Endeavors
pretzel letters

Easy, Soft Pretzel Letters and Shapes @ An Oregon Cottage
Scribble Card

Tape-resist Scribble Card @ Lines Across
rice-rainbow-main

Rice Rainbow @ Kid Spot
sandpaper-print-tshirt

Sandpaper-Print T-Shirt @ Alpha Mom
tp birdseed feeder

TP Tube Bird Feeder @ Juggling With Kids
Make-a-Pretend-Birds-Nest

Pretend Bird’s Nest @ My Nearest and Dearest
kids_chips

Custom Tortilla Chips @ Martha Stewart
create-a-tornado

Create a Tornado @ KC Adventures

Do you have any tried-and-true activities you like to do on Spring Break?

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