Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats - Halloween Fun For Your Little Pumpkins! #RKHalloween

It's another rainy day here in Winnipeg, and quite cold outside too! So to keep the kids entertained, why not try a little Halloween themed baking project? These Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats are just the ticket to happy kids and Halloween fun. Check out the recipe and what we did to celebrate the upcoming "holiday."
 

Butterscotch Treats Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) JET-PUFFED Marshmallows
• OR
• 4 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons butterscotch flavor instant pudding & pie filling
• 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal

Directions

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in pudding mix.

2. Add Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares, or use cookie cutters to make fun shapes!  Best if served the same day. 

 

 

We had a great time putting these guys together -- and of course, eating them!  We inserted sticks into ours to make them into Rice Krispie pops, which always adds to the fun factor.  The butterscotch pudding really adds a unique flavor to the treats, making them extra yummy and a little special too.  The perfect (easy) activity for a rainy day!

Enjoy!


 

A Sweet Summer Treat: Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwich #Recipe

With the significant number of hybrid-treats listed on Pinterest these days (chocolate oreo brownie cheesecakes, anyone?) it's a wonder to me that I haven't seen more of these dreamy ice creamy treats.  Recently, while browsing lists of restaurants in New York with my daughter and preparing for our upcoming trip, I came across this little gem right here available at the Peter Pan Bakery in NYC. 

Of course, the Little Miss and I decided we HAD to try it.  However, since she won't be coming to the Big Apple with my husband and I, I promised her we'd do up  our own version. 

So we came up with this:

And was it ever GOOD!!!  One doughnut was enough for the two of us to share.  More than enough, actually.  We could have gone one step further and shared it with the Handsome Mister as well, but he was tuckered right out after a long day of being Two, and was ready to settle into bed.  So he had none.  (Maybe he'll share one with his Dad tomorrow, as we bought enough for everybody.)

To make the Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwich:

Well, let's face it, I'm great in the kitchen but as a Mom of 2 little shorties I just don't have the time to do homemade doughnuts.  So we marched on over to the local Superstore and picked up two chocolate glazed doughnuts with sprinkles, and a tub of President's Choice Loads of Chocolatey Peanut Butter Treats Ice Cream.  I used a bread knife to carefully cut the doughnut in half, and scooped a generous portion of the ice cream (which was exactly the right consistency) on to the bottom half.  Then I slapped the top half on top of the ice cream and cut the doughnut in half again to make 2 portions. 

Experimenting with the Doughnut/Ice Cream combination is the best part!  Next time I might try something like an apple fritter with a caramel ice cream.  The Little Miss wants to go for a chocolate cake doughnut with chocolate ice cream.  The options are virtually endless!  

These would make a fabulous party treat, would be fun for a family barbeque or to bring over to a friend on a hot day.  Of course, they're good on just an average weeknight, too.  ;)

So this is less of a recipe than it is an "idea" -- but throw your best combo ideas at me!  Or, hey, if you have a stellar doughnut recipe, I'd love to hear about that too.  One day I'd like to try making them from scratch.
 
Enjoy your summer treats!

Who Wants a Cookie? Celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day #NMVCCCDay #Recipe

Are you aware that today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day?  Well, it is and I think that gives us all reason to celebrate with a cookie!  We were given bottle of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract to bake up a delicious storm recently, in celebration of Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.  The kids and I decided that cookies are kind of a big deal, so it was time to go BIG or go home!  Here's what we did:

What?!  Yep, that cookie is the size of an entire cookie sheet.  And it was YUM!  Here's a copy of the recipe we used.  It should be noted that rather than spooning the cookies out one by one, we just pressed all the dough into the pan and baked for an additional few minutes until the top was golden brown, the scent of pure vanilla extract wafted through our home and those chocolate chips were lovely and gooey.  :)  I encourage you to do the same!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 ½ c. butter, softened
1 ¼ c. white sugar
1 ¼ c. brown sugar
1 T. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 eggs
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1-12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips. (2 c.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, soda, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop with a #40 scoop (looks like a metal mini ice cream scoop) or a rounded measuring tablespoonful about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased insulated baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly: remove from baking sheet. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen crackly, chewy-crispy bakery-style cookies. They are wonderful!
*Recipe courtesy of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and Renee Hartzler.


Now, GO and enjoy a Cookie!  Have a fabulous day!

 

Creating #Easter Treats with Kellogg's Rice Krispies #Kelloggers

With my husband being out of town for a few days this week, I needed to come up with some fun activities to keep the kids occupied and happy. Luckily, just in time for Easter, we received our latest box from the #Kelloggers blogger program. It was such a fun one!  We were challenged to create some fun treats for the Easter holiday, and of course lots of lasting memories along the way.

The kids and I decided on making Rice Krispie Easter Eggs to decorate.  We cooked up our marshmallows and butter in a big pot on the stove.  I added a splash of vanilla for extra flavour.  We opted for the stove top method, because as a kid I always enjoyed watching the marshmallows melt down into "goo" - so of course I figured my kids would be the same!  Had I been thinking ahead a little bit, I'd have added some food colouring to the marshmallows as well, but we'll have to save that for next time!

When it came time to form the Rice Krispies into eggs, well, let's just say we had a bit of a mess on our hands.  Both literally and figuratively speaking.  ;)  The kids were lacking any patience to wait for the mixture to cool off, and I wasn't in the mood to deal with that (long week without the hubby, remember? lol!)  So instead, we opted for using a mini muffin tin.  It was perfect!  I actually liked this even better than the original plan, because we ended up with the perfect little bite sized snacks -- And it was SO easy.

I coated the tin with cooking spray, and just formed the mixture in.  We ended up with about 30 individual treats.  What's great about this method is you could actually use it for any holiday -- just decorate with appropriate coloured frosting and candy!  I'd use crushed candy canes at Christmas, Cinnamon hearts at Valentines and so on.  It's very versatile. :)

The kids had a blast squeezing out their coloured frosting, adding some yummy jelly beans and Cadbury eggs, and of course sneaking lots of goodies while working.  Haha!  I did pay for the sugar high later, but it was worth it.  We had such a fun time! 

What are you up to this long weeekend?  Are you planning to make any goodies or decorate eggs with the kids?  

Happy Easter, all!

 

Lighten Up Lunch: Avocado & Egg Salad Sandwich #HealthyEating #Recipe

Looking for a quick, low-cal high protein lunch to take to work or send in the kids lunchbox?  I've got just the thing.  Since my husband and I decided to really watch what we eat and take better care of our bodies (New Years resolution, anyone?) we've come up with all sorts of new recipes and meal ideas.  Today, I'm going to share one with you!

This girl is totally into mayo -- I can't lie, any sauce that's creamy, fatty or buttery is totally my kind of condiment.  And I like it in obscene doses.  I guess it's the heavy influence from my Russian/German/Mennonite heritage.  So, Egg Salad for lunch has ALWAYS been a favourite of mine.  Woot!  

Egg Salad is great for protein but all that mayo adds major calories and fat -- NOT the good kind of fat, either.  So, after seeing a few ideas around Pinterest, I decided to lighten it up my own way.  With avocado!  It was every bit as tasty as the usual kind.  Here's what I did:

AVOCADO & EGG SALAD SANDWICH
Serves: 2

Ingredients - 
1 Avocado
4 Eggs
1/4 Tsp. Paprika
1/2 Tsp. Dill
Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
4 Slices Tomato
2 Slices Rye or Wholegrain Bread 

Directions - 
First, boil your eggs.  I like to place mine in a pot of cold water, bring to a heavy boil and then set the timer for 8 minutes.  I find this makes for the perfect hard boiled egg with nice, bright yellow yolks.  While they're cooking, cut open your avocado, remove the pit and scoop out the inside into a small bowl.  Mash it up!  Add your Paprika and Dill.  When your eggs have finished cooking, remove from the stove and drain them, submerge them in cold water until cool, then peel and dice them.  Add them to your avocado mixture and gently stir until everything is blended.  Now mound the salad on to your slice of bread, top with two slices of Tomato each, and your freshly ground black pepper.  Dig in!!!

A Few Side Notes:

- If you're going low-carb, try stuffing a scooped out Tomato or Green Pepper with your Egg Salad, instead of using bread!  I was tempted to do this, but hubby isn't a huge fan of the big red fruit (or pepper) so we did a traditional open-faced sandwich instead.

- Change up the seeasonings!  Play with crushed garlic, cilantro, chili peppers, and finely diced tomatoes to make a "Guacamole Egg Salad"

Feel free to leave a note in the comments with any further suggestions.  Enjoy your lunch ;) 


 

Bacon, Mushroom & Swiss Steak Sandwich #Recipe #Weeknight Meal

I was scouring the fridge for dinner ideas the other day, when I came up with an admittedly awesome idea for a tasty sandwich. These are hearty, extremely good (if I do say so myself) and they're fun, too!  They make a quick and easy weeknight meal, but you could whip these up for guests in a heartbeat, if you're doing a casual BBQ or get together.  I would buy some fresh bakery kaiser rolls in that case, instead of the basic burger buns which I happened to have on hand.  Try them out for yourself!

BACON, MUSHROOM & SWISS STEAK SANDWICH

Ingredients:
1 Pkg. Bacon
1 Pkg. Sandwich Steak 
Swiss Cheese
Button Mushrooms (A handful will do)
Baby Spinach
1 Bottle of BBQ Sauce (I like the Bulls-Eye Guinness)
Mayonnaise 
Hamburger/Kaiser Buns

Directions:
Start out by getting a frying pan for your bacon, and fry until done.  I like 2 slices per sandwich, and I keep mine on the softer side for these particular sandwiches.  Set bacon aside.  Get out a second non-stick frying pan to cook your sandwich steak.  (You could BBQ too, but for the very short amount of time you'll be cooking, it may not be worth it.  This meat is so thinly sliced it cooks fast.)  Smother your steak in the BBQ sauce, grind some black pepper on top,  and fry it up for approx. 2 mins. per side.  The idea is to get both sides browned, and then get it off the heat.  If you over-cook, it will be chewy.  While the steak is in the pan, top with copious amounts of Swiss cheese, and let it get all melty and delicious.  :)  If your frying pan has a lid, pop it on now to help the cheese melt. 

Toast your bun, then spread a thin layer of Mayonnaise on the top half.  Place your steak on the bottom half.  You may have to cut it in half to fit.  Add your bacon, then top with chopped mushrooms, and Spinach.  Add the top bun, and you are set!  Now, chow down and feel good about yourself because you just made a sandwich that consists of all 4 food groups and is a meal in and of itself.  Whoot!  (Of course, if you're like me you may want to throw in a side or two.  We were feeling extra indulgent that day so we went with Curly Fries, but a simple salad would be fantastic too!)

Enjoy!

 

Tasty Toddler Snacks

Over the last few weeks, I've watched D become a little less picky and a little more adventurous when it comes to food. It's like something clicked and she realized "Hey! Trying new stuff makes meal time less boring!" She's finally enjoying things like perogies, french toast, cut up strawberries, pizza, and mashed potatoes. D even willingly tried peas - but decided she wasn't interested. Coming from the kid who's diet consisted of cheese sandwiches, bananas, apples or anything apple related, yogurt and cereal (along with the odd additional thing tossed in the mix)...This, rather pathetically enough, is kind of a big deal! So what's my secret?

...Pfffft, I have no idea. Is it just an age thing? They say kids sometimes behave this way because what they put into their mouths is one of the ONLY things they can control about their lives. Yeah, I get that, but it sure drives Moms like me crazy! I guess all you can do is keep offering up a variety of healthy items, and hoping for the best. Now that D is finally willing to at least TRY some things, I've been looking at some of the great recipes at Canadian Parents.

Like, for example, this Rainy Day Spinach Dip. What a perfect way to incorporate vegetables, without even having to serve chunks of straight up "vegetables"!  I can see D dipping some crackers or maybe some wholegrain tortilla chips in this and really enjoying it.

Rainy Day Spinach Dip

 And this all kinds of awesome Breakfast Pizza!  Who doesn't love pizza for breakfast, right?  This one includes salsa, eggs, and cheese - healthy, and fun too.

Breakfast Pizza

What are some of your kids favorite recipes?  How do you get your toddlers to eat their vegetables??

Just Kickin'

I've finally been feeling my little beans kick a wee bit! It's very reassuring to know they're doing OK in there - but I look forward to the day when the movements are a bit more obvious. Having spoken to some other twin pregnancy mommies, I know I'm not alone in having moments of panic. Why haven't I felt them yet today? What's that weird pain in -insert random part of abdomen here- and do I need to worry? My feet are swelling up sometimes already. I'm on them a fair bit, chasing after my 3 toddlers all day. I don't remember swelling up this much with DD so early, but suffice it to say everything is different this time around. Different, and so awesome at the same time.

I've been collecting some things for the twins impending arrival. We purchased a Graco Duoglider double stroller, and I bought a Sleepy Wrap infant wrap carrier. I've heard nothing but great things about these, and since it will allow me (at least for the first couple of months) to carry both twins at once, I'm excited to give it a try! They also come highly recommended for kangaroo care. Being so close to Mommy means lots of warm snuggles and security for the little ones.

Next up on the to do list is to prepare meals and freeze them. If I get stuck on bed rest, I certainly don't want to leave the cooking to DH (aka: the king of chicken burgers and fries. Yikes!) So I think what I'll do is head to the store and pick up everything I need for lasagna, chile, soup, enchiladas, mexican casseroles, etc. and have them ready to go. If DH can throw fries in the oven, then he can throw a casserole in just the same! Have any recipe suggestions? Send them my way!

Cheers!

Kristin