Homemade Spice Blends

Today we have a guest post from Sweet Child of Mine.

I love cooking and trying new flavors, so I have an extensive variety of spices. As a way to save money and avoid MSG and sugar, I decided to put together my own spice blends. Having my own spice blends on hand is definitely a time-saver too. I just make enough to fill an old seasoning container, then when I need it for a recipe, I just shake the spices in. Here are my recipes for taco, ranch and poultry seasoning.

Taco Seasoning:

• 6T chili powder
• 5T paprika
• 4.5T cumin
• 2.5T onion powder
• .5t cayenne pepper
• 1T oregano
• 1T coarse salt
• 1T garlic powder

Mix all of these into an empty spice shaker, ziplock bag or airtight container. Use in any recipe that you'd normally use a pre-packaged taco seasoning.








Ranch Seasoning:

• 4T parsley
• 3T pepper
• 4T season salt
• 2T garlic powder
• 1T onion powder
• .5T thyme
• 3T chives
• 3T dill

Mix all of these into an empty spice shaker, ziplock bag or airtight container. Use in any recipe that you'd normally use a pre-packaged ranch seasoning. Mix into sour cream for a delicious dip without all of the additives of store-bought dip.






Poultry Seasoning:

• 4T salt
• 2T paprika
• 1T cayenne pepper
• 1T onion powder
• 1T thyme
• 1T white pepper
• 1T garlic powder
• 1T black pepper
• 1T curry powder

Mix all of these into an empty spice shaker, ziplock bag or airtight container. I use this on all of the poultry that I cook. It makes a nice rub for chicken and turkey, and I also shake some over boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

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Butternut Squash “Nuffins”

Shared by Anne of  Greenchild Creations

Over at Greenchild Creations, we follow the paleo (or caveman) diet for my son’s dietary needs.  This means we are grain free, dairy free, legume free, and nightshade free.  While the diet consists of wonderful fresh whole foods, it can be difficult during holiday gatherings where tempting pies, cakes, cookies, and breads abound.  

This is a recipe I created that works perfectly with holiday meals – or anytime!  Let me introduce you to what I call the “Nuffin”.   I must warn you, they are not only delicious and nutritious, but highly addicting!

 Butternut Squash “Nuffins”
3/4 c. ground almonds
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/8 c. chopped mixed nuts – I like to use pecans, walnuts, and almonds
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1/4 c. suet, rendered
1/4 c. maple syrup, 100% pure
1/2 c. butternut squash, cooked

Washed raw sugar (turbinado sugar) Mix dry ingredients except raw sugar, set aside.  Add wet ingredients and stir thoroughly, adding the freshly rendered suet last.  Spoon into a greased muffin tin and sprinkle a little washed raw sugar on top.  Makes approximately 12 “nuffins”.

Some notes: ·  

• Ground almonds - you can buy almond meal, or you can save a little money and buy sliced almonds and grind them yourself in a coffee grinder·       
•  Baking powder - to keep in with the spirit of paleo, I use an arrowroot based baking powder as commercial blends may contain cornstarch, potato starch, or sodium aluminum sulfate·     

   

• Suet - I like to render mine as needed, but you can buy already rendered (tallow).  To render, cut off a chunk of suet and melt over low heat in a small pan.  Then pour off what you need.  A substitute  of another fat/oil for the suet is not recommended; it is what gives the best full satisfying flavor.    Our dog thinks the leftover cracklin’s are delicious, LOL!!

As tasty as these are, they will not last long!  Don’t eat them all at once though - nuts can have a laxative effect if consumed in large enough quantities.

Thanks for letting me share!
Anne Hoelz
Greenchild Creations

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Halloween Personal Pizzas

Looking for a fun snack for a Halloween party or an easy dinner to serve Halloween night?  These personal pizzas are yummy, cute and simple to make.  Here's what you'll need:

1 recipe of quick pizza dough (see below) - makes ~20 - 4" pumpkins pizzas
Pumpkin cookie cutter, we used a soft grip one from Wilton
pizza or tomato sauce
mozzarella cheese
pepperoni
small paring knife

Directions:
Roll out pizza dough to ~1/4" thick.  Cut with cookie cutter, and transfer to prepared cookie sheet.  Leave a little space between each to allow for the dough to rise and spread while baking.  

Spread each pumpkin shaped piece of dough with sauce and sprinkle which cheese.  Cut a few piece of peperoni into smiles and eyes.  The picture below offers one suggestion for how to cut the peperoni.  Place peperoni pieces on each pumpkin pizza and bake for 5-6 minutes at 450 degrees, or until crust is done and cheese is melted.   

If needed you can carefully reposition eyes or mouths right after they come out of the oven.  Cool on a cooling rack and serve.  They can be made a head of time and warmed in the oven before serving.  Refrigerated biscuits or pizza dough from the freezer section, could also be used. 

Quick Pizza Dough Recipe 

1 pkg. quick rise dry yeast (aka 2-1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
2-1/2 cups flour (1 cup wheat + 1-1/2 cups white)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Mix yeast in water in glass measuring cup or small bowl.  In a medium size mixing bowl, combine other ingredients.  Once yeast is dissolved, pour over other ingredients and mix well by hand.  Let sit in bowl 5-10 minute, or use immediately.  Flatten on greased pan.  For pumpkin pizzas, flatten using finger tips on floured counter for cutting.  Add toppings and bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

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Recipe:: French Onion Soup

A great fall recipe for those cool nights courtesy of Niah Bella Boutique ...


Easy French Onion Soup

several thick slices of stale, or staled in the oven french bread
olive oil
red cooking wine
4-6 onions thinly sliced
one box each of chicken and beef stock, low sodium
two tablespoons of Italian blend seasonings
chopped garlic, or garlic salt
celery salt
sliced provolone cheese
oven safe soup ramekins or soup mugs....

In electric skillet with lid toss in the thinly sliced onions, or chop them if you prefer bite sized pieces, add some olive oil and slowly toss till caramelized, do not burn. Add in the dry seasonings and toss.
Poor the red cooking wine over the onions and let simmer for a min, long enough to open the two boxes of broth! Add both boxes of broth, and lower lid. Allow to simmer.

Once the soup has reduced down a bit you can ladle it into the oven safe mugs, leaving a half in or so at the top to accommodate the bread, place bread on top of soup and add provolone cheese, toast in oven till cheese is just melted, and serve.....

This smells so good, and can be made easily for company as everything can be done ahead and left to simmer till five minutes before serving when you place in the oven to toast... No one ever complains or goes home hungry when you serve comfort food, and this one can look so elegant!

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Summer Recipe: Sauteed Green Beans

When I was in college at Syracuse University, we used to eat out from time to time at a Chinese restaurant near campus. With rare exception, I always got the sauteed green beans. I loved them, and every time I’ve ordered Chinese since, I’ve looked for something similar. I never really found it.

Then, a few years ago, I picked up a recipe at the grocery store for “Green Beans Chinese-Style,” and lo and behold, there were my beloved sauteed green beans again! It’s a simple, fast recipe, and whenever I have fresh green beans (as I did from last week’s farm share), it’s the first recipe I think of.

Plus, it gets my son to eat green beans.

Sauteed Green Beans

1.5T minced fresh ginger*
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, minced**
2T dry sherry
2T sugar
2T soy sauce
2T vegetable oil
1.5 lb. green beans, trimmed, rinsed and patted dry

* I often substitute 1t ground ginger.
** If I don’t have green onions, I use a couple of tablespoons of regular onions.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the ginger, garlic, green beans, onion, sherry, soy sauce, and 1T water. (Important note: don’t double the sauce. It might seem like there’s not enough, but there is. The sauce is supposed to mostly cook away and get sticky on the beans.)


Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir fry the green beans for 2 minutes. Add 2T of water and cook for another 2 minutes or until the water is evaporated. Add the sauce and stir fry for 5 more minutes or until the beans are tender. Serve over rice.


Serves 6. (Yeah right — my husband, son, and I can polish this off in one sitting!)


Enjoy! -Cori of Peace, Baby! Batiks

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Eat Your Veggies!

Sweet Yellow Vegetable Toddler Romper (3-6mo) by Berchtasbelly1
Crocheted Vegetable Play Set by honeybee69Eggplant bodysuit and ruffled diaper covers gift set by ReaGun
LiliBug Peas and Carrots Hair Clip Set by LiliBugBoutique
Peas Please Bodysuit, 18 mo by BuggaLove
happy summer planting - carrot by sabahnur

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a couple of things I didn't know...

In my magazine reading this weekend I've stumbled across a couple of interesting things that I didn't know about and I wanted to share...

1. Are you wondering whether that piece of fruit you're about to serve your kid is organic? Look at the PLU code on the sticker or packaging. If it starts with a 9, it's organic. If not, it may have been treated with pesticides.

2. Having a Raccoon in your backyard may make your child sick..These animals choose a spot to repeatedly us as a latrine, and their feces can carry a dangerous parasite known as Baylisascaris procyonis. According to a recent study in Emerging Infectious Diseases, raccoon latrines were present in more than half of the back yards that researchers investigated in suburban Chicago. Raccoons are common across the country, so check your yard every other week for small pieces of poop, the diameter of your thumb, suggests study author Kristen Page, PHD. Use disposable gloves to put them in a plastic bag and douse the area with boiling water.

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Kids in the Kitchen

With the last couple of weeks of pure candy bliss, I'm sure all the moms out there are ready for a healthy snack fix! No matter how hard I've tried to stop the candy stash from being devoured by my children (I'm sure that my husband helped with that too)...the pile keeps shrinking and they've been on a constant sugar high...bleh!

So today, I hope to share some yummy snacks that will help tackle the problem of the post-Halloween, icky teeth, yucky tummy, candy overload blues!

Cookie Magazine put together a list of 10 super healthy, yet totally yummy snacks for kids!

Try these out...have the kiddos help in the kitchen as you prepare them too!Healthy Trail Mix

How: Mix whole-wheat pretzels, wheat Chex, Craisins or raisins, chocolate chips, dried fruits, seeds, and nuts (optional) together.

Why: Kids love this sweet and crunchy mix of ingredients that's high in energy-boosting protein.

And how about....

Banana Pops

• 3 bananas
• 6 Popsicle sticks
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter, softened
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or walnuts, granola, crispy rice cereal, or sunflower seeds

How: Peel the bananas. Cut them in half, width wise, and push a Popsicle stick through the cut end of each half. Spread peanut butter on the bananas, and then roll them in the nuts, cereal, or seeds. Wrap them in waxed paper and freeze for three hours.

Why: A single pop contains 16 percent of the recommended daily dietary-fiber intake for an adult. The potassium content of the bananas can help reduce bloating in mom, while the peanut butter and nuts or seeds provide fiber and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

*My Twist: dip them in dehydrated or dried fruits too! yum!

For other delicious & healthy snacks, visit Cookie Magazine for many more ideas!

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Kids in the Kitchen

Fall is the perfect time to mix up some gobbly good eats! With the cooler air setting in and the Halloween holiday just around the corner...this delicious treat is sure to please! A yummy combination of cereal, fruit & candy make this goody perfect for your little witches and spooky goblins...they'll gobble it right up!

Trick or Treat!Halloween Chex Mix

What you'll need:

8 oz. white chocolate baking bars, coarsely chopped
4 cups Corn Chex or Rice Chex cereal
2 cups bite sized pretzel twists
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup candy corn
1/4 cup Betty Crocker orange & black candy decors (Halloween sprinkles)


Preparation:

• In large microwavable bowl, microwave chopped baking bars uncovered on High 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.

• Gently stir in cereal, pretzels and raisins until evenly coated. Stir in candy corn and decors.

• Spread on waxed paper or foil until cooled and chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Break into chunks. Store loosely covered.

Recipe Yields: 18 servings (1/2 cup each)


For an extra special treat, fill little cellophane bags with this fun mix and tie with orange and black ribbons for Halloween party treats!

This recipe & many others can be found at Chex.

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Delicious After School Snacks

Well, it's just about that time! Depending on what school your children are enrolled in, you may be busily bustling around town getting all the school supplies gathered!

Can you believe it?! Summer is almost over (at least here in the States)!

Within just a few weeks we'll all be back to the daily grind and routine of having our kids in school. No matter if your little ones attend preschool or even if you have older kids in the midst of their high school years, the bottom line is - life picks up once everything is back in session!

If your schedule is anything like mine (and if your children are the typical after school 'munchers' raiding the cabinets before they even drop their backpacks to the floor when they get home) - you'll soon be looking for easy to make, easy to take after school snacks! Snacks that provide at least some nutritional value and ones that will hold them over until you can get dinner on the table....maybe even something they can munch on to help keep them energetic & focused as they do their homework.

Well...this week I'm going to help you find great after school (or just about anytime) yummy snacks! Check out these delicious bites that put a spin on the usual everyday snacks:

Carrots with Peanut Dipping Sauce, Tiny Tortilla Pizzas, Cherries with Brown Sugar Dip, Strawberry 'Cheescakes'


6 Minute Potato Chips, Chocolate Banana Tortillas, Cucumber Yogurt Boats, Oh-So-Easy Peanut Butter Cookies


Favorite Juice Jello, Parmesan Pita Chips with Mashed Dip


For all recipes and other source information click on the links or the pictures above!

Enjoy!!

All recipes can be found at Parenting.com and were written by Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen

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Kids in the Kitchen

I'm always looking for fun snacks that I can serve my two little ones...just something that will hold them over in between meals. I'm sure it's something that all of us moms do from time to time!

When I was a preschool teacher, I had learned to turn food into many different things to fit the classroom theme of the week! Learning about the ocean this week? Well then whip some cream cheese with a few drops of blue food coloring and have the kids dip goldfish crackers in it! Yum. Easy!

Or how about making Aquarium Cups with blue jello?

Make the blue jello as directed, divide it up and pour the jello into clear plastic cups. Just as the jello starts to set (about 1 hour or so), put a Swedish fish in the middle of the jello cup...and poof! You have a instant ocean treat...fish and all! Click here for Kraft's yummy version of that treat!

Jello...Pudding...Crackers...Veggies...they all make yummy treats for kids! But...the fun part is creating a spectacular treat out of the ordinary, everyday ingredients. And it doesn't have to be hard. Look around your kitchen...what do you have already sitting in your cabinets that will help you create a fun & tasty treat that your kids will love & even brag about?!

In celebration of the summer sun and blasting heat...this week we made Sandy Beach Cups in our house. Take a peek at just how easy they are to make!


All you need is:
Pudding Snack Cups (or make your own instant pudding & put it in clear plastic cups)
Graham Crackers (or if you have a box of crushed graham cracker crumbs on hand, it'll save you a step)
Lifesaver Gummy Rings
Teddy Grahams
Paper Umbrella Picks

All you have to do is crush graham crackers (or use the already crushed ones) and sprinkle them on top of the pudding cups. Allow your kids to 'decorate' their sandy beach cups with Teddy Grahams and Gummy Lifesaver rings (representing the Teddy's lifesaver floaties). Embellish with a paper umbrella pick and you've got yourself...I mean, your kids have a tasty summer themed treat!

And the best part about this snack is...I set up a little assembly line on the table and my children helped to create their own snacks! It was a fun activity that filled the tummy and enlightened their creativity all at the same time!

Enjoy!

Recipes were inspired by Kraftfoods Sweet Treats for Kids.

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