Super Easy Summer Treat!

Now that Thomas is turning two years old in a few weeks he is old enough to want to do everything his mommy and I do! He recently went to Florida to visit his grandma and discovered one of the best tools ever!... A big boy step stool! It is seriously the best thing since sliced bread for him! Thomas loves to be involved in everything now. He watches us bake, cook, prepare all meals etc and loves to be involved every single second! It is the cutest thing!!

He always wants to help out and I look for different treats and easy meals that he can have fun being involved in without having to use big knives or the stove to prevent injury. Even though I never take my eyes off of him you just never know! I recently came across a childhood treat of my own (nostalgia at its finest) and I figure I will give it a go with Thomas. It is a bit messy but, Thomas wouldn't have it any other way!!

They are Copycat Kit Kat Bars! Sooo yummy and so very easy and fun to make with your little ones.

Image & Recipe found off of Raining Hot Coupons.

There are only two ingredients for this recipe and it is so much fun for the kiddies to mess around in! This may be the perfect rainy day activity and comfort food recipe. 

• 1 Package Vanilla Creme Wafers (I would just buy the store brand)
• 1, 12oz Package of Chocolate Chips

The best thing about this is depending on the nutritional rules of your household you can make this however you want it! Whether your an organic and natural household or even a gluten free household. Just buy the ingredients that work well for your family.

Image found off of Raining Hot Coupons

Next, all you need to do is line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper, melt the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds or however long it takes. Depending on the power level of your microwave of course! Then, once all the chocolate is melted allow your little one to have fun dipping and coating the wafer with the melted chocolate! Lift the wafer out with a fork allowing all the excess chocolate to drip off. Side note, once all is done you can even allow your little one to use the chocolate to draw pictures and shapes on construction paper or wax/parchment paper. Just something a little messy, yummy and different for them to experience. 

Image found off of Raining Hot Coupons

Once all your wafers are coated, place them in the fridge for five minutes to set! Trim the edges to make them even and enjoy!! SO much fun!

What are some yummy treats that you enjoy making with your little ones? Comment below and let us know some of your favorites!!

XOXO,

-D

A Great Summer Recipe

I feel like this week just flew by! Maybe it's because we have been super busy. So when I saw this recipe for a veggie pasta salad from Better Homes & Garden, I knew it would be a fast and yummy addition to our dinner. I changed the recipe up a bit so I'll write it out for all of you. 

My husband went to dish up some and I yelled "STOP! I need to take a picture first!" lol

Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad

You need:

• 1 zucchini
• 1 red sweet pepper 
• 1 small red onion
• 1/2 pound of asparagus
• a can of halved artichoke hearts 
• 3 Tbs of olive oil
• 3-4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups of cooked pasta (I used zucchini & spinach pasta by Barilla)
• salt 
• pepper
• garlic powder

Directions:

1. Cut up all veggies and mix with 1tbs of the olive oil. Add a little bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder
2. Grill veggies ( I used this QVC grilling sheet! AMAZING!! The absolute best way to cook veggies on the grill) 
3. Cook until veggies are tender
4. Add cooked pasta and veggies into a bowl with the remaining 2tbs of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
5. Salt and pepper to taste

It was SO good! The original recipe only called for 1tbs of balsamic vinegar. I added 2tbs and my husband and I both agree it could have used more. So play around with how much vinegar you like. I also added the artichoke hearts and left out the fresh oregano. I'm just not a fan of oregano in pasta salads, but I'm sure most other people are. 

This would be a great recipe for parents that use baby lead weening. Just make sure pieces are cut big enough for baby to hold and chomp on. I would cut veggies into large strips instead of chunks. I'll get more into baby lead weening for those who don't know what it is in another post soon. I swear though, baby lead weening is why Makenna will eat ANYTHING you put in front of her.  

So there you have it! A fast and delicious recipe for those busy summer nights. What recipes are you all loving?? Feel free to share below! 

-K

Cheesy-Turkey Meatballs ... WHATTT!

This may be the most simple recipe to date that I have come across! It was so exciting to me that it took me five minutes to throw all ingredients into a bowl, mix, and pop in the oven.

TURKEY CHEESE MEATBALLS:

Picture found from Weelicious.

I am going to write out the full recipe below. However, I made simple changes just to shorten the cooking process because my little one was standing at my feet wanting my attention. Hence, why I was SO happy this was the fastest recipe I have EVER made!

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

1. 1 Pound Ground Turkey
2. 1 Large Egg
3. 1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs
4. 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
5. 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (I cut up 1/4 of a real onion and finely chopped it)
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
7. 4 Cheddar Cheese Sticks (I used 1/2 a bag of Natural shredded cheddar cheese)
8. 1 tablespoon oil

Preparation:

1. In a bowl combine the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Mix to combine throughly. 
2. Slice the cheese sticks into 1/4 inch cubes.
3. Using a 1 tablespoon to measure , form the meat mixture into a disc, place a cheese cube in the center and then roll the meat around the cheese to form a ball. If the meat sticks to your hands, lightly wet your hands with water. 
4. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the meatballs for about five minutes, until the turkey is cooked through.

Now, you may try the recipe this way which I am sure turns out fab! I just did not have enough time. I decided to preheat the oven to 450 degrees. I mixed ALL of the ingredients together (hold the oil) into a bowl and combined throughly. I then rolled them into mini meatballs and placed them on a baking dish with foil. You may use the oil to coat your pan or just spray it with a little PAM. I then placed the meatballs in the oven for 9 minutes. The cheesy turkey meatballs came out fabulous!! You could probably make a meatloaf out of it too! Although, I have not tried that yet! Here is a picture of how my cheesy meatballs came out....

Please keep in mind that I did not make this recipe up from scratch. My boss and I trade, and try out all different recipes for the little one! This recipe was found at Weelicious.

What are some great recipes that you make for your child? Any family favorites? I am always looking to add new recipes to my repertoire! Please comment below with your favorite recipes and ideas!

-D