Easy Peasy Dinner Time !

Since Thomas gets bored of eating the same old recipes again and again (who wouldn't?!) I am constantly wracking my brain to come up with new and fun recipes to expand his palate. At this point in the game he is a toddler and can eat anything that us adults are having. Which makes life way more easy and fun!

Also in the recent past few months I have been on a mission to cook more for myself as well! I would like to prove to myself that my cooking skills don't suck! (Verdict says... They don't! I really am a good cook!) :) Although, after a long day of chasing around a toddler sometimes my brain is mush and cooking is the last thing I want to do for myself! But, thank you to my AWESOME pinning skills ;) I have come across a winning recipe for not only me but for Thomas too! To top it off all you need are 8 simple ingredients which most of you have in your household anyway! 

Pasta Carbonara!

Ingredients:

1. 8 ounces Spaghetti
2. 2 large eggs
3. 3/4 cup grated parm cheese
4. 4 slices bacon (when cooking for Thomas I use Turkey bacon)
5. 4 cloves garlic, minced
6. Kosher salt
7. Black pepper to taste (optional)
8. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (I do not use this ingredient) 

What I did:

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to box instructions. Feel free to use whatever kind of pasta tickles your fancy! Make sure you reserve a 1/2 cup of the boiling salted water!!
2. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and the cheese. Just set it aside for later :)
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown and crispy 6-8 minutes. Side note: I chop up the bacon prior to the skillet. It cooks faster and is easier for Thomas to eat that way! After the bacon is cooked add the garlic to it for about 1 minute.
4. Reserve the excess fat (When I use turkey bacon there really isn't fat so I just set the skillet aside until its time to add the pasta to it.
5. Stir in the pasta and the egg mixture. Toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Add the reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. 

There you have it! A simple and yummy mommy/baby meal! SO VERY YUMMY!! 

XOXO,

D

Meal Prep & Wedding Madness!!

Let me just start off by giving this small disclaimer.... I am in no way shape or form in top notch shape! My ab's (ummm I have NO ab's) are not made in the kitchen! Would I like them to be? Absolutely! However, I cannot live at the gym 24/7 and with my hectic schedule I do not by any means have seven hours on a Saturday to meal prep. For today, it just is not my reality.

I also very recently got slapped in the face with a different reality. I was my best friends Maid of Honor this past weekend. Early July my dress finally arrived at the bridal shop! I was SO excited! Now, for all you ladies who know bridal world. Clearly, we all have a love/hate relationship with it. You can be a size seven in reality but in bridal world that easily makes you a size twelve or fourteen. The measurements are always off and something always needs to get tailored or adjusted... Keep in mind ladies that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a size 12/14/16/18/22! We are all beautiful in our own skin. Weight for me has always been an uphill battle. Especially throughout my childhood and teen years. My body image is still a battle for me to this day but I work on knowing I have shed that portion of who I used to be.

Back to the meat of this story... I tried on my dress which is a size ten. The dress fit beautiful and like a glove! The only thing that needed minor adjustment was in my breast area. Of course, it needed to be taken in. Three weeks later my dress was picked up and I went to my best friend's apartment to zip it up. Well, when I say she couldn't even zip it halfway up my back that is no exaggeration. That dress was NOT fitting! Only three weeks had passed! Could I have gained that much weight? No way! It just wasn't possible. I began to break out in sweats, I am pretty sure I began to swell up and freak out. With just a week and a half until the wedding we had no idea what we were going to do about this. Quick side note, I recently embarked into a new relationship with a wonderful man. We all know what happens when you get into a new relationship. It is exciting, fun, tons of date nights and eating out and slowly the gym is the last thing on your mind. However, three weeks from the fitting did not pack twenty pounds onto my body! Rita said she would call the bridal shop first thing in the morning because surely something had to have gone wrong in the alteration process. I ended up going home that evening and calming down a bit. I know this sounds super silly but I went and pee'd, yes pee pee. Prior to going to try on my dress I ate like a cow and drank iced green tea and two bottles of water. I definitely did not help the situation. So when I was relieved and comfortable within my own walls I called upon my mother to help me out for a minute. She was able to clasp and zip the dress! Mini SUCCESS! The dress was pulling and too tight! BUT, I was in it! That very moment I decided no more eating out, no more junk or sweets until this wedding was over!! I told Rita to not call the bridal shop because I was going to focus on eating right and getting into this dress on the big day! Talk about pressure!!!

As you can see my back was swollen and this dress was pulling an awful amount!!

For the next week I focused on nothing but drinking water like it was my job and green tea too! I believe my boyfriend and I went through two twenty-four packs of water bottles in a week (mostly from me) and the tea section of my supermarket was cleared out by me as well. I walked for my cardio but did not push it too hard because again, my schedule is extremely hectic and I do tons of traveling. By the end of the day I am just wiped out! Also, during that week my good and dear monthly friend came and gone. Which, I believe that had a lot to do with my bloating and swelling too! I made a firm decision to basically eat chicken and veggies until I couldn't do so any more!

I am sure it is the same for all of us women... I can't just eat plain grilled chicken. I do need some flavor to it! I want to share an awesome recipe with you that helped to get me through the week! You can change it up by cooking some brown rice on the side as your carb to mix with the chicken and the veggies!

I made Rosemary Lemon Chicken (ummm YUM!) and the best part of it all was that it was in the CROCK POT!! So ladies, we all know what this means.... MINIMAL PREP AND ZERO CLEANUP!

This was such an easy and simple meal. I believe it took me ten minutes if that to prep! 

Ingredients:

• Four boneless skinless Chicken Breasts (side note, Nature's Promise makes individually packaged chicken breasts which cuts your prep time even more!)
• 1 Cup low sodium Chicken Broth (definitely low sodium after that dress experience lol!)
• 1 Lemon thinly sliced
• 4 Sprigs of Rosemary (I got the Rosemary plant from the food store)
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Chopped
• Dash of sea salt and a few dashes of ground black pepper

Then, all you have to do is place the chicken in the crock pot, pour in the chicken broth, top it off with the lemon, garlic, rosemary, sea salt and pepper! You can cook it on high for 4-5 hours or what I did was high for two hours and on low for three hours. When I cook this again I will probably just try to cook it on low for 5 hours. The crockpot I use is on steroids and gets hotter than your average I feel. 

Here is what it looked like when all was said and done!...

Yumm!!

Since I had embarked on the, "You better fit your sweet little butt into the MOH dress" journey, I opted out of cooking brown rice and just stuck to some broccoli. It was a yummy healthy meal and there was zero cleanup! Side note, this is an AWESOME meal for your toddlers! You can buy everything natural and organic too if that works best for your household! 

These pictures were taken the day before the wedding! SWEET SUCCESS!!!!! 

I was SO EXCITED!

No more pulling or swelling in my back!

Have you had any times where you had a certain time crunch to fit into a special dress?! Please share your stories below! We would love to build a community here at Play Dates & Sippy Cups where you feel at home to share, comment and talk with us! 

XOXO,

-D

** I am not a nutritionist so please talk to your doctors before changing your diet  

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

What's for Dinner?!

It has been a long time since Keri and I posted a recipe that we enjoy! The recipe that I am going to share with all of you I have made a handful of times! It is every Mother and Nanny's dream.... fast, easy & simple. A household favorite in my book! I have made this for Thomas and my employers. Needless to say, WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER! Pun completely intended ;)

This is what we call a ONE PAN DINNER! Chicken, Potatoes and Greens! 

Both images were found from Trey and Christy.

I am a HUGE fan of Pinterest! I throughly enjoy stalking all of my beautiful girlfriends and mommy friends to see what they pin and what works best for them! One of my working girlfriends pinned this and gave it a go! I was very inspired and just HAD to try it the next day! You literally throw your raw chicken, potatoes and greens into a pan. Then season and bake! EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD AND OHHHH SOOOO YUMMY!!!

RECIPE:

• Three Chicken Breasts
• Four Medium Red Potatoes
• Green Beans or Broccoli (I used Broccoli)
• 1/2 Stick of butter melted
• Italian dressing mix packet (follow directions on packet for your homemade dressing!)

What to Do:

• Cut the chicken breasts in half
• Cut the potatoes into small chunks
• Spray the bottom of your 13X9 pan
• Place your chicken in the middle, potatoes on one side, veggie on the other
• Top it with half the packet of dressing and the melted butter
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour

I cannot brag about this recipe enough! It is a no brainer! Especially on your laziest of days!! 

Give this AWESOME recipe a go & let us know how you and your family like it! Thanks to our friends over at Trey and Christy for this wonderful, simple & easy dinner idea! MOMMIES and NANNIES ACROSS THE WORLD THANK YOU! 

XOXO,

-D

Rainbow Flour Paint!

My Boss and I are always emailing back and forth with all of these different ideas to keep Thomas busy!  He is turning the big TWO! this August 19th and I am SO excited! Her and I both feel that from the age of a year and a half to two years old can be a bit awkward and sometimes the sailing isn't so easy! 

Your child is constantly growing, their minds are constantly going. They are learning to walk, climb, run, talk and express themselves. Sometimes they revert back to having sleep issues all because their brain just cannot turn off! Trust me, I know how hard it can get for all of you! This past week we have been conversing via email with different shape and motion activities as well as creative activities. During the summer my schedule gets dropped down to part time since she gets the pleasure of spending time with Thomas and doesn't need the full time help. So, while the nanny was away.. Mommy & Baby played! ;) 

Rosie decided to try out a new recipe to make edible flour paint! Keep in mind that the recipe I am about to give you came from Learn~ Play~ Imagine. Also, please note that she did not make a plethora of colors. She wanted to start out small so Thomas didn't get overwhelmed. She only made yellow and blue (when combined make green). Rosie also played around with the recipe a bit and only used a LITTLE bit of flour. Just enough to introduce the art of painting to Thomas and to leave an easy cleanup for herself. 

How to Make Rainbow Flour Paint:

Supplies:

• Water
• Flour
• Food Coloring
• Cooking Oil
• Whisk
• Paint Brushes
• Butcher Paper

Directions:

• Roughly 1/4 Cup Flour
• Add food coloring and a squirt of water and mix the paint with a whisk
• Since this recipe has a flour base you will need a good amount of color. If you think the paint is too thick, add more water. Hopefully not too much! 
• Once your happy with the consistency of each batch then add about a teaspoon of vegetable oil. The oil is OPTIONAL. It gives the paint a glossier look. 
• Give your child the batches you make and enjoy painting without a hassle! They can eat it if they wish (I don't think it will taste good!) However, as a parent, NO WORRIES!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Rosie and Thomas did! What an awesome activity to do!

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

Heaven for Breakfast!

Keri and I have been receiving such wonderful and positive feedback about our blog! We could not be more excited to keep sharing all of our ideas & experiences with you. With that being said, I have received some requests of what people would love for us to blog about! Today, I will be introducing to you another favorite recipe of mine.

 Cottage Cheese Pancakes!!

Cottage cheese is packed with protein and such an inexpensive item at the grocery store. I have found that you can use both whole wheat flour or white flour when making this recipe. Either way, they are both wonderful. If you decide to use white flour the pancakes come out tasting more like funnel cake! I do not hate it nor does the little guy I nanny for ;) This recipe is wonderful for not only toddlers but EVERYONE! I believe these pancakes work out to 35 calories a pancake! UMMMM, YES PLEASE!!

Without further a due, I give you, THE recipe :)

COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES:

Prep Time: 5 Mins

Cook Time: 15 Mins

INGREDIENTS:

1. 3 Eggs
2. 1 Cup Cottage Cheese
3. 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4. 2 Tablespoons honey or agave
5. 1/2 Cup Flour
6. 1 Teaspoon baking powder
7. 1/4 Teaspoon salt
8. Butter, oil or oil spray

PREPARATION:

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
2. In a separate bowl whisk the dry ingredients.
3. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until combined.
4. Heat a large sauté pan or griddle over medium heat. Lightly coat with butter or oil. 
5. Pour about 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto the griddle for each pancake.
6. Cook for two minutes on each side or until the pancake is set and golden.
7. Serve.

You May freeze these pancakes for up to three months! To freeze properly, allow pancakes to come to room temperature & store in a ziplock bag.

These pancakes are beyond amazing! I am personally such a big fan of them if you couldn't already tell! Thomas absolutely hates to eat cottage cheese plain. He will taste it and spit it out. However, he will eat these pancakes until every last bite is gone. I hope your toddler enjoys them just as much as Thomas does! I also can't thank my employer enough for always swapping recipes with me! She found this amazing recipe at Weelicious. Together, we have come up with so many fun things to serve Thomas.

If you have any great and fun toddler recipes that you would like to share with everyone PLEASE comment on this post to tell us all about it! We look forward to hearing from you!

-D

Carrots, Zuchinni, Fruits & Veggies .. OH MY!

What do you do when all your toddler want to eat is Pizza? Some children can live off of their favorite foods; Chicken Nuggets, Mac n Cheese, Yogurt or Banana's ALL THE TIME! Let me just get this small disclaimer out of the way... IT IS MORE THAN OK! As long as your child is eating, they are in good health. Most toddlers go through phases or eating strikes. It bothers the parents more than it will ever bother your child ;) However, as a mother it drives you completely nutty. I understand the struggle.

After some trials and tribulations some great idea's to help get your toddler to eat is to hide fruits and veggies in their food. They will never know their meatballs have applesauce, shredded carrots & zucchini in it! YES, YOU HEARD ME CORRECTLY MOMS. Insert your happy dance now!! You can make breakfast muffins that incorporate Strawberries, Bananas & Blueberries. There are so many fun and colorful options for your toddler. Not to mention super easy and fast recipes!

Another great tip that I have found to work well with toddlers is, if they won't eat their meatballs plain, throw some sauce on it! Kids LOVE sauce! There are plenty of no sugar added marinara sauces out there. Many great flavors such as, Tomato and Basil. I promise that it tastes wonderful! Always try to make your child's plate colorful and fun for them. They will at least want to try it just once. Don't forget that as your child grows they want to expand their palate. They want to now eat what Mommy and Daddy are eating. They even want to sit at the big table with you too! Incorporate them into your mealtime or sit at the table with them while they eat their dinner.

If you find that your toddler is still a bit picky, a great thing to do with them while they eat is to read books to them. It is a great distraction for them and they will learn during mealtime as an added bonus. Work on their ABC'S, or teach them how to count by using their food. You can work on all the different colors that lay right on their plate! When you do read them a story you will notice that they just shovel the food into their mouth! It leaves your child with a full tummy & it certainly makes a happy parent!

As a nanny my employer and I are constantly trading recipes for the little guy! Here is one of Thomas's favorite dinner recipes...

GREEN MAC N CHEESE

Recipe & Picture found at Weelicious

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 pound of elbow macaroni (or any macaroni that you wish!)
2. 3 cups whole milk
3. 1 cup fresh packed spinach
4. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5. 2 tablespoons flour
6. 4 cups grated white cheddar cheese
7. 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
8. 1 cup peas

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2.  Cook pasta in salted water for about 3 mins less than package directions. Reserve half a cup of the pasta water & strain.
3. While the pasta is cooking, place the milk and spinach in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
4. In a large pot, melt the butter and then add the flour. Whisking continuously over low-medium heat for 2-3 minutes to make a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3-4 minutes, or until sauce is gently bubbling and beginning to thicken.
6. Add reserved pasta water and cheese and whisk until melted. Stir in the pasta, broccoli and peas.
7. Transfer to a greased 13" x 9" baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the pasta is set.

As always, these tips will not always work for every child. Just keep trying to introduce new foods and don't give up. Eventually, they will start to be less picky and eat more. What has worked for you and your picky kid? If you have any of your favorite recipes for everyone's little ones please feel free to comment and post!

-D