Fudgie Peanut Butter Bars

Good afternoon Readers! Summer is just around the corner and with that comes parties, picnics and day trips. When I was a kid, I remember going out during the day with my best friend on a hike and bringing along a picnic which my grandma would help put together for us. Every time we would go, she would include some sort of bar that wouldn't melt but would give us a sweet finish to our lunch. Lemon, peanut butter, berry, the bars were endless and delicious to the last crumb.

Since then, many of the recipes have been lost or changed so I ended up creating one of my own which embraces my Little's and my favorite combo: peanut butter and chocolate. These fudgie peanut butter bars are cheap, easy to make, require NO BAKING and are delicious!


Bars:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup peanut butter

Topping:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons peanut butter


Bars:
1.) In a large bowl, melt the butter until very soft but not quite liquid.
2.) Mix graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter with melted butter until well mixed. It should be a paste consistency.
3.) Press mixture evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

Topping:
1.) Melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter in a medium sized, microwave safe bowl, stirring occasionally until smooth.
2.) Spread over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

REMINDER: This recipe is not suitable for children under one year of age because the peanut butter may (but not necessarily will) pose an allergy risk. For more information, check out http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-baby/PR00029




Let your kids help out on this one--mixing and stirring is fun for them, as is the part where you press the crust into the pan. It can be messy but provides a very good time for your Littles. So get messy, add them to summer activities, eat these bars in moderation (they're pretty fattening!) but enjoy!

Cheers to a gorgeous summer!

Recipe #8 - Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Good evening Readers! Since it's around dinner time today, I figured I could post about one of my favorite dinner side dishes: baked sweet potato fries! Sweet potatoes are a often ignored food until Thanksgiving comes around but they have some wonderful attributes which made them a year-round food for us. Packed with vitamin C and anti-inflammatory agents, sweet potatoes are a healthier and more beneficial food than are regular russet type potatoes. For more information on the nutritional value of sweet potatoes, check out this site.

French fries are the classic, go-to side for burgers, hot dogs and many other dinner time staples but with the amount of grease that they're fried in, a small (7oz) serving of "family style" fries (like those you'd get at a restaurant) have an incredible 607 calories and 30g of fat (check here for more nutritional info on french fries)! That's nearly than half of the recommended serving of fat per day (46%) for a side dish!

I don't like those numbers (for my Little OR for myself) so I started looking into baking fries for my family rather than deep or pan frying. After a few pans of burnt sweet potatoes and a little research, I've put together a recipe that my Little love and I think is pretty tasty as well:

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and washed and sliced into fries
2 tbsp olive oil or olive oil spray (either one works)
1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 400°
2.) Coat sweet potato fries evenly with olive oil and spices
3.) Place fries on a cookie sheet, leaving space between all of the fries (make sure none of them are touching or they won't bake correctly)
4.) Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning once half way through bake time. Bake 30 minutes for softer fries, 40 for crispier fries.
5.) Allow to cool slightly before serving with your favorite sauce

Something fun we did the last time was to cut the sweet potatoes into different shapes. We sliced them very thinly first, then started making stars, squares, circles, and triangles. This was fun because our Little was identifying the shapes before cramming them into her mouth! Have fun, eat well and enjoy!

Cheers,
Jo Anna

Recipe #7 - Breakfast Pizza

Good morning Readers! Almost everyone likes a slice of leftover pizza straight from the fridge in the morning (I know I do!) but you're really not getting in the vitamins, minerals and healthy calories that you need to have a good jump start to your day. My Little LOVES pizza--morning, noon and night, the girl could eat pizza dipped ranch dressing (or in her case, ranch dressing with a side of pizza!) but I definitely don't want her eating it all the time. The other morning, she was begging for pizza (sad eyes and all--it was pitifully adorable) so I rummaged around in the kitchen till I found some ingredients for a childhood favorite of mine.

Breakfast pizza takes the crispy, cheesy deliciousness that is pizza and fortifies it with the healthful benefits of eggs (read more about the egg's nutritional info), cheese, and much more! Below is the basic recipe but feel free to add any additional toppings (there's also a suggested list of toppings but don't let that limit you!)

Breakfast Pizza
3 eggs, lightly scrambled
2 English muffins, sliced in half
2 slices of thin-sliced ham, cut in half
1 cup shredded cheese, separated into 1/4 cups
1 green onion, finely chopped

1.) Preheat oven to 375°
2.)In a skillet, lightly scramble the three eggs. This means they will be formed/cooked, but still have a glossy look.
3.) Slice English muffins in half, making 4 halves
4.) Top each muffin half with some egg, a slice of ham, green onion and grated cheese
5.) Wrap a cookie sheet with tin foil (this helps avoid a melted cheese mess on your bakeware) and place breakfast pizzas onto sheet.
6.) Place pizzas in preheated oven and bake 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and ham looks crispy.
7.) Allow to cool slightly before serving

This is a fun recipe for the kids because they can build their very own pizzas! Try some pizza sauce or other sauces (we like using green chile enchilada sauce on ours!) for a tasty twist. Other great toppings can include (but DEFINITELY aren't limited to!):
-Olives
-Bacon crumbles
-Sausage crumbles
-Mushrooms
-Red or white onion
-Tofu
-Spicy peppers
-Spinach
-Fresh tomatoes
-Etc., etc., etc....

Have fun, get your Littles involved, experiment and enjoy!

Recipe #6 - Cereal Banana Pops

Good morning Readers! Spring has arrived here in NM which means it's hot enough to break out the shorts, turn up the A/C and to start indulging in frozen treats to keep cool. Ice cream and popsicles can be so full of sugar and have little nutritional value so why not try something new and healthier? One of my Little's favorites is the cereal banana pop which I created completely by accident.

Last year, I was making banana pops for our family with yogurt coating and peanuts. At one year old, my Little couldn't have any with peanuts, but wasn't really enthused about having a plain 'ol frozen yogurt banana. The girl wanted some topping! I ended up rummaging through the pantry and ended up grabbing a box of Rice Crispies. The rest is happy-snacking history...

Now that you know the background, below is the recipe:

2 ripe bananas (use bananas that are still firm, not mushy and over-ripe)
1/2 cup thick variety vanilla or flavored yogurt (Greek yogurt works the best from our experience)
1/2 cup Rice Crispies cereal
6 Popsicle sticks

1.) Cut bananas into thirds (width-ways, not by length)
2.) Push a banana third onto each popsicle stick, firmly but not all the way through)
3.) Beat yogurt in a separate bowl until well mixed
4.) Dip bananas into yogurt
5.) Roll yogurt dipped bananas in cereal
6.) Lay banana pops on a piece of waxed paper
7.) Freeze for at least 6 hours (overnight, if possible)

These quick and tasty treats are awesome for keeping cool while still giving our Littles a nutritious snack we feel good about. Bananas are awesome providers of potassium and other vitamins while still being low(er) in calories and sodium, making them a super food that will keep your Littles going for hours! The yogurt is perfect for maintaining balance of the digestive system in their tiny tummies while giving tons of calcium to keep those baby bones strong. Add this to the fiber of the cereal and you have yourselves a balanced, healthy and delicious treat!

This recipe is all about creativity. Experiment with other yogurts or cereals (a personal recommendation is to try a raspberry Greek yogurt with Special K Red Berries cereal--yummy!) and get your Littles involved. Kids love dipping and rolling the bananas so make an activity out of it. Put out a few different options so they can mix and match yogurts with cereals--they'll be occupied for a while, have tons of fun and be excited to eat their healthy snack! Enjoy!

Cheers!

PS: If you try this recipe out, I want to hear about it! Post your pictures or what cereal/yogurt combos you tried or, if you're feeling brave, what other kinds of toppings you used. Chocolate covered sunflower seeds? Shaved coconut? Let me know! Have fun everyone!   

Recipe #5 - Gruyere Stuffed Chicken

Hello Readers! Sorry for the hiatus--it was Spring Break for good ol' UNM and then it was my Little's 2nd birthday on Sunday! So now that I'm back, I've taken into account some of the comments and messages I received on my recipes. You've asked for more meals with meat which I can gladly oblige :)

A little background on this recipe: I started trying to replicate a "chicken cordon bleu" type meal but without the ham since my Little's not a fan of the chicken/pork combo. I started experimenting with different cheeses since plain white American or Swiss wasn't very flavorful. After a few sticky disasters, I stumbled upon what would become my great cheesy love: Gruyere.

Gruyere is one of the most famous Swiss cheeses aside from Swiss cheese itself. Made from cow's milk, Gruyere is a great cheese for melting into other foods because it maintains the calcium and delicious flavor without becoming stringy or sticky (like Cheddar or American). For more info about how it's made and nutritional facts, check out the Gruyere Wiki.

In this recipe, we fold some of this rich and tasty cheese into chicken breasts, baking them in crispy cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese, giving this meal a multifaceted flavor which is sure to impress both the Little and Big eaters in your home.

Recipe:
6 (4 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 slices of gruyere cheese
3/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup crushed cracker crumbs (I recommend Ritz, but other butter crackers work fine also)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice defrosted chicken breasts 3/4 way through, making a pocket. Fold Gruyere cheese into the pocket. Melt butter with the garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, stir the cracker crumbs together with the Parmesan cheese, thyme, basil, oregano, pepper, and salt. Dip the chicken breasts in the garlic butter, then press into the seasoned cracker crumbs. Place the chicken into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish (a quick coating of cooking spray works well). Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 50 to 55 minutes.

These stuffed chicken breasts are a great main component to a meal when served with a vegetable (we usually have steamed asparagus, broccoli or spinach) and a grain (couscous, quinoa or brown rice). We often enjoy this "fancier" meal on a Friday night instead of pizza, making a delicious and balanced end to our week. It's also great for a date night--pair with a nice wine and some candlelight and *poof*, you have a homemade and inexpensive date!

If you're up to it, have fun getting the kids involved when making this (they'll love rolling the chicken in the cracker crumb mixture!) but please make sure you're hygienic when preparing this--raw chicken can host a wealth of bacteria so make sure to wash hands, counter tops and anything else the raw chicken touched. Have fun, eat well and ENJOY!

Cheers! 

Recipe #4--Bell Pepper Jacuzzis!

Good morning Readers! Today's recipe is completely geared toward our Littles because it's delicious, nutritious and tons of FUN! You might be wondering, what the heck is a bell pepper jacuzzi? Is that even edible? Don't worry--they are absolutely edible and a great way to include a variety of foods into your Littles' diets.

For starters, let's "define" the bell pepper jacuzzi idea. Basically, you're going to remove the seeds and top from a bell pepper, take that cleaned out bell pepper, fill it with a dip (we'll get into what kinds of dip are perfect for this in a moment) and add other veggies, cheese sticks and crackers into the "jacuzzi" of dip! The fun preparation and presentation makes this snack a total hit for Littles, as well as for grown-ups (they're a GREAT party snack, especially if you let guests fill their own bell pepper with different dips).

For dips, hummus is my top choice but you can be creative here, using anything and everything that you and your Littles like dipping veggies into. Below are a few more ideas for delicious fillings for those jacuzzis:

· Salsa (prepared is fine, but from scratch is awesome. Combine stewed or fresh tomatoes, diced onion, diced jalapeño peppers *optional*, fresh cilantro, garlic powder, salt and some lime juice).

· Ranch Cream Cheese Dip (Combine a package of softened cream cheese with diced green onion and a packet of “Hidden Valley Ranch” salad dressing and seasoning mix. Mix well).

· Bean Dip (Combine refried beans, diced tomatoes, diced white onion and some fresh cilantro).

· Guacamole (Combine mashed avocadoes, diced tomatoes, diced onion, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt to taste).

The next step is to add your jacuzzi "occupants". We often use baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets, pretzels, cheese sticks or pita chips. Whatever dipping pieces you choose, make sure they're stiff enough to hold up the dip, but soft enough that they don't cut your Littles' mouths. Foods like tortilla chips are notorious for this problem and can pose a choking hazard in smaller children so please, choose your foods carefully!

This is a fun snack to prepare so include your Littles. Let them help fill the peppers and choose the dipping foods. I sometimes make up a funny story about how tired Mr. Celery is from working all day and how he needs a nice rest in the jacuzzi (insert loud and exaggerated relaxing sounds here--you'll be rewarded with lots of giggles!)

Have fun, be creative and, as always, ENJOY!

Cheers!

Recipe #3- Veggie Bean Curry

Hello Readers! We hear all the time how important protein is to a healthy diet but what many don't realize is that there's a wealth of protein sources besides meat. One of the best sources of meat-less protein is the bean.

While they are an incomplete protein (this means you have to pair them with a grain for proper digestion--check out the website Fruit and Veggies Matter for more info), this means you can make some awesomely yummy curries, soups and other dishes! Below is one of our favorites, Veggie Bean Curry. This recipe includes veggies and protein, making a balanced and delicious meal.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry lentils

1 large bell pepper, diced (green is what we typically use, but yellow, orange or red are fine as well).

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook bell peppers until tender. Mix in the lentils, garlic, curry powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Sautee two minutes until well mixed. Stir in tomatoes, garbanzo beans and kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and simmer at least one hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice (white or brown) and warmed pita bread or tortillas.

If you're feeling adventurous, add in other veggies like squash or zucchini or switch out lentils for rice (if you do this option, add 1 cup of water for every 1/2 cup of rice) for a grain addition. Have fun, let your Littles choose some favorite veggies to add and, most importantly, ENJOY!

Cheers!