Last Thursday, both Bo and Anna were home from school sick. Anna was coughing and had a fever on Wednesday and Thursday, and Bo was coughing too. Clara trotted off to school all by herself like a big girl, while the sickies attempted to entertain themselves while I worked.
By mid-day, Bo and Anna were both a bit stir-crazy, so after lunch we decided to make some Christmas goodies to surprise Clara with as an after-school snack when she arrived home. However, since they were both sick, I didn’t really want them touching and sneezing on the ingredients, which they weren’t thrilled about – they like to be right in the middle of my baking creations. Bo and Anna sat at the bar and I gave them each spoons of cookie dough while I pulled these cookies together. The recipe they are based on was from Pinterest (where else?) and comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I also halved this crockpot hot chocolate recipe so it would fit in my small crockpot to accompany the cookies – it was VERY sweet hot chocolate!
As soon as Clara was in the car, Bo and Anna were both excitedly telling her about the special treat we had at home — and everyone enjoyed sampling the cookies and hot chocolate. After our snack, we wrote our letters to Santa — luckily, the trio has been pretty good this year so I think they’ll get several items off their lists.
¼ cup sprinkles (or more -- original recipe called for a full cup, but that seemed like a lot)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, baking powder, eggs, oil, and vanilla by hand. Mix well until a soft dough forms. Fold in the sprinkles.
Using a melon baller, drop balls of dough onto baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes -- the cookies will not brown. Allow to cool on the sheet for a few minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. Makes approximately 25 cookies.
These aren’t the prettiest muffins ever, but considering the amount of fiber they pack, they are surprisingly tasty. I made these on Tuesday morning. I’ve been hitting the gym with a friend or two around 5 am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, so by the time I showered on Tuesday, I was starving and wanted to make a warm breakfast that I thought the kids and I would both enjoy. A quick flip through the cookbook and I settled on these — they pulled together very quickly and by the time I’d dried my hair, found the kiddos clothes for the day, and allowed them to open their Advent calendars, we were ready for breakfast.
The kids enjoyed these with butter served with milk. I enjoyed mine with a cup of steaming hot coffee to kick-start my day in the right direction. Next time, I think I’ll consider subbing the white flour for wheat and try subbing the sugar for honey. Subbing the oil for applesauce also seems like a no-brainer. I’ll update this post with the results.
These muffins received 3 1/2 wooden spoons from the trio and me!
In a large bowl, mix cereal and milk. Add egg, oil, salt, and sugar and mix well. Add the baking powder and the flour, stirring only until combined. Using an ice cream scoop, fill 12 muffin tins sprayed with baking PAM. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.
When Bo was a baby I swore that highly processed foods like Spaghetti-Os would never cross his lips. Then, I became pregnant with twins and since Mike is a closet Spaghetti-Os and canned pasta eater, they ended up in our cabinet. Canned Spaghetti-Os is still one of those foods that I just can’t force myself to feed them — so I save them for Daddy dinners or for the babysitter on date nights. Of course, my kids love them.
When I ran across a pin on Pinterest for homemade Spaghetti-Os, I knew I had to make them for my kiddos. Of course, I couldn’t just leave the recipe alone and had to change it up a bit — and Pizza Spaghetti-Os were born.
Of course, Bo was smart enough to realize that these were not the same as their canned counterpart and at first refused to eat them. However, once he took a bite, he thought they were yummy — even if they didn’t taste quite like “real” Spaghetti-Os. The girls gobbled them up – no problem.
The secret ingredient in these is the pepperoni flavored pizza sauce by Contadina. We can’t find it by us (there is three cheese and regular, but not the pepperoni) so we buy it in bulk when we visit Mike’s parents. I served pepperoni on the side as I thought it might be a texture issue for my kids. However, I think finely chopped pepperoni directly in the pasta would be a delicious addition.
15 oz can Contadina brand Pepperoni flavored pizza sauce
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup skim milk
1 cup shredded pizza-blend cheese
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. In a large saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp. of the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, then stir in the pizza sauce, water, tomato pasta, salt, pepper, sugar, and remaining butter. When the butter is completely melted and the sauce warm, stir in the milk. Simmer until the pasta is done.
Remove from heat and stir in the pizza cheese until melted. Drain the pasta and combine with approximately ¾ths of the sauce (any more and it will be soupy). Stir to combine. Add finely chopped pepperoni or serve with pepperoni on the side.
3.1.09
I made this for dinner on a week night last week and it was very quick and easy. Not quite as easy as opening a can, but still not a lot of effort. After my trio ate there were enough leftovers for another full meal.
One of our new favorite breakfasts are these quick and easy pancake squares. I originally found the idea on Pinterest and used the recipe from Big Red Kitchen. After making them once, I quickly realized that I needed to make more to feed my growing kiddos (and if I wanted one for myself!) and adjusted the recipe with a few tweaks as well. Often, on school days, Bo would request pancakes and I’d try to steer him to something slightly less labor intensive. It isn’t that making traditional pancakes is difficult – it isn’t – but it can be time consuming when trying to wrangle three kiddos out the door for school fully dressed and with well-packed lunches. These square pancakes are the perfect compromise — all of the pancake flavor without having to spend 20 minutes at the stove. I just mix up the ingredients, pour it in the pan, and while it bakes I can make the other breakfast components, finish packing lunches, and lay out their clothes for the day. Honestly, I think the taste of these pancakes is probably better than traditional pancakes. They are fluffy and more cake-like — but with a pat of butter and warmed maple syrup, they are divine. Bo agrees. When I made them last week he ate four squares — and still wanted more!
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine the milk, butter, eggs, honey, and vanilla. Mix well. Add salt and baking powder. Stir in flour until combined. Do not over stir. Spray 9 x 13 inch dish with baking PAM and then pour in the batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with butter and syrup.
3.1.09
Updated to add – try these sprinkled with mini-chocolate chips before baking. Delish!
There is never a dull moment here at Casa de Weitl and our Memorial Day weekend has been no exception. I left as the sun was rising on Saturday morning to pick up my mom and bring her to our house for a few days. We stopped briefly in Tuscola and still made it back here before 1:30. Seven hours of driving is a long haul – and lucky me, I get to do it again on Thursday!
We arrived to find Mike and the trio putting together the new twin beds for Anna and Clara’s room which turned out very cute. Now we just have to finalize the rest of their room decor! By the time the beds were put together, it was nearly dinner time, so we all headed to Delaney’s for a quick dinner.
Bo’s ear was swollen to five times it’s normal size on Saturday and not long after, Anna’s eye started swelling and was completely swollen shut by the time she woke up on Sunday (look closely at the photos above… and this is after two days of medication!). I tried to take them to the Y care clinic but they wouldn’t see them since it was Anna’s eye. We know that it was caused by some type of bite, but we aren’t 100% sure what kind. We thought it was mosquitoes at first, but now we are leaning towards a possible spider bite? Anyway – Bo, Anna, and I spent Sunday morning at the ER and came away with three prescriptions for each of them and orders to liberally apply bug spray and limit sun exposure as much as possible. Fun. Clara stayed home with Grammie while Daddy worked in the yard during this debacle.
On Sunday evening, we enjoyed our typical pizza and movie routine with the kiddos watching Winnie the Pooh and the grown-ups watching I Don’t Know How She Does It after the trio was in bed. The movies were fine, and our movie made me laugh several times, but there really wasn’t a lot of plot to it. Sometimes that’s a good thing though…
Monday morning, we headed to a local strawberry patch to pick strawberries. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at 9:15, nearly all of the strawberries had been picked over. We managed to pick about a quart of pinkie sized berries. Just enough for strawberry pie! That was probably long enough to have Bo and Anna in the sun anyway – but I had big plans for lots of strawberries. Needless to say, we had to supplement with some store-bought berries for a few other recipes I’m planning this week.
In the midst of all of our normal routines, we are also in the process of potty-training the girls. We’re one week in of constant, vigilant effort (we’d tried for a couple of hours before without much luck – this time I was serious about it!) and it’s going very well. Anna’s only had one accident each of the last two days and Clara hasn’t had any since Saturday morning. I probably just jinxed it – not to mention the eww factor of talking about potty training in a recipe post – but meh. Such is my life.
After lunch today (we had these baked Monte Cristos with raspberry jam – which I highly recommend) Bo and I made strawberry pie. Bo was a big helper and mashed the strawberries for the sauce and arranged the whole strawberries in the pie. Such tiny little strawberries! We’ll be grilling out this evening and topping off our dinner with a slice of fresh strawberry pie. Happy Memorial Day!
Cut the stems off the strawberries and wash thoroughly. Mash about half of the strawberries and pour into a saucepan. Add sugar, water, Jell-O, and cornstarch. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until boiling. Let boil for one minute and then remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, arrange the remaining strawberries in the pie crust. Once the sauce is cool to the touch, pour over the berries and refrigerate for several hours. Serve with whipped topping. Yum!
3.1.09
Each Monday, I’ll showcase a family and kid-friendly recipe to share with your family. Please let me know if you try one of my recipes! Enjoy!
We made this bread for dessert last Wednesday (we added chocolate chips) and I didn’t manage to take any photos of the final product. This recipe originally came from a blog friend, but I’ve modified it slightly. All three of the kids love this bread and it’s a great way to use up ripe bananas. As you can see, Bo, Clara, and Anna all love to help cook. After I had poured the batter into the pans I let them use their spoons to lick the remaining batter. They were in Heaven.
Banana Bread
1 1/2 C sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
3 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp vanilla
5 med very ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 C flour (I use 2 cups all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bake for about 60 minutes at 350, test with toothpick in center. It’s also good if you add some chocolate chips in the batter, or walnuts if you desire!
Each Monday, I’ll showcase a family and kid-friendly recipe to share with your family. Please let me know if you try one of my recipes! Enjoy!
My newest obsession is Pinterest. I scroll through it every evening before bed and it’s filled with inspiration for everything from recipes, running, craft ideas, and numerous projects. I feel like it gives my brain something productive to dream about – or at least that’s what I tell myself. If you’re on Pinterest, find me and give me a follow!
I saw this recipe for Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes pinned earlier this week (anyone wanna give me lessons in food photography?) and I immediately knew I had to make them. I changed the recipe slightly and ended up pleased with the results. The kids weren’t as enamored and Mike thought “the texture of the poppyseeds is weird.” But I’ll be enjoying the leftovers! The strawberries on top are an added bonus and enhance the flavor of the pancakes. My mom always served our strawberries this way (sprinkled with just a little sugar and allowed to rest to form their own juices) so I enjoyed the dessert like quality they added to the pancakes.
Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes
3 cups flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup poppy seeds
zest of 4 lemons
2 cups milk + 2 Tbsp white vinegar (or buttermilk)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, poppy seeds, and zest. In another bowl, combine melted butter, eggs, and milk. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix. Batter will be lumpy – do not over mix. Cook on a hot skillet or griddle to desired doneness. Serve with strawberries (chop and sprinkle with sugar before making pancakes to bring out their natural juices) or syrup. Delish!
Each Monday, I’ll showcase a family and kid-friendly recipe to share with your family. Please let me know if you try one of my recipes! Enjoy!
I made this for dinner last Sunday, after we’d spent the afternoon playing outside. Pardon the girls stringy hair – they were ready for a bath!! Mike and I ate this too and I thought it was quite tasty. When I make it again, I think it would be a great side dish for meatballs.
All three of my kiddos lapped this up in no time. Definitely a keeper recipe at our house!
Tomato Risotto
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
Preheat oven to 350. In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onion and rice and saute until the onion is opaque and the rice is golden. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, and Italian seasoning and bring to a simmer. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in the Parmesan.
Each Monday, I’ll showcase a family and kid-friendly recipe to share with your family. Please let me know if you try one of my recipes! Enjoy!
Pardon the Lightning McQueen bowl and Gerber spoon – I mostly feed children! This is one of my favorite dessert recipes. It is quick, easy, and perfect for parties. I made this with the leftover heavy whipping cream from last week’s Creamy Sausage Bowties and used it’s sugary goodness in an attempt to coerce my, then sick, children to eat. All three little ones enjoy this dessert – there are no photos of Anna trying hers, as she was still pretty sick when I made it.
This is my mom’s recipe and I have no idea where it originated. This is the only type of pudding Mike will eat, however, he prefers his without bananas (aka vanilla).
Banana Pudding
3 bananas
vanilla wafers
1 pkg. Instant vanilla pudding
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups water
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Beat whipping cream until fluffy. Mix other ingredients together in a large bowl, folding the fluffy cream in last. Line a large bowl with vanilla wafers. Slice bananas in a single layer on top. Add some of the pudding mixture. Continue to layer ingredients in bowl. Refrigerate. If you plan to eat over several days, do not put banana slices in the bowl. Slice fresh banana over the top right before serving.
Each Monday, I’ll showcase a family and kid-friendly recipe to share with your family. Please let me know if you try one of my recipes! Enjoy!
On Friday morning, I was up early, so I decided to throw together some mini-muffins for the trio’s breakfast. Bo had his with strawberry yogurt for dipping. These do have sugar, but are still significantly better (tasting and health wise) than the Hostess versions.
Blueberry Spelt Mini-Muffins
4 Tbsp. canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp. good quality vanilla
2 cups spelt flour (can substitute 1 cup flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp lemon peel
pinch of salt
3 heaping teaspoons flax seed
3 heaping teaspoons wheat germ
2 cups fresh blueberries
Heat oven to 375. Spray two mini-muffin pans with Pam spray (I used Pam for baking). In a large bowl, cream together oil and sugar. Add applesauce, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, lemon peel, salt, flax, and wheat germ. Stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Using a melon baller, scoop batter into prepared mini-muffin tin. Bake for approximately 12 minutes. Makes approximately 48. mini-muffins.
