Kids

Kids in the Kitchen: No-Fail Crepes for Mothers Day (video)

By in Breakfast, Kids, Mothers Day No Comments Tags: , , , ,

no-fail crepes

My husband doesn’t get to cook in the kitchen much. Give him a grill and a slab of meat and he’ll whip out one mean steak that’s perfectly charred and melt in your mouth tender. Since I love cooking so much, there aren’t many reasons for him to get in the actual kitchen on a regular basis, but one thing he can crank out like a pro is crepes. He is the crepe master. And, it’s one recipe that I know he can easily make with the kids without my interference. In other words, it’s a win for Mother’s day.

Crepes are not usually something that you think of for beginner cooks. And, with Mother’s Day coming up I think it’s safe to say that there will be a lot of beginner cooks in the kitchen this weekend. This recipe is for them. And for you, Mom.

No matter who’s making these crepes they turn out fabulous every time. When little hands are pouring the batter or swirling the pan they will more then likely come out in all sorts of funny shapes and sizes, but they will be just as tasty. Besides the most important thing, that makes them taste the best, is that they’re made with love. (Awww.)

These aren’t as fragile as a lot of crepe recipes are, so they won’t be as paper thin, but that’s what makes them have such consistent results. I think they’re just as delicious as a wispy thin crepe but there’s none of the heartache of throwing out the ones that don’t work. Win. Win.

I’ve included a video at the end of this post that me and my son created together to show just how easy it is for kids to make these crepes (with adult supervision of course!). Granted, it won’t win any awards for cinematography, but it was a fun little project for us to do together and he is so proud that those are his fingers in the video. And his little sister always cheers “Ma! Ma!” (Max! Max!) whenever we watch it. So with all that sweetness I couldn’t really resist sharing it with you. A visual always helps when you’re getting started in the kitchen right?

No-Fail Crepes

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons oil (olive oil or canola)

Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Ladle 1/4 cup batter into the pan while you tilt it in a circular motion to spread evenly. Cook until the edges start to curl up, flip and cook until both sides light golden brown. Set prepared crepe on a plate and continue with remaining batter, stacking crepes on top of each other (you can keep them warm by placing the plate in an slightly warm oven). Top with desired toppings and roll up to serve.

Makes: 9 crepes

Filling Ideas
  • peanut butter + banana + honey
  • ham + cheese + mustard
  • berries + whipped cream + chocolate sauce (for dessert!)
  • cooked apple slices + cinnamon + maple syrup
  • almond butter + sliced peaches + maple syrup
  • butter + cinnamon sugar

Video

No-Fail Crepes for Mothers Day from Kitchen Simplicity on Vimeo.

Gingerbread Playdough

By in Christmas, Kids 2 Comments Tags: , , , ,

gingerbread play dough

I first made this playdough last spring. I’ve been waiting and waiting until Christmas to share it with you. While we make it all year long it is especially wonderful at Christmas. It’s a great distraction for the kids when you want to get some baking done by yourself. The kids can feel like they’re participating and you can do your own thing. It also makes great homemade gifts for classmates or cousins.

When my kids play with this, the whole house smells like cinnamon and spice. My hubby will come home and think I’ve been baking something wonderful when really the kids have just been playing with playdough. A disappointment to him but at least the house smells nice and the kids have been happily entertained. :)

I figured since it’s a recipe I could share it on a food blog. Plus, technically it is edible. Disgusting and salty, but edible. ;)

Gingerbread Playdough

Stored properly this dough should stay supple for a couple of months.

  • 1 cup all-purpose flourx
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 cup water

Mix together flour, salt, cream of tartar, and spices in a medium-sized pot. Stir in the oil and water until evenly mixed (will be thick). Place pot over medium-low heat, cook and beat with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is playdough consistency. Remove from pot (Careful, it’s hot!) and knead with your hands until smooth. Store in an airtight container.

Makes approximately: 2 cups

Adapted from The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Bites

By in GF Sweets, Kids, Snacks 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

chocolate peanut butter energy bites

I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks that are quick and easy to whip up. These chocolate-peanut butter energy bites are delicious to have on hand for when you’re craving a cookie but don’t want the flour, butter and sugar. It’s a hit of sweetness without the guilt. And how could you go wrong with the combination of peanut butter and chocolate? You can’t. Unless you’re allergic. Or you’re packing them in a school lunchbox. So I suppose you can go wrong. But not in flavour! If there are any allergies to be concerned about you could substitute the peanut butter with almond butter or sunflower seed butter, I’m sure they would be just as delicious. :)

I like these little rounds because they are reminiscent of truffles and are fun for the kids to eat. But, if you want to make them more of a granola bar shape you could press them into a pan, put them in the fridge until firm and then slice.

Because these use natural peanut butter I find that they do seem a bit dry when cold (although that might be just the brand I’m using? It’s always dry when it’s cold but loosens up at room temperature.), so I like to try to think ahead and take them out a bit before snack time. Although that doesn’t stop me from enjoying them last-minute straight from the fridge. :) They are packed with energy boosting foods and are a great pick-me-up in the middle of the day when you’re running out of steam. Plus, you get the awesome benefits of Omega 3′s and fibre from flaxseeds, in the process. Definitely a sweet treat I can get on board with!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Use almond butter instead of peanut butter for school snacks, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version. To make these gluten-free make sure to use gluten-free certified oats.

  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Stir together peanut butter, honey and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and mix together until evenly combined (I like to use my hands but it does get kind of messy). Squeeze and form into 1-2 inch balls. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes approximately: 2 dozen (depending on size)

Adapted from The Cheapskate Cook.

(Healthier) No-Bake Granola Bars

By in Cookies & Bars, GF Sweets, Gluten Free, Kids, Snacks 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

healthier no bake granola bars

It has been HOT here this week. We all tend to lose our appetites when it’s so hot out so we’ve been keeping mealtimes really simple by having lot’s of salads, fruits and veggies with a little side of grilled meat. I didn’t turn on my oven once this week, but in preparation for our camping trip coming up, I wanted to prepare some “baked goods”. Enter the delight of the “no-bake goods”.

I really like my original no-bake granola bars, but I didn’t make them too often because I started feeling guilty about the amount of sugar in them. Fine for dessert, but for a mid-day snack that I’m going to be feeding my children? Not so much. So, I tried out a new version, a healthier version, added a few more things to make it more nutritious and now I’ve got a no-bake granola bar without the guilt.

These granola bars are chewy and sweet, with the taste of honey, toasted oats and nuts and little bites of sweet, plump raisins. Package them up and bring them along on your picnics or trips to the beach. Who needs those wimpy store-bought granola bars when you can have such delicious ones, so simply, at home?

No-Bake Granola Bars

To make these gluten-free use gluten-free certified oats.

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
  • 1/2 cup dried fruit (I used raisins)
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium-sized skillet, toast oats and nuts over medium heat until fragrant. Remove to a bowl, along with dried fruit and set aside.

In the same skillet add butter, honey, brown sugar and salt. Cook until bubbling and then continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture; stir well until evenly coated.

Press into a 8×8 inch baking pan, lined with parchment paper. Wet fingers to keep from sticking. You want the pack to be quite firm.

Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove from pan. Using a serrated knife cut the bars in half and then into 6, creating 12 granola bars. Store, covered, at room temperature. Separate with pieces of parchment or wax paper, if stacking on top of each other.

Makes: 12

Adapted from Lauren’s Latest. Originally from Rachael Ray.

Dino Party: Fossil Cookies

By in Cookies & Bars, Kids, Sweets 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

Dino Party: Fossil Cookies

This post is part of a series for a Dino themed birthday party.  To view the rest of the series head on over to the Dino Birthday Party post.

To kick-start the party once all the kids had arrived we gave them each a kite to play with and let them loose on the yard. This was one of the best ideas ever (thanks to my mom, for her brilliance), it kept the kids busy for a very long time and it doubled as a fun favour for them to bring home with them.

I still wanted to make something dinosaur-themed, for them to take home, so on their way out the door they each got a small stretchy dinosaur and a little parcel containing these fossil cookies (a.k.a. whipped shortbread with dinosaur footprints).

They were so easy to make and since I already had a dinosaur, that just happened to be laying around waiting to be gifted to the birthday boy, I had everything on hand to whip them up. And, I loved the way they turned out.

I think cookies are always a hit when given as favours and when they”re this easy (and cute to boot) it makes for a delicious, fun and stress-free way to work the theme into the favours. Plus for any savings savvy mom”s, it is definitely one of the cheaper options! ;)

Fossil Cookies

The dinosaur foot I used to make the impressions was approximately one inch across.

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature (no substitutes)

  • 1/2 cup icing (confectioners) sugar

  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add flour and beat on medium speed for 10 minutes. Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough and drop onto parchment paper line baking sheets. Chill in the fridge until firm (about 30 minutes).

Roll each scoop into a ball, flatten into a disk with the palm of your hand. Dip the foot of a clean dinosaur toy into some flour before pressing it into the flattened dough. We”re not going for perfection here, these are fossils after all, so embrace any cracks and imperfections that form. Make sure you make a good impression because the cookies will puff up a bit as they bake.

Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are a light golden brown. Let cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet before moving to wire wracks to cool completely.

Makes approximately: 28 cookies

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

By in Cookies & Bars, Easter, Kids, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

soft birds nest sugar cookies

I love making things with Max in the kitchen, but if the project is too intricate or involved I find myself getting more stressed out then I like to be. I want us all to enjoy our time in the kitchen together, I want to foster a love for the kitchen, not memories of a stressed out mom. That’s why I love planning projects like this that are easy for him to help with, don’t make a ton of mess and look great no matter how tiny the hands are that made them.

This is the perfect project for toddlers and preschoolers because although their not quite adept enough to pipe sensical decorations onto cookies, they can decorate these cookies easily and have them turn out beautiful. They can choose the colours they like or mix and match them like Max did. They can have complete freedom and you’ll know the end product will add something special and delicious to the Easter table.

We topped our’s with candy coated chocolate covered almond eggs (wow, that’s a mouthful!) which I thought were the perfect complement to the coconut topping. When I made these I figured they would be just for looks but they were actually really delicious. This is one case where the toppings aren’t just there for show, they actually add something special to the flavour of the cookie.

The coconut topping is just shredded coconut that has been dyed with food colouring and water. I used liquid food colours but you could also use gel colours, although you may need to add a bit more water to make it the right consistency to coat the coconut. My favorite colour was definitely the purple and I’ve included the instructions below on the amounts of liquid colour I used to achieve the colour. The other colours are much more straight forward – just one or two drops from the average four-pack of liquid food colouring.

These are so tasty and so fun, I know I’ll be making them again next year. Im pretty sure we just found a new Easter tradition. :)

Soft Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies

Just FYI, I had a lot of leftover frosting. But, I don’t think half the frosting would be quite enough. Better to have too much then too little right?

Soft Sugar Cookies
  • 1.5 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly beat into butter mixture, just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Scoop 1/4 cup amounts of cookie dough, roll each into a ball and flatten slightly. Place on parchment-line baking sheets 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until set; do not brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to cooling racks or paper towel to cool completely.

Frosting
  • 5 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar), sifted
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 7 tablespoons milk

Mix together all ingredients until smooth.

To Decorate
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • food colouring
  • water
  • chocolate covered almond eggs, chocolate eggs or jelly beans

Place 1/4 cup coconut into four ziploc bags. In a small bowl add 1/4 teaspoon water and desired food colouring, swirl to combine. Pour into one of the bags, seal and shake until the coconut is evenly coloured. Rinse the bowl and repeat with remaining colours. (To make the purple, use 3 drops red and 2 drops blue of liquid colour.)

Top each cookie with frosting, a good sprinkling of coconut and chocolate eggs.

Store, covered, at room temperature.

Makes approximately: 2 dozen cookies

Decoration inspired by Betty Crocker. Recipe Adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Hostess with the Mostess.

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