Sandwich Shell Cookies

My family and I really enjoyed spreading Hershey's Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate spread, and making these sandwich shell cookies. To make these soft cake like cookies you will need to follow my Madeleine recipe below. This spread has a salty, sweet, chocolate, and peanut butter flavour that goes well with these soft sandwich cookies. We like having these sandwich shell cookies, as snack and dessert.   

Snacking with Thornhill Farms Rice Bites

Thornhill Farms Rice Bites are a great addition to any snacker’s menu. It can be served in a ton of different ways on its own and with dips. The re-sealable bags make it easy to take it on road trips and have it for quick snacking. These cost-effective, gluten-free snacks are perfect to serve with hummus or salsa during summer get-togethers.

Cranberry-Nut Chex® Mix and A Chance For You To Win A Red Carpet Hosting Kit

Dressing up for a party and hosting is lots of fun. I like to go with a theme when I am hosting a party, so I can prepare the food and atmosphere to coordinate for everyone to have fun. When we are watching red carpet events like the Oscars, I like to keep our party casual and watch who is winning, which of our favourite movies get the awards, and get to know of movies worth watching.

Phyllo Pastries with Cottage Cheese and Spinach and Two Giveaways

Gay Lea’s Nordica Cottage Cheese is a healthy ingredient for a multitude of foods from smoothies, to cooking, to baking. Nordica Cottage Cheese can be used as a supplement ingredient that provides a low in fat, high in protein alternative. I enjoy using cottage cheese in a variety of dishes such as in desserts, lasagna and other pasta dishes. I made our favourite savoury snack using cottage cheese and spinach wrapped in phyllo pastry that we enjoy during teatime. 

Perfect Treat to Take to a Holiday Potluck

This cheesecake made with yogurt is flavourful and delicious, it would be a delightful treat to take over to a potluck. We can bake it a day ahead and keep it ready to go in the fridge. Keeping it overnight in the fridge makes it more delicious. I used a Cake Stencil to turn this simple cheesecake more presentable.

Sun-Maid Starry Morning Raisin French Toast

According to the Sun-Maid Raisin Bread's Bring Back Brunch online survey* 80% said they would consider a festive brunch in place of the holiday season dinner. This is so they can enjoy time leisurely with their family, friends and guests. To help us get started and gather around the kitchen and table, Sun-Maid has developed four signature brunch recipes; Starry morning raisin french toast, Berry merry breakfast cups, Leftover makeover french toast, and Rise and shine raisin coffee bake.

These Help Answer The Big Question "What to Send for School Today?"

I like packing a variety of snacks such as fruits and cut vegetables, cheese and crackers for my children to take to school and after school programs. I find it easy to make snacks like short eats, buns, muffins and scones when time permits and leave it in the fridge so my children can have healthy homemade food whenever they want. 

Steamed veggies with white sauce + Perks & Contests from @DisneyJuniorCA

I am super excited to be part of Disney Junior Mom Ambassadors and to bring you the good news and special perks from Disney Junior for March.

Disney Junior English will be available for us to preview for the whole month of March for FREE if we have any of these TV service providers *  You don’t have to have Disney Junior in your TV package to take advantage of this preview.  Find out which channel to tune into using the channel finder.

*Bell, Rogers, Shaw Cable, Shaw Direct, Cogeco, TELUS, SaskTel, Westman, Mitchell Seaforth Cable, Source Cable, Cable Cable, Videotron, MTS, TbayTel, Citywest Cable.

A contest from Disney Junior: 
Watch and Win a $500 gift card to shop at any retailer of your choice.

• To enter the contest tune into the Disney Junior channel daily this March between 6-7pm ET and look out for the secret code.  
• Then, visit DisneyJunior.ca and enter the contest on the same day with the daily Secret Code.  
• There will be a new secret code and a chance to win every day starting March 4th

Don’t forget to set your PVR so you don’t miss the code, while watching the commercial-free programming airing during the watch and win times.  

Keep some healthy snacks like fruits, crackers and cheese with water or juice for your little ones to munch on while they watch TV.  

I like to serve healthy foods like this steamed vegetables with white sauce.  To make the white sauce you will need...
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cube Knorr vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup of milk

Heat the butter, then add the flour and wish.  Add the stock cube crushed and keep whisking.  Then add milk and whisk well till there are no lumps and it is smooth.  
Pour the white sauce over the steamed vegetables or serve it warm as a dip and enjoy.  

The upcoming March break will be We Love our Toys Week at Disney Junior.  From March 11th to 15th, 6-7pm ET we can watch back-to-back episodes of Doc McStuffins with Toy Story shorts between them.  This will lead into an exciting network premier of “Toy Story” on Saturday, March 16, at 6pm ET. 

Disclosure: I am part of the Disney Junior Mom program and receive special perks as a part of my affiliation.  All rights reserved on mentioned photographs and opinion of the written content Createwithmom © 2011 - 2013. Please Ask First

popchips adds Ketchup flavour to their delicious snack line

popchips adds Ketchup flavour to their award-winning snack line.  We really enjoyed the bold, sweet ketchup taste and a hint of tang.  My children love ketchup and this new flavour has become one of our favourite snacks.

Healthy Muffin recipes

I am always looking for muffin recipes that are easy to make, which are low in fat and have high fibre.
Everyone at home will appreciate these muffins.  We can make these muffins ahead of time and store it in the freezer to enjoy it as a healthy snack or for breakfast.
Once I heard my 7 year old daughter explaining to her younger brother that the difference between a muffin and cupcake is the icing :) I think this is a neat way to explain.

Check this page of muffin recipes that are sure to please all of you.  

• Peach Streusel Muffins: Chunks of fresh peach and crunchy pecans add flavour and nutrition to these delicious streusel-topped muffins.
• Breakfast Muffins: Perfect for breakfast, these muffins provide an energy boost we need to start our day.  It is filled with fibre-rich ingredients.  These muffins are packed with vitamins and minerals.
• Summer Berry Muffins: Fresh berries add delicious flavour, colour and nutrition to these muffins. They are best fresh from the oven, but are also good once cooled.  Would be wonderful snack for to send for school or have as breakfast on the go.
• Banana-Cinnamon Muffins: These are delicious, moist muffins with a crunchy sweet topping.  These low fat muffins have bananas, oat bran, soy milk and soy flour.
• Fruity Vegetable Muffins: Not only do grated vegetables and dried fruit add food value and flavour to these muffins, but they also make them deliciously moist.  These muffins are not too sweet.
• Apricot and Pecan Muffins: Packed with fresh fruit and nuts, and delicately spiced with cinnamon, these homemade apricot and pecan muffins are lower in fat and sugar than store-bought muffins, and contain no trans fats or preservatives.
• Cherry-Oatmeal Muffins: Dried fruit adds flavour to these muffins and would be a great portable snack or breakfast idea.  I adapted the recipe from the site and made these Raisin Oatmeal muffins.  If you want it to be sweet add more sugar into the mixture, this recipe is not too sweet.

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup toasted wheat germ or flax seeds
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large egg
1 tbsp grated orange zest optional
3/4 cup dried cherries, cranberries, or raisins

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Line twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper liners. Toast oats in a jellyroll pan until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Or we could do this over a pan and dry roast it until it has a golden colour.  Transfer to large bowl and cool to room temperature. Add all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the roasted oats, stirring to combine.

Whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, and orange zest in small bowl until blended. Make well in centre of dry ingredients and pour in buttermilk mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the dry fruit, using a wooden spoon.

Spoon 1 tbsp of batter into muffin cups; sprinkle top of each muffin with 1/4 tsp (1 mL) sugar. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in centre of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the muffins from pan to wire rack to cool.

All rights reserved on photographs and opinion of the written content Createwithmom © 2011 - 2013. Please Ask First

Easy treats with Rice Krispies in the microwave

We made delicious treats with Rice Krispies in the microwave using...

1 tbsp butter
125g (1/2 packet) of marshmallows
3 cups of Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

Put butter and marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl and heat for a minute.  Remove and stir with a wooden spoon, then heat again for 30 seconds.  Stir again and mix the cereal until it is coated with marshmallow.  

Spread the cereal onto a cutting board and cut shapes using cookie cutters.  Decorate with candy and icing/gel. 
 
This recipe is adapted from the Kellogg's Rice Krispies box.   

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First

Nutella Crêpe and French café playhouse

Kate Fagelman, the mompreneur of Little play spaces made this creative Parisian style café with recycled corrugated cardboard. This eco-friendly French café has lots of beautiful artistic detail.

Tofu stir fried with Chinese cuisine inspired VH sauces

Tofu stir fried with VH sweet and sour sauce

I like the variety of VH products that are available. This is a lovely way to start introducing diversity to our meals. These sauces will impress anyone. Whoever tastes the dishes made with VH sauce will know that it tastes just like the cuisine is supposed to taste. They might even think that you got take out because the food is ready within minutes.

Rice flour Æbleskiver sweet and Mancala board game

Rice flour Æbleskiver sweet (also known as nei paniyaram)

1 cup rice flour *

3/4 cup jaggery

3/4 cup water *

1/4 tsp cardamom ground

1/8 tsp salt optional

1 ripe banana mashed

1 to 2 tbsp ghee to grease the pan *

Melt the jaggery in the water and mix the rice flour or ground rice and banana. Make a smooth thick paste. Heat up an abelskiver pan in medium heat, put about 1/4 tsp of ghee to each hole and put about 1/2 to 3/4 full batter. Flip the snack with a skewer once it is easy to turn it and cook the other side. Enjoy warm.

* For this nei paniyaram (ghee fried snack) I used store bought roasted rice flour, can also used unroasted rice flour or soak the raw rice for about 3 hours then grind it.

* May need to add more or less water depends on if you are using the flour or grinding the rice.

* Can also grease the pan with oil or butter as well.

While enjoying these snacks we played with Mancala.

I bought this Mancala game by Schylling from Amazon. A very ancient game that is addictive and lots of fun. I played this with my grandma and aunts as a child, and buying one brought back lots of wonderful memories of late afternoon fun. This is a solid wooden board with glass beads. The glass beads can be replaced (from any craft or dollar store) if you misplace.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First

Sweet potato snack

2 to 3 sweet potatoes

2 tbsp fresh coconut grated

1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar

Boil the sweet potatoes till it is tender. When it is cool, remove the peel. Mix the coconut with the brown sugar and add it to the sweet potatoes.

Make into balls, then garnish with the coconut sugar mixture and serve. This is served as a snack.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011. Please Ask First

VH sauce soup and stew

I got a chance to taste and make meals using the tandoori and vindaloo VH sauce. We loved the taste, both children and adults will enjoy. It takes less time and it is easy to prepare meals using these sauces, which is useful during busy schedules. All ingredients in the sauce are vegetarian. There are many varieties of Asian inspired VH sauces to make different types of meals. We can also use these sauces in a variety of different ways. 

The VH Tandoori sauce gives a delicious sweet smoky flavour to the dish. Following the instruction on the bottle, I combined the sauce with yogurt and marinated the chicken. With the chicken I prepared delicious tandoori chicken wraps. 

The VH vindaloo sauce is delicious with meats and in vegetable stir fries, curries and soups. This quick soup made with vindaloo sauce is perfect for supper when it is served with bread.

Carrot potato soup

1 tbsp oil

2 tbsp onion

1 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp ginger grated

1/2 cup carrots cubed

1/2 cup potatoes cubed

4 to 5 tbsp vindaloo sauce

1/4 tsp salt to taste

1 1/2 cups water

Heat oil and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. Then sauté the carrots and potatoes. Add water and VH vindaloo sauce and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. This soup can be pureed in a blender or mash the vegetables with a spoon to desired texture. Reheat if needed and serve it hot topped with cream.

I made this tasty stew using just the VH vindaloo sauce without adding any other spices. The sauce gives a beautiful colour and taste.

Meat and pepper stew

2 tbsp oil

1 1/2 cups meat cubed

1/4 cup onion

1 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp ginger grated

1/2 cup tomato chopped

8 tbsp VH vindaloo sauce

1/4 tsp salt to taste if needed

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup red pepper cut into cubes

Heat oil and sauté the meat. Then add onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Add vindaloo sauce and water. Pressure cook for about 10 minutes for the meat to cook. Add the red pepper after the meat is cooked and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the stew hot with rice, flatbread or bread.

Disclosure: I received the sauces from VH to review. All opinion on this blog are my own. All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011. Please Ask First

Zucchini plant and sandwich

I stuffed this sandwich with this delicious zucchini omelette.

You need...

1 cup zucchini grated, drain and squeeze out the water

3 eggs

pepper and salt to taste

1 tbsp fresh herbs optional

1 green chillie without seeds chopped optional

1 to 2 tbsp oil

bread slices

butter to spread on the bread slices

Beat everything together and leave aside. With help from an adult heat the oil and fry the mixture in medium high heat, when it easy to flip cook the other side. The omelette should be moist but not runny. When it is a little cool place it in between two slices of bread that is buttered and serve. Toasting the bread is optional.

Some pictures of the zucchini plant from this Summer. We enjoyed a few, but there was too much rain so not every flower that bloomed produced fruit.

The stem that is holding the flower is the vegetable, it was amazing how they grow. It was easy to remove the fruit with a pair of scissors or shears instead of breaking it off.

Many people stuff these flower and batter fry, which I haven't tried.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011. Please Ask First

Rice krispies

1 tbsp butter or margarine

40 (1 pkg) of marshmallows

3 cups rice krispie's cereal

1/4 cup peanut butter

Heat butter with marshmallow in the microwave for 2 minutes. Remove it from the microwave and stir.

Stir in the peanut butter to this mixture. Then add the cereal until it is well coated. Shape it into small balls or any other shape.

Serve it on the same day.

This can also be done on the stove in a large pan over low heat. Recipe inspired by the cereal box.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2011. Please Ask First