Krusteaz Virtual Baking Event

December 13, 2013 by 2 Comments

Krusteaz is a well known trusted baking partner in kitchens across the country for years.  They make our favorite buttermilk pancake mix and little man is a connoisseur of the cake of pan (pancakes).  His favorite are make by his great-grandmother who makes the most delectable pancakes, with a few secret ingredients, and a pig shaped pan mommy brought back from a trip.

krusteaz

Krusteaz started in 1932 with a women’s bridge club from Seattle who wanted an easy to make pic crust.  Krusteaz has since come to be makers of home baked convenient fresh from the oven goodness one mix at a time.

To get all home bakers in the holiday spirit, Krusteaz is hosting a Virtual Holiday Baking Event on Saturday, December 14.  We’re excited to announce Weelicious blogger and cookbook author, Catherine McCord, will be baking her favorite Krusteaz creations live from her kitchen, sharing recipes, tips and holiday gifting ideas featuring homemade goodies.  We’re encouraging everyone to tune in, invite friends over, ask question/share ideas via our Twitter feed and get into the holiday spirit. Their handle is @Krusteaz so make sure you are following for all the fun.
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Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

December 6, 2013 by 5 Comments

This is a great cookies recipe that kids can help out with. It’s super easy and fun to make. It also makes great gifts for people. I usually end up making a bunch of these for the kids teachers and or the entire class for the holiday , they always enjoy them!

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Ingredients

1 stick of butter – room temperature

8 oz cream cheese – room temperature
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Restaurants for Kids in NYC

December 5, 2013 by 2 Comments

New York City is one of the most child-friendly cities in the world, offering a wealth of things to do that keep your kids happy, from playgrounds and movie theaters to toy stores and of course, the many major attractions all over Manhattan and beyond. But between all that fun, learning and play, where are the best places to grab a bite to eat with your kiddos?

Here are five of our favorite child-friendly restaurants in Manhattan.

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Shake Shack

With locations all over the city—including the Upper West Side, the Upper East Side, Grand Central Terminal, Battery Park, Madison Square Park, the Theater District and Brooklyn—this is a handy go-to for child-friendly eating, no matter where you are. The menu may stick to the basics—burgers, hot dogs and shakes—but this is lovingly-prepared fast food that pays close attention to detail and is always a fun environment for families. The fact that this now-booming business started as a single food cart in Madison Square Park is a good indication of the quality on offer at Shake Shack.

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Alice’s Tea Cup

With three Uptown locations to choose from (one on the West Side, two on the East), Alice’s Tea Cup is glorious fun for any little girls who enjoy the delicate nature of tea parties and fairy wings, but offers satisfying food options for adults. With a great selection of sandwiches, salads and soups, as well as good breakfast options and a predictably delectable dessert menu, Alice’s Tea Cup is heaven for girly-girls and a delight for any parent with a sweet-tooth. According to InTouch magazine, Nicole Richie and her little ones love the desserts here so much, she has been known to have them shipped all the way to her home in Los Angeles! Call ahead and make a reservation in advance, if you can.
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Noodles and Company

December 3, 2013 by 8 Comments

Noodles are one of my favorite foods.  Not to mention a good way to easily get carbs to stomach by way of a slurp or a twirl.  One of my favorite types of restaurants are those that specialize in the the power of the noodle, be it Udon, a local Mac and Cheese spot, or Italian- any and all can be delicious in their own way.

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There is a recently discovered restaurant called Noodles and Company that specializes in most types of noodles, Thai, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, even egg noodles and mac and cheese.  All your bases are covered.  Your meal starts with picking a noodle dish then picking a meat or meat substitute if you wish, options include grilled chicken, breaded chicken, steak, pork or tofu.  If you’ d like spaghetti and tofu, the option is there.  Of the noodle dishes we tried, the favorites among the table were the mac and cheese, Indonesian Peanut Saute, and Beef Stroganoff.
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Bob Evans – Easy Holiday Meals

December 2, 2013 by 18 Comments

With the holiday season in full swing and some of them have even past (Thanksgiving, first night of Hanukkah, etc.)  the chaos is upon us.

How can one person expect to buy presents, clean the house, make stellar meals followed by a huge, mega good, meal AND make sure everyone is having a good time who is staying over the house?  The answer-  It isn’t possible, either you need some helpers or you need some help.  Bob Evans is a great way to get meal help.

Think of their farm fresh dishes as a neighbor throwing in a hand to help out.

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These dishes go from boneless turkey breast that melts in your mouth to stuffing and mashed potatoes that are, “I have to know how to make these'”  good.  There are lots of options in regard to dishes and they range from sides like mashed potatoes to home fries and buttered sweet corn.  Next are the main courses which include ham, turkey and country fried steak.  Of course there are also breads and desserts.  Desserts are pies of various types including cherry, pumpkin and pecan and even fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.

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We had a pre- thanksgiving turkey meal and I can honestly say all the food was phenomenal.  The turkey was moist, the mashed potatoes were awesome, and the pie didn’t last long at all.  The gravy was smooth and the cranberry sauce tart and full of real cranberries.

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The prices are also quite affordable and with pre ordering available and simple reheat instructions enclosed Bob Evens is definitely a useful neighbor to have.
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Couture Chocolate: A Masterclass in Chocolate

November 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I received a copy of Couture Chocolate: A Masterclass in Chocolate by William Curley to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

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Chocolate: it’s one thing most people love in an almost sinful way. You can make cakes, cookies, bars, drinks, truffles and treats of all kind with it. The art of skillfully creating with chocolate takes a certain type of culinary talent, not one that I posses. However, it doesn’t stop me from enjoying a book on the subject.

Couture Chocolate: A Masterclass in Chocolate BY William Curley is absolutely amazing and awe-inspiring. The book contains recipes and techniques for tempering and creating some of the most decedent chocolate treats I have ever seen.

The Good:

Couture Chocolate is as beautiful as it gets. The photos are absolutely stunning and look like display pieces one would see in some sort of chocolate museum. They truly are works of art. William Curley is an amazingly talented chef and has truly mastered the technique of working with chocolate based on his creativity in this book. I enjoyed the little bit at the beginning about his experiences with working with chocolate as well as the many photos that show some of the most difficult chocolatier techniques to preform.
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Holiday Wines – Sterling Vineyards

November 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Disclosure- these bottles were provided as samples to facilitate this post.  As I don’t consume alcohol, my husband did the drinking for me, and let me know his thoughts  🙂

I liked the light flavor of both these wines.  I’m not a big wine drinker, but these I could drink. They aren’t fruity or have odd flavors, and the oak flavor in the pinot noir is interesting.

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Sterling Vineyards Carneros Pinot Noir

The bright acidity and gentle tannins of this fine Pinot can take guests from appetizers right into the main meal, pairing with a cornucopia of dishes on the Thanksgiving or Christmas table.  The smell-nose is oak-y, a full body aroma.  The smell is complex and not that of the basic red wine.  The taste is light, but definitely still a red wine.  The flavor is more subtle then other red wines and frankly more enjoyable.  This would go well with a nice steak or cut of beef.  There is very little after taste with a  clean crisp finish.
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Good Eats – Lockport, NY

November 21, 2013 by 4 Comments

Lockport, NY has quite a lot to offer a traveler, not the least of which is delicious food.  When you are traveling with children, it’s good to know places to stop at that are good, clean, won’t break the bank, and have food everyone will enjoy.

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There are 2 “must visit” food stops for anyone with kids- or a mouth- who happens to find themselves in Lockport, NY.  If you are hungry-hungry, and you want more then just a little something, make sure you visit Sweet Sixteen Cafe on Main Street.  The owner is on the premises much of the time, and actually “gets her hands dirty” so to speak.  She is a very funny, gregarious person, and will chat with you while you order (and it might take you some time to choose, the varieties of food and desserts they offer are limitless, and sadly, your stomach is not).  The smell will assault you as soon as you walk in- in the best possible way.  The aromas of baked goods, soups, and hot beverages was almost too good- if there was such a thing.  All I know is I didn’t wait for lunch to order dessert, that came first.  The cupcakes were AMAZING and come in lots of flavors and several sizes.
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