Here are a few new ideas to brighten up everyone’s morning:

Get the whole family to cook.

Getting everyone in the family to help out in the kitchen is easy, especially on weekends, and they’ll love feeling more involved. The next time you make breakfast, ask your kids to help you. Enjoy connecting as a family and building memories you will all cherish for years to come.

Set up a pancake bar.

Make a weekend breakfast extra special by setting up a short-order pancake station in your kitchen. Offer different flavors of pancake mix, set out chocolate chips, sliced fruit or any other ingredients to create special pancakes that appeal to your family. Don’t forget to top each pancake with a pat of butter or a dollop of whipped cream and, of course, warm syrup. If you use a microwavable syrup bottle, like Hungry Jack, you can microwave the whole bottle and pour hot syrup straight onto your pancakes with no mess.

Host a breakfast lottery.

Do your kids complain about having to eat the same thing every day? Surprise them with a special breakfast lottery. Have ingredients on hand for several breakfast entrees, like pancakes, waffles, or crepes. Put the names of each breakfast item in a hat and make whichever one you draw. This makes for an entertaining and suspenseful breakfast.

Try a new recipe.

Mini pancake kabobs

When it comes to breakfast kabobs, the possibilities are endless. Mini pancake kabobs are a lively twist on a classic breakfast. All you need for this recipe, courtesy of I Heart Naptime Blog, is a pancake mix, like Hungry Jack Complete Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix, syrup, kabob skewers and your favorite pancake toppings. Cook small, cookie-sized pancakes on a griddle.  Then, stack them on skewers with toppings like fruit and peanut butter. Top each kabob off with a drizzle of warm syrup.

Lemon ricotta pancakes, courtesy of Lauren’s Latest blog

Yield: Six 4-inch pancakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pancake mix, such as Hungry Jack Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• zest of 2 small lemons
• powdered sugar, for garnish
• Hungry Jack syrup

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, stir pancake mix, water, ricotta cheese and lemon zest together until mostly smooth with a few small lumps. Fry on a lightly greased nonstick skillet until golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar and warm syrup.

Start your day with a satisfying breakfast while enjoying the company of your loved ones. Get creative and try some of these ideas for a whole new take on the first meal of the day.

*BPT

The post Start your day with fun: 4 fresh takes on breakfast appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Crispy Roast Duck with Giblet Gravy

Servings: 8

• 2 Maple Leaf Farms Whole Ducks (5 pounds each), thawed if frozen
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 onion, unpeeled and quartered
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 small sprigs fresh sage
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 3/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•  Salt and pepper, to taste

Remove giblets and orange sauce packets from ducks and reserve for another use. Rinse ducks; pat dry with paper towels. Place breast sides up on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Roast according to package directions.

Place remaining duck giblets and necks in large saucepan. Add broth, water, onion, carrots, sage sprigs, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer gently uncovered 1 hour. Strain broth; set aside giblets and discard remaining solids. If broth measures less than 2 cups add water to equal 2 cups.

Remove roast ducks from oven and transfer to rack of broiler pan. Preheat broiler. Pour off and reserve drippings from roasting pan. Add vermouth to pan and cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture is reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Spoon off 1/4 cup fat from reserved drippings; transfer to medium saucepan. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 1 minute. Add 2 cups strained duck broth and wine mixture to saucepan. Add drippings to saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, until gravy thickens. Chop reserved giblets and add to gravy. Simmer 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Broil ducks 5–6 inches from heat source until skin is well browned and crispy, 6–8 minutes. Cut each duck into quarters and transfer to serving plates. Pass gravy separately. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired.

For more recipes, visit www.mapleleaffarms.com. 

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

Prep time: 45 minutes

Servings: 14

• 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups 2 percent milk
• 1 cup Daisy Sour Cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Butter 11-by-7-inch (2 quart) baking dish and set aside. Slice potatoes to 1/8-inch-thick circles. Place potatoes in large saucepan or Dutch oven; add water to cover by 1 inch. Cook until tender and cool slightly.

Heat oven to 350°F. In 2 1/2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and salt. Cook until mixture bubbles. Gradually stir in milk and cook until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream and cheese. Cook on low until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Layer half of potatoes in baking dish. Pour half the sauce over potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce. Sprinkle potatoes with paprika. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until bubbly and top starts to brown.

For more recipes, visit www.daisybrand.com.

Brown Sugar Pecan Pie

Prep time: 35 minutes

Chill time: 1 1/2 hours or overnight

Bake time: 15–20 minutes

Cook time: 40–45 minutes

Servings: 8

Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) ground pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cold
• 1 egg yolk
• 3–4 tablespoons ice water, divided
•  2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Filling:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pecan halves

To make crust, mix flour, nuts and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are size of small peas. Mix egg yolk, 3 tablespoons ice water and lemon juice in small bowl. Add to flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring lightly and tossing with fork until moistened and dough just holds together. Add remaining ice water, if needed. Gather dough and shape into 1-inch-thick disk.

Refrigerate, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour or overnight.

Heat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, rolling from center to edge, to form 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters; ease and unfold into 9-inch pie plate. Press pastry gently against bottom and sides of pie plate, easing out any air. Trim edge leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under; flute edge. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes.

Line piecrust with aluminum foil; fill with pie weights. Bake in oven until pastry is set, 8–10 minutes. Remove foil and weights; pierce pastry all over with fork. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 5–7 minutes longer. Cool completely on wire rack.

Heat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs, brown sugar, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in medium bowl until well blended. Arrange pecan halves evenly in bottom of piecrust. Carefully pour egg mixture over pecans.

Bake in center of 350°F oven until knife inserted midway between center and edge of pie comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Note: Pastry dough can be made in food processor. Also, ground almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts can be substituted for pecans.

For more recipes, visit www.IncredibleEgg.org.

*Family Features

The post appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Plan an Easter gathering everyone can enjoy with a make-ahead menu that includes crowd-pleasing brunch casseroles packed with everyone’s favorite flavors – and leaves you plenty of time to spend with the family.

“Combine all-star breakfast ingredients like eggs, bacon and cheese into a single dish in this Cheesy Bacon & Egg Brunch Casserole, seasoned with ground mustard and nutmeg,” said Chef Kevan Vetter of the McCormick Kitchens. “The best part about this recipe is you can assemble it the night before – just add an additional 1/2 cup of milk – chill it in the refrigerator and bake it off in the morning.”

Serve a spring-inspired dessert topped with an array of fresh fruit to complement your brunch casserole.

Find everything you need to create a complete brunch menu and more easy Easter-themed recipes at www.McCormick.com, www.Facebook.com/McCormickSpices and www.Pinterest.com/mccormickspices.

Cheesy Bacon & Egg Brunch Casserole

Serves: 12

• 8 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 loaf (8 ounces) Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (5 cups)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk*
• 2 teaspoons McCormick® Mustard, Ground
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add onion to skillet; cook and stir 3 minutes or until softened.

Spread 1/2 of the bread cubes in 13×9-inch baking dish. Layer with 1/2 each of the onion, bacon, Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. Spread evenly with cottage cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes, onion, bacon, Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Beat eggs in medium bowl with wire whisk. Add milk, mustard, pepper and nutmeg; mix well. Gradually pour into baking dish. Press bread cubes lightly into egg mixture until completely covered. Let stand 10 minutes. (*To prep the night before, add an extra 1/2 cup of milk and refrigerate overnight.)

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown.

*Family Features

The post Easter Brunch Made Easy appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Nearly everyone has more than one special person in their life. Whether it’s a neighbor who lets the dog out, the friend who watches the kids in a pinch or a colleague who makes Mondays a little more bearable, loved ones make our days better. A simple thank you or a small thank you gift can go a long way in showing those people just how much you appreciate them.

A recent survey revealed that most people do have multiple “loves” in their lives. In fact, significant others aren’t the only ones who get Valentine’s Day gifts these days. This survey, which was commissioned by Rich Products, a leading provider to foodservice, in-store bakery and retail marketplaces, showed that Valentine’s Day now extends way beyond that one special person. Forty four percent of people said that they purchase gifts for multiple people on Valentine’s Day. When asked to identify their “other loves,” friends were at the top of the list; and surprisingly, among their favorite gifts were fresh baked goods ranging from cookies, cupcakes and other sweet treats. 

So to sweeten your relationships all year round, small thank you gifts are both welcomed and appreciated. And keep in mind it’s not the size of the gift that matters. Survey results show that good things come in small, personalized packages.

Give the gift of deliciousness

To get started, remember showing your appreciation doesn’t have to be expensive and time consuming. Gifts can be purchased on your weekly (or daily) trip to the grocery store then personalized and decorated with things that you have around the house. You can stock up on these inexpensive supplies at your local craft store. 

Here are some simple, low-cost steps to show someone you care:

Step 1: Visit the bakery department in your local grocery store for a variety of fresh and delicious options. From frosted cookies, to cinnamon rolls, cupcakes and doughnuts, you’ll find a treat to please everyone on your list – and there’s no baking involved.

Step 2: Personalize each gift by selecting a baked good and using basic art or wrapping supplies (think ribbon spools and tissue paper leftover from Christmas) that you have around the house to dress up your gifts.

Step 3: Attach a personalized, handwritten note on a piece of construction paper or cardstock. Cut the paper to size, punch a hole to thread a ribbon through and tie it to your gift.-

Other ideas for a quick and easy do-it-yourself ways to dress up your gift:

• Homemade gift bags: Cut hearts out of construction paper and glue onto a lunch bag.
• Decorative plates: Find inexpensive, seasonal or colored ceramic plates at your local discount store and wrap with cellophane and a bow.
• Sweet surprise: Grab a small gift box, place some tissue inside, add your selected baked good and tie with a colored bow. Make sure that the baked good is secure in the box. You don’t want it to crumble.

For more simple and creative gifting and packaging ideas, visit the Bakery Because Pinterest board at www.pinterest.com/bakerybecause.

*BPT

The post 3 easy steps to sweeten someone’s Valentine’s Day appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

This Valentine’s Day, the whole family will love making these flavor-painted Red Ombre Heart Cookies. It’s a fun activity with a sweet payoff.

Source: McCormick

*FF

The post Red Ombre Heart Cookies appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Ninety percent of kids don’t eat the recommended amount of vegetables each day.[1] To help get more kids on board with healthy eating, it’s important to show them how fun veggies can be.

It’s no secret that kids love to play, especially with their food. While this behavior may normally be discouraged, the Birds Eye Vegetables brand is switching things up and encouraging parents to try rewriting the dinnertime rules this year. The Rewrite the Dinnertime Rules program lets kids have fun and play with their veggies while setting healthy eating habits at a young age.

“Getting kids involved in the dinner process makes them more likely to eat and enjoy what they helped create,” said Birds Eye Vegetables Corporate Chef Michael Christiansen. “With our Rewrite the Dinnertime Rules program, we’ve come up with some easy ways to get your kids excited about dinnertime and loving vegetables.”

Here are five tips to get your kids to eat more veggies, and a kid-approved recipe to try for your next family dinner:

• Get your kids involved: When kids are involved, they’re more likely to eat their creations. Let the kids help with the shopping, choosing of the recipes, prep and cooking of the meals. Have them choose the veggies they want to eat for dinner and which they want to pack in their lunch. Encourage them to try a variety of colors and flavors.
• Make family playtime with veggies: Kids can create rainbows on their plate with veggies or make smiley face pizzas. For the pizzas, use mini whole-wheat pitas as the base and let the kids add marinara sauce, reduced-fat cheese and Birds Eye veggies to make faces.
• Mix it up: Veggies can be used in surprising and delicious ways. Mix veggies with yogurt, orange juice and honey to make nutritious smoothies, or whip up refreshing popsicles with carrots and orange juice.
• Positive reinforcement: Celebrate veggies and how delicious and fun they can be by using positive words when talking about them. You can also amp up the cool factor by using some of your child’s favorite stars, such as Jennette McCurdy, as inspiration.
• Use new veggies in familiar dishes: Combine new veggies with a few simple ingredients for a twist on familiar favorites. Try making pea guacamole, corn salsa or other unique creations that combine old favorites with healthy veggies. For these recipes and other ideas, visit www.birdseye.com or www.pinterest.com/RealBirdsEye.

Chicken & Corn Sliders

Total time: 15 mins

Servings: 6

• 1 bag (12 ounce) Birds Eye Steamfresh Super Sweet Corn
• 1/3 cup prepared barbecue sauce
• 1/4  cup water or fat free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
• 2 green onions, chopped
• Torn lettuce leaves, such as Boston, Romaine or Iceberg
• 12 (1-ounce) whole grain slider rolls

Bring barbecue sauce and broth to a boil over high heat. Simmer 1 minute. Stir in chicken and Super Sweet Corn; toss to coat and heat through. Stir in green onions. Evenly arrange on lettuce-lined rolls. Secure with fun toothpicks.

The post Put Play on the Plate with Veggies appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

My favorite part of the 4^th of July is the big cookout that we host every year!  I am always looking for new, festive recipes to impress all of our friends and family.  This year I got a little help from our friends over at allrecipes.com who sent over their most popular recipes for Independence Day!  Read on to hopefully gain some inspiration, I think this might be our best cookout yet!

I always like to have two choices for the main dish, each featuring a different kind of meat.  This year we will be making (Actually) Delicious Turkey Burgers and Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs.  These are slightly healthier options than typical backyard barbecue food.  As impressive as they sound, they are both surprisingly quick, easy and perfect for entertaining!

Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

• 3 pounds ground turkey
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, onion, egg whites, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Form into 12 patties.
2. Cook the patties in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

Serve with your favorite toppings, I also like to toast the buns with a little butter to make them extra yummy!

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

For side dishes I always do bowls of fruit and chips, but this year I will also be adding the Sweet Restaurant Slaw!

Sweet Restaurant Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
• 2 tablespoons diced onion
• 2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip™)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt  
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Pour dressing mixture over coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

This recipe is as easy as it gets, but note that it needs time to chill!  This is definitely going to be the first thing I make early in the day.

My favorite part of the meal is absolutely dessert!  I always have too many ideas about what to make and end up making it all, but is too much dessert really a bad thing?  Not in my house!  The first dessert that we are going to make is about as traditional as it gets, Southern Peach Cobbler. 

Southern Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• 8 fresh peaches – peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• Cinnamon Sugar (Mix: 3 tablespoons sugar  and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

I love serving warm cobbler with ice cream, it gets melt-y and delicious!

Finally I love baking cakes for special occasions.  This year I will be making two; one that is impressive on the outside, and one that is impressive on the inside!

Red, White and Blue Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 pint blueberries, rinsed and drained   
• 2 pints fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced

Directions

1. Prepare cake according to package directions and bake in a 9×13 inch pan. Cool completely.
2. Frost cake with whipped topping. Place blueberries in a square in the corner, and arrange sliced strawberries as stripes to make an American flag. Chill until serving.

This cake could be made using whatever cake recipe or mix is your favorite.  I am thinking about red velvet cake to make it even festive!

American Flag Cake

Ingredients

• 3 (10.25 ounce) packages white cake mix
• 9 egg whites
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 3/4 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 tablespoon blue food coloring
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 10 cups fluffy white frosting
• 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons white sugar, or as needed
• 1 4-inch round paper or cardboard stencil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and line 4 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Combine white cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds using an electric mixer on low speed. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. The batter will still be slightly lumpy.
3. To make the red cakes, measure half the batter into a separate bowl and whisk in red food coloring. Evenly transfer the red batter into 2 of the 8-inch prepared cake pans; smooth tops of batter with a spatula. Transfer half of the remaining uncolored batter into a 3rd prepared cake pan; smooth top as before. This will be the white cake portion.
4. Add blue food coloring to the remaining uncolored batter in the large mixing bowl; fold 1 cup white chocolate chips into blue batter until combined. Transfer batter to remaining prepared 8-inch cake pan; smooth top of batter with a spatula.
5. Bake all 4 cakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from oven and place onto cooling racks until cooled completely.
6. Run a knife around edge of each cooled cake. Invert cakes, remove pans, and peel off parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to trim tops of cakes flat and even.
7. Cut both of the red cake layers and the white cake layer in half horizontally. You will have 4 thin red cake layers and 2 thin white cake layers.
8. Place a 4-inch round stencil on top of 1 thin red cake layer; cut out a 4-inch red cake round. Repeat, placing stencil on 1 thin white cake layer to make 1 4-inch white cake round. Center the 4-inch round stencil on the blue cake; cut out and remove center portion covered by the stencil to make a blue cake ring.
9. To assemble the cake, you will need 2 thin 8-inch red cake layers, 1 thin 8-inch white cake layer, 1 4-inch thin red cake circle, 1 4-inch thin white cake circle, and 1 blue 8-inch cake ring. Reserve the leftover thin red cake layer and other cake pieces for making crumbs for decorating.
10. To assemble cake, place 1 8-inch thin red cake layer on a cake pan and frost the top generously with white frosting. Place the thin 8-inch white cake layer on top of the red one, and frost the top. Place remaining 8-inch thin red cake layer atop the white one. Frost the red layer.
11. Place the blue ring cake on top of the 2nd red cake layer and carefully frost the inside of the blue cake ring. Gently fit the 4-inch white cake layer into the blue cake ring. Frost the top of the 4-inch white center. Place the 4-inch red cake layer on top of the white one. Gently press small cake circles flush with the top of the blue ring.
12. Frost the entire outside of the cake generously with the remaining frosting.
13. Crumble red and blue pieces of leftover cake into 2 separate bowls. Score lines into the top of the cake’s frosting with a kitchen knife to make a flag design on top of the cake. It should have a 2-inch square at the upper left for blue field and white stars, and 7 thick horizontal stripes about 1 inch wide.
14. Fill the square field at the upper left with blue crumbs and press 1 tablespoon white chocolate chips upside-down into the blue crumbs to make ‘stars.’ Fill the bottom stripe and every other stripe with red crumbs to make red stripes. Sprinkle white sugar generously into the white stripes to make them stand out.
15. To serve, cut cake into wedges. The inside of the cake will reveal its layers of red and white stripes and blue field with white chocolate chip stars in every slice.

I am so excited about this cake, I think I am going to make the extra cake pieces in to cake pops for the kids!

Hopefully this will give you some ideas for your own celebration!  Happy 4^th of July!

Recipes courtesy of Allrecipes.com

The post Make it a delicious 4th of July! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

I love any excuse for a celebration, especially if it involves food and festivities for the whole family!  The problem is that kids can be picky when it comes to trying new foods.  The struggle at my house is to find festive foods for picky eaters.  Over the years I have come up with a few tricks to combat this problem.  While these ideas aren’t exactly traditional, they are majorly kid-friendly!

Step one to making a special St. Patty’s Day for the kids is to buy some green food dye.  While I typically try to avoid unnecessary dyes in foods, my philosophy is that every once in a while kids should have a little fun.

Start the morning off by dying all of the milk in the carton bright green with a few drops of the food coloring.  That way when the kids wake up and pour themselves a bowl of cereal, they will be in for a surprise when it comes out green!  If you want to add a healthy component to breakfast try “Green Machine” by Naked juice (or any other green juice).  It tastes sweet and the kids will be more likely to drink it since it’s festive.  Just make sure not to tell them how incredibly healthy it is!

If you can find a small shamrock shaped cookie cutter (approximately 1 inch across) you can make a super simple, healthy snack.  Kiwis are already bright green and a favorite of kids, but cutting them in a cute shamrock shape makes them festive too!  You might need to put a tiny bit of oil on the cookie cutter to make sure that the kiwis come out intact.

For a festive meal you can continue with the green-foods theme and dye color neutral foods (green mash potatoes?) or if your kids are more adventurous eaters try pots of gold! 

Ok, it is just butternut squash soup in the most pot-of-gold looking pot you can find, but it’s a fun, healthy St. Patty’s Day food that is both kid and mom friendly!

My inner child gets excited any time there is a holiday with a corresponding colors because growing up that meant one thing, surprise cupcakes!  Surprise cupcakes are just normal cupcakes with a yummy surprise filling.  To make these fun treats just make your favorite cupcake batter (chocolate, vanilla, box mix, from scratch, anything!) but only fill the tins half way.  Then mix an 8oz. block of cream cheese with a ½ of sugar and 1 cup of mini chocolate chips.  Since it’s St. Patty’s Day add 4 drops of green food coloring to the mix.  Drop a small spoonful of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of each cupcake tin, and then fill the rest of the way up with the cupcake batter.  Frost with some bright green frosting and let your kids dig in and enjoy the bright green surprise!

Since it’s a holiday, why not have two dessert options?  A super easy, fun dessert is minty green milkshakes.  Throw a few scoops of vanilla ice cream in a blender with milk (a 2-to-1 ice cream-milk ratio works well) add a few drops of green food coloring and ¼- ½ teaspoon mint extract.  Blend well and top with whip cream and a gold medallion!

Finally we have a non-dessert drink, Green Grape Iceberg!  These would be great with lunch or a healthy dessert.

Green Grape Iceberg

Recipe Courtesy of Lori at Family Economics Blog

Ingredients
4oz. of Sparkling Water

4oz. White Grape Juice

10 Green Grapes (frozen)

Green Food Coloring

Directions
1. Freeze green grapes
2. Pour grape juice into blender
3. Add 8 frozen grapes
4. Add 2 drops green food coloring
5. Blend for 15 seconds
6. Pour mixture into glass
7. Add sparkling water to taste
8. Stir and garnish with remaining grapes 

I love holidays because they are an excuse to make a day extra special and build lasting memories with my family.  With a few of these simple tricks you are sure to make St. Patrick’s Day a holiday to remember!

The post Picky Eater’s St. Patty’s Day appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Saint Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and it’s time to plan an Irish meal for the family. For many Americans the first Irish meal that comes to mind is Corned Beef and Cabbage, but Corned Beef and Cabbage isn’t actually an Irish meal. It was created by Irish families after they immigrated to America. If your family would like to have a more traditional Irish meal this Saint Patrick’s Day, try this recipe for traditional Irish Shepard’s Pie.

Traditional Irish Shepard’s Pie:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tsp black pepper
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3-4 large carrots, finely diced
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 glass of red wine
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 cup of stock
• 6 cups of fresh or leftover mashed potatoes
• 1 egg, beaten
• Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1-Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2-Sauté carrots in the olive oil until starting to get tender.

3-Add in the onions and sauté for a minute or two then add the meat.

4-Season with black pepper and thyme.

5-Cook until browned then drain the fat.

6-Add the butter and peas.

7-Sprinkle with flour and stir through.

8-Add tomato paste, wine and Worcestershire Sauce.

9-Let this reduce slightly then add the chicken stock. Allow to reduce down until you have a thick, meaty gravy. Season to your taste.

10-Remove from heat. Grease an oven proof dish (9 x 13) with butter and add the sauce.

11-Spoon or pipe the mashed potatoes over top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

12-Bake for about 20 minutes or until the potato is nice and browned on top.

13-Serve as is or with some crusty bread to mop up that yummy sauce!

For an after dinner treat, try out one of these recipes for a Shamrock Smoothie or an Irish Apple Tart:

Irish Apple Tart

To make the pastry:

• 3.5 Cups of flour
• 2/3 generous cup of fine sugar
• 1 1/2 scant cups of unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 Tsp natural vanilla extract

Directions:

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, cut the butter into pieces and work it into the flour with your fingertips. Now make a well in the middle of the flour-and-butter mixture and add the egg, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Stir with a fork to incorporate the flour evenly until you have to begin using your hand. Using only one hand, bring the dry and wet ingredients together (this might take more time in the winter). On a floured work-surface, knead the dough for a few minutes then roll into 1/4-1/2 inch thickness.

For the apple filling:

• 2 1/2 to 3 cups of thinly sliced apples
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 Tsp of cinnamon
•  a squeeze of one lemon
• 1 Tbsp of grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Mix everything together and let sit for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bottom pastry onto plate. Fill with apples. Place top of pastry case over apple filling. Bake for about one hour. Serve with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Shamrock Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lime sherbet
• 1 cup plain frozen yogurt
• 2 ounces pear juice
• 1 Tsp lime juice
• 1 Tsp sugar
• 1/2 Tsp spearmint extract
• 2 Tbsp grated chocolate
• Mint leaves

Directions:

Combine sherbet, yogurt, pear juice, lime juice, sugar and spearmint extract. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses, garnish with grated chocolate and mint leaves. Serve. Makes about 2 servings.

Recipes and images retrieved from:

Dewdropdeb, . “Traditional Irish Shepard’s Pie.” Food.com. N.p.. Web. 10 Mar 2013.

McDonnell, Imen. “Irish Recipes and Food from Ireland.” IrishAbroad. N.p.. Web. 10 Mar 2013.

Perry , Beth. A Celebration of Non-alcoholic Irish-themed Drinks. N.d. HubpagesWeb. 10 Mar 2013.

The post Irresistible Irish Dishes appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Fall is the time for food that makes us feel cozy. As much as we may want that crab bisque, it may not be as welcoming to the smaller and sometimes more finicky eaters in our households. Kids will usually try what they know, so incorporating familiar things into something new makes it easy to introduce a new dish.  Check out these “familiar” sounding soups that will have your kids begging for another bowl!

Macaroni and Cheese Soup

Yields 20 servings

Ingredients:

•  3 quarts water
• 5 tsp chicken bouillon granules
• 1 1/2 cups celery (sliced)
• 2 large carrots (shredded)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1 medium green pepper (chopped)
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 cup butter (cubed)
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups milk
• 1 pound processed cheese – ex: Velveeta (cubed)

Directions:

In a stockpot, bring water and bouillon to a boil. Add celery, carrots, onion and green pepper; cook for 4 minutes or until tender. Add macaroni. Cover and return to a boil; boil 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; let stand for 8-10 minutes or just until macaroni is tender. 

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted; add to undrained macaroni mixture. Yield: 20 servings.

Nutritional Facts:

1 serving (1 cup) equals 261 calories, 17 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 49 mg cholesterol, 619 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 9 g protein

Taco Soup

Yields 6-8 servings

*This is an AKA Mom Favorite!!

Ingredients: 

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 1 TBS olive oil, if ground beef is very lean
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 cans (15 oz) pinto beans
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans
• 1 bag frozen corn (11 to 15 oz)
• 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes (Mexican style if available)
• 1 can Rotel (original)
• 2 pkgs. taco seasoning mix
• 1 pkg. dry ranch dressing
• 2 1/2 cups water or more, to make soup broth

Directions: 

Brown ground beef and onions in a large skillet with olive oil if needed; drain off fat. Meanwhile put all other ingredients in a stockpot and heat on low. After beef and onions are ready, add them to the stockpot with the other ingredients and stir. Best served with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, corn chips and/or cornbread.

Nutritional Facts:

No nutritional info available for this recipe.

Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 – 8oz package cream cheese (cubed)

Directions:

Combine broth, potatoes, onion, and spices in soup pot. Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender. Smash potatoes to release their starch for thickening. Reduce to low heat. Add cream cheese. Heat, stirring frequently, until cream cheese is melted completely.

Nutritional Facts:

1 serving (1 cup) equals 353.6 calories, Calories from Fat – 189, Saturated Fat 11.4 g, Cholesterol 62.4 mg, Sodium 938.4 mg, Total Carbohydrate 30.5 g – Dietary Fiber 3.5 g and Sugars 4.1 g, Protein 11.4 g

Cheeseburger Soup

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 3/4 cup onion (chopped)
• 3/4 cup carrots (shredded)
• 3/4 cup celery (chopped)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups potatoes (cubed)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups Cheddar cheese (cubed)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine over medium heat in a large pot. Add vegetables and ground beef and cook (stirring) until ground beef is brown. Stir in basil and parsley. Then add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. In a separate bowl mix the remainder of the butter (melted) with the flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat thoroughly. Keep simmering, do not boil the soup.

 Nutritional Facts:

1 serving (1 cup) equals 411 calories, Cholesterol 81 mg, Fiber 2.6 g, Sodium 596 mg, Carbohydrates 22.6 g, Fat 27.3 g, Protein 18.9 g

Hot Diggity Dog Soup

Yields 8 servings (2 quarts)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium carrots (cut into thin strips)
• 2 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 2 medium parsnips (peeled and chopped)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 TBS all-purpose flour
• 1 pkg (1 pound) hot dogs (halved lengthwise and cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½  tsp pepper

Directions:

In a large saucepan, saute the carrots, potatoes, parsnips and onion in butter for 5 minutes. Stir in flour until blended. Add the hot dogs, milk, soup, water, basil and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. 

Nutritional Facts:

1 serving (1 cup) equals 418 calories, 28 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 64 mg cholesterol, 968 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 12 g protein

The post Soup’er Delicious and Kid Friendly! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.