Category: culinary fun

I think Jenny and I should get a copyright on “(verb)in’ It Up,” don’t you? We’ll have to work on that in our spare time.

Anywho, Christmas is almost here, and I would say the one thing I’m MOST excited about this season is baking. I have a google doc all set up and ready to go, with links to the recipes and a matrix matching each type of goody to the intended recipient. You know why I like baking? Because there are RULES. And I might be a little Type A.

The kids and I did a baking process last weekend that was more for fun than anything – we actually ended up pitching most of the results (my kids don’t have a future in cookie decorating, I don’t think), but we enjoyed doing it. We made “Grinch” cookies, which I had seen online but put my own spin on (and by that I mean figured out how we could do it with the stuff we had at our house). I made sugar cookies (using this recipe) and colored the dough green. Then I made some royal icing, left some white and dyed some yellow, and I used red candy melts. Here’s the one I made:

The next thing on my list are these chocolate cookies with peppermint buttercream from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

I made the dough last night and will bake and ice them tonight (tomorrow’s my day to bring in something for Pie Friday at my office) – I hope they turn out to be as good as they look!

I’m also going to attempt to make a flourless chocolate cake for Jenny, basically because she has ordered me to make her some salted caramel buttercream icing and I need something to put it on! The last time I attempted to make a flourless cake it didn’t turn out so well, but I hope this will be better! I’m planning to make cupcakes with it… do you suppose that would work? I don’t see why not, but really I’m not familiar with anything flourless so what do I know!

Let’s see… what else am I going to make? Oh, I’m going to try these Christmas Peanut Butter Candies from the Lady with the Red Rocker, because I know my grandma likes them (and it’s also gluten free, Jenny!).

And the Red Velvet Whoopie Pies I made last year.

And finally…

I think I’m just going to call it “Really Good Chex Mix,” though.

We’ll see how all this goes – me being in the kitchen generally turns into a rather bloggable event, so stay tuned!

What are you making for the holidays?

Over the past couple of months I’ve had fun sharing with you the work I did with my kiddos on the Chef Boyardee #LittleChefs eCookbook with the Motherhood. It’s been a great campaign but sadly, it’s about to come to an end. However, we’re going to go out with a BANG, with a great Twitter party this Thursday, December 6 from 2-3 PM Eastern time. We’ll be chatting about celebrating special holiday moments while cooking with your kids and giving away five great prizes! From creating family time in the kitchen to bonding over everyday and holiday fun, we have tips and recipes for creating kitchen magic with your family. I hope you can join us!

You can see all the details and RSVP here via this Twtvite: http://twtvite.com/littlechefs!

To get yourself in the cooking spirit, you can also head over to Facebook to make an eCard of your family whipping up a yummy Chef Boyardee recipe!  (See the screenshot of  mine above. Don’t the kids and I make faaaaaaaabulous cartoons??) Check out the eCard feature here (and get in the kitchen with THE Chef Hector Boiardi himself!) http://on.fb.me/R02YjV

Can’t wait to tweet with you on Thursday the 6th at 2! See you then!

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I am being compensated for my work on the Little Chefs eCookbook by Chef Boyardee and the Motherhood.com. All opinions and work are my own.

This year, in an unprecedented event, we’re having Thanksgiving at our house. (and also at my grandma’s, and also at my mother-in-law’s, but really, what’s a holiday without spending half the day in a car?) I’ve never prepared a big holiday meal like this, and I’m kind of nervous about it. I’m mostly nervous because I am envisioning it in my mind the way Thanksgiving looks on Pinterest, and it’s not going to live up to that. Obviously. I should REALLY keep in mind that the people I’m feeding have subsisted on take-out dinners from Bob Evans for each Thanksgiving in recent memory.

But still. I want to make it good.

I’ve been compiling a list of ideas on Pinterest, although now that I look at it, my Thanksgiving board contains exactly two recipes and a whole bunch of ideas for centerpieces. So it looks like we’ll be eating only creamed onions and low-calorie pumpkin pie, but at least the table will be pretty.

I’m planning to cook a turkey (which I’ve never done before so that should be interesting), of course (because the time I ordered ham from Bob Evans, Kate had a heart attack that we weren’t having turkey on Thanksgiving and the closest I could come at the time was buying cold cuts and sticking them in the microwave. She was not amused), and the amazing sweet potato dish from Pioneer Woman that I made last year, along with her mashed potatoes, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten.

So tell me, friends, what’s your favorite thing to cook (or eat) on Thanksgiving?