Fantastic Thursday #34

February 27, 2013 by 7 Comments
Fantastic Thursday Linky Party
Welcome to Fantastic Thursday!
To continue with our many, many, many changes that we have had the
past couple months……our linky party will now be starting
Wednesday evenings at 10:00 pm (MST)!!

Can you all believe tomorrow is the LAST day of February?!! Time flies when you’re having fun!!!!

By the way, have you checked out our giveaway which is going on right now? If not, enter here for a chance to win a CuteZcute Cutter. We will be announcing the winner at next weeks Fantastic Thursday, so be sure to check back!

If you could also give us a thumbs up and vote for us to become one of the top food blogs at Voiceboks we’d appreciate it! Click here to vote.

Our Favorite from last week’s party is Message Board Window from Lemon Tree Dwelling! What a super cute idea!!

Congrats and be sure to grab a Featured button!

Let’s get our PARTY on…….and Link up!!

Remember our party is now more inclusive, not just recipes! Let’s see those fun craft projects!
Come back next week to see who will be featured.
We will post our favorites to our Featured and Favorites Pinterest board.

Let’s get this party started…..Link up and have fun!!!


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Tempura-Continuing Our Culinary Journey

February 27, 2013 by 2 Comments

Tempura

Tempura was made on the same day we also made Japanese Gyoza. Tempura is something I have made for my Little Chefs however this was the first time they helped make it.  This afternoon of cooking was like musical chairs. Each time I turned around one Little Chef was off playing and another one was at my side wanting to help.

First the vegetables and protein were prepared. Cut them in thin slices or “matchstick” size. We used green beans, onion, sweet potato and shrimp. The sweet potato was sliced on the mandolin but proved to be very difficult so those little hands needed some assistance.

cutting vegetables

Next it was time to make the batter. The ingredients were measured out and combined lightly with a whisk. You do not want to over mix. The batter will be lumpy.

mixing

Next comes the scary part- cooking in oil. This is the main reason we needed to bring our aprons. Anything is ok to splash on the aprons to protect our clothing. However because these aprons are so cute I have a hard time saying that! It is best to begin warming up the oil while you are making the batter. It will almost be ready to go by the time you are done mixing. For a crispy tempura coating, fry when the oil temperature reaches 360 degrees F.  Test the temperature by putting a small amount of tempura batter into the hot fat.  The temperature is correct when the batter bubbles and quickly becomes crisp.  You want the finished product  to be pale in color, not dark brown.

To cook, drop several pieces of well-drained vegetables into the batter.  Coat lightly.  We found it best for our Little Chefs to use these tongs to grab the vegetables out of the batter, carefully shake off the excess batter and then carefully drop into the hot oil.  When I was little and we made this we had a deep pan full of oil. We have since learned you do not need that much oil, just enough to cover the vegetables so they can float. Cook until the coating is crispy.

cookingOnce you pull them out using Tongs or a Spider Strainer drain on a paper towel.  Fry the beef and the fish in that order.  You may serve it with a sauce, but our favorite is dipped in soy sauce. You will not want to prepare too many vegetables, since you will have many varieties.  For example, one potato will be adequate for several people.  Make sure you allow plenty of time to make the tempura. We like to keep it warm in a low oven until everything is cooked. It is best served immediately after cooking.

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Tempura

Tempura

Ingredients

  • Batter:
  • one egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup tempura flour (cake flour or 3/4 cup all purpose flour plus 1/4 cup corn starch)
  • Choose your vegetables and/or proteins. Possibilities are fish - shrimp shelled and de-veined, halibut, salmon. Beef. Vegetable possibilities are green beans, pumpkin, sweet potato, parsley, egg plant, carrot, round onion, green onion.
  • Sauce:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup dried bointo (thinly flaked fish)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare your vegetables and/or proteins. Cut into thin pieces or slices or 'matchstick" size.
  2. To make the batter mix all ingredients lightly. Do not overmix. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Please note this recipe serves 4.
  3. To cook: Use a good quality cooking or salad oil. For a crispy tempura coating, fry when the oil temperature reaches 360 degrees F. Test the temperature by putting a small amount of tempura batter into the hot fat. The temperature is correct when the batter bubbles and quickly becomes crisp. For the novice tempura maker, it is important to note that the finished product is pale in color.
  4. Drop several pieces of well-drained vegetables into the batter. Coat lightly. Drop into the hot oil, (use deep, heavy pan). Cook until the coating is crispy. Do not overcook the vegetables - no need to as most of them would be delicious if eaten raw anyway. Drain on absorbent paper. Fry the beef and the fish in that order. Serve an assortment of vegetables (at least 3 or 4), shrimp and another fish for a complete meal.
  5. Don't prepare too many vegetables, since you will have many varieties. For example, one potato will be adequate for several people. Also, allow plenty of time to make the tempura.
http://www.fivelittlechefs.com/2013/02/tempura.html
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Dr Seuss Craft – “There’s a Wocket in my Pocket”

February 26, 2013 by 7 Comments

createawocket

Dr Seuss Day is this Saturday! And my Little Chefs LOVE Dr Seuss books. We celebrate each year with fun crafts, treats, and read our favorite books. One of our favorite books is There’s a Wocket in My Pocket! And who doesn’t just love this book of ridiculous rhymes! Strange creatures with even stranger names, living on ordinary pieces of furniture and areas around a little boy’s home.

readingbook

 After reading this book, my Little Chefs decided they wanted to create their very own strange creature! They wanted to give them a strange name, and find a strange area in our home for them to “live” –  just like the rhymes in Dr Seuss.

craftsupplies   gluingbutton

 cutting   makingpuppets

The Little Chefs rummaged the craft room for items to make their creatures. We set out all the items they had gathered on the table. We started out with a couple empty small boxes and containers for their bodies, and then the Little Chefs went to work. They were very creative…..Little Chef E’s creature had its own jetpack, Little Chef B’s had a dracula-type cape, and Little Chef K’s even had a few feathers!!! I love their CREATIVITY and IMAGINATION!

finishedwocket finishedpuppet finishedkate

Here are the silly Dr Seuss Wocket in my Pocket creatures my Little Chefs came up with (I know these are not the typical Dr Seuss-type creatures, they are more of a modernized version!). Little Chef B created a Wiano on the Piano. Little Chef E created a  Zoat hanging by his Coat. And Little Chef K created a Manket laying in her Blanket.

 This craft really got our creative juices flowing! My Little Chefs absolutely LOVE to read, so this is such a FUN  way to take a different spin with a Dr Seuss book. There are so many other Seusstastic ideas our there, our Cream Puffs or our Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles recipe would seem to fit right in with any Dr Seuss book! What fun of things do you create with your Little Chefs to celebrate Dr Seuss Day? Oh, the things you can make!!!

createawocket

Ingredients:

  • Empty box or container
  • Googly eyes
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Glue gun
  • Fabric, felt, or any type of colored paper
  • Feathers, dry noodles, or any other craft supply you would like to add!

Directions:

  1.  Create the body of your creature.
  2. Cut, glue and add all the items you would like to make your very unique creature.
  3. Name your creature a silly, strange name.
  4. Give your creature a place to “live”.
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Japanese Gyoza – Our staycation through food

February 25, 2013 by 9 Comments

Japanese Gyoza

Gyoza is a food my Little Chefs know pretty well. They love talking about places they want to go visit. When I was young we would make Gyoza every so often. I remember it taking a LONG time to make. We had many hands in the kitchen helping, but it still took forever. In our old neighborhood our next door neighbor made these as a family and then sold them to help pay for their kids activities. We would buy some which they made and froze so that we could have them whenever we wanted. That is when my Little Chefs first discovered Gyoza. My Little Chefs got together at Grandma and Grandpa’s house to try making these just like I did. The question was could Little Chefs make these with assistance? They seem pretty complicated for little hands but since they are willing to help out we decided to give it a try!

The first step is to make the filling. One head of cabbage was chopped fine then added to the ground pork. The ratio of the cabbage to the ground pork is 2:1. To help my Little Chefs understand this we put both ingredients side by side.

cabbage and pork

Next add garlic and ginger – the ratio is 2:1. Add in the rest of the ingredients; oil, salt, pepper, soy sauce and green onions. Mix well.

mixture

We found clean up a lot faster and easier if each Little Chef worked on a paper plate.

d folding

Each Little Chef took one gyoza skin and placed it on their plate. They added 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the mixture on the skin. To close it have a small bowl of water close by. Dip a finger in the water and then trace around the outside edge of the gyoza skin. Your finger is the right width.

applying water water

Fold one side over to the other and seal. The water makes one side stick to the other. If it is not sealing well add a little more water. There are different ways to seal the skin. Each Little Chef closed it in the way most comfortable and easy to them.

c folding d closing

Little Chef A was the most successful with the tucking technique (that is what we call it). She had a great time creating something “so beautiful”. Little Chef’s C was able to make two tucks. Little Chef D tried the tucks but became frustrated and liked folding one side over to the other the best. Even Little Chef H insisted on helping. She is wanting to help so much now in the kitchen it’s fun to watch her interest grow.

folded Little Chef H helping out

If you are not cooking the gyoza right away, freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Once they are fully frozen you can put them into freezer bags for later. Use the same cooking method without needing to thaw.

To cook heat a nonstick frying pan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil to the pan. Place the gyoza in a single layer in the pan. You want to brown the skins so flip until all sides are browned. Add 1/4-1/3 cup water to the pan. This will create a cloud of steam. Quickly add the tight fitting lid. Cook until the water is gone. Open the lid and serve immediately for best results. We prefer to dip ours in a bowl of soy sauce.

cooking in oil

What we discovered is YES Little Chefs can make gyoza with assistance and have a good time doing it! The best part was sitting around the counter and working together. They do need help spooning out the correct amount of filling onto the skin. I also would strongly advise checking each one before freezing and/or cooking to make sure they are sealed. This was a great experience and they want to do it again! It didn’t seem as long making these with my Little Chefs as it did when I was young. I wonder why?  We love to eat this with Tempura!

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Japanese Gyoza

Japanese Gyoza

Ingredients

  • 1 large head cabbage, chopped fine
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 6-7 pieces garlic
  • grated ginger
  • 1 Tb sesame oil
  • Lard (meat to lard is 3 to 1....I do not use lard at all)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • dash pepper
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • small handful of green onion

Instructions

  1. Prepare all the ingredients as described. Note: The ratio of fine chopped cabbage to ground pork is 2:1. The ratio of garlic to ginger is 2:1.
  2. Mix together cabbage, pork, garlic, ginger, oil, salt, pepper, soy sauce and green onion.
  3. Put 1/2 to 1 teaspoon mixture on a gyoza skin and close.
  4. To cook heat a nonstick frying pan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil to the pan. Place the gyoza in a single layer in the pan. You want to brown the skins so flip until all sides are browned. Add 1/4-1/3 cup water to the pan. This will create a cloud of steam. Quickly add the tight fitting lid. Cook until the water is gone.
  5. Serve immediately for best results. We prefer to dip ours in a bowl of soy sauce.
http://www.fivelittlechefs.com/2013/02/japanese-gyoza.html

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Sponsored Post: CuteZcute

February 22, 2013 by 8 Comments

I have seen the bento box excitement over the last year or two but I have not participated in that…until now…partly. I was approached by CuteZcute to review their product. They said this product was launched just a few months ago. When I went to their website I KNEW my Little Chefs would fall in love with this product immediately and I was right! I have spent more time creating with my youngest two Little Chefs who are not in school. Little Chef D thinks she is a master at making her own designs. She has been the one to teach her sisters and loved every moment of it.

Weekends are usually hectic for us, but amazingly this day we were not incredibly busy so we could create. Each Little Chef decided which type of sandwich they wanted to make and I let them go. They did it all. They got everything out (yes they did put everything away as well!), they chose their animal, spread, cut, stamped, decorated and had a great time.

bread cheese jam making lunch cutting meat spreading mustard

I know after making these sandwiches for a while that my youngest Little Chef will amazingly eat a meat and cheese sandwich if it is shaped like an animal SO much better then just folded over. She is a picky eater or should I say she just doesn’t want to eat. Little Chef D loves the result because she gets to play with her food. Little Chef A tried creating her kitty face with jam. We decided we need a much narrower knife to stay within the lines.

ready to eat

How easy are these to use? They do not have sharp edges, which I love for safety reasons, but it is easy to learn to press and twist to cut through bread, meat and cheese. While the Little Chefs had a great time with these we did not get into the complex decorating. My Little Chefs do not have the attention span for that. It was great to make their sandwich then hurry and eat it before the bread starts to dry out. I can see how fun they would be for sugar cookies. But again, unless my Little Chefs are only placing candy for the eyes, nose, and mouth they do not all have the fine motor skills to carefully paint on the icing or whatever we choose. If your Little Chefs are ok with their less then perfect results like mine were these are great. If they are perfectionists and a little lacking in the fine motor area these might frustrate them a bit.

We have had a great time creating and eating the results. I get requests at least twice a week to make a sandwich animal for Little Chef D. Lucky for us CuteZcute is giving away a set to one of our great readers! I know your Little Chefs will love this just as much as mine do. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Fantastic Thursday #33

February 21, 2013 by 11 Comments
Fantastic Thursday Linky Party
Welcome to Fantastic Thursday!

First, let’s find out who the lucky winner is for the Family Favorites Cookbook -

And the WINNER is -

WHITNEY from Five Minutes For Mommy!!

Tomorrow we have another fun GIVEAWAY, so be sure to check back!

Our Favorite from last week’s party is Raspberry Sweet Rolls from I Knead To Bake!!
I can’t wait to try these with my home grown raspberries!
Congrats and be sure to grab a Featured button!

Let’s get our PARTY on…….and Link up!!

Remember our party is now more inclusive, not just recipes! Let’s see those fun craft projects!
Come back next week to see who will be featured.
We will post our favorites to our Featured and Favorites Pinterest board.


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Spicy Fry Sauce. Great to dip or sauce your bun!

February 20, 2013 by 13 Comments

Spicy Fry Sauce

Fry Sauce is something we love to make with one of our quick go to meals; hamburgers and homemade steak fries.  This time we thought we could kick up the flavor and add some spice! What is nice about this recipe is that if you want to make the ketchup part and stop there you can. If you want to keep going and make the Spicy Fry Sauce you can do that as well. So, in essence this is two recipes in one!

This recipe is easy for any Little Chef to complete. It is quick which means even the smallest with short attention spans can stick to it. First, in a saucepan melt the butter and garlic over medium heat. Let the garlic saute in the butter for a couple minutes.

butter and garlic

Add in the red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and ketchup. Let it cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

spices in butter and garlic Spicy Ketchup

Give it a taste, if you like the spicy ketchup you can stop here. If you like Spicy Fry Sauce you only need to add two more ingredients; mayo and dill pickle relish. Measure out 1 cup mayo and 3 teaspoons dill pickle relish. Combine well.

That’s it! Enjoy it on your fries or on your hamburger! We like it both ways. My Little Chefs did not notice the heat on their hamburger, but they did notice it in varying degrees in the fry sauce. A quick make ahead side dish that would be great is Creamy Cucumbers.

Spicy Fry Sauce in a bowl

Before you ask, yes we normally serve our hamburgers on regular sandwich bread because that is what we always have for school lunches. Rarely does this meal get planned ahead and we actually have hamburger buns to toast and use. In our house real hamburger buns are a treat!

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Spicy Fry Sauce

Spicy Fry Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 3 tsp dill pickle relish

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan melt the butter and garlic over medium heat. Let the garlic saute in the butter for a couple minutes.
  2. Add the red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and ketchup. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes.
  3. Add mayo and dill pickle relish and combine well.
http://www.fivelittlechefs.com/2013/02/spicy-fry-sauce.html

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Butterfly Melted Crayon Art

February 19, 2013 by 16 Comments

butterfly melted crayon art

What do you do with all your broken crayon pieces? We make Melted Crayon Art! It seems every time my Little Chefs get out the box of crayons they are not fully picked up and either I step on one and break it in two, or Little Chef H thinks it is fun to break the crayons in two. She thinks she is so strong to be able to do this! I have a hard time throwing them out because I know there HAS to be something I can do with those pieces. Well, we did find one way. This craft does require some adult assistance because the use of an iron is required.

Ingredients

  • Broken crayon pieces
  • Grater
  • Wax paper
  • Iron

Directions

  1. Choose your favorite crayon and take the wrapping off of it.peeling off crayon wrapper
  2. Using a grater, carefully grate the crayon onto a piece of wax paper. We ended up with about 2 Tablespoons of grated crayon pieces.grating crayon
  3. Spread out your pieces onto your wax paper.

    sprinkling pieces ready to iron

  4. Place a second piece of wax paper on top of your first so the grated pieces are now sandwiched in between.
  5. Place a pressing towel on top of your waxed paper. Using a hot iron carefully iron your “sandwich” until the crayon is melted. This will only take a few seconds. Remember the pieces are small and will melt very quickly.melted crayon
  6. Remove the pressing towel to see your creation. Let it cool for a minute. Using scissors cut out a butterfly, or a shape of your own choosing.
  7. Glue one popsicle stick to one side of the butterfly in the middle for the body. Flip the butterfly over and glue the second popsicle stick so the wax paper is sandwiched inbetween.gluing popsicle stick
  8. Display it by a light source to see the maximum effect of the colors.

Butterfly crayon art

Variation: It is also fun to use two or more colors of crayons. Grate your colors then mix them together before ironing.
grated crayon colors   mixing colors  melted two tone crayons

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Chocolate Cake Anyone…..?!

February 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Nothing Bundt Cake

Yes please!!! And what recipe do you ask is our favorite chocolate cake recipe?  It is the “Our Version of Nothing Bundt Chocolate Chip Cake” from the cookbook Favorite Family Recipes. It is simply delicious, and simply……simple!!

crackingeggs

We first added the cake mix, chocolate pudding, sour cream, eggs, water and oil and beat till well combined. My Little Chef B is so proud of himself that he is now able to crack and add the eggs with no help (and no shells)!

 

 chocolatechips  puttingbatterinpan

We stirred in the chocolate chips, because yes we need more chocolate into this awesome cake. We did find that the mini chocolate chips are the only way to go with this recipe.  We poured the cake mixture into a greased Bundt cake pan and baked it for 45 minutes. After cooking the cake let it cool for 20 minutes, then remove from the pan. We also learned this great trick from the Favorite Family Recipes….put the cake on a serving plate and wrap well in plastic wrap, and let it sit for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.

makingfrosting  lickingbeater

In the meantime, we made up the frosting. We grabbed our mixing bowl and in went the cream cheese and butter till smooth. We mixed in the vanilla and then gradually stirred in the powdered sugar until it is nice and thick.  Chef E’s favorite part to the frosting is obviously the cleanup!!

frostingcake

 

We then frosted the cake by simply using a piping bag, no fancy tip, just snipped off the end.  And a quick tip to fill your piping bag is to grab a tall cup and sit the empty bag inside the cup and fold the edge of the bag over the rim of the cup and fill with your frosting!! Much easier for Little Chef hands!!

And there you have it…..A delicious chocolate bundt cake that is sure to be a crowd pleaser!!! And don’t forget, we are giving away one of these awesome Favorite Family Cookbooks, just go here to enter! The last day is tomorrow!!!!

Nothing Bundt Cake

Print
Our Version of Nothing Bundt Chocolate Chip Cake by Favorite Family Recipes

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg devil's food cake mix
  • 1 pkg instant chocolate pudding
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 c water
  • 1/2 oil
  • 1 1/2 c mini chocolate chips
  • 2 8 oz pkg cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 c butter softened
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3-4 c powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat first six ingredients.
  3. Stir in chocolate chips.
  4. Pour into a greased Bundt cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
  5. Let cool for 20 minutes, remove from pan.
  6. In medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter till smooth.
  7. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar till nice and thick.
  8. Frost and enjoy!
http://www.fivelittlechefs.com/2013/02/chocolate-bundt-cake.html

 

 

 

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Sponsored Post: Glade Expressions

February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I am a Bzz Agent. I was given the opportunity to try out and review the Glade Expressions® Collection – both the Glade Expressions® Fragrance Mist and the Glade Expressions® Oil Diffuser. I really liked the Oil Diffuser because of the look and how long the scent lasted; just over a month. I tried the Lavender & Juniper Berry. The funny thing is Little Chef D and H helped me pick out the scents. Actually they didn’t let me choose, they chose! At home they helped me open the package and put it together. The assembly is easy, even a Little Chef can put it together! Just snap one part into another and place it in the holder. Little Chef D chose the place for the Oil Diffuser…on the table by the front door. Immediately she said, “I don’t smell it all over. I only smell it here, by the table.” That made me laugh! It will take some time I explained to her. It has a wide and thin wick which releases the fragrance slowly, leaving you with consistent fragrance over time.

Some other things I like about the oil diffuser if that it does not need to be plugged in nor does it use batteries. It can be placed anywhere and everywhere! I love that the holder is like a tray, but decorative as well. The try part is where the oil sits which is a comfort to me so I do not need to worry the possibility of the oil leaking on my furniture. No, I have not had any leakage even in the bottom on the tray.

We use the Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice Fragrance Mist in our bathroom and kids rooms. I love the autumn scent!  It took my Little Chefs a couple tries to figure out how to use the spray because it is a little different but not difficult.  It does not have a button to press and press and press and use it all up. Instead I can tell them to squeeze it once and they are done. I do not need to worry about the money they are wasting with the continual spray. It is refillable and has a removable label so it can fit in with any decor! I love that!

What I did not like is I was given one free coupon for the oil diffuser and one free coupon for the fragrance mist. I was doing my grocery shopping at Smiths and had these coupons with me. The coupons have a maximum value. Unfortunately Smiths marked up the prices SO much! The oil diffuser was $8.49 and the maximum value on the coupon was 4.29. The fragrance mist was $4.29 and the coupon maximum value was $3.99. Since it is hard to go out with Little Chefs I do everything I can at once. I did not want to search around for another store that carried them cheaper. Needless to say I was VERY disappointed in the pricing at Smiths. I do NOT recommend buying these products at Smiths.

However, I would recommend both of these products. Visit glade.com to learn more about Glade Expressions® products and to explore all their scent collections.

I am a BzzAgent & received free samples in exchange for my personal, honest opinion and review of this product.

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