When it’s cold outside you turn to soup. The next time you need to warm up make this Kale, White Bean & Sausage Soup that comes to us from Simran and Stacie at a Little Yumminess. The versatile and easy soup rocks the veggies and serves 12-14, which means there’s almost always leftovers to slurp up the next day.
Kale, White Bean & Sausage Soup adapted from Frances Mayes from Everyday in Tuscany (Zuppa di Cavolo Nero, Cannellini e Salsicce)
Serves 12 to 14 (half it if required)
Ingredients
2 Italian sausages, skins removed and meat crumbled
4 tbsps olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 quarts chicken stock
6 thyme sprigs
1 bunch of dinosaur kale
4 cups cooked cannellini beans (dried beans best but I often use canned)
Method
1. Saute the crumbled sausage in the olive oil till browned and remove from pan.
2. In the same pan, saute the onions, thyme and garlic until softened
3. Add the chicken stock to a big pot. Bring to a boil and add the kale and cover and simmer for 15 minutes
4. Add the cooked sausage and beans and simmer for another 15 minutes
5. Ta Da!
This is a guest post from our friends Simran and Stacie at a Little Yumminess. Photo courtesy of Little Yumminess. Be sure to visit their blog for more fab, kid-friendly recipes!
Get ready for a new snacking sensation! SNICKERS recently announced the launch of an almond brownie bar—and you can nab one this summer.
The SNICKERS Almond Brownie is everything you want in a candy bar. This new addition to the brand’s bars follows the release of the SNICKERS Peanut Brownie and SNICKERS Peanut Brownie Ice Cream.
photo courtesy of SNICKERS
Instead of your typical chocolate bar, the new SNICKERS brownie features a rich, chewy filling mixed with chopped almonds and topped with caramel. As if that’s not enough, the Almond Brownie is coated in a layer of dark chocolate.
Michelle Deignan, Mars Wrigley Senior Brand Director, said in a press release, “After seeing unparalleled excitement for the SNICKERS Peanut Brownie and SNICKERS Peanut Brownie Ice Cream launches, we’re excited to deliver on our purpose of better moments and more smiles by unveiling a delicious variation of the bar for our fans.”
SNICKERS Almond Brownie flavor will hit store shelves this August. Along with the 1.26-ounce Single bar, you can also indulge in a 2.52-ounce Share size or the 6.93-ounce Sharing Stand Up Pouch option.
If our kids could eat two foods on repeat it would be noodles and pancakes. Catherine McCord of Weelicious combined these two popular dishes into one, and we have a hunch this noodle pancake recipe will be a new fave in your home. We love that it utilizes those leftover noodles we bet you never know what to do with. With the addition of diced veggies and eggs, these noodle pancakes make a healthy and filling meal.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked egg noodles
3 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup corn (I used frozen corn that I defrosted first)
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup broccoli, chopped (raw or cooked)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
olive oil
Method:
1. Place all the ingredients (except for the olive oil) in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
3. Pour about 1/4 cup of the noodle mixture per pancake in the pan and cook for 3 minutes (you can pour as many pancakes at once as fit comfortably in your pan).
4. Flip the pancakes and cook an additional 3 minutes. Continue making the pancakes with the remaining mixture.
To freeze: Allow to cool, then place in ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, pop them into the oven at 300 for 10 minutes or until warmed through or defrost in fridge for 24 hours then heat in a dry pan.
Catherine McCord is the co-founder of One Potato and the founder of the popular Weelicious brand, a trusted content resource synonymous with family and food. She has written three cookbooks including her latest Smoothie Project. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.
A warm bowl of macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Many like to add a little something extra such as a handful of chopped broccoli or some bacon crumbles. Now Kraft has recreated this iconic staple to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Put aside the heart shaped chocolate boxes and bouquets of roses. Today, Kraft Mac & Cheese is launching a limited-edition Candy Kraft Mac & Cheese for Valentine’s Day. Candy Kraft Mac & Cheese is made with the same cheesy Kraft Mac & Cheese Americans know and love, but includes a candy flavor packet to turn the mac & cheese pink and add hints of sweet candy flavor.
Lucky recipients of Candy Kraft Mac & Cheese will receive a kit including one box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and one candy packet to turn the Mac & Cheese pink all delivered by Feb. 14, so they can deliciously celebrate Valentine’s Day.
To enter to win Candy Kraft Mac & Cheese and for more information please visit CandyKraftMacandCheese.com.
Share your Candy Kraft Mac & Cheese using #CandyKraftMacandCheese on Twitter @kraftmacncheese, Instagram @Kraft_MacandCheese, and Facebook @KraftMacaroniandCheese.
Tricking your kids into eating healthy can be a struggle for parents. And finding new and creative ways to fit in fruits and vegetables without getting caught only gets more difficult.
Certified food managers experienced in preparing food for children with special food needs from Tierra Encantada, the leader in Spanish Immersion Early Education developed a variety of recipes that are kid and allergy friendly, nutritious, culturally diverse and easy to make for multiple children. Read on for three great recipes!
A chicken-y spin on the traditional Latin American favorite, Picadillo!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 onion
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 2 Potatoes
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 can of tomato sauce
½ cup of chicken broth
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)
- 2 tablespoons green olives (optional)
- 6-8 corn tortillas
Instructions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, peppers, and garlic, and sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken cut in small squares and stir-fry for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken has cooked through.
- Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, lemon juice, cumin, bay leaves, potatoes, asparagus and raisins.
- Cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
- Before serving remove the bay leaves and garnish with fresh cilantro and olives.
- Enjoy with corn tortillas, you can even create your own Chickadillo tacos!
Kids love this dish, make it your own by adding cheese and your favorite garnishes!
The perfect meal for when you want to wash as few dishes as possible!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup yellow corn
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cups water
- 1 onion
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lime
- Cilantro
- Avocado (optional garnish)
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic in hot oil until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir black beans, tomatoes, yellow corn, quinoa, and water into skillet, season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, cover the skillet with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 20 minutes.
- Stir lime juice and cilantro into quinoa until combined.
Make this dish your own by adding meat and other veggies!
Tierra Encantada is a warm, community-oriented Spanish Immersion Daycare and Preschool headquartered in Minneapolis, MN and currently expanding nationwide. We offer quality child care for children ranging from 6 weeks – 6 years of age. We focus on the growth of the whole child and believe children learn best by doing. Our award-winning bilingual education program fosters early cognitive development and teaches a respect for diversity.
If you were a child of the ’90s you’ll remember Tia Mowry as starring opposite her twin sister, Tamera in the hit sitcom, Sister, Sister. Today Tia’s sharing some of her tasty family-friendly recipes with us. The actress, mom and cook gave us a sneak peek of one of her family’s favorite recipes: turkey meatballs.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Active Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Turkey Meatballs:
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 large egg
1 pound ground turkey
4 to 8 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Quick Marinara Sauce:
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Pinch kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Method:
1. For the turkey meatballs: Add the oats to a food processor and pulse a few times. The consistency should resemble breadcrumbs. Add the oats and milk to a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Add the onions, spinach, Parmesan, salt, pepper, garlic and egg to a large bowl and mix well. Add the oat mixture and combine. Lastly, add the turkey and gently fold into the wet mixture. Keep the mixture light by not over-mixing. Form into bite-size balls using a small cookie scoop for uniform meatballs.
3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and repeat with the second batch, adding more oil if needed. Set the meatballs aside but reserve the Dutch oven for the sauce.
4. For the quick marinara sauce: Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic to the Dutch oven and stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Gently add the browned meatballs to the sauce. Do not overcrowd. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked thoroughly, another 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with a generous pinch of salt. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
6. Combine some of the sauce with the cooked spaghetti. Plate the spaghetti and meatballs and add the remaining sauce over everything. Garnish with parsley, basil and more grated Parmesan. Serve hot.
Come along as Tia Mowry takes you inside her life, sharing her recipes for success… and for dinner. As a working actress, wife and mother, Tia is always on the go, but creating tasty and tempting foods for her family is the part of her day that brings the biggest smiles. Growing up with parents in the armed services, she enjoyed tasting a variety of flavors in the different cities they lived, and she loved recreating the dishes with her mother in the kitchen. Ever since she was a young girl, these influences have sparked her desire to cook for her own loved ones – whether it is a healthy meal for her son and husband, or a dinner party for her best friends. It is a busy and full life, but Tia would not change a thing!
Need a cool dessert that doubles as an activity? Turn to these frozen chocolate bananas. Opt to make them exactly like the recipe below or sub in sprinkles or other toppings in place of the pecan halves. Either way, this deceptively simple dessert will be a hit.
Ingredients
2 large bananas, peeled
4 popsicle sticks
1 c milk chocolate chips
3/4 c pecan halves, finely chopped
Method
1. Cut each banana in half, and insert popsicle sticks into bottoms of each half. Freeze bananas for 1 hour until solid.
2. Place chocolate in a small microwave-proof bowl and heat on medium heat for 15 seconds at a time until well melted and smooth. (You can also use a double boiler to melt the chocolate down if you have one.)
3. Dip the frozen bananas in chocolate so they are completely coated, then generously roll in chopped nuts. Serve immediately or re-freeze for a few hours later.
Note: You can fashion a working double boiler by using a small pot of water and a Pyrex bowl.
Instagram-worthy seasonal desserts are taking over our social media feeds. This year hot cocoa bombs have gained popularity among lovers of festive treats. Now you can make your own with easy-to-follow steps thanks to ALDI Test Kitchen.
If you are feeling extra festive you can drop the bombs into a cup of ALDI-exclusive O’Donnell’s Irish Cream for the ultimate holiday taste bud explosion.
Check out the recipe created by Chef Trevor from the ALDI Test Kitchen and captured by Heather at @brownedbutterblondie.
ALDI Hot Cocoa Bombs
Recipe Courtesy of Chef Trevor, ALDI Test Kitchen
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus 25 minutes to chill and set) Total Time: 20 minutes (plus 25 to chill and set) Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 package Moser Roth Dark Collection 70% Cocoa Chocolate Bar, finely chopped
1/2 cup Baker’s Corner Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 package Beaumont Cocoa Hot Cocoa Mix
Spangler Candy Canes, crushed
Baker’s Corner Miniature Marshmallows
Directions:
Prepare a double boiler over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, combine chopped chocolates and morsels in a small bowl.
Add half of the chocolate to the double boiler. Monitor temperature using a candy thermometer or other food safe thermometer. Do not allow chocolate to rise about 120° F at any point.
Once chocolate is melted and at 110-115°, remove from heat. In small batches, incorporate remaining chocolate. Be sure to melt what you’ve added prior to adding more.
Continue to monitor temperature and stir until temperature reaches 82°. Transfer back to the double boiler and bring to 91°.
At 91° remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons of chocolate to each half of the 3-inch silicone sphere molds. Tilt mold in all directions to properly coat the entire bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Reserve remaining chocolate.
The chocolate should have begun to set at this point. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the inside of the half sphere. Chill for 20 minutes.
Peel molds away to release chocolate. Set aside.
Warm a small sauté pan over low heat. Lightly press one half sphere, open side down, on the sauté pan to even. Place back in mold.
Fill with 1/2 packet cocoa mix, and preferred amount of crushed candy cane and marshmallows.
Repeat step 8, instead pressing the halves together. Allow 5 minutes to set.
Bring remaining chocolate to 88°, drizzle over sealed bombs and decorate with remaining candy canes pieces.
Star off your holiday celebrations with a slice of cheesecake. The Cheesecake Factory is bringing back two seasonal favorites. The popular restaurant chain is welcoming back its popular Slice of Joy Gift Card Offer and the festive Peppermint Bark Cheesecake.
For every $25 in gift cards or eGift cards purchased through the end of the year at a Cheesecake Factory restaurant or online, guests will receive a Slice of Joy Card redeemable for a complimentary slice of cheesecake beginning Jan. 1, 2021 – Mar. 31, 2021. With more than 250 menu selections – handmade, in-house with fresh ingredients – and more than 30 legendary cheesecakes, Slice of Joy Cards are the perfect gift to give to a loved one or to keep for oneself this holiday season!
As an added treat, The Cheesecake Factory also announced that its festive Peppermint Bark Cheesecake is back on the menu! This delicious holiday dessert features a white chocolate cheesecake swirled with chunks of chocolate peppermint bark, topped with white chocolate mousse and sprinkled with chopped peppermint. Peppermint Bark Cheesecake is available by the slice and as a 10-inch cake perfect for family gatherings.
“We are so pleased to announce the return of our very popular Slice of Joy Gift Card Offer. It’s one of our favorite ways to thank our guests for their loyalty,” said David Overton, Founder, and CEO of The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated. “Our Peppermint Bark Cheesecake is a fan favorite that is available just for the holidays and we are happy to welcome it back to our menu.”
Available by the slice and as a 10-inch cake perfect for family gatherings, the Peppermint Bark Cheesecake features a white chocolate cheesecake swirled with chunks of chocolate peppermint bark, topped with white chocolate mousse and sprinkled with chopped peppermint.
Amber Guetebier, Red Tricycle’s Mobile Editor shares this recipe and tells us, “I made these for my Sicilian friend for Christmas. They are totally time-consuming (over 2 hrs from start to finish) but perfect if you want something autentico for the holidays, and if your kids are tenacious and into baking and getting covered in flour and honey. If your kids are a little less patient, try making the dough the night before. The filling is delightfully sticky and the end product has a wonderful, not-too-sweet flavor. Traditionally these are covered in a powdered sugar based icing and then covered with sprinkles, but I skip that step and add sprinkles after the egg wash to get them to stick, because you don’t want to skip the sprinkles!”
Ingredients:
Dough:
4 cups of flour
1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 sugar
1 cup butter
1 large egg
2 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
Filling:
2 cups of dried figs (soaked in warm water for about 20 minutes)
2 cups of dried dates
1/2 cup of raisins (soak in warm water for about 20 minutes)
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of orange marmalade
2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Egg wash: 1 large egg white beaten with 1 tbsp. water for an egg wash
Sprinkles
photo: Amber Guetebier
Method:
1. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and then stir in sugar. Using a fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture. Tip: freeze the butter and then use a grater to shred it into the flour mix, much like you would for a pie crust. Beat the egg, vanilla, and milk together and slowly add to the flour mixture, working with hands to make dough. Turn that out on to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or so, until nice and smooth and soft. Divide into 4 pieces, wrap each piece, and place put in refrigerator for at least 45 minutes (or overnight).
2. Grind the figs, dates, raisins and nuts (if not coarsely chopped) in a food processor until coarse. (You can also just chop them, but a food processor is easier). Put this mix in a bowl and add the honey, cinnamon, and marmalade.
3. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
4. Take out the dough and roll each piece into about a 12 inch square. Cut the dough into 4×3 rectangles. Put about 2 tbsp of the filling into the center (in a line) and roll the dough over. This makes a tube. pinch the ends and then shape lightly into a crescent. Make diagonal slits across the top, and then place onto pan. Brush with egg mix and sprinkles (before baking).
