Toddler Pizza Party

We went over to our family friend's house for their spectacular Toddler Pizza Party... It was a huge hit. The crust was made ahead of time, which we all rolled out on to cornmeal. I have never used cornmeal on pizza dough before, but it was so easy. The kids loved it. Also, our friend hid a ton of vegetables in her tomato sauce including zucchini and carrots... I will ask her for her recipe, but until then here is my recipe for tomato sauce with veggies. 

To make the Veggie Tomato Sauce: 

1 can of 14 oz diced tomatoes
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 cup of baby spinach
2 carrots 
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning 

What you do: 

1. Peel and cut the vegetables in to a rough dice. Add everything including the tomatoes to your food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. 

2. Add to a heavy bottomed skillet on medium heat, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer. Allow to cook until thickened about 10 minutes. Feel free to add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning as you enjoy. 

In case you need a Crust Recipe here is mine: 

1 cup of warm water

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 Tablespoon of yeast (1 package)

4 cups of flour

3 Tablespoons of olive oil 

Pizza Sauce and Toppings 

What you do:

1. Mix the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit and get bubbly to make sure that your yeast is still alive. 


2. Add to your standing mixer fitted with the paddle. Add flour one cup at a time until incorporated.  Add the oil until achieve a dough that pulls away from the sides. Switch your paddle to the dough hook and let the dough be kneaded for 5 minutes. Cover with olive oil and plastic wrap to rest until doubled in size about an hour. 
3. Preheat your oven to 500. If you have a pizza stone let it heat up as well inside the oven. 
4. Divide the dough and roll out to the desired size. This dough will make 3 medium size pizzas or 2 large pizzas. You can also store half in the freezer if you like. 
5. Roll to your desired thickness, my family likes a thin crust. 
6. Allow your toddlers to dress their own pizzas. 
7. Top, and cook in your oven for 10 minutes or until the bottom is cooked and toppings are warmed through and the cheese is melted. 

Enjoy. 

All the best, many blessings, much love, and Happy Pizza Making!

Homemade Pizza Crust with Heart Pepperoni

This is one of my favorite Valentine's meals I have ever made. For many years our tradition was to make spaghetti and meatballs and watch the Lady and the Tramp... aka the most romantical movie of all time. But this year I decided to change it up, and I must say, I met with great results. Now, a homemade crust is important, but it does take time to rise, so be patient, or make it the night before and put it in the fridge. This is a mixture/adaption from both Mario Batali's recipe and Bobby Flay's recipe. For the toppings, we made three, a pepperoni pizza pictured above, a margarita with tomatoes, fresh moz, and basil, and a Mexican pizza with taco meat, salsa, guac, sour cream and other toppings. 

What you need: 

1 cup of warm water

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 Tablespoon of yeast (1 package)

4 cups of flour

3 Tablespoons of olive oil 

Pizza Sauce and Toppings 

What you do:

1. Mix the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit and get bubbly to make sure that your yeast is still alive. 
2. Add to your standing mixer fitted with the paddle. Add flour one cup at a time until incorporated.  Add the oil until achieve a dough that pulls away from the sides. Switch your paddle to the dough hook and let the dough be kneaded for 5 minutes. Cover with olive oil and plastic wrap to rest until doubled in size about an hour. 
3. Preheat your oven to 500. If you have a pizza stone let it heat up as well inside the oven. 
4. Divide the dough and roll out to the desired size. This dough will make 3 medium size pizzas or 2 large pizzas. You can also store half in the freezer if you like. 
5. Roll to your desired thickness, my family likes a thin crust. 
6. Top, and cook in your oven for 10 minutes or until the bottom is cooked and toppings are warmed through and the cheese is melted. 

Enjoy. 

All the best, Happy Valentine's Day, many blessings, much love, and Happy Pizza Making!

Blood Orange Marmalade

I love orange marmalade. I think it because my mother is Spanish, most orange marmalade is made from Sevillian Bitter Oranges. I also love making my own jams and jellies. It is easy, economical, and makes great presents. I had some blood oranges that were past their prime and I thought they would make perfect marmalade… I used Ina Garten’s method to make it without pectin or thickener.

What you need:

6 large seedless blood oranges

8 cups of sugar

8 cups of water

What you do:

1. Thinly slice your oranges, I used a mandolin which works beautifully.
2. Add oranges and water to the large pan over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
3. Turn off the heat and add the sugar, stir until dissolved.
4. Leave uncovered overnight.
5. The next day, heat the mixture on high until it reaches a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer uncovered for two hours. Turn the heat back to medium and boil gently until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F.
6. Test the mixture by putting a spoonful on a plate and refrigerate  It should be cool to the touch and neither runny nor hard. If it is hard add more water, if it runny than add more sugar.
7. Pour into sterilized mason jars. Seal with lids.

15 minute Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

I made these last night, and I am practically evangelical about them. They are only 2 ingredients, fat free, vegan, easy, fast, a great use of bananas past their prime, and they are delicious. They taste like an oatmeal banana cookie. I am sure you could mold them into any shape and add peanut butter, raisins, or chocolate chips if you wanted...

What you need: 

2 brown bananas

1 cup oats 

What you do: 

1. Preheat the oven 350. 

2. Mash the bananas and mix the oats in. 

3. Scoop on to a parchment lined baking sheet. 

4. Bake 15 minutes. 

5. Enjoy anytime with milk... viola breakfast cookies. 

Hope you try them... they are awesome.

All the best, many blessings, much love, and happy baking. 

Valentine Chocolate Pretzel Bites

Here is what you need:

1 bag of the square bite sized pretzels I've heard them called waffle pattern
1 bag of Hershey's Hugs
1 bag of Valentine's M&Ms
Cute little baggies 

Here is what you:

1. Unwrap a bag of Hershey Hugs (preferably with a friend and wine) My mother always said a burden shared is half a burden thus the friend.
2. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees F
3. Using a rimmed baking sheet also called a jelly roll pan. I lined it with parchment paper just to be safe, although I am not sure you really need it.  Lay out as many pretzel bites as you can without them overlapping.
4. Top each pretzel with the Hershey Hug.
5. Place in the oven for 4 minutes.
6. Working quickly, press one M&M down into the chocolate.
7. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.
8. Wrap up in cute little baggies, give to friends and family... 

Hooray for pop-able, Valentines treats!

Happy Valentine's Day! As always, many blessings, much love, and Happy Baking!

Freddy's Valentine Cookies

This was the first year I made Valentine's for Freddy's class. Last year he was only 9 months old and most of his buddies weren't eating solid foods. This year however, we had a bunch of sugar craving toddlers, so cookies were indeed in order. We gave out little baggies, with heart sugar cookies, chocolate chip, and organic lollipops. I tied the whole thing together with a cut out heart and a little smiley face out of construction paper. 

To make the sugar cookies: 
5 cups of flour
5 cups of sugar
2 sticks of butter
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon of baking soda
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese
Food Coloring 
Food Color Markers to draw the faces

Method:

1. Mix all of the ingredients in your standing mixer, it is a lot to do by hand.
2. Once mixed together separate into two discs, and wrap in cling plastic wrap and let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day, or in the freezer up to a month.
3. When ready, roll out the dough, use flour on a board and rolling pin to get the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Cut with your favorite heart shaped cookie cutters and place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are just slightly golden. Let cool and use markers to draw your faces.

To make the Chocolate Chip Cookies with the Heart Chocolate Center

½ cup of sugar bowl sugar
½ cup of brown sugar
1 stick of butter softened overnight
1 egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
½ teaspoon bakind soda
1 and ¼ cup of all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of best quality chocolate chips Ghirardelli is my favorite

24 Dove Hearts

Here is what you do: 

1. Preheat your oven to 325 F.

2. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl (except for the chocolate chips), wooden spoon is fine. 

3.  Place teaspoon dollops on parchment lined sheet pan. 

4. Bake for 18 minutes. ]

5. Place an unwrapped Dove heart in the center of the cookies while they are still warm. Enjoy

There you have it my friends, easy, classic, but delicious cookies. 

Here is a picture of the finished product... 

Happy Valentines'! As always, much love, many blessings, happy baking!

PaddyCake's Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes

Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes are made with organic strawberries, premium dutch chocolate, these lovely little white and dark chocolate pebbles as decorations. These chocolate cupcakes are the classic vegan chocolate recipe, but the frosting is super special. 

Cream Cheese Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of cream cheese
1/2 cup of pureed strawberries
2 1/4 cups of powdered sugar\

Using a standing mixer whip together until desired consistency, pipe with a 1/2 inch tube pipette... enjoy with milk.

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy cupcake baking!

Oreo Truffles

This is less of a recipe and more of a concoction  but it is a lovely and delicious concoction  I needed something bite-size I could bring to a Super Bowl Party. My son loves Oreo's and who doesn't love chocolate... so here you go.

What you need:
1 package of Oreo's
1 8 oz package of cream cheese softened at room temperature
Melted chocolate

What you do:

1. In an food processor chop up the Oreo's. Add the cream cheese and cream together until it is one mashed up deliciousness. 
2. Form balls with a small ice cream scoop. Freeze on a large sheet pan and once frozen (about an hour) roll in the melted chocolate and allow to harden. If you would like to decorate feel free to add sprinkles or drizzle a different color of chocolate. 
3. You can eat them straight away, or you can store in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for two months. 

Enjoy with milk and football. 

Easy Chicken Parm

If you are looking for fast winter comfort meal, look no further and chicken parmigiana.  This is a quick and easy recipe that only take 20 minutes but tastes like a Nonna cooked it for hours. While I do not have an Italian Nonna, it is nice to make those you love feel likes someone cares that they are fed and warm.

What you need:

2 chicken breast cut into 4 cutlets
1 egg
3/4 cups of breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
3/4 cup of Parmesan
2 cups of marinara, yours or bottled
grated mozzarella

What you do:
1. Scramble the egg with a little bit of water and set aside in a shallow dish large enough for the cutlets to lay flat.
2. Mix the breadcrumbs, seasoning, salt, pepper, and Parmesan in a large shallow dish.
3. Heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat for a minute or so while you prepare the cutlets.
4. Dip the cutlets in egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing them so the crumbs adhere.
5. Cook in the hot oil for 2 minutes a side until the crumbs are browned.
6. Preheat the broiler on high
7. In a baking dish, pour the marinara, and add the cooked chicken. Lay them slightly overlapping and cover with cheese.
8. Cook under the broiler for 4 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is hot. Serve right away with a salad and side of buttered angel hair pasta. Add some chopped parsley or basil on top to make your dish look more appetizing.

As always, much love, many blessings, happy cooking and stay warm.

Red Velvet Pancakes

So... I love pancakes. I always have. My husband doesn't like anything sweet for breakfast but now that I have a little one, we have pancakes together every Saturday. Valentines Day is coming up and to celebrate I have made these adorable heart shaped red velvet pancakes with cream cheese drizzle. I adapted the recipe for Cooking Classy.

What you need:

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cups buttermilk

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large eggs

1/2 Tbsp red food coloring

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

Cream Cheese Glaze

3 oz cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp butter, softened

1 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk, plus more if desired

1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pink food dye 

What you do: 

1. Preheat and electric griddle (non-stick) to 350 degrees F. 
2. Whisk together all of the ingredients save the Cream Cheese Glaze. 
3. Pour on to the griddle in a heart shaped pattern. Flip when bubbles appear all over the pancake. I find putting the mix in a cleaned out ketchup bottle works best, but a zip-lock baggie with the corner snipped also, works perfect. 
4. Cook for another minute and take off the heat. 
5. Cream together all of the ingredients for the cream cheese glaze, drizzle on warm pancakes

Serve with glaze and garnish with berries or whip cream and sprinkles.

As always, much love, many blessings, and happy pancaking... 

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

My little one calls blueberries, b-berries. He is a great fan of them, and he loves oatmeal as well. I know... strange kid, but my husband also like the combination so I thought these would make a fit and easy breakfast treat. Here is the recipe adapted from day dream kitchen.

What you need:
2 cups of rolled oats
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon of orange zest
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of cold cubed butter

3 cups of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons of cornstarch

What you do:

1. Zest a large orange, and juice save the juice and zest separately. 
2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan add the blueberries, sugar. Mix the cornstarch and orange juice to form a slurry, whisk any lumps, add to the blueberries and sugar, cook for 5 minutes or so until thick. Set aside to cool. 
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
4. In your food processor pulse together the oats, flour, brown sugar, orange zest, salt, and cubed butter. 
5. Place parchment paper in a 8 inch square pan. 
6. Pour half of the oat mixture into the pan and press down with your hands. Pour over the cooled blueberry sauce. Then cover with the oat crumbles. 
7. Bake for about 45 minutes. 
8. Let cool completely, refrigerate and cut into squares. Enjoy for breakfast, snack, or dessert with whipped cream. 

They also freeze beautifully so you can keep them in the chiller and take one out when you want a semi healthy dessert, just pop it in the microwave for a minute. 

As always, much love, many blessings, happy baking.