Iced Christmas Cookies

We are on winter break (yay!!) which means we can sleep in, play all day, and cozy up in front of the fire watching Christmas movies.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. 

One of my favorite things to do is bake with the kidos, and with winter break we have plenty of time.  

We love making these iced cookies, the kids can't get enough of them. I have used the same recipe for years, the cookies always turn out and the royal icing actually tastes good. 

Cookie Dough

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter (softened)

2 cups white sugar 

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 cups of flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. 

Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. 

Chill dough for atleast an hour or overnight.

( I like to split the dough into 4 parts and wrap them up in seram wrap. It is easier to work with small portions of dough. Plus when I don't use all of it, I can just freeze the wrapped up dough till next time)

Preheat oven to 350. 

On a floured surface, roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick. 

Cut into shapes with any cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets. 

Bake 9-10 minutes. 

Cookie Icing

Ingredients:

4 cups powdered sugar

8 tsp milk

8 tsp light corn syrup

2 tsp almond extract

food coloring of your choice

Directions:

In your stand mixer, stir together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in the syrup and among extract until the icing is smooth and glossy. 

If the icing is to thick, add more corn syrup and milk (a tsp at a time)

Divide the icing into small separate bowls, add the food coloring to each desired intensity. Use piping bags to decorate the cookies. 

Our cookies are far from perfect, but they are quite tasty :)

Thanks for visiting, 

Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks

My kids love snacks. An hour after they eat a full meal, they will ask for a snack, and I don't mind, as long as it is a healthy snack. I don't even know why I cook for them... they can just eat snacks all day long. 

Even though I am not a "crunchy mama", I still try to make the right decisions for my kids, and tend to stick to the "healthier" versions of things. BUT,  I have to admit that sometimes "TASTE" wins over "good for you" things. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I bake atleast twice a week. We have muffins, cookies, cakes almost every week. When my mom was visiting, she told me that she no longer uses white flour, and avoids sugar, and I should try it to. How do I bake a cake without white flour and sugar?! Nope, sorry, won't do it. I have a major sweet tooth. But as I say, everything in moderation :)

So when Nadia from My Fruit Shack contacted me about trying out their fruit snack molds, I jumped at the opportunity. The idea of making a healthy version of my kids favorite snack appealed to me.

Since receiving the kit, we have already made fruit snacks on two different occasions, and my daughter is already thinking of different flavors she wants to try out next. 

The kit comes with 4 different molds, 4 trays, 2 droppers and a recipe card.  

There are two different ways to make fruit snacks, you can use juice or jello mix. I wanted to make a more healthier version, so I decided to use Naked juice. 

You also need gelatin. I bought my beef gelatin here. 

You can sweeten your fruit snacks with honey or sugar. 

Mom's Refrigerator Pickles

My mom makes amazing Russian food, most of my "Russian" recipes come from her. She was and still is a supermom. She managed to work, run a household, cook  dinner every day, and raise 7 kids.   
Every summer she would can her own pickles and tomatoes. I actually dreaded those days as a child. It meant all hands on deck. Jars needed to be washed, garlic needed to be peeled, bags of pickles needed to be scrubbed, dill needed to be chopped. But now as a mom I look back  I realize those were amazing bonding moments, and I really miss those days. I miss sitting around the dining table with my sisters talking and helping out. Especially since they all live across the country from me. 

I love the idea of canning, but this is not something I want to do. However, making refrigerator pickles in ridiculously easy.  In Russian they are called: Mалосольные Oгурцы. (Low Sodium Dill Pickles) I grew up eating these pickles my whole childhood. My mom would make them often during the summer for the weekend. 

They last about a week in your fridge, but we always eat ours within 2 or 3 days. 

Print recipe HERE

Ingredients:

Pickling cucumbers (I use about 3 pounds)

8 cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)

3 bay leaves

1 cup of chopped dill

10 black peppercorns

2 TB of pickling salt to 4 cups of water

Directions:

Wash and cut both ends of the cucumbers. 

Place chopped dill, garlic, bay leaves, pepper corns in a large jar or bowl with a lid, then put in your cucumbers. 

In a medium size bowl or a 4 cup measuring cup, add 4 cups of cold water and 2 TB of picking salt. Mix until completely dissolved.

Pour over the cucumbers. Repeat until all of your cucumbers are completely covered with water. I had to repeat 2 times. 

Place into the fridge for 24 hours, and then enjoy. These are amazing and can get addictive. I love to slice some up to snack on during the hot summer days. 

Thanks for visiting, 

Poppy Seed Muffins

There are two things I bake every week. Muffins and cookies. Muffins are quick and easy to make and they are something we can grab for a quick breakfast or as a snack.

 I have been alternating between my blueberry and strawberry muffins every week, which we all love, but I wanted to find a recipe for the perfect poppy seed muffin.   I have a tried a few and was always disappointed until I found this one. These muffins are delicious, moist and full of flavor. 

Recipe makes 24 muffins 

( I always freeze half, to have later)

Click to print recipe HERE

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups milk

2 1/2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 TB poppy seeds

1 tsp almond extract

3 cups flour

sliced almonds

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Directions

1. Beat together the wet ingredients: eggs, vegetable oil, milk and almond extract.

1. Add the dry ingredients: sugar, salt, baking powder, flour and mix together. 
2. 
   
3. Line muffin tins with muffins liners. Fill 3/4 full and sprinkle with sliced almonds. 

      Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. The tops should be golden brown a toothpick inserted in 

      the enter should come out clean. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks. 

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2. Thanks for visiting, 

Pasta with Chicken & Sundried Tomatoes

I like making pasta dishes for dinner, because they are fast, easy and filling, plus my picky kids love eating almost any kind of pasta.  This pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and asiago cheese is so so so good ( I am not exaggerating) I will be putting  this recipe into my monthly menu rotation.  

The chicken breast is sauteed with garlic and sun dried tomatoes, and a creamy sauce is made in the same pot with half & half and asiago cheese. You can use a ziti or a penne pasta, both are perfect for the creamy sauce. You can also use a gluten free pasta if you prefer.

Print Recipe Here

Ingredients

• 1 8oz jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil (sliced)
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast, chopped into small pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• salt/pepper 
• paprika
• 1 1/2 cups half and half 
• 1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
• 8 oz penne pasta
• 2 cups fresh spinach

Instructions

1. In a large non stick skillet, heat 2 TB of olive oil, and add the jar of sliced sun dried tomatoes and minced garlic.  
2. Sauté for about 3 minutes, add chopped chicken breast to the sun-dried tomatoes and oil - season the chicken in the skillet with approximately 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp paprika. Sauté chicken until golden brown.
3. To the same skillet, with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes, add 1 1/2 cup of half and half and bring to boil. Add grated Asiago cheese and stir to melt the cheese. Reduce the heat from boil to simmer and continue stirring to make sure all cheese melts.  Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning to your liking.
4. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain.
5. Add cooked pasta to the sauce. Add spinach, toss everything together. 

Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting, 

Cabbage Beet Salad

I saw this salad on my instagram's friend @venera_cher, and I just had to ask her for the recipe. She said that the recipe has been in her family for 80 years, from her great grandmother in Belarus.
I made it right away, and we love it.  It is delicious, crisp and fresh. I love that it keeps in the fridge for days.

Click HERE to Print

Ingredients:

2 small heads of cabbage or 1 large one
2 large beets
8-10 cloves of garlic

4 cups of water
1/2 cup of vinegar
1/3 cup of sugar
3 TB salt
10 TB veg oil
10-15 black peppercorns
2-3 bay leaves

Directions:

-Cut the cabbage into small chunks. Peel, half and slice beets. Slice all of the garlic cloves.
-In a medium sized pot, bring water, vinegar, sugar, salt, veg oil, peppercorns and bay leaves to a boil.
-In a large bowl, layer 1/3 of the cut cabbage, followed with 1/3 of the beets and 1/3 of the garlic. repeat again until all of the vegetables are used.
-Pour boiled  marinade over the cabbage. Weigh the cabbage down into the liquid with a heavy plate in the bowl. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating.
-The longer you refrigerate it, the pinker the cabbage will turn. I think it is perfect 48 hours after making.
-You can serve as a side dish, I use a slotted spoon to scoop up all of the cabbage/beets.
-Transfer the cabbage into a large glass jar filled with the liquid. Refridergate up to 2 weeks

Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

These cupcakes are incredible. Biting into one, you get the tangy lemon cake,  along with a burst of fresh strawberries. I can't help but think of summer with each bite. They take me back to sipping fresh strawberry lemonade out on the patio. Boy, am I looking forward to those days again. Especially right now, when it is raining outside.

Print recipe here

Ingredients:

Lemon Cake-

1 box of white cake mix

1/3 cup veg oil

3 eggs

zest of 2 lemons

fresh squeezed juice of 2 lemons

1 cup sour cream

Strawberry Frosting-

1 cup fresh strawberries

1 cup butter (softened)

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with liners.

Sift cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the veg oil, eggs, lemon zest and juice. 

Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, mix until combined and smooth. 

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Let cool completely. 

FROSTING-

Place the fresh strawberries into a food processor or blender. Blend until pureed.

Transfer the puree to a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Bring to a boil (stirring often), until the puree is reduced to about half (15 minutes) Remove from heat and cool completely. 

Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. 

Add 1 cup of confectioners sugar into the butter, and beat until blended. 

Add 2 TB of strawberry puree, and mix until blended (don't forget to scrape the sides)

Add 1 cup of  the confectioners sugar and mix. Add 2 more TB of the puree and continue mixing. 

Add the last 1/2 cup of the confectioners sugar and mix until all is combine (scrape the sides).

 Fill into a pastry bag and ice the cupcakes. 

Enjoy!

Apple Pecan Pull Apart Rolls

I remember these rolls from my childhood, all seven of us kids, loved them. We always used to fight for the top parts, you know, the ones covered in glaze. 

I now make them for my family, It is a breeze with my bread machine, but even if you don't have a bread machine, you can still make them, it just takes a little time and effort with the dough. 

They are great for breakfast or just a snack with a glass of milk. Each piece is filled with pecans and cinnamon covered apples. Definitely a mouth watering treat. 

Print Recipe Here

Ingredients:

dough-

1 cup of warm water

1 egg

1/4 cup of butter (melted)

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

3 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 tsp quick active yeast

Filling-

3 apples (peeled and chopped)

1 cup pecans (chopped)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

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1/4 cup of butter (melted)

Glaze-

2 TB melted butter

1 cup of confectioners sugar

1-2 tb milk 

Directions-

I make the dough in the bread machine- Carefully place all of the dough ingredients into the bread machine pan, and select the dough cycle. Do  not use delay cycle.

If you do not have a bread machine, use your stand mixer.  In you stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the butter, egg, sugar, salt, and flour. Beat until smooth. Add more flour to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6/-8 minutes. Place into a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

While the dough is rising, combine the chopped apples, pecans, cinnamon and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. 

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 20-25 pieces. 

On a floured surface, pat and roll each piece of dough into a small circle. Fill with 1 tsp of filling and pinch the sides together to form a ball. 

Melt 1/4 cup of butter, dip each ball into the butter before placing them seam down in a spring form pan. Layer the balls and then sprinkle the remaining apple filling. 

Cover and let rise for at least 1 hour, until doubled. 

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown. Cool for at least 15 minutes and remove the sides from the pan. 

Combine the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the warm bread. 

Chocolate Cream Pie

 I love cream pies, especially a good chocolate cream pie. It satisfies the sweet tooth, without being to heavy or filling, This chocolate cream pie is easy to make and we never have any leftovers because it is so amazing. To make the large chocolate shavings, I use this technique. 

Print recipe here 

Ingredients

crust:

30 nabisco wafers (I buy these at wincos)

1/3 cup of sugar

6 TB butter - softened

filling :

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3 cups whole milk
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

topping:

• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• shaved chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Make the filling: place the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan, on medium/low heat. In a  measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. Add the milk mixture to the saucepan in a slow and steady stream, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, 6-8 minutes. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly until thick. (to prevent eggs from scrambling)    
3. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate and whisk. Add the butter and vanilla extract. Transfer the filling to a bowl. Press a piece of saran wrap directly over surface of the filling to prevent a film from forming; refrigerate until cool, 1-2 hours.
4. Make the crust: Combine the chocolate wafers, sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse until the cookies are finely crushed. Press the mixture firmly into a pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes until crisp. Cool completely.
5. Once the filling and crust are cooled, spoon the filling into the crust and spread evenly and chill for at least 6 hours or up to one day.
6. Up to 3 hours before serving, make the topping: Place the heavy cream and sugar in a stand mixer. Whip on medium speed until the whisk leaves  tracks in the cream. Add the whipped cream over the filling and sprinkle with the grated chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thanks for visiting, 

Packing School Lunches -Planet Box Rover Review

Lets talk about packing lunches. My daughter takes a cold lunch to school about 3 times a week, depending on what is on the lunch menu.

  I prefer to pack my daughters lunch the night before- to avoid the morning rush. All I need to do in the morning, is move there container from the fridge to her carry bag. I also fill up her water bottle and put everything into her back pack.

 I used to have to pack little individual boxes and ziplock bags of fruit, veggies, snacks, and the main meal. Then I would need to wash all the individual boxes when my daughter would come home from school-- not fun. So when PlanetBox reached out to me and offered to send me their Rover lunchbox, to review, I jumped at the opportunity. I have seen pictures of this lunch box on instagram,  and I was even planning to purchase 2 for the next school year, so I could pack the same meals for both kids, side by side. 

After using this box for a few weeks, I feel like I can give you an honest review. 

I think this is a fantastic lunch box! It has perfect portions for a child or an adult. I no longer have to wash 2 or 3 tupperware containers after school. I just wash the entire lunch box or put it into the dishwasher. 

My daughter is picky- like most kids, so if she saw something in a baggie or a little container that she didn't like, she wouldn't even bother opening it. Now, as she lifts up her lunch box lid, all the food is in front of her and she doesn't need to ask for help from the teacher with any containers or baggies.  

I have only one tiny complaint about this box, and that is you can not heat food in the the stainless steel container, I wish they offered a container that was microwave safe. My daughter's class eats in their classroom, and they have a microwave to heat up food.  So when I pack something that I know she will like to warm up, I slip a small paper plate into the carry bag. She is able to place foods like quesadillas or pizza on the paper plate and heat them up. 

As I did some more research on this, I found out that Planet box makes a bigger lunch box (the Launch) with a glass container inside, which can be used in the microwave. I decided that I will be getting my daughter the Launch box next year and keep this rover box for my son. He will be in kindergarten next year and this would be perfect for him. I will just buy a new carry bag :)

The planet boxes come with magnets which you can customize your lunch box with,  and you can choose the color of your carry bag. 

This lunch box is made of high quality steel, the main box is not waterproof, which is why it comes with 1 little dipper and 1 big dipper for sauces, applesauce, yogurt and so on.

 I like the separate compartments, It helps me make sure I pack a balanced meal.

Heres a peek into her past few lunches-

Fried Chicken Tenders

I absolutely love fried chicken, I really don't know anyone who doesn't. What I don't like is getting my hands dirty while eating around the bones. This is why I love using chicken tenders. This chicken is so tasty, it is seasoned well and the crunchy coating is amazing. 

I like to marinate the the chicken overnight, this insures that the chicken tenders are moist and seasoned well. 

Click HERE to print recipe

Ingredients:

marinade-

2 pounds chicken tenders

1 cup butter milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp paprika

for the breading-

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 tb buttermilk

2-3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

 In a large ziplock bag, combine chicken tenders and all the ingredients for the marinade. Seal the bag tightly and mix it all together. I like to place the bag into a bowl (incase there is any leakage) and place into the fridge overnight, or at least 4-6 hours.

To make the breading, in a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and baking powder. Stir together to combine. Add the 3 TB of buttermilk, and stir. This will make some lumps in the coating which will adhere to the chicken and make that yummy crispy crust. 

Dip the marinated chicken tenders into the flour coating and set aside onto a parchment lined sheet. Press the coating in firmly so the clumps adhere to the meat 

Heat 2-3 cups of veg oil on medium-high heat in a skillet with high sides. 

Prepare a large plate lined with paper towels. Place chicken into the hot oil, do not overcrowd. I fry 3-4 pieces at a time. 

Cook until golden brown on the bottom, and then flip and cook until the other side is golden. Remove the chicken onto the prepared plate. 

Fry the remaining chicken. This chicken tastes best when it is fresh and hot. 

But we still eat it the next day to. Kids love to dip it into ranch and bbq sauce, It is also amazing in a hoagie bread for a chicken sandwich (with some ranch, lettuce and tomatoes).

Enjoy!

Chicken Tenders in Creamy Sauce

I came up with this recipe by accident a few months back, I had some chicken tenders and wasn't sure what to do with them, so this is what I came up with... It was so good that since I have made it atleast a handful of time. I absolutely love these chicken tenders, they are so tender and the creamy garlic sauce is amazing. 

You have a choice to make this in a casserole dish or finish it in the skillet. I prefer the casserole dish because I can prep the chicken ahead of time and clean up the the kitchen before the hustle of dinner time. Then I just stick the casserole dish into the oven 30 minutes before dinner. 

Print recipe HERE

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken tenders

salt/pepper

paprika

4 TB olive oil

4 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 cup of heavy cream

basil, oregano, thyme

1. Rinse and trim chicken tenders.

2. Leave the chicken tenders on the cutting board and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Rub in the seasoning on both sides. 

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars

We love snickerdoodle cookies in our home, and these just take it to a whole new level. 

They are amazing! We all love them, I have to control myself with only one or two. 

Print recipe HERE

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CRUST:

• 12 full size graham crackers
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:

• 2 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

FOR THE SNICKERDOODLE LAYER:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup  chopped pecans

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

• DIRECTIONS:

  
  

  1. Line a 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven for 350 degrees.
  2. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers with pecans and sugar until fine crumbs. Add in melted butter and pulse until combined.
  3. Press crumbs into bottom of prepared baking dish. 
  4. For the cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese with sugar, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer. Beat until fluffy and smooth (about 3-4 minutes). Pour over graham crust.
  5. For the cookie dough, beat butter with sugar for 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Add in baking powder, salt, flour and cinnamon and beat until fully combined. Fold in chopped pecans. Scoop dough by large spoonfuls onto the top of the cheesecake layer. Try to use your fingertips to spread gently until cheesecake layer if fully covered.
  6. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon topping. Sprinkle generously over the cookie dough layer.
  7. Bake for 30-35 minutes. That's okay. Remove from oven and cool completely. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight. Cut into squares and enjoy.

 Thanks for visiting,