Broccoli and Cheese Bites Recipe For Babies & Toddlers

This recipe was a favourite of my son's from about 8 months onward.  They freeze well and are easy to make too and of course, I loved that he was gobbling up broccoli.  Broccoli is one of the richest sources of disease fighting antioxidants so sneaking it in early is the way to go! Once babies develop the pincer grasp, its great to give them foods that they can pick up on their own and this fit the bill just fine.

Ingredients:

1 heaping cup of broccoli florets
4 slices of bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 Tbsp bread crumbs
3 Tbsp fresh grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1.  Steam the broccoli until soft, about 7-8 minutes.

2.  Put the bread in the food processor and blitz until they turn into crumbs.  Dump into a bowl.

3.  Put the broccoli, cheddar and mozzarella cheese in the food processor and puree until smooth.  Add to the bread crumbs and mix it all well until smooth.

4.  Mix the 3 Tbsp of dry bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese in a small bowl.

5.  Rolls the broccoli mixture into small balls (about a tsp) and roll them in the bread crumb and parmesan mixture.

6.  Store in the fridge for a few days or immediately freeze them in small batches.  Makes about 20 small balls.

7.  When you are ready to use, either microwave to warm them, fry them for a few minutes on the stove or bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes from the freezer or 4 minutes from the fridge.

Top 5 Recipes Of 2013

Whether you love it or hate it, chances are that as a parent, you spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen.  Here at momstown Oakville, we love sharing recipes that have been tested and approved by real moms so that you can get lots of ideas and meals that you and your family will love.

Here are the five most popular recipes that were viewed on the momstown Oakville blog in 2013.

1.  The Best Oven Baked French Toast

2. Cold Veggie Pizza Appetizer

3. Valentine's Day S'Mores

4. Best Steak Marinade

5. Marinaded Goat Cheese Appetizer

And click here to see the Top 10 recipes from our national momstown meals site!

Sausage and Herb Stuffing Recipe

I never really liked stuffing as part of a holiday meal growing up.  Didn't matter to me whether or not is was on the table or not.  And then I had my first holiday meal at my now inlaw's house.  My mother in law makes delicious stuffing!  I will be adding it to my table when I host this year so I wanted to share this delicious stuffing recipe.

Photo credit

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound loaf (about 680 grams of bread) - white or sour dough, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and large-diced
1 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspooon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1lb pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (breakfast sausage also works too)
2-3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the bread cubes to a very large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onions, celery, apples, parsley, thyme, rosemary salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Add to the bread cubes.

In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage while cooking. Add to the bread cubes and vegetables.

Add the chicken stock and cranberries to the mixture, mix well, and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 until browned on top and hot in the middle.

Peppermint Meltaways Cookie Recipe

The momstown Oakville annual moms night out holiday cookie exchange took place last night and we had an amazing assortment of delicious baked goods.  One of the hits of the night were Peppermint Meltaways (they just melt in your mouth) and I knew the recipe needed to be shared!

Cookie Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (a blender works very well for this!)

Directions

1.  Cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

2. Shape into one inch balls. Place two inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.


3. For the frosting, start by beating the butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies.  You could add a small piece of candy cane on top of the frosting if you wish. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.

Marinated Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe

momstown Oakville mom's night out events are great for so many reasons, but one of the reasons at the top of my list are the number of great recipes I get to try due to the fabulous hosting skills of so many mamas in our community!  My latest new favourite came from our recent poker night and seems to me like a perfect fit for the upcoming holiday season.

Photo Credit

What You Need:

6 oz goat cheese
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme  (if you don't have thyme you can use oregano or basil or another similar spice)
1 tsp pepper
10 pitted and chopped olives

Putting It Together:

Mix all ingredients together, except for the cheese.  Shaking them all together in a jar works well.  Pour mixture over cheese and marinate for at least two hours in the fridge.  You can leave this to marinade up to 2 days, the longer it marinades the better the flavours are.

Warm to room temp 1/2 hour before serving.  Will keep up to 1 week and the flavours just keep getting better and better!

Serve with your favourite crackers or spread onto baguette slices.

Cold Veggie Pizza Appetizer Recipe

This recipe comes from one of my best friends and I've been enjoying it at events and celebrations since our high school days.  Veggie pizza has celebrated many a baby shower, birthday, wedding shower, etc with me and my best girl friends.  I actually can't believe I haven't shared this recipe before, its always a hit!

Photo Credit

What You Need:

2 pkgs. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
2 pkgs. softened cream cheese ( light or regular works)
2/3 cup mayonaise (light or low fat)
1 tsp. dill weed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chopped red onion
1 1/2 cups each, chopped: broccoli, cauliflower, radish, carrots

What You Do:

Roll out crescent rolls and bake at 375 for about 10 minutes, until golden brown (be careful, they burn quickly!). Cream together cream cheese, mayo, dill weed, garlic powder and chopped onion. Spread over cooled crust. Top with chopped vegetables.

It's best when refrigerated for at least 2 hours before serving. This recipe can easily be halved.

Healthy Food Kids Will Love: Chia Pudding Recipe

One of the reasons that I love the momstown Oakville message board is that its a great source for recipes that come with direct feedback from other moms about what worked, what didn't, what was a hit with their kids, etc.  A recent recipe posted by a member was for Chia Pudding.  Chia seeds are all the rage these days, right up there with coconut oil and flax seeds.  Have you tried chia seeds before?  They are a great source of healthy omega-3 fats and fibre.  And yes, they are the same seeds that grow those beloved Chia Pets!

Photo credit

This recipe for Chia Pudding has been a hit with Oakville kids so I knew it was a recipe worth sharing!  Try this recipe for breakfast or for a yummy snack.

What You Need:

3 Tbsp chia seeds
1 cup almond milk (vanilla rice milk or coconut milk works too)
Vanilla and cinnamon to taste
1 Tbsp maple syrup

What You Do:

Mix it all up in a mason jar and cover in the fridge over night.  Stir it on your way up to bed and break up the clumps. In the morning it will be gelatenous and kind of like tapioca pudding.  You'll need to give it another good stir in the morning as well. Toss in some berries too if you want. The consistency is similar to that of tapioca pudding.

Tips: For picky kiddos, a dollop of whip cream or a few mini chocolate chips on top helps or add in 1 and 1/2 Tbsp or cocoa and another 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup.  

Avocado & Chorizo Dip Recipe

This Avocado & Chorizo dip recipe comes from my friend talented and funny friend, Carly, who says 'this dip will win you friends'!  It is such a delicious dip that is hearty and colourful and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

What You Need:

1 link of chorizo sausage, diced
2 avocadoes, diced
1 large tomato, seeded and diced*
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup of diced red onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper or green chile, minced, or add some dashes of hot sauce to taste
2 tbsp of red wine vinegar (you can also use balsamic vinegar in place of the red wine)
Juice of 1 big lime (add more if you think the dip needs more zing)
A good glug of olive oil
Salt to taste

*seeding sounds more complicated than it is, and it's also necessary to do because otherwise the dip will get too liquidy. Just chop up the tomato into quarters, or eighths if it's quite big, and scoop out the seeds in the middle.

Photo Credit

What You Do:

Preheat the oven to broil, and place the diced chorizo in a single layer on a sheet pan. Run it under the broiler for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, until it gets browned and crispy. Remove from the pan and place it on a plate lined with paper towels. Blot the chorizo with the paper towel to remove the excess grease.  In the summer, grill the sausages on the BBQ and then dice once cooled.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the avocado, tomato, cilantro, red onion, garlic, jalapeno or chile pepper, vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to taste. Be gentle with the mixture, as you want to maintain the nice dice on the avocado without mushing it up.  Add in the sausage and mix just until combined.

This is best after sitting at room temperature for about a half an hour, to give the flavours a chance to mingle. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes a bowl that will serve about 4 as a snack or hors d'oeuvres. This recipe doubles well.

The Best Oven Baked French Toast Recipe

The first time I had this delicious over baked french toast, I immediately got the host to photocopy the recipe.  I promise, this recipe is 'fall off your chair' good!  I will be making this for a family get together on Boxing Day morning.  It's perfect for a crowd and super easy for hosting as you make it the night before and then just bake the morning of your gathering.

Challah Bread

What you need:

7 eggs
2 to 2 1/4 cups milk (if you use more bread, add the extra 1/4 milk)
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
12 – 18 slices Challah bread, crusts removed (2 loaves usually)
½ cup butter, melted
½  cup brown sugar

What you do:

Lightly butter 9 X 13 pan.

Combine eggs, milk and cinnamon.

Dip bread in egg mixture, coating both sides, and layer in pan.  Pour the rest of the egg mixture on top.

Stir together butter and brown sugar and drizzle over top.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, bring to room temperature, preheat oven to 400 F and remove foil.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden and custard has set.

*Another name for Challah bread is egg bread.

Make Your Own Candy Cane Sleighs

I'll be adding these adorable candy cane sleighs to our Christmas table.  They are very easy to make and add something fun to the table.

What You Need:

-Mini candy canes

-Snack size (mini) Mars bars

-Any flavour teddy cracker

-Icing or melted chocolate

How to assemble your Candy Cane Sleighs:

1.  Cut the Mars bars in half.

2.  If you are using chocolate, melt a small amount in the microwave and then put it into a ziploc bag and cut the tip off (creating a piping bag)

3.  If you are using icing, put a small amount into a ziploc bag and cut the tip off (creating a piping bag)

4. Using either the chocolate or the icing, put some on the straight ends of two candy canes and then press one half of a Mars bar and hold.

5. Put the teddy cracker against the Mars bar (the caramel will keep it in place) and put the other half of the chocolate bar in place.  Hold for a few seconds to let it set.

It is easier to assemble these if you have an extra set of hands.  You can do them yourself but it is a bit trickier.  You can add these to any table as is or package them up in clear plastic gift bags to add to a present or to give away as a gift.  These candy cane sleighs are also great additions to the front lawn of your gingerbread house!

Plush Punch Recipe

Punch can add a festive and fancy flair to any occasion.  When our momstown Oakville moms recently got together for a holiday party, this punch was a big hit and so I wanted to share the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 quarts cranberry cocktail juice, chilled
1 quart Soda water
1-6 oz can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1-2 bottles sparkling wine ( depends on how potent you want it to be!), chilled

Preparation:

In a large punch bowl, combine cranberry cocktail and lemonade concentrate.
Stir in sparkling and soda.

Serve immediately.

If you want to get a head start, mix this up without the soda water and sparkling and add that right before serving. Also, ice is not required if you have all of your ingredients chilled.  This punch recipe will serve about 25 people.

Thanks to Melanie for the great recipe!

Holiday Baking - Ginger Molasses Cookie Recipe

I love to bake and I love trying new recipes.  Holiday baking is always extra fun for me as there are so many opportunities to share the goodies with family and friends and to use the items as lovely homemade gifts.

My mom made these ginger molasses cookies when we were growing up and I started making them myself when I had moved out on my own.  I make these cookies all year round but they certainly have a holiday taste to them and are perfect for a Christmas get together.  These are a great recipe for cooking with kids as they love rolling the dough in the sugar before baking.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup white sugar to roll the dough in

Follow these easy steps:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the 1/4 cup sugar.

Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.  These cookies freeze really well and as my husband will tell you, they are even quite delicious frozen!

Some of my other favourite holiday treats are White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies, Caramel Overload Bars, and Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Poached Pears.

Holiday Baking: White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondie Recipe

This white chocolate gingerbread blondie recipe won the right to be the selected recipe for both of the cookie exchanges I am participating in this year.  One with the momstown Oakville moms and one with my university girlfriends - looking forward to a stocked freezer!  Gingerbread is an integral holiday flavour and the white chocolate dresses it up a bit.  This square is delicious with a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.  Add a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of dark chocolate and its fancy enough to serve for dessert.  The recipe makes 4 dozen.

White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondie Dough

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1 1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/4 packed brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp white sugar

2 large eggs and one egg yolk

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1/3 molasses

1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a rimmed cookie sheet (12 X 17 inch) with foil and then spray it with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and spices.

Cream together butter and sugars.  Add eggs and yolk, one at a time.  Add vanilla and molasses and mix until combined.  Add the dry ingredients mixture slowly and mix until combined then stir in the white chocolate.

Spread batter evenly into the pan.  I found the best way to do this is with damp hands and then use a butter knife to smooth it out.  Bake until golden on the edges, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool in the pan completely before cutting.

Holiday Baking: Caramel Overload Bars Recipe

I love caramel!  These bars are to die for and the recipe is pretty easy to make.  You can also substitute whatever caramel chocolate bar you want so this can become a nut free recipe.  I make these with milk chocolate bars with caramel inside as my son has a nut allergy.

Ingredients

3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup uncooked regular oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 (2.07-oz.) chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat bars, chopped
1 (14-oz.) can dulce de leche*


Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in chopped candy bars.

Spoon batter into a greased aluminum foil-lined 13" x 9" pan coated with cooking spray, allowing foil to extend over ends of pan. (Pan will be very full.) Spoon dollops of dulce de leche over batter; swirl slightly into batter with a knife.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack, and cool completely. (This may take several hours.) Use foil to lift uncut brownies out of pan. Peel foil away from sides of uncut brownies, and cut into bars.

Tex Mex Chili Recipe

We are certainly into comfort food season.  And while I love a good meaty chili, this Tex Mex Chili recipe that uses chicken instead of beef is so delicious that its part of my dinner roster just as often as the more traditional versions.  I also love that you can add a few different toppings to dress it up and make it your own. This is a perfect recipe to have simmering on the stove while you play outside in the snow!  This recipe makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, diced

1/4 all purpose flour

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/4 cups canned corn, drained

2 tsp finely chopped garlic

1 1/2 cups canned black or white beans, drained and rinsed

2 1/2 cups tomato sauce (store bought or home made)

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp sedded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper OR 1 1/2 tsp hot chili sauce

pinch of pepper

Topping options (divide between the 6 servings):

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1/2 cup shredded aged cheddar

1/4 low fat sour cream

1/2 diced avocado

As with any chili recipe, adjust the spiciness level to your liking by adding more or less chili sauce or jalapenos.

Toss the chicken with the flour.  Lightly coat a sauce pan with non stick spray and add 1 tsp of the vegetable oil and heat on medium.  Cook the chicken until it is brown on all sides but not cooked through.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes.  Stir in corn and garlic and continue to cook until the corn is browned.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients (not the toppings) and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, stir and reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chicken back in.  Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until thickened.  

Pick your garnishes and serve!