I THOUGHT I NAILED IT with our 15-minute homemade mac & cheese. Then I heard something mind-blowing. You can make one-pot pasta. With almost anything. Now I just walk around saying, “Wait, what?!? WHY haven’t we been doing this all along? Why have I been washing all these pans? Is this some sort of joint conspiracy…
bell pepper sailboats
WHEN IT COMES TO CUTE FOOD SOMETIMES PARENTS GRUMBLE, “But then they’ll ask for something special every day!” I imagine my brood like little emperors reclining on fluffy pillows with pipes perched in the corners of their jam-smeared mouths. In come the demands: “Bring me my grape caterpillars!” “You call that a spider sandwich?” “WHEEEERE is my…
Say It with Strawberries (and Cheese): A Fresh Valentine’s Day Treat for Kids
YOU COULD SAY IT WITH CHOCOLATE. Or smoothies. Even tiny cream puffs would be sweet. But today’s treat is a little healthier, a lot heartier and a great choice to bring to school as well. We used Mini Triscuits which I learned a while ago have two ingredients: wheat and salt. (Ditto for regular Triscuits, of…
Christmas Tree Grapes & Cheese Platter
IS THERE A KIDS’ HOLIDAY PARTY GOING ON near you? Our kindergartener’s class is hosting a holiday party at the end of the week. When our Room Parent emailed everyone asking about a healthy, low-sugar snack, this Christmas tree platter made of grapes and cheese immediately came to mind. Storing grapes properly is one of the important…
15-Minute Homemade Macaroni & Cheese
OBVIOUS CONFESSION COMING… I’M TOTALLY OVERWHELMED. Have I mentioned that before? It turns out that managing four kids under the age of six is hard, especially when you don’t get to sleep at night. I know you know that. The silly thing is, I didn’t know that. Or, I guess somehow I thought it wouldn’t be….
easy pasta with zucchini, tomatoes & fresh mozzarella cheese
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I NEED TO MAKE DINNER FAST. Before the Clifford video runs out. Before 2-month old Violet starts wailing for her own dinner. Before I turn from Pretty Nice Mommy into Awfully Frazzled Mommy. That’s where a quick pasta dish full of fresh vegetables like this comes in handy. There’s also the…
star shaped cheese, tomatoes and crackers
FOR KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN ITALY, these three are pretty jazzed about celebrating the 4th of July. Actually, they’re mostly excited about these little star shaped cheeses (thanks, veggie cutters!). Fireworks and parades? Our kids have no idea those are part of the package, yet. But boy I sure do.I still get a little…
it’s turkey time! our new favorite nut-free cheddar & cream cheese ball
DID YOU KNOW MOST CHEESE BALLS INCLUDE NUTS? And all sorts of spicy ingredients? At least the recipes I found do. This was a problem because two forces aligned this week: it was our turn to take the preschool snack and my former Martha Stewart Omnimedia alum, Michelle Buffardi, has an adorable new book out…
little things that work: cut cheese into shapes
ALONG WITH OUR UNSTOPPABLE PUMPKIN MINI MUFFINS, Phoebe brought a bit of cheese to school for her go at snack time. To spice things up we used our amazingly affordable vegetable cutters–the ones we made carrot and cucumber flowers and stars with for a suddenly kid-friendly spinach salad–to cut the cheese. Was this necessary? Not…
homemade cheddar cheese crackers
I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING. Why would anyone make crackers? They’re not exactly hard to find at the store. But the truth is, from fruit roll-ups to DIY Nutrigrain bars, a homemade version of any processed favorite (especially these) is always, always going to be healthier. And often cheaper. The one thing these are not…
ham, cheese and apple melts
RECENTLY I’VE GOTTEN A LOT MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT MAKING LUNCHES AND DINNERS. Our kids are so small that we always have tons of leftovers. And while none of us are crazy about eating the same thing over and over, I’ve found that many meals can be made into something tasty later in the week. That’s…
Homemade skillet pizza with pepperoni, salami and peppers
BARBARA KINGSOLVER, in the gorgeous memoir, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle“, says her family eats pizza every Friday. Homemade pizza (her husband whips up the dough), and while toppings always vary, never having to think about “What’s for dinner?” just simplifies their week. I think it’s brilliant.
Broccoli & cheese pasta cups
WE TRIED IT AGAIN. The pasta cups are back and this time, just as I threatenedpromised, I added broccoli and ricotta cheese, trying for a bit of a quiche flavor. Speaking of flavor, I also added herbs, fresh parsley and basil. I thought they’d look festive and pack a bit of punch too. Also, the…
Italian style pasta & cheese cups
A PORTABLE LUNCH DOESN’T GET MUCH BETTER than this. With a play date coming up, Phoebe and I set out to make lunch for her and a play pal but there were strings attached. It had to withstand a trip across Rome via stroller. That’s where this new recipe came in. Continuing on my Sneaky…