July 12, 2010

If You’ve Got Smart Taste, You’ll Love Ronzoni

Have you tried Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta? You should. It’s delicious. And it’s good for you.

Yes, we really did garnish our pasta with green onions — it was fabulous.

While I’ve always been a fan of whole-wheat pasta (I blame it on my obsession with carbs and not eating many of them), this brand really does taste just like the plain old semolina our mothers and grandmothers bought.  I can’t tell the difference between the two.

Getting our kids to eat better quality and healthier foods can be a major challenge.  Our lives are busy and it’s easier to pick whatever is available, but switching to Ronzoni is a small step to better health.

If you’d like to try Ronzoni Smart Taste, click here to get a coupon for 75 cents off.

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Ronzoni and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review and photo contest entry. In addition, I received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

February 13, 2009

Share Your Recipes for Special Moments

My most vivid memory from my childhood is of my mother “teaching” me how to make French toast.  It was my favorite thing for breakfast, and my job was to dip the bread into the egg mixture before Mom put each slice delicately in the pan.  My mouth still waters as I think about French toast, melted pats of butter and Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup.

Now that I’m a mother I recognize the importance of creating happy memories with my son.  Dawson is a foodie just like his father (who loves to cook and does most of the meal making in our house), and not a day goes by that he isn’t asking me what’s to eat.

The Motherhood is working in collaboration with Rice Krispies® in asking moms to share some special moments that revolve around the kitchen or meal time. (Full Disclosure:  I do not work for Rice Krispies or The Motherhood, but was thrilled to participate since my family spends a lot of time in the kitchen.  We do love our mealtimes.)

I was asked a few questions about my family’s special moments and here are my answers:

1) What is the most insane creation to come out of your kitchen when you and the kids were trying something new?

Peanut Butter Cupcakes.  It was quite by accident.  Dawson saw a cake mix I had in the pantry and asked if he could make cupcakes.  I let him crack the eggs into the bowl and we took turns mixing the batter.  Dawson lined the cupcake pan with paper liners and together we poured the batter into the liners.  It wasn’t until the cupcakes were done baking that I discovered we didn’t have cake frosting.  “I have a good idea, Mumma!”  Dawson said.  “We could use peanut butter for the ‘fwosting’!”  So, we frosted our cupcakes with peanut butter.  They weren’t half-bad, but each cupcake required a full glass of milk to eat!

2) Do you have any favorite traditions that the kids look forward to doing in the kitchen with you?

Dawson loves to help me get the ingredients out of the cupboards or refrigerator when we make a recipe.  It’s so cute to see him leaning into the fridge for the carton of eggs as he carries it carefully to the counter.

3) What was the first “meal” you taught your kids to fix?

Since my son is only 4 years old, he really doesn’t understand how to make a meal, but he likes to make crackers and cheese and insists on pouring his own bowl of cereal.  He’s not ready to pour milk by himself just yet.

4) Any kitchen disasters with your kids?

No real disasters yet, thank goodness, but we have had a few egg casualties.  But that’s the fun part!  Dawson loves wiping up cracked egg off the floor, and laughs the entire time!  Who knew eggs could be so funny?

5) Do you have a nightly ritual with your family when it comes to meal time? If so, will you share it?

Our nightly ritual is to have dinner at the table.  I find that Dawson is more inclined to finish his plate because he sees his parents eating, too.  The family togetherness is a bonus.  If there’s ever a night we can’t eat together we definitely know it because it feels like something is missing.

———-

I’d love to know how you and your kids spend time in the kitchen.  Feel free to answer the question below via the comments section.

What do you do in the kitchen or around meals with your kids that you’d like to share?

You can answer the above question OR the following “fast five” in the comments to be one of two randomly selected prize winners and your idea could become part of a new Rice Krispies campaign!

1) What is the most insane creation to come out of your kitchen when you and the kids were trying something new?
2) Do you have any favorite traditions that the kids look forward to doing in the kitchen with you?
3) What was the first “meal” you taught your kids to fix?
4) Any kitchen disasters with your kids?
5) Do you have a nightly ritual with your family when it comes to meal time? If so, will you share it?

Links to photos of you and your kids in the kitchen are welcome, too.  I can’t wait to read the ideas you’ve shared!

August 12, 2006

We Are Addicted

Something crazy has happened in our household. We’ve become addicted to the Food Network. Sometimes, we watch it all day and all night on the weekends. And after work, we make dinner while watching the various evening shows like 30-Minute Meals with Rachel Ray, Paula’s Home Cooking, Everyday Italian and Emeril Live. Emeril is my favorite. What can I say? I adore a man who can cook who’s handsome and has a sexy “Loo-see-anna” meets “New Yauka” accent. Doug is always enthralled by Good Eats and Unwrapped. We’ve probably watched every single episode and sometimes we sit through the repeats. It’s a crazy thing. Even little Dawson is addicted. He won’t move from the couch when Alton Brown comes on. Doug is ecstatic that his son will receive “a cooking education, mixed with science, that his Momma didn’t get”. Yes, I threw my shoe at his funny ass.

I also love Rachel Ray. She’s kind of silly-dorky-quirky. Uh huh. Just like yours truly. I can’t help it. I was born “dork-a-licious”, you know? I’ve been learning a lot of new recipes. And I’ve found millions of different ways to dress up the cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers in my garden so the Food Network rocks. Don’t get me started on how many times of day I’m on the website looking for recipes I missed!

Because of my obsession, my Aunt Kathy gave me a Rachel Ray: 365 No Repeats cookbook for my birthday. She knew I was obsessed before I did. I finally realized our family has a substance abuse problem when we were demanding to know if Alton’s Feasting on Asphalt was going to be on last night.

“Doug, is Alton’s new show on tonight?” I asked.

“It better be!” he said.

“What if it’s not? What if we have the wrong day?”

“Then I’m blaming YOU for now looking in the TV Guide.”

Another funny thing happened when we were making dinner last night. I had Emeril Live on the TV and Dawson was wandering around the living room with a plastic spork. He looked at the television and then yelled, “Em-a-ell! Bam! Bam! Bam!” as he pointed his spork at my favorite (handsome) chef. I wish I would have remembered to take a picture!

I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. My child wants to be a chef so he can kick things up a notch. Maybe he’ll go to French Culinary School and create his own Essence! Can you imagine! Perhaps I should start teaching him to cook now, at 2 years old, and I’ll never have to cook again!

On second thought, this may be a terrible idea. Toddlers using stoves and ovens is sure to get the Child Protective Services on my ass, don’t you think?

Alright, I must be going now because The Barefoot Contessa will be on soon.

Happy Cooking Everyone!

June 13, 2006

Tiramisu Brownie Love

I went to my neighbor’s Pampered Chef kitchen show last night. The consultant made Tiramisu Brownies that were to die for. Here’s the delish recipe!

Tiramisu Brownies

1 pkg. (19-21 oz.) brownie mix
(plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup instant coffee granules (Mocha and CL — think of the endless possibilities you could use with all the different flavors of coffees you enjoy!!)
1 container (12 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
2 pkgs. (3.4 oz each) cheesecake instant pudding and pie filling
20 Oreo Cookies, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate morsels, grated
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly spray 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies; pour batter into pan, spreading evenly. Bake 25-30 minutes until Cake Tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; let cool completely.

2. In batter bowl, combine milk and instant coffee granules; stir until dissolved. Add half of the whipped topping and all of the pudding mix; whisk until smooth. Coarsely chop cookies, fold into pudding misture. Spread filling evenly over cooled brownie.

3. Using cake decorator, pipe whipped topping in diagonal rows, 1/4 inch apart, over filing. Grate chocolate morsels over whipped topping. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Yield: 20 servings.