Recipes

MAKING 1. In a pitcher, mix together lemonade concentrate and water. 2. Divide the mixture into two equal parts and add strawberry syrup into one. Mix well. 3. Into the Popsicle molds, pour the strawberry mixture first, about half way up and freeze. 4. Then fill the molds with the plain lemonade and pop in freezer for 3-4 hours or until frozen. SERVING 5. Serve and enjoy! TIPS If you...

Cream? In Lemonade? Yes! It may seem odd at first, but this is so great!

GETTING READY 1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F or 180 degree C. 2. In food processor, place the flour, sugar, salt, and frozen cubed butter. Pulse until the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs. 3. Turn the processor to on, and slowly drizzle in the ice water until a ball of dough starts to appear in the mixer bowl. Do not overwork. 4. Transfer the mixture on the counter top and form into a...

Barry has a go at making chimichangas!!!

This yummy spicy cheesy recipe is from American cuisine.

As we get older (and no, we will NOT reveal our real ages), we’ve been thinking more about the connection between what we eat and how we feel and look … inside and out.  The link is quite strong. Take berries for example. Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are rich in antioxidants, which protect against the daily wear and tear of our cells and cell membranes and guard against premature signs of aging. And then there are foods like Swiss chard, kale, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables that contain vitamins A and C (both powerful antioxidants), vitamin K, a strong bone builder, and a nutrient called biotin, good for the health of hair and skin. On this week’s Cooking with the Moms radio podcast, we outline both everyday and surprising foods that boost beauty and keep us young … and we serve up two recipes filled with life-enhancing ingredients: Apple, Rhubarb & Berry Crisp and this Rustic Red, White and Green Pizza. Our intern, Catherine, joins us on the show, and she helped with all the research. We haven’t met too many kids who don’t love pizza, so we cooked up this thin-crust pizza with a 16-ounce pizza dough, sauteed red onion and Swiss chard, basil pesto, and fresh mozzarella cheese. When you buy Swiss chard—this happened to be an organic bunch—wash it well, and then slice the leaves away from the stems. Give the leaves a rough chop and then saute in extra virgin olive oil just like you would spinach. It takes about seven minutes on medium heat for the leaves to soften up compared to spinach, which takes about three minutes. If you can’t find Swiss chard at the market (though this time of year it’s EVERYWHERE), use a 6-ounce bag of baby spinach instead. Before the cheese melts … after the cheese melts. Rustic Red, White and Green Pizza Makes 2 Smallish Pizzas, 6 Servings When we dream up nutritious recipes for families, we always think about keeping things flexible. So in the case of this recipe, if “green” is not your family’s favorite food color, saute diced red or orange bell peppers and use those instead. Or sub out the green with sliced mushrooms. For more tweaks, you can sprinkle with fresh thyme for a more herb-y flavor or use goat cheese or feta in place of the mozzarella. 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 1/2 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces One 12-ounce bunch Swiss chard (leaves alone weigh 9 ounces), washed, leaves trimmed from stems, and roughly chopped One 16-ounce pizza dough, brought to room temperature 2 tablespoons basil pesto One 8-ounce ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 14 thin slices 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. 2. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it softens and browns, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the chard wilts and softens, about 7 minutes. Set aside. 3. Lightly oil or spray two small baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Divide the dough in half and place on each of the baking sheets. Top each dough ball with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Use your fingers and the heel of your hands to gently stretch and flatten each dough ball until it covers most of the baking sheet. The dough should be thin and the shape can be oval, round, or just plain ol’ rustic. 4. Spread 1 tablespoon of basil pesto evenly over each of the pizzas. Top evenly with the red onion and Swiss chard mixture. Arrange the mozzarella slices evenly over each pizza. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake until the bottoms are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes. (Depending on the size of your baking sheets, you may need to cook the pizzas one at a time.) Slice and serve. Nutrition Information per Serving:   320 calories, 16g fat (6g saturated), 400mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 13g protein, 60% vitamin A, 15% vit

I wrote a post a couple weeks ago listing my Top 10 Ways to Save Money on Real Food. I talked about why I save with Amazon Subscribe & Save. In the comments, some people wanted to know what I buy on Amazon Subscribe & Save. If you are planning on getting started with Amazon Subscribe & Save, I hope this post gives you some ideas of what you can add to your order. How To Use Amazon Subscribe and Save In case you’re not familiar with Amazon Subscribe and Save, here’s how it works. Think of an item that you buy over and over again. Like paper towels, maple syrup, that kind of thing. If you’re buying it in bulk (i.e. a case of something) look for something that has a long shelf life and you can store in a cupboard or in the garage. Like natural soda pop, batteries, paper towels, dog food. Now, go to Amazon Subscribe & Save and start shopping. The shipping is FREE (you don’t have to be a Prime member). You just have to have 5 items in your Shop & Save delivery, in order to save 15%. Click here to read more about how to save money with Amazon Subscribe & Save. What I Buy on Amazon Subscribe and Save OK, so here’s my list… 1. Ziploc Freezer Bags Ziploc Freezer Bags – THis is one of those plastic things I can’t seem to find a way to stop using. We don’t use a ton of them but they come in very handy for freezing that roasted pumpkin that you want to use later to make soup. 2. Ziploc Sandwich Bags Ziploc Sandwich Bags – Another thing we use, mostly for Kate’s lunches. 3. Kitchen Trash Bags Kitchen Trash Bags – Another plastic thing I still buy. 4. Grain-free Cat Food Grain-free Cat Food – Most cat foods are full of grains. This doesn’t make sense because cats are carnivores. I used to buy specialty grain-free cat food at the pet store. I had to go out of my way to go pick up a bag, and it used to be a pain when we’d run out. Now that I have this cat food on Subscribe & Save, I never have to think about it. We always have cat food. 5. Organic Kona Coffee Beans Organic Kona Coffee Beans – This a Kona blend, featuring Hawaiian Kona beans blended with South American beans to create a cup very similar to 100% Kona — at a fraction of the cost. 6. Paper Towels Paper Towels – I love never having to go to Costco again to buy paper towels. Now they just show up on my front doorstep every few months. 7. Toilet Paper Toilet Paper – Ditto on the paper towels (above). No more Costco! 8. Batteries Batteries – Never run out of batteries again. And you don’t have to go to Target or a hardware store to get them. 9.Feline Pine Cat Litter Feline Pine Cat Litter – We have 2 cats and I’ve tried all kinds of cat litters and litter boxes. This is the one I like the best. It’s composed of 100% natural pine. It’s totally odorless and super easy to use, especially if you get a special Sifting Litter Tray that is designed to be used with it. 10. Kitchen Sponges Kitchen Sponges – Again, one of those dumb things that you always run out of and you have to make a special store to the grocery store. I never shop at the regular grocery store — I only go to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods and the farmer’s market, so going to the regular grocery store is a pain. Now I just get these shipped directly to me and I never have to worry about it. 11. Olive Oil Potato Chips Olive Oil Potato Chips – Now we’re getting to the good stuff! We love these olive oil potato chips. We used to buy them at Trader Joe’s but it’s so much easier to just order them on Subscribe & Save. 12. Maple Syrup Maple Syrup – Maple syrup has a lot more minerals and vitamins than white sugar. Grade B Organic is the best one to buy because it has a richer flavor and a higher nutrition content. 13. Non-Chlorine Bleach Non-Chlorine Bleach – I use non-c

We continue to explore buttermilk. It has become our liquid of choice in everything from ice cream to pancakes. It is creamy, smooth, sour and developed. The cultured notes of buttermilk add depth of flavor to ingredients and dishes.  Buttermilk makes an excellent brine. Recently we have begun flavoring that brine with herbs. We puree the raw herb into the salted buttermilk. The process allows the flavors to mingle and transfer into the ingredients being brined. The infusion is clean and the flavor transfer is quick. Years Past June 19, 2012 June 19, 2011 June 19, 2010 June 19, 2009 June 19, 2008 June 19, 2007 June 19, 2006 June 19, 2005

Here’s the winning smoothie from the Silk blogger competition! Just in time for summer! I’m completely obsessed with this smoothie. The flavors are incredible together. Banana, pineapple, mint, and coconut combine to make a refreshingly delicious and tropical-tasting smoothie. A little bit of honey adds a touch of sweetness and the Silk Pure Coconut Vanilla gives it a rich, creamy texture. With only five ingredients, this smoothie is super easy to make, so I hope you decide to try it! Ingredients: 1 frozen banana 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (I used canned) 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 1 tsp honey 1 cup Silk Pure Coconut Vanilla Directions: Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 1 smoothie P.S. Want to save some money on your next Silk purchase? (C’mon, I know you want to try the Mocha Iced Latte.) Get a Silk coupon here! This post is sponsored by Silk. The thoughts and opinions expressed are all my own. And, yes, this smoothie is really as delicious as it sounds!

Dry, dirty, shaken - when it comes to tasty martinis, ordering can be a little more complicated than it should be. Before you hit the bars to celebrate National Martini Day (it's today!), get the full scoop on everything you need to become a martini maven. Here, we're giving you the liquor lowdown on all the different drink versions so that the next time you approach the bartender, you'll sound as seasoned as James Bond or good ol' Karen Walker from Will & Grace. Gin or vodka: When you order a martini, you'll usually get a cocktail made with gin and a hint of vermouth - fortified wine flavored with a variety of herbs - in a five-to-one ratio. Expect an olive or a twist of lemon peel as garnish. Many martinis use vodka instead, but make sure to specify with the bartender if that's your preference. Dry, wet, or perfect: Ordering it "dry" is asking for a martini with less vermouth than usual. A "wet" martini - you guessed it - comes with more vermouth than the standard ratio. And "perfect"? Well, that just means the drink uses equal amounts of gin and vermouth. Shaken or stirred: "Shaken, not stirred" might sound familiar thanks to Mr. Bond. A shaken martini, mixed in a cocktail shaker with ice, usually produces an icier, cloudier, and slightly more diluted drink. A stirred martini chills the cocktail without diluting it quite as much from the ice. Dirty: Olive lovers are sure to appreciate a "dirty" martini. This version adds olive juice for an extra briny taste. Gibson: A gibson is still a martini; the only difference is that is comes garnished with a pearl onion instead of an olive or peel. Vesper: For something a bit different, try a vesper: a martini composed of gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc, and a lemon twist. Of course, martinis come in flavored versions, like cranberry, too. Now that you have the entire 411, get ready, get set, and sip away! Photo: Susannah Chen