Fresh Fruit PIE recipes!!

One of my FAVORITE things about summer is fresh fruit! There is nothing better than a perfect peach! We have eaten a lot of fruit by itself, on pancakes and waffles, made jam, and of course had to make a couple of pies:) If you are interested in recipes click here:
http://kiddiekupcakes.blogspot.com/p/recipes.html

Kids in the kitchen

The other day my daughter (7 years old) asked if I would teacher her how to cook. She said that she liked learning how to decorate cakes with me a while ago but now she wanted to learn how to make things all by herself. How can you say no to that? I am a HUGE fan of kids helping in the kitchen. Kids talk a lot more and things about their day come out when you are working together in the kitchen, they learn math skills, and  have fun!

Our first lesson consisted of going over cooking/baking tools, talking about how they are not allowed to use the oven/stove without help from mom or dad/ spent lots of time going over measurements and different ways they can get 3/4 cup or 2 tsp./ how to read a recipe. Then I got all of the ingredients that they would need for their very first recipe and put them on the kitchen table along with all of my measuring spoons and cups, and told them (my 2 girls) that I was going to give them a recipe and was going to leave the kitchen to go vacuum...They were to read the recipe: A would put in the first 2 ingredients and L would put in the last 2 and they could figure out how to split the last ingredient so they could both put it in, and then I would be back to put them in the oven. Their eyes got huge when they realized that I was really going to let them do it alone...I WISH WISH WISH I would have videoed them, they were so cute and acted so big in their measuring away! Then while they waited for them to bake, they copied down the recipe onto their very own recipe card.

The super easy recipe:
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup peanut butter (we used creamy because that is what we had and they were GREAT, but I really like using crunchy so you have bits of peanuts in the cookies)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg ( I gave them a small bowl to break the egg into first to make sure there were no shells)
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
Let cool in fridge for 30 min. Drop by teaspoon onto un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7 minutes. Let sit on pan for 10 min to prevent crumbling.
These cookies turned out A-MAY-ZING!!! The girls were very proud of their cookies, and that they measured everything out perfectly without my help, L even told me that she was pretty sure they turned out even better than when I make them! :)
Warning: only make about 18-20 cookies....and you will want more than that..trust me!

So there you have it! 5 ingredients, super yummy treat! (we will work on a healthy one for next time:)

Back to School Recipes

First off,OVERNIGHT OATMEAL CHOCOLATE WAFFLES:

We started a "tradition" when my oldest daughter started Kindergarten by having chocolate waffles topped with fruit on the first day of school. This recipe is awesome for a couple of reasons: 1- they are packed with oatmeal (and only have the tiniest bit of cocoa) so they are filling and healthy, and 2- they can either be made all at once (after they have sat overnight) and frozen, then popped right in the toaster before school, or my favorite is to make the batter and store it in an airtight container in your refigerator the night before school starts, then pull out your waffle iron and make them nice and fresh while the kids are getting dressed, then put it back in the fridge till the next morning:). 

2 1/4 cups flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 cup oatmeal

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

In large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, oatmeal, and cocoa. Add milk, eggs, and oil. Beat till thoroughly combined. Cover loosely and refrigerate overnight.

Stir batter. Pour about 3/4 cup batter into a preheated lightly greased waffle baker. 

Top with fresh fruit, or syrup, or butter and powdered sugar.

* If chocolate-oatmeal is not your thing, you can omit the cocoa and oatmeal and add 1/4 tsp cinnamon :)

I like to have these in my freezer so I can pull them out and stick in right in the lunch box! 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter 

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 - 3 cups flour.

1/2 bag milk chocolate chips

1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and slowly stir together. In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingeredients (at first only adding 2 1/2 cups of the flour) Slowly stir in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon just until everything is barely mixed together. Add chocolate (I sometimes add M&Ms if I have them). Again just barely stir them in..don't over-mix. 

Set in the refrigerator for one hour before baking at 350 for 8 minutes or until lightly golden. (of they are too flat you can add the rest of the flour.
I like to bake them, let them cool, wrap individually in plastic wrap and then put them in a gallon sized freezer bag in the freezer so I can get them out all ready for the lunch box or an after school treat.

BACK TO SCHOOL

I had fun getting a few things ready for school. We still have some shopping to do, but I wanted to show you some of the things that I made:)....maybe you can make some too! And while I am making hairbows, let me know if you need some!! AND... CHECK US OUT TOMORROW FOR SOME AWESOME BACK TO SCHOOL RECIPE IDEAS...ie. waffles, cookies, and blondies that freeze perfectly for back to school breakfast/lunch box treats!

 We bought 2 white t shirts, 1 pink one, 1 pink striped one, 1 brown, and 1 maroon, and 1 pair of white shorts for $3.50 each at Walmart and then came home and fancied them up with things that we already had. I used the shorts for the skirt that A is wearing. I took a piece of fabric and folded it in half length wise and then sewed the 2 sides. Then I flipped it upside down and sewed it onto the shorts and ta-da...we have a super comfy skirt that was sooo easy!  Then we just ironed on and sewed around the edges of the heart, attached a fancy flower (the kind I make for hair bows), and made a matching head band.

This one, all I did was make 2 flowers using fabric that I cut into circles,  held over the lighter to curl them, and then stacked and sewed on a bead in the center then onto the shirt.

This one is one of my favorites! I used tulle to make the flower and the ruffles.

The next ones the girls did on their own. We have some glue and glitter that we bought for A's birthday that is  for fabric and washable. We bought it and used it on Barbie dresses, so we knew it would work. They just glued the cute tiny pocket, and then dumped on the glitter:) The headbands are made out of their old tights! 

And the next one I didn't make but I LOVE. I bought it when JCrew was having 40% off their clearance and free shipping! But we did make a matching head band and L is just too cute modeling to leave it out!