Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe

Playdough is a huge hit in our house.  My husband dubbed 2017 as the "year of playdough" as Isla will play with it multiple times throughout the day.  Last month, her little hands started to get so dry that they began to peel and I just had a hunch that the store bought playdough was the main culprit.  When I was offered up the recipe a few weeks back for a quick homemade playdough from one of the kids club teachers at Blackberry Farm, I eagerly jotted it down and we've been making it about once per week since we returned home.  It doesn't get any easier than this! It takes about 10 total minutes to make this totally all natural playdough, and Isla loves to pick out the color and help me stir all the ingredients together.  The coconut oil is moisturizing and great for little hands, and the cream of tartar in the recipe will help preserve the dough for a solid 4 months!  An added bonus is that the dough tastes so salty she won't put this in her mouth, as opposed to the store bought version ;)

I know that playdough isn't the usual type of recipe I normally post over here, but it's just so easy that I had to share with any other mama's who have tots equally as obsessed with 'the dough' as mine.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/4 cup salt
1 tsp. coconut oil
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. maple flavoring***
Food coloring


*** I buy the maple flavoring from Whole Foods, next to the vanilla extracts.  Isla loves this as it makes her playdough smell like syrup!  You can also pick up the exact version I use here.  Alternatively, you could also use 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie extract, or experiment with essential oils like lavender or peppermint. ***


Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Transfer to a large saucepan, and heat on the stove on medium heat until solid.

Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.

Enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes

These delicious pancakes have quickly become a favorite weekend breakfast staple in our house.  They're fluffy, delicious, and contain the perfect balance of sweet and spicy warmth.  And lets be completely honest.  Who isn't obsessed with pumpkin spice everything this time of year?  

They also freeze really well so any leftovers can easily be reheated for a quick weekday breakfast.  Just separate them by sheets of parchment paper, and place in a large ziploc bag prior to freezing.  When you're ready to use, pop them in the toaster to de-thaw, and enjoy! 

Ingredients


1 cup whole milk
2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. sugar {or sugar substitute}
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. all spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup pumpkin purée {not pumpkin pie mix}
Canola oil


Directions


In a large bowl, whisk the milk with the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla.  Pour in both of the flours, the sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, all spice, and salt.  Stir to combine.  Next, stir in the pumpkin, making sure the pancake mixture is well combined with minimal lumps.

Heat a nonstick skillet {or griddle if you have one} on medium low heat.  Grease the skillet with the canola oil.  Depending on how large you would like your pancakes {I use 1/4 cup size}, drop the pancake batter into the skillet in rounds.  Cook for around 3-4 minutes, until the pancakes are fluffy, and the edges are firm.  Flip them, and cook for about 3 more minutes until thoroughly cooked and golden brown.

Thanks so much for reading! xx

Butternut Squash Risotto {Baby Friendly!}

Hi, friends!  I posted a short version of this recipe last night on snap chat {username: andy-adler}, and there was a lot of interest to post a full version so I thought that I would share it.  This is actually a recipe that I posted on here almost 2 years ago.  I dug it out of the archives, and have made some minor tweaks to it over the past couple of years, but the cooking process is exactly the same.

This recipe is also extremely baby friendly.  Isla absolutely loves risotto.  She loves the creamy consistency of risotto, so I make a big pot of it about once a week for her, and always grate up {read: sneak in!} seasonal veggies into the mixture.  

Once the weather starts to cool down, and butternut squash becomes readily available, I LOVE to play around with different ways to prepare the sweet tasting squash.  One of my favorite ways is to roast it in the oven, and add it into risotto.  Risotto is one of my staple recipes that I've really mastered and the addition of the sweet & nutty flavored butternut squash combined with the creamy risotto really embodies cold weather comfort food.

Tackling a butternut squash for the first time can be a little intimidating and most of the time I seek out squash that has already been prepped & cut into small chunks from the produce department at Whole Foods {out of pure laziness}.  If you're unsure about peeling & cutting up your squash, here's a good link that shows you exactly how to do it!

This recipe is excellent served on it's own, or makes a great side dish to chicken or fish.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! 

Ingredients

3 cups prepped butternut squash, cut into small chunks
Olive oil
Salt & fresh ground black pepper

Garlic powder
32 oz low sodium chicken broth
1 large shallot, minced 
1 cup arborio rice 
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired 


Directions

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place squash in a medium bowl, drizzle with olive oil {enough to thoroughly coat it}, and heavily season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder.  Toss to coat.  Spread out squash on a baking sheet and bake for around 15-20 minutes, turning twice throughout the duration of cooking.  You want the squash to be soft, and lightly browned up for extra flavor.  Remove from oven and set aside.

While the squash is baking, heat chicken broth in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Once heated, reduce heat to the lowest setting to remain warm but not at a state of simmer.

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add in shallot and saute until fragrant, around 1 minute.  Add in dry rice, and stir constantly, ensuring that each grain is coated in the olive oil.  The rice will begin to "toast" up, and once you begin to smell the rice after a couple of minutes, it's time to move onto the next step.

Pour in 1 and 1/2 cup of the warmed chicken broth, and about half of the cooked butternut squash, stirring and pressing down on the butternut squash with the back of a large spoon to "smash" it down so that it can easily blend into the risotto.  Reduce heat to medium low.

Constantly stir the rice until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed and when the pan starts looking & feeling dry again, add in another 1/2 cup of broth.  Continue this stirring/adding broth process until you have transferred all 32 ounces of the broth to the rice pan, and the rice is "al dente", around 30 minutes total cooking. 

Next, add in the last half of your cooked butternut squash into the rice mixture.  Don't mash this batch of squash down {you'll want larger chunks to stay intact for texture}.  Stir well to incorporate.

Add in cheese, if desired, and divide evenly among plates.  

Thanks for reading.  Have a great weekend! xx

Skinny Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Since summer produce is readily available right now, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share my delicious skinny chocolate chip zucchini muffin recipe with you all.  I've lightened up an old traditional zucchini bread recipe that I had sitting in my recipe index file, replacing the refined sugar, butter, and processed flour with honey, applesauce, coconut oil, and hearty whole wheat pastry flour.  The result is moist, delicious muffins with just the perfect amount of sweetness and chocolate to curb those sweet cravings, without wrecking your summer diet.

Hope you enjoy! xx

Ingredients


1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded zucchini, set on paper towels to absorb excess moisture
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/4 cup milk {I used 1%, but any variety of milk will work - even almond or soy}
1/2 cup chocolate chips



Directions


Make sure to place your shredded zucchini on layers of paper towels to absorb some of the excess moisture.  Set aside and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together zucchini, honey, vanilla, coconut oil and applesauce.  Next add in your egg and milk and whisk together to combine.

Incorporate the wet ingredients into your large bowl of flour mixture, and gently stir until combined, taking care not to over stir {this eliminates any excess air into your batter}.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into muffin tins, and fill about 2/3 of the way up.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown & gently spring back when touched.  Cool on a wire rack.

Thanks for reading!

Five Easy 4th Of July Desserts

Hi friends!  Whose getting excited for the holiday weekend?  Personally I'm not a big 4th of July person for the simple fact that the fireworks always scare our dogs :(  They get so stressed out from the noises, and Adam & I always, always stay home with them every year.  So needless to say no big plans over here for us.

Even though it's not my favorite day of the year doesn't mean that I don't like whipping up a patriotic recipe!  Today I thought I'd share 5 easy 4th of July desserts that don't require hours in the kitchen.  Whether you're headed to a bbq with family & friends, or just hanging around the house with your hubby/boyfie, these simple desserts will be sure to impress!

Enjoy!

image via

^^  How easy is this?  Simply assemble any red fruit of your choice with yogurt dipped pretzels, blueberries, and serve on a decorative tray!

recipe via

^^  Dip pretzel sticks in melted candy melts {found at most grocery stores}, and sprinkle on the red, white & blue!

recipe via

^^  Use a star cookie cutter for watermelon, and add in red & blue berries for a healthy fruit salad.  Easy peasey!

recipe via

^^  Fruit & brownie skewers using small brownie chunks, strawberries, blueberries, and marshmallows {could also replace marshmallows with banana slices}.  Quick to assemble and who doesn't love dessert on a stick!?

^^  And duhhhh obviously I had to pimp my own recipe from last year lol!  This summer berry cake is super easy to assemble, and is always a huge hit when you arrange the berries into the American flag!  View my recipe here.

I hope you all have a safe & happy holiday!  And don't forget about pup safety on the 4th.  Here's a link to 9 tips for keeping your dog safe during the festivities. xx

Get Your Quench On

Morning dolls!  Hope everyone had a great weekend!  I am in serious project house mode over here, and was literally working around the house non stop last week and over the weekend.  I'm not really sure what nesting is, but I think maybe I've come down with a case of it.  The nursery is starting to come together, and I can't wait to share pictures of it with you guys later.  We also moved around our guest bedroom, office, and master bedroom {all to accommodate the nursery} so it was a week full of furniture moving, ordering new furniture, endless UPS deliveries, and swollen feet from being on the go all day long.

At the end of every evening, when I kick my feet up and finally get a chance to slow down, all I can think about is how I wishhhhhh I could have a nice, refreshing cocktail - especially since it is so dang hot + humid outside lately.  

If you do one thing this week, please pick from this list of seriously refreshing summer cocktails below and have one for me!  In the meantime, I'll just be sitting over here sipping on Pellegrino, and fruit infused water   ;)

Have a great week! xx

Skinny Fresh Watermelon Margaritas via And They Cooked Happily Ever After

Apricot Lime Mojitos via Heather Christo

Melon Basil White Wine Spritzer via The Sweetest Occasion

Blackberry Margaritas via Tide and Thyme

Pineapple Ginger Mojitos via Little Ferraro Kitchen

Baked Herb Frittata

For the longest time I didn't even attempt to make a frittata.  Just the word itself seemed intimidating, conjuring up visions of special pans, and way too much energy spent on an egg dish that would most likely result in overly browned/borderline burnt.  I ended up coming across a recipe on Pinterest that seemed too easy to be true - baked frittata using parchment paper.  I'm here to tell you that this method is 100% fool proof and couldn't be any easier!

The beauty of this basic frittata recipe is that you can use this as a base to add in whatever ingredients you have on hand.  Feel free to add in meat and/or any veggies that your heart desires.  The possibilities are really endless!  This recipe is my own, and is most often what I end up preparing since I have such an abundance of fresh herbs in my garden year round, but other favorites that I love to add in are sauteed zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes & spinach.

If you're looking for a tasty breakfast or brunch item to whip up on a lazy weekend, this is most definitely it.  This even makes a great light dinner, when served with some sauteed asparagus {as we have done several times in the past!}.

Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped onion
6 large eggs
Splash of milk {I used about 3 tbsp. worth of milk}
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
2 tbsp. chopped chives
2 tbsp. finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Salt & pepper to taste
2 sheets of parchment paper, cut large enough to fit snugly in your pan with a 2-3" overhang


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Using a 9" springform pan, or a deep dish pie pan, place 1 sheet of parchment paper diagonally in the bottom, and the other sheet vertically across so that they criss cross each other.   Press parchment paper down firmly.

In a small saute pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion, and saute until translucent, around 2 minutes.  Set aside and allow to slightly cool.

Next, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.  Add in cheese, fresh herbs, and salt & pepper to taste.  

Once the onions have cooled, add them into the egg mixture.  Pour the eggs into the springform pan, and place in oven.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the frittata is golden & puffed up, and the center feels firm. 

Remove from oven, pull the frittata out of the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper and serve immediately.

Have a great week & thanks for reading! xx

Mixed Berry Cobbler With Biscuit Topping

Who's ready for a little mixed berry cobbler?  Since we're coming into the start of berry season fairly soon, I thought it would be nice to share with you all one of my best cobbler recipes.  The nice thing about this recipe is that you can really play around with your portions of berries, and basically use any variety that you'd like {just go easy on the strawberries, they tend to be a little too watery for this type of biscuit topping}.  No fresh berries in your area yet?  This recipe works well with frozen berries as well, and no need to defrost them beforehand either.

And can we talk about that topping for a sec?  It's a sweet biscuit, that is beyond easy to construct and always turns out perfectly imperfect; golden brown, with cracks from where the berries ooze up on the sides.  Very homey & rustic looking.  Just the way I like my desserts!

When my family was visiting me recently, I cooked a really nice dinner full of homestyle favorites, and we had also invited Adams father over for dinner.  He happens to love blueberries, so I doubled the amount of blueberries in this recipe.  The result was great, but all of our teeth were stained purplish blue for hours afterwards!  We all thought it was pretty funny and had a good laugh, but definitely something to keep in mind if you're cooking this for a dinner party...

** For this recipe, you will need a 10" cast iron skillet.  You can purchase a fancy one, but I've found that I like Lodge skillets the best.  They hold up amazingly well, and are very inexpensive!  View it here.**

Ingredients


2 cups all purpose flour {I've also made this with whole wheat flour, and it turns out great so feel free to substitute}
1 tbsp. baking powder
7 tbsp. sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny chunks
3/4 cup cold heavy cream
3 cups blueberries, rinsed
1 cup blackberries, rinsed
1 cup raspberries, rinsed
1 tbsp. cornstarch
grated zest of 1 lemon
vanilla ice cream or whipped topping for serving




Directions


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Butter a 10" cast iron skillet, and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together  the flour, baking powder, 3 tbsp of the sugar, and salt.  Place dry ingredients in a food processor, add in the butter chunks, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.  

Remove from processor, place back in your large bowl, and add in the heavy cream.  Gently turn the ingredients, until a very soft dough forms.  Use your hands to knead the dough until it's evenly blended {it should be soft and sticky}.

Place the dough in between two sheets of plastic wrap, and gently roll it out into a circle until that is roughly 10" in diameter.  Don't worry if your edges are uneven or if the size isn't exactly right, this is a very rustic looking dessert and any imperfections just add to its charm.  Set dough aside.

Next, in a large bowl, toss together your berries, the remaining 4 tbsp of sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest.  Dump the berry mixture into your buttered skillet, and place your rolled out biscuit dough on top of the berries.  Using a small knife, pierce 6-8 slits in the dough {just as you would a pie crust}, and cut out a small center in the middle of the dough.  This allows for proper ventilation and aids in the cooking process.

Place the cobbler in the oven, and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the fruit it bubbling up through the center, and around the sides of the biscuit.  Transfer the skillet to a rack, and let cool for about 30 minutes before serving.

Serve warm, or at room temperature with a dollop of ice cream or whipped topping.

You might notice that I have 2 different towels in my pictures.  We were such eager fat kids when I made this that I forgot to take a picture before we sliced into it!  Thank goodness I had an older picture to use :)

I really hope you enjoy this recipe!  Please let me know if you end up making it, and if you have any feedback leave your comment at the bottom of this page.  I love hearing from you guys! xx

Blackberry and Peach Crostata

Welcome back from the weekend, friends!  I have a great recipe to share with you guys today.  This was a HUGE craving of mine a couple weeks back, but we were smack dab in the middle of Passover.  During the 8 days of Passover, we don't eat any wheat products {technically, nothing that can "rise", so only unleavened products for that time frame}, and I was absolutely dying for this crostata.  I'm talking dreaming of it, salivating at the mouth cravings!  The day after the holiday ended, I was up and at 'em bright and early, on my way to the grocery store to buy all the necessary ingredients to make this yummy dessert.  1 week is a long time to wait for a pregnancy craving lol!

If you've never had a crostata before, it's basically the Italians version of a pie.  I love crostata, and always seek out a good slice whenever we vacation in Italy.  Crostata is a little more rustic, peasant food style, and usually is constructed with whatever fresh fruit is in season.  The top isn't enclosed with crust like a regular pie is, instead the dough just folds over the fruit, and leaves the middle partially exposed making for a beautiful presentation.  I love that the fruit really is the shining star in this recipe.  Minimal sugar is added allowing the natural sweetness from the peaches & blackberries to really stand out.

As I've said in the past, a great majority of the recipes that I post on here are my own, however whenever I come across an amazing recipe that belongs to someone else I have to share it with you guys!  I originally saw this recipe on The Chew.  Do you ever watch that show?  It's sort of like The View but for foodies {during the day, food/cooking channels are always on in the background of my house}, so this recipe actually comes courtesy of Mario Batali.  It's SO GOOD you guys!  I really hope that you try it out! 

* As a small side note, for this recipe you will need an 11" tart pan with a removable bottom.  I purchased mine from Williams-Sonoma years ago, and it's held up great!  You can get it here. *

Ingredients


2 1/2 cup cake flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of 1 Lemon
1 cup {2 sticks} cold unsalted Butter, cut into small chunks
1/4 cup ice water plus more if needed
6 large ripe peaches, pitted & sliced
2 pints fresh blackberries
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose Flour
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup mascarpone or freshly whipped cream if desired



Directions


Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a food processor.  Add the butter and zap quickly until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Next, add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just forms a ball without being too wet or sticky.

Remove the dough from the processor and pat it into a flat disk, about 2 inches thick.  Wrap it into plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the peaches, blackberries, lemon juice, sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl.  Toss the mixture gently to coat the fruit.

Next, preheat your oven to 365 degrees F. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to barely soften enough to roll out.  This next part is a little tricky, you want the dough to be workable, but if it's too soft it will fall apart when you transfer it to your tart pan, so you need to work quickly.

Sprinkle your work surface and a rolling pin lightly with cake flour.  Roll the dough out into a 16-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick.  If the dough tears, press the edges back together.  Transfer the dough to a 12 1/2-inch fluted quiche or tart pan with a removable bottom, allowing the excess to hang over the edges.  Spoon the fruit mixture into the dough.  Fold in the overhanging edges of the dough, leaving a 6-inch area of fruit exposed in the center.  Press the crust into the rim of the fluted pan to form an edge. 

Next, place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and heat the honey in the bowl until it is thin.  Add the egg and whisk them together.  Brush this mixture liberally over the fruit and crust.  

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly.

Serve the crostata warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of mascarpone or whipped cream in each serving.

Have a great week! xx