Food Archives - MomStart

Kids Cooking Items

July 12, 2017 by Momstart 3 Comments

We received samples.

With all the excitement of Kids Cooking Shows on TV, children everywhere are in the kitchen earlier and earlier. Their hands are smaller and some kitchen items aren’t really meant for kids. Well, we’re happy to share with you that Curious Chef has full line of kids cooking items.

Zoe even created this video to show you what we received.

Curious Chef is a full cooking line inspiring love of cooking in kids by providing fun, safe, easy-to-use and appropriately sized kitchen tools for children. With everyone right in the middle of summer it’s a great time to get kids excited about fruits and veggies! That’s why Curious Chef sent us the Curious Chef’s Cookbook and Fruit & Veggie Prep Kit. Kids can take the produce they grew and create their own colorful fruit salads and other fun recipes.

Kids Cooking Items

Zoe found the items in the Curious Chef’s Cookbook and Fruit & Veggie Prep Kit to be adorable and she didn’t even realize that I had most of those items in adult size. She can’t wait to get in the kitchen and cooking. Now we just need to go to a farmers market and get a few fruits and veggies to make some things. The recipes in the book are well written, have great photos and easily followed.

Empower your kids to eat heathier their whole lives using the 6-Piece Fruit & Veggie Prep Kit & cook up some healthy snacks and meals with Cooking with Curious Chef!

Curious Chef recipe book

Kids Cooking Items Include

Apple Slicer
Lemon Zester
Knife
Spatula
Veggie Washer
Fruit Baller
Veggie Peeler

The handles are ergonomically designed for children.

Silicone heat safe to 450 Degrees F

Dishwasher safe and BPA free

The kit is available for 39.99 Curious Chef has many different kids cooking items for sale. I know Zoe is quickly making a Christmas Wish List.

3 10 Minute Wow Recipes From Del Monte #10MinuteWow

April 6, 2015 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Wow, Easter was yesterday and Del Montel came to the veggie rescue of our meal. I was asked to create a recipe for my friends who were hosting the Easter celebration. Because I’m working with Del Monte and the request was Green Bean Casserole that’s what I made. It’s really easy to throw together you just toss the main ingredients and then bake if for 30 minutes. EASY PEASY!

Ingredients

2 can (10.75oz.each) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup milk
2 tsps. soy sauce
¼ tsp. black pepper
4 can (14.5oz.each) any style Del Monte® Green Beans, drained
2⅔ cups French’s® French Fried Onions, divided

Directions

Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 1 1/3 cups onions in a 3-qt. casserole.Bake at 350° F, uncovered, 25 minutes or until bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir bean mixture. Sprinkle with remaining onions.Bake 5 minutes longer or until onions are golden brown. – See more at: http://www.delmonte.com/recipes/detail/green-bean-casserole/#sthash.CLMnqx7b.dpuf

And yet, Del Montel really wants me to share with you some easy 10 minute recipes; while I thought 30 minutes was easy. All of these recipes are found at Delmonte.com/recipes

2015 DEL MONTE ‘HAM PAIRING’ >> CHEDDAR CORN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, about 12 oz.
2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. black pepper
¾ cup milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
⅔ cup sliced green onions, divided
1 tsp. hot sauce
4 cans (15.25oz.ea.) Del Monte® Whole Kernel Corn, well drained
1½ cups croutons [or crackers], finely crushed (about 3/4 cup), optional topping
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional topping
½ cup diced red bell pepper, optional topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss together cheese, flour and pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.Stir together milk, cream cheese, 1/3 cup green onions and hot sauce in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add corn and shredded cheese mixture; stir well to blend evenly. Cover and bake 30 minutes.Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup green onions and optional toppings, as desired. Bake 5 minutes longer. –

2015 DEL MONTE ‘LAMB PAIRING’ >> PEAS 5 WAYS

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cans (15oz.ea.) Del Monte® Sweet Peas, drained
½ cup bagged shredded carrots
⅓ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Directions

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat; add peas and carrots. Cook 3 to 4 minutes; gently stirring occasionally, until heated through. Remove from heat.Stir in mint and season to taste with salt and black pepper, if desired.

2015 DEL MONTE ‘SALMON PAIRING’ >> LEMON-GARLIC GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY CRUMBS

Ingredients

2 Tbsps. olive oil, divided
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsps. grated lemon zest
¼ tsp. coarse sea salt [or Kosher salt], optional
2 tsps. minced garlic
2 cans (14.5oz.ea.) Del Monte® Whole Green Beans [or Cut Green Beans], drained
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Freshly cracked black pepper, optional

Directions

Heat 1 Tbsp.oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs; stir 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in lemon zest and salt, if desired. Transfer crumbs to a bowl.Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and garlic to same skillet. Stir over medium heat 30 seconds. Add green beans and lemon juice; stir until heated through. Serve beans topped with bread crumbs and pepper, if desired.

I know we’re too late for Easter but grilling season is getting started and these 10 minute recipes are going to come in handy very quickly!!!

Jiff Salted Caramel Flavored Hazelnut Spread Muddy Buddies

October 22, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

When we got home from summer vacation I had samples from Jiff to try, one of those being the Salted Caramel Flavored Hazelnut spread. My kids fell instantly in love and started telling everyone about it. One of the people they told was their on-line teacher who helps me home school and she was so excited from just what they said that she had to go find some for herself. It’s addictive. They were eating it for lunch and for snacks. I managed to save just enough to make Muddy Buddies with.

Salted Caramel Muddy Buddies

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups life cereal
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup Jiff Salted Caramel Flavored Hazelnut Spread
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Measure cereal into a large bowl and set aside.

2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, Jiff Salted Caramel Flavored Hazelnut Spread and butter uncovered on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Then Microwave for 15 seconds at a time until well mixed and smooth. Stir in vanilla and pour mixture over the cereal, stirring until evenly coated.

3. Put powdered sugar in a food storage plastic bag, then add the cereal and shake until evenly coated.

What’s Coming Out of Denny’s Diners HQ & Test Kitchen #DennysDiners

September 19, 2014 by Momstart 12 Comments

I had a great time at #DennysDiners HQ and Test Kitchen. They know how to cook and make delicious treats all year around. Did you know that they actually make changes to the menu every quarter and some of those changes include Holiday Features? YUM too. And sadly that’s all I can tell you about what’s coming up for this Holiday Season, It’s Good! SO keep an eye out for the new menu in October.

But rest assured there are still some really great items that you might not know are on the menu right now. I tried them when I was invited to the Denny’s Diners HQ and Test Kitchen last month with my other ambassador friends.

I have to say that I think I must have been living under a rock because I had no idea that Denny’s was making these delicious things called pancake puppies. I had some while I was in SC with Denny’s and vow that next time I take my family there I’m ordering some as an appetizer for the whole family to enjoy. It’s like having donuts they are so good.

And I also tried The New Chicken Salad Sandwich and I loved it. I was really trying to only take a few bites out of everything because we were trying so many items on the menu, this I wanted to finish. It’s roasted seasoned chicken, celery, red grapes, toasted almonds and mayo. You can have it served with your choice of wavy-cut French fries, hash browns, seasonal fruit or dippable veggies.

Another item I can share with you is the Wild Caught Salmon and it was surprisingly really good. Fish is a tricky thing to cook and have the flavors come out and Denny’s accomplished it. Look at it, doesn’t it just make you want to dig right in?

I did finish the salmon!

Want to know what I learned about the brand?

Denny’s really wants to make their customers happy and remember that they are more than just a after 2:00 AM place to eat. They are an all day diner fit for families with a very versatile menu. They have a rewards program and kids eat free. For every 1 adult meal two kids can eat free on Tuesday’s from 4PM to 10PM. They understand the importance of children’s health by offering healthy options and are part of Kids Live Well AND as you know they support No Kids Hungry a charity I’m very fond of.

They also have a rewards program, a birthday grand slam, and special discounts for seniors. So plan a trip to Denny’s and try their menu, see their specials and go often so you don’t miss any of the changes that might pop up. You’ll love what’s coming for the holidays!

The Hundred Foot Journey Gourmet Getaway Sweepstakes #GourmetGetaway

July 21, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

This is a partnered post with Cost Plus World Market in partnership with Disney and the film release of The Hundred Foot Journey on August 8th.

The Hundred Foot Journey is about one restaurant owner being threatened by a new restaurant of Indian Food that she actually thinks is kind of tacky. But a relationship develops and things change for both sides.

Official Summary:

In “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” Hassan Kadam (Manish Dayal) is a culinary ingénue with the gastronomic equivalent of perfect pitch. Displaced from their native India, the Kadam family, led by Papa (Om Puri), settles in the quaint village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in the south of France. Filled with charm, it is both picturesque and elegant – the ideal place to settle down and open an Indian restaurant, Maison Mumbai. That is, until the chilly chef proprietress of Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin-starred, classical French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Academy Award®-winner Helen Mirren) gets wind of it.

For us here at MomStart this is what we call the perfect campaign. You know that I go on almost every single press trip for Disney and that Zoe and I LOVE to decorate the table for the theme of the month. So working with Cost Plus World Market and Disney at the same time is golden. Plus we get to share with all of you this amazing sweepstakes. But first we get to share with you some amazing recipes. To celebrate World Market’s Gourmet promotion and the theatrical release of The Hundred-Foot Journey, Cost Plus World Market has partnered with celebrity chefs, Ryan Scott (Restaurateur & Host of Food Rush and) and Aarti Sequeira (Author & Host of Aarti Party), to create delicious recipes inspired by the film. The chefs have developed exclusive French and Indian recipes featuring World Market’s gourmet offerings.

French Cuisines (created by Ryan Scott)

Berry-Ricotta Crepe Layer Cake

Chicken Roulade Provençale with Whole-Grain Mustard Bearnaise

Orange-Chocolate Almond-Nougat Champagne Trifle

Indian Cuisines (created by Aarti Sequeira)

Channa Masala Hummus

Masala Moules Frites

Chai Coconut Ice Cream with Curry-Chocolate & Ginger Snap Ripple

And if that wasn’t enough, You could win a Culinary Trip to Paris inspired by the film THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY. Imagine that, a trip to Paris, the city of love and amazing French Food. The Grand Prize is:

· A trip for 2 to Paris courtesy of Delta Vacations ®

· Dinner at the Eiffel Tower and Cruise

· City excursions

· One day private cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu Paris

· $1,000 World Market gift card

· Plus, 3 First Prizes: $500 World Market gift card

The Sweepstakes ends August, 15^th, 2014.

Enjoy Peeps Minis with Make Your Holiday Cake Recipe Giveaway #PEEPSMINISWM #AD

June 9, 2014 by Momstart 6 Comments

This post is sponsored by Lunchbox. All opinions are my own.

It was my birthday last month and because I was gone the whole month we never really celebrated my birthday. So this weekend I decided to make my own birthday cake and I was really craving strawberry shortcake. I didn’t want something as heavy as pound cake and I didn’t want something as difficult as angle food cake so I found a perfect recipe Busy-Day cake in my Better Homes and Gardens’ cookbook and it pairs quite well with strawberry flavored PEEPS® MINIS™. PEEPS® MINIS™ are bite size, snackable marshmallow chicks that will be sold year round in the everyday candy aisle. They are a little sour which makes them kind of addictive in my opinion.

PEEPS® MINIS™ are now available in delicious flavors of Strawberry Crème, Chocolate Crème and Sour Watermelon, in 24-count re-closeable standup bags that will retail for approximately $3.99 and can be found at Walmart. These mini marshmallow chicks are about 40 percent the size of the traditional chicks and are each 14 calories, as well as gluten-free and fat-free.

So I made my cake and decorated with PEEPS. Then I had to eat a few more! So I turned an ordinary day into my own personal holiday. Here is my cake recipe:

Make Your Holiday Cake Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Truvia Baking Blend
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
Strawberry gel
Lime or Watermelon Gel (we used Lime)

Directions:

Preheat Oven 350 Degree oven. Spray a 8×11/2 inch round cake pan with non-stick spray

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and mix. Then add milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Then beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Spread into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Serve with Peeps Minis and your choice of gel flavored topping for color.

To help you turn every day into a holiday PEEPS® MINIS™ is giving away 50 Walmart gift cards every month this summer! To get started head to the PEEPS MINI page, create your own Every Day Is A Holiday™ eCard, share the card, and you can enter for a chance to win!

See the Watermelon flavored one in my hands above? It’s pink in the middle and like I said they sort of pop in your mouth like popcorn because they are so good.

Get yours today!

We’re sharing a giveaway too for another chance for you to win. It’s really easy entry!

New PEEPS® MINIS™

How A Trip to Denny’s Turned Into a School Project

May 5, 2014 by Momstart 3 Comments

I’m a Denny’s Brand Ambassador my opinions are my own.

My daughter came home on Friday and told me she has to do a school project about Zebras. So I needed to help her do some research. We were going to do it on Saturday afternoon but before we got home from our morning activities we stopped at Denny’s for lunch. At lunch we found the new menus at Denny’s to be very informational so much so she’s switching to the Meerkat.

Denny’s has created new menus for kids and they are really cool. My daughter said, this is so much better than the usual restaurant one sheet menu and coloring sheet. Denny’s is taking kids on a flavorful, fun-filled journey with the introduction of its new “Adventure Menu” including a delicious selection of customizable dishes and National Geographic Kids content. Featuring a variety of quirky animal facts, quizzes and fun fill-in stories, the interactive menu offers plenty of exciting ways to keep young adventurers entertained at family mealtime. We talked a lot about the meerkats. We talked about the predators of meerkats and where they live. We also talked about how they live in a family of a minimum of 20. WOW, that’s a big family. She’s quite excited to be doing her school report on meerkats instead of zebras because it was a family discovery. She only needed three facts about meerkats and this menu has way more facts than three.

In addition to the fun animal facts you’ll find provided by National Geographic you’ll also find a great menu full of options.

The new Denny’s kids menu offers explorers plenty of delicious all-day options to take their taste buds on an adventure, including several items verified by the Kids LiveWell program, created by the National Restaurant Association, so that kids can select healthier alternatives for a meal that is both balanced and delicious. Denny’s three breakfast dishes, starting at just $3.29, give kids the fuel they need to tackle any expedition with items such as the Build Your Own Jr. Grand Slam and Chocolate Chip Pancakes. When it comes to lunch, dinner or dessert, kids are in control with choices such as the Spaghetti meal with broccoli, Mac & Cheese with dippable veggies or the Groovy Mango Smoothie.

I was pretty impressed because the kids have the ability to pick and choose from a large variety including healthy sides. And with all the options they actually chose to have breakfast. I guess the whole family was in the mood for breakfast because we all had it.

Zoe and Miles both built their own breakfasts. Miles was excited that he could choose double meat. He had bacon and sausage and pancakes. Zoe has pancakes eggs and bacon. And my husband and I both ordered off the monthly specials menu. I had the Avocado SantaFe Skillet .

My husband had the Eggs in a basket and they looked so good.

Being at Denny’s with my husband reminded me that we used to hang out there a lot. In college. And now we’re making memories with our family!.

A Cinco De Mayo Margarita Cupcake

May 2, 2014 by Momstart 7 Comments

Just around the corner is Cinco De Mayo and I hope to have time to cook something special for it. In regards that I hold dear for this fantastic holiday I decided to share this recipe I received over e-mail. This recipe is by Bonnie Marcus Cupcakes & Cocktails cookbook available at Amazon.

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients

makes 12

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup/1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup superfine sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup milk

3 tablespoons tequila

juice and zest of 1 lime

frosting

3 large egg whites

¾ cup sugar

1 cup/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup triple sec

zest of 1 lime

green food coloring

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12-hole cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.

2) Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Put the butter and superfine sugar into a separate bowl and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture and the milk, tequila, and lime zest and juice and beat until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix.

3) Spoon the batter into the paper liners and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick pushed into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 1 – 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

4) To make the frosting, put the egg whites and sugar in the top of a double boiler (or use a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water) and whisk over simmering water until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk the mixture for 4 – 5 minutes. Add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, and continue to whisk until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Add the triple sec, lime zest and 2 drops of food coloring and stir until just combined.

5) Spoon the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped tip and pipe it onto the cupcakes.

Tillamook Greek Yogurt My Favorite So Far

March 22, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

I love yogurt, my favorite kind is plain vanilla and some of the sweeter flavors. Some of the fruit flavors are too much for me but my kids adore them. I’ve never been a fan of Greek yogurt. I received samples of Tillamook’s new Farmstyle Greek Yogurt and it’s my favorite Greek Yogurt so far. I found that I actually like Greek Yogurt now. The Greek flavor to me is subtle making it tastier for me. Plus the flavor combinations are right up my alley. Aside from being insanely delicious, the new Farmstyle Greek contains no artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, growth hormones, or high fructose corn syrup. It also features locally sourced fruit and nuts from the Pacific Northwest as well as buttermilk cultures for a less tart taste. Some of our favorite flavors include Oregon Blueberry, Cinnamon Hazelnut and Oregon Strawberry, which consumers preferred vs. Chobani Strawberry in a blind taste test 62% vs. 38%*.

I got to try almost every flavor; my kids beat me to a couple of them but I have to say my favorite flavor was the coffee one I had. Sitting here writing this review makes me want to get up and eat some more right now. I LOVE it and I love that it’s such a great snack and low in calories.

I love the size too because it’s great for the kids to take in their lunches for school.

New Snack & Breakfast Options from Nature Valley Are Scrumptious!

March 11, 2014 by Momstart 1 Comment

I received samples

As a mom I know it can be both rewarding and challenging, as spending those precious stages with baby or child at any stage can lead to limited “me time” to tackle your own to do’s like eating. Yes I’m guilty I don’t eat well very often. That’s why I’m excited to share with you the new Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits, which are a delicious breakfast option that can easily be carried along in your diaper bag or at the stage I’m at, my Epiphany camera bag. I have been enjoying them for brunch, yes I’m still guilty of not eating breakfast but at least I am eating a meal. The Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits are really great for on the go or at home for something quick.

· Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits are a great way to start the day, making mornings easier and more delicious, while also providing sustained energy from 26 grams of whole grain. Made with real blueberries and honey, Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits provide a wonderful combination of convenience, great taste and breakfast satisfaction in each four-biscuit serving. They can be enjoyed on-the-go, used as a spoon for yogurt or shared with a friend. The product is available in the granola bar aisle in two delicious varieties – Blueberry and Honey – at a Suggested Retail Price of $3.89.

In addition, Nature Valley has also launched Nature Valley Greek Yogurt Protein bars, and a new Cranberry Almond variety of Nature Valley Protein Granola. My kids LOVE IT all!

· Nature Valley Greek Yogurt Protein Bars are a delicious, protein snack option perfect for an active lifestyle, offering a great source of protein while you are on-the-go. Made with real fruit, crunchy peanut and almond pieces, the bars offer 10 grams of protein per serving. Available in two fruit varieties – Mixed Berry and Strawberry. SRP: $4.19.

· Nature Valley Protein Granola in Cranberry Almond is a loose, bagged granola with energy from whole grain to keep you going. Made with natural ingredients, including real almonds and sweetened cranberry pieces, each serving contains 10 grams of protein and at least 22 grams of whole grain (48 grams of whole grain recommended daily). Also available in two additional varieties, Oats ‘n Honey and Oats ‘n Dark Chocolate, Nature Valley Protein Granola can be found in the granola aisle at retailers nationwide for an SRP of $4.49. We have several recipes using this product that can be shared if of interest, along with images.