Baking Around the World

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker's man, buy this cookbook as fast as you can! Ok, so maybe that's not quite how it goes... 

Baking Around the World, the latest from The Handstand Kids Cookbook Company, is a great addition to your cookbook collection. Not only does it introduce kids to the wonderful world of baking, but it also comes with a kid-friendly whisk and reusable silicon baking cups! Talk about a Baker's Dozen!

Recipes include: Red Velvety Beet Cupcakes, Mexican Chocolate Cake, Bella Biscotti Cookies, Raspberry Rugala and Cupcakes in a Cone.

Author Yvette Garfield is one cool cookie, she is giving Creative Kitchen fans 20% off when you check out HERE with coupon code: cupcake. Whoever said "the icing on the cake" must have been talking about this sweet deal!

Heard it Through the Grapevine

When the temperature rises, we just love to keep meals light and fresh. So you can imagine how excited we were when we found these perfect summertime recipes. You could even say we heard it through the grapevine!

We were also pleasantly surprised to learn that Concord grapes contribute to healthy circulation and provide some memory benefits.

Check out to great ways to enjoy the heart-healthy goodness of Concord grapes... short of serving wine to kids! Eeek! Serve them up at your next summer cookout, you're guaranteed to get rave reviews! After all, have you ever met a kid (or adult!) who doesn't love grape juice?

Berry Sensation Salad

Ingredients

3.5 oz. mixed greens

¾ cup Welch’s ® Berry Medley

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup Gorgonzola cheese

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. Welch’s 100% White Grape Juice

1 Tbs. honey

½ tsp. salt

Preparation

In a large bowl, toss greens, Berry Medley, pecans and cheese. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients and stir vigorously until blended. Drizzle dressing over salad, toss and serve.  

Serves 4

¼ cup of Welch’s Dried Berry Medley= 1 serving of fruit.

Get Moving : Don't Drop the Cabbage!

At the Creative Kitchen we are all about healthy, balanced diets but it's also important to take care of our bodies by staying active. You're never too young or old to flex those muscles, so what are you waiting for?  Let's get moving! 

Our friends at Energetic Juniors showed us some fun ways to pick up the pace this summer.  When was the last time you had this much fun with cabbage?! 

DON’T DROP THE CABBAGE

This is an eye-hand coordination game that also helps improve catching and throwing skills… and takes playing catch to a new fun level! You and your child start very close, facing each other. Toss the ball back and forth, while saying “don’t” then “drop” then “the” and finally “cabbage.” After completing the sentence you both move one giant step back. Whoever drops the “cabbage” (the ball) must then do a fun exercise or movement. For example, hop, gallop in a circle, jump and lift the ball overhead or simply do a push-up or sit-up.

Have FUN!

To find out more contact bonita@energeticjuniors.com or visit www.energeticjuniors.com

The Nibble: Make Verrines!

Here's a cool article from our friends at The Nibble!  Read all about the verrine, a fresh new way to combine your favorite ingredients. Appealing to both the eye and the tastebuds, verrines make an excellent addition to a dinner party menu. For pint-sized palettes be sure to check out our Pattern Parfaits, an American twist on a French favorite!  Oh la la! 

TIP OF THE DAY: For Fun & Excitement, Make Verrines!

Looking for some appetizer or dessert excitement? Make verrines (vair-REEN, in French).  Verre is the French word for glass; verrine, which means “protective glass,” is an assortment of ingredients layered “artfully” in a small glass.  Verrines can be sweet or savory: The idea is to layer foods that provide delicious tastes in small bites.  In addition to serving up a variety of tastes and textures, verrines should have splashes of color for eye appeal (grape tomatoes, raspberries, herbs).  The idea has been around for a long time, but in recent years has come back to prominence in France.While specialty verrine glasses exist, you most likely have vessels at home that will do the job just fine: juice glasses, rocks glasses, shot glasses, even small wine goblets.

And you don’t have to start big—you can hold off on the foie gras mousse, cubed Sauternes gelée (Sauternes [a sweet wine] in plain gelatin) and stewed rhubarb, topped with crème fraîche, candied apricots and chopped pistachios (we made this one last week).  Instead, start by making the foods you serve every day more exciting by serving a verrine as a side. For example:

Breakfast: Layer scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, salsa, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and garnish with chives.

Appetizer: Layer sautéed mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, mashed potatoes or cauliflower, topped with a dab of sour cream and chopped parsley; or our favorite, tuna tartare, chopped tomatoes and guacamole, topped with a chopped mix of hard-cooked egg whites and cilantro.

Dessert: Layer fresh or poached fruit, rice pudding or custard and crumbled gingersnaps, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

How many layers should you prepare? Three to six.

READ FULL LENGTH ARTICLE HERE