What's Up this Week?!?!?

Friday, February 26

4:30 pm

Albany Mommies Event

Tumbling Tykes

1050 Troy Schenectady Rd.

Latham, NY

Stay tuned for more cooking fun in March...

Film Day!

We were filming forward for April and with a focus on Eath Day we cooked up a fun dinner at the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club.  We made the Ring of Fire for the main course...

Volcanic Ashed Potatoes as our side dish.  But, everyone dived right in and ate them so we didn't even get a picture...Oh well.  Stay tuned because it's a good recipe coming out in April; three thumbs up from the kids I cooked with....

And then we topped off our meal with fossil cookies for dessert.

It was a great day !

Behind the Scenes!

Usually film day is hectic, but relatively smooth going.  As part of prep one of every recipe being filmed has to be made in advance.  Some recipes can be done the day before and others the morning of!  This month I had two recipes that had to be done the morning of the shoot.  One dish (thank goodness the easier of the two) got left in the oven and forgotten! When the oven went back on for pre-heat for the second recipe it over cooked the first.  I pulled in the troops for a little help!  And instead I got comic relief......

and more clean up!  But, they can peel a mean potato and we ended up with carved potatoes of the camera man by two helpers that then lead to a voting session for everyone on site.

All ended well!

A Veggie Tale...

I love conversations with the kids I meet when I am out and about cooking in the community.  Just the other day I was chatting away with a little girl and I thought I'd share our discussion as it matches one of my theories;

Little Girl:  I made vegetable soup!
Me:  That's great!  Did you like the taste of vegetables?
Little Girl:  Yes
Me:  Do you usually like vegetables
Little Girl: (hesitation) No, not really.
Me: So, why do you think you liked the vegetables in vegetable soup?
Little Girl:  (shrugs shoulders) I don't know?
Me:  I know....it's because you helped to make the vegetable soup.  Your fingers are magical and when they cook, they help to add extra special flavors.  So, I bet if you cook vegetables more often you'll like them!
Little Girl:    :)

I have found with my own kids that the more they help, the more they try.  And, the more they try, the more foods they find that they like including those infamous veggies!

Snow Ball Cookies...Great Winter Fun!

Yesterday I was in a community making Snow Ball Cookies!  It was the perfect day on a winter break for some inside fun; while we were making snow balls inside it was snowing outside. Despite the weather, almost everyone who signed up still joined in the cooking rolling, snow ball dipping fun.

You can grab the recipe at the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club:

http://www.pricechopper.com/Recipes/Detail/6828/Snowballs/

Snow Ball Tips:

Let the kids get more involved...

1.  We eliminated the candy canes for the season.

2.  The kids crushed the cookies by hand using snap and seal freezer bags; WAY MORE FUN!

3.  If you let the butter and cream cheese set to room temperature, the kids can stir this recipe with a spoon...no electronics needed!

Happy Valentine's Day

Raspberry Cream Chocolates

A tasty Valentine’s delight

by Jodie Fitz

Whenever I think Valentine’s, I think CHOCOLATE! And, although I’m certain my quick fix on the chocolate making regime would make any professional chocolatier cringe, this recipe will certainly prove to be some tasty homemade fun. And, of course time well spent experimenting with the kids in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/2 envelope Price Chopper unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoons raspberry extract
4 oz Price Chopper whipping cream
¼ cup Price Chopper confectioner’s sugar
Red food coloring
Price Chopper raspberry preserves
12 oz. Price Chopper chocolate morsels
5 oz. cold cups

Boil the water in a pan, remove it from the heat and add the unflavored gelatin. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved completely. Add in the raspberry extract and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Using scissors cut the top of the cups off so that you have approximately one inch high cups. Place the cups onto a baking sheet. Pour 6 – 8 oz. of chocolate into a glass bowl and melt them in the microwave on high for one minute. The chocolate may not look fully melted until you stir it thoroughly. Place a portion of milk chocolate into the cup and spread it around to cover the base and sides of the inside of the cup. Make certain the area is covered well, if the chocolate is to thin the cups will break when you unmold them later. Place the chocolate cups into the refrigerator and let them set until they have hardened.

Mix the whipping cream, confectioner’s sugar and two drops of red food coloring together until the cream has thickened. This is a great opportunity to teach your children about the peak test to be certain the cream has been mixed well. Fold in the gelatin water. Let the mixture set for approximately 30 – 60 minutes in the refrigerator.

Melt the remaining chocolate, following the directions above. Place one teaspoon of raspberry preserves in to the chocolate cup, top the preserves with two teaspoons of the whipped mixture, and top it off with a layer of melted chocolate that will seal the cup. Set the desserts into the refrigerator until the chocolate has fully hardened; approximately 30 minutes. Carefully peel the cup from the chocolate and serve.

Note: For an added decorative touch melt white chocolate and drizzle on top before serving or top with extra whipped cream.

An Explosion of Flavor....

Okay, this breakfast isn't the type of breakfast you will want to make every day, but it's perfect for special occasions; especially Valentine's!  It's a mouth watering treat that will leave your kids wanting more and with Valentine's falling on the weekend, why not?  It's my Volcanic Pancake Recipe that has a great combination that's really not difficult to create, but a lot of fun with a great reaction when served to your special someone(s).  Enjoy...

http://www.pricechopper.com/Recipes/Detail/6890/Volcanic_Pancakes/