busyworkingmom

Breakfast Squares

Crunchy oatmeal base topped with egg and bacon filling. A hint of sweet maple flavour, too.

All-purpose flour    3/4 cup    175 mL
Brown sugar, packed    1/2 cup    125 mL
Baking soda    1/2 tsp.    2 mL
Hard margarine (or butter)    1/2 cup    125 mL

Quick-cooking rolled oats (not instant)    3/4 cup    175 mL

Bacon slices (maple-smoked is best), diced    12    12

Large eggs    8    8
Water    1/3 cup    75 mL
Salt    1/2 tsp.    2 mL

Block of cream cheese, softened and cut into    4 oz.    125 g
small cubes

Combine first 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add rolled oats. Stir. Press 1/2 of mixture into greased 9 x 9 inch (22 x 22 cm) pan. Set aside.

Cook bacon in large frying pan on medium until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Remove drippings, reserving 1 tbsp. (15 mL) in pan. Heat reserved bacon drippings on medium-low.

Beat eggs, water and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour egg mixture into pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring slowly, until almost set. Remove from heat.

Add cream cheese and bacon to egg mixture. Stir until cream cheese is smooth. Spoon mixture over oat mixture. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 of oat mixture. Press lightly. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 30 minutes until top is golden. Cuts into 6 pieces.

1 piece: 565 Calories; 36.6 g Total Fat (18.2 g Mono, 3.9 g Poly, 11.9 g Sat); 319 mg Cholesterol; 42 g Carbohydrate; 2 g Fibre; 17 g Protein; 843 mg Sodium

Popcorn Balls

Prep Time: :10
Cook Time: :15
Ingredients:

* 2 qt Popped popcorn
* 1 c Sugar
* 1/3 c Corn syrup
* 1/3 c Water
* 1/4 c Butter
* 1/4 ts Salt (omit if popcorn is already salted)
* 1 t Vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 250. Put popcorn in a large, 4 inch deep butered baking pan. Keep warm in the oven.

Combine sugar, cornsyrup, water, butter and salt in a large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

Cook until mixture reaches 250 on a candy thermometer, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Quickly stir in vanilla.

Remove popcorn from oven. Pour syrup mixture over popcorn, stirring to mix well. Form into balls.

Makes approximately 8 balls.

Easy Fruit Juice Ice Pops

Prep Time: :15
Cook Time: :
Ingredients:

* Fresh fruit juice
* Ice cube tray
* Tooth picks
* Plastic wrap

Preparation:
Pour juice into the ice cube tray. Cover tightly with the plastic wrap. Using one tooth pick per cube, poke through the plastic wrap so that each tooth pick stands up straight. Put in flat in the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Variation: Add half a tablespoon of crushed pineapple to each cube before pouring the juice. Stir each cube before placing on the plastic wrap.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies—kids recipe

Prep Time: :20
Cook Time: :15
Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
* 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
* 3 cups oats, rolled (raw) quick/ old fashioned
* 1 cup flour all-purpose
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 cup raisins
* 1 cup walnuts chopped

Preparation:
Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening. Combine shortening, brown sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla; beat with mixer on high speed to blend well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add to shortening mixture and combine until just blended. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 for 10-13 min., or until lightly browned. Cool 2 min. on cooling rack.

Cheesy Popcorn—kids recipe
Prep Time: :10
Cook Time: :
Ingredients:

* 6 cups popped popcorn; plain flavor
* 2 tbsp butter or margarine; melted
* 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; grated
* Salt to taste

Preparation:
Place popcorn in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle butter over popcorn and sprinkle cheese evenly. Stir. Serve immediately.

For more great kid friendly snack recipes check out snack attack it is filled with kids snack recipes complete with photos.

Cheesy Crunch Snack Mix—recipes for kids
Prep Time: :15
Cook Time: :30
Ingredients:

* 3 cups thin pretzel sticks
* 4 cups Wheat Chex cereal
* 4 cups Cheerios cereal
* 13 ounces jar salted or dry roasted peanuts
* 1 t. (4 shakes) garlic powder
* 1/2 (2 shakes) teaspoon seasoned salt
* 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/3 cup melted butter

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until the cereal is well coated. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cereal is toasted dry, but not burnt.

Candy Corn Rice Crispy Treats -Recipes for Kids

Prep Time: :20
Cook Time: :
Ingredients:

* 1/2 c Butter
* 10 c Crispy rice cereal
* 9 c Miniature marshmallows
* 2 c Mixture of candy corn and Indian candy corn
* 3/4 c Miniature chocolate chips
* Candy pumpkins
* Yellow and red food coloring

Preparation:
Melt butter and marshmallows; stir until smooth. In a large bowl, mix rice cereal, candy corn and miniature chips together. To marshmallow mixture, blend in 2 drops yellow food coloring and 1 drop red food coloring, adding more coloring if necessary to reach desired shade. Add marshmallow mixture to cereal mixture; stir quickly to combine. Spread on a large buttered pan; press with buttered hands. While warm, press on candy pumpkins spaced 1 to 1/2-2 inches apart. Refrigerate and cut into squares.

My previous post on how to make diaper cakes was so and still is so very popular.  That I have decided to share some of the wonderful diaper cake images and other related stuff I have saved up in my ideas folder.

First I have this great tutorial video from youtube.com that shows us visual people exactly how to make a diaper cake.  I love it.

The seven tiered diaper cake is absolutely stunning sure to inspire anyone.

These are simple on or two tiered diaper cakes that are beautiful in their simplicity… the finishing touches of bows and teddy bears really make them a sure winner.

Notice how appealing and beautiful diaper cakes are when wrapped with fabric…. you can use any fabric you have…. I have even seen crib sheets used in this way.

Making Diaper cakes is fun but also takes patience and a little practice to perfect…. trust me my  first one made me want to tear out my hair lol…. for those of you who really want a diaper cake but don’t want to make one yourself here are some wonderful diaper cakes you can purchase premade…

Pan Gravy Made Quick and Easy

Ingredients

* 4 cups turkey drippings
* 1/2 cup instant dissolving flour, such as Wondra

* Salt and pepper to taste
* Parsley (optional)

Instructions

1.

Strain the pan juices from the roasted turkey and pour off the fat. Measure 4 cups of the juices. (If you run short, you can add chicken broth to make up the difference.)
2.

Place the juices in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in enough instant dissolving flour to thicken. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with parsley, if desired. Makes 4 cups.
3.

Tip: To make the chore of removing the fat a breeze, use a fat-separating measuring cup, which you can buy at most kitchen stores.

For all the thanksgiving help you need to make this thanksgiving one to remember check out this cool dvd.