Measure Up Bowls

Since I've been dieting again, I've been measuring or weighing all my foods before eating them. I saw these bowls in Parenting Magazine (April 2010 issue) and though these would be great to have...kind of expensive though!


Take the guesswork out of serving sizes with easy (and subtle!) portion control in a bowl. They're lined with rings to tell you exactly how much food to dish up, without the need for measuring cups. ($29.99 for a set of two; measureupbowl.com)

Shamrock Soup

St. Patty's Day is right around the corner. I saw this recipe for "Shamrock Soup" in Parents Magazine (March 2010 issue) ~ it's a bit unusual...not the traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage that my mom used to make on St. Patrick's Day.

Ingredients
2 cups chicken broth
6 scallions, trimmed and sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
1 lb. fresh or frozen peas
8 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/3 cup light cream
plain yogurt (optional)

Directions
1. Cook the Base: Boil 1-1/2 cups chicken broth, scallions, garlic, and a bit of salt and pepper in a covered pan on high for 4 minutes until scallions are soft. Add peas; cover until mixture boils. Cook a minute; add 8 cups chopped fresh spinach and boil until it's tender.

2. Blend for Baby: Use a slotted spoon to remove 2 cups of greens mixture. Puree.

3. Finish for the Family: Puree rest of mixture and return to pan. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and light cream; heat. Pour into bowls; use a spoon to drizzle plain yogurt into a shamrock shape.

Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat Pizza

Dr. Seuss celebrates his birthday today, March 2. This year, he turns 106 ~ wow! Parents Magazine featured a really cute recipe in their March 2010 issue to celebrate.

Hat's Off!
1. Unroll store-bought pizza dough (we used the thin variety of Pillsbury Pizza Crust) on a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper so it's about 14" long and 12" wide. Roll up botton of dough about an inch to create the brim of the hat. Use a pizza slider to cut curves in dough that match the hat. Bake crust at 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.

2. Alternately make 2-3/4" stripes with tomato sauce and shredded part-skin mozzarella cheese, starting with sauze. Bake for another 6 to 10 minutes, until sauce is hot and cheese is melted.

I also found some alternates to the sauce/cheese combo here and here.

Dancing Dragon for the Chinese New Year

I saw this crafty dragon in Kiwi Magazine (February/March 2010), and had to share.

Happy Chinese New Year! Celebrate the Year of the Tiger on February 14 with your own mini parade—the dragon is usually the grand finale, so be sure to add plenty of ribbon to make yours extra festive!

By Ellen Goldberg

Materials
1 egg carton
1 cereal box or piece of cardboard
4 craft sticks
1 sheet of newspaper
Ribbon, rickrack, buttons, fabric scraps
Green craft paint
Scissors
Glue

Directions
1. Cut 2 of the egg cups from the carton. From the cereal box, cut 2 small triangles (for the ears) and 2 squares with rounded edges that are slightly larger than the base of the egg cups. Paint all of these pieces green.

2. On 1 corner of the squares, glue an ear to each of the top corners. Then, glue a square to the base of each egg cup.

3. Create the front handle by gluing 2 craft sticks together, then gluing them to the back of the dragon's face. Glue 2 more craft sticks together, then glue them to the other egg cup to create the back handle.

4. Cut 2 pieces of newspaper 14 inches long by 4 inches wide, then fold over so the narrow side is 2 inches wide.

5. To create the dragon's body, place the strips at a 90 degree angle, overlapping the ends. Fold the bottom strip over the top one and repeat until you've folded all the paper together.

6. Glue 1 end of the newspaper to the back of the dragon's face. Turn the rear egg cup so the 2 craft-tick handles point in opposite directions, then glue the other end of the newspaper to the rear cup. This will make your dragon open properly when you hold the handles parallel in each hand.

7. Decorate the head with buttons and rickrack to create eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Glue ribbons and fabric scraps to the center of the rear cup to create the tail, then add more to the head.

8. Open the dragon and use the handles to make him dance!

Brotherly (and sisterly) love - Heart Chart

From Kiwi Magazine, February/March 2010
Written by Traci Paige Johnson

This Valentine's Day (and throughout the year), jump-start sibling bonding by creating a "heart chart," which encourages kids to be kind to each other to earn rewards. At the end of each day, ask your kids these three questions:

* "Did you treat your brother (or sister) the way you would want to be treated?"
* "Did you use nice words to express yourself?"
* "Did you give your brother (or sister) a compliment or perform a good deed for him (or her) today?"

If the answer for every one is "yes," your kids earn a heart sticker on their calendar. Once they receive 10 hearts, they get to pick something special for you to do together as a family (see a movie, go bowling, get ice cream even though it's freezing outside - whatever they want). You can take this idea beyond siblings, too: See how nice your child can be to friends, classmates, even you! Kids will not only learn how to treat other people kindly, but they'll see how much more fun it is to be nice than it is to be mean.

"Sweets for Your Sweeties" Recipes

I saw two excellent-looking recipes in the February/March 2010 issue of Kiwi Magazine. The two recipes were Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes and Fruity Pizza - just look at these pictures!

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes (above)

Fruity Pizza (above)

You can find the recipes here.

"6 Delightful Valentine's Day Desserts"

Woman's Day Magazine's February 17, 2010 issue featured some great looking desserts. With the economy like it is - skip the gifts and make your sweetie something special to eat.

"Give the gift of a homemade treat for Valentine's Day this year. Show that special someone how much they mean to you by presenting them with a unique dessert inspired by this love-centric holiday. From individual serving, heart-shaped Cupid Cakes to pink French Macaroon Kisses, these dessert recipes are the perfect way to begin or end a day dedicated to romance.

Cupid Cakes

Valentine Lollipops

Strawberry Valentine Cake

Orange-Kissed Churros with "Hot" Chocolate Sauce

French Macaroon Kisses

Mocha Espresso Cheesecake Cups

You can find the recipes here.