Archive for the ‘cooking’ Category

St. Patrick’s Day – Great Things to do with your Kids

March 3, 2010

Crafts and Games

Wee Leprechaun: Make-your-own leprechaun! http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/wee-leprechaun-667671/
Make a Festive Bowl-er: Create leprechaun hats by painting and embellishing paper bowls. (p. 34)
St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt: Follow fun all the way to a faux pot of gold. http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/st-patricks-day-scavenger-hunt-708446/
To Catch A Leprechaun: Three clever traps for taking a stand against St. Patrick’s Day mischief: Leprechaun Hat Pit Trap, Rainbow Cage Drop, Tricky Trapdoor http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/to-catch-a-leprechaun-710897/  
Green Stamp: Spread the luck o’ the Irish this St. Patrick’s Day with a homemade shamrock stamp. Use it to decorate paper place mats, coasters, tablecloths, or anything else your little leprechauns wish to dress in green. http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-crafts-recipes-gallery-848733/#Green%20Stamp;1
Recipes
St. Patty’s Day Platter: Use a colorful variety of fruits for a rainbow platter. Marshmallows can act as the cloud at the end of the rainbow, and bananas for the pot of gold! (p. 29)
Clover Cookies: For St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), or any day you feel like you need a little extra luck, bake up a batch of these cheerful green shamrock cookies. Give some to your friends and classmates, so they will be lucky, too. http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/clover-cookies-687480/
Taste a Rainbow Cupcakes: Here’s what little leprechauns look forward to on St. Patrick’s Day: a magical snack that can add color to the grayest March afternoon. Pot of gold not included. http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/taste-a-rainbow-cupcakes-842128/
Luck of the Irish Cupcakes: It’s not far to the gold at the end of this rainbow-topped Emerald Isle cupcake, just the thing for your lads and lasses on St. Patrick’s Day.http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/st-patricks-day-recipe-rainbow-cupcake-dessert-recipe-685421/
Shamrock Cupcakes: It doesn’t take the luck of the Irish to make these St. Patty’s Day treats look so sweet — just a clever baking technique. http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-crafts-recipes-gallery-848733/#Clover%20Cupcakes;14
 
St. Patrick’s Pot of Gold: Surprise your favorite little people on March 17th with these wee emerald pots filled with sweet, edible gold. http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-crafts-recipes-gallery-848733/#St.%20Patrick’s%20Pot%20of%20Gold;8


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Try Your Luck this St. Patrick’s Day with Creative, Decadent Treats

February 23, 2010

This St. Patrick’s Day bring a bit-o-luck to the kitchen by creating delightful desserts. Who needs a pot of gold, when you can sink your teeth into these St. Patrick’s Day inspired treats from Duncan Hines? Send your kids to school with a batch of these easy-to-make Clover Patch Brownies their entire class can enjoy or impress your guests with this refreshing Leprechaun Key Lime Cake.

For more recipes, log onto www.duncanhines.com.

CLOVER PATCH BROWNIES

Bring a bit-o-luck to the kitchen by creating these shamrock-covered Clover Patch Brownies using our Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix.

Ingredients:
•       1 pkg Duncan Hines® Family Style Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
•       1 pkg pre-made marzipan or fondant
•       green food coloring
•       green toothpicks


Baking Instructions:
1.      Bake brownies according to instructions on box. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut brownies into squares.
2.      Meanwhile, knead green food coloring into marzipan or fondant until desired shade of green is achieved.
3.      Form small (1-inch) 3-leaf and 4-leaf clover shapes out of fondant or marzipan. Be realistic and make a lot more 3-leaf clovers than 4-leaf clovers.
4.      Stick clover shapes on top of green toothpicks.
5.      Insert little bunches of clovers onto each brownie.

LEPRECHAUN KEY LIME CAKE
Try your luck with our cool, creamy, refreshing Leprechaun Key Lime Cake. There’s a splash of lemon-lime in every bite thanks to Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix, lemon pudding, lime slices and Key lime juice.

Ingredients:
Cake:
•       1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
•       1 (3.4 oz) pkg lemon instant pudding and pie filling
•       4 large eggs
•       1/2 cup vegetable oil
•       1 cup water
•       1/4 cup Key lime juice

Glaze:
•       2 cups confectioners’ sugar
•       1/3 cup Key lime juice
•       2 tbsp water
•       2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Garnish:
•       additional confectioners’ sugar, lime slices and fresh strawberry slices
Baking Instructions:
1.      Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt or tube pan.
2.      For cake, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup Key lime juice in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until moistened. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes.
3.      Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Remove cake from pan onto cooling rack. Return cake to pan. Poke holes in top of warm cake with toothpick or long-tined fork.
4.      For glaze, combine 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, 1/3 cup Key lime juice, 2 tablespoons water and melted butter in medium bowl. Pour slowly over top of warm cake. Cool completely. Invert onto serving plate. Dust with additional confectioner’s sugar. Garnish with lime slices and strawberry slices, if desired

About Pinnacle Foods Group LLC
Millions of times a day in over 80% of American households, consumers reach for Pinnacle Foods brands.  We are a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, many of which have been trusted household names for decades.  Headquartered in Mountain Lakes, NJ, our $2.6B business employs more than 4,500 people in 19 sites around North America. We are a leader in the dry and frozen foods segments and our brands hold the #1 or #2 market position in 9 out of 12 major category segments in which they compete. Our dry foods brands consist primarily of Armour® canned meats, Bernstein’s® and Nalley® salad dressings, Comstock® and Wilderness® delicious pie fillings and toppings, Duncan Hines® baking mixes and frostings, Log Cabin® syrups and pancake mixes, Nalley® and Brooks® chili and chili ingredients, Mrs. Butterworth’s® syrups and pancake mixes, Open Pit® barbecue sauces, snacks from Tim’s Cascade Snacks®, Snyder of Berlin® and Husman®, and Vlasic® pickles, peppers and relish. Our frozen foods brands consist primarily of Aunt Jemima® frozen breakfasts, Birds Eye® frozen vegetables, frozen meals and frozen side dishes from Birds Eye Steamfresh®, Birds Eye Voila!® frozen meals, and Celeste® frozen pizza, frozen vegetables from C&W® (California & Washington), McKenzie’s®, and Freshlike®, Lender’s® bagels, Swanson® and Hungry-Man® frozen dinners and entrees, Van de Kamp’s® and Mrs. Paul’s® frozen seafood.

About Duncan Hines
A household name for decades, Duncan Hines® is one of America’s most recognizable brands. The brand was started by a man named Duncan Hines who was a traveling salesman, food critic and book author in the 1940s. Today, the Duncan Hines product line includes over 80 different mixes ranging from cakes and brownies to muffins and cookies as well as ready-to-spread frosting.  With a relentless commitment to quality, every product and recipe is developed in celebration of Duncan Hines’ inventive spirit and passion for baking. For more information on Duncan Hines, log onto www.duncanhines.com.

Giveaway

How would you like to win the Duncan Hines products listed in these recipes? I will be giving away 1 set of these to a lucky reader! All you need to do is let me know why you would have an interest in this book to be considered. The contest will run for one week and will end on March 2, 2010.
Bonus Entries:
  • Blog about my Giveaway by linking back to this post (1 entries per blog post. Please leave each entry in separate comments with your URL link in order for it to count)
  • Grab my badge to your sidebar

    • Subscribe to this blog either by RSS or email for one entry (top right hand corner, if you already do leave in a separate comment)
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    • Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away a set of Duncan Hines Products to make St. Patty Treats http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
    • Bookmark this post in Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, or whatever social bookmarking site is your favorite. (Leave comment with the info. One entry per site per day)
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    • Become a fan of Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

    Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

    This contest will run until March 2, 2010 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

    Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

    Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

    Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

  • All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.


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    Try Cooking Your Way Into Your Sweety’s Heart This Valentines Day

    February 6, 2010

    This Valentine’s Day, make it love at first bite with an indulgent token of affection. Duncan Hines® makes it easy to create delicious Valentine’s Day moments on a budget with innovative mouthwatering recipes. Your Valentine won’t believe you made these decadent desserts from a box. Show your love for your family with Classic Red Velvet Cupcakes or bake your sweetheart a Conversation Heart Brownie decorated with a personal message.

    For more recipes, log onto http://www.duncanhines.com/.

    CLASSIC RED VELVET CUPCAKES

    Originally from Down South, and once the signature dessert at the Waldorf-Asotria in the 1920s, the Red Velvet Cake has become an American favorite. It’s hip, fun, and easy to make. Red Velvet — in cake or cupcake form — is a hit at every party.

    Ingredients:
    • 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Red Velvet Cake Mix
    • 1 1/4 cup water
    • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 tub Duncan Hines® Classic Vanilla Frosting or Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Sprinkles or additional garnishes

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F for metal or glass pans, 325°F for dark or coated pans. Grease sides and bottom of each pan with shortening. Flour lightly. (Use baking cups for cupcakes).
    2. Blend dry mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds). Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter in pans and bake

    Baking Instructions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350°F for metal or glass pans, 325°F for dark or coated pans. Grease sides and bottom of each pan with shortening. Flour lightly. (Use baking cups for cupcakes).
    2. Blend dry mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds). Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter in pans and bake immediately.
    3. Bake following in a 13 x 9-inch pan for 35-38 minutes, or bake cupcakes for 19-22 minutes. Add 3-5 minutes to bake time for dark or coated pans. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
    4. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
    5. Garnish, and enjoy!

    CONVERSATION HEART BROWNIES
    Spread the love with Conversation Heart Brownies, a delicious romantic treat. Heart-shaped Duncan Hines Double Fudge Brownies with luscious chocolate and vanilla frosting are sure to create some passion.

    Ingredients:
    • 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Chocolate Lover’s® Double Fudge Brownie Mix
    • 1 large egg
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
    • 1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
    • 1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Chocolate Frosting

    Baking Instructions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 8×8-inch pan.
    2. Prepare and bake brownies according to package directions. Cool completely.
    3. Cut into hearts using a heart-shaped cookie cutter; carefully remove from pan.
    4. Frost with Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Vanilla and Creamy Home-Style Classic Chocolate Frosting and decorate.


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    Cookie Cutter Review & Giveaway

    December 11, 2009

    I recently was asked to review a cookie cutter from http://www.cheapcookiecutters.com/. I was sent the Mini Mouse ears Cookie cutter and when I received it my girls were ecstatic.

    The Cookie Cutter itself was quite solid and makes very small delicate cookies. In looking at the Cookie Cutter site, you can find almost anything you can think of. So whether you are a Disney fan like my family is, or if you like the Wizard of OzHarry Potter, or are looking for your favorite college mascot, you can find a cookie cutter that will interest you.

    To be honest I would never have guessed that there were so many types of cookie cutters out there.

    How would you like to win a cookie cutter? I am giving away either a Mini Mouse Cookie Cutter or a 4 piece Christmas set (normal size) to one lucky reader. All you need to do is go to the Cookie Cutter site and leave a comment telling me what cookie cutter you would choose. The contest will run for one week and will end on December 18, 2009.

    Bonus Entries:

    • Blog about my Giveaway by linking back to this post (1 entries per blog post. Please leave each entry in separate comments with your URL link in order for it to count)
    • Grab my badge to your sidebar

      • Subscribe to this blog either by RSS or email for one entry (top right hand corner, if you already do leave in a separate comment)
      • Stumble this post. (leave username in comment per day)
      • Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)
      • Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away a cookie cutter from http://www.cheapcookiecutters.com/http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
      • Bookmark this post in Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, or whatever social bookmarking site is your favorite. (Leave comment with the info. One entry per site per day)
      • Add me to your Technorati Favs list (one entry, leave username in comment)
      Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

      This contest will run until December 18 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

      Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

      Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

      Open to USA Only

      Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

      The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use for more information.


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