Tag: food

Family Friendly Autumnal Activity Ideas

Welcome back Autumn! Every year I look forward to the Autumn and the warmth it generates inside my home and soul. Where I live, September and October are still rather warm on some days, and turn wet and cold as the months progress toward Winter.  I cannot get enough of the rain this time of year. The cold, wet weather begins to take over outside, driving us all inside to be together and warm. There’s nothing like cuddling up with people you love, reading a good book, watching a movie or playing a video game while the weather misbehaves outside.

I intend to spend a lot of time with my family this year and came up with some family friendly ideas I’d like to experience with Zoey! Follow along and try some of these activities for yourself, this is a time we should all enjoy!

We intend to:

  • Bake bread.
  • Bake cookies for family and/or friends.
  • Collect acorns and make art.
  • Collect leaves and make art.
  • Collect rocks and make art.
  • Make nature pressings or rubbings.
  • Donate to a food bank.
  • Go on a hayride.
  • Go puddling in the rain.
  • Have an indoor picnic on a stormy day.
  • Make a bird feeder.
  • Make Halloween decorations.
  • Go trick or treating!
  • Make fresh tortillas.
  • Make homemade play dough.
  • Make stovetop popcorn.
  • Pick apples.
  • Bake apple pie.
  • Drink apple cider.
  • Make caramel apples.
  • Pick out pumpkins at a pumpkin patch.
  • Give pumpkins a bath.
  • Carve, decorate and/or paint pumpkins.
  • Bake pumpkin bread. 
  • Roast pumpkin seeds.
  • Roast s’mores.
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Horizon: Forbidden West – Bag Upgrades

If there’s one thing I do when I play a game (besides trying to relax and enjoy myself), it’s look up information. I get curious or stuck, and I find myself turning to the internet for answers. There are a lot of good guides out there that are super helpful, but what I don’t see are an abundance of simple and clean visual guides that lay out all the information in one place.

I’ve finished playing Horizon: Forbidden West and I have to say that Aloy has to be one of my favorite female protagonists in video games. She’s so clever, resilient, and that hair is a work of art! Since Horizon: Zero Dawn, I have been fascinated with this world Guerrilla has created and cannot wait for more!

I’ve created upgrade guides for all of Aloy’s baggage! These visual or infographic guides are separated into ammunition holster and quivers, ammunition satchels, and resource pouches. Each bag details what is needed to level it up, and what statistics leveling it up will increase!

Please let me know if you would like me to work on a guide for the other collectibles within Horizon: Forbidden West or if there are any games you would like to see visual information or guides for in the future! I love helping people, discussing games and organizing information!

Healthy Homemade Snack – Baked Zucchini Chips

I love a good snack, snacks are delicious! Are they good for you? Ehhh it’s always up for debate, but if you are going to eat something between meals, perhaps while you’re cozying up to watch a movie or play a game, why not make it a healthier choice?

I think most nutritionists agree that anything deep-fried should be consumed in moderation or not at all, but chips are sooooo good! The solution? Let’s create our own oven-baked chips! And not just potato chips, let’s create some delicious vegetable chips too! This way we are regulating exactly what is going into and/or on to our chips with no deep-frying to be found!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 4 large zucchini
  • Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 240 F.
  2. Wash the zucchini, then use a mandolin to uniformly slice them into thin chips.
  3. Place the zucchini slices on a clean dish towel or paper towels. Cover them with another dish towel or paper towels and set a baking sheet on them, pressing own slightly to remove excess moisture.
  4. After drying, place the zucchini slices into a bowl and toss them with olive oil and a few pinches of salt (how much depends on your preference).
  5. Coat a large baking sheet (or more) with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
  6. Place the zucchini slices on the baking sheets in a single layer.
  7. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until crisp and golden.
  8. Allow the chips to cool completely. 
  9. Enjoy!

Simple Shaken Homemade Ice Cream Recipe

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream!

It’s summertime, and many of us think about cold and refreshing treats for the hot days ahead. When I was a little girl, my grandpa would bring out a hand-cranked ice cream maker during family barbecues and my job was to sit on it to hold it steady. It may sound silly, but I loved that job, and felt super important doing it.

I’m not sure if that old ice cream maker fell apart, or it’s stored away somewhere and I can’t find it. I would love to buy or make another one some day, but for now we’ll get Zoey involved in making ice cream another way, that will admittedly burn off more energy!

Let’s make some homemade ice cream in bags!

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup of half and half
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • Ice
  • 1/4 cup of salt
  • 2 plastic sandwich bags
  • 1 plastic gallon bag
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Pour the half and half, sugar and vanilla extract into a small bowl, then whisk to combine.
  2. Pour the half and half mixture into one of the plastic sandwich bags and seal, then place it into the other sandwich bag and seal.
  3. Fill half of the gallon bag with ice and the salt.
  4. Place the smaller bag into the larger bag and cover the rest of it with ice, then seal the larger bag.
  5. The salt will make the ice colder than comfortable so wear oven mitts to protect your hands and shake the bag for about 6-12 minutes.
  6. Remove the small bag from the larger bag and rinse it well to remove any salt residue.
  7. Carefully open the bag and empty the ice cream into a bowl, stirring a bit to smooth.
  8. Enjoy!

Healthy Homemade Snack – Baked Potato Chips

I love a good snack, snacks are delicious! Are they good for you? Ehhh it’s always up for debate, but if you are going to eat something between meals, perhaps while you’re cozying up to watch a movie or play a game, why not make it a healthier choice?

I think most nutritionists agree that anything deep-fried should be consumed in moderation or not at all, but chips are sooooo good! The solution? Let’s create our own oven-baked chips! This way we are regulating exactly what is going into and/or on to our chips with no deep-frying to be found!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound of russet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Wash the potatoes, then use a mandolin to uniformly slice them into thin chips.
  2. Place the potato slices into a large bowl and cover them with cold water. 
  3. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to soak for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
  4. Drain the potato slices and pat them dry.
  5. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
  6. Coat a large baking sheet (or more) with cooking spray.
  7. In a large bowl, toss the potato slices together with the olive oil and salt to coat evenly. 
  8. Spread the potato slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
  9. Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the chips are a very light golden color and appear crunchy. Keep a careful eye on the potatoes to make sure they don’t brown and overcook.
  10. Allow the chips to cool completely. 
  11. Enjoy!

Merlin’s Soft Ginger Cookie Recipe (The Sword in the Stone)

INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be baking Merlin’s soft ginger cookies from Disney’s The Sword in the Stone.

This recipe is featured when Arthur drops in on Merlin for the first time. Of course Merlin is expecting him, with tea and these large delicious-looking cookies waiting for him!

I am a fan of chewy cookies and these are perfect! All the taste of a gingersnap or gingerbread, but with more bounce! They pair well with black tea, but I’m sure you could experiment with other types of beverages too!

MERLIN’S SOFT GINGER COOKIES
  • 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 3/4 cup of butter, softened
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon of water
  • 1/4 cup of molasses
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt, then set this bowl aside.
  2. In another large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and the 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the egg and then the molasses and water to the creamed butter, and mix again thoroughly.
  4. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky when ready.
  5. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour or more, then remove the dough from the refrigerator.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper. 
  7. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar to a small mixing bowl and set it aside.
  8. Scoop out portions of 1 to 2 tablespoons of dough, rolling them into balls bout an inch to an inch and a half in diameter. Toss each cookie dough ball in the bowl of sugar to coat, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.
  9. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes (this varies per oven so keep an eye on them) or until the top of the cookie begins to crinkle and the bottom sides turn golden brown.
  10. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire cooking rack to cool completely.
  11. Enjoy!

Tiana’s Beignet Recipe (The Princess and the Frog)

Tiana's Beignet Recipe
INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be frying up Tiana’s Beignets from Disney’s The Princess and the Frog.

Tiana's Beignet Recipe
Tiana's Beignet Recipe

This recipe is featured several times as it is one of Tiana’s specialties, but the most memorable is when she’s preparing them in Duke’s Cafe. She is seen dusting a large batch with powdered sugar, then lightly drizzling them with honey. They look so good!

These Beignets are fluffy and delicious! The dusting of powdered sugar and drizzle of honey give a nice sweetness, without overload. I added nutmeg to the recipe because it was mentioned as Tiana’s secret ingredient in one of my daughter’s books!

Tiana's Beignet Recipe
TIANA’S BEIGNETS
  • 3 cups of flour, plus more for dusting
  • 3/4 teaspoons of kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar, divided
  • 1 cup of warm whole milk
  • 1 packet of active dry yeast
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons of butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of vegetable oil
  • 2 cups of powdered sugar
  • Honey
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a large bowl.
  2. In a separate medium bowl, combine the warm milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar and the yeast, then allow it to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy.
  3. Beat the egg into the foamy mixture, then add it to the bowl of dry ingredients. 
  4. Mix by hand until until the dough comes together, then add the melted butter and keep mixing and kneading with your hand until well incorporated (the dough will be smooth and slightly tacky to the touch).
  5. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl.
  6. Cover the bowl with plastic and allow it rise until doubled in size (this could be 1 to 2 hours depending on the temperature of the room).
  7. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it out into a rectangular shape about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 12 rectangles, then cover them with a flour dusted towel to rest while you heat the oil.
  8. In a large heavy bottomed sauce pot (I use my dutch oven), slowly heat the oil to about 325F as read on a candy or deep fry thermometer.
  9. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet next to the pot of oil and have tongs or a spider ready.
  10. Scoop the powdered sugar (about 1/3 cup at a time) into a sifter and set it next to the rack and the sheet pan. 
  11. Fry the beignets for about 90 seconds on each side, or until golden.
  12. Use your tongs or spider to lift the beignets out of the frying oil and place them on the cooling rack for at least a minute.
  13. While they are still hot sift powdered sugar over both sides, top and bottom, then drizzle with honey.
  14. Enjoy!
Tiana's Beignet Recipe
Tiana's Beignet Recipe

Skillet Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe

Skillet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I love snacking on roasted pumpkin seeds! So delicious, easy to prepare and eat, and with numerous health benefits, who could say no? Traditionally I make large batches every year after we carve our Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns and we snack on them for weeks!

I do not use oil in this recipe.

Skillet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Salt
  • Seasoned salt (optional)
  • Water
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. As you carve your pumpkins, keep all the seeds in a bowl. I find it easier to separate the seeds and pulp into two separate bowls as I go, rather than sort that mess out later.
  2. Place the seeds into a colander and rinse them under cold water, stirring with your hands to make sure they are all rinsed thoroughly.
  3. Place the seeds in a medium saucepan, then add 4 to 6 cups of water and about 1 tablespoon of salt for each half cup of seeds.
  4. Bring the saltwater and seeds to a boil for 10 minutes, then remove them from the heat and strain.
  5. Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet or two and allow them to completely dry (this may take up to a week).
  6. Once the seeds are completely dry, prepare a small bowl with salt water. This is to crystalize on the outer shell, so dissolve as much salt as you want for a saltier outer shell, or less if you feel the brine was enough.
  7. Place the seeds into a skillet and roast on medium to low heat, stirring continuously for an even cook.
  8. When they nearly roasted to your liking, dip your fingers into the salt water and splash it as evenly as possible over the roasted seeds, then continue to stir until the water has evaporated.
  9. Remove the seeds from the heat and allow them to cool.
  10. Enjoy!
Skillet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Skillet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pastry Wrapped Baked Apples with Nutella & Granola Recipe

Have you ever had a pastry wrapped, baked apple? It’s like having our own personal apple pie and if you stuff it with something you love? Pure delight!

These pastry wrapped, baked apples are stuffed with something I love, Nutella! I also added some granola for texture, but you can go full Nutella if that’s what you’re into! This does take some work in preparation time, but it will be well worth it to eat! Enjoy it my friends!

PASTRY WRAPPED BAKED APPLES WITH NUTELLA & GRANOLA
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar 
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon of water
  • 4 Granny Smith apples
  • 1 package of frozen puff pastry
  • Nutella
  • Granola
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Set out the pastry dough to thaw enough to work with while you prepare the other ingredients.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and ground cinnamon, then set it aside.
  3. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg and the water together until combined, then set it aside.
  4. Peel the apples and then use a melon baller to scoop out the cores, leaving the bottoms intact.
  5. Coat the outside of each apple with the cinnamon sugar mixture and set them aside.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a pastry sheet to about a 9 by 10 inch rectangle, then cut the rectangle into 9, 1 inch strips.
  7. Repeat step 6 with the second pastry sheet.
  8. Starting at the bottom of the apple, begin winding a pastry strip around and up, slightly overlapping the edges of the pastry. Once a strip ends, align another strip and continue winding until you reach the top of the apple. Strips can be attached to one another by wetting your finger with water and smoothing dough together.
  9. Repeat step 8 with each apple until they are all wrapped in pastry and place them all on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat.
  10. Use the extra dough to create leaf shapes and attach them to the top of each apple by wetting your finger with water and smoothing the dough together.
  11. Lightly scoop some Nutella into the hole in the apple, then press some granola in and add more Nutella on top of the granola.
  12. Repeat step 11 with each apple.
  13. Lightly brush the pastry dough with the egg wash.
  14. Chill the apples in the refrigerator for 20 to 25 minutes.
  15. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  16. Remove the apples from the refrigerator and bake them for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
  17. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Hen Wen’s Apple Porridge Recipe (The Black Cauldron)

Hen Wen's Apple Porridge Recipe
INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be cooking Hen Wen’s Apple Porridge from Disney’s The Black Cauldron.

The Black Cauldron Movie Poster
Hen Wen's Apple Porridge Recipe

This recipe is featured in the beginning of the film, when Caer Dallben asks Taran to feed Hen Wen the porridge he prepared for her. 

This porridge looks much more appetizing than the one in the film. I couldn’t help myself! I thought to myself, if I wanted to eat porridge with apples, I’d want the apples to be cooked separately to develop their flavor more and I’m sure Hen Wen would approve!

Hen Wen's Apple Porridge Recipe
HEN WEN’S APPLE PORRIDGE

APPLES

  • 2 apples, peeled and cut into slices
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • Cinnamon
  • Brown sugar

PORRIDGE

  • 1 cup of old fashioned oats
  • 1 3/4 cups of whole milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon of salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS (APPLES)

  1. Peel and cut the apples into slices.
  2. Pour the water into a small sauce pan, then add the apples.
  3. Sprinkle the desired amount of cinnamon and brown sugar onto the apples and stir to distribute.
  4. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally to evenly coat and cook the apples.
  5. Once cooked, remove from the heat and set aside for the porridge (see below).

INSTRUCTIONS (PORRIDGE)

  1. In a medium saucepan, boil the milk with the salt.
  2. Stir in the oats.
  3. Cook the oats for about 5 minutes over medium heat; stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove the porridge from the heat and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, then stir to distribute.
  5. Spoon the porridge into two bowls and arrange the cooked apple slices (see above) on top. I arranged mine into the shape of a rose and I believe next time I’ll cover the porridge completely.
  6. Enjoy!
Hen Wen's Apple Porridge Recipe
Hen Wen's Apple Porridge Recipe