A friend of mine who I really admire is an avid cook — and a great one at that. She’s an awesome mom and wife, works full time and makes it all look effortless (a rare feat for most women). One way she likes to spend time with her kids is by getting them into the kitchen, where they make everything under the sun together. We had dinner at her house a while back and she put out a spread for us that would have made the most talented restaurant chef envious. Right in the center of the table was a loaf of fresh, homemade bread. It was warm, soft, made the whole house smell like a bakery and was nothing like the variety you would buy at the grocery in a plastic bag.

I don’t know many kids who don’t like to play with dough, so I decided to make some Honey Wheat Bread and get Kenya involved in the fun. Breads that contain yeast can be intimidating to bake at first, but this recipe couldn’t be easier. Kenya has a blast dumping all of the ingredients in a bowl, mixing it up, watching the dough rise (a magical site for a little kid) and finally kneading and pulling apart the dough to make rolls for us to eat at dinner and use for sandwiches the next day.

Is it possible to be the perfect mom? Probably not, but at least we can have some fun with our kids and give it a try!

Honey Wheat Bread (Makes 2 Loaves or 24 Rolls)

2 1/2 Cups Warm Water
1/3 Cup Honey
1 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Package Dry Instant Yeast (you can find it at any grocery)
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
4 Cups Bread Flour (plus 1/2 cup extra to dust your work surface for kneading)

1. Whisk the warm water, honey, butter, salt and instant yeast until the ingredients dissolve.
2. Gradually add the flours into the bowl, stirring with a whisk to combine.
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth (it’s done when you poke your finger in it and it bounces back).
4. Place in a large greased or oiled bowl, cover with plastic and place in a warm area (I like to set it on top of my oven) for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. After the dough has risen, place it on a floured work surface. Cut into 2 equal pieces if making loaves or into 24 equal pieces if making rolls.
6. Shape the dough into 2 even loaf shapes and place into two greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans (or shape the 24 pieces into rolls and place on parchment lined sheet trays).
7. Cover the loaves with greased plastic wrap (so the dough doesn’t stick to it) and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour for loaves, 30 minutes for rolls or until the dough or rolls have doubled in size.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
9. Bake 50 minutes for loaves or 30 minutes for rolls.
10. Serve.

Drum roll, please! After much deliberation and heated discussion amongst a group of kids, grandparents, moms, dads, friends and, of course, myself, the winner of the weelicious Holiday Recipe Contest is Kristen Fantozzi for her incredibly delicious and festive Cranberry Walnut Biscotti! So popular was this recipe with my gang, I had to make a second batch by popular demand! With a hint of orange zest and vanilla, a crispy texture and sweet bites of dried cranberries, these biscotti are great to keep on hand or give as a gift (if you can handle parting with them).

Hopefully Kristen will send me some of the new recipes she will be making with her new Zojirushi Breadmaker!

Cranberry Walnut Biscotti (Makes 30 Cookies)

3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
1 Cup White Sugar
1 Tsp Orange Zest
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tsp Almond Extract
3 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped
3/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl or standing mixer, beat eggs, oil, sugar, orange zest, vanilla and almond extract for 1 minute until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder and slowly add to the egg mixture in small increments until you form a stiff dough.
4. Fold in walnuts and cranberries and thoroughly combine.
5. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a log (about the length of the width of the cookie sheet). Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the log and flatten with a rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thick and about 4-5 inches wide.
6. Place flattened logs onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Remove from the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack to cool.
9. When cool, slice the bread crosswise into 1/2 inch slices and place them back onto the cookie sheet cut-side down.
10. Bake each side for 7-10 minutes or until slices are lightly toasted.
11. Cool and serve.

Kat Driscoll totally blew me away with her recipe for carrot souffle. Whether you make one for the crowd or individual ramekins for everyone, they’re light, sweet, bright in color and something that the youngest to the oldest in your family will enjoy.

Hopefully Kat will be emailing me tons of recipes she’s come up with using her new Zojurushi Rice Cooker!

Carrot Soufflé (Makes 6- 4 oz ramekins or 1 8×8 dish)

1 lb or 1 Bag Baby Carrots
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
3 Eggs
1/4 Cup White Sugar
3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Vanilla
¼ Tsp Salt

1. Place carrots in a steamer pot and steam for 5 minutes or until fork tender then remove and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 300 F.
3. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.
4. Pour batter into greased ramekins about 2/3 up or an 8×8 glass baking dish.
5. Place ramekins or baking dish into a water bath with the water half way up the ramekin or dish.
6. Bake for 1 hour. (You can test the center with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean)
7. Cool, flip over the ramekins to remove the soufflé or cut into bars from the baking dish.
8. Serve.

Congratulations to Jen Swayne, our 4th place Day 2 winner for her amazing Orange Ginger Cookies that everyone in our house gobbled up. I’ve never tasted a cookie so unique and perfect for the holidays! I hope you enjoy your KiddieBlanket Toasty Fleece Blanket!

Orange Ginger Cookies (Makes 3 Dozen)

2 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking Soda
3/4 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup White Sugar, plus 2 Tbsp sugar for coating
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Molasses
2 Tbsp Orange Zest
2 Tbsp Orange Juice, fresh squeezed

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Sift together the first 7 ingredients and set aside.
3. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream together butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).
4. Add egg to the creamed butter mixture and beat another minute until combined.
5. Add molasses, orange zest and juice and combine.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until they are all incorporated. Chill dough for one hour.
7. Shape dough into 1-inch balls then roll them in the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar.
8. Place the balls onto a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet and slightly flatten using the palm of your hands (make sure cookies are placed about 2 inches away from each other since they will widen when baking)
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
10. Cool and serve.

After two weeks of testing what seemed like an endless number of mouthwatering ideas from our holiday recipe contest and being in the impossible position of having to narrow them down to the five best (you submitted so many incredible recipes, it makes me sad we can’t recognize more), I finally get to announce the winners! In the final selection, I took many different criteria into consideration. Most important was taste, but a recipe that I believe will be appealing to eaters both young and old was also high on my list. The five recipes I’m going to announce over the course of this week passed the tests with flying colors. So, with no further ado, today’s winner is….

Tanya Warburton came in 5th place for her unbelievably delicious Basil Pesto Cheesecake, which both of my kids (and my husband) devoured! Tanya, I hope you and your family will enjoy your prize, a Laptop Lunches Lunchbox. Congratulations, Tanya!

Basil Cheesecake (Serves 12)

1 Tbsp Butter, melted
2 Tbsp Breadcrumbs or Panko
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated
½ Cup Basil Pesto
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup or 1- 8oz block Cream Cheese, softened
2 Eggs
½ Tsp Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Brush a 6-inch spring form pan, 8×8-baking dish, or pie pan with 1 tbsp of melted butter.
3. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and coat the buttered dish with the mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until smooth and pour into the dish.
5. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the center is set.
6. Allow to cool before cutting and/or releasing cheesecake from the spring form.
7. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve with sliced baguette or crackers.

Finding a holiday side dish that everyone loves isn’t always easy. Since the holidays normally require a lot of cooking, I try to come up with recipes that don’t take up additional oven space, but are still easy to make, look festive and will be enjoyed by adults and kids alike.

Traditional Waldorf Salad gets its signature sweet and crunch from the array of fruits, nuts and celery in it, but my recipe is a lot more healthy than a lot of the ones you’ll find that usually include large amounts of mayonnaise. This version has the lightest dressing that coats everything and is sure to be gobbled up by your crowd!

Waldorf Salad (Makes 4 Servings)

1/2 Cup Celery, chopped (about 2 stalks)
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup Grapes, halved or quartered depending on size
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries, chopped
1/4 Cup Walnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup Plain Yogurt (I use 0% Greek Yogurt)
2 Tbsp Orange Juice
2 Tsp Honey
1/4 Tsp Salt

1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Stir the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl until combined and pour over the apple mixture.
3. Stir until the fruits and nuts are evenly coated.
4. Serve.

Our family went to a friend’s birthday party a few weeks ago on a cold, chilly afternoon. As we walked into the house, we saw a huge group of kids gathered around something in the kitchen. My first thought was they must be attacking an enormous plate of holiday cookies, but as we got closer I realized that they were all standing in line for hot Apple Cider. We quickly joined the queue. You didn’t even have to taste it to know how good it was going to be. The entire kitchen was filled with the incredible aroma of apple and spices, drawing all the little guests to the stove like an aromatic Pied Piper!

It’s remained pretty cold here in California and I’ve been brewing up my own pots of cider,
treating everyone to something perfect at this time of year that is sure to warm their
tummies! It doesn’t get much easier to make, so you can enjoy this special treat with your family all winter long.

Spiced Apple Cider (Serves 4)

1- 64 oz Apple Cider
12 Cloves
2 Lemons, juiced
2 Cinnamon Sticks

1. Place all the ingredients (including the juiced lemon rinds) in
a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
2. Serve (obviously don’t ladle the cloves, cinnamon or lemons into the cups!).

When I was a kid growing up, Christmas just wouldn’t have been Christmas without Cheese Grits on the table. It was as traditional in our home as candy canes are for most people. Everyone in my family had their own slight variation on the classic recipe, and some years it wouldn’t be surprising to find a bunch of family members each bringing their own version to the festivities. But generally, it was my Aunt who took home the prize for the best grits. Hers were super creamy and cheesy, and I’ve tried to recreate them here. While it might not be the most healthy of dishes, it’s an extra special one to make at an extra special time of year!

Cheese Grits (Serves 6)

4 Cups Water
1 Cup Quick Grits
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Butter
5.2 Oz Garlic Cheese (I use Boursin Cheese)
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 Egg, whisked
1/2 Cup Milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the grits and salt.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook grits for 5 minutes or until thickened.
4. Remove grits from the heat and stir in the butter, garlic cheese and 3/4 cup of cheddar until melted.
5. In a separate bowl mix the egg and milk, and add to the grits mixture until combined.
6. Pour into a buttered 11 x 7 inch casserole dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until golden and bubbly.
8. Serve.

First and foremost, weelicious is about recipes for kids — or at least that was the intention when I started this website for little ones almost four years ago. I dreamt of coming up with meal ideas that would appeal to kids and inspire them to eat foods that are not only good for them, but that taste delicious at the same time. Something has happen along the way, though. I’ve realized that we’re all kids at heart and even adults love the idea of food that comes in interesting shapes, has bright colors, unique flavors or an engaging aspect to them.

So, did I make these Italian Aspargus Sticks for: my kids or me and my hubby? The kids and I had these tasty asparagus stick creations for dinner one night and we loved every bite. I never know how the kids will react to certain vegetables, but the taste and presentation of these sticks are so appealing that it’s hard for even the most finicky eater to resist them. Tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, Kenya and Chloe loved dipping the asparagus in the tomato sauce I served with it on the side and kept remarking, “there so crunchy, Mommy!” As I do with most recipes, I double what I make and freeze half in order to have plenty for another night, but my planning was all for naught. When my husband got home from work later that night, I sat with him while he ate our leftovers. He ate them all and wanted more so I popped the frozen ones in the oven to toast them up for him. The next thing I noticed, they were all gone! So much for being prepared for a future meal.

It’s good to know that no matter what our age we can all enjoy the same foods and always remember it’s great to be a kid at heart!

Italian Asparagus Sticks (Serves 4)

1 Cup Whole Wheat Panko or Bread Crumbs
1 Tbsp Italian Herbs (you can find them in any grocery’s spice section)
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Large Eggs
1/4 Cup Flour
1 Bunch Asparagus, cleaned and stems removed (if you snap the asparagus down towards the bottom, they will naturally break at the woody part at the bottom)
Tomato Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
3. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl.
4. Place the flour in another bowl.
5. Make an assembly line with the bowls. Dip the asparagus first into the flour, then the egg and finally into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly and repeating with all the sticks.

6. Place all of the coated sticks on the baking sheet/rack. Arrange so they’re not touching, spray lightly with oil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bread crumbs are golden.

7. Serve with Weelicious Tomato Sauce

*IF FREEZING: after step 5, place sticks on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and place in a Ziploc bag. Label and freeze. When ready to eat – remove from freezer and put sticks in the oven, adding at least another 3-5 minutes baking time.

Want to make a side dish that’s a little bit out of the ordinary? Italian Asparagus Sticks are crunchy on the outside, tender inside and big and little hands will be grabbing for them!