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Search Results for: mini chef mondays

BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

May 16, 2016 by Larisha Campbell 2 Comments

BBQ-Pulled-Chicken-Sandwich

Father’s Day is right around the corner. Nestle between Memorial Day and Fourth of July, it’s only right that we celebrate dads with some delicious barbecue. It’s funny that when Andrew and I got together, I didn’t even like barbecue sauce at all, but he made me a believer.  Now that we have kids, our toddler will lick it off a spoon and we not only make something with BBQ sauce at least once every two weeks throughout the entire year, but we also make our own homemade BBQ sauce.

BBQ-Pulled-Chicken-recipe

It’s delicious and sweet and so simple to make, but what’s even better is that it’s easy enough for our toddler to make.  She’s been making it for awhile now and she loves that it’s something she can completely do all by her self. Teaching independence while instilling healthy eating habits is so important to our family.

making bbq sauce

She also loves knowing that she’s making something for daddy, so when I told her we were making these BBQ Pulled Chicken sandwiches for daddy, her eyes just lit up with joy.

how to shred chicken

Here’s our easy recipe:

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BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
  • BBQ Sauce
  • ciabatta rolls
  • gouda cheese slices
  • Optional toppings: lettuce tomatoes, onions, sliced avocado
Instructions
  1. In a slow cooker, add the chicken breasts and bbq sauce.
  2. Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours.
  3. Remove from crockpot and shred chicken.
  4. Add the chicken to the rolls and top with additional toppings.
  5. Enjoy!

BBQ-Pulled-Chicken-Sandwich-recipe

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

MCM Blogs

Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Semi-Homemade Strawberry Yogurt Recipe // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Mini Strawberry Shortcakesl // Momma Lew
  3. Fresh Strawberry Banana Muffinsr // Finding Zest
  4. BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches // We’re Parents
  5. Where Does Beef Come From? Kids Farm Visit // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Grilled Fluffernutter Sandwich // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Four Ingredient Stuffed Mushrooms // Vegging at the Shore
  8. 5 Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chewy Granola Bars // O’Boy! Organic
  9. 25+ Cute Foods for Kids! // My Mini Adventurer

An InLinkz Link-up


 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies

May 9, 2016 by Andrew Leave a Comment

S'mores-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies-Recipe

Over the weekend, Skibbles, our toddler, was begging to go outside.  Unfortunately, it was raining again. I don’t think we saw the sun for at least seven straight days. I always heard the phrase, “April showers brings May flowers”, yet it always seems to rain a ton in May. Anyway, I ended up building her a fort with the chairs in our living room and it got me thinking about once she’s older it would be fun to take the girls camping in our backyard.  Now, I say our backyard because I don’t think I can do wilderness camping out in the middle of nowhere.  I need access to the actual bathroom and the ability to escape in case I hear some funky noises out there.

I’ve actually never been camping of any sort, so I started talking to Larisha about things that people do when they go camping and she told me about a time when her class in elementary school went on a school camping trip.  They had this group scavenger hunt through the woods, swam in a river, and more, but the most fun thing she told me about was cooking all the food.

She explained how there was this huge bonfire and they found sticks in the woods and cooked hotdogs and made s’mores. It’s definitely something that I wished that I would have had the opportunity to experience growing up, but made me think that it’s going to be even more enjoyable being able to experience it with my girls instead.

making smores chocolate chip cookies

Since we weren’t able to go outside because of the rain, I decided to take the outside inside for the recipe this week.  Larisha loves my homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe that I’ve been working on for awhile now and I decided to kick it up a notch and make these homemade Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Larisha and I were both impressed with just how amazing they turned out.  They are definitely going to be our go to recipe to take to get togethers now, especially in the summer.

making smores chocolate chip cookies recipe

thick cookie dough batter

The dough is not like your typical chocolate chip cookie dough recipe.  This is a thick and dense dough batter so that the fudge sauce and marshmallows stay inside properly. The end results are these thick, yet soft and amazing cookies bursting with chocolate sauce and melted marshmallows.  Just the things that get you excited about eating S’mores in the summer.

mini chef mondays smores chocolate chip cookies

I mean …you guys….look at this.

homemade smores chocolate chip cookies

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Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter slightly melted (30 seconds in microwave)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 egg
  • 1 cup chocolate chip chunks
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 120 mini marshmallows 1/2 of standard size bag
For fudge sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Make fudge sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together butter, white and brown sugars, and vanilla on low speed.
  5. Add eggs in ones at a time.
  6. Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl. *You will have to mix some by hand as this is thick dough.
  7. Add in the chips until combined.
  8. Roll the dough out into 3in balls.
  9. Flatten the balls and add 4 mini marshmallows and a tsp of fudge sauce.
  10. Fold up and bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. Remove and let cool on baking rack.

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

daddy and me making chocolate chip cookies

S'mores-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies

MCM Blogs
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Banana Split Frozen Yogurt Bark // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie Bowl // Momma Lew
  3. Strawberry Cucmber Lime Infused Water // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Smores Chocolate Chip Cookies // We’re Parents
  5. Super Moist Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Ginger Snap Cookies // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Strawberry Lime Frozen Pie // Vegging at the Shore
  8. 5 Ways to Get Kids Involved in the Kitchen // O’Boy! Organic
  9. French Style Yogurt Cake // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Desserts, Home, Kids In The Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: chocolate, cookies, mini chef mondays, recipes

Strawberry and Avocado Salsa

May 2, 2016 by Larisha Campbell 4 Comments

strawberry and avocado salsa recipe

Happy May friends!

Can you believe it’s already May!?  It seems almost impossible, but I really think it might be because we have a second child now.  Every month seems to have just gone by in a blink since having her and here we are just a few short weeks away from her 1st birthday! GAH!

Anywho, back on topic. May is National Strawberry Month AND National Salsa Month. Not only that, but it’s Cinco de Mayo in just a few days. What better way to celebrate all that than getting into out kitchen for Mini Chef Mondays to make this delicious Strawberry and Avocado Salsa.

kids learning about herbs

teaching kids about herbs

This week was a super sensory learning experience for Skibbles. I have been teaching her about fresh herbs and we have started growing some from seeds too, so she was so excited to learn about that. We use both fresh basil and fresh cilantro in this recipe so seeing her touch and smell the leaves and talk about them with her was fun. We worked on tasting them and talking about how they taste different than spinach or lettuce. She kept picking them up and smelling them throughout the recipe.

kids learning to use knives

We’ve also started working on her cutting skills.  We gave her a kid’s safe cutting knife and she’s been practicing on various things. These strawberries for the strawberry and avocado salsa recipe were perfect since they just needed diced and nothing fancy.  The most amazing thing about being a parent is watching your child’s eyes beam with proudness and satisfaction as they learn to do new things, especially things that they associate with being a grown up task.

mini chef mondays how to make strawberry and avocado salsa

Then we just had to mix everything together.   

homemade strawberry and avocado salsa

how to make strawberry and avocado salsa

This is such a perfect recipe to getting your kid’s in the kitchen, teaching them new skills, and about mixing bold and unique flavors together.  This Strawberry and Avocado Salsa is great on chips, but also pairs amazingly well atop grilled seasoned chicken. YUM!

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Strawberry and Avocado Salsa
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 Avocado diced
  • 1 1/2 cups Fresh Strawberries diced
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 2 1/2 tbsp Red Onion finely diced
  • 1 clove Garlic finely minced
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • Lime Zest of 1/2 Lime
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and gently combine.
  2. Serve within 24 hours.

homemade strawberry and avocado salsa recipe

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

MCM Blogs

Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Cherry Avocado Smoothie Bowl // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Zucchini Meatballs // Momma Lew
  3. Strawberry Lime Ice Pops // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Strawberry and Avocado Salsa // We’re Parents
  5. Edible Mother’s Day Gifts // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Dessert Tacos // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Perfect for Brunch Blintz Souffle // Vegging at the Shore
  8. 3 Ingredient Strawberry Rhubarb Fruit Leather // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Pineapple Upside Down Cake Popsicles // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


 

Filed Under: Dinner, Home, Recipes Tagged With: avocado, mini chef mondays, recipe, salsa, strawberry

Brownie Bottom Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe

April 25, 2016 by Andrew 2 Comments

brownie bottom raspberry cheesecakeThey say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Since meeting Larisha, I’ve learned the way to a woman’s heart is by anything sweet. Since having kids, I’ve learned it’s anything sweet and time for herself. With Mother’s Day right around the corner I wanted to show other dads an amazingly sweet dessert that will not only impress the Misses but have her wondering where in the world you bought this from. For an added sweet touch, make this with your kiddo and mama will get all sweet and mushy. Well, until we do something to land us in the dog house again.

One of Larisha’s favorite sweet treats is cheesecake and I decided this year to try my hand at it. I’ve seen her make it a ton of times and my baking skills are pretty on point (see my sweet potato pie recipe here), so I was confident that Skibbles, our toddler, and I could do this together.
how to make raspberry cheesecake recipe

mini chef mondays raspberry cheesecake recipe

I decided to make a brownie bottom raspberry cheesecake and it turned out beautiful. A layer of decadent dense, almost fudge like brownie with sprinkles of chocolate chips underneath an airy and sweet layer of raspberry cheesecake — what!? Man, stop playing with me right now.  This is the bomb.

raspberry cheesecake recipe with brownie bottom

The only way to make this better fellas is to let her eat it alone while she takes a hot, uninterrupted bath. Don’t forget her glass of wine!

brownie bottom raspberry cheesecake recipe

mothers day dessert idea

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

MCM Blogs
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Fruit Punch Recipe // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes that Kids Can Make For Mom // Momma Lew
  3. Quick and Easy Flatbread Pizza // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Brownie Bottom Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe // We’re Parents
  5. Healthy Easy Strawberry Cobbler Recipe // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Chocolate Marshmallow Fondue // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Pear Arugula Panini // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Double Chocolate Waffles with Berry Sauce // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Berry Lemon Popsicles // My Mini Adventurer

An InLinkz Link-up


 

Filed Under: Desserts, Home, Recipes Tagged With: cheesecake, mini chef mondays, raspberry, recipes

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

April 18, 2016 by Larisha Campbell Leave a Comment

pineapple upside down cupcakes

I remember growing up that having a Pineapple Upside Down cake was always a special treat. For some reason, I grew up thinking that it was some sort of difficult recipe to make.  I mean it had to be right?  You had to magically make this cake that after you baked it and inverted it that there were these pineapples and cherries perfectly and symmetrically placed on the, now top, of this cake.  It was like some sort of magic.

I can’t be the only one who thought this growing up was I?

Fast forward to about a year ago, and I finally realized that not only was this sort of cake insanely easy to make, but that making your own cake batter (no, not out of the box) was really easy as well.  WHY HAD I NEVER TRIED TO MAKE A CAKE FROM SCRATCH BEFORE!? Annnndddd….why did I not know that there were other fruit combinations to make upside down cakes with!? WHYYY had people been hiding this secrecy from me!?

mini chef mondays pineapple upside down cupcakes

My vow to my girls —>>> make all the upside down cake things while they are growing up.

Last Christmas, we went over to Andrew’s brothers house and his sister had made pineapple upside down cupcakes.

WHATTTT!?

mini chef mondays making pineapple upside down cupcakes

Again, I was left with this feeling of why? Why did I not know or even think of this before? So, I was determined to make them at home.  This recipe make 12 large cupcakes, so if you wanted them smaller you could definitely adjust for that.  They would be adorable as mini cupcake bites. We use strawberries in this recipe instead of cherries because not only is the flavor combination delicious, but *most* store bought cherries have a ton of red dye in them and we try to avoid dyes in our home. Also, because I once saw a documentary on how maraschino cherries are made and it weirded me out HAHA.

Anywho…. We made a family day out of this one and we all pitched in to help make these Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes.  Well, Baby just really enjoyed screaming until someone put more food in her mouth. Skibbles was so confused about why we were putting fruit in the bottom of the pan when I told her we were making cake and kept saying, “no, mama, I want cake”.  Luckily, she eventually saw that we really were making pineapple upside down cupcakes and the meltdown didn’t last too long.

how to make pineapple upside down cupcakes

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Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, divided
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar + 1 tbsp divided
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 pint canned pineapple finely chopped (1/2 can crushed if store bought)
  • 3 large strawberries halved
Instructions
  1. *For the following recipe, we made 6 large cupcake. Adjust accordingly to make smaller ones.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In the bottom of each cupcake tin, brush 1/4 cup melted butter evenly amongst the 6 tins.
  4. Evenly divide pineapple in a ring along each tin and place one half of a strawberry in center of pineapple.
  5. Take 1 tbsp brown sugar and evenly sprinkle on top of pineapple/strawberry mixture.
  6. In a bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients together with a whisk.
  7. Then add wet ingredients and whisk together until no lumps remain.
  8. Evenly divide mixture to each tin.
  9. Bake 25-28 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  10. Remove and let sit for 3 minutes.
  11. Invert pan onto a baking sheet and carefully remove.
  12. Let cool, serve immediately.

Don’t they just look delicious!?  What other flavors of “upside down” desserts have you made?

pineapple upside down cupcakes recipe

MCM Blogs

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Banana Split Smoothie // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Old Fashion Lemonade Recipe // Momma Lew
  3. Homemade Limeade // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes // We’re Parents
  5. Encouraging Fruits and Vegetables for Kids // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Cookies & Cream Milkshake // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Easy Spinach Manicotti // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Make Your Own Omelette Bar // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Dinosaur Fossil Cookies // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Desserts, Home, Kids In The Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: cake, cupcakes, mini chef mondays, recipes

Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

April 11, 2016 by Andrew Leave a Comment

bacon and chicken grilled cheese sandwich recipe

That’s right, Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

I love sandwiches…really anything that lands between two pieces of bread. It’s like the greatest thing since… Since…

Since sliced bread!?

Seriously though, there are endless combinations to what you can do. From choosing different toppings, different bread types, or different main ingredients, and once you put it all together, you can name it something fancy.

Like Panini… Lol. That word is so funny to me. I prefer sandwich! I say Panini when I’m trying to impress the Misses.

how to make a gourmet grilled cheese

With that on my brain and watching my significant other and 2 kids having a blast in the kitchen, I found the perfect way to join the fun. With a day the day off, Larisha and I sat down to see what we could create for a new mini chef recipe. With our mini chef ready for another kitchen adventure, Skibbles and I went to work.

mini chef mondays bacon grilled cheese sandwich

And… Boom!!! CHICKEN AND BACON GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH.

how to make a grilled cheese

What an amazing statement this thing made. The exterior was ever so crispy, with a mouthful of delicious smoked gouda cheese in every bit! I’ve already asked Larisha to put this in our meal rotation because I know it’s super easy to make but it was really healthy and fulling for all of us too.

mini chef mondays making a grilled cheese

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Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Author: Andrew
Ingredients
  • 4 pieces sourdough bread
  • 1/2 lb cooked chicken breast
  • 6 slices applewood smoked bacon
  • 3 oz smoked gouda cheese sliced thinly (~14 slices)
  • 1 cup fresh spinach
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
  1. On one slice of bread layer 4 slices of cheese, half the spinach, half the chicken and 3 slices of bacon.
  2. Top with 3 slices of cheese and another slice of bread.
  3. Butter each side of the bread.
  4. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Over medium low heat, cook each sandwich 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and repeat.
  6. Repeat with second sandwich.
  7. Serve with chips or fries!
Nutrition Facts
Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (2 g)
Calories 0
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

While Skibbles and I have enjoyed making cookies and a few other things together, I really loved getting into the kitchen for this week’s Mini Chef Mondays post and doing this together.  You will definitely be seeing more of Skibbles and I in the kitchen together again soon.

bacon and chicken grilled cheese sandwich

Do you add more than cheese to your grilled cheese sandwich recipes? Head over to our Facebook page and weigh in on this question and see what other people are saying too!

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 8 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!

Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

MCM Blogs

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. S’mores Stacks // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Pesto Made with Peas // Momma Lew
  3. Strawberry Mango Italian Ice // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Chicken and Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich // We’re Parents
  5. Whole Wheat Oatmeal Fudge Bars Recipe // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  6. Breakfast Naan Pizza // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  7. Slow Cooker Bean Tortellini Soup // Vegging at the Shore
  8. Healthy Lunches Kids Can Prepare Themselves // O’Boy! Organic
  9. Candy Pizza // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Dinner, Home, Recipes Tagged With: bacon, chicken, dinner, gouda, grilled cheese, recipes, sandwiches

Bacon Egg and Cheese Pretzel Bites

April 4, 2016 by Larisha Campbell 7 Comments

bacon egg and cheese pretzel bites

Growing up, the only thing I really knew about the Amish was that they had long beards, wore funny hats, and drove around in a horse and buggy. When we moved to New Jersey, I learned that we only lived less than 2 hours from Lancaster, PA. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown fond of the Amish culture and goods they produce. Amazing quality pretty much sums up everything.

I learned shortly after moving to New Jersey that there was an Amish farmers market 15 minutes away. The first time walking in was quite overwhelming. There were so many amazing things to see.  I continue to frequent there often – quite honestly for the doughnuts. Ohhhh the doughnuts.

But for Skibbles, our toddler, it’s for the pretzels. As soon as we pull into the parking lot she screams “we at the pretzel place”. I always save getting the pretzel to the end so she has something to look forward too. And being quite honest, you can’t blame the girl. They are better than any other pretzel ever.  Soft and chewy, perfect amount of salt and butter, and some are even stuffed. Say What!?

mini chef mondays soft pretzel recipe

The first time I realized they had stuffed pretzels, I had to try one. There’s pepperoni and cheese, ham, egg, and cheese, and bacon, egg, and cheese.  OMGGGGG.  They are amazing. But they are also $3 per pretzel log. With us now on a pretty strict budget, it’s not something we can do often. So I decided we needed to make them ourselves. I told Skibbles that we were going to make them and she was so excited. We went with mini pretzel bites instead of a big log so they were easier for her little hands and more probably so I didn’t feel bad for eating 12 pretzel bites! HA!

MMMMM. Heaven. Bacon egg and cheese pretzel. #amishA photo posted by Larisha (@wereparents) on Mar 26, 2015 at 7:58am PDT

I’ll admit that this is one of the more difficult recipes we’ve done for Mini Chef Mondays, however if you have an older child, it wouldn’t be. There’s still a ton of stuff that Skibbles was able to do herself. Mixing the dough together, separating the pieces out, sprinkling salt, and brushing on the butter were all super easy for her to do.  Stuffing them was more difficult, but we made it work! The part she loved the most was eating them though and who can blame her. bacon egg and cheese pretzel bites mini chef mondays

The end result was phenomenal.  So close to the original.

making pretzel bites mini chef mondays finished bacon egg and cheese pretzel recipe

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Bacon Egg and Cheese Pretzel Bites

These Bacon Egg & Cheese Soft Pretzel Bites are stuffed to perfection!  They are a great recipe to get kids in the kitchen to help with! Great after school snack idea or breakfast on the go! 

Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cup warm water + 1 tsp divided
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/4 tsp yeast
  • 4 1/2 cups flour divided
  • 6 tbsp melted butter divided
  • 1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 7 large eggs scrambled
  • 2 cups cheese we used 1/2 mozzarella and 1/2 cheddar
  • 10 cups water
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1 egg yolk beaten
  • pretzel salt or coarse salt
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, add warm water, brown sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.
  2. Sprinkle yeast over top of water mixture and let sit for 5 minutes.
  3. In another large bowl, add 4 cups flour, 3 tbsp melted butter, and yeast mixture.
  4. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine.
  5. Using the remaining 1/2 cup flour, lightly flour a workspace, roll out dough and knead in remaining flour.
  6. Knead for 5 minutes.
  7. *Note: If using a stand mixer, add all the flour together at once and knead in mixer for 5 minutes.
  8. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap.
  9. Refrigerate overnight (minimum of 8 hours).
  10. Remove from fridge and place chilled dough on a lightly oiled surface.
  11. Cut dough into 8 equal pieces.
  12. Take one piece and roll out into a 6 inch log.
  13. Cut log into 6 even pieces.
  14. Repeat with remaining 7 pieces to end with a total of 48 small pieces.
  15. Roll out a piece into a circle about 4 inches wide and layer with egg, bacon, and cheese (about 1 tsp of each).
  16. Seal the edges of each well.
  17. Repeat with remaining 47 pieces.
  18. In a large pot, boil 10 cups of water.
  19. Once boiling, add baking soda.
  20. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  21. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  22. Gently add bites to boiling water, careful not to overcrowd.
  23. Let boil for 30 seconds and carefully remove to parchment lined baking sheet.
  24. Mix egg yolk with 1 tsp water.
  25. Brush yolk mixture on top of pretzels.
  26. Sprinkle with coarse salt (lightly as the bacon will add a layer of salt).
  27. Bake for 10-12 minutes until a deep golden brown color.
  28. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.
  29. Wait until cooled to eat.
  30. If any remain (unlikely), you can keep in fridge for 3 days or freeze and thaw as needed.

Products to make this recipe easier to make:

  • Bench Scraper to evenly cut 
  • Pastry Mat with measurements
    mini chef pretzel bites

mini chef monday bloggers

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 10 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Frozen Yogurt Fruit Bark Recipe // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Ham & Egg Cups // Momma Lew
  3. Yogurt Dipped Frozen Banana on a Stick // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Bacon Egg and Cheese Pretzel Bites // We’re Parents
  5. Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Covered Pretzels // Frugal Novice
  6. Tips for Planting a Kids Vegetable Garden // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  7. Pastelillos de Carne (Puerto Rican Meat Turnovers) // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  8. 18 Mother-Child Bonding Activities // Step Stool Chef
  9. Broccoli Mac and Cheese Bites // Vegging at the Shore
  10. Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks // O’Boy! Organic
  11. Chocolate Milk Mini Fudge Pops // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Breakfast, Home, Kids In The Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: breakfast, brunch, mini chef mondays, pretzels, recipes, snack

Coconut Cashew Strawberry Banana Smoothie

March 28, 2016 by Larisha Campbell 4 Comments

coconut cashew strawberry banana smoothie

This coconut cashew strawberry banana smoothie may be our family’s newest favorite flavor combination. Slightly nutty + slightly sweet + a bit like an original classic, it’s guaranteed to be a hit.

I’ve always loved smoothies myself, but must admit that up until the last few years most of my smoothies weren’t very exciting.  Strawberry Banana, Berries and citrus, strawberry and pineapple…that was pretty much the sum of my smoothie experimentation.  Once I had Skibbles and she started eating more, I got a little more adventurous after realizing that I could pretty much put anything in a smoothie and she would eat it that way. Coincidently, I would also eat pretty much anything put into a smoothie I found out. Thus, our love and adventure of smoothies began. We experiment all the time and daddy actually came up with the recipe for this one, but Skibbles loves it!

mini chef mondays smoothie

She is just getting into “girly” things like her doll house and princesses, so she loves pink smoothies. Lucky for Andrew and I, this smoothie is loaded with great nutrients and lots of protein, so we are happy to let her have it as often as she wants too.

Click play to watch us make this one!

The other amazing thing about smoothies is that she can easy make this herself for the most part.  I typically pre-measure things out for her, but other than that she’s on her own. She loves pushing the buttons on our blender.  It’s such a feeling of accomplishment for her! The facial expressions she makes are enough to light up any room, am I right?

mini chef mondays coconut cashew strawberry banana smoothie

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Coconut Cashew Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 8-10 strawberries
  • 1 banana
  • 1 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1/4 cup coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/8 cup chia seeds
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a blender.
  2. Blend until well combined.
  3. Pour and serve.

I’d encourage you to not only try this smoothie, but if you are having trouble getting fruits or veggies into your little ones, to try it in a smoothie form.  Berries can mask a lot of flavors and things like sweet potatoes or carrots have a sweet enough taste to help with flavor too.  Leave a comment below and let me know your favorite smoothie combo!

coconut cashew strawberry banana smoothie recipe

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 10 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started, plus how to link up!
Join our facebook group to find even more recipes and share recipes too!

Get featured and follow us too!
  • Pinterest: Each post/recipe linked up will be added to our Mini Chef Mondays board
  • Instagram: Use our hashtag #MiniChefMondays so we can repost your mini chef
  • Twitter: We retweet every post with #MiniChefMondays

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!

  1. Strawberry Lemonade Ice Pops // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Outback Copycat Coconut Shrimp Recipe // Momma Lew
  3. Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Coconut Cashew Strawberry Banana Smoothie // We’re Parents
  5. Five Ingredient Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad // Frugal Novice
  6. Toddler Science Experiment Baking Soda Art // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  7. Restaurant Style Crispy Wonton Strips with Homemade Duck Sauce // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  8. Yummy Orange Apple Cider // Step Stool Chef
  9. Apple Noodle Kugel // Vegging at the Shore
  10. Quiona and Oat Granola // O’Boy! Organic
  11. Kid Approved Chicken Fried Rice // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Home, Kids In The Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: banana, coconut, mini chef mondays, smoothie, strawberry

Coconut Nutella Strawberry Pie

March 14, 2016 by Larisha Campbell 4 Comments

coconut nutella strawberry pie  It’s Pi Day! And what better way to celebrate than to share this amazing pie recipe with you.

It’s not just any pie though –

A Nutella Graham Cracker crust.  Topped with a layer of Nutella.  Topped with a coconut cream filling. Topped with real, fresh strawberry sauce.  Topped with Nutella drizzle.  WHAT!?

homemade coconut nutella strawberry pie

This coconut Nutella strawberry pie recipe is the real deal and it’s absolutely delectable.

I was so happy to get into the kitchen for Mini Chef Mondays with our toddler Skibbles to make this recipe. I was a little nervous because it’s not a quick recipe and there’s a lot of waiting, so I worried about her patience level.  I turned it into a lesson about having to wait to things and how that waiting for something you really want actually makes the end product worth it even more.  She had so much fun doing this!  Even with having to wait.

mini chef mondays strawberry pie

One of our favorite things to make together is homemade whipped topping.  You can see the smile on her face.  She thinks it’s so cool seeing it go from a liquid into a cream.  Then, I loved teaching her how to make a graham cracker crust and push it down into the mini springform pans.  She loved that it was her size! But of course, the best prize was the finished product!  We hope you love it!

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Coconut Nutella Strawberry Pie
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 cup strawberry puree ~1 pint + more for topping (recipe below)
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice or water
  • 1 cup Nutella + more for toppings
For the Crust
  • 6 tbsp melted unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Nutella
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs ~9 whole crackers
Coconut Cream Filling
  • 2 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 cup homemade whipped cream
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the strawberry puree
  1. In a sauce pan, add the entire pint of strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
  2. Heat over medium, stirring frequently until strawberries have broken down and are very soft.
  3. Using a mesh sieve, push the strawberries through making a puree.
  4. Let cool then put in the fridge overnight.
For the pie crust
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a food processor, finely process the graham crackers. add in melted butter, brown sugar, and Nutella. Stir until well combined.
  3. Evenly divide crust mixture to 4 mini springform pans.
  4. Using the back of a spoon push the crumb mixture down tightly.
  5. Bake pie crust at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Let cool completely.
For layers
  1. While pie crust is cooling, in a bowl, combine the coconut, whipped cream, coconut oil, and vanilla.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Once crust are cool. Heat 1 cup of Nutella in microwave for 30 seconds.
  4. On top of each pie crust, add 1/4 cup of warm Nutella. Spread evenly.
  5. Place in freezer for 30 minutes to harden.
  6. Next, evenly divide coconut cream mixture on top of Nutella layer.
  7. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  8. Add 1/4 cup of strawberry puree on top of the coconut cream layer. Gently, spread out evenly.
  9. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  10. Gently remove each of the springform pans from pie.
  11. Top with additional Nutella, strawberries, shredded coconut, or whipped cream if desired.
  12. Serve!

coconut nutella strawberry pie recipe

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 11 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started and how to link up!

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well. We would love it if you would share your Mini Chef posts with us each week, too! Follow along socially and join in on the fun by using our hashtag #MiniChefMondays to share creations your mini chef created in the kitchen. Additionally, if you have a kid-friendly recipe that kids can easily recreate, link up! Don’t have a blog? Share the URL of your instagram photo in our linky below.

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 11 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started and how to link up!

  1. Jesus Resurrection Hot Cross Cinnamon Buns // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. New York Style Coffee Cake // Momma Lew
  3. Orange Mango Party Punch // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Coconut Nutella Strawberry Pie // We’re Parents
  5. Lemon Bars with Blackberry Drizzle // Frugal Novice
  6. Easter Crafts for Preschoolers: Easter Egg Slime // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  7. Kale Colcannon // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  8. 3 Easy Ways Kids Can Cut Food without Using a Knife // Step Stool Chef
  9. Clean Ingredient Ranch Dressing // Vegging at the Shore
  10. Tropical Chocolate Granola // Mom’s Messy Miracles
  11. Mini Chocolate Mousse Trifles // O’Boy! Organic
  12. Salt Dough Easter Eggs // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Desserts, Home, Kids In The Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: desserts, mini chef mondays, pie, recipes

Homemade Chicken Meatball Recipe

March 7, 2016 by Larisha Campbell 6 Comments

homemade chicken meatballs

There are certain flavors, certain meals, certain tastes that can evoke a memory so fond that you immediately smile. One reason I love being in the kitchen so much with my girls is that I hope they have so many of these explicitly vibrant memories and in turn hope to pass them on to their own children.  One of the memories I have are these amazing jelly meatballs that my aunt used to make at get togethers. No matter how many she made (and it was usually upwards of 5+lbs), they were always one of the first things to go. That’s how good they were.

homemade chicken meatballs recipe

As my girls grow, I not only want them to have these amazing memories relating to how food can spark those memories, but I also want them to have these fond memories surrounding how good, wholesome, and healthy food can also evoke those some memories.  I want them to know that food doesn’t have to involve a ton of sugar to evoke those memories.  I want them to know they can enjoy great food and still be healthy.

how to make homemade meatballs

Unfortunately, I don’t have her exact recipe, but I have a pretty good idea of what she did from watching her. While my aunt always used beef, I decided I wanted to recreate these meatballs with chicken for a little leaner, healthier version. Both of the girls devoured this homemade chicken meatball recipe and Andrew said it’s one of the best things I’ve ever made. We shall clearly call these a win in our book and they will be going in the recipe box to make in our monthly meal rotation.

making homemade chicken meatballs

Skibs had a lot of run crushing the stuffing to make breadcrumbs. I still won’t let her handle raw meat at such a young age (Hello, putting everything in her mouth still), but we still had so much fun with this recipe. I know it’s only a matter of time before I simply blink and she’s standing over the stove making them from scratch all on her own.

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Homemade Chicken Meatball Recipe
Author: Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed bread crumbs we crushed herbed flavored stuffing
  • 1 cup spinach packed, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon pepper divided
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 1/2 cup Grape Jelly
  • 1 12 oz. bottle chili sauce
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine first eight ingredients plus 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  2. Mix very well until everything is well combined.
  3. Shape into 18 two-inch meatballs (shown in pictures) or 36 one-inch meatballs (if serving for a get together).
  4. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.
  5. In batches, cook meatballs making sure not to overcrowd for 10-12 minutes or until browned on all sides and cooked through. Stir frequently so not to burn.
  6. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
  7. Remove any excess oil from skillet.
  8. Over medium low heat, combine jelly, chili sauce, and remaining 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Stir frequently until well combined and jelly has no lumps (approximately 2-3 minutes).
  9. In a single layer, add all the meatballs into skillet and stir occasionally until evenly cooked with sauce on all sides. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
  10. Serve immediately.

sweet and savory homemade chicken meatballs

I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 11 fabulous bloggers! Read how Mini Chef Mondays started and how to link up!

mcmhslogo

Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well. We would love it if you would share your Mini Chef posts with us each week, too! Follow along socially and join in on the fun by using our hashtag #MiniChefMondays to share creations your mini chef created in the kitchen. Additionally, if you have a kid-friendly recipe that kids can easily recreate, link up! Don’t have a blog? Share the URL of your instagram photo in our linky below.

  1. Healthy Mac and Cheese Recipe // Courtney’s Sweets
  2. Original Rice Krispies Treats // Momma Lew
  3. Chocolate Dipped Sundae Marshmallows // Baby Loving Mama
  4. Homemade Chicken Meatballs // We’re Parents
  5. Mini Pizza Pot Pies // Frugal Novice
  6. Alphabet Snack H is for Hippo // Eating Richly Even When You’re Broke
  7. Peep S’Mores Bites // Giggles, Gobbles and Gulps
  8. Easy to Make Hamantaschen // Vegging at the Shore
  9. Turn Recipes into Memories with a Keepsake Cookbook // Mom’s Messy Miracles
  10. Whole Wheat Pretzel Bites // O’Boy! Organic
  11. Carrot Cake Dip with Easter Bunny Chips // Can’t Google Everything

An InLinkz Link-up


Filed Under: Dinner, Home, Kids In The Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dinner, mini chef mondays, recipe

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