UltimateMama often surprises her kids with easy to make, not to mention handle ice cream cone cupcakes. They are a perfect treat for parties or summertime BBQs. Adding sprinkles to the mix is fun for all. To make:
-Place 24 cones in metal cupcake baking trays
-Make the cake batter as directed and fill each cone halfway
-Bake according to directions
-Cool and frost!
UltimateMama’s kids love Acai bowls for breakfast. They are thick, rich, and packed with nutrients. To make:
-Take a frozen packet of Sambazon Acai berry original blend and run it under water
-Cut off the top and put it into a blender (it will be slightly frozen)
-Add 1/4 cup of orange juice or almond milk (or more to your liking)
-Add some slices of blueberries, banana, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries
-Blend
-On the stovetop saute 1/4 cup oats with 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
-In your bowl, pour oats over the Acai mixture
-Enjoy!
UltimateMama’s kids love her delicious (and easy to prepare) Italian bread with Nutella Crepes for breakfast. To do:
-Cut off the crusts of 4 slices of Italian bread and roll each slice a few times to stretch it out
-Spread some Nutella on each slice and add thin strawberries
-Roll up the bread
-Crack one egg and beat with a fork
-Dip the rolled up bread in the egg on all sides
-Cook it on a frying pan over low to medium heat
-Repeat with the other 3 slices of bread
-Remove from heat and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar (or just brown sugar)
-Enjoy!
UltimateMama finally got her family to eat asparagus. The trick? Wrapping it in prosciutto. To do:
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
-Line a baking sheet with foil, lightly drizzle olive oil
-Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each spear of asparagus (use 15-25 spears) and place on the baking sheet
-Bake for 5 minutes in the oven
-Turn the spears over
-Bake for another 5 minutes
-Asparagus will be tender and prosciutto will be crisp
*Note: if you have extra asparagus you can saute it in olive oil on the stovetop with garlic and tomatoes.
Enjoy!
UltimateMama has a few Easter bunny tricks up her sleeve for her tween and teen girls. Easter baskets will include:
–Essie nail polish
–Malibu Sugar top
–So Nikki tank
–M&M minis
-Jo Malone and Armani fragrance samples from Sephora
–Duft & Doft Pink Breeze nourishing hand cream
–Peach Slices Dreamy Soft fluffy hand lotion peach nectar
UltimateMama knows her family loves chicken pad thai so she usually uses Annie Chun’s noodles and sauce. It is quick and easy and all you need to do is add chicken (or shrimp), a scrambled egg, garlic, and some vegetables (thinly sliced carrots, garlic, bean sprouts, etc.).
For the first time ever, UltimateMama made Bok Choy which was well received. To do:
-Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet
-Add 2-3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
-Add 1 shallot (or 1 small onion)
-Cook all for 60 seconds
-Add 1 pound baby bok choy (washed and cut into halves)
-Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce
-Add 2 tablespoons water
-Cover and cook for 2 minutes
-Uncover, toss, cover again and cook for 4 minutes
-Serve and enjoy!
UltimateMama and her kids had a magnificent time coloring Easter eggs with the PAAS Shake & Color kit. All you need to do is add rice to the kit’s liquid dye and shaker bag. A few shakes and you are finished. Don’t forget to rotate the eggs among the various colors for a marbled look!
UltimateMama likes to have an easy night “off” of cooking every once in a while and has found dinner quesadillas to be a nice “break”. They are simple to make and loved by all. To do:
-Grab 2 or 3 cups of filling from canned or cooked beans or any leftovers you have, including cooked shrimp, grilled chicken, vegetables, or rice
-Get 4 large flour or corn tortillas ready
-Shred 1 cup of cheese (cheddar, fontina, Monterey jack, etc.)
-Place tortillas on a warmed skillet or pan and top with the cheese and filling
-Watch for the cheese to melt and carefully check the underside to make sure no burning occurs
-Fold the quesadilla in half and secure with a toothpick
-Move quesadilla to a cutting board and slice as desired
(NOTE: Keep quesadillas warm on a cookie sheet in a 200 degree F oven if you have many to make)
-Serve with guacamole, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes or onions, and chips/salsa! Lime, lemon, or orange slices also add a nice touch.
-Enjoy!
UltimateMama saw the sun for the first time in a week a few days ago so she started up the grill. Grilling is a great, easy way to break away from your standard spring dinner routine and get a “taste” of summer. To do:
-Marinate chicken breasts all day in Italian dressing (Ken’s Zesty Italian dressing is a family favorite) and grill them to your liking (1 pound)
-Prepare ground beef (we prefer 80% lean/20% fat) with seasonings such as pepper and garlic (or onion) into mini-hamburgers or sliders and grill to perfection (1 pound)
-Grill 4-6 pieces of corn (serve with butter)
-Grill the slider rolls just a quick bit
-Make a quick romaine salad for a side dish using the extra Italian dressing
-Serve and enjoy
UltimateMama had her kids create a weekend brunch that was healthy and tasty. They opted for bagels and lox with many creative accompaniments.
-Set out your favorite bagels (kids love Tal Bagels in NYC) and slather on some cream cheese
-Place lox on a separate plate
-Dice some cucumbers and tomatoes and place in bowls next to a bowl of carrots to snack on as well
