You’re all done decorating your Christmas Tree, it’s stocked with presents, the kids are finally nestled down in their beds and it’s time for Santa’s helpers to put their feet up and enjoy some relaxation… also known as Christmas cookies! Make these treats ahead of time and you may save yourself some holiday stress…

Enjoy and have a Merry, Merry Christmas!

Toasted Coconut-Golden OREO Cookie Balls

Servings: 42

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 32 Golden Oreo Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
• 1-1/2 cups Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut, toasted, divided
• 2 pkg. (6 squares each) Baker’s White Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Mix cream cheese, cookie crumbs and 1 cup coconut until well blended.
2. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.
3. Dip in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.
4. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Cookie Balls Tip: Putting the Christmas cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes allows them to ‘set’ before coating them.

Ginger Snaps Cookie Balls

Servings: 30

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 40 Nabisco Ginger Snaps, finely crushed (about 2-1/4 cups), divided
• 2 pkg. (8 squares each) Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Directions

1. Mix cream cheese and 2 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.
2. Shape into 30 (1-inch) balls; place in single layer in shallow pan. Freeze 10 minutes. Dip in chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Keep refrigerated.

Cookie Balls Tip: For the coating, place two packages of Baker’s chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, then microwave on HIGH between 2 and 2-1/2 minutes until it is completely melted (stirring every 30 seconds).

Nilla Turtle Cookie Balls

Servings: 42

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 70 Nilla Wafers, finely crushed (about 2-1/3 cups)
• 3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
• 2 pkg. (8 squares each) Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
• 1/4 cup chopped Planters Pecans

Directions

1. Mix first 3 ingredients until well blended.
2. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 minutes. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Cookie Balls Tip: Coat each cookie ball using two forks: first, put the chilled cookie ball on the tines of a fork and dip it into the chocolate mixture, coating completely and allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. Next, transfer the cookie ball onto a clean fork and then onto the pan. Once all the Christmas cookies have been coated, garnish them as directed and place the pan in the refrigerator for about an hour until they are firm.

About the Author:
Sue Colburn believes in new beginnings… For her “retirement” from teaching 7th grade Social Studies she set her sights on breaking into the Food Media industry. Just like she taught her students: “ain’t nothin to it, but to DO IT.” If you’d like a food article for your site please contact her through her Twitter account. When not writing or cooking, Sue spends time with her 2 granddaughters, 3 children, 8 cats and her high-school sweetheart, who by the grace of God she also married.

When it comes to the holiday time, MommyMatter finds themselves baking a lot of things, especially cupcakes for the kids holiday activities at school. Since we are away this year for all the Christmas fun, we felt it was necessary to bake cupcakes for the last day that they’ll be in attendance.

The recipe winner of the cupcake challenge was our Gingerbread Cupcakes. When we think of Christmas we think of gingerbread houses and Christmas trees. Since we couldn’t really make a bunch of cupcakes taste like Christmas trees without upsetting a bunch of 5 year olds, we went with gingerbread!

Check out our Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe now…

Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup self rising flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose (plain) flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 oz (90g) butter (softened)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp corn syrup (golden syrup)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 330 degrees F (170 degrees C)
• Sift the flours, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Using an electric mixer, beat until combined and lightens in color (approx. 2 minutes)
• Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake liners.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool.

Makes 12 cupcakes. Frost with cream cheese frosting or eat plain.

Can you imagine a Thanksgiving where kids are as happy to eat their veggies as they are turkey? Well, they’re always excited for veggies in Crock Country, a whimsical place where veggies fly off plates and into tummies. And, there’s no better time to bring this place to life in your kitchen than on Thanksgiving.

Getting kids involved in Thanksgiving preparation is a great way to get them excited about this traditional family meal and introduce them to new vegetables. To help transform your kitchen into Crock Country and make Thanksgiving a fun family affair, we’d like to offer a reader a “Kids Thanksgiving” kit that includes:

• Kid friendly cooking utensils & apron
• A Thanksgiving placemat for their seat at the table
• Vegetable recipes
• Coupon for $1.50 off Country Crock

These veggie recipes are perfect for turning your little ones into sous chefs for the day. Whether mashing potatoes or seasoning squash, kids of all ages can get involved and discover that eating veggies is fun and enjoyable. With 70% less saturated fat and 30% fewer calories than butter, adding Country Crock to dishes is a perfect way to keep your Thanksgiving meal delicious, and loved by the entire family. You’ll also find that when kids contribute to the feast, they are more likely to eat the dishes they’ve helped prepare.

Want to be apart of this giveaway? Do all the listed items in our Rafflecopter form below and have the opportunity to win this fantastic Country Crock kit! Trust me, it is amazing, they sent MommyMatter one to check out what you’ll be receiving too!

One entry will be drawn using Rafflecopter.com and notified by email and blog announcement. You must be a US/Canada resident to enter this giveaway and win. Winner will have to provide mailing information to receive prize. Winner will be announced on Nov. 27, 2011.

I strive to feed my family healthy and calorie wise meals.  We read labels, buy from our local farmers when we can.  And always watch the expiry dates. When searching around on the Internet, we came across some quality content discussing food safety and foodborne illnesses. Continue reading to see KidsHealth information on food safety and foodborne illnesses now, information that we found very useful and wanted to share with you, our readers.

Reduce the Chance of Foodborne Illnesses

One thing that might not cross your mind as you cook is food safety. Why is food safety so important? Proper food preparation protects against foodborne illnesses from bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria(which can cause diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration). Safety precautions include knowing how to select foods in the grocery store, then storing them properly and cooking them safely, plus cleaning up well afterward. Here’s how to make sure your kitchen and the foods you prepare in it are safe.

Buying Food

Buying safe food is the first step. To ensure freshness, refrigerated items (such as meat, dairy, eggs, and fish) should be put in your cart last. Keep meats separate from other items, especially produce. If your drive home is longer than 1 hour, consider putting these items in a cooler to keep them fresh. When purchasing packaged meat, poultry, or fish, check the expiration date on the label. Even if the expiration date is still acceptable, don’t buy fish or meats that smell or look strange. Also check inside egg cartons — make sure the eggs, which should be grade A or AA, are clean and free from cracks.

If you’d like to continue reading this article, please continue over to the following URL to continue reading KidsHealth article on Food Safety now.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/food_safety.html

Everyday we receive informative articles from LivingWell.ca that astound us. Occasionally we will share these articles with you, and this is one that we felt everyone MUST read!

10 Facts About Foods that Might Surprise You
You’ll raise your eyebrows and say “Really!” when you learn these food facts. But they’ll also help you eat healthier.

Do you know your way around a kitchen, supermarket, or mini-fridge? When you’re well acquainted with food, you can whip up a healthy meal out of a few ingredients. But if you’re mindless about what you feed yourself and your family, you might be missing out on key nutrients and the many ways that food can surprise you. Stash these 10 surprising nutrition tidbits in your food fact files.

Did You Know that Kids Copy Your Food Habits?

And we’re not just talking about table manners. Children pick up on everything, and they’re brilliant mimics. Kids see when Mom picks at peas on her plate or when Dad pushes aside pumpkin seeds in favour of potato chips. Studies suggest that kids pick up on parents’ fussy food and dieting habits, so be aware of your influence.

Did You Know that We Eat What We See?

Put a bowl of candies on your desk within reach, and you’ll probably eat more sweets than if the candy were tucked away in a desk drawer or kept in the office kitchen. Thing is, no matter how much candy we eat from the out-of-sight kitchen stash, we tend to estimate that we ate less of it.

Did You Know that If We Put Food in a Big Bowl, We Eat More of It – Even If It Doesn’t Taste that Good?

You’re at the movies, munching away at fistfuls of so-so popcorn from a mega-sized bucket. In no time, your fingers reach the bottom. And you weren’t even that hungry! In one study, people ate much more popcorn when given a larger bucket – even though they rated the popcorn’s flavour as “unfavorable”! Same principle applies when we graze at the snack bowls at a party: If a bowl is big, we eat more of the food inside it. Try this out by setting out a big bowl of fresh-cut veggies when your kids watch television or do homework.

Did You Know that Our Moods Can Affect Our Taste Buds?

We’ve all had emotional eating episodes now and then – a “drowning our sorrows in a tub of ice cream” kind of thing. But a sad mood may actually make us eat larger amounts of bad-for-us foods while a happy-go-lucky outlook turns our taste to healthier fare. Keep this in mind next time you feel your mood swinging.

Did You Know that Food Labels can Trick Our Taste Buds?

We’re inclined to believe and be comforted by whatever we see written on a food label. Many people will over-eat foods if they’re labelled low-fat, and overeating can negate the benefit of the health claim. Check labels and take note of serving size before over-indulging in what seems like a healthier treat.

Did You Know that How Long You Chew Some Foods Affects Your Appetite?

Research suggests that if you chew almonds 25 to 40 times before you swallow them, your body will digest more of the nuts’ unsaturated fat, which can leave you feeling fuller than if you’d chewed only 10 times. Chewing your food more thoroughly also gives you time to evaluate your level of hunger as you eat, rather than just wolfing everything down or clearing your plate.

Did You Know that a Cup of Cottage Cheese can Contain Nearly as Much Sodium as 2 Hot Dogs?

Only about 10% of our daily sodium intake comes from table salt. Loads of sodium hides in packaged and prepared foods, like cottage cheese and hot dogs. Check labels to keep your daily sodium intake below 2300 mg. Excess sodium raises our risk of high blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Much of our daily intake comes from packaged and prepared foods, like cottage cheese and smoked meats.

Did You Know that The Way You Chop Vegetables Affects How Nutritious They Will Be?

The more finely you chop vegetables, the more surface area you expose to the air. And the more surface area exposed, the more vitamins and minerals can be lost from the food when cooked. Instead, cut vegetables into equally larger chunks for even and nutrient-preserving cooking.

Did You Know that Letting Food Sit Out can Boost Its Nutritional Profile?

Once you’ve chopped up certain vegetables – garlic, onions, leeks, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower – wait about 10 minutes before cooking. This time helps to make nutrients more available and less likely to be released in cooking.

Did You Know that Microwaving Your Veggies May Up Their Antioxidant Potential?

The microwave doesn’t seem like a healthy cooking tool. But some veggies, like carrots and spinach, get an antioxidant boost from a spin around in the super-concentrated and quick heat of a microwave.

Source(s): © McNeil Consumer Healthcare, division of Johnson & Johnson Inc. 2010

It’s a scene that plays out daily in homes everywhere. Kids come in from school and head straight to the kitchen looking for something to eat. How can you make sure your child gets nourished but still has room for a healthy dinner? Read on.

Though kids need less frequent snacks as they get older, it’s not surprising that most are hungry after school. Many kids eat lunch early — 11:30 or even before — and then have an afternoon of classes and maybe even an after-school activity before their next chance to eat. It’s no wonder the snack food vending machine looks so appealing at the end of the day.

Depending on your child’s age and after-school routine, you may not always be able to control what he or she eats in the late afternoon. But don’t throw in the towel just yet. Take these steps to guide your child to good after-school snacks that will be satisfying and still leave room for a nutritious dinner.

Figure Out the Timing

Put yourself in your kids’ shoes and consider their eating schedules on a normal weekday. Some younger kids may have a mid-morning snack, but most older school-age kids won’t. Get the answers to these questions: When is lunchtime? What and how much do they eat at lunch? Do they ever skip lunch? Does the after-school program serve snacks? This will help you figure out how hungry kids will be when they get home.

You’ll also want to think about what time you normally serve dinner. A child who gets home famished at 3 and eats a large snack probably won’t be hungry if dinner is at 5:30. Likewise, it may not reasonable to expect a child whose parents work late to go until 7:30 with nothing to eat since lunch. Think about your kids’ schedules and plan accordingly.

Create a List of Healthy Options

Next, talk about which snacks kids would like to have at snack time. Come up with a list of healthy options together and be sure to include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. While a slice of cake or some potato chips shouldn’t be forbidden foods, such low-nutrient snacks shouldn’t be on the everyday after-school menu.

If you can, take your kids along to the grocery store and spend some time reading the nutrition facts labels and comparing products. Pay attention to the amounts of protein, fiber, calcium, and other important nutrients, and don’t miss the chance to talk about portion sizes. Together, choose snacks that are low in sugar, fat, and salt. Being involved in the process makes it more likely that kids will learn to make healthy food choices.

Make Healthy Snacks an Easy Choice

Don’t expect kids — even teens — to cut up their own veggie sticks. It’s just too much bother, especially when they’re hungry. Kids are more inclined to eat what’s handy. That’s where you come in. Make healthy snacks easily available by packing them in their lunchboxes or backpacks or by having them visible and ready-to-eat at home.

If you’re at home after school, your youngster might enjoy helping you make a creative snack like ants on a log (celery topped with peanut butter and raisin “ants”), egg boats (hard-boiled egg wedges topped with a cheese sail), or fruit kabobs. Older kids may enjoy a fruit smoothie, mini-pitas with hummus dip, or whole-grain crackers topped with cheese and pear slices.

Older kids often like making their own snacks, so provide the ingredients and a few simple instructions. If dinner is just around the corner, consider allowing a “first course,” such as a small salad or side vegetable while you finish preparing the family meal.

For those nights when dinner is hours away, you could opt for a more substantial snack such as half a sandwich or a quesadilla made with a whole-wheat tortilla, low-fat cheese, and salsa warmed in the microwave. Nothing too complicated, though. A good snack should take more time to eat than it does to prepare!

If your child goes to an after-school program or to a caregiver’s house, find out if snacks are served. If so, what’s typically offered? If you don’t like what you hear, suggest alternatives or just pack an extra snack your child can eat after school. Easy-to-pack snack options include trail mix, nuts, low-sugar whole grain cereal, whole-grain pretzels or crackers, fresh or dried fruit, and cut-up vegetables.

What if your child comes home to an empty house? Again, the best strategy is to leave something healthy front and center on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. A hungry child, like a hungry adult, is likely to take the path of least resistance.

It is that time of year again, when all the delicious treats we long for are back in season. Yes, PUMPKINS! There are so many different things that you can make with pumpkins beyond your usual pumpkin faces. Today we thought we’d bring you a recipe most have probably never thought to make, and something that is very delicious.

I’ve always been a fan of sweet potato fries covered in spicy seasonings. This is a new favorite – much healthier than fries, as they are not truly “fried” but are baked instead. If we at MommyMatter can avoid fried, we do it. This is one recipe that is going to get used excessively over the next few weeks. Hope you enjoy it!

Spicy Pumpkin Fries Recipe

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Curry Powder
• 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Sprinkling of fresh Black Pepper
• 1/4 Pumpkin

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Peel pumpkin using a potato peeler
3. Cut 1/4 of the pumpkin into fry-shaped pieces (2-3 inches long, 1/4-1/2 inch thick)
4. Toss fries in Olive Oil, Curry Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, and Onion Powder. Sprinkle with Black Pepper.
5. Arrange fries in one layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
6. Bake for 30 minutes (until soft enough that a toothpick easily goes through)

Homemade Croutons for Soups and Salads

Rather than throw out the ends of bread, or your stale bread you can turn them into something useful and delicious that will save you money on your grocery bill. It means one less thing to buy at the market and less waste coming out of your kitchen.

Aside from the economical reasons, I love making my own croutons because it gives me complete control over the seasonings and the size of them. I prefer smaller ones for salads and larger ones for soups. Once you see how easy they are to make you will never go back to the store-bought variety.

Homemade Garlic Herb Croutons

I made a big batch a month ago and they are still good with no signs of mold. Check out the many more recipes we have available here at MommyMatter today!

With summer slowly coming to a close, we are attempting to find ways to keep the joyous times of summer going. When we think of summer, we think of BBQ’s and lots of days spent outside. This also leads to us thinking of the many hot dogs that we tried this summer to avoid getting bored of the plain old hot dog. Keep summer alive all year long with MommyMatter‘s overview of hot dog types, buns and toppings.

It is that time of year again, corn time! This is the time of year we find ourselves eating a lot of corn and enjoy the freshness of it from our local farmers. Where we live, corn is everywhere so finding fresh, delicious corn is quite easy. We thought we’d share some corn tips with you so you can enjoy your corn just as much as us!

Start with tips for selecting, storing and shucking corn on the cob, then learn how to boil, grill and roast it to perfection. Next, take it in a new direction with 8 out-of-the-ordinary topping ideas.

How to Select, Store & Shuck Corn on the Cob

• Selecting: Look for ears of corn with tight, bright green husks and glossy, golden silk. Peel back the husk a bit; kernels should be plump and shiny, lined up in tight, evenly spaced rows. Avoid any with shriveled husks or dark, slimy silk.

• Storing: Whenever possible, purchase ears in husks—they naturally protect the kernels—and refrigerate uncovered. Or refrigerate shucked corn in sealed plastic bags. Either way, be sure to use it within 2 days.

Tip: Enjoy the sweet, sunny flavor of fresh corn year-round! Just shuck the ears (see below), transfer them to re-sealable bags and freeze. Or shave the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife, transfer to a bag and freeze.

• Shucking: Right before you boil corn, peel off the husks, remove the silk, then rinse. If you’ll be grilling or roasting the corn, keep the husk intact: peel it down, remove the silk, then cook as desired.

Tip: To grab more of the stubborn silk, stretch a rubber band between your fingers and run it across the cob.

3 Ways to Cook Corn on the Cob

1. Grill. With the husks peeled down, soak corn in water for 20 minutes. Pull the husks back up, then grill until tender, about 20-25 minutes. To caramelize the kernels, peel down the husks for the last couple minutes of cooking.
2. Roast. After you remove the silk, pull the husks up. Place cobs directly on the oven rack and roast at 180°C (350°F) until soft, about 30-40 minutes. For pre-shucked cobs, wrap in foil first.
3. Boil. In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil. Add cobs and cook, covered, to desired doneness, about 2-5 minutes for crisp corn and 6-8 minutes for softer kernels.