Tag Archives: peanut butter

Should You Avoid Peanut Butter If You Are Pregnant?

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It’s an experience no mother wants to go through: your child eats one of the most common foods found in sandwiches and cookies all over the country and suddenly their little body reacts violently with hives, runny nose, or in the worst case, a swollen tongue and airway, which can lead to choking and ultimately, death. A combination of these symptoms in the severest form along with a sudden drop in blood pressure is called anaphylactic shock. How something as common and seemingly mild as peanuts can cause a life threatening allergic reaction in a child is shocking and a … Continue reading →

Sweet Treats to Make on a Snow Day

It’s not exactly a snow day, but schools in our area are closed for a second day in a row thanks to -40 windchills. Which means that parents and caregivers of rambunctious kids suffering from cabin fever are likely in desperate need of boredom busters now more than ever. Sweet treats to the rescue! The following simple edible crafts will keep kids busy for hours… and the best part–clean up is a breeze. Take a look: NO BAKE PEANUT BUTTER SNOWMAN COOKIES Ingredients: 1 package (16 ounces) Nutter butter cookies 20 ounce bag white chocolate chips Miniature chocolate chips M … Continue reading →

Making Edible Reindeer and Other Holiday Treats with Your Kids

Cooking with young children may take twice as long, but it has the potential to be ten times as fun if you are working with kid-friendly recipes. The following holiday-themed recipes are among my 4-year-old’s favorites. Not only does she delight in getting to add ingredients, mix, scoop and stir, but the Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies also allow her to exercise her creativity in the decorating process. As for the Candy Cane Ice Cream Sandwiches, well, one look at the ingredients and you’ll see why this is a holiday classic in our home. PEANUT BUTTER REINDEER Ingredients: 1/2 cup creamy … Continue reading →

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes for Kids

After preparing a huge Thanksgiving meal you might not be motivated to get back into the kitchen to begin the monumental task of Christmas cookie baking just yet. However, as we all know, time flies and before you know it we’re halfway through the month and Christmas is knocking at our door. I haven’t fired up the oven just yet, but I have begun collecting recipes that I plan to make during my annual cookie baking marathon. This year (like last) I plan to devote an entire day baking with my young daughter. Last year we made sugar cookies, which … Continue reading →

Beyond the Pumpkin Pie: Sweet Treats for Your Thanksgiving Dessert Table

Anyone who has hosted a few dozen guests on Thanksgiving knows that three or four traditional pumpkin pies is not going to cut it when it comes time for dessert. People have different tastes and not everyone enjoys pumpkin pie, regardless of its history with the holiday. If you are hosting a large group for Thanksgiving dinner it’s appropriate to offer a variety of different dessert options. This is especially critical if you are hosting a number of children. Most kids (my daughter not included) would much rather dine on a decadent chocolate treat than dig into a slice of … Continue reading →

Simple Homemade Halloween Treats

You can claim that they are homemade, but these treats don’t take nearly the time or effort to create, thanks to good ol’ fashion ingenuity. In my opinion, busy home cooks should never feel guilty for using store bought donuts or frosting instead of the made-from-scratch versions. If you have the time, energy and desire to make the following items from scratch, by all means, have at it. However, if you are working under time constraints and still want to design an elaborate Halloween party buffet then consider the following time saving recipes: MUNCHABLE MONSTER EYES Ingredients: Glazed donut holes … Continue reading →

Homemade Back-to-School Treats: Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter French Fries

Year round school started a few days ago in our district and my young daughter couldn’t be happier to see the yellow school buses back on the streets. In a previous blog I mentioned that my mom always tried to make the fist day of school special for all of us by whipping up homemade treats. My brothers and I never took home lunch so we had to wait until the end of the school day to enjoy my mom’s edible masterpieces. If your children take home lunch and you want to add a few special touches to their lunch … Continue reading →

Simple Snacks to Take on the Road

In my regular TRAVEL blog I’ve been writing a series of articles on ways to save when traveling with children. Most parents know that next to transportation and lodging expenses the biggest hit to a family’s budget while on vacation is food. Which is why I make a habit of packing snacks to bring with us on our family trips. The following recipes are for very simple and affordable snacks that travel well. In fact, they are so simple that my 3-year-old daughter often helps me prepare them. Not only does it allow her to gain cooking experience, but also … Continue reading →

Peanut Butter Lovers’ Dream Cookie

My college sweetheart loves peanut butter. Actually, I don’t think the word love does justice to the adoration my ex-boyfriend has for the creamy peanut concoction. Not long after we started dating he revealed that for nearly 20 years his mother made him the same birthday cake… from scratch. He called it the Peanut Butter Butterfinger Cake. Whenever we would stroll by a bakery or eat at a restaurant he’d talk about his favorite cake. By our first anniversary I could have probably made the recipe from memory (it was a triple layer angel food cake with peanut butter, chocolate, … Continue reading →

Why I Love Peanut Butter!

Back in my school days, a peanut butter sandwich was my least favorite lunch. I just didn’t appreciate it! But these days, I love peanut butter — and here’s why. Peanut butter is full of protein — around eight grams of protein per serving. That helps you feel fuller longer. Peanut butter has fiber — around two grams of fiber per serving. Fiber helps your body run smoothly. Peanut butter has vitamin E — an antioxidant that helps clean free radicals out of your body. Peanut butter has magnesium — a mineral that helps build bones and may be key … Continue reading →