5 dozen Mini Muffins and 7 dozen Mini Donuts

Last Saturday we had our book launch at BookCourt in Brooklyn.  We’re so lucky to have such a fantastic independent bookstore in our neighborhood!

Anne reading Truck Stop.

Anne Rockwell, the author, came all the way from Stamford, CT to be there!  It was nice to see her again.  If I had any brain cells I would have had Denis take a picture of us in front of the store!

Talking about how I made the artwork.

It was well attended and a lot people ended up staying a long time even after the reading was over (that’s a sign of a good bookstore!)

I made mini donuts and mini muffins for the occasion.  Luckily there were no leftovers to bring back home…  A big THANK YOU to all those who showed up!

Cinnamon sugar, chocolate, vanilla with chocolate glaze, and vanilla with sprinkles

Note:  I used a mini donut pan.  You could make regular sized donuts instead.  You will have to bake them for about 15 minutes and it will make about 1 dozen for each recipe.

Baked Vanilla Donuts with Vanilla and Chocolate Glaze (based on this recipe from theKitchn. I used a different method for the glaze because I wanted to make sure the glaze would be firm enough for transport)

Non-stick spray

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)

2 tablespoons warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 cup plain yogurt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

water

Drop of food coloring if you want!

sprinkles

Chocolate glaze:

2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

milk as needed (about 1-2 tablespoons)

Cinnamon Sugar:

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

sprinkles

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray donut pan with non-stick spray.

2.  In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water and set aside.  In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

3.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, melted butter, vanilla extract, and yeast mixture until combined.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.

4.  Spoon batter into donut pan –just a little bit — about half way.  With the mini donut pan, you don’t need much! It will spill over and look like a muffin.

5.  Bake donuts until puffed and golden, about 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes on rack.  Transfer donuts to rack to cool.

6.  For vanilla glaze, I just added vanilla and a bit of water a little at a time to sugar until the consistency is opaque but still wet.

7.  For chocolate glaze, melt chocolate and butter together in microwave in 30 second intervals.  Stir until smooth.  Add sugar gradually.  Add milk if it is too thick.

8.  For cinnamon sugar topping, mix sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

9.  To decorate, dip donuts in glazes and sprinkle with sprinkles if desired.   Dip on both sides in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Baked Chocolate Donuts (based on this recipe on Mom Advice

Non-stick spray

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

4 teaspoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 325 F.

2.  Coat donut pan with non-stick spray.

3.  Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

4. In another bowl, whisk milk, sugar, egg, butter, coffee, and vanilla until smooth.

5.  Add milk mixture to flour mixture.  Whisk until fully incorporated.

6.  Fill donut pan a bit less than half-way full.  Bake for 8 minutes or until donuts spring back when touched.

7.  Cool in pan for about 5 minutes on rack.  Remove donuts to cool on rack.

8.  Dip in vanilla glaze (see above).

We have a winner for my TRUCK STOP giveaway:  Amy from  I Found It Interesting !
Congratulations, Amy!  I will send you a copy signed by both me and Anne Rockwell, the author.

For those of you in the NYC area, this Saturday, June 1, Anne and will be appearing together at BookCourt in Brooklyn (163 Court St. @Dean St.) at 11 am.  Please join us for a reading, signing, puzzles and treats (mini muffins and mini donuts)!

Diligent Dan orders pancakes with syrup and sausages!

Here is our favorite pancake recipe which my husband, Denis, makes almost every weekend.  He’s really perfected it!  They are mouthwatering right off the griddle.  As for the leftovers (if there are any!) we let them cool off, then wrap each individually in saran wrap.   Don’t skip this step– it keeps the pancakes from stick together.  We freeze these in a ziploc bag.  During the week, we can have homemade pancakes for breakfast too.  We reheat a frozen pancake (remove saran first!) wrapped in a damp paper towel for 50 seconds in the microwave, and it’s ready to be gobbled up.

Perfect Pancakes
(adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman)

The best way to cook these is on a griddle because they cook flat and evenly.  Do not butter the griddle first, or the pancakes will not have that even golden surface.  If you don’t have a griddle, use a seasoned cast iron skillet.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoon melted and cooled butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Preheat griddle.

2.  Mix together the dry ingredients with a whisk. Set aside.

3.  Whisk eggs into the milk, then stir in melted butter and vanilla.  Whisk this mixture into the dry ingredients until incorporated.

4.  Spoon batter onto heated griddle using a 1/3 cup measuring cup.  As soon as you see it start to bubble, flip the pancake (after about 30 seconds– it may vary depending on your griddle and how high your heat is).  Cook for about a minute.  Remove to  a plate and, preferably, serve immediately!

High Fiber Orange Spice Mini Muffins (recipe below)

Hope everyone had a Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

I have a guest post today from Cole Millen on Tips for a Healthy Vacation.  Check out his blog, Cole’s Mill – Unique Thoughts and Healthy Perspectives about Health and Travel where there are many articles on eating well, health and travel tips!

Tips For a Healthy Vacation

Going on vacation can be a great way to get away from the stresses of everyday life and take some time off. However, many times, when we go on vacation, we also take a vacation from living healthy. Just because you’re on a trip, that doesn’t mean that you have to live unhealthy. Here are a few tips on how to have a healthier vacation that what you might ordinarily have.

Being Healthy on Travel Day

If you are flying to your vacation destination, it might be difficult to eat healthy along the way. You have limited choices at the airport, and you might be tempted to grab some fast food. Eat a large healthy meal at home before you head to the airport. This way, you won’t be hungry for a while and you might be able to make it to your destination without needing to eat again. If you need to eat, see if you can find a salad or a fruit cup at the airport.

At the airport, consider taking the stairs with your luggage instead of riding the elevator or escalator. You might also want to pack some of your own healthy snacks to eat while you’re at the airport instead of buying something unhealthy. Snacks such as dried fruits, vegetables, and nuts are great alternatives that will keep your body nourished and feed your craving.

At the Hotel

When you’re at the hotel, it may be difficult to live healthy because of you might not have a kitchen to cook in. It is probably in your best interest to not even get the key for that mini bar in your room. This way, you can avoid any urges to eat junk food. Get healthy snacks like fruit and nuts from a local store instead. You can cook soup or oatmeal in the microwave in your room, if you have one. At the Continental breakfast, try to stay away from the high sugar items such as cereals and muffins. Instead, have foods that are full of healthy nutrients that will help you through the day such as eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, fruits, and whole-wheat toast.

Eating Out

While on vacation, you will probably have to eat out quite a bit. Before going out, look online for a local restaurant that has healthy options. Look at the menu online so that you know exactly what they offer. Also, reading reviews from travelers that have been to the same area can greatly help in finding healthy restaurants. Customer reviews provide honest feedback and can help you locate a healthy restaurant. On a recent trip out to Sin City, I found a great site that listed reviews for hotels in Las Vegas regarding both the hotel and the restaurants in the area. This made it extremely easy to find a great hotel as well as to plan out the great and healthy restaurants to visit. Look for foods that aren’t fried, don’t have a lot of carbohydrates, and involve minimal preparation. Try to avoid all you can eat restaurants, as they usually lead to unhealthy choices.

Going on vacation doesn’t mean that you have to gain weight and be unhealthy. With a little bit of work on your part, you should be able to make it work.

-Cole Millen

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Thanks, Cole, for sharing these tips!  I also try to have healthy snacks on hand while we travel, so we are not stuck buying junk food while in transit.  These high fiber mini muffins are great for travel. They are perfect for breakfast on the go or a healthy snack.  We ate some on the train during our travels over the weekend.

High Fiber Orange Spice Mini Muffins

(Note:  If you prefer to make regular sized muffins, this recipe should make 1 dozen, but you have to bake for 25-30 minutes probably! Check with a toothpick or skewer after 25 minutes.)

1 large navel orange

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup flour

3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

1/2 cup chopped prunes (if you don’t have these, raisins might work)

Optional Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line mini muffin tins with liners. Set aside.

2.  Grate half of orange until you have about 1 teaspoon of orange zest.  Set aside.  Then section the orange segments (I remove the membrane) and chop into little pieces. Pour juice that gathers on cutting board back into a bowl with the orange pieces.  Set aside.

3.  Melt butter and honey together (I used a microwave at 15 second intervals).  Stir together until incorporated.

4.  In a large bowl, whisk together flours, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom.  Set aside.

5.  Whisk together buttermilk and egg.  Then stir in butter and honey mixture.

6.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients in bowl and pour the buttermilk mixture in.  Mix together until everything is incorporated.
7.  Spoon batter into muffin lined tins.  Bake for about 15 minutes.  Check centers with a toothpick or skewer.  If it comes out clean, they are done.

8.  Remove mini muffins to cool on a wire rack.  If you want the cinnamon topping, make it now!

9.  For cinnamon topping, stir together sugar and cinnamon.  Melt butter.  Brush tops of muffins with butter and dip tops into cinnamon sugar mixture.

Cool completely before storing.

Makes 36 mini muffins.

Once Upon a Story

Cracking the Cover

Hey Lorri

There’s a Book

Momma Drama

Just A Little Creativity

Kid Focused

A Mom’s Take

The Children’s Book Review

Five Minutes for Books

Susan Heim on Parenting

Kid Lit Frenzy

As They Grow Up

I’m also doing a giveaway of a personalized signed copy of Truck Stop on The Hungry Artist.

On Saturday I did my first signing of Truck Stop at the Greenlight Bookstore in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.  I took part in Artist Battles with Sophie Blackall, Melissa Guion and Sergio Ruzzier.  There was a list of topics, and the kids would choose one for us to draw.  Then they would clap for their favorites at the end.  Whoever “won” would go on to the next round with a new competitor.

Me and Melissa Guion drawing the word “balloons”.

It was all quite stressful and I was sweating profusely, but everyone was so nice.   It was more of a celebration of different drawing styles.

Melissa Guion and Sophie Blackall drawing the word, “battle”

Me drawing a “moose” eating chocolate “mousse”. I didn’t realize I was being watched so closely!

At the signing table afterwards.  Do I looked relieved?  I am!

I also handed out activity sheets from Truck Stop.  Click here to download some for yourself.

This week’s recipe inspiration comes from Flatbed’s Driver’s breakfast:

A Blueberry Muffin!

I love muffins, but I love mini ones even more.  :)

Mini Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Ingredients:

1 cup flour, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of kosher salt

½ cup butter (1 stick) softened at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup milk

1 ¼ cups fresh blueberries

Topping

1 tablespoon demarra sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and line with mini cupcake liners
3. Whisk 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  Set aside
4. Cream butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.  Add sugar and beat until pale and creamy.
5. Add egg and vanilla.  Beat to combine
6. With lowest setting running, add ½ of the flour, then ½ of the milk.  Mix to combine.  Repeat.
7. Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to coat in a small bowl.  Add to muffin batter and stir gently with a spoon.
8. Heap tablespoons of batter into cupcake liners.
9. Mix topping ingredients together in a small bowl and sprinkle about ½ teaspoon on muffin tops.
10. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a tester inserting in center comes out clean
11. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
12. Remove muffins from pan to rack and cool a bit.

Yield: 24 small muffins.

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GIVEAWAY! (Sorry I tried generating one on Punchtab, but having problems with wordpress so I have to do this manually!)
I will be giving away a signed copy of Truck Stop.  The winner can have it personalized to whomever and I will also draw a picture of their choice.  The giveaway closes May 27 at 11 pm.  Then I will pick a winner and announce it in the next post!

To enter, just leave a comment — what is YOUR favorite breakfast item?

For more chances, Like Me on Facebook and tell me you did.

Follow me on Twitter and tell me you did.

Like Anne on Facebook and tell me you did.

Tweet about this giveaway and tell me you did.

I’m thrilled to announce the release of TRUCK STOP, written by Anne Rockwell and illustrated by moi!!  The official Viking pub date is this Thursday, but we are kicking off our blog tour today.  TRUCK STOP is a fun picture book for young kids that celebrates all the different trucks and their drivers who gather for breakfast every day at the young narrator’s family’s truck stop diner.

When I first was offered the manuscript in 2011, I was so excited to see it was written by Anne.  I’ve been a big fan for a long time.  She`s written over 100 children’s books for all ages, on topics ranging from boats, history, mythology, to the first day of school, bugs, to the seasons.  Go check out her collection of books here!  Needless to say, I didn’t need much time to think it over and said “yes” to my editor immediately.

Most people don’t realize it, but usually the author and illustrator don’t meet or collaborate at all on the book.  Exceptions are made, of course, if they are married, related, or perhaps have worked together in the past.  So it was such a pleasure last week when I finally had the opportunity to meet Anne in person.  We had been corresponding via Facebook  for the past year after I turned the artwork in (yes, it takes a year for a book to be printed!)

Last year, during our trip to California I did research and took a lot of a reference photos at a truck stop near my hometown.

Truck Stop in Santa Maria

A large portion of the story takes place in the truck stop diner. I took a lot of photos inside.

I love that TRUCK STOP has the food component–yummy breakfasts bringing people together.   Here is the narrator (the son of the owners) helping to make breakfast and opening the truck stop diner:

One of their first guests is Maisie and her Milk Truck.  Maisie orders donuts and coffee for breakfast:

Note plates of collaged donuts:

I cut each coconut shred and sprinkle by hand!

Inspired by Maisie,  I decided to make Baked Buttermilk Donuts to celebrate the TRUCK STOP release.

Plate o’ real donuts.

Anne and I will be doing book events in the area.  If you are nearby, please stop by and get a signed copy!  We will both be at Book Court in Brooklyn at 11 am on June 1.  I will be alone at Greenlight Bookstore participating in some “Artists Battles” (I’m a little nervous since I’ll be “competing” against Sophie Blackall and Sergio Ruzzier and Melissa Guion….!) this coming weekend, May 18 at 11 am.  Come cheer me on!

In the next two weeks, Anne and I will also be doing a blog tour.  Our book will be reviewed and given away on several blogger’s sites.  I will be tweeting about it and will also be hosting a give away of a signed book here on The Hungry Artist, so stay tuned.

Here are some giveaways already going on if you want to try and win a copy!

Just A Little Creativity

Kid Focused

A Mom’s Take

The Children’s Book Review

Five Minutes for Books

Susan Heim on Parenting

Kid Lit Frenzy

For some fun free downloadable games, puzzles, and coloring sheets based on TRUCK STOP, please visit the Activity Sheets section of my website here!

Baked Buttermilk Donuts (inspired by TRUCK STOP) 

This recipe is based on this one at Heather’s French Press.  I omitted the nutmeg and used different toppings in place of the cinnamon sugar.  Also I would advise rolling dough out to 1/2″ (instead of 1/4″ as directed) and cutting out donuts with a 3″ cookie cutter or glass and holes with a 1″ cutter.  I love that these are baked instead fried!

Also, I love that you also get donut holes!

Aren’t these cute? They look like mini profiteroles.

Toppings:

White Glaze- just pour about 1/3 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl.  Add a little bit of milk at a time and stir.  Keep adding 1/4 teaspoon or so at a time until consistency is opaque but thin enough to pour over donuts.  Decorate with sprinkles, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut.

Chocolate Glaze – Melt chocolate chips (I used about 1/4 for two donuts) in a microwave safe bowl at 20 second intervals.  Watch closely.  Stir until smooth, the coat donuts.

For filled donut:  I used the dough scraps and made a solid donut.  I filled it with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.

What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with a freshly made margarita?

This past weekend marked both the advent of Cinco de Mayo and the day the Sketchbook Project Mobile Library was in NYC at Street Fest! The Sketchbook Mobile Library houses sketchbooks created last year via the Brooklyn Art Library and travels to cities across North America for people to view.

Jamie is the kid on the scooter.

It was of special interest to me and Jamie because we took part in the Sketchbook Project and our sketchbook is included in the tour!

Sketchbooks in the mobile library.

Checking out books.

Our sketchbook!

Looking at the sketchbook traveling next to ours — the sketchbook artist is a 14 year old girl.

I first heard about the Brooklyn Art Library that houses the permanent collection in the New York Times.  I brought Jamie to the library located in Williamsburg last summer during a visit with my friend, Kaori, who used to live in the neighborhood.

Various stationery items for sale.

A wall of sketchbooks.

Some rules.

We loved the vibe and the creative spirit of the venture.  You can go there and buy a sketchbook and fill it and add to the collection.  You can also check out other people’s sketchbooks.  There are so many wonderful ones.  Of course Jamie wanted to do a sketchbook. And me being a softy for anything creative, said yes.  I paid the $25 fee to get started and we were given a blank sketchbook to fill.  As always, Jamie wanted to do a food theme.  Trust me — it wasn’t my idea!  We took turns filling up the pages and deciding on what kind of food to highlight. It was a really fun collaboration. Sometimes his idea would inspire me to do something and vice versa:

Evolution of Sushi/Yaki Onigiri Recipe

Fish Market/Japanese Breakfast at Inn

Mochi Cakes/Make Your own Mochi!

Then the cuisine turned all-American….

Burger Party!/Hamburger Game

Breakfast Smoothie/I Love Strawberries

BBQ Ribs/Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe

Our sketchbook will be on tour for 2013.  Anyone in the world is welcome to participate in the next Sketchbook Project.  Sign up here if you want to take part!  To see more sketchbooks online, you can view them here.  There are so many amazing ones!!

The next day was Cinco de Mayo so….

It was Margarita Time!
I found the best frozen margarita recipe made from whole fruit!  What a great idea, right?  I love frozen margaritas, but they tend to be overly sweet.  This one isn’t and it is FULL of fresh fruit flavor.  Next time, I will add twice as much lime and halve the orange amount for a tarter lime flavor.  But this one was great.  I even made a virgin one for Jamie, which he loved.

Whole Fruit Margarita (adapted from Better Recipes — here is the original recipe)  Mine is for 2 servings and I changed the ratio of fruit

Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups ice cubes

2 tablespoons water

1/4 orange, peeled

1/4 lime, peeled

1/4 lemon, peeled

1 1/2 ounces tequila (or more if you like!)

1/2 ounce Triple Sec

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1.  Chill margarita glasses.

2.  Run a wedge of lime around rim of glass.  Spread salt on a plate.   Coat rim of glass with salt by placing upside down on plate.    Set aside.

3.  Crush ice in blender.

4.  Add remaining ingredients.  Pour into prepared glasses.  Garnish with lime wedge. Serve immediately.

I’m on a Mollie Katzen kick again.  As you may recall, we love her Pretend Soup book and my husband regularly makes her popovers for a weekend breakfast.

While visiting family on Saturday, I came across her classic, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest book!  I’ve been aware of this book forever, but I had never read it before.  I have to say I’m smitten.  I love her writing, her illustrations, and her amazing recipes.  But mostly I love that when she writes them, there is always room for improvisation which she wholeheartedly encourages.  She fully communicates the joy of making tasty, healthy food, being creative with it, and eating it!

There are a ton of things I want to make from the book.  There are fabulous dressings, dips, bread, vegetable, salad, and soup recipes I know I will be making in the future.

The other night, I made the  Onion Sour Cream Pie, but changed it up a bit.  I made the walnut crust as a base.  For the filling, I omitted the sour cream (because I can’t eat it) and substituted ricotta cheese in its place.  I also omitted the lemon juice and added thyme as a seasoning.

The result was a flavorful savory pie with a nutty, wonderfully crumbly crust.  It was very much like an onion quiche but more rustic.  This pie would also be good with some sauteed mushrooms in the filling!  We ate our slices with crisp green salads which perfectly complimented the buttery, nutty, cheesy richness of the pie.

Onion and Cheese Pie with Walnut Crust adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

For the Walnut Crust:
1/2 cup finely minced walnuts (I used a food processor and stopped before it became nut butter.)

a dash of salt

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

1 1/4 cups flour

3-5 tablespoons ice water

1.  Process the nuts, salt, butter and flour in a food processor, pulsing several times to mix up.

2.  While processor is running, drizzle in ice water.  When dough starts to come together, stop machine.

3.  Dump dough out onto floured board and roll out into a circle to fit a pie dish.  Transfer to pie dish and crimp edges. Chill until ready to fill.

For the onion filling:

3 tablespoons butter

4 1/2 cups onion, thinly sliced

dash of salt

dash of thyme

2 tablespoons flour

a couple tablespoons water

3/4 cup plain yogurt

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup shredded cheddar

1 whole egg

1 egg, separated

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Saute onions in butter in skillet on stove over medium heat.  Season with salt and thyme until soft.  Add flour to thicken.  Cook until onions are soft.  Add water a little bit at a time to prevent too much sticking to the pan.  Set aside to cool a bit.

3.  Mix yogurt, ricotta, cheddar, one egg, and one egg yolk (reserving egg white in a separate bowl) together in food processor until smooth.  (I used the same unwashed bowl that I processed the crust ingredients in!)    Transfer to a big bowl.

4.  Stir sauteed onions into dairy mixture.

5.  Brush crust with some of the saved egg white.  Pour onion mixture into crust.

6.  Bake for 45 minutes.

A couple of weeks ago I participated in a literacy workshop organized by the St. Nick’s Alliance of Brooklyn.  The event was held at Junior High School 126 and was made possible by the Brooke Jackman Foundation which works to improve literacy among the city’s at-risk students.  The children I worked with ranged from grades 3-5.  They had been participating in the program after school for 8 weeks, and the night I came to speak was the night of their graduation from the program.

I read (actually I sang it!  lol) Hush Little Monster to them and talked about the process of making the book.  I spoke about how revising and editing both the text and the pictures was a big part of the process.  For example, originally, it was supposed to be a Halloween book.  Then the publisher decided to change it to a good-night picture book.  So we had to change the ending which originally read: “So scream little monster, small and green, for tonight is Halloween!”

Now the ending reads: “So hush, Little Monster, not a peep!  The sun is coming out; now it’s time to sleep.”

After some Q and A, we all did an activity I created called Draw A Monster Game.  I made three sets of colored cards with different characteristics pasted on top.  Pink cards have general shape words (e.g. big, tall, hairy, etc.), Green cards have characteristics (e.g. antennae, fangs, wings, etc.), and Yellow cards have emotions (e.g. sad, happy, shy, etc.).

Each student chose one Pink card, two Green cards, and one Yellow card and used those to create a monster.  I brought a ton of art supplies, ranging from pens and crayons and markers, to collage materials, such as sequins, glitter, feathers, dried pasta, yarn, etc.  Some parents and the teenage counselors also wanted to take part!  It was so cute to see this one “tough” guy in his early 20s with long sideburns, a brooding look and tattoos very meticulously put glue in spindly monster legs and carefully dust with glitter.  I wish I had taken photos, but I was so busy running around helping students and talking to people, it didn’t even occur to me!

This is the monster I created as a demo.  I got the cards “fat”, “three eyes”, “horns”, and “happy” for my words.

After the students created their monsters, they filled out a Monster Fact Sheet and wrote about their characters.   I have to say, the Monster Fact Sheet was my son, Jamie’s idea.  Before the event when I was trying to create an activity that went with the story, I ran it by him, and he suggested having the fact sheet!  He even wrote one up for me on his own and insisted I use it, so I did.  I typed it up and added one or two lines, but that’s it.  So proud of my guy!

Everyone loved the drawing game.  It is really fun to play.  And all the monsters are SO different!  All the children wanted to share them with the group.  The stories they came up with were priceless.  One girl drew a zombie cat monster who lived in “the pet cemetery in the sky”.  Its favorite food is “bacon in the sky — which is ‘flying bacon’”.  I love it!

For the graduation, the kids were presented with  a backpack filled with books, including a signed copy of Hush Little Monster, and I passed out my mini monster cookies.  These cookies appear in the book:

Note monster mom carrying tray of wormy cookies.

I developed this recipe for the book launch last year.  But for this event, I revised the recipe to accommodate a large group.  I doubled the amounts, omitted the peanut butter chips due to peanut allergies, and I made them a lot smaller.  I ended up with over 80 cookies!  I only had 11 gummy worms, however.  It worked out though, because the gummies were pretty big. I cut each one into tiny pieces.

And added one or two worm piece to each cookie as they came out of the oven.  If you can’t get the gummy worm to stick as the cookies cool down, just zap the worm on the cookie  in the microwave for about 10 seconds and they will soften and adhere to the cookie.

If you’d like to try playing the game, all the elements (instructions, card words, fact sheet) can be found here at my NEWLY UPDATED WEBSITE!   View my work, see my books, and check out the other fun freebies and craft and cooking ideas for kids I have there.  Please take a look and let me know what you think– I’d love to hear from you!

Mini Monster Cookies

adapted from Everything But the Kitchen Sink Cookies from The Cookiepedia

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1/2 egg white (I used 3/4 tablespoon liquid whites)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup mixture of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and dried coconut

1 cup potato chips and pretzels broken into pieces

About 6 gummy worms cut into small pieces

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs. Mix to incorporate, scraping down sides of bowl.

3.  Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl.

Slowly add to butter and sugar mixture while mixer is running.

4.  Add sweet and salty mixtures to batter and stir together.

5.  Spoon tablespoonfuls of dough onto two baking sheets covered with parchment paper or Silpat mats.  I could get 12 mounds on one sheet.

6.  Bake for about 16-18 minutes, rotating pans halfway.

7.  When cookies are golden, remove from oven and press 2 pieces of gummy worms onto each cookie.  Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Makes about 40 small cookies.

Recipe may be doubled.

White Russian Malt

We are crazy about milkshakes.  Our favorite soda fountain/diner is in Shelter Island at the local drugstore.  It’s the real deal and has been there forever.  Every time we visit my husband’s parents, we make a special visit there for lunch and a giant chocolate milkshake (which we share).

This guy moves so fast I couldn’t get a non-blurry picture!

Being a member of a shake loving family, I was thrilled to review Malts and Milkshakes  60 Recipes for Frosty Creamy Frozen Treats by award winning chef, Autumn Martin, of Hot Cakes and Confections.  After trying a few recipes and reading all of them, I have to say:  Malts and Milkshakes is a MUST HAVE for shake lovers!!

Every recipe sounds fantastic.  They range from Soda Fountain Classics (e.g. Strawberry Shake, Butterscotch Shake or Malt, Dark Chocolate Shake or Malt) to Modern Flavors (e.g. Salted Caramel Shake, Molten Chocolate Cake Shake, Bacon-Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Shake, Tamarind Shake) to Boozy (e.g. Dark and Stormy Shake, Southern Comfort Shake, Jalapeno Tequila Shake).  But it’s not just shakes–there are also some amazing cookie recipes (Salted Peanut Butter Cookies, Bacon-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies) and ice cream recipes (both dairy and non-dairy)!

I seriously would like to try every recipe — they look that good.  The design of the book and the food styling and photography of the desserts are gorgeous and totally inspiring to me.

For this review, I decided to limit myself to just three recipes:  A Soda Fountain Classic shake, a cookie, and a Boozy shake (just because).

For the Soda Fountain Classic, I went with the Peanut Butter Shake because who doesn’t love peanut butter!?  And it was a little more special than a Vanilla or Chocolate one.  This shake has three components:  The creamy peanut butter shake, Salted Peanut Butter Cookie crumbles, and Candied Peanuts.  It might sound labor intensive, but it really wasn’t.  I made the cookies for a play date and saved one for the shake.  And the Candied Peanuts literally take two minutes to make (saute finely chopped peanuts with sugar).  And it was SO worth it, making this a very special shake that tastes completely like you just bought it in a specialty shake shop.  It was fun to eat it with spoons (I love the chunky mixture of the peanut butter cookies with the shake) and drink it with straws (as always, we shared one big one).

The Salted Peanut Butter Cookies are light, chewy, and tasty on their own.  Putting them in a shake is genius though.

For the  Boozy Shake, I had to try the White Russian Malt, because I love Kahlua!  I still have one of my bottles from the cruise we took two summers ago, which I’ve been savoring.

I divided the recipe in half and made one tall shake.  Then I took a photo and divided it into three small glasses for each of us.  Then I added booze to mine.  This shake made me swoon.  I will definitely make it again on a special occasion.  It has all the flavors I love:  chocolate, coffee sweetness, a bit of tang from the sour cream, a bit of alcohol kick from the vodka…  It was SOOO good.

There are a bunch of shakes I want to try in the future — I’m thinking the  Cherry Brandy Shake is definitely calling my name…Also the Peanut Butter and Jelly shake…. Also the Espresso shake… Also the Molten Chocolate Cake shake… OK, you get the picture!

Check out this book if you can — you won’t be disappointed!

Peanut Butter Shake

Candied Peanuts:

1/4 cup unroasted peanuts

2 tablespoons sugar

Shake:

1 1/2 cups natural salted creamy peanut butter (I used Trader Joe’s)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup milk

pinch of kosher salt

8 scoops vanilla ice cream

3/4 cup Salted Peanut Butter Cookie chunks (recipe follows)

1.  To make the candied peanuts:  Combine the peanuts and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the peanuts are finely chopped.  Be sure not to grind too much or you will make peanut butter!

2.  In a small saute pan over medium heat, warm the candied peanuts, stirring constantly.  After about 1 minute, the sugar will begin to melt, so be sure to keep stirring at this point.  Cook, stirring, for another minute, or until the nuts are light brown and the sugar has melted.

3.  Immediately transfer the candied peanuts to a plate and allow to cool.

4.  To make the shake:  Blend the peanut butter, sugar, milk, and salt until nice and smooth.  Add the ice cream and blend until it is just incorporated. (This shake is thick, so you may need to scrape down the sides of the blender.)

5.  Stir in 2 tablespoons of the candied peanuts and the cookie chunks.

6.  Pour into glasses and garnish with a sprinkling of candied peanuts.  You may want to eat this shake with a spoon!

Serves 4 in 6-ounce glasses

Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose or pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 sticks plus 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups natural salted creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, and whisk well.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (You can also do this by hand, with a sturdy spoon.)

5.  Using an ice cream scoop (about the capacity of 1/4 cup), scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, taking care to leave about 2 inches between cookies.

6.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and pale golden around the edges.  It is important that these cookies aren’t fully baked, as the chewier they are, the better.  And if you are freezing them for ice cream sandwiches, you won’t want a crisp cookie–so be careful not to overbake!

7.  Transfer the baking sheet to a rack, and cool the cookies completely on the sheet.

8.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes 20 large cookies

White Russian Malt

1/4 milk powder

1/4 cup malt powder

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon half-and-half

1 tablespoon sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Kahlua

8 scoops vanilla ice cream

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vodka

1 recipe Lightly Whipped Cream, for garnish (whip 1/4 cup heavy cream, chilled with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until soft peaks form.)

1.  Blend the milk and malt powders, half-and-half, sour cream, and sugar well.

2.  Add the Kahlua and blend well.  Add the ice cream and blend until it is just incorporated.  Stir in the vodka using a spoon.

3.  Pour into glasses and garnish with a dollop of lightly whipped cream.

This means it’s still soup weather!

Here is the easiest soup in the world– especially if you use pre-made wontons.  My friend Judy of Bebe Loves Okazu has a wonderful homemade recipe here.  You can make these and freeze uncooked wontons on a plate.  When frozen,  transfer to a ziploc bag to have on hand for later use. They can be plopped into the broth and simmered in the soup–no need for thawing.

Today, I was lazy, and I used Trader Joe’s Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons.  I also defrosted some homemade chicken broth.

I simmered the frozen mini wontons in the broth and added some chopped frozen spinach, cubed tofu, a couple of slivers of fresh ginger.  When it was all heated through, I added a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil and garnished with chopped scallions.  So warming and delicious — perfect for a cold, rainy spring day!

Really Easy Asian Wonton Soup

Note:  You can use whatever you have in your freezer or vegetable bin — try meatballs instead, or use snow peas or frozen peas or edamame.  You can’t go wrong either way!

About 2 cups of chicken broth (or other broth)

knob of ginger sliced thinly and jullienned

a handful of wontons

a handful of tofu cubes

a handful of chopped frozen spinach or other vegetable that can cook quickly

a dash of soy sauce (to taste)

a dash of sesame oil (to taste)

a spring of scallion, finely diced

1.  Heat broth in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Add wontons or other cooked meat, tofu, chopped spinach or other vegetable. Simmer until cooked and heated through, about 6-8 minutes.  Add soy sauce and sesame oil.  Garnish with scallions.  Serve.

Makes 2 servings.