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Paige had preschool homework this week: decorate a paper ornament for school and (with my help) write about a favorite holiday tradition in class. (Yes, she’s barely 4 … don’t get me started.) When I asked her what tradition she wanted to put on her index card, I already had in the back of my mind that I would suggest baking if she wasn’t sure. But I didn’t need to suggest anything. Paige immediately answered “Baking and decorating cookies.”

I was excited. No, make that elated. Read the rest of this entry…

Christmas is coming in just 10 days. Presents still need to be purchased. There is wrapping to do. And we still have to get a tree for the living room (that’s deliberate … We’ll do that on Tuesday). Only the mini kitchen tree is up so far.

I’ve decorated the kitchen and the porch. There are twinkling lights, a wreath, garland and spots of cheer all over. But it still doesn’t feel quite like Christmas. Getting in the holiday spirit is so uplifting — and I need that right now. So badly. How about you? Read the rest of this entry…

When Will saw me starting to steam broccoli for this dish, he couldn’t help but let out a little cheer. It’s his very favorite vegetable — and has been since he was a toddler. Even though he’s loved it for much of his six years, I am always caught off guard by his excitement. When I was a child broccoli wasn’t high on my list. Unless it was drowned in cheese sauce, of course, but that kind of defeats the purpose. No?

But even though his enthusiasm for broccoli surprises me, I try really hard never to let my preferences color Will’s or Paige’s. I never ever want them to not try something — or worse, to dislike something — because I’m not as excited by it. I’d much rather they make their own decisions about foods — and they do.

These days though, I do like broccoli too. But I especially like it when it’s tossed with a delicious sauce like in this Baked Ginger Sesame Chicken and Broccoli. It’s a sweet-salty-savory dish with Asian inspiration. The marinated chicken soaks in all the flavors of the marinade, and then the steamed broccoli is enhanced by a quick toss with some reserved marinade, which really ties it all together. Read the rest of this entry…

Read the rest of this entry…

Sometimes, cooking with kids is all about teaching them measuring, mixing and knife skills. We do this a lot. The kids and I talk about the different measurements we use and measure things out together. They are often the ones to whisk-shift dry ingredients for me or to stir together whatever needs stirring. But cooking with kids isn’t just about learning. It’s about having fun in the kitchen too. So other times cooking with kids is about letting go. I don’t do that nearly enough.

But I try. Last Friday, I’d been thinking of ordering a pizza all afternoon, but with the holiday season here and our budget already strained I just couldn’t justify spending the money. So, I did the next best thing: making homemade English muffin pizzas with the kids. Actually, Will and Paige did most of the doing and I just handled the oven, the hot tray and laying out the toppings.

See how happy they are? And they hadn’t even started doing anything yet. They love being in the kitchen and having a hand in whatever we’re eating. But they love it even more when they are super-hands-on for a meal, as with these English muffin pizzas.

With a simple, flexible ingredients list and a super-fast cooking time, these pizzas are perfect for an any-night treat. Of course, being easy doesn’t hurt either. Read the rest of this entry…

There are no less than six kinds of salad dressing in my fridge right now. We love salad (my six-year-old son took it to school today for lunch happily –  it’s his favorite). They range from creamy ones that my kids adore to four kinds of vinaigrette, which I love. The problem is finding ones that taste the way I want them to. I am notoriously picky about salad dressing flavors, so I’m on a constant hunt for ones that I love and fit my wants (pronounceable ingredients, for instance). It’s hard.

Recently, I was asked to try and review Marzetti’s new Simply Dressed salad dressing here on Sarah’s Cucina Bella. I am familiar with the Marzetti brand — my husband loves their jars of blue cheese. But this new line seems tailor made for me: simple ingredients, good flavors … and fresh. But would I like it? Read the rest of this entry…

Caesar salad is basic. Predictable. Boring, even. I mean, maybe you’ll find some well-seasoned chicken or delicious shrimp on a special Caesar, but generally it’s the same thing: romaine, Caesar dressing and Parmesan, mix well. Oh, and croutons. Repeat. But who says it has to be that way? Who says that Caesar salads can’t be a little more exciting?

Guess what? They can be. This one is.

Read the rest of this entry…

It’s a muffin! It’s a corn muffin! It’s a maple corn muffin! And it’s amazing.

Filled with maple-y goodness, these easy muffins aren’t overly sweet, which makes them so versatile. You can enjoy them warm with a pat of butter (my favorite way!) for breakfast or a snack. Who doesn’t love butter? They are tender and a little crumbly, a nice combination. But, I keep dreaming of enjoying these with chili too. Maybe tomorrow?

Making these is easy. First you grab your ingredients — you may even have them all right now. See? I told you they were easy. Read the rest of this entry…

Biscuits didn’t make frequent appearances on our table when I was a child. No, we were more of a grocery store bakery Italian bread family — always purchased fresh that day with a crusty outside and a soft, airy inside. Since I wasn’t a fan of the crusty outside, I would tear out the insides of the bread, roll it into a doughy ball and eat it that way. Odd, I know, but it was the way I enjoyed it.

Don’t worry, I don’t eat bread that way anymore. Just can’t get away with that at 31.

This isn’t about my bread eating habits though. We’re here to talk biscuits. Though I didn’t eat them much as I child, I actually love them and make them often in the winter. Delicate, fluffy biscuits are a dream. Read the rest of this entry…

Chocolate + Peppermint = Big, Mega, Super Love for me.  Maybe that’s why I use the combination in everything from truffles to pretzels to cookies during the holiday season. Actually, let’s be real. That’s definitely why.

Still, despite one attempt at putting it in a cake (it was okay, but not good enough for the blog), I have largely skipped over the chocolate cake + peppermint variation. Until now, that is.

Meet Chocolate Peppermint Cake in a Jar. It’s a moist, airy cake with a secret layer of peppermint cream near the bottom. And it’s topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache and a sprinkle of crushed candy cane.  And yes, it’s absolutely delicious. If you love these flavors, you will be in heaven with this cake. Read the rest of this entry…