It's cold outside! The weather keeps us bundled inside and looking for something to do. When this cold weather strikes I like finding fun things to do inside with the little ones. In my house we play a lot of board games - cozy up and watch movies and I of course look for fun cooking activities with the kids.
The kitchen is a great place to get the kids involved - they love learning and they usually will eat more of something if they helped in the preparation. I even have my one year old already in the spirit. Well, okay ... let me be honest .. I watch a lot of Food Network. When I say a lot - that pretty much equals whenever I get control of the remote. My one year old has become used to this and already has a favorite TV host - Giada De Larentes. For Christmas Santa brought her a cooking starter set - measuring cups, sauce pans to play with, plastic whisks -- so when Momma is in the kitchen, she is at my feet content to see exactly what it is I'm mixing on the counter.
If you have older children the kitchen is a perfect place to work on math skills, attention to detail and following directions. Give them fun projects to help - measure out the flour when baking, whisk the gravy, set the timers or set the table. I feel that meal times should be a time for the family to sit down together. Talk. Look at each other. Find out about their day. Take the opportunities at meal times to engage your children and get to know them.
While we are bundleded up inside lets take some time to make something fun and sweet together! Here's my recipe for Chocolate Oreo Truffels.
You will need to take a package of Oreos and crush the entire bag. A fun part for the kids! Fill a large Ziploc bag with the cookies and let them have at it! We use a can from the pantry and mash the cookies until they are the perfect consistancy.
When you have them crushed add them to a block of cream cheese and mix until it is combined. Have the kids jump in again because now it is time to make the truffle balls. This is something the kids will enjoy doing -- simply grab a small amount of the cream cheese and cookie mixture and shape into 1" balls. Set them aside. Once you have rolled the entire mixture start melting two boxes of semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler. When the chocolate is melted, take each ball between two forks and dip into the chocolate until you get a nice, equal coating all the way around. Set each coated truffel on parchment paper or wax paper. When all are coated place them in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours until set. The best method is to let them set overnight - although I will say the temptation is strong to taste one sooner than the next morning!
There are many things that I love about this quick and easy recipe - one of those is the ability to be creative. Consider this your 'base' recipe for truffels. You can always roll the coated truffels in chopped nuts for an extra crunch before setting in the fridge to cool. You can melt white chocolate and substitute this instead of the milk chocolate - or go crazy and dip each ball into both! Add crushed candy bars to the oreos for a special surprise -- the possibilities are absolutely endless! Have fun! Let your kids give you even more ideas! Either way ... enjoy your time inside during this winter season and do something special together.
Cheers!
The kitchen is a great place to get the kids involved - they love learning and they usually will eat more of something if they helped in the preparation. I even have my one year old already in the spirit. Well, okay ... let me be honest .. I watch a lot of Food Network. When I say a lot - that pretty much equals whenever I get control of the remote. My one year old has become used to this and already has a favorite TV host - Giada De Larentes. For Christmas Santa brought her a cooking starter set - measuring cups, sauce pans to play with, plastic whisks -- so when Momma is in the kitchen, she is at my feet content to see exactly what it is I'm mixing on the counter.
If you have older children the kitchen is a perfect place to work on math skills, attention to detail and following directions. Give them fun projects to help - measure out the flour when baking, whisk the gravy, set the timers or set the table. I feel that meal times should be a time for the family to sit down together. Talk. Look at each other. Find out about their day. Take the opportunities at meal times to engage your children and get to know them.
While we are bundleded up inside lets take some time to make something fun and sweet together! Here's my recipe for Chocolate Oreo Truffels.
You will need to take a package of Oreos and crush the entire bag. A fun part for the kids! Fill a large Ziploc bag with the cookies and let them have at it! We use a can from the pantry and mash the cookies until they are the perfect consistancy.
When you have them crushed add them to a block of cream cheese and mix until it is combined. Have the kids jump in again because now it is time to make the truffle balls. This is something the kids will enjoy doing -- simply grab a small amount of the cream cheese and cookie mixture and shape into 1" balls. Set them aside. Once you have rolled the entire mixture start melting two boxes of semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler. When the chocolate is melted, take each ball between two forks and dip into the chocolate until you get a nice, equal coating all the way around. Set each coated truffel on parchment paper or wax paper. When all are coated place them in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours until set. The best method is to let them set overnight - although I will say the temptation is strong to taste one sooner than the next morning!
There are many things that I love about this quick and easy recipe - one of those is the ability to be creative. Consider this your 'base' recipe for truffels. You can always roll the coated truffels in chopped nuts for an extra crunch before setting in the fridge to cool. You can melt white chocolate and substitute this instead of the milk chocolate - or go crazy and dip each ball into both! Add crushed candy bars to the oreos for a special surprise -- the possibilities are absolutely endless! Have fun! Let your kids give you even more ideas! Either way ... enjoy your time inside during this winter season and do something special together.
Cheers!
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