LilSugar

Elvis Pancake Sandwiches: Breakfast and Lunch!

LilSugar — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:00:39 -0700

Breakfast sandwiches are popular with rushing mothers and their kiddos on the go! From egg filled bagels to bacon and cheese caught between an English muffin they fill the tummy up right. My son favors waffles sandwiches. The handy breakfast is easy enough for him to munch on in the car if he doesn't finish it before I have to shuttle him to school. While all the hearty meal involves is the simple assembly of two whole grain waffles (store bought or homemade) and a slathering of fresh peanut butter between them, I recently watched Big Daddy over at the Food Network make a more inventive recipe for his boy.

A twist on a sandwich Elvis Presley was famous for - peanut butter and banana, the cook takes buckwheat pancakes, adds the protein spread, sliced bananas and a drizzle of honey to make a morning sammie that can be finished in the afternoon if you pop it in your kiddo's lunchbox. While the flavors appeal to wee taste buds, its quick prep time makes it a dish mama can accomplish even if she isn't completely awake.
To get the recipe, read more.

Elvis Pancake Sandwiches
Recipe courtesy Aaron McCargo Jr., Food Network

Looking for a meal that can be made for breakfast and finished for lunch? Try Big Daddy's Elvis pancake sandwiches.

Ingredients

Batter:

* 2 cups buttermilk
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 6 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1 cup buckwheat flour
* 2 tablespoons butter, cold plus more as needed
* Peanut butter, for topping
* Sliced bananas, for topping
* Honey, for topping

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, baking powder, sugar, salt and butter.

In another large bowl mix together all-purpose flour and buckwheat flour.

Slowly add flour into the wet ingredients mixing with a whisk. Mix until there are no lumps and the batter is smooth and velvety.

In a large cast iron skillet or flat grill pan over medium-high heat, melt a tablespoon of butter. Ladle pancake batter onto skillet to desired size. Using the ladle, form pancake into circular shape. Cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Set pancakes aside and keep warm. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Once completed, spread peanut butter on a pancake, layer it with sliced bananas and drizzle it with honey. Top the pancake with another pancake to form a sandwich. Repeat with remaining pancakes and serve with extra honey.

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Courtesy of The Food Network.

Mommy Dearest: Scolded by Fellow Mom For Kid's Breakfast

LilSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Mommy Dearest:
My son and I were running late and rather than have him be tardy for preschool, I gave him an organic yogurt smoothie and children's breakfast bar to eat en route. As we walked to school, a fellow mom joined us for the last few blocks. When I told her we were having a crazy morning and had resorted to a quick meal, she scolded me saying that granola bars should be treated as snacks rather than meals and said they were the equivalent to candy bars. Dumbfounded by her mini-tirade, I shuttled my son to class without responding. Is it so bad to give a yogurt smoothie and granola bar for breakfast?
– Meal-on-the-Go Mom

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Meal-on-the-Go Mom,

You had a harried morning and gave your son the quickest, healthy breakfast you had. Not every family has time to sit down for a full meal in the morning even if they plan on it. Most moms can relate to your situation- it's not as if you handed your lil guy a candy bar to nosh on, but even if you did, it's your business and that meddling mama should have just kept her opinion to herself. - Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

Lil Tip: Breakfast For Dinner

LilSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0700

I'll take that dinner sunny-side up! Growing up, my friend's mom would surprise the family once a month with breakfast for dinner. She never told them when it would be, but one evening she would pull out the griddle and start fixing up pancakes, bacon, and eggs once the sun went down.

Being a mama myself now, I see why her mom dished up the morning favorites once in a while. The entire concept is fun, easy, and puts a smile on everyone's face at the end of the day. Sometimes we get in a routine that leaves us making the same foods on a weekly basis, and this changes it up every once in a while. So the next time you find yourself in a dinner rut, consider flipping your day on its head and a few hotcakes or omelets onto their dishes. If you want to take the concept one step further, have your child jot down everyone's orders and turn yourself into a short-order cook!

Source

Delilicious: Shortcut to French Toast on a Daily Basis

LilSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

A friend was recently telling me how her eighteen-month-old son loves French toast. He gobbles it up every time she makes it. He loves the taste and she is glad he gets a hearty breakfast. Since she's a working mama who has to fly out of the house in the mornings, she came up with a shortcut that doesn't rely on the frozen food aisle.

She takes slices of whole wheat sandwich bread, dunks them in a bowl filled with the milk, egg, and cinnamon mixture, and then fries them up five slices at a time before freezing them. While she dresses for the office, she takes a slice from the fridge and pops it in the toaster to warm for her wee one.

Source

Delilicious: Batter Blaster

LilSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:00:18 -0700

Quick breakfast can be more than a slice of toast. I'm not a fan of spray foods and tend to make most of my kids' food from scratch and with organic ingredients. But weekday mornings at my house are sheer madness. I'm running to work, my daughter's off to preschool and my husband and son are headed to the park.

The first meal of the day is usually a granola bar on the go, yogurt and juice. Sit down meals like pancakes are reserved for the weekends when we have more time. To see what product changed that unwritten rule, read more.

Though I was a lil weary of Batter Blaster, an organic pancake and waffle batter that comes in a spray dispenser, I decided to give it a try. Beyond my kids loving the wheat based pancakes, the nozzle makes it incredibly easy to create hot cakes of different designs. Add some fruit and breakfast is on the table in minutes. Quality prepared foods can be hard on the budget, but you can get Batter Blaster at Costco. A pack of three containers only set me back $10.

Just a Minute: Breakfast

LilSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:45:39 -0800

While they say it's the most important meal of the day, truth be told - there isn't always time to sit down and eat a wholesome breakfast. Here are some traveling snacks that your child can eat on the go.

Horizon Organic Single-Serve Milk. Retailing for around $1.50 each, these 8 oz. individual milk boxes provide your child calcium, vitamin D, and 8 g. of protein. Since they are ultrapasteurized and packaged in aseptic containers, the milk can be stored at room temperature up to its expiration date.
Stonyfield Farm's YoKids Sqeezers. These tubes of organic yogurt are 60 calories per serving, have 25 percent less sugar than other yogurt brands, and contain six active cultures that help promote good digestion. Available in cherry, berry, and strawberry flavors, boxes are $4 and contain 8 single servings.
EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars. These low-fat, low-sodium 1-oz. bars are made from organic brown rice flower. A box of six costs $3 and 1 percent of all EnviroKidz sales are donated annually to endangered species, habitat conservation, and environmental education for kids.

Source

The Breakfast Club for Fathers

LilSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:00:43 -0700

Women have their Mommy friends, but what about dads? Fathers may be taking a bigger role in raising their offspring, but many are still given the once over by mom cliques at the playground. One group of work-from-home dads in New York started a get together on their own terms - far from the sandbox and without tots in tow.

The men whose children attend P.S. 234 have formed a breakfast club and the characters don't even slightly resemble Emilio Estevez and Molly Ringwald. The New York Times reported that these men - a photographer, a sculptor, a screenwriter - who have been breaking toast over eggs and bacon for the past four years have nannies, housekeepers and high powered wives. The gathering is a way for the men to chat about current issues, cars and kids. It said:

But the dads have no compunction about taking a leisurely break from diapering and spending some of the family’s hard-earned money in the process. “All these fathers are actually really good fathers,” said Mr. Katz, who recently oversaw the birth of his fourth son (and made it to breakfast with the guys 14 hours later). “We do more parenting than our type-A wives and feel we’re justified.”

Would you encourage your husband to participate in this kind of a group?
Source

Delilicious: St. Patty's Day Muffins For the Top of the Mornin'

babysugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:48 -0700

This year St. Patrick's Day falls on a Wednesday, which means your family will be rushing through the school and work week and lucky if you remember to wear green tees (seriously, don't forget that kids pinch!). If you're too busy chasing a pot of gold to make a whole St. Patty's Day spread, add a little semi-homemade green treat first thing in the a.m. with healthy muffins decked out with a pinch of green.

These tiny morsels can be made the day or night before and are healthy enough you'll feel okay serving them at the top of the morning for breakfast. I chose a mix and decorated them in advance with my tots. For the recipe and suggestions, read more.

St. Patty's Day Muffins
Modified original

Ingredients

Make muffins with 1 box of Trader Joe's Spiced Apple Bread Mix, 1 box of Fiber One Apple Muffin Mix, or your favorite spiced muffin mix or original recipe (All Recipes has a great one). Follow box or cookbook directions.
You'll likely need:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cup of water
1 package of Tofutti cream cheese, regular cream cheese or frosting
1 package of green sprinkles

Directions
Make muffins following box or cookbook directions. Bake in mini tins for six minutes for bite-sized treats. Let cool and frost with a dab of Tofutti cream cheese (or your favorite frosting) and decorate with green sprinkles.

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Cookies For Breakfast? The Children's Table Says Yes

LilSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:00:40 -0700

Kids are lil cookie monsters, but before you think chocolate chip, peanut butter, or snickerdoodles, consider whipping up a batch of the breakfast variety. Over at The Children's Table, one of LilSugar's community groups, GirlC posted this healthful recipe for the mom-tested and tot-approved breakfast drop cookies.

The munchies contain high fiber and nutrient-rich ingredients like bran cereal, carrots, and raisins. The perfect handheld morning meal can be munched on at preschool or anytime kiddos are on the go. If you're looking for a place to share recipes (like bean burgers and lasagna mash) or tips and tricks about feeding children, join The Children's Table!

Atlantis Adventure: Is It a Destination For Your Family?

LilSugar — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:58 -0800

It's better in the Bahamas! As we hunker down for six more weeks of Winter, a Caribbean getaway sounds like heaven. Many island hotels are offering last-minute deals to escape from the cold, but how do you know if one is right for your family? As guests of Atlantis, JetBlue, and LEGO, we got an inside look at what the resort is doing to accommodate families.

A beautiful and expansive resort, Atlantis is situated on picturesque Paradise Island, a 40-minute drive from the Nassau airport. With four distinctive rooming options, we were situated in the Royal Towers, the resort’s original accommodations, where a standard room with two double beds provided plenty of space (and gorgeous views) to spread out and relax. While I would have loved to stay in the more luxurious and hip Cove area, it has a strict "no children" policy, which is probably best given its outdoor bars and gambling.

Atlantis’s water park, Aquaventure, has 141 acres of water slides, lazy rivers, pools, and sprinklers that are second to none. Three of the resort’s 11 pools are designed specifically for kids, with zero-barrier entries, in-pool jungle gyms, and ample lifeguards. Most of the park’s 18 water slides are for kids over 48 inches, though there are a handful created with lil ones in mind (you wouldn’t want your little ones on the bigger slides - trust me!). But if your tyke is anything like mine (and the dozens of others I observed), the rapid river ride, The Current, is perfect.

To hear about our favorite parts of the resort, as well as the low points, read more.

By far the highlight of our visit was the shallow water dolphin interaction. The hour-long Dolphin Cay experience included kissing the dolphins, learning about their mating habits, and watching their water show. My son is still talking about it. We were equally impressed with the pristine white sand beaches.

In the evenings, the resort has plenty of activities to occupy youngsters with its own version of Build-A-Bear, pottery painting, remote control car building and racing, and free nightly movies.

Where the resort seems to be lacking is in its dining options. Food at the resort is expensive, very expensive. To curb the costs, Atlantis offers two dining plans starting at $75 per day for adults and $35 for children over 6 years old. We tried several of the restaurants on the plan and, save a bountiful breakfast buffet, found the food to be mediocre. If I were to do it on my own, I would forgo a dining plan, stock up on cereal for the room, eat poolside for lunch, and save my money for dinner at the resort's more notable restaurants.

In all, Atlantis is a luxurious destination for those with money to spare (current promotions start at 5 days/4 nights for $499 per adult) . With the water park, animal interactions, AKA kids club, and a LEGO fantasy camp that is debuting this Summer (featuring building activities, the dolphin interaction, beach games, and more), there are plenty of activities to keep families busy. Parents with kids over 48 inches will be able to enjoy the bulk of Atlantis's amenities, but even families with smaller kids can experience the best of what the resort has to offer.

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