Adventures in Cooking: My Attempt at an Easy Kings' Cake

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Yesterday morning, since it was Mardi Gras and we are originally from Louisiana,  I decided it would be a great idea to take a Kings' Cake to Jordan's preschool class.  Having come up with this idea at the last moment, I knew I wouldn't have time to bake a proper Kings' Cake so I figured I should be able to use refrigerated cinnamon rolls considering they are kind of a cinnamon roll ring anyway.  Because this would be for preschoolers I elected not to include a baby or bean to avoid choking.  I also had to use glitter colored gel because I could not find any purple sugar, and I went to 3 stores!

The cake took 2 cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls to make.  Opening one can at a time, I unrolled the cinnamon rolls as best I could, this is not as easy as it sounds! I then pinched them together, forming a ring.  The second can I then did the same thing on top.  While I was putting it together I wasn't really sure it was going to work.  It wasn't coming together exactly how I had imagined it would.  Once I got it all pinched together in a ring with most of the cinnamon in the middle, I baked it exactly as it said on the package.  After pulling it out and letting it cool, I iced it with the included icing then drizzled the purple, green, and orange gels (the best substitute I could find for the sugars.)

Once it was decorated I was actually quite impressed.  It may not have been a proper Kings' Cake, but it wasn't bad for a 20 minute "throw" together.  I decided I actually kind of liked the drizzled gels because it looked like the beads that Kings' Cakes are typically draped with.  At any rate, the kids had no idea that it wasn't just right, they didn't know what Mardi Gras is until it was explained, briefly, as to why I had brought them a cake.  All in all I was quite pleased and the cake and the masks I'd brought to go with it were a big hit with Jordan's class.

Skippy Peanut Butter Recall

Skippy Peanut Butter has issued a limited recall in 16 states of Skippy® Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy® Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.  The states where the contaminated products were distributed are Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The affected product, which is packaged in 16.3 oz plastic jars, is as follows:

• UPCs: 048001006812 and 048001006782 (located on the side of the jar’s label below the bar code.)
• Best-If-Used-By Dates: MAY1612LR1, MAY1712LR1, MAY1812LR1, MAY1912LR1, MAY2012LR1 and MAY2112LR1 (Stamped on the lid of the jar.)

For more information visit the FDA recall press release.

Win Free Pizza from Papa John's

Papa John's Pizza has some awesome promotions going on today!  First they are giving away free pizza every 45 sec. all day long!  All you have to do is order online from Papajohns.com anytime today between 10 am and 10 pm EST.  Every 45 sec the next online order wins and they will send out an email with a $45 gift code.  Plus, if the game goes into OT then every household in America that is enrolled in Papa Points Rewards Program will get a FREE Large 3-topping pizza!

Super Easy Super Bowl Recipes

I'm having some of my family over on Sunday to watch the Super Bowl.  So, this week I've been scouring the net looking for some quick and easy Super Bowl recipes.  I'm already planning on making a cheese dip - either RoTel and Velveeta or Chili and Velveeta.  And basil pesto cheese spread, combine basil pesto with cream cheese.  One of my new favorite websites, Real Mom Recipes, has a great idea for Super Bowl Brownies. 

Here's some more sites I found with tons of Super Bowl recipes:

MyRecipes.com Super Bowl Recipes Page

Kraft Foods Football Party Recipes


iVillage Food 50 Big Game Party Recipes

Betty Crocker Game Day Guide


Kellogg's Snackpicks Football Party Central

Sniffle Solutions: Kid-friendly Foods That Soothe

Sniffle Solutions: Care & Comfort

Kid-friendly Foods That Soothe

By Julie Bean for Sniffle Solutions



When children are under the weather, they usually turn to Mom for comfort. This season, be prepared with tasty treats that do double duty -- they soothe symptoms and help speed up the healing process.
“Runny noses, coughs and intermittent fevers can all be soothed at home,” says Dr. Ben Lee, a hospitalist at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas and an assistant professor of pediatrics at University of Texas Southwestern, in Dallas. “The old adage of a bowl of chicken noodle soup does have some truth, as it provides necessary fluids and calories to help kids feel better.”
There are other options too. Here are a few unexpected, inexpensive and tasty treats to have on hand for your kids this cold and flu season.

Oatmeal Cookies

Every mom knows that extra sleep is key for sick children, but getting an unhappy child to climb into bed is seldom an easy task. Oats contain high levels of tryptophan, the amino acid best known for making you feel sleepy after eating a big turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. A bowl of oats may be a bit heavy on the stomach, especially for a sick kid, but eating one or two oatmeal cookies will produce the same effect and help kids settle down and get the rest they need to feel better.

100 Percent Juice Drinks

It’s normal for most kids to become mildly dehydrated while sick with the flu. Watch for signs, which include a dry or sticky mouth, dry skin, irritability and dizziness. “Liquids are important to prevent dehydration,” says Lee.
The right liquids make all the difference, though. Avoid caffeinated beverages and hydrate kids with 100 percent juice. All-natural juice drinks are fat-free and nutrient-dense, and are loaded with vitamins and immunity-boosting antioxidants that many of their sugary counterparts lack. If the juice is too sweet or strong, mix it with an equal amount of water to dilute the taste without washing away the nutrients. Kids younger than 1 year should hydrate with a beverage that contains electrolytes.

Ginger Ale or Ginger Candies

Many studies have shown that ginger curbs nausea and alleviates an upset stomach. The trick is to find foods and beverages that actually contain pure ginger. Look for the words “ginger” or “ginger extract” on the ingredient list. Some sodas, especially those available in natural food stores, are going to be your best bet. Ginger candies made from real ginger can also help provide relief for older children.

Ice Pops

A cool ice pop can numb irritated nerve endings to help soothe an inflamed sore throat and provide fluids to quell dehydration. Seek out ice pops made from 100 percent juice or fruit puree, and avoid unnecessary artificial sweeteners and additives. Ice pops made from 100 percent juice are loaded with healthy antioxidants, and those fortified with extra vitamins and minerals can give added boost to the immune system to help speed recovery time.

Honey

Honey is extremely effective at soothing coughs, according to research from Penn State College of Medicine. In fact, a small dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime reduced the severity and frequency of coughs and provided significant relief to participants in a recent study.

“Honey has been reported to reduce coughing by coating the throat to help reduce irritation,” says Lee. One to two teaspoons thirty minutes prior to bedtime should do the trick, he says.

An important warning: Children under 2 years old should avoid this sweet soother to prevent the risk of a botulism infection.

Hurry! Only 3 Days Left to Share Your Milano Moment!

 

All month long Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies has been teamed up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help fight breast cancer.  By supporting each other and sharing our strength, we can work together to find the cure.  You can help right now by sharing your Milano Moment.  When you share a Milano Moment, you help the fight against breast cancer because for every Moment shared, Pepperidge Farm will donate $.50 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.   Help them reach their goal of $50,000 by posting your Milano Moment today.  While you're there be sure to print your coupon for $0.55 off any package of Milano cookies!

Disclosure:  For writing this post I have been entered  to win one of fifteen $25 gift cards or one of 25 packages of Milano cookies.