Mike Wazowski / Monsters University Treats

 

 It is the last day of my son's extended school year (ESY) *I cannot believe it! Summer's going so fast!!!* & I always like to make treats for the kiddies. It's been really hot so I have been on strike lately & I had bought this Limited Edition Monsters University Cereal. So since one of my little G's favorite things so far this this summer was the Monsters University movie, I thought hmmm fun marshmallow treats! They came about in the form of the movie's one-eyed, co-star, Mike Wazowski.Hope the kids like them!

<3 Lishie
G' mommy

Mike Wazowski / Monsters University Treats

• 1 - 10oz bag marshmallows
• 3 TBSp butter
• 1 tsp green food coloring
• 1 box of Monster's University cereal Kelloggs (or Rice Krispies)
• Candy eyes (from Wilton)

Microwave melt the marshmallows & butter in a large bowl- 1-1 & 1/2 minutes, high... Sprinkle in the green food coloring & fold the marshmallows in onto the green until combined. Add the cereal then flatten the mixture onto a sprayed pan or sprayed parchment paper on the counter. Allow to set & cut out the shapes (the heads) with a round cookie cutter or empty, clean tin can... Wedge a candy eye into the middle in a glop of marshmallow. 

*Lishie tip- I find it easiest to spray the bowl before using & to spray a nice sized spatula too before using with melted marshmallows.

Grilled Steak & Veggie Pesto Pasta

This was a fun & yummy recipe. I created shish kabobs for my hubby to grill... as he grilled them, I prepped the pesto & the pasta... Then we merged our separate pieces together & had a delish dinner!

<3 Lishie

Grilled Steak & Veggie Pesto Pasta

• 1 lb chuck eye steak, cubed into 2" pieces
• 1 large onion, diced into 1-2" pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, diced into 1-2" pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, diced into 1-2" pieces
• S & P
• 1 bag of noodles
• 1/4 C pesto (I made fresh)

BBQ skewers- soaked in water for 30 minutes prior to grilling

Create bbq shish kebobs placing 
steak/onion/pepper/zucchini. 
Again, steak/onion/pepper/zucchini...
Sprinkle well w/ S & P... Grill... till the meat is cooked well, turning the kabobs... about 8 minutes on each side.

While the kebobs are cooking... cook the noodles. When kebobs are finished, take steak & veg off of the skewers & toss steak, veg, pesto & pasta together. Serve w/ fresh shredded parmesan.

Homemade "Brown" Play-Dough

Got toilet paper?

R2D2 poops too

Poop play-dough you say? Yes, yes, I do! It's brown & actually smells delish because it is made with ... COFFEE!!! My son & I visited one of our favorite places on Saturday- Liberty Science Center. Amongst all of the great displays & fun things to do was a new exhibit called "Grossology": The Impolite Science of the Human Body.

Well, stationed right at the entrance to this wonder was a table set up to make... Poop Play-dough!!! How FUN! How gross! How alluring for the little ones! Nothing makes children laugh like poop jokes.

So my little G & I concocted & mixed... poo- ummm- Brown play-dough. And we got to bring some home!

Make it- a great rainy day (or any day in the DeMaria house) activity!!!

<3 Lishie

a little pooping fun play ;)

G's mom

Homemade Brown, "Poop" Play-Dough

• 4 c flour 
• 1 c salt 
• 4 TBSp oil 1 
• 1/2 c water
• 1/4 c instant coffee (add more for darker)

Mix flour & salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk oil, water & dissolve the instant coffee into the liquid. Add to coffee mix to dry mixture & mix until pliable. 

Honey S'mores Treats!

Oh it is hot. But I am not complaining; I just do not want to turn on my oven. Even with the a/c on it is just too hot. So what to do when my most requested item is, well, requested? Improvise with a no-bake alternative!!! Today is another birthday celebration at work & someone suggested I bring in my original Lishie's S'mores Bars.

So I thought hard & came up with these Honey S'mores Treats. All of the flavors, no baking. Sweet. & Delish. I think they may become a new favorite!

<3 Lishie

Honey S'mores Treats 

• 3 TBSp butter
•  1, 10 oz package marshmallows
• 1/4 c chocolate (I used Hershey's Kisses)
• 6 c Quaker Honey Graham Oh's Cereal

Melt the marshmallows & butter together either in the microwave or on the stove top... Fold in the chocolate & keep "folding" until it melts in. Add the cereal, gently mix. Scoop the ingredients onto a surface to cool & cut.

Root Beer Floats

It's summer. Take a deep breath & enjoy the easy things in life, like root beer floats. So refreshing, tasty, summery & easy.

Cute note- I've recently joined a Mommy & Me Yoga class with my 4 year old... What did he learn the first session? Star Catcher &... DEEP breaths... OR raspberry noises he thinks are deep breaths. It is very cute, very funny & not very calming ;)

ENJOY. RELAX. Have a root beer float.
<3 Lishie

2 Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream + 
root beer (foamy goodness) = 
a Root Beer Float

Homemade Slushees

Who needs the ice cream man?! Not us. This recipe is so easy & versatile!!! You can switch up the extract flavors, along with the color & make numerous types of slushees for very low cost. This makes a slew of cupfuls! The little ice treats were certainly a hit at our home & the blue color of these make them perfect little BBQ additions for Independence Day celebrations!!!

Happy birthday USA!
<3 Lishie
Gabriel's mommy


Homemade Raspberry Slushees
adapted from Love from the Oven

• 4 c of very cold water
• 1 c of sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Raspberry Extract
• 4-6 drops of Blue Food Coloring (or any color of your choice) optional

In a large bowl, combine water & sugar & stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Add in  Raspberry Extract & stir well. Follow with 4-6 drops of the food coloring to achieve your desired color. Whisk well. Pour into your ice cream maker (this recipe was tested in a 1 & 1/2 quart ice cream maker) & & run according to ice cream maker directions. Run for approximately 20 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately.

Oh & don't forget to enter my SWEET HERSHEY GIVEAWAY!!!

Hershey Giveaway

Hershey was so much fun. "The Sweetest Place On Earth" indeed. I cannot express the fun that can be had especially with a willing & wonderful four year old. I don't want to mention that this four year old won't eat chocolate but... there's everything else at Hershey too. The people are sweet, kind & caring. There's the Park, the ZooAmerica, the Lodge, the Gardens... the other food. And it is so good. Well, our little four year old skipped happily to each ride. What memories we made.

Which leads me to past memories... my hubby proposed to me in Mrs. Hershey's Rose Garden by the fountain. The Gardens are gorgeous, calm & huge... It was extremely romantic. And we shared the Gardens with our son again... This is my favorite picture from the trip- Gabriel holding the little girl statue's hand in the Children's Garden:

We stayed at the Hershey Lodge & we visited Hershey's Chocolate World & Hershey Park / ZooAmerica & Hershey Gardens. We ate very little chocolate (that's usually what happens) but the savory food is delish as well. We had delicious paninis, pulled pork sliders (infused with chocolate), homemade chips & fries... And I had the best caesar salads! The bagels were bakery fresh & the milk is just delicious. Chocolate milk every morning.

I wanted to share a little of Hershey with my readers & Gabriel helped choose this GIVEAWAY (he got a blue bear too!):

~A Hershey Kisses Bear w/ a large chocolate Hershey Kiss
~A 12oz miniature assortment FRESH from the Factory...
Reese's/Kisses/Krackel/Hershey's Dark/Mr. Goodbar/Hershey Milk Chocolate
~A postcard "With Love, DeLish DeMaria"

PRIZE Totals about $20.00.
If you have never had Hershey's FRESH from the Factory, OMGoodnes, it is so DELISH!! Truly there's a difference. That first bite you can tell.

Prize is open to DeLish fans in the Continental United States. Please COMMENT below that you shared & maybe state your favorite Hershey item!!!

Those who shared yesterday will have an extra entry :)

Hershey did not put me up to this- I willingly want to share :)!!!Just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below, which ends on Friday July 5th at 12AM!

Sweet entering!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Ice Cream" Cookies

 

This was super easy & super fun for the kiddos. And of course, it is not really a recipe except for the frosting. I didn't want to put my oven on- it was hot. And my hubby was bbq-ing our dinner outside. I had spied an idea like this on pinterest... So this made for a cute snack for my little G's last day of pre-k 3.

So you can use any oval cookie (I used Vienna Fingers) or Nutter Butters.

You can use any frosting flavor since ice cream come sin many flavors & colors (I used chocolate, recipe below).

The "sprinkles" are rainbow non-pareils.

The "cherry" is a red m&m but you can use red skittles, red hots, red Trix, etc.

<3 Lishie

Gabriel's mom

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

from Hershey's
https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=184

• 1/2 c butter
• 2/3 c Cocoa
• 3 c powdered sugar
• 1/3 c milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar & milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

Another day, another birthday... I saw a big 'ol jar of peanut butter on my coworker's desk the other day & it inspired me... to make these for her celebration! I used Jif of course!!! It is one thing I won't budge on. These were super easy to make & delish! :)
<3 Lishie


Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars
slightly adapted from Julie's Eats & Treats 

• 1 c butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 c creamy (or chunky) peanut butter
• 3 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 c jelly (I went with traditional grape :) )*you can use jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13"x9" baking pan.
Cream together butter & sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla & peanut butter. Mix until combined.
Add flour & baking powder. Mix until well combined.
Spread 2/3 of the batter mixture onto the bottom of the pan. Spread jam over the batter. Leave about 1/2" around the sides without jam. Drop the remaining dough over the jam, in about teaspoon size drops.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes until the edges start to brown. Remove from from oven.

Artichoke Potato Gratin

While perusing the cheeses at the supermarket, I decided I really wanted some good provolone. So I got some yummy, fresh, full of taste provolone cheese sliced at the deli for sandwiches & at the same time, some extra for a gratin. I had these gorgeous baby yukon potatoes at home... And felt that artichokes would complete the flavor profile I wanted. I was right... so delish...

<3 Lishie
Artichoke Potato Gratin

• 1 lb baby yukon potatoes, washed, skin on
• 14 oz artichoke hearts, chopped
• S & P
• 1/4 lb provolone, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c chicken stock (or veggie stock)
• grated parmesan cheese to top
• 1-2 pats of butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Oil or butter a baking ramekin (I used a 3 Qt size)
Slice the potatoes thinly or use a mandoline (I used the latter). Place 1 layer of potato slices on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle half the artichoke pieces over the potato layer. Add salt & pepper. Layer more potato slices. Top with provolone cheese... Another layer of potato slices, 2nd half of artichoke pieces, salt & pepper... Top & last layer of potato slices... Pour in the chicken stock.
Top off with a little grated parmesan cheese & butter pats.
Bake, covered with aluminum foil for 40 minutes. Take off foil, bake another 15 minutes till browned.Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting & serving.

Sour Cream Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberries are in season!!! YUM. And boy are they gorgeous. I played around with a recipe/thought in my head & came up with this delish-iousness... It is light & perfect to take to a BBQ.

<3 Lishie

Cake:

• 1/2 c (4 ounces) butter
• 1 c (7 ounces) sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 c All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c sour cream 

Cream together the butter, sugar, & eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, stirring after each addition.

Grease & flour 2, 9" circle cake pans. Spread half the batter in each pan

Bake the coffee in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Cool it for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan. 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Glaze/Frosting

• 1 package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 c butter, room temperature
• 2 c powdered sugar (1 c less, thinner Glaze/1 c more, thicker Frosting! Your choice!)
• 2 c strawberries, fresh, hulled & diced

Combine all ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate. Frost the cakes when they are cooled. 

School Bus Cake

Happy birthday Teacher!

On the teacher's birthday, what to do?

Create a School Bus Cake!!!

See, there she is, next to the bus driver^^^

See, there she is, next to the bus driver^^^

Divided Oreos for the faces...

See, there my son is^^^, in the middle^^^

And a TEACHER birthday card.

Thanks for looking!

<3 Lishie

Gabriel's Mom

Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Boneless Pork Loin Ribs

I was super excited for these. The house smelled gorgeously of bbq & honey... Mmmmm... 8 simmering hours. I made these on a day when we were home, in advance because I'm a bit freaked out by leaving something plugged in on all day. Anyone else? So at the end of the cook-time, I tasted the melt-in-your-mouth pork... it was absolutely delicious. Then I did something really stupid. I dished the steaming hot contents into a bowl, topped it with tinfoil for the cool down process. And.left.it.OUT.on.the.counter. OVERNIGHT. (Anyone else?) Bye bye pork ribs :(

I shall be making these again, very very soon! This is the perfect dish if you want BBQ or it you want something delicious without turning on the oven. 

<3 Lishie


Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Boneless Pork loin Ribs

End Product

• 3 to 4 lbs boneless pork loin ribs
•  S&P
• 1/4 c light brown sugar, packed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c honey
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce

Spray the insert of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Place pork, fattier side down into the pot. Sprinkle pork with s & p, brown sugar, & minced garlic; turn the pork ribs to coat all pieces. Pour honey & BBQ Sauce evenly over the pork. Cover & cook on LOW for 8 hours. Serve w/ more BBQ sauce on the side.

Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffeecake

This is a delightful snack cake for when you want just that perfect, tender piece of cakeage to go with your afternoon drink. Look at that cinnamon-y streusel. I brought it into work for yet another celebration.

<3 Lishie

Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffeecake 

fromKing Arthur Flour

Cake:

1/2 c (4 ounces) butter

1 c (7 ounces) sugar

2 large eggs

2 c All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c sour cream

Topping:

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

Cream together the butter, sugar, & eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, stirring after each addition.

Grease & flour a regular-sized (9 1/2-inch) tube pan or bundt-style pan, or a 9 x 9-inch pan. Spread half the batter in the pan, & sprinkle with half the topping mixture. Repeat with remaining batter & topping.

Bake the coffeecake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Cool it for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan. (If you've baked it in a 9 x 9-inch pan, just serve it right from the pan.) Place the cake right-side-up (topping up) on a plate to serve.

Yield: about 12 generous servings.

Perfect Pound Cake

There's nothing better for a warm spring or summer night then a slice of fresh pound cake w/ a dollop of fresh, whipped cream & strawberries.

<3 Lishie

Pound Cake 

Southern Living

• 1 lb butter, softened (room temp)
• 3 c sugar
• 6 large eggs (room temp)
• 4 c all-purpose flour
• 3/4 c milk
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. (The butter will become a lighter yellow color; this is an important step, as the job of the mixer is to incorporate air into the butter so the cake will rise. It will take 1 to 7 minutes, depending on the power of your mixer.) Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light & fluffy. (Again, the times will vary, & butter will turn to a fluffy white.) Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow yolk disappears.

Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning & ending with flour. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. (The batter should be smooth & bits of flour should be well incorporated; to rid batter of lumps, stir gently with a rubber spatula.) Stir in extracts.

Pour into a greased & floured bread pan.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour & 40 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan, & cool completely on a wire rack.

Snack Quarry Mix +

The Snack Quarry is my take on Chex Mix minus the Chex.

And another fun snack from The Dinosaur Party.

Snack Quarry Mix

I mixed:

• 1 bag of Bugles (Dinosaur Claws!)
• 1 bag of shaped pretzels -waffle, etc. (Foilage!)
• 1 bag of Peppridge Farm Rainbow Goldfish (Dinosaur Food!)
• 1 bag of Yogurt covered raisins (Dinosaur Eggs!)

Mix it all up in one, big bowl...

Place a new, cleaned, Kid's shovel in the bowl...

And you have it... a Prehistoric

SNACK QUARRY.

The kids LOVED it. Loved "digging" food.

It's the simple things.

Speaking of Simple things... Prehistoric Punch & Party Horns.
For Gabriel's 3rd Birthday, we had a Space theme & served Tang. It went over so well... People ran out to buy, well, Tang. So I thought, well, serve Tang again since it's orange for the dinosaur theme & call it "Prehistoric Punch".  As for the "Party Horns" for any triceratops in the crowd, they were just dime candy sticks.

<3 Lishie

Gabriel's Mommy

Apple Cupcakes for Teacher

Apple Cupcakes for Teacher

Teacher Appreciation Week 5/6- 5/10.
Thank you...
For teaching my baby boy...
For taking the time to care...
For everything you do...
For the little things...
For the big things...
the kindness,
the stern-ness,
the gentleness...
the urging on...
the tenderness...
the love.
Thank you for it all.

<3 Lishie
Gabriel's Mommy

Apple Cupcakes for Teacher
1 Vanilla Cupcake Recipe.
1 Cocoa Frosting Recipe (see below).
Red Sprinkles.
Pretzel Sticks.
 Spearmint jelly leaves.
Gummy Worms.

Cocoa Frosting Recipe

• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 3 c powdered sugar 
• 1 c cocoa
• 1/3 c milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients together until smooth.

ABCs/123s Cupcakes
1 Vanilla Cupcake Recipe.
1 Cocoa Frosting Recipe.
ABCs/123s Sprinkles.

~~~~~

Teacher Appreciation Days 1 & 2 are HERE.
For Day 1:


For Day 2:


For Day 3:



For Day 4:



And now, for Day 5, to cap off the week:
Apple & ABC/123 Cupcakes for Teacher

Italian Chicken Meatballs

So just in case you think I only bake... here's a savory meal for you ;) We've been eating a lot of standbys in the DeMaria house & this is one of them. If you cannot tell from all of the celebratory cake, it's been busy & that is not to mention the other things going on! I don't want to exhaust you by listing them so, here, read this tasty recipe instead! Happy Friday!!!

<3 Lishie
 

Italian Chicken Meatballs

• 1 1/4 lbs. ground chicken
• 1/2 c breadcrumbs
• 2 TBSp chopped onion
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 TBSp chopped parsley
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
• s & p
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 egg, whisked
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 3 TBSp olive oil
• 29 oz canned tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 400°F, setting rack to top of oven. In a large bowl, using your hands, gently mix together first 11 ingredients. Shape into 3" size balls & place a few inches from each other on a foil-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix one spoonful of your sauce with olive oil. Brush this mixture on top of each meatball. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove meatballs from oven & add to your simmering sauce (below) for 5-10 minutes. Serve with pasta. And shredded fresh parmesan, yes, don't forget the parm!

Sauce- saute 1 small onion, chopped in olive oil w/ 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 TBsp tomato paste... Add the rest of the tomato sauce... Simmer on low...

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

We had a very grey, wet day in New York so what better than to brighten it? A work birthday. I love work birthdays... I love to bake for work birthdays. Win, win :) Only thing is, how to transport a 2 layer cake via bus & a 1 mile walk?! Well, in pieces, of course. I clandestinely prepared this in the break area with a view. And I think it turned out pretty... 
Bunting is my new favorite obsession.
 
Make a Wish...

<3 Lishie

Carrot Cake

adapted from Paula Deen/Grandma Hiers' Carrot Cake

• Baking Spray, for pans
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 c sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 c canola oil
• 3 c grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 (9") round pans.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger & salt. Add eggs &  oil. Blend until combined.Fold in the carrots.

Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven & cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans & allow to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:

• 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
• 1 (16-oz) box powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients until fluffy.

Photo Courtesy of Jeremy Kelley (THANK you!!!)

Boulder Bars ~ Trix® Crispies

Another fun, colorful, full-of-sugary-goodness recipe from Gabriel's Dinosaur Party.

Boulder Bars!!! Beautiful snacks that harken back to the dinosaur age... Never heard of them? They were created by the bright Lava from the Lava Cake Pops! Anyway, these too were loved by all so much so that mommasaurus here did not get one! Ha.

<3 Lishie

Gabriel's mommy

Boulder Bars ~ Trix® Crispies

adapted from Kelloggs

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - OR -
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups TRIX® cereal

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows & stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add TRIX® cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter & marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

IF I could take good pictures, this is what they'd look like up close & personal... From Cravings of a Lunatic: