Monthly Archives

July 2022

Jul 27
Love0

10 Easy to Make Toddler Meals That Are Sure to Be a Hit

By Food No Comments

Feeding a toddler three meals a day, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY., can be overwhelming. When you feel. overwhelmed, here are 10 easy to make toddler meals that will help you and your toddler have a stress-free meal. My key to a great meal is to keep it simple. The way I handle toddler meals is that every meal has three parts, a main and two sides. The two sides are generally a fruit and veggie, that way there is balance in the meal no matter what the main is.

10 Easy to Make Toddler Meals

  1. Sausage and Cheese Quesadilla
    • Breakfast sausage is my preferred choice for this quesadilla.
    • My daughter prefers pepperjack cheese which gives an extra kick to this meal.
    • To make, heat your griddle to medium/low heat. Add a small dab of butter and let melt, add your small soft taco shell and sprinkle the cheese on top. Let the cheese start to melt and then add your cooked sausage on top of the cheese. Once cheese is fully melted fold the shell into a quesadilla and cut into 4 sections. This makes it easier for your toddler to grab and eat.
  2. Spinach, cheese, and shredded Chicken Quesadilla
    • To make, heat your griddle to medium/low heat. Add a small dab of butter and let melt, add your small soft taco shell and sprinkle the cheese on top. Let the cheese start to melt and then add your cooked chicken and spinach on top of the cheese. Once cheese is fully melted fold the shell into a quesadilla and cut into 4 sections. This makes it easier for your toddler to grab and eat.
  3. Scrambled Eggs with Shredded Cheese and Sausage
    • Take your favorite pan and heat over medium/low heat and spray generously with Pam Spray.
    • In a separate bowl, break the eggs and add about 1 tbsp of water per egg in the bowl. Whisk together until pale yellow. Add a touch of salt and pepper to the egg mixture and then add it to your pan. Let the eggs sit for a minute and cook and then start scrambling them together.
    • Once they are about 80-90% cooked, add in your preferred shredded cheese and allow the cheese to melt while your eggs finish cooking. (you can add small bits of already cooked breakfast sausage with the cheese if your toddler likes meat).
  4. Shredded Chicken and Rice
    • I make sure the rice has butter on it to help make it appealing. I’ve also tried rice and veggies like green beans so feel free to substitute the chicken for your toddlers favorite veggie.
  5. Chicken Bites with Chick-fil-a Sauce
    • Chicken bites, are cooked chicken breasts lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, then cut into toddler size bites. Once cut into bite size pieces use the at home Chick-fil-a sauce bottle and add sauce on top of the chicken. Toss to combine and serve. The sauce is key, I don’t put a ton on, but it makes all the difference!
  6. Butter pasta with/without ground beef
    • Butter pasta is easy to make and my daughter loved it. I add salt and pepper to help with the flavoring as well.
  7. Ham & Cheese Sandwich (slightly toasted and cut into 4 squares)
  8. Cut up Meat – Simple but a fan favorite!
    • Deli Meat – My daughter’s absolute favorite
    • Breakfast sausage
    • Chicken
    • Ground beef/turkey
  9. Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
    • Make sure they are soft and the pot roast is broken into small sections.
  10. Macaroni & Cheese
    • Don’t feel bad about this one, kids love it, and it makes for an easier meal for you! I highly recommend only putting in about half of the packet of cheese flavor, still tastes good without all the artificial flavors.

Side Ideas

  1. Oven Roasted Broccoli – Cut into medium/small bites, toss in a bit of olive oil and salt and place on a baking pan at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
  2. Avocado/Guacamole -If you haven’t offered your toddler this, you need too! They actually make guacamole in individual small containers so you can keep them longer. They are the perfect size for a toddler meal and taste great. Here is a link to an example: Single Serving Guacamole
  3. Fresh or Canned Fruit – Here me out on this one, I prefer fresh fruit. I tend to give my daughter fresh blackberries, strawberries, watermelon, etc. However, on busy days, or when I’m out of fresh fruit having canned fruit options is a huge blessing. She still gets fruit servings and its easily available whenever I need.
  4. Cottage Cheese -sprinkle a little salt and this is a big crowd pleaser!
  5. Yogurt -You can freeze this into popsicles they can enjoy as their ‘dessert’ or you can offer yogurt as a side option. Either way its healthy and an easy side to add on to their meal.
  6. Cucumbers (peeled and cut into circles) -My daughter LOVES cucumbers, and they are the perfect side especially if you are on the go.
  7. Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes – To make them even better coat them in butter and brown sugar before baking (400 degrees F, about 20 min or until tender)
  8. Roasted carrots –Make sure these are well cooked, easily mashed between two fingers. I add a touch of butter to make them more appealing.
  9. Boiled green beans – Similar to carrots, just make sure they are easily mashed between two fingers.

If you are interested in more from Cultivate Confidence, check out our recipe reviews here: Cultivate Confidence Recipe Reviews.

Jul 08
Love0

3 Aldi Dinner Recipes You Need to Try

By Food No Comments

With today’s inflation being out of control and everyone looking to shop on a budget, I wanted to share 3 Aldi Dinner Recipes that you need to try! These are recipes you should be able to pick up at any Aldi grocery store (or grocery store near you). Aldi is a budget grocery store where I live which is why I am referencing it. Below are my three tried and true recipes that are perfect for any weeknight dinner. You can customize the stir fry listed with any meat of your preference; the kielbasa is a cheap but great option which is why it’s one of my staples.

1.) Ham & Cheese Sliders

Ham and Cheese Sliders are without doubt one of my favorite recipes to make and its simple and quick to assemble and bake! I highly recommend you try it. This recipe makes 12 sliders, which feeds my husband and I easily. However, if you are feeding more than two (or are really hungry) I would double the recipe.

  • Hawaiian Rolls
  • 1 pound of Ham
  • Pepper jack Cheese Block (cut into thin slices)
  • Mayo
  • Hot Sauce
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Olive Oil
  • Black Pepper
  • Salt
  • Optional: Pepperoncini (Cut into slices)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Gently cut your Hawaiian Rolls in half horizontally. Be as even as you can be. Place the top to the side and place the bottom on an ungreased baking sheet.
  3. Spread your mayo mixture on the bottom layer of rolls. The Mayo Mixture is 3 parts mayo, 1-part hot sauce and about a 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce.
  4. After your mayo sauce is on, layer on the entire pound of ham as evenly as you can.
    1. Optional – Add pepperoncini slices here if you desire
  5. Cut your pepper jack cheese into thin even slices. Place your cheese evenly on top of the ham.
  6. Place the top half of the Hawaiian Rolls on top of the cheese
  7. Mix 3 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper together and using a brush; brush the mixture on top of the rolls.
  8. Place the rolls in the oven and cook for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and rolls are golden brown.
  9. Slice the rolls into individually sandwiches and serve immediately. Enjoy!

2. Kielbasa & Veggie Stir-fry

Kielbasa is almost always available and reasonably priced. One of my go to dinners is chopping up a Kielbsa and veggies together, its a quick one pan dish perfect for busy weeknights.

  • 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Kielbasa
  • 1/2 Yellow Onion
  • 1-2 Peppers (Orange, Yellow or Red)
  • 1 Zucchini
  • 2-3 Whole Carrots
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Prep your veggies. Chop your onion into small pieces and set aside. Cut your peppers into long thing strips, I find they cook better and are easier to eat evenly with your meat. Chop your zucchini into fourths and then into smaller sections, not as small as your onion but not too large that they won’t cook evenly. Peel your carrots and chop into small circles as evenly as you can. Set all your veggies aside.
  2. Prep your meat. Cut your kielbasa in half and then cut that into about 1/2-inch half-moons to make them able to evenly cook.
  3. Heat your cast iron (or cooking pan) over medium heat and then add your extra virgin olive oil. Once heated throw in your kielbasa and allow that meat to sear on one side, once its seared flip to the other side and add in your onion and carrots. Once the other side of the meat is seared and your onion is slightly translucent.
  4. Then add your peppers and zucchini and cook until veggies are tender but not falling apart, between 8-10 minutes depending on your stove and preferences.
  5. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  6. Serve warm and add hot sauce or other condiments based on your preference.

3. Traditional Fettuccini Alfredo

I’ve made this alfredo several times and it is SO different than alfredo in the states. I really love this type as its lighter and easy for your stomach to handle. It’s very easy to make, it just requires doing things a bit different than your traditional pouring canned alfredo into your pot. If you’re interested in pictures from the time I made it, check out our post here: Traditional Alfredo.

  • 1 Stick Unsalted Butter (Diced)
  • 4 oz Parmesano Reggiano (or Parmesan) Cheese (Grated)
  • 1 pound Fettuccine Pasta
  • Salt

Instructions:

  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
  2. Add fettuccine pasta and cook until al dente. DO NOT DRAIN!!
  3. In a separate large bowl, dice the butter and add the grated cheese
  4. Using tongs add the pasta on top of the butter and cheese.
  5. Add a half cup of the pasta water to the pasta, butter, and cheese bowl. Mix with tongs until combined and creamy. Add more pasta water if you want a creamier texture.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Grate some extra parmesan on top and serve immediately! Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed my 3 Aldi Dinner recipes and if you have your own suggestions/favorite Aldi recipes leave them below in the comments for us to try! xoxo-Kayla

Jul 05
Love0

How to Make Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones

By Food No Comments

One of my favorite bakery treats to go with my morning coffee is scones. They are the perfect complement to a piping hot cup of joe. My mom sent me this Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones recipe from Half Baked Harvest and I knew I needed to try it ASAP! I think the hardest part of these scones was finding the dried lavender. I went to three different stores with no luck so I ended up ordering some on Amazon. Just an FYI as you go into this recipe and try to find all the ingredients. Additionally, the recipe isn’t hard to make but there are a few more steps than some of the other scones I’ve tried. I’d highly recommend reading through all the instructions once before starting so you know what the plan is.

My favorite part of these Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones is that there are so many flavors in every bite. The tartness of the blackberry is offset by the white chocolate chips and the lavender glaze really brings all the flavors together. The original recipe calls for additional butter once the scones are done, I felt that the scones didn’t need butter with all the other flavors that are present. Of course, you are free to add anything to your scones, but I recommend leaving them as is, at least for the first bite!

Overall Review: 5/5

These scones were a huge hit with my husband and his co-residents! My husband is not a huge lavender fan, and the balance of flavors was absolutely perfect. The lavender is not overwhelming, and you can easily adjust how potent the lavender taste is based on your preference. If you love scones, I would highly recommend you make these Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones. You will not be disappointed!

If you enjoyed this recipe review, check out the rest here: Cultivate Confidence Recipe Reviews.

Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones

Recipe from Half Baked Harvest
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 19 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 9 People

Equipment

  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Baking Sheet
  • Saucepan
  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients
  

Scone Mix

  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 12 tbsp Cold Salted Butter Grated
  • 3/4 cup Cold Cream or Buttermilk
  • 1 Large Egg Beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups Blackberries
  • 1/2 cup White Chocolate Chips

Lavender Glaze

  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tbsp Dried Lavender
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1-2 cups Powdered Sugar (I only needed 1)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add grated butter and toss in with the flour, doesn't have to be perfect, large crumbs is perfect. Add the cream or buttermilk and egg. I combined the beaten egg and cream first and then added to flour mix. Mix until just combined, DO NOT OVERMIX. Fold in the blackberries and white chocolate chips, expect blackberries to burst as you do this.
  • Put dough on floured surface, pat into a 1-inch-thick square. Cut into 9 squares which will be your scones sizes. Place each square on a baking sheet and then brush a bit of cream on each scone. Do not overcrowd your baking sheet, do in batches if needed. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. You can test with a toothpick as well to be sure they are baked completely.
  • For the glaze.
    Warm milk and butter in a small saucepan that's set over medium (low-medium) heat. Heat until steaming about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lavender. Then cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain the milk through a fine mesh strainer and then discard the lavender. Stir vanilla and powdered sugar into your lavender mix.
  • Serve warm with glaze drizzled on top. You can add a bit of butter, but these are great on their own!