Whining and Dining

Even the lactose-intolerant can scream for ice cream!

Hi. Remember me. I took a bit of a blogging vaykay over the past 10 days. Having too much birthday fun, I guess. But here I am, refreshed and ready to bring you and your kids all of the wonderful deliciousness that exists within our world. So back to the business at hand.....

Hoooorray! Those with lactose issues will rejoice over LaLoo's Ice Cream. Made of goat's milk, these gourmet ice creams come from Sonoma and are as rich and creamy as ever. Did you know that a goat's milk ice cream has less fat than cow's milk ice cream? Oh yeah. It also doesn't contain growth hormones, which is a big plus in my book. Bring it on.

Especially when it comes to the flavors: Black Mission Fig, Pumpkin Spice, Meyer Lemon (pictured), Deep Chocolate (made with Scharffen Berger cacao, Capraccino (made with Italian espresso) and Strawberry Darling. Have I convinced you, yet?

If so, you can find LaLoo's at Whole Foods Market, Bristol Farms, Wild Oats. But first, you may want to check the store locator just to make sure.

Your little lactose-intolerant one will thank you.

*Cool Mom Picks tipped me off on this product. Here's the link to more of the story from them.

Yogurt- Covered Fruit Kabobs

It's wicked, wicked hot today in Los Angeles. We ventured out this morning for music class, but have been shut ins (in the AC) for the remainder of the day.

So, I was looking for a yummy snack with several requirements: there is to be no cooking in this house today; we need ingredients that I have kickin' around; and I'd like it be on the healthy side (after our week of having chocolate chip cookies around - see last post). I discovered the below recipe on Kids' Health.com.

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 1 banana
• 1/3 c. red seedless grapes
• 1/3 c. green seedless grapes
• 2/3 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 cup nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 c. dried coconut, shredded 

Utensils:

• knife (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
• 2 wooden skewer sticks
• large plate

Directions:

1. Prepare the fruit by washing the grapes, washing the apples and cutting them into small squares, peeling the bananas and cutting them into chunks, and cutting the pineapple into chunks, if it's fresh. Put the fruit onto a large plate. 
2. Spread coconut onto another large plate.
3. Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewer and design your own kabob by putting as much or as little of whatever fruit you want! Do this until the stick is almost covered from end to end.
4. Hold your kabob at the ends and roll it in the yogurt, so the fruit gets covered. Then roll it in the coconut**
5. Repeat these steps with another skewer.
6. Chill for 30 min. - 1 hour.

**Roll your kabobs in something besides coconut. Try granola, nuts, or raisins, or use your imagination.

The Award-Winning Chocolate Chip Cookie

In my book, nothing is as good as the chocolate chip cookie. Or how about a warm cookie a la mode or a cookie sandwich like from LA's own Diddy Reese. Oh yeah. It's the stuff I dream about.

Since I am about to enjoy one of these delectable cookies, I thought I should share the recipe with you. Because you are my friend and faithful reader, of course.

Honestly, I don't know what award this recipe has won, but I do know that about 5,000 people have rated this a top notch cookie on Allrecipes.com. And that's good enough for me. So, here goes....

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1.             Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

2.             In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3.             Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Yield: 72 servings

Tip: Since this makes A TON of cookies, unless you have the Cookie Monster at your house, you may want to consider freezing the extra dough for later. After you bake the cookies that you want, stick the dough in the freezer for about 30 minutes to harden the dough. Roll remaining dough into balls and stick them in tupperware and back in the freezer. Then, you can have a hot, fresh cookie anytime you want. My husband also likes that it kind of serves as a portion control. Bake just 1 cookie for yourself, and you won't have the temptation to eat half a dozen of 'em.

Lemonade Popsicles

Lemonade + popsicles = a refreshing cooldown on a hot summer day. I'm excited to try these this summer as frozen lemonade is definitely one of my favorite summer treats.

Thanks to Elise from Simply Recipes for this one. Click here for the recipe. I'm going to substitute the corn syrup for Agave Nectar to scale back on the sugar content.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Pretzels: #1 Snack Food in Our House

If I had to pick a favorite snack food, it would hands down go to Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Pretzels. A protein-packed, delicious snack. Only a handful of these bad boys will keep you going. Hubby, our toddler and me all LOVE them. So add them to your next TJ list as long as you are a peanut eating family.

What's even better than eating the PB pretzels plain is indulging in the  Trader Joe's Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Pretzels.

What's even better....making your own Chubby Hubby ice cream. Meaning that you crunch the PB pretzels on top of your vanilla ice cream. And not any vanilla will do. If you're going to indulge here, you should always go with the best -- Double Rainbow Vanilla Ice Cream. (If you haven't tried this ice cream, you MUST, MUST. It is an outstanding vanilla. Well, as outstanding as "vanilla" can be. I say this coming from Blue Bell country, and that's sayin' somethin').

Does my toddler like this?  Of  course, and she loves getting to help crunch up the  pretzels over the ice cream. Fun and delicious.

And there you have it - a snack food and new dessert to love. What more could you ask for?

Try This: Chocolate Cool Whip

OMG, did you know that Kraft has recently introduced Chocolate Cool Whip?? Yummmmmy. That sounds really delicious on this unseasonably hot LA day.  Just think of eating that on top of some fresh strawberries. Actually, this picture of a Chocolate Heavenly Layer Pie sounds even better.

The word on the street is that you can purchase Chocolate Cool Whip at Ralph's (at least in LA). Well, maybe not my local Ralph's since I just returned from a trip there and no dice. Sad. So, check it out and please let me know if discover a tub. I'll be oh so envious.

Try This: 100% Whole Grain Fig Newtons

Seems like everyone is jumping on the whole grain bandwagon these days and Nabisco is no exception. They have recently released "100% Whole Grain" Fig Newtons, so the delicious healthy-ish snack just got even better. Click here for the nutrition information.

So, don't forget the Newton on your next grocery trip.  A great addition for school lunches or on-the-go snacks for your family! Fig Newtons are a great snack for older babies / toddlers. Although I've never tried it, I hear that they can help keep a tot regular (a frustrating challenge for many a parent).

Oh, and did you know that there's actually a Fig Newton Dance? Well, two of them really. Here are the links if you are bored and want to check it out:
1) Old Commercial -- Fig Newton Dance
2) Fig Newton Dance

Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patty's!! To really get your Irish on, I've listed a number of links to top-rated St. Patty's dishes from around the web. Enjoy!

Original Irish Cream - Irish whiskey mixed with cream and sugar with hints of coffee, chocolate, vanilla and almond

Colcannon - A traditional Irish potato dish.

St. Patrick's Day Cookie Pops - Fun and easy recipe to do with kids.

Shepherd's Pie - Traditional English dish, which is a tasty option for celebrating St. Patty's.

White Soda Bread - Try a little Irish soda bread for the celebration with hard Irish cheddar and Irish butter.

Now raise a Guinness and say "God bless all here!!"

Auntie Em's Coconut Cupcakes

Oh goody!! Auntie Em's Coconut Cupcakes will be featured in 

tomorrow's LA Times. Can't wait to try this recipe!!

A Bostonite yearns for these billowy, irresistible cupcakes 
out of Eagle Rock.

By Noelle Carter
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
 Dear SOS: Whenever I get out to L.A., I have to stop at 
Auntie Em's Kitchen in Eagle Rock for a cupcake fix -- specifically, 
for a coconut-cupcake-with-coconut-cream-cheese-frosting fix. 
It's a miracle of a baked good. Do you think you could get the recipe for a Bostonite who's stuck
on the East Coast dreaming of this confection? 

 The complete article can be viewed at:

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-sos5mar05,1,4189729.story

Valentine's 24-Carat Caramel Brownies

WARNING: Brownies may cause your boyfriend or girlfriend to commit to you for the rest of his/her life. 15 years ago, I won the heart of my darling husband by making the below recipe. Yes, it was love at first bite, and we've never looked back since.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. German chocolate cake mix

14 oz. package of caramels
2/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. melted butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix. Spread 1/2 mix in 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. Melt 14 ounce package caramels with 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pour melted caramel over baked brownies. Put remaining brownie mix on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.