Pirates and Pizza

My eldest wanted a pirate theme for his 5th birthday party. It being the summer holidays with three small children at home, things have been really hectic. So, I wanted to keep things simple. I made an ice cream pie in a 9x13 pan. Then I placed a skull and cross-bones stencil my husband to kindly made for me, on top of the ice cream, that had been sitting out for a few minutes to soften a bit.  Then, carefully, I sprinkled Oreo cookie crumbs on top. It's as simple as that, and you have a Jolly Roger flag cake.

My son also wanted pizza for his birthday. I thought it would be fun for the children to make their own pizzas, so I rolled out individual pizza bases the night before.placed the pizza bases on floured greaseproof paper (wax paper would work well too), layered the bases on a baking tray, and froze them. After making the first six pizzas today, I discovered that this works well, only if you remove the pizza bases from the paper while still frozen, and place them on a prepared pan (greased or sprinkled with cornmeal). Then you can put the sauce and toppings on. The first ones, I left on the paper to dress, and when they were finished, they had thawed and stuck to the paper, then stuck even worse in the oven. (oops, I should have known better).

6 Minute Chocolate Cake

My mom discovered this chocolate cake recipe in my Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home cookbook when she was here after the birth of my second boy. It has since come to be my go to chocolate cake recipe.

As the name suggests it only takes about 6 minutes to mix together (from scratch). Other pros about this cake, you use a minimal amount of dishes, all the ingredients can be found in your food storage or store cupboard, and it's a great cake to make with your kids. Not only is it really simple, but you can talk science as you watch the vinegar react with the baking soda, and since there's no eggs in it, you don't have to worry about salmonella when you lick the spoon and bowl afterward!

Since I found the recipe online, I figured it was okay to copy here. There is a chocolate glaze to go with it, but I never make that, just the cake. I made the last batch into cupcakes, which work well, but it's even easier to mix it all in the 8x8 pan.

6-Minute Chocolate Cake

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup cold water or 1 cup brewed coffee
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions:

Prep Time: 6 mins

Total Time: 31 mins

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. 
   
3. 2 Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar into an ungreased 8 inch square or 9 inch round baking tin.
4. 
   
5. 3 In a 2 cup measuring cup, measure and mix the oil, water or coffee and vanilla.
6. 
   
7. 4 Pour the liquid ingredients into the baking tin and mix the batter with a fork or small whisk.
8. 
   
9. 5 When the batter is smooth, add the vinegar and stir quickly. Pale swirls will occur where the vinegar and baking soda react. Stir just until the vinegar is even distributed throughout the batter.
10. 
    
11. 6 Bake for 25-30 minutes. Set aside the cake to cool.

Simple Friday Night Meal

I try to give my kids a variety of foods, lots of vegetables and different flavours. I don't want them to grow up being picky eaters. But, they're still kids, and sometimes don't want to try a new curry, or a different looking stew. They can sometimes be a bit picky, and still enjoy the kid friendly fare. One of my boys' favourite things to eat is chicken nuggets (with BBQ sauce). I on the other hand am not a fan of the store bought pre-processed chicken nuggets. Who knows exactly what they contain? Most have added salt, and other unhealthy preservatives. I like making my own chicken nuggets. It is so easy and so quick, and I know exactly what's in them. My boys love them too! When I make the chicken nuggets, I also make some sort of vegetable side dish to accompany it.

Chicken nuggets

1-2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

~1/2 cup plain/natural yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

Other herbs and seasonings of choice to taste: i.e. paprika, minced garlic, dried herbs with

dried or fresh bread crumbs seasoned with salt & pepper.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/170 C. Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper. Pound the breasts flat to about 1/2 inch thickness (you could use a rolling pin, the flat side of a meat tenderizer, a rubber mallet, or the bottom of a glass). Cut the chicken into pieces of desired size, about 2 inches, and set aside.

2. In a bowl or bag, mix together the yogurt salt, pepper, and other seasonings of choice. Place the chicken pieces in the bag and marinate for at least one hour if possible.

3. Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish, cover each piece of chicken in the bread crumbs, and place on a greased baking sheet (or covered with baking paper). Place in oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Minted Carrots: slice a couple of peeled carrots, place in saucepan, cover with water, cook with some chopped fresh mint until water evaporates and carrots are soft. Add salt and pepper, and honey to taste. You could also add a little knob of butter if desired.