Let them eat bread

Bug-eyed squash chicks (and pattern) found here

 Today's recipe is super-simple, and a variation on something I've done before, so I'll get to it in a minute.

First, an extended comment on today's featured amigurumi picture:

You may be asking, "Why chickens?"  Well, I could say that it is because I served today's recipe as a side dish for chicken.  Or, it could be because the chicks resemble the squash I used in the recipe.  And, both of those are true...but...the real reason that those chickens are there is because THEY ARE SO STINKIN' CUTE!  What is it?  Is it the buggy eyes?  The tipped over "pecking" one?  The odd one out facing the wrong way that could actually be a squash??  I just don't know, but for whatever reason, I was compelled to include these wacky, and yet totally adorable chickens in this post.  Much props to cheezombie, the amazing creator of these odd ducks...er, chicks.  If you are into needlework, she sells the patterns!

Anyway, back to the food.  This is one of those recipes inspired by the fact that #3 is on a nothing-but-bread food strike lately.  Even her pizza has to have the cheese removed.  (I swear if I had not actually seen her come out of me, the anti-melted cheese weirdness would be enough to convince me we are NOT related!!!)
So, what to do?  I know!  Put veg, egg and cheese IN THE BREAD!

Slightly cheesy Bisquick balls with Squash:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (plus extra for kneading, rolling, un-sticky-ing of hands)
1 1/2 cups bisquick
1 egg, beaten
1 cup pureed yellow squash
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Mix, knead 5-10 times, roll into balls, place on cookie sheet
Bake at 400 for 8 mins
Brush with marg or butter

Sadly, the picture I took of the finished project has mysteriously disappeared off of our family camera, so you'll have to make it yourself to see what it looked like, but the good news is, #3 ate FOUR of them for dinner!

The rest of the verdict: 4 thumbs way up!

Not everything has to be healthy

Happy Cupcake (and pattern!) found here

Most of the time, I am trying to force encourage my kids to eat healthy, but there are certainly occasions when healthy goes out the window, and it is time for TASTY and PRETTY to take center stage.

Case in point:  Birthdays!

This is the birthday cake I made for my grandmother's 90th birthday:

 She's a Pisces, so the theme of the party was FISH!  Her favorite colors are yellow and orange...which just happen to be great fish colors.  For the First Time Ever, I used fondant!  The fish tails are made of pre-colored fondant (thank you Wilton's!), and for a first effort,  didn't turn out too bad.  Note:  don't eat fondant.  Technically it is edible, but it tastes terrible.

Next up: Easter!


Easter is a big holiday for our family.  We get together with lots of aunts, uncles and cousins at my in-laws house, and have a huge, multi-generational egg hunt followed by FOOD.

This is the cake I made this year:

I found the design in a magazine (in the waiting room at the doctor's office, natch), and had to make one!  So cute, and super easy.  Bake, frost, squish Peeps into frosting, add chocolate chips.  Voila!  One gorgeous sunflower cake...that the kids (and some of the uncles!) could not resist picking the Peeps off of all day.

Next post:  Back to the healthy!  (Probably...)