Toddler Cafe - Jennifer Carden [12]
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
to ¼ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
6 Popsicle sticks or wooden craft sticks
preparation * Place the cream cheese, peas, and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 20-second intervals until the cheese is softened to room temperature.
Using a stick blender or standing blender, purée the ingredients into a smooth paste. Add the extract and mix again, scraping the bowl frequently. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
Place the mixture in a large zip-top bag and cut about ½ inch off of a bottom corner. Squeeze into a clean ice cube tray or mini muffin tin, place 1 Popsicle stick in each, and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Depending on your freezer, you may have to let them freeze for up to 4 hours. For best results, make and freeze these overnight.
Once the pops are frozen, remove them from the molds by twisting just like ice cubes and seal in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
you won’t believe they will ask for these over and over again. the peas worked so well i decided to expand the idea of frozen veggie pops and try sweet corn. they may even think these taste like mini frozen cheesecakes. no need for creative serving suggestions here, but feel free to try experimenting with different vegetables and ideas of your own.
corny veggie pops
makes 6 cube-shaped pops
ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese
¾ cup frozen yellow corn
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
to ¼ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
6 Popsicle sticks or wooden craft sticks
preparation * Place the cream cheese, corn, and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 20-second intervals until the cheese is softened to room temperature.
Using a stick blender or standing blender, purée the ingredients into a smooth paste. Add the cinnamon and mix again, scraping the bowl frequently. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
Place the mixture in a large zip-top bag and cut about ½ inch off of a bottom corner. Squeeze into a clean ice cube tray or mini muffin tin, place 1 Popsicle stick in each, and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Depending on your freezer, you may have to let them freeze for up to 4 hours. For best results, make and freeze these overnight.
Once the pops are frozen, remove them from the molds by twisting just like ice cubes and seal in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
vegetables
Put small pieces of graham crackers in the bottom of the ice cube trays and squeeze the mixture on top; the result will be more like a mini cheesecake.
potatoes are quick to make and very filling, but usually they take a long time to cool down, and your child may lose interest waiting. this is a great way to cool off a hot potato quickly so your kids can eat sooner. next time, add another frozen vegetable or some meat to the bottom of the potato. get creative with your toppings—the sky’s the limit with a baked spud!
hot and cold potato
makes 1 potato
ingredients
1 medium baking potato (about 5 ounces)
¼ cup frozen peas or other small frozen vegetable
Butter or sour cream, for topping
preparation * Wash the potato under running water, and poke holes all over it with a fork.
Place it on a microwave-safe plate and heat on high for about 5 minutes, or until a knife is easily inserted. If you would like to use a conventional oven, preheat it to 350°F. Bake the potato for about 45 minutes.
When finished cooking, split the potato down the center and, using a towel, squeeze the ends toward the center, creating an opening. Put the peas in the bottom, then put on a dollop of butter or sour cream and add more peas. The peas will thaw and create a cool, ready-to-eat potato.
getting kids to eat raw vegetables can be a real struggle. this dish has crunch and texture from healthy vegetables, not chips! crisp lettuce is easier to chew than spring mix or bibb lettuce. give your child the small inside leaves so they will be easier to manage. make sure you break up the meat as small as you can, to make it easy to eat. have them fill the lettuce boats with