Having a BERRY good time

Life in Central Florida is warm and sunny for most of the year, as evidenced by the fact that our berry picking season starts in FEBRUARY! It seems that we barely put away the Christmas decorations before it's time to head to Pappy's Patch for some amazing strawberries!


We picked just under 10 pounds of these bright red berries. This weekend I will use them to make a double batch of Sure Jell's freezer jam, and we'll freeze a few small batches of washed, cut, and slightly sugared berries to pull out for strawberry shortcake throughout the year. Some will go into the fridge to eat this week, and the rest I will flash freeze on a cookie sheet (unwashed, with the stems on) and toss into a bag to use for smoothies.


My helpers. LOVE how fast the pile grows when you have extra hands! WE LOVE BERRIES!
Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

S'mores cupcakes

Look at these! Last week, we had a chance to sample these cupcakes shared by a wonderful friend, and I just KNEW it wouldn't be long before we made a batch of our own. If there has been a dessert more widely approved by the members of my family, I can't remember what it was! We made these cupcakes to tie in with our dinosaur unit. I thought they would work well as the prehistoric dirt for our white chocolate dinos.




Simple and delicious S'more cupcakes
Whip up a batch of your favorite brownie mix. We like the ones with chocolate chunks in them, so I chose Dunkin Heinz Triple Chocolate mix. Add ingredients to the bowl as recipe instructs. Set aside.

Crunch up some graham crackers and place in the bottom of a muffin cup. Don't crush them up too much, you want to still be able to see them when you unwrap these goodies!



Place a spoonful of brownie mix right over the graham crackers, and add a few marshmallows, or even one large pillow. I thought the small ones would be a great exercise in counting for my youngest.






Place another spoonful of brownie mix over the top of the marshmallows, and bake at 375. I believe ours were in for about 15 minutes, give or take. The marshmallows will make your cupcakes puff up, but they shouldn't spill over. You could always place a cookie sheet under your muffin tins to catch any drips, should they happen.

These delicious brownie cakes need no garnish, as they are beautiful on their own. Our cakes were completed with various white chocolate dinosaurs, and tree picks I found in my decoration box. They made a great ending to our di-no-mite lunch! Very prehistoric, don't you think?






Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

$25 Amazon giftcard giveaway!

Purple Carrots Inc is SO excited to welcome new readers to the blog! Take a few minutes to check out some of our great recipe and party ideas, perfect for parents and teachers. You'll find tips to bring colors, holidays, and even stories to life for children of all ages. We are dedicated to growing this blog, providing you with even more tips and suggestions!

In celebration of this, we're giving away a $25.00 Amazon giftcard to one lucky fan! Entry is quick and simple! Winner will be notified via facebook when the contest is over. Make sure you share Purple Carrots Inc with your friends, so they can enter to win the gift card as well. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

One Di-no-mite lunch

As the mom of little boys, I know the drawing power dinosaurs have. They're such unusual creatures, full of power and mystery. That's why we decided to dive into the study of them this week. A quick stop at our local library yielded a treasure of books, both fictional and non.


I bought a clear drink dispenser to use for our themed meals, and I couldn't wait to try it out. The red punch is very unintentionally fitting for our punch, which is showcasing a battle between T-Rex and brontosaurus. I assure you, no plastic creatures were harmed in the making of our lunch! :-)


I found an idea on pinterest, and decided to give it a whirl. I hard boiled several eggs on the stove. Once they were finished, I put them in a bowl of VERY cold water to make the peels easy to remove. While they were cooling, I dropped several drops of food coloring into the still hot water used to first boil the eggs. The now cool eggs were cracked, leaving the shells in place, and put back into the hot, now green water. I left them in the water for about 30 minutes, peeled away the crackled shell, and VOILA! Dino eggs!


Other meal components, Tyson's dino nuggets, (Is it cheating if I don't make them from scratch?!?) frosty frozen grapes, carrots and broccoli in green ranch, (twigs and bushes in our swamp) broken pieces of chocolate covered pretzel, (dinosaur bones) dinosaur fruit snacks, and these YUMMY prehistoric earth cupcakes.




We had a great time reading about (and eating) thunder lizards!


Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Please DO feed the bears!

One of the books we checked out this week was, Please DO Feed the Bears, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It is an adorable story about a bear family getting ready to head to the beach for a picnic...or so they think. With a little "help" they find themselves hungry and without the yummy lunch they anticipated. My kids enjoyed watching the story unfold, and eating this easy lunch we made using several of the food items donated to the bears in their distress.




I would have loved to take this meal TO the beach, but our weather was crazy. We settled for our backyard sandbox. Having the meal at home allowed us to indulge in a batch of special doughnuts, so I don't think the kids were disappointed at ALL! :-)

Quick and easy doughnuts:
1 tube of Pillsbury Grands (We used the Southern style)
Nice hot oil
powdered or cinnamon sugar


Separate biscuits, cut out a hole, and flatten. This will allow them to cook all the way through so you don't end up with burned outside and doughy middle.


Gently place in oil and be ready to flip. These babies cook up FAST! Remove when golden brown on both sides. (See how nicely they puff up?)



Place on a paper towel for a few seconds to remove extra oil. Have the kids shake them in a paper bag or plate of their favorite sugar, and enjoy!





We made a great memory together. I know they will remember this book and our time together for years to come!



Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Healthy St. Patrick's Day treats

I was looking for a few healthy options that scream, "We love Ireland!", without screaming, "We love food coloring!" Now, I LOVE to alter the colors and shapes of food, but these treats stood out on their own. Check out our easy Irish flag and colorful fruit rainbow, complete with clouds and gold coins!




Three cheers for food that is fun and healthy at the same time!





Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Irish Jello Squares

I wanted to give a nod to the colors of Ireland for our big day, so we made these jello blocks as a tasty treat. Who can resist a snack that jiggles?





We are not big fans of green jello at our house, so I mixed blue and yellow to give us the kelly green we needed. I made the jello according to the package directions, except I added 1/2 cup less cold water than was called for in that step, so that the jello would keep it's shape a little better. You're going to want to let this sit for several hours, so get started early!


Isn't this pretty? You can use all different colors, based on the holiday you are celebrating. Green and red would be a fun addition to a kids' Christmas party, and pink and red would perk up Valentine's Day!


After the jello has set, you're ready to start on the white mixture. All you need is one can of sweetened, condensed milk, 2 envelopes of Knox gelatin, and 2 cups of water. (Divided) Pour your Knox gelatin into 1/2 cup of water and let it sit for 4-5 minutes. Heat 1 1/2 cups water to boiling and add it to the gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Add the can of condensed milk and set aside. Slice your jello into small squares, and pour the white mixture over your squares.



Now it can go back into the fridge until it sets, and you're ready to serve it. This is a great way to get part of your holiday celebration out of the way! I love how it turned out!




Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Amazing Irish soda bread

For our celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to mix traditional green, rainbow, and shamrock foods with true Irish cuisine. I found a recipe for Irish soda bread and made it my own! With only a few ingredients, this would be a great classroom treat, that could possibly be adapted for a toaster oven, if you spread it out in the pan enough!




Irish Soda Bread


Pam or another non-stick spray
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 T. vinegar and filled with regular milk to 1 cup)
1/4 c craisins (any flavor)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.Mix your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add your butter squares and mix with your hand until it begins to resemble course sand. Make a well in the center of your mixture and pour in buttermilk. Add more flour as needed until mixture forms a dough ball. Place in a greased pan and gently press craisins into the top. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 15-20 minutes.

The result is a beautiful bread that is sweet and delicious. We sampled a small slice today, and it was given 2 thumbs up by the boys. It will make a great addition to our celebration tomorrow!




Just look at that glistening sugar!

Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Homemade rainbow pasta

The kids and I have begun our preparations for Friday's celebration of St. Patrick's Day. I know Saturday is technically "the" day, but since most of our children are unable to keep track of dates on the calendar, they will never notice that our little leprecon has made an early visit. Today we made this fun, brightly colored pasta. There was no mess, and only a few ingredients! Now that's MY kind of craft!

6 sealable plastic baggies
large noodles
hand sanitizer
food coloring


Place your noodles into the baggie with a few squirts of sanitizer and a few drops of coloring, zip, and massage gently. Spread noodles out onto parchment paper to dry for a few hours....DONE!


We'll be stringing these together to make necklaces. Our party will include 7 children, ranging from 2-9, so I wanted to be sure to pick out a pasta that all ages could hold, with holes big enough to keep the littlest ones from becoming frustrated. Placing tape around the end of the yarn will keep it from unraveling on them, and also serve as a stiffer guide through the noodles. I can't wait to see the finished products!

You could also do spaghetti or macaroni to be used in pictures for some beautiful 3-D rainbows!





Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Breakfast...it's not just for, well, breakfast!

We're huge fans of the "breakfast for dinner" concept around here. Seems that there is an over-abundance of yummy foods to choose from in the morning. So much so, that it deserves a second look at other meal times. I often dread noontime, because it brings about the oh-so-puzzling question, "What's for lunch?". Now, lunch time happens every day, so you would think that it's predictable arrival wouldn't have me so stumped, but it often does. Somehow my grocery and meal planning just doesn't include 7 perfectly balanced lunches. This is my solution to the most boring meal of the day!

Breakfast items are pretty easily packed into a lunch box, so you can send it along with your school age children. Instead of a ham sandwich and chips, how about bacon, pancakes and a little container of syrup? Tired of finding most of your child's lunch still in their box when they come home? Put that thermos to good use, filling it with scrambled eggs or smoked sausages and give your little ones a boost that will help them throughout their day.


Change things up for the kiddos at home. Serving meals in muffin tins, unusual cups or bowls, and seasonal plates makes them take a second look before pushing the plate away. Something about the change in serving ware gets my kids excited about what they're eating! Thinking outside the box can make a difference!

Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Pound cake fun

Want to know a secret? I keep a Sarah Lee pound cake in my freezer at all times. This no fail trick will allow you to celebrate a fantastic report card, unexpected promotion, or even the occasional #thishasbeenthehardestdayofmylife. (Am I the only one who thinks some days are so tough they should be celebrated simply for being survived?)

Now that spring has arrived, berries are everywhere! Whether you pick your own, or grab them at your local grocer, the great price of these beauties makes it easy to stock up. It's the perfect time to throw a few Ziplocks of your favorites in your freezer for a quick and berry shortcake.

Another option is to slice your cake into cubes, and layer with Cool Whip, bananas, and nuts for an easy and elegant looking parfait. Make it extra fancy by sauteing your nuts in a pan with butter and brown sugar to candy them. This will really bring out their flavor.



Grab a cake. I bet it won't be long before you have the perfect moment to use it!
Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

Quick and easy train cake

All aboooooaaarrrddd! Brightly colored frosting and a few mini pound cakes make this train cake take off! For this train, I grabbed 5 mini loaves. I used 4 for the cars, and cut on in half to add detail to the caboose and the engine. Open Oreos make great wheels with a M&M in the center. I used the Oreos again on the front of the engine, frosting them red. A large marshmallow for our smokestack, with popcorn smoke for some fun detail (my favorite part). I even cut out a picture of the birthday boy and placed him in the conductor seat of the engine!

The train cars are filled with pretzel rods for lumber, and crushed more Oreo cookies for coal. Coconut tinted with a dab of green coloring makes perfect grass! I was able to find chocolate Twizzlers to use as my track, and chocolate wafer cookies to be the rail ties. I added crushed graham crackers between the ties as the gravel, and set the completed train cars right on it.

My birthday boy was thrilled to see his favorite mode of transportation turned into a cake!



Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!

If You Give a Pig a Party-food and decor

I've been wanting to start a series of meals based on books for a while. With our honoring of Dr. Seuss this week, I thought it would be the perfect time to dive right in. We love all the books in this particular series, but If You Give a Pig a Party one is dear to us, because it's a book I check out for each of my children before their birthday. Although it's a pretty simple storyline, I think it will be added to our personal library soon. I'm all about traditions and I love the idea of having something that we do together on their special day each year. What a great memory for them to have!

In the story, a child is wanting to throw a party for a pig. It follows a progression of "If you give her this, she'll want that". While looking for friends, the pair ends up at a street fair where they play games and eat ice cream. Food, games, and ice cream?!? Twist my arm! :-)


Assembling this meal was quick and easy! I served grocery store chicken bites without even having to warm up, clown's bow tie pasta with a few veggies, feta, and Greek vinaigrette dressing, confetti fruit salad, popcorn in circus bags, small cups of peanuts, animal crackers, and lemonade with brightly colored plastic ice cubes. Plates were full, and the kids even went back for seconds! (A sign of food success in my book.)


















Our Dollar Tree had a section of small circus themed wind up toys, clown dress up items, and even some teeny carnival games that made the greatest and (bonus)inexpensive for the table. (Um, can you say, "Goodie bags!"??) It would be cute to continue the red and yellow streamers around the table to give a "big top" effect. I have started a collection of plastic place mats to use as accents for parties, and these striped ones worked so well with my table. So that's streamers, table cloth (reused from the Lego party), place mats, circus toys, and pinwheels....for under $10! I printed some cute piggies right from Microsoft Word to bring the pig to our party. Voila! A book brought to life!



I scooped the ice cream into muffin liners ahead of time so there wouldn't be that dreaded time lag during serving time. We turned ours into clown faces by flipping cones upside down, topping with a cherry, and adding candy faces and a whipped cream collar.

At our house, there is always a party for friends held sometime around the birthday and a small family celebration on the actual birthday. This is a great option for a different end to your child's special dinner. No need to bake another cake!


Make sure you check out the games we played that turned our meal into a real party! (Coming soon)















Meredith

Make sure you visit my facebook and Pinterest pages for more meal ideas!