Thank you Country Crock for sponsoring this post.

There’s nothing like fresh veggies this time of year, which makes tossing together a quick, easy, and healthy casserole just about the best thing at the end of a long day. With my daughter really excited about helping to make dinner, and doing the grocery shopping, I ended up with a few more than the three fresh zucchinis that I had selected in my shopping basket the other day. Instead of putting them back, we happily brought them home for making this delicious and low-fat casserole, which is the perfect thing for celebrating spring. Instead of being heavy and covered with loads of cheese, you can enjoy this casserole as a side or on its own. Swapping butter for Country Crock cuts down on extra calories and you’ll never taste the difference when using low-fat cheeses and milk.

This recipe is seriously easy, so invite your little one into the kitchen to help make this light casserole. And if you love creating tasty concoctions as much as I do, head over to Country Crock Stars, enter a picture of your latest casserole, and share in 100 words how you demonstrate creativity and resourcefulness in the kitchen for a chance to win $5,000.

Ingredients

1 pound zucchini

1 cup low-fat ricotta

1 teaspoon freshly chopped oregano

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons Country Crock

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon grainy mustard

1 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk

1/4 cup cubed low-fat Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

Directions

Before inviting your child to help, wash and thinly slice the zucchini using a sharp knife, or if you’re brave, a mandolin slicer. You could also use a carrot peeler for really thin strips.

Use a bit of Country Crock to lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole pan and then invite your child to begin layering the zucchini strips, creating one layer.

Now mix together the low-fat ricotta with the freshly chopped oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic. Offer your child a spoon and let her scoop and spread one third of the mixture over the sliced zucchini.

Repeat until the zucchini strips are all gone, which should turn out to be three to four layers. That simple.

To make the delicious sauce, place a medium-sixed sauce pan over low heat and add two tablespoons of Country Crock. I’ve made this recipe before with butter, and I’ll admit, the Country Crock does a better job. Instead of having a greasy mess at the end, the sauce holds its own against the moisture of the zucchini while baking. Let the Country Crock melt and then whisk in the flour.

Now add the grainy mustard (your favorite kind is perfect) and milk. Whisk until there are no clumps and then let come to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add the low-fat Monterey Jack cheese. You could also use a low-fat Swiss, which would be heavenly. Whisk until the cheese melts.

Pour the sauce over the casserole and then top with the Italian bread crumbs. I made my own combination of whole wheat bread crumbs mixed with Italian seasoning for a crunchier, and healthier, topping. Pop in your hot oven and let bubble and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the casserole and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, which allows all the goodness to settle and get happy. And you’ll burn your mouth if you serve it right away. Really, you will.

Enjoy!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

In celebration of National Pi Day, which falls on March 14th, why not celebrate with the kind you can eat – pie from Marie Callender’s! I love pie, and realized my tot hasn’t experienced the wonders of slicing a fresh piece from a perfectly round perfection. And because Pi is all about numbers, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to learn about basic math while eating something delicious. And sweet pies from Marie Callender’s are made from real ingredients. Really. I had my eye on a chocolate satin mini pie, which was the perfect size for the delicious math activity I had in mind. And if you’re looking for other party ideas, recipes, or how-to’s, check out Marie Callender’s blog.

First I placed the pie on a plate and we had a quick discussion about the shape of the pie. We determined it was round, that it was composed of three layers, and had tons of sprinkles on it. Just for fun we tried to count them all.

Now I offered my daughter a knife and asked her if she could cut the pie in half. At first she wasn’t sure what to do, and then we talked about making two “sides” to the pie. This is a great age for introducing how shapes can change, encouraging budding reasoning and math skills. And letting your child do the cutting is also beneficial for fine motor skills.

After we counted both sides, and my daughter gave the knife a quick lick, we then discussed how to make those two sections into four triangles. This created a bit of heated discussion, as she was already pretty ready to eat that delicious pie! We talked about what triangles look like and how to make four of them. After a bit of thinking, she picked up the knife and made another cut.

Now we counted the triangles just to make sure there were four and remembered how we got there from the original circle.

And then it was time to eat the pie from Marie Callender’s! I enjoyed a few bites, but let my daughter savor the sweetness.

She even licked the plate.

So if you’d like to celebrate National Pi Day with a pie from Marie Callender’s here’s a coupon for $1.50 off a Marie Callender’s frozen pie that you can print and happily take to your nearest grocery store. Feel free to hop over to Marie Callender’s website to rate or review your pie.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

See how I used the AccuCore Stainless Steel 3-quart Sauté Pan for My Set, My Healthy Chicken Stroganoff.

Click here to read my post and enter for a chance to win one of 16 prizes worth $8,500! You can win a $1,000 cash gift card or one of 15 $500 Your Set by Calphalon gift cards so that you can build your own perfect set!

Click here to start customizing Your Set right now!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

There’s nothing like a one-pot dinner that’s also heathy — and seriously easy to make. With the help of a seriously amazing AccuCore Stainless Steel 3-quart Sauté Pan, I had dinner on the table in no time and in serious style. I’m always trying to find ways to put a healthy spin on dishes and experimented with a twist on the traditional stroganoff by using skinless boneless chicken thighs and swapping sour cream for yogurt.

Along with being a quick and easy dish, this meal comes together in one pan, making it even better. And if your family isn’t excited about mushrooms, swap for spinach, kale, or an extra onion. Constructed from stainless steel, the AccuCore pan is built around a copper base, with layers of aluminum for even distribution, perfect for searing or braising. I love that the 3-quart sauté pan comes with a tight fitting lid, perfect for making one-pot dinners. And you can mix and match pans to create your own perfect Calphalon set. AND, while you’re checking out the pans, enter to win your own set of pans!

Head on over to Relish for my recipe — and watch the video I put together sharing just how easy it is to make.

This time of year I’m always reminded of the scents of the season. From sharp peppermint to soothing cinnamon, I get so caught up in baking and cooking and creating heavenly smelling goodies. And nothing goes better with all those holiday treats than a big cup of coffee. So I figured combining the two would be heavenly.

When a big batch of Dunkin’ Donuts® coffee arrived on my doorstep, I knew I had to combine that coffee with some delicious scents of the season and concoct a hot and steamy holiday drink. Nothing evokes the joy of the holidays like sharing memories with family and close friends over a cup of delicious coffee.

And some of my first memories of the holidays involve the scent of coffee. For some reason the smell of that coffee brewing in the morning takes me back to my little self and the anticipation of what may come. From opening exciting gifts to spending time with loved ones, that sharp dark scent always reminds me of the holiday season even to this day. My husband often brews an individual cup of coffee for himself early in the morning, so the smell doesn’t linger — it’s usually gone by the time the tot and I make our way upstairs.

Such a shame.

The other morning I indulged and made a whole pot of some Dunkin’ Donuts® gingerbread flavored coffee and mixed it together with a few ingredients to create a sweet smelling and eye-opening morning brew. There are so many flavors to choose from: Original Blend, Dunkin’ Decaf® and special seasonal varieties including Mocha Mint, Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread Cookie. But act fast as these seasonal varieties are only available for a limited time at your local grocery store.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 ounces brewed coffee

4 ounces hot milk

Directions

While you’re brewing your coffee (any flavor is tasty or plain is just as tasty too) heat the milk in a small sauce pan. What takes this café au lait to the next level is whipping the milk, so while things are heating up, get out your trusty whisk and take out some aggression on the milk.

Measure and add the unsweetened cocoa and sugar to a large mug and then add the brewed coffee.

Check on the milk — you don’t want it to boil! Give it a good whisking and then add to the coffee, making sure to top with the foam.

Give the mocha a stir and sprinkle with additional sugar to your liking.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Thank you to Dunkin’ Donuts® packaged coffee at grocery for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

We have this spot at the top of the stairs on the side of our living room. It’s a “spot” we have no idea what to do with. It isn’t really part of the living room, not big enough to do much with, and has been the home to several different things, including a large plant, small bench, and mini pool table — all of which just sat there doing not much of anything.

I was getting really tired of just looking at that empty corner and watching it become home to a happy family of daddy-long-legs.

I was also getting a bit tired of the tot’s toys ALL OVER THE PLACE.

She needed a solution. I needed something. We talked about getting a toy chest (I had visions of pinched fingers), we dreamed of putting together a built-in bookshelf-slash-seating area (I had visions of power tool mishaps), and we chatted about buying furniture (and I had visions of lots and lots of fighting). So the corner sat deserted, the cat turned the mini-pool table into her new favorite lounging spot, and I kept vacuuming up the spiders.

While at O.S.H. picking up who knows what, I spied round cuts of plywood and knew I had to make a play table. But how to make it cool… Then we spied the big spools used for holding rope and I batted my eyes and inquired if we could have an old one. It was my lucky day and we headed home with the round and a spool.

After a nice sanding, and a coating of white stain, the husband took over and screwed the spool to the round and we had a table. I had plans for adding another round base to make the table sturdier, and to touch up the paint, but the tot had other plans. She got busy working the minute it was brought into the house.

Once she was tucked in for the night, I added a few other cute items around her area so she’d stay interested for more than a few days. On the other side of the play corner is our entry way buffet (that houses a bunch of the hub’s old CD’s) that will be cleared out for her toys so the area is comfortable for her to play and stay organized — and I’ll be able to slide the doors so they will magically disappear.

So for less than $20, we reinvented a spool into a fun play table that will hopefully be used for years and years.

My tot woke up today and decided that we should pick up a baby at the store. She spent almost an hour telling me all about how we should go pick out just the right one and that she was ready to have a baby. She also told me she wanted to be a baby when she gets big and that she wasn’t ever a little baby. Nope. We needed to go to the store and get a baby.

I was a little surprised about this new turn. We hadn’t seen any babies lately or had any big discussions about little ones, so wasn’t sure where this was coming from. The hubs and I haven’t even been talking about babies around her. It’s like she picked up on my hormones or something and was freely sharing my hidden desires for popping out another babe.

(We haven’t had much luck and are kinda moving on with the whole “trying-for-a-second-child” thing…)

So, anyway, back to heading to the store to pick up our new baby — I loaded her up and strapped her in as we made our way to the store. Once we arrived she tossed a bit of a fit that I had taken her to the wrong store. We weren’t at the BABY store but the CRAP store (which is how she says “craft” at the moment. Cute but not so cute when said loudly while walking through the store. “Mommmy? Mommmy? I just LOVE this CRAP store. This CRAP is SO cooool. Can I buy this to make a CRAP? Please, mommy, PLEAAASE?!”).

I gathered the stuff I needed for the day and asked her if she’d like to pick out something for herself. She decided we should make a magic wand cat toy, which would be perfect for playing with the cat while simultaneously doing magic tricks.

All you need to make your own unique magic wand cat toy are a wooden dowel, a bit of bright and sparkly ribbon, and a really pretty flower. I cut the dowel to a one foot long length and gave it a gentle sanding before starting.

I cut a few strips of the ribbon, piled them together, and then tapped them into the dowel with a small nail.

Then I cut away the bottom of the red sparkly flower and used my trusty hot glue to stick it in place. I had to remove the middle of the flower to make it flat, so hot glued a purple puff ball to fill the space.

The finished creation was attacked by both tot and cat within minutes of completion.

And there wasn’t any more talk about picking up a baby at the store for the rest of the day.

*And, yeah. Probably not the safest cat toy, so don’t let your kitty cat hang out with it unattended. And not guaranteed to actually successfully do any magic either.

I’m so excited to share another collection of creative art activities with Parents.com! These projects are perfect for tots and the results are so awesome you might want to pop the finished artwork in a frame. In fact, I have the red sparkly painting that my daughter did for this slideshow hanging in my office.

No joke.

So check it out and hopefully you’ll be inspired to try one of these art activities with your little one!

Remember how I told you about how GapKids was holding special Shine on Saturdays activities across the country? Well we had an awesome time at the event, which took place at my local mall (The Village at Corte Madera) last weekend. As an art teacher, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The idea of doing any sort of art activity in the middle of a clothing store, where the clothes were for sale, seemed a bit insane — especially if the art activity included paint! So when I walked in and saw a smiling helper in front of a table full of paint, I couldn’t wait to see what happened.

Keep reading to find out….

First things first, the activity was organized. All the itty-bitty tot tables were ready for action with displays showing the steps for creating the art work. Helpers were smiling, friendly, and seriously welcoming. I was walked through the store by a greater to the project area and then an assistant totally took over with my tot and asked her what colors she wanted to use for her creation. We got a plate of paint, a canvas board, and found a seat.

My tot, who is in LOVE with tape at the moment, got busy tearing strips of tape, pressing them into an interesting design, and then slathering with tons of paint. The theme was to create a geometric art work with fun angles and lines. The adorable little girl next to us was really into staying in the lines, the wee tot  behind us was busy finger painting, and the rest of the tables were buzzing with other kids enjoying the activity. Several helpers were moving from table to table offering compliments as well as encouragements — and paper towels when needed. (And, YES, my daughter picked her outfit — and was insistent on wearing it — to do the “special art stuff with mama.”)

I was amazed.

It was so awesome seeing kids having such a fantastic time being creative. Parents were chatting and mingling, kids weren’t running amuck with paint-filled brushes, and there was a line of smiling parents (and kids) patiently waiting their turn.

After my tot was finished, we said a big THANK YOU to all the helpers and took our painting home. Later in the day we peeled away the tape to check out the finished creation.

If you are anywhere near one of the next locations around San Francisco, you should go check it out!

Saturday, August 18
10 am -1 pm
GapKids @ University
35 University Ave.
Los Gatos, CA  95030

Saturday, August 25
10 am – 1 pm
GapKids @ Broadway Plaza
1139 S. Main St.
Walnut Creek, CA  94596

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Keep reading for all the details – hopefully I’ll see you there!

From art activities honing math skills to paintings on canvases to custom handmade journals, these projects are sure to spark your child’s creativity! I can’t wait to see what’s happening at the store near me!

For more information, check out this video…

If you’re in Marin, I’ll be at the Corte Madera GapKids store on Saturday! Stop by and say, “HI!”

Can’t make it this Saturday? Here are all the dates and locations for Shine On Saturdays this month in the San Francisco area:

Upcoming GapKids Shine On Saturdays Events in San Francisco

Saturday, August 11

10am-1pm
GapKids @ The Village at Corte Madera
1554 Redwood Highway
Corte Madera, CA 94925

Saturday, August 18
10am-1pm
GapKids @ University
35 University Ave
Los Gatos, CA 95030

Saturday, August 25
10am-1pm
GapKids @ Broadway Plaza
1139 S. Main St
Walnut Creek, CA 94596

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Thank you COOL WHIP for sponsoring this post. Join us on Facebook for inspiration and recipes for everyday treats. What you add makes it. #coolwhipmoms

There’s nothing like a cold treat on a hot summer’s day. I love making frozen desserts that are nice and creamy and fit perfectly in small hands. This way I can grab-and-go without worrying about dirtying a bowl or forgetting a spoon. And, if there’s any mess, we’re usually outside near the hose, or the sprinkler, or the kiddie pool.

You get the idea.

This is a super simple frozen summer sandwich, and with a little help from COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, things just got a bit easier. Pairing COOL WHIP with tangy vanilla yogurt makes a sweet filling for fudgy cookies and strawberry jam – the perfect everyday treat. You’ve probably got everything you need in your pantry, and it’s a totally kid friendly recipe!

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Dash salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

1/2 cup strawberry jelly

3/4 cup COOL WHIP

3/4 cup vanilla yogurt

Directions

Start by melting the butter and then carefully pouring into a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the warm butter and let sit until they melt slightly.

Crank the oven to 350 F. and then add the vanilla, sugar, and dash of salt to the butter and melted chocolate chips. Go ahead and mix in the cocoa powder.

Sprinkle the baking soda over the batter as well as the flour. Stir unit the fudge cookie dough is nice and smooth.

Line a 9×12 inch sheet pan with foil and slightly grease. Spoon the batter onto the pan and then spread with a butter knife to create a 1/4 inch thick rectangle of fudge batter. If it doesn’t reach all the way, that’s okay. Just try to cover as much of the pan as possible.

Pop the big cookie into the oven for 15 minutes.

Ding!

Now slather the warm cookie base with the strawberry jam and let cool for at least 30-minutes.

Time for the fun part! Use a butter knife to cut the big cookie in half, creating two big square cookies. Mix together the COOL WHIP and vanilla yogurt and then spoon onto one of the cookies. Use a spatula – and the foil – to carefully place the other big cookie on top of the side with the filling and then press gently to evenly distribute the filling. Wrap the big sandwich with the help of the foil and place the whole shebang – sheet pan and all – into the freezer for at least 2-hours.

Remove your yummies and unwrap. Use a big, sharp knife to cut the big, mongo cookie into 3-inch squares – or whatever shape you’d like!

YUM!

Do you have a special dessert you’d like to share? Enter COOL WHIP’s Fan Dessert of the Month Contest for a chance to win $500! Simply make a COOL WHIP dessert, take a photo, and upload it here. Enter now!

Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content. I was compensated for this post as a member of Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all my own.