Marina Delio's Blog, page 39

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Stew {Sponsored}

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When I was approached about creating a recipe for Campbell's new slow cooker and skillet sauces, I thought, oooooh yes, slow cooker, I have missed you! After perusing the Campbell's sauces site the Moroccan sauce caught my eye. Although the slow cooker sauce was pictured with chicken, I immediately thought of a delicious meatless recipe.Tossing the veggies and sauce into the slow cooker takes about 5 minutes.
 I used dried beans and quick-soaked them, but did not cook them - the slow cooker can do that part. You can always use a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) if that's what you have.  My kids' favorite version of this has peas and baby carrots. Honestly, I love this version too - especially since most moms always have a bag of baby carrots in the fridge and peas in the freezer. I add the peas half-way through to 30 minutes before dinner so that they don't get mushy. If you can't find Campbell's slow cooker sauce in your town, I've included my all-homemade recipe below as well. Feel free to swap veggies in this recipe to get a stew your family will love.























This post brought to you by Campbell’s Dinner Sauces. Weekend-worthy dinners with only weekday-level effort needed! Learn more at http://www.campbellsauces.com/.












Thank you Campbell's for sponsoring this post! 


Keep reading for the recipes!



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Orange Cranberry Baked French Toast

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Tart fresh cranberries are the perfect holiday addition to orange and cream cheese stuffed French toast made with KING’S HAWAIIAN ® Dinner Rolls. 

Special breakfasts are almost always a sign of a special occasion in our house. During the week we have quick and healthy breakfasts before school, but on holidays and birthdays I like to splurge a little and make something sweet. Baked French toast is one of my favorite breakfasts to make because it's so much easier to make as a casserole than to fry batch after batch. I spotted fresh cranberries a few days ago and grabbed them up. Since fresh cranberries are only around for a few months, I get pretty excited to see them. They add a delicious tart bite to anything sweet. I love them in pumpkin muffins, but thought they would be fantastic in a baked French toast. 

Rather than use sliced or torn bread as I have in the past, I used KING’S HAWAIIAN ® Dinner Rolls. My family loves these sweet rolls and they create perfectly cute individual portions of baked French Toast. An orange cream cheese mixture is used for the filling, but If that doesn't strike your fancy (let's bring that saying back, okay?) you can make a quick filling with a layer of marmalade and the cranberries. That being said, the cream cheese-orange zest-honey mixture is simply amazing on bagels. Or right off the beater. 

 

An egg and milk mixture is whisked together and poured over the stuffed rolls. You could fill the rolls with the cream cheese mixture and cranberries the night before and pour the custard over the top in the morning. I used a 9" x 13" baking dish for the photos. There was a little too much space between each roll for the egg mixture to seep into and bake. The second test of this recipe with a 7" x 11" dish worked much better, so that's what I'm so I'm recommending in the instructions.  

Top your French toast with honey (my personal favorite) or maple or coconut syrup. Make it even prettier with a garnish or fresh mint leaves, orange peel, or a dusting of powdered sugar. Doesn't that just look like the holidays?! I love the bright red color cranberries add as they pop. 

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Orange Cranberry Baked French Toast Recipe 

Yield: 12 French Toast Rolls 

Ingredients: 

1 (12-roll) package KING’S HAWAIIAN ® Dinner Rolls
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest, divided 
2 tablespoons honey 
1/8 teaspoon fiori di sicilia (orange/vanilla extract) or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, plus 2 tablespoons, divided 
5 large eggs 
1/4 cup orange juice (just squeeze half of that orange you zested!) 
1 1/2 cups milk 
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar 
2 tablespoons sliced raw almonds 

Instructions: 

Cut the rolls in half crosswise with a serrated knife. 
In the bowl of a mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon orange zest, honey, and extract until very smooth and creamy. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cut side of the bottom half of the rolls. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cranberries over the cream cheese mixture. Top with the top halves of the rolls. Gently cut rolls away from each other if still attached in one sheet. 
Coat a 7" x 11" baking dish with butter or cooking spray and arrange rolls in the baking dish. 
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, orange juice, milk and orange zest. Pour the egg mixture over the rolls, gently pressing any rolls that float up back down. Use a spoon to scoop and pour the egg mixture from the edges back over the tops. Sprinkle remaining cranberries and turbinado sugar over the top. 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and let casserole soak for 30 minutes. Bake for 45 minutes or until set, covering with foil after the first 15 minutes. 5 minutes before casserole looks finished, sprinkle with almonds to lightly toast. 
Cool 10 minutes and serve with maple syrup or honey. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, orange peel, or powdered sugar. 
This recipe reheats well. If you need to bake it a few hours early, simply reheat in a 300 degree oven until warm, 10-15 minutes. 

 

Great holiday recipes start with KING’S HAWAIIAN® Dinner Rolls! Vote for your favorite KING’S HAWAIIAN recipe here for a chance to win one of three $500 gift cards! Sweepstakes Rules.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of King's Hawaiian®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Harvest Supper Menu {Vegetarian}

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An easy autumn vegetarian menu that's perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall dinner. Recipes for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Harvest Salad, and Eggplant Lasagna. 



Lately we have been trying to get together with my family for Sunday family dinners. It's such a fun and relaxing way to get the family together when we are all so busy during the week. I thought that entering elementary school (just for my big girl - little one is still in preschool) would mean more free time. I was so so wrong. Not only does kindergarten mean for the first time school 5 days a week, but we have swimming lessons, singing class, and ballet x 2. We are constantly on-the-go, so it's nice to relax, cook, and eat on Sundays. Last week we had my parents over and I made a make-ahead Autumn meal. All I had to do before dinner was bake the lasagna, warm up the soup, and pull the salad out of the fridge. We picked the cutest, most funny looking, butternut squash from the backyard and turned it into soup. 



They were like a little squash family. 






This autumn salad has all the right elements: crunch from the nuts and pomegranate seeds, sweetness from the grapes and apples, and a salty bite from the cheese. Assemble this salad early in the day, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to add dressing and serve.






































There are no after shots of this for a reason. We all devoured it! Luckily I was able to get an in-progress shot!



And dessert... well, I picked up a chocolate pie because it was hubby's birthday and it's his favorite. And because sorry, but Mama can't always do everything. 




Keep Reading for the Recipes!



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Healthy Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies {gluten free}

A healthier chocolate chip cookie that's just as tasty as the old recipe you're used to, but gluten-free and easily grain free or vegan. 



This morning my preschooler and I headed to the gym for her swimming lesson. But when I told her it was time for her lesson she was not happy. Not happy AT all. Full blown hysteria ensued. Thankfully her instructor was very understanding and agreed we should take the week off. I thought I was in the clear and it would be smooth sailing - ha! The moment we got in the car meltdown number 2 began. "But Mommy you said we could get a special tweeeet after swimming. Can we at weeeest make cookies at home?" she sobbed. 



Because being three can be tough. And because I am weak. And because I wanted cookies too, darn it, she won this one and we made the cookies. But I was not about to use white sugar and flour. I've been having great success baking with almond flour and almond meal lately (helllooo favorite Chocolate Muffins) and it's so much more nutritious. I didn't just love how healthy these cookies are compared to traditional chocolate chippers, I loved the nutty cake-like taste as well. I think I might even add a little almond extract  next time to play up the almond. 




Keep reading for the recipe and more tips! 


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Fall Decorating Ideas

I hear that it's fall. Given the 80 degree weather we are still having here in Santa Barbara, it doesn't feel very fall-ish. My boots and sweaters have not yet come out of hiding, to my dismay. To get our home feeling a little more seasonal, I got out the pumpkin pie scented candle and gave our front porch a little autumn makeover. And since I often forget to water the plants (oopsie!) the whole thing had to be very low maintenance. Lavender and pumpkins fit the bill and were waiting for me at Trader Joe's. 



For an easy fall centerpiece, we planted some succulents in an old wooden box and placed mini white pumpkins and pinecones around them. I get tired of all the orange and love the simplicity of succulents and white pumpkins. 




Tell me: is it feeling like fall where you are? What's your favorite way to decorate for the season? 




Here are more of my favorite fall decorating ideas from around the web

Fall Mantel 

Fall Table Centerpiece on Sophia's 

Boxwood Wreath 

Gold Dipped Pumpkins on The Nest 

Chalkboard Pumpkin Place Cards  on The Halls

A Pumpkin Lined Path on Babble



And even more inspiration on Pinterest

15 Adorable Halloween Recipes

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Halloween recipes are so much fun to make with kids. From cute to creepy crawly, there's just no end to the creativity. We always have several Halloween parties to attend in the week leading up to the big night. Our local zoo has a fun-filled spooky bash and a few of our friends have parties. And why not - we might as well get some use out of these costumes! I'm always amazed at the adorable Halloween foods, both healthy and sinful, that my friends make.



Here are 15 of my favorite Halloween recipes to inspire:



JELL-O Creepy Crawly JIGGLERS

These are so cute! My kids got a glimpse of these little guys on the computer and shrieked with excitement. These Mmmmonster JIGGLERS are adorable too!  

Pumpkin Macarons. Crisp outer shell, soft inside, and cute for Halloween or Thanksgiving. They freeze well too, so you can make them ahead of time. 

Mini pumpkin cheesecakes





CONTINUE READING FOR THE PUDDING CUPS RECIPE AND MORE TASTY HALLOWEEN TREATS! 



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Overnight Mini Baked Egg Casseroles

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An easy recipe for make-ahead egg casseroles served in ramekins. Customize with your favorite vegetables or use this broccoli and cheese recipe. This recipe is perfect for brunch or even a busy weeknight dinner. 



Last week Yummy Hubby was out of town. As luck would have it, my dear friend Laurie's hubby was also traveling in Europe. The kids have been asking to have a slumber party ever since Laurie and her family stayed with us for a few days in May. So on Saturday evening I packed up the kids and went to Laurie's house for a sleepover party complete with pizza and a movie. 



Think slumber parties are just for kids? Ooooh no. They may be even more fun for grown-ups. After the kids went to bed, Laurie and I stayed up until 1 am chatting and laughing in front of the fire. I highly recommend an occasional slumber party with a good friend. 



Being the hostess with the mostess that she is, Laurie took 5 minutes that night to whip up a baked egg mixture. In the morning she popped the ramekins into the oven and soon we had a warm delicious breakfast. The kids loved it so much that I made individual egg casseroles for dinner this week when we were getting home late from ballet classes. I made the egg mixture in the morning and baked it when we got home, along with some rosemary garlic potatoes and a salad. These are very simple to make and can be customized with any veggies or cheese you like. My kids happen to love the broccoli and cheese combination. 



Thanks Ladies!




KEEP READING FOR THE RECIPE! 


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Paleo Chocolate Banana Muffins

For the record, I am totally not on the paleo bandwagon. I'm sticking to camp plant-based but I think paleo baking is fantastic. Though I could never turn down a fresh baguette or croissant, I try to stay away from white flour and sugar 99% of the time. They really do nothing good and there are so many nutritious alternatives now - oat flour, almond flour, almond meal, coconut flour, quinoa flour... 

 The cutest banana peeler in all the land. But really. 

Today yummy little baker and I decided to make some banana muffins while big sis was at school. We decided to toss in some raw cacao and I decided to use almond meal instead of flour. Risky, but successful. 
The result was what I think real bakers would call a "tender crumb" - but that sounds so silly and pretentious. It was moist and cake-like/cupcake-ish. Like a banana muffin, only chocolatey.



Keep reading for the recipe!



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How to Make a Sandcastle Cake

Simple step-by-step directions for making a beautiful sand castle cake coated with ground cookie crumbs. 



I was sure this cake was going to be a disaster. Right up until the night before the party when I assembled, frosted, and coated it in cookie crumbs, I was pretty sure I would be running to the grocery store for store-bought cupcakes to toss my white chocolate shells onto during a mad dash to the party. 

Thankfully I was wrong. The cake was much easier than I thought it would be, and looked even better than expected. Much easier than the Sock Monkey Cake I made 6 months ago. To make things simple, I baked the cake a week early, wrapped it in plastic and foil, and froze it. I finished the cake the night before the party. The look on my birthday girl's face when she saw her cake in the morning was priceless. Her exact words were, "Mom, I knew it was going to be good, but I didn't know it was going to be THIS amazing!" 





Here's what you'll need to do... 


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Ocean Themed Birthday Party Ideas

Last weekend we celebrated my big girl's 6th birthday. I know everyone says kids grow up quickly. But it really is true. In those trying moments, from learning to nurse a colicy newborn, to two-year-old tantrums, time passes so slowly. But then you blink and that newborn is SIX. We're now in the "sweet spot" - I'm just now getting used to being able to use the bathroom without someone screaming "MOM" and banging on the door like the world is ending, we can drive in the car for longer than 20 minutes without someone crying, and we can enjoy interesting dinnertime conversations and bedtime stories that our big girl can even help read. Don't get me wrong, there are still Legos coving the entire floor most of the time and there's no time for laundry. Side note - if you haven't yet read "How to Miss a Childhood" by Handsfree Mama, you MUST! 





She decided to design her own invitation this year, which I loved. I uploaded her artwork and sent it out through Paperless Post. Easy and eco-friendly!




My mermaid requested an ocean birthday party and we had a lot of fun planning it. As I had to transport all of the party supplies and food to the beach myself, everything had to be simple and make-ahead friendly. Here are all the details: 




The Food:


Applesauce pouches
Edamame hummus from the Yummy Mummy Kitchen cookbook (made 1 day ahead)
Peanut Butter & Jam dolphin sandwiches 
BLTA sandwiches - my daughter's favorite sandwich. I cooked the bacon 1 day ahead and assembled the sandwiches in the morning. 
Fruit platter 
Vegetable sushi. I thought about making it myself. Then I came to my senses and ordered a platter from Whole Foods. Because it was the only pre-made item I used and I saved a ton by making the cake myself, I splurged on the sushi. 
Sandcastle cake. I'll post the recipe tomorrow. It's much easier than it looks, I promise. 








I adore these sushi sharing siblings!



The Games! 

Pin the Fin on the Dolphin was a big hit! I drew a fin-less dolphin on a piece of foam board and cut out one fin for each child. My girls had fun coloring designs on each fin to make them unique.





Beach optional! You can easily do this fun activity at a backyard or park sandbox. 



The kids had to work for their party favors. Before the party I buried little bags of goodies in the sand. Gold coins on the surface were clues to the treasures underneath. As usual, I filled the party favor bags with sugar free items like shell necklaces, rings, bubbles, stickers, and sugar free lollipops. 




The most important ingredient for a fabulous birthday party? 




Family and good friends who love you, of course. A special happy birthday to miss Gwendolyn, pictured above, who also turns six this week! 






Happy birthday, my beautiful mermaid.