It's so Easiyo!

Some people dream of making the perfect souffle, or the perfect cake. I (no joke), have wanted to make the perfect yogurt for quite some time. We go through tons of yogurt in our home, because we know how much protein and vitamins are in it. Better yet, we know those fabulous cultures help our digestive systems. I have tried, and failed to make my own yogurt, and then we got Easiyo.

The inventor of the EasiYo System, knew how good freshly-made yogurt was for his family of eight children.

He decided he had to find a better way of making this staple food, and came up with an ingenious way of producing yogurt perfectly - every time!

In 1992 EasiYo Products Limited was born. The simple 3 step EasiYo System is now exported to over 20 countries around the world, making EasiYo world leaders in this field!

Easiyo is a simple 3-Step system to making the perfect yogurt for you and your family. We have the Family Starter Pack, which made things super simple and fun! We filled the jar with water and the mix, we did a little shake, then poured boiling water into the yogurt maker and set our yogurt jar inside and voila! home-made yogurt for breakfast the next morning. It was that easy, and yummy! My daughter and I only really fought once (hey, I wanted to shake it too!), and we enjoyed the yogurt for days. I look forward to trying the different flavors and styles (especially Greek Yogurt). I do not see our yogurt addiction going away any time soon, especially when making it ourselves is so much fun.

Plenty

I stopped making New Year's resolutions a long time ago. I love food, so pretending I am going to exist on water and crackers is not an option. Delicious, healthy food, makes life a whole lot easier. I am head over heels for Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. It is a cookbooks full of fabulous recipes that are all vegetable-based.

Yotam Ottolenghi is one of the most exciting new talents in the cooking world, with four fabulous, eponymous London restaurants and a weekly newspaper column that's read by foodies all over the world. Plenty is a must-have collection of 120 vegetarian recipes featuring exciting flavors and fresh combinations that will delight readers and eaters looking for a sparkling new take on vegetables. Yotam's food inspiration comes from his Mediterranean background and his unapologetic love of ingredients. Not a vegetarian himself, his approach to vegetable dishes is wholly original and innovative, based on freshness and seasonality, and drawn from the diverse food cultures represented in London. A vibrant photo accompanies every recipe in this visually stunning book. Essential for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike!

There recipes are all one better than the next. It got to the point recently when we decided to grow our own parsley and mint indoors, because Plenty has it in so many recipes that I was craving to try. I have literally been cooking my way through this book, and have not once been disappointed. I feel good after eating!

This butternut squash with lime segments and greek yogurt was so good that my daughter finished my portion before I could. We took our pumpkins from Halloween and roasted them according to another recipe, which taught my daughter not to waste and enjoy the harvest. My favorite recipe in this book has to be the Quinoa and Sourdough Bread Salad. The citrus and vinegar make the tomatoes pop and how can anyone resist quinoa?
I love showing my daughter how easy cooking and eating healthy can be. I do not believe in hiding vegetables in food to trick her. They have been a part of her diet from day one. Plenty gives so many new and delicious ways to enjoy those vegetables and cooking together.

Good and Bready

I have never been that into store-bought bread. Once you have freshly-made bread, it is hard to go back. That being said, I really have to plan my day out if I want to make bread. It is a time-consuming process and sometimes my results are less than stellar. Well, until I got the West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker. Now, I am making my own bread all of the time! I even made the bread for our traditional Italian Christmas (you know it must be good when your family trusts you to make their Italian bread).

The West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker is so easy to use. It comes with everything I need. Most days, I simply pop in the ingredients and am on my way. This little baby does the rest.
Features include:

Dual knead blades provide thorough dough kneading for a lighter taste and higher rise!
Traditionally shaped, horizontal bread pan (8 3/4in x 4 3/4in)can accommodate 4 different loaf sizes; 1 lb, 1.5 lb, 2 lb, and 2.5 lb.
11 digital settings include Basic, Quick, French, Sweet, Dough, and a special customizable homemade setting.
Easy enough for beginners, but customizable for expert bakers as well. The ""homemade"" setting allows preferences to be set for kneading, rising, baking, and keeping warm.
3 level crust control: Light, Medium, and Dark.
Delayed start cycle is programmable for up to 12 hours, set it in the morning and come home to the scent of freshly baked bread.
Instruction manual includes many delicious recipes, including garlic bread, wheat bread, bagel dough, even Low Carb and Gluten-free!
Includes 2 knead blades, non-stick bread pan, measuring cup and spoon, and knead blade removal tool.

Our current favorite is a chocolate bread (from a Tesss Kiros cookbook). We love this bread, but not the time it usually takes to make this. Now I just add the ingredients to the West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker and sweet, chocolate goodness is mine with minimal work. Best of all, it makes my house smell like a bakery! I get all the accolades for the hard work that the West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker has been doing. It is so nice to know what goes into the foods you eat, and even better when making them is so simple.

Jammin!

I always find the holiday season to be a bit tricky. We have so many people whom we love and want to get them something to express that. We also have limited funds, so I like to think of homemade gifts. This holiday season, we are giving the gift of Jam, Marmalade and Jelly (oh my!).

I am not an experienced jam maker by any means, so I turned to The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders. It has so many delicious recipes with super easy instructions.

In addition to offering more than 100 original jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes, master jam artisan Rachel Saunders shares all of her technical preserving knowledge, as well as her unique jam maker's perspective on fruit.
Rachel combines nostalgia with a modern, sustainable approach to creating fresh and vividly flavored preserves. The recipes are divided into chapters based on the seasons, and each chapter is organized by month and type of fruit.

I decided to go big or go home. My family members all love tomatoes and citrus fruits, so we made Early Girl Tomato Marmalade as gifts. The taste is amazing. I recently served it for a little gathering with some goat cheese and toast. The guest were raving and I was secretly smiling knowing they would all be getting their own jar for the holidays.

My daughter was desperate to help, so we made the tried and true Strawberry Jam together. She stirred (using our fabulous Michael Ruhlman Acacia Paddles), and I supervised. She decided we could only give a jar or two away since it was "too delicious" to give up. Our next jam making session will be the Blueberry Mint Jam. I can finally "preserve" the season.

A Colorful Cooking Day

It seems that even through my best efforts to prevent it, we all have a cold. Secretly, a part of me loves just sitting back cuddling with no school run or obligations...we are sick, you know! It brings out the child in me. My daughter and I use our time together to cook things that make us feel good, and we play and have puppet shows and watch fairy tale theater. One of my favorite cookbooks is Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros.

Tessa Kiros has circled the globe working in restaurants in Australia, Greece, Mexico, and London. Her extensive travel and multicultural background lend authenticity to more than 200 recipes, which are grouped by color and presented alongside vibrant photographs, sound cooking advice, and heartwarming anecdotes about friends, family, and the whimsies of childhood.

I adore her stories and the grouping by color is so genius. This cookbook reads almost like a diary of childhood (Tessa as a mum and a child) with such specific memories that are sure to make you smile and reminisce as well. We made the Vermicelli Soup with Tomato and Basil; it warmed our hearts and our bellies. I could not resist the little anecdote that went along with Honey Cake and Lemon Frosting (Tessa Kiros likened it to a party with Winnie the Pooh). It deliciousness was the perfect complement to an improptu tea party.

Whether you have a child, want a child, or simply loved being a child, Apples for Jam is the cookbook for you. I have it wrapped and ready to go for a few loved ones who I know will relish the cooking journey.

Cooking with the Littles

I have always loved cooking. It relaxes me and makes me feel so good when I see my family enjoying something I made. My daughter is still little, but we have always tried to include her in some way. You would be surprised what even the littlest helpers can do. One of our favorite cookbooks is THE RIVER COTTAGE FAMILY COOKBOOK by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Fizz Carr. It is full of more than 100 recipes that can be made with and by children. It also gives kids a history lesson so they can really know where their food comes from. We try to eat local farm goods and foods and this book really brings home the importance of that. Children are always asking "why?" and it is nice to have the answer.

The latest addition to the best-selling RIVER COTTAGE cookbook series inspires the entire family to venture into the kitchen to prepare delicious, wholesome food together. THE RIVER COTTAGE FAMILY COOKBOOK features a comprehensive repertoire of more than 100 recipes and kitchen projects that cooks of all ages will enjoy: making butter, curing bacon, planting a kitchen garden, and more. This complete cookbook will show kids how quality ingredients are produced, while teaching lifelong lessons about meaningful cooking and eating.

We enjoyed making butter (who would not love shaking cream and having a dance in the kitchen). The Flapjacks (an oatmeal bar popular in the UK) is to die for. I had my daughter's teacher asking for the recipe.
Whether you are just beginning to cook with your little one, or have been doing so for years, give THE RIVER COTTAGE FAMILY COOKBOOK a chance to make it even more fun.