Ginger Kids Kitchen Basics Review And Giveaway

My Mom was always working. I didn’t know much about cooking when I set out on my own. I often wonder what if I would be a different person had I learned some cooking basics before my teenage years. As my own son TJ grows up I know that I want him to know the basics, and more if he is interested in learning it. He’s 13 and I probably ought to have started teaching him already. I can’t turn back time but I can get to work.

Kitchen Basics: Rules, Tools and Etiquette is a book from Ginger Kids Fun that’s designed to be used by parent and child together. I wouldn’t call this a children’s cookbook, although it does have recipes. I’d call this more of a kitchen book. It helps teach safety in the kitchen and also explains cooking terms, measurements and tools. It briefly covers types of foods and nutrition. There’s even a section on place settings and party planning.

Let’s not forget the recipes. The book contains some tasty sounding recipes that a parent and child can easily make together. The recipes fall into the following categories - breakfast, lunch and snacks, dinner and desserts. Each is written in easy to understand language and contains a picture of the final dish. I like that the recipes require ordinary ingredients that can be found in most kitchens or grocery stores, and that they clearly show the prep time. When I was younger when I read something took 60 minutes to make that’s how long I thought it took. I’d never given any thought to prep time.

I really like this book. It doesn’t look intimidating or boring as I’m sure some cookbooks do appear to children. Cartoon characters Jeffrey Referee, Anna Bandana, Nina Ballerina and Elliott make the book very colorful and fun looking. The folks at Ginger Kids Fun did a nice job putting this together. The only suggestion I can offer for this book is that it would be helpful if the pages were laminated or a heavier cleanable material. I can see where kids will enjoy the book a lot and where it would be helpful to be able to clean if if the pages got soiled.

I also have news about a neat product and great contest from the folks at Ginger Kids Fun.

Passport to the World Membership Giveaway

Would you love to embark on a world adventure with your kids, without ever having to pack a suitcase? The Passport to the World Club from Ginger Kids Fun! is the perfect way to give your child an exciting, hands-on world adventure in the comfort of your home! By choosing one of two affordable monthly membership options, kids will have a blast cooking up new international cuisine, interacting with children from other cultures, learning new languages and more.

The monthly membership provides a fascinating view of the world by engaging the five senses. Children will experience a wide variety of activities in a magical, interactive online journey of each monthly destination. They will listen to a fun-filled musical tour of each cultural destination with a CD from Putumayo Kids. A hands-on cooking experience teaches kids to practice their creativity and imagination, and the result will fill their senses with delightful aromas and delicious flavors.

The Passport to the World Club membership will be available for purchase at www.gingerkidsfun.com starting September 2009. Memberships can be purchased on a month to month basis or as a twelve month VIP package. Sample destinations include Jamaica, Greece, Italy and Israel! Those that join the twelve month program will receive a FREE welcome package complete with Ginger Kids apron, Kitchen Basics: Rules, Tools & Etiquette cookbook binder, Cookbook binder with country tabs to store 12-months of recipes and a Ginger Kids Passport.

To celebrate the Passport to the World launch on 9/9/09, Ginger Kids Fun! is hosting ‘9 Days of Giveaways’ and is giving one lucky reader a three-month online membership. Kids will love the easy –to-navigate online portal providing an entertaining and educational platform to learn about different cultures. To watch a preview of the site, visit http://www.gingerkidsfun.com/teaser.html.

WIN IT!

One winner will receive a three-month online membership

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

To enter visit the Ginger Kids website then leave a comment on this post telling me one destination that you and your child would enjoy seeing included in the Passport to the World Club.

BONUS ENTRIES - LOTS OF THEM!

1 - Subscribe to my newsletter. (at top of sidebar)
1 - Subscribe to my RSS feed. (at top of page)
1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here. (at top of page)
1 - Tweet this giveaway.
1 - Friend me on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/valmg
1 - Fave this blog at Technorati AND leave your Technorati name here.
1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog. (in sidebar)
1 - Visit HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Friday 08/11/09 at 11:59 pm est. If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won. Good luck to everyone!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

FOOD FESTIVAL - Popsicle Mighty Minis With Giveaway

Popsicle has been around for as long as I can remember. Their ice pops have the best flavor of all, and they have like a kajillion different flavors. Ok that’s a slight exaggeration. They have more than thirty flavors. This year I noticed something I hadn’t seen before - Slow Melt flavors. This past week I received a sample of Popsicle Slow Melt Mighty Minis.

Popsicle Mighty Minis melt a little slower than other icepops because they have a little gelatin in them. I wondered if these would taste strange because of the gelatin but I found the Mighty Minis tasted as cold, fresh and flavorful as any other Popsicle. I detected no taste of gelatin. It took me about eight minutes to eat one and it showed no sign of melting while I was eating it. The box of Mighty Minis contains twenty icepops in five flavors - fruit punch, lemon-lime, strawberry-kiwi, watermelon and tropical orange. My favorite is the watermelon. I love that these icepops only have 40 calories per serving - that’s just right for my post-surgical diet. They also have no fat and no sodium. I’ll definitely be picking these up again.

You can learn more about this and other Popsicle products at popsicle.com.

Popsicle is also on Twitter - follow @Popsicle.

WIN IT!

One winner will receive a prize pack including a Breyers insulated BUILT bag plus miscellaneous Breyers-branded items (to be named later) and one free product coupon for each of these three brands: Klondike, Popsicle and Breyers (3 coupons total).

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

To enter visit the Popsicle products page then leave a comment on this post telling me which Popsicle variety you’d like to try the most or which is your favorite.

BONUS ENTRIES - LOTS OF THEM!

1 - Subscribe to my newsletter. (at top of sidebar)
1 - Subscribe to my RSS feed. (at top of page)
1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here. (at top of page)
1 - Tweet this giveaway.
1 - Friend me on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/valmg
1 - Fave this blog at Technorati AND leave your Technorati name here.
1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog. (in sidebar)
1 - Visit  HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Friday 09/11/09 at 11:59 pm est.  If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won.  Good luck to everyone!

Be sure to check my posts on Breyers and Klondike for more reviews and giveaways.

Driscoll’s Caribbean Raspberry Shrimp Salad

Check out this recipe from Driscoll’s Berries, it looks cool for a hot summer day.

Fresh raspberries brighten this salad with tropical flavors and color. The raspberry dressing is versatile enough for fish, chicken or mixed greens. Try this salad with a glass of your favorite chilled white wine.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Makes 4 servings

• 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Raspberries, divided
• 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1-1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup mild olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound cooked whole shrimp, 41-50 count size, about 24 total shrimp
• 1/4 cup diced mango
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced celery
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced red onion
• 4 cups mixed baby lettuce or spring mix
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, sliced

Blend 1/3 cup of the raspberries, vinegar, honey and Dijon mustard in a blender or food processor until smooth. Drizzle in the oil while blending. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons water to thin slightly, if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine shrimp, mango, celery, and onion in a medium bowl. Gently stir in remaining raspberries.

Divide lettuce onto four plates and arrange avocado slices on top of lettuce.

Top with shrimp raspberry mixture and drizzle the dressing on top. Serve with any remaining dressing on the side.

Nutrition Per Serving: 389 calories, 29.39g total fat, 4.20g saturated fat, 15.22g protein, 19.84g carbohydrate, 110.56mg cholesterol, 10.51g fiber, 188mg sodium

valmg’s Easy Chicken Broccoli Rice

• white rice
• 1 pound chicken breast
• 1 family size can cream of chicken soup
• 1 box frozen broccoli
• onion
• garlic
• pepper

Cook white rice. (I use a rice cooker.)
While that’s cooking I cook broccoli and chicken.
Then I add in cream of chicken soup and season to taste.
I stir them together with the rice.
Season to taste.
Then I add in some cheddar cheese, stir again and serve hot.

valmg’s Pasta Salad

• 1 16 oz. box of pasta (bow ties or twists work well)
• 1 bottle of zesty Italian dressing
• 1 carton of grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half.
• 2 thick slices or end pieces of imported ham, cubed
• 2 thick slices or end pieces of yellow American cheese, cubed
• 2 thick slices or end pieces of salami, cubed
• Italian seasoning

Boil pasta.
Rinse and let cool.
Add in the ham, cheese and salami.
Mix.
Add in the tomatoes.
Mix.
Add in the Italian dressing to taste. Too much will give you soggy noodles. Start with a little and you can always add more.
Add Italian seasoning to taste. Again, too much will kill it. Start with a little because you can always add more.
You can serve it now but I prefer to chill it for an hour.