Tag Archives: toddler approved

5 Ingredient Cheesy Chicken Roll Up Recipe

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If you’re looking for another easy week night dinner, this one is great to add in. It reminds me of the Chicken Pot Pie Recipe. Yet, this meal has a completely different flavor profile.

You might have noticed, I love cooking with rotisserie chicken! It’s a simple way to add chicken in our meals. Plus, it tastes good!

Although this isn’t technically, ‘one pot’ the clean up is easy too.

Now that I’ve sold you on the recipe, here’s all the ingredients you’ll need:

  • Rotisserie chicken
  • Crescent rolls
  • 1 cup of shredded cheese
  • Cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/4 cup of milk

There’s not a ton of steps for this recipe, but it’s oh so yummy.

The first thing you should do is preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Then, in a casserole dish, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.

After it’s mixed together, pull apart your chicken. Then add the remaining cheese with it.

Next, unroll the crescent rolls. Place a small amount of the chicken and cheese mixture in the big part of the crescent roll triangle.

Now comes the fun part. Roll the crescent roll. Mila had a blast helping me with this beautiful part.

After you have your crescent rolls filled, place them on top of the soup and cheese mix.

I added some garlic and butter on top of the crescent rolls at this point, but this is totally optional.

Then, place them in the oven until the crescent rolls are golden brown. This takes about twenty-five minutes to do.

These cheesy chicken roll ups are so good. We didn’t even have left overs! I served them with green beans and it made for a perfect dinner.

As with all my recipes, let me know in the comments if you try it out.

Toddler Activity: Rainbow Heart Match and Diversity Learning

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Diversity is one of the most important concepts to add into toddler activities and crafts.

I make sure to do different games with Mila that lets her take in a wide array of different concepts. Some she might not even know she’s learning.

Today’s little game incorporates two of heart favorite things: hearts and colors.

This quick activity doesn’t take long to make and you most likely have all the supplies at home already.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Paper
  • Markers
  • Scissors

The first thing to do is draw and color in different colored hearts. Then cut them out.

After they’re cut out, trace them on another piece of paper. Here I added the color of the words of the corresponding hearts. That way she’s getting some word recognition while playing.

When you’re done tracing and writing the names, it’s time for your toddler to play.

Obviously, they can use this as a color matching game, but there’s even more to be learned when you engage with them.

While Mila played, we talked about how each shape was a heart. I asked her what made the hearts different. She replied with naming all their colors.

I also showed her that under each heart is the same too. Even if they have different names and colors, they are still always just hearts.

To expand on that, we talked about people have different names, hair, and skin color.

It’s not groundbreaking conversations, but letting her explore differences and still loving all the hearts is so important. There’s no bad colors, they’re just different on the outside.

I can’t wait to laminate this set up so we can keep on playing! It will definitely grow with her as she learns to read and spell.

If you try this activity out, let me know how it goes in the comments.

10 Thoughts of a Toddler Dance Mom.

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Toddler classes and sports can be a little… different than older kids. You never know what a toddler is going to do or say.

For us, dance class has been amazing. Mila loves the girls that are there, dancing, and following around her dance instructor the entire time. On the mom side of things, it’s a little more stressful, but full of proud moments too.

Every dance evening is full of thoughts, even though class is only a half hour long. Here are some of mine for you to laugh with.

What to do with her hair this week?

Every single week is a constant battle of doing something fun with her hair, but making sure it stays up. It’s even harder when your toddler doesn’t like their hair touched. Yet, somehow it ends up decently cute.

Where are her dance shoes?

Quiet panic sets, until you realize you just misplaced it in the car. Oh well.

Why are dance shoes so hard to put on?

Um, what shoe goes on which foot? Maybe she needs a bigger size… nope. Just on the wrong feet.

Please, let her be nice…

Thank goodness for socialization and her playing with other kids her age. Oops. No! Don’t push while you guys are racing.

Her teachers are ready. It’s go time.

She is so cute when she listens and dance.

Aww, she instantly found her sticker and is ready to go. Are all kids this cute when they listen?

Run and hide!

Time for a half hour of alone time. Let’s see if I can escape before she sees me leave.

Is she doing okay? Does she miss me?

Being away and not knowing is hard. I wonder if she’s listening and dancing her heart out. What if she’s looking for me and I’m not there?

Is the music really loud or am I just getting old… it’s definitely the music.

Time to watch all her dance efforts.

Her little face pops through the door. It’s time to watch all her hard work.

Just joy…

The smile on her face and all the little dancers face makes every up and down of the evening worth it.

There’s just joy all around.

Weird Things My Toddler Does: Part 12

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If you were wondering if I ran out of weird things Mila does last week, I didn’t. There was just other things to share.

Don’t worry, she’ll always be full of weird things.

Mila’s bedtime routine consists of brushing hair and teeth, reading books, and snuggling. But, a couple months ago, she added something new.

Every night before bed, Mila brings fruit snacks and Capri Suns for a midnight snack. It’s almost on cue. When she’s tired but still fighting sleep, she gets up and gets in the snack cabinet. Then comes with her hands full with these sweet treats.

Every. Single. Night.

I guess it’s sweet that she thinks about me and brings me snacks too. She could just keep them for herself… so that’s sweet.

It’s just a really weird thing to have added into a bedtime routine, especially after her teeth are brushed.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, toddlers are just really weird.

Does your toddler ever bring food to bed?

One Pot Sausage Gnocchi Recipe

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Since last week’s one pot recipe went so well, I figured I’d share another delicious one. It’s another Italian inspired recipe, but with a different taste.

Gnocchi is one of my favorite foods and I love how easy it is to cook with. You’ll love it too.

Here’s the ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1 lb mild ground sausage
  • 1 16 oz package gnocchi
  • 1 onion diced
  • Minced garlic
  • 1 can garlic and olive oil petite diced tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups spinach
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • Italian seasoning
  • Garlic powder

Honestly, there’s more ingredients than there are steps with this recipe. That’s how you know it’s good and easy to clean up.

First, over medium heat, brown the sausage, onion, garlic, and seasonings.

After, add in the tomatoes, cream, gnocchi, and spinach. Keep cooking until the gnocchi is done, spinach is wilted, the sauce has reduced.

Then, stir in the cheese. I ended up adding extra cheese after putting it in the bowl.

This recipe is so easy to make and it warmed us up. I loved the different textures in the meal too. Plus, you can sneak in some extra veggies, which we all need.

As always, if you try out this recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments.

One Thing that Drives Moms Nuts.

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There’s an age old question that plagues every household. My family of two has it and I’m sure families of a lot more have it too.

I’m not sure how it starts and I’m sure as heck not sure how to resolve the problem either.

So what’s this great issue? Take a look…

One type of silverware is lacking way more than the others. Our family’s most lost item: spoons.

Somehow Mila and I have been able to lose all but four spoons. I started off with a ton of regular spoons when I first moved in. Then bought the rainbow ones last year.

They’ve all but disappeared for no reason.

When I went on the great spoon hunt, here are some of the places I found them:

  • In the couch
  • Under Mila’s bed… that she’s never in
  • Dollhouses
  • Bags
  • Cars
  • Toy box
  • Laundry basket

I have no idea how so many spoons have disappeared, but I need a secret set to store away for when this happens.

So, what type of silverware goes missing in your house the most?

One Way to Trick Your Toddler Into Brushing Their Teeth.

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If your child is anything like mine, they can’t stay still. Especially when they’re doing something as mundane as brushing their teeth.

I’ve finally found the trick to get Mila to brush her teeth and do it right.

All it took was Pizza and his friends.

Okay, I know everyone loves Pizza updates. You’d never imagine how central he is in our everyday life. This time, it was finally for my advantage though.

Mila has had issues with brushing her teeth since the beginning. I would have to hold her down to get them cleaned

I did different tricks like making her laugh, having her brush mine then me hers, and changing her tooth paste and brushes. For a few months, I even told her they’d fall out if we didn’t brush them. Some things worked… for a little while.

This time though, I’ve found the golden ticket

Since Mila has started dance class, she’s become this little performer. All eyes have to be on her and she loves when she gets to teach dance moves.

One morning, when it was time to brush her teeth, she did her usual refusal.

She was playing with Pizza and his friends and a light bulb went off. I asked her if Pizza knew how to brush his teeth. She said no and I asked her if she wanted to teach him.

Weirdly, she said yes.

For the extended weekend, she had to have an audience while brushing her teeth. I set them up in the morning and she did her lesson.

Now that it’s routine, she doesn’t give any complaints when I ask her to brush her teeth.

All it took was the power of teaching, Pizza, and a few toys.

Does your child have any issues with teeth brushing? What are some tricks you’d share that made the journey easier?

Toddler Activity: Thankful for You Lollipop Flowers

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It’s National Random Act of Kindness Day! Although we try to do as many acts of kindness everyday, we wanted to share this today.

Mila loves her ‘kids’ and ‘girls.’ These kids consist of all her cousins and her girls are from dance class. She loves the time she spends with them.

When I asked who she wanted to share kindness with, it’s no wonder why she chose them.

We talked about why it’s nice and important to do nice things for other people. There was a mini brainstorming session about what we could do. Valentine’s Day definitely helped the matter!

Mila suggested flowers, so we compromised.

All you need to do to create these lollipop flowers are paper, scissors, and suckers! I used taped to secure the flowers too.

For creating the flowers, I just drew ones on the back of the paper and cut it out. To get the lollipop stick through, I pressed a hole in the middle with the scissors.

On the underneath of the flowers, I put, ‘I ♥ You! -Mila.’ Short and sweet!

We’ll be giving them out as soon as she sees her kids and girls. She loved how they turned out and wanted to hold them like a bouquet.

If we did a large scale random acts of kindness, I’d definitely add a quote to the flowers. These would also be adorable for a birthday party or class treat.

We’re so happy and excited to spread a little extra kindness in the world. This year, we hope we can do more random acts and bring joy to those who are least expecting it.

Let me know what you think about this kindness project in the comments below.

Toddler Activity: Mardi Gras Beads Process Art

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Happy Fat Tuesday!

If you’re looking for a quick activity to do with your child today, this one goes perfectly when listening to some jazz music.

You probably have most of the supplies at home too. Here’s all you need:

  • Paint (purple, gold, green)
  • Canvas
  • Beads

Since everyone knows we love process art here, using beads is a fun way to create.

I chose traditional Mardi Gras colors for Mila to use and we had some random beads already here. There were two different sized beads she used too!

All you have to do is instruct your child to dip the beads in the paint and drop them on the canvas.

It can get a little messy, so put paper underneath.

I had to help Mila get paint on the beads. It’s a little tricky, but older kids shouldn’t have a problem with it. It’s also nice to make sure to leave one part of the necklace clean so it’s easy to grab.

I absolutely love how this painting turned out. It would be cute to add an outlined fleur-de-lis too!

Mila loved being introduced to jazz music too. She dipped the necklaces along with the beat! Next year I’ll have to find a beignet recipe!

If you decide to do this activity with your child, let me know how it goes in the comments!

For more Mardi Gras activities check out these blog posts:

One Pot Ground Beef and Zucchini Recipe

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What’s better than a tasty meal? Not having a ton of dishes to clean up afterwards! This one pot dinner will be a family favorite and one you’ll love making.

Here’s what you’ll need;

  • One pound of hamburger
  • One medium sized zucchini
  • Small bell pepper (I used red)
  • One can of Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano
  • 1/4 of onion
  • One cup of rice
  • Two cups of beef broth
  • Spices (I used salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano)
  • Half a block of cream cheese
  • Cheese

First, heat up your pan. While you’re waiting, cut your onion, pepper, and zucchini.

Once it’s heated up add the ground beef, onion, and pepper. I added some of the spice blend. When it’s browned, drain the oil.

Next, add the zucchini, tomatoes, rice, and beef broth. Don’t drain the tomatoes because the rice will soak up that juice too! Add the rest of your spice blend here.

Cover and stir every couple minutes.

Once the rice starts to soften, add in the cream cheese. Mix it until it blends throughout.

When the rice is done, take off heat and add in cheese. You can use any type of cheese. We used shredded colby jack!

Mila is also obsessed with eggs right now, so I put an over-medium egg over top of hers and and an easy-over egg on mine. I personally love the taste of egg yolk. It pulled the meal together.

Make sure to let me know in the comments if you tried this recipe!