Spread Butter Snap pretzels on cookie sheet. Place one “hug” chocolate on each one. Bake at 200 for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and lightly press green and red M&Ms on top of each melting hug. When done, place in fridge to cool, then send goodies with husband to share with co-workers (after first eating several yourself). Don’t fret that Christmas is over and the green and red are out of season — just use orange and blue M&Ms (Go Gators!) or another favorite color combo!

]]> http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/26/sweet-treats-to-eat-and-share/feed/ 0 http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/07/are-you-making-your-kids-fat/ http://planetkidonline.com/2011/12/07/are-you-making-your-kids-fat/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:36 +0000 Jacki Donaldson http://planetkidonline.com/?p=5141

If eggs are not a part of your family’s diet, then let me suggest you start incorporating them into breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. Your choice. Hey, have them for snacks, too. Nutritionist Jonny Bowden says eating eggs can boost health, and I’m with him. Boiled is my pick, and just recently, I learned how to make a perfectly cooked and peeled egg. Here are the basics (stolen from my blog Square One):

• Place eggs in pan, and cover with water.
• Put pan on stove, and turn on heat (in my case, gas heat).
• Once water starts to boil, set timer for 7 minutes.
• After 7 minutes (or 8 or 9, if you’re like me, and you totally don’t hear the beep, beep, beep), turn off heat, and move pan to another turned-off burner to cool.
• Cover pan, and let sit for 30 minutes (use your timer again — and be warned: if you let your eggs sit for more than an hour, like I did last week, this whole process kinda goes up in smoke. Well, not literally, but shells will stick for sure.)
• After 30 minutes, pour out water, run a little cool water on eggs, and start peeling.

Got a better way to make a better egg? Please share in comments!

Image: David Reber’s Hammer Photography, Flickr

I know many moms who swear by saving with coupons. I can’t say I’ve ever been really successful at this game, but I have witnessed a happy moment or two at the grocery store register. Just has never happened to me, which I tend to think is because I don’t buy a lot of the boxed stuff, and there never seems to be much savings out there for fresh produce, meats, and such. Or, maybe it’s because I don’t seek out coupons. Hard to save when I don’t clip, right? Well, I guess I could start trying harder by checking out printable coupons? And visiting coupon blogs. And … what else should I do? Please share your tips and tricks!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

My third-grader came out of school on library day last week armed with a kid’s cookbook — Company’s Coming: Kids Cook! He excitedly flipped through its 199 pages as we walked to the car, pointing out all the yummy-looking photos and very-simple recipes — he zeroed in on the Sweet Ending Pizza, Peach Melba Float and Chocolate Milk Shake, although he did find some salads he thought might be good for me. And after peeking at everything from Hawaiian Grilled Cheese to Kid Kabobs, we made a beeline for the supermarket, where Joey decided the Peach Melba Float would be our afternoon project. One can of sliced peaches, some Ginger Ale and a tub of raspberry sherbet later, and we were blending up cool treats in our kitchen. My boys didn’t end up liking it all that much, but that’s OK. We have the book on loan for a few more days, and that chocolatey pizza is really calling their names.

In the market for some new meal ideas that even kids can make? This might be your book — and although I can’t say the stuff you’ll make will be the healthiest, it will surely be tasty. Here’s an idea — make it a special-occasion cookbook, and you’ll be all set for a once-and-a-while indulgence. Hint: Chewy Peanut Butter Bars, page 113.

Photo: _Nezemnaya_, Flickr

Since you can’t eat healthy all the time — eating sweet treats on occasion is OK, you know — you’ve got to check out these cute cupcakes from Family Fun. The B is for Baseball variety caught my eye, since I have two little sluggers who are winding up their seasons right now. For all you creative cooking types, FF offers video demonstrations, and you can find other crafty cupcake ideas at this clever destination too.

Photo: ginnerobot, Flickr