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‘Tis the season to be Crafty! Our friend Kellie Tate, of Nest of Posies, created these adorable upcycled ornaments from Country Crock lids. A perfect family activity for a cold winter’s night. Happy Crafting!

For more DIY craft ideas, visit http://www.nestofposies-blog.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/nestofposies?fref=ts

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So many of you loved the Thankgiving printable placemats shared in the “Entertainment” section of Crock Country last month, that we recently took some time to get to know Holly Homer – the brains behind the creative project. Holly of Kids Activities Blog (kidsactivitiesblog.com), is a busy Texas-suburban mom raising 3 boys. Read below to hear about some of Holly’s greatest veggie victories and more:

What is your greatest veggie victory?

Persistance! I have found that if you continually give your kids veggies over and over and over, it will eventually wear them down to the point of trying {and often} liking them.

How did you help your family develop good habits?

I try to have the good-for-you food MUCH more available than the junk food.  We all tend to eat what we see and can grab easily.

What’s your favorite way to use Country Crock?

There is NO better way than on a perfectly baked potato.  It makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Who is your biggest cooking influence?

My mother-in-law is a great cook and has helped me immensely.  When I got married 20 years ago, she sent me a whole bunch of her hand-written recipe cards.  I then would call her on the phone {we lived cross-country} and jot down additional notes about whatever I just made and didn’t turn out right.  I love looking back at those recipe cards with her handwriting and all my silly notes to fill in the blanks of what someone clueless in the kitchen would need to know to cook the recipe.

What is your most unique or creative family-friendly recipe?

I was raised vegetarian so many of the staple recipes in my house are pretty unknown to the meat-eating world.  One of my favorites is a vegetarian casserole that has the base of cottage cheese and Special K cereal.  My whole family loves it even though we regularly include meat in our meals.

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It didn’t happen all at once. Way back when, the holiday tables in Crock Country were filled with turkeys, hams and the occasional salmon—just like everywhere else. But even then, it was always the veggie dishes that vanished first.

Until, eventually…everything but the veggie dishes vanished. Right off the menu.

That’s where the people of Crock Country find themselves today. Holiday hosts around here don’t even bother plopping a large chunk of meat onto the table anymore. Not when they can enjoy a houseful of raving guests by simply serving what everyone loves best: veggie dish after veggie dish.

Roasted, steamed, baked, mashed, grilled, braised, glazed and raw—it’s all part of the feast. As long as it’s a vegetable.

Give these Crock Country faves a whirl on your table this year. But don’t be surprised if they disappear faster than Uncle Vincent’s holiday manners.

Sweet Potato Mash

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus

Green Beans with Crispy Crumbs

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For many families, the holidays mean more than just decorations, gifts and parties – the holidays mean road trip.  It’s quite common for parents to pack up the family and holiday cheer and drive long distances to visit grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.  Given the high price of gas, and Mom’s desire to keep her family well fed – even on the road – packing snacks cuts costs and boosts nutrition.  Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD, mother of three and author of MyPlate for Moms, How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better says that taking snacks with you on the road saves Moms money, and they don’t need to worry about the quality of food choices at service plazas and fast food stops.  To help Mom, here are Ward’s top ten snack ideas and tips when hitting the highway:

1. Box Up Some Fruit.  “Avoid banged up and bruised fresh fruit by grabbing a shoe box or plastic container for fresh apples, pears, grapes and bananas.”
2. Focus on Finger Sandwiches.  “Finger sandwiches are fun and easy for small hands to manage,” comments Ward.  “Try small pita pockets with sliced cucumbers and cheese or hummus, or quarter a PB&J sandwich for an easy to eat snack.”
3. Forget about Chips.  Not only will greasy fingers mess up your car, Ward warns that snack chips provide little nutritional value. “Opt for nuts – almonds, pistachios, walnuts or peanuts offer fiber and protein and give you the crunch you may crave.”  Avoid serving nuts to children under the age of four.
4. Tote Dried Fruit.  “Dried fruits – like low sugar dried cranberries, raisins, dates, and figs – satisfy a craving for something sweet, and they don’t require refrigeration. And, according to MyPlate, ½ cup serving of dried fruit is one fruit serving,” says Ward.
5. Grab a Bar.  “Choose a whole grain snack bar instead of a candy bar for more fiber and protein and less sugar,” notes Ward, “or make and take On-the-Go Bars [LINK TO RECIPE] for a healthy option.
6. Limit Liquid Sugar.  “Pack reusable water bottles and 100% juice boxes instead of sugary drinks like soda and fruit-flavored beverages,” says Ward.
7. Dip Veggies.  “It’s like baby carrots and celery sticks were grown for road trips,” says Ward.  Fill small containers with hummus or peanut butter for a tasty and nutritious veggie dipper.
8. Pack String Cheese.  “For calcium and protein and about 50-100 calories per serving, pack part-skim mozzarella, cheddar or Colby string cheese,” recommends Ward.
9. Bag Some Cereal.  “Your family’s favorite whole grain cereal makes a great grab-n-go snack,” notes Ward.  Mix it with nuts and dried fruit for a healthier trail mix.
10. Keep it Cool.  “Yogurt and individual servings of cottage offer protein and calcium,” says Ward.  Pack perishables like dairy foods, hard-cooked eggs, and dip in a small cooler.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like baking season—and we couldn’t be merrier. Here in Crock Country, the only thing we love more than veggies is…goodies. Not your everyday, cookie-cutter variety either. Nosiree. When we whip up our holiday treats, we want nothing less than delectable.

Here are some sweet tips from our own Chef Normajean to make your holiday a dazzling success:

-  Country Crock is one of your best friends in the baking kitchen—always soft and ready to be stirred right in. Plus, it scoops perfectly, measures easily, mixes instantly and bakes…beautifully.

-  Top off your holiday cookies with a quick, simple glaze of Country Crock instead of butter to save on calories and saturated fat*. Just melt a few tablespoons of Country Crock, mix in some confectioners’ sugar (to desired thickness), drop in some food coloring and brush it on.

-  Bring any of these “blink-and-they’re-gone” delights to your next holiday event and you’ll be the hit of the party:

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Apple ‘n Peanut Butter Bread Pudding

Easy Red Velvet Cupcakes

*Country Crock® Regular and Churn Style have 60 calories, 7g fat, 2g saturated fat and 0g of trans fat per serving. One serving (1Tbsp.) of butter contains 100 calories, 11g total fat, 7g saturated fat. (http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/).

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Just in time for Turkey Day – download and print this placemat for the little ones at your table!

We love all the great crafts and ideas that Holly Homer, of Kids Activities Blog, has to share. Be sure to check out her site here: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/

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We recently took some time to sit down with Aviva Goldfarb – family dinner expert, entrepeneur, mother, and creator of the Six O’Clock Scramble (www.thescramble.com). As a busy mom of two, Aviva realizes the value of sitting down to a home-cooked meal. Read on to hear what she had to say about some of the ways she helps her family develop good habits…

What is your greatest veggie victory?

My whole family used to think they didn’t like Brussels sprouts, until I roasted them. Even my husband said they used to make him choke, and now he requests my roasted Brussels sprouts! I just toss them with a little olive oil and kosher salt, and roast them at 400 degrees on a baking sheet for 20 – 30 minutes until they are brown and delicious!

How did you help your family develop good habits?

I have always taken my kids with me to the farmer’s market where they can see what vegetables are in season and we can buy them directly from the farmer. They help me decide which vegetables to buy, so they are invested in the process, and the fresh veggies look so tempting stacked in beautiful piles at the market. I’ve also talked to them since they were really young about the importance of eating at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day, and how important whole grains, legumes, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables are for their growing and athletic bodies.

What’s your favorite way to use Country Crock?

I love to keep it simple so I can enjoy its buttery flavor. We enjoy Country Crock spread lightly on a rustic piece of whole grain bread, or on a hot organic baked potato, topped with a little kosher salt and black pepper.

Who is your biggest cooking influence?

My mom’s healthy and flavorful recipes first inspired me to cook, and we are still exchanging recipes. Just recently she came up with a creative twist to one of my recipes, adding pomegranate seeds to one of my salads. She also got me into putting avocado on my salads long ago, and cutting our bagels into thirds so the slices are extra thin and crispy.

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Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to spend time with your family and create a delicious, nutritious meal – so don’t spend the whole holiday laboring over a challenging recipe or taking unhealthy shortcuts to add flavor!  To help create a delicious meal and get you out of the kitchen and into the family room, Normajean Longfield, Principal Kitchens Applications Chef for Unilever Foods has created three family favorites that you can whip up in a flash.  And Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD, mother of three and author of MyPlate for Moms, How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better, tells us why they are a better-for-you option to be thankful for!

AUNT PEGGY’S SOUR CREAM MASHED POTATOES

These delicious mashed potatoes will take you 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook!  “Every turkey needs mashed potatoes,” says Ward.  “What we don’t need is the saturated fat found in butter.”  Ward recommends Aunt Peggy’s mashed potatoes using Country Crock® instead of butter because Country Crock® has 70% less saturated fat than butter and no partially hydrogenated oils (0 grams of trans fat per serving).*

APPLE-PECAN HOLIDAY STUFFING

This stuffing takes only 15 minutes to prepare!  “And I love including fruit and nuts because it makes the stuffing nutrient-rich,” notes Ward.  “Not only does it taste great, this recipe has 3 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein and 10% of the daily value for iron.”

CRANBERRY-ORANGE SPICED GREEN BEANS

With fresh or frozen green beans, this recipe takes only 10 minutes to prepare.  “This veggie dish packs a flavor punch because of the dried cranberries and orange juice,” says Ward.  “And with an 80-calorie serving, you get 2 grams of fiber, 15% of the daily value for vitamin A, 20% for vitamin C, 4% for calcium and 6% for iron.”

*Country Crock® Regular and Churn Style have 60 calories, 7g fat, 2g saturated fat and 0g of trans fat per serving. One serving (1Tbsp.) of butter contains 100 calories, 11g total fat, 7g saturated fat. (http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/).  One serving (1Tbsp.) of butter contains 100 calories, 11g total fat, 7g saturated fat. (http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/).

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