Kate Gosselin's Love Is in the Mix (16 page)

I
remember being “stuck” at home every day when my kids were very young. I was unable to get out to the store … or anywhere else, for that matter. Sometimes, it just felt like a “pizza night.” Pizza is an absolute favorite, so since I was at home, I began working on making my very own pizza. I literally had a burning desire to conquer it…. I worked relentlessly on pizza sauce and was delighted with this “better than a pizza shop” result.

Dough was another story though. For years I bought pizza dough from a local pizza shop and rolled it out, using my own sauces and toppings. Finally, I was determined to figure out the perfect dough, and, with some startup guidance and encouragement from our family friend, “Uncle Steve,” who is a pizza wizard, I perfected exact measurements to make the perfect dough to accompany my delicious sauce. I’m so proud of it. And have become known to my kids’ friends as the Pizza Mom. Try it. Everything you need to know is right here. I promise, you can do it, too!

In a large pot, mix together all of the ingredients and bring to a slow boil for 2 to 3 minutes; lower the heat, and simmer on low, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours.

Allow the sauce to cool completely before topping the pizzas. This sauce will top four 19-inch pizzas.

If you like a smoother pizza sauce, pulse the sauce mixture in a food processor for 30 seconds.

Note:
I usually double this recipe and freeze the leftover sauce for another—much quicker–pizza night.

Y
es, dogs like homemade treats, too. These are Shoka inspired! Each morning, when I return from taking my kids to the bus stop, Shoka follows me to the front door, comes inside, and sits and waits for his cookies. These have become the cookies that he wags his tail for! My kids love to help me bake, especially for Shoka. I bet your dog will love these, too.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix using a hand mixer.

Lightly grease a cupcake tin and drop a heaping teaspoon of the mixture into the bottom of each one. Press down the mixture using the back of a spoon to make a flat round biscuit.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The biscuits will be crunchy when they cool.

O
ne day, my kids requested Rice Krispies treats. I didn't have Rice Krispies, but I did have a lot of different kinds of leftover cereals, so with a little creativity, I came up with this recipe to surprise my kids. I combined a few recipes and changed and added a few things. So feel free to make cereal substitutions, as needed. I hope you like them as much as we do.

Combine and mix the first five ingredients (the Kashi through the coconut) in a large bowl. Set aside.

Use the butter stick wrapper to thoroughly grease a 9 by 11-inch baking dish.

Melt the ¼ cup of butter in the microwave and then pour it into a large microwave-safe bowl, using a spatula to spread the butter around the entire bowl to prevent the marshmallows from sticking (my secret trick). Pour the marshmallows into the bowl and place the bowl in the microwave for 5 minutes, stirring with the spatula after each minute. Microwave until smooth.

Once the mixture is smooth, remove it from the microwave and combine it with the cereal mixture using a spoon. Spread the mixture into a 9 by 11-inch pan with a spoon. For easier spreading, coat the spoon, front and back, with a small amount of butter. This will allow you to move the gooey cereal mixture around the pan without it clumping and sticking.

Allow the mixture to set and cool completely, about 60 to 90 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

E
asy peazy and so irresistibly crunchy! In no time at all, you’ll have tastier pita chips than you could ever buy. A real treat for anyone who’s lucky enough to try it….

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Slice the bread into triangles. Place the triangles in a gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the olive oil and salt to the bag. Zip the bag shut and shake it to mix the ingredients and coat the bread evenly.

Once coated, remove the bread and place the triangles in a single layer on a cookie sheet. You can also allow the bread to sit in the bag for an hour or two before baking to really absorb the flavors.

Bake in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes, until the triangles are golden brown and crunchy.

Y
ou have likely watched my kids
“grow up” on TV during our TLC show
Jon and Kate Plus 8
(which was retitled
Kate Plus 8
in later seasons). Over the years, during our show and their simultaneous growing-up years, we developed many family traditions and a bunch of helpful tips that any size family may want to borrow. I’ve been asked many times for more details on our special family fun for holidays and every day. I impart our past and present family tips and traditions to you. Borrow some and make some of your own. Either way, remember that traditions make memories, and memories are the glue that bind your family—and mine—together.

O
ur tradition of apple picking
started when Mady and Cara were very young—almost too small to reach the apples! It was always important to me that my kids helped “harvest” our fall produce so they could see where it comes from.

The tradition continued when our two-kid family grew to eight kids. Off to the orchard we all went in our Big Blue Bus! The kids would pick the apples that were low enough for them to reach and fill our waiting baskets. We used to pick a bushel or two of apples, and, when we returned home, I’d start my first slow cooker of
Mommy Applesauce
, and my first pot of
Fast Freezer Apple Pie Filling
.

Amazingly, once we moved into our current house, we discovered apple trees in our backyard! I don’t know exactly what kind of apples they are, but they are perfectly ugly apples—the ones that make the BEST applesauce and apple pie filling. The kids have grown quite a few inches over the years, and they enjoy going just a few steps into our backyard to pick apples for our fall apple recipes.

T
here’s no rhyme or reason to our picnicking
(or “pick-a-nick” as my grandpa always said). Since my kids were very young, we’d plan an impromptu picnic on a whim (likely inspired by the beautiful warm weather and brightly shining sun). I’d pack a special picnic lunch along with the largest picnic blanket we owned, and load up the kids, heading to a local playground or park. Typically, I pack sandwiches for everyone (a salad for myself); an easy fruit like grapes; string cheese; crackers; cookies; and icy cold drinks! When my kids were younger, instead of plates, I’d use red solo cups to serve their lunches. Cups were less likely to be spilled, kicked, or stomped on by a neighboring picnicker, thus helping to ensure a happier picnic for all.

On a less than pleasant day, it’s fun to prepare a “less messy” lunch: Spread a blanket inside and call the kids for the indoor version of a picnic. On a rainy or snowy day, while we eat together on a blanket on the floor, we imagine the warm sun, blue clouds, and easy breezes that we wish we were outside enjoying. Either way, it’s fun to make these memories.

Along the way, I have learned that it doesn’t matter what we’re eating, or where, but the thing about a picnic—inside or out—is that we are all together, enjoying the setting and one another’s company. I find myself calling out, “C’mon kids, we’re going on a pick-a-nick!”

E
ach year
, we look forward to picking out and carving pumpkins together.

As the kids get older, the carving becomes more and more fun. Every time October rolls around, they are more able to help decorate and carve their own pumpkins. I remember when I had eight young toddlers—the carving took so long—much longer than their patience levels! Now, with kid-friendly tools, my kids can mostly handle carving their own pumpkins with my assistance only requested for the “hard parts,” like cutting around the stem to form the “lid” on top.

By the end of pumpkin-carving day, we have nine funny (and sometimes scary) pumpkins on our front porch, each lit up with candles. Some eyes are crooked and some mouths are droopy, but we carved them together and we cherish the (messy!) memories.

I used to get all worked up about the mess, but I’ve learned that mess is temporary. Memories last a lifetime! Now, I really try to remember that I have a limited number of pumpkin-carving years with my kids, so I need to look past the mess and greet each one with a jack-o’-lantern smile.

I
love Thanksgiving!
I love the smells, the presence of our family and friends, and the warmth of it all under the same roof. I began making Thanksgiving Day dinner a few years ago, figuring that cooking for a very large family daily couldn’t be too different from cooking for twenty or so, right? So I took my own challenge and began the Thanksgiving Day cooking tradition … in my home and in my kitchen, surrounded by happy chaos and noise.

We have a very standard Thanksgiving meal every year, which isn’t too different from our traditional Christmas feast. My kids insist on these same dishes each year, but I try to sneak in an additional and different dish each year, just for fun.

I begin baking and cooking the day before. I spend ALL DAY preparing my desserts from scratch. Then I prepare each dish so that I can pop them in the oven before our midday feast. Before I—thankfully—go to bed the night before, I decorate and set our dining room table for the special day.

Mady usually gives herself the task of making place cards for each of our guests and “assigns” them each a seat. She also customizes food labels for each dish and includes a cute little cartoon-type drawing for each dish. I have saved these from years past—they are precious, sentimental memories that I am extremely thankful for!