Pappardelle with Beef Bolognese

When dinner is Pappardelle with Beef Bolognese on a cold winter evening, it’s not just a meal, it’s comfort in a bowl. The wide, silky pasta is fun to twirl, the rich sauce is cozy and familiar, and the hearty flavors make even picky eaters feel at home. It’s the kind of dinner that brings […]

Making the Perfect Grilled Cheese for Kids

Grilled cheese is a timeless comfort food that’s perfect for busy nanny days. It’s been my go-to side to soup all winter long for my Nanny Kids. Grilled cheese sandwiches are quick to make, kid-approved, and endlessly customizable by adding a protein like an egg, sliced turkey, beans, or bacon or a veggie like tomato […]

Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers

Turkey stuffed bell peppers look colorful, taste comforting, and quietly deliver protein, brown or wild rice, and veggies in every bite. The children in my care absolutely love this basic turkey stuffed bell pepper recipe from Cooking for My Soul web site, except I stuff an entire bell pepper per serving instead of cutting the […]

Lasagna Soup

One of the fastest ways to a child’s heart is through a warm bowl of something comforting and lasagna soup does exactly that. This cozy twist on a classic favorite feels special without being fussy, and kids love the creamy ricotta “dumplings” that melt into the broth. For nannies, it’s a simple winter meal that […]

“The Cookie Jar” by J. W. Mettle and Making Cookies

If you’ve ever turned your back for three seconds and returned to find suspicious chocolate-smeared on the face and hands of a child in your care, “The Cookie Jar” will feel less like a children’s book and more like a documentary. J. W. Mettle’s “The Cookie Jar” tackles one of early childhood’s greatest moral dilemmas: […]

Beef Stew and Mashed Potatoes

It’s cold and snowy outside where I work and live and nothing warms the house and little tummies of the kids in my care as much as a warm beef stew. I adjusted this easy stew recipe I found on the Delish web site to serve on top of mashed potatoes rather than adding baby […]

New Year, Helping Hands!

New Year’s Resolution’s Wreath A New Year’s Resolution Wreath is a fun, hands-on way for nannies to help children set simple, positive goals for the new year ahead. By tracing little hands on bright paper and turning them into promises like “clean up,” “share,” “be nice,” or “say please,” kids feel proud of the habits […]

Minestrone Soup and Grilled Cheese

Winter nights call for cozy wins and nothing wins kids over faster than a warm bowl of minestrone soup paired with a golden, melty grilled cheese sandwich. It’s colorful, healthy, dunkable, and comforting in all the right ways. When you serve this combo, you’re not just making food; you’re making a winter favorite the children […]

Pavlova Christmas Wreath Dessert

If Santa ever needed a break from cookies, he’d definitely choose a pavlova Christmas wreath and the kids you care for will, too. Light as a snowflake, colorful as the Xmas tree, and sweeter than a holiday morning, this dessert is basically Christmas magic you can eat. It’s the one treat that gets little elves […]

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

This week I made this super simple cranberry upside-down cake with the children in my care. The kids love cranberries and it makes a nice holiday dessert! Be sure to turn down the oven to 325 degrees F degrees after putting the cake in the oven so the cranberries and caramel sauce don’t burn. Flip the […]