The Naptime Chef

When my husband travels, sometimes I like to feed the kids their own dinner and wait to make my own until after they have gone to sleep. This may seem unusual at first, but it is actually a good way for me to get a little “me time” in at the end of the day. Now that spring is finally here it stays light late enough that I can enjoy a few slices of pizza and a glass of wine on the back porch.

On nights like this, I want a convenient dinner without sacrificing gourmet taste, so I will pop my favorite Ristorante by Dr. Oetker Pizza in the oven. It truly tastes fresh -the flavors in Ristorante’s Pepperoni Pesto Pizza burst on my tongue with each bite. I set the pizza right on the oven rack and it bakes up crisp in just minutes. Then, I let it cool, slice it up, and relish a few moments with my feet up in the fading sun.

These moments don’t last all night. Once dinner is over there is laundry to fold and photos to edit! But, I totally love a tasty bite before getting on with the evening. It is a relaxing way to treat myself and take a few moments to process the day.

Ristorante by Dr. Oetker agrees that everyone needs a little delicious down time at the end of the day, which is why they are running the awesome Love Yourself Amore contest. Come check out the details and share a reason or two why you deserve some “me time” via a Me Time Meme. Then, you’ll be entered to win one of their fabulous prizes that are specially designed to make your life easier. How great is that?!

Planning your own “me time”? Ristorante is available in eight uniquely flavored varieties, perfect for any palate. See where you can buy Ristorante Pizza near you by checking their store locator. If your local supermarket does not currently sell Ristorante, you can put in a request with the store manager! And follow Dr. Oetker on Facebook for more “me time” tips.

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Dr. Oetker USA LLC. I received compensation for this post; however, all opinions stated are my own. Thank you supporting the brands that make The Naptime Chef possible.)

It only seemed appropriate to introduce this delicious recipe from the Cinco de Mayo chapter of my latest book, The Family Calendar Cookbook: From Birthdays to Bake Sales Good Food to Get You Through the Year, with my friends at OXO. They make the best everyday cooking tools and I am huge fan of using them when I make this dish. Today I am giving away a bundle of them along with a signed cookbook!

This dish begins with a fairly simple marinade that includes fresh citrus juices, garlic, and a hint of spice. Using the garlic press and citrus juicer ensures that making this is so easy to get all of the ingredients mixed in a jiffy without a big mess.

After the shrimp have marinated we grill them up in just a few short minutes. In this case I bought shrimp that were already deveined, but you could use this really cool shrimp tool to clean them if you bought the shell-on version instead.

While they are grilling I prepare the toppings by stripping corn off the cob with the corn stripper, slicing fresh avocado, and shredding fresh cheese.

One of my absolute favorite tools for cheese shredding is this complete box of graters and slicers. It can be used for just about anything!

My husband and I vary when it comes out our ideal taco so I set up a buffet of toppings so we can build our own. Here you can see avocado, sour cream, spanish rice, corn, cilantro, and lime wedges. So easy and so fun!

I hope you have a great Cinco de Mayo celebration planned. If you need a spectacular main course look no further. Even better, this delicious recipe is great not only for today, but for the rest of the summer as well. So, come enter to win your own OXO taco night tool bundle and a book to get you well on your way to taco night in your house!

The OXO taco bundle includes: A Shrimp Cleaner, Citrus Squeezer, Garlic Press, Corn Peeler, OXO complete Grate & Slice set. I am also including a signed copy of The Family Calendar Cookbook!

To enter to win:

1) Leave a comment sharing your favorite taco topping!

2) Follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook. Follow OXO on Facebook. (If you don’t use Facebook just let me know below)

3) Contest runs from May 5th through May 11th at 7:00am ET. Winner will be announced in the May 15th newsletter. Good luck!

Today is publication day! I know it is has been a long time coming and I am SO excited it is finally here. As of today you can officially find The Family Calendar Cookbook: From Birthday to Bake Sales, Good Food To Carry You Through the Year on store shelves and online. There is an ample acknowledgements section but right now I am want to thank all of YOU! My readers, supporters, and friends. I am so immensely grateful for your support! As book reviews come in I’ll be sure to share them with you. In the mean time, here is a little bit about the book and some events I’m planning for 2015!

About the book: I wrote this book to help families always be able to find the perfect recipe in a pinch. A couple of years ago I found myself suddenly tasked with a lot of cooking above and beyond my every day fare and needed a recipe repertoire to match. Go-to bake sale recipe? Done. What to make for Thanksgiving dinner? A beach picnic with friends? I needed recipes for occasions that were a little different than my usual weekday breakfast, lunch, and dinner routine.

Organization: The make the book match the theme I organized it like a family calendar. It is organized by season. Within each season there are menus for specific occasions. There are also seasonal crafts and some light, fun gardening tips.

Artwork: Instead of layering in a few glossy photographs that might eventually look dated my editor and I decided to have the book illustrated. We love the work of Lindsey Spinks and were thrilled with the pictures she drew.

I’ll continue to fill you in about the book throughout the year. In the mean time, come and see me if you can!

Book signings:

Thursday May 7th, 6-8pm at JMcLaughlin in Southport, CT.

Thursday June 4th from 6-8pm at JMcLaughlin in Concord, MA.

Fall book signings planned for:

Charleston, SC

Charlotte, NC

Chicago, IL

Edina, MN

If you’d like me to come to your city please let me know! Stay tuned tomorrow for a very special giveaway which includes a signed book!

This summery tote for carrying knitting projects and toys for the grandkids. (via JMcLaughlin,$150)

Chocolate mice for a sweet bite. (via Burdick, $32)

A sweet love token to collect and wear, always. (via India Hicks, $39 and up)

Charlotte Moss’s gorgeous new book to inspire her tablescapes. (via Amazon, $32.72)

Lilypad silicone lids to replace plastic wrap in the kitchen. (They are seriously the coolest!) (via Amazon, $30.95)

A playful tray for trinkets. (via Caitlin McGauley, $185)

A gorgeous strawberry plant so she can enjoy fresh berries in her cereal all summer long. (via White Flower Farm, $19.95)

Sea salt and Amalfi lemon hand soap for keeping hands soft and fresh. (via Fruits & Passions $10.50)

Blooming tea to share. (via Food52, $28)

I’ve been wanting to feature my friend Cathy’s book, Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry: Recipes and Techniques for Year Round Preserving for some time now, but I had to wait until spring. Why? Because I am finally using up my remaining frozen strawberries and rhubarb from last fall and want to feature her amazing Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce. Also, Cathy’s book WON the 2015 IACP Single Subject Cookbook Award so now I can officially brag about that for her. (There is even a new beauty mark on the cover!) Congratulations, Cathy!

You all know how much I love preserving and Cathy does too. In fact, Cathy has written this beautiful book for us home preservers. In it she shares her infinite knowledge about home preserving and everything in between. This week Cathy and I had a little chat about her book and she graciously allowed me to share her sauce recipe. If you want to see this book for yourself don’t forget to enter the giveaway below!

Over the weekend we celebrated my husband’s birthday. In keep with tradition I made him a cake. My kids were slightly disappointed that this chocolate cake wasn’t as kid-friendly as last year. But, they still had plenty of Easter candy to enjoy so I really didn’t feel guilty. The original cake recipe is adapted from Molly’s famous rich and fudgy wedding cake recipe. I’ve tweaked it by adding a generous nip of kahlua and an extra topping of whipped cream. It takes very little time to prepare and is perfect for any celebration.

(Photo via William Hill Estates)

Hi Friends! I am heading to San Francisco and Napa Valley for a much-needed vacay soon. I am SO ready for some sun and a change of scenery. Do you have any tips for places I must see in Napa? I would love to hear any and all suggestions. I love wine, riding bikes, and anything to do with being outdoors and enjoying good food. I’ll be sure to report back after our trip. Thanks in advance!

(image via Swanson Vineyards)

Obviously this 24-hour itinerary from Alexis Swanson looks amazing. If it was created for Ina I’m sure that means I’d like it too!