I was invited to a sneak preview of Wreck-It Ralph a few weeks ago, along with a chance to interview the cast of the film. Here are a few things the stars had to say about the making of the film which premieres everywhere today.

John C Reilly (voice of Wreck-It Ralph):

You were so perfect for this character, I’m just wondering, did you know you had the voice for Wreck-it Ralph because it fit you like a charm?

John:It was kinda the process of becoming perfect for the character or the character becoming perfect for me. When I started out I was a bit weary of this animation process, they throw all kinds of crazy ideas around. At one point I was this horned monster with orange skin, it’s a video game character so it could be anything, all I had to be was the bad guy. So I watched all these different versions coming through… That’s the wonderful thing about how they start at the beginning.  The artist can do whatever they want. Whatever comes in their head they do all these crazy experiments, stream of consciousness ideas coming out on paper. So I sort of became Ralph and Ralph became me through the process of doing it.

Sarah Silverman (voice of Vanellope Von Schweetz):

What was your favorite part about playing Vanellope?

Sarah: I think her strength, her perseverance , her scappyness, especially at the beginning she’s obnoxious and precocious and she’s tough, but like any tough kid she’s protecting this scared little girl that’s rejected who just wants to play with everyone else. It’s the survival skill, and you know that kinda makes her every girl.

How does Sarah Silverman go to PG or a Disney film? I would have never pictured you in a Disney movie, do you think it’s logical?

Sarah: They just cut out all the curse words. There’s probably an audio blooper reel. No seriously, on one hand when Disney wanted me, I was like are you sure Sarah Silverman? But I’ve always been a huge Disney fan, I’m a huge baby and kids person, even though I don’t have any of my own. I was really happy they could see beyond those things. Or I was like do they only know me from Monk and Yo Gabba Gabba? But at the same time the filthiest comedian from when I was growing up is Eddie Murphy and he’s made quite a home with Disney. I know how to bite my tongue.

Jane Lynch (voice of Sergeant Calhoun):

Were you ever a gamer?

Jane: NO! I never even stepped foot in an arcade. Maybe except to drag my brother out of there. But I did play Astroids in the 80′s a few times.

How did recording Wreck-It Ralph work with your schedule? I’m sure you are uber busy with Glee. Did they work around your schedule?

Jane: Yeah, I would get an email from my agent saying we’re gonna do a Wreck-It Ralph this week, let me know what your schedule looks like. Then I would say I have Friday morning free and I’d come in and record during my free time from Glee. Then I wouldn’t hear from them for 3  months. Then I’d come in for an hour here and there. By the end they only would need me for 15 minutes.

Would you like to see a spin-off of your character?

Jane: Oh YEAH! I think there are many stories to be told in the arcade world.

For a review of the film and a look at my Sugar Rush inspired cake click here.

I was so inspired by the film I decided to make Ralph a medal… Here is a sugar cookie medal you can make at home with your family to honor the brave Wreck-It Ralph and all his hero characteristics! Take a big heart shaped sugar cookie and decorate it with blue icing. Then with white icing pipe the words “You’re My Hero” on it. Decorate the edge with sugar candy sprinkles and attach a ribbon to it. Or better yet eat it while watching the film. Go see Wreck-It Ralph, it’s sure to touch your heart.

Check out the Wreck-It Ralph trailer here:

It was one of those days…. I was missing my Tio who passed away 3 years ago.  With Dia de Muertos / Day of the Dead (Nov.2nd) around the corner, I decided to start building an alter in his name.  I put on his favorite song “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones and played it loud on repeat.  Choked up with tears stuck in my throat, I tried my best to belt it out and get to the rest of the song without a complete break down.  The title “Miss you” seemed perfectly appropriate.  My Tio loved Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, he use to eat them all the time.  He also loved his caramel, so why not combine the two to make the perfect treat.  My family has always observed Dia de Los Muertos but it takes on a completely different meaning when you are honoring a close family member dearly missed.  I dedicate this recipe to him and hope that where ever he is now, he’s eating his favorite foods with his friends having the best time.

Ingredients for Chocolate Caramel Almond Dia de Muertos Rice Krispies Treat:

Non-Stick cooking spray

1 – stick butter (melted)

6 – cups mini marshmallows

2 – tablespoons milk

50 – caramel candies (plastic wrapper off)

1 – box of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal (12 oz.)

1 1/4 – cups whole almonds

2 – cups milk chocolate chips (melted)

I decorated my calavera with the following items:

Royal icing

sugar cookies

smarties

mini marshmallows

raspberry gummies

Kellogg’s Fruit Loops

edible metallic decorative balls

colored sprinkles

pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Spray a 9×13 pyrex glass baking dish, one pot, a big mixing bowl, and mixing utensil with non-stick cooking spray.  Set to the side.

1. In the sprayed pot over a medium flame add butter and marshmallows.  Mix until marshmallows are completely melted and smooth.
2. In another pot add milk and caramel over a low flame and mix until melted and smooth.
3. Then take both mixtures and pour into the big sprayed mixing bowl. Mix until combined.
4. Next pour Kellogg’s Rice Krispies and almonds into the marshmallow caramel mixture.

1. Mix until completely combined.  Then pour mixture into 9×13 sprayed pyrex dish and press to make mixture even. Allow to cool completely in baking dish.
2. Once cool, flip over onto a cutting board.
3. I drew a big calavera (skeleton head) on a piece of wax paper, then cut it out and used it as my stencil.  Place stencil on top of rice krispie slab and cut around it.
4. Remove excess pieces and either eat or use later for decoration.  That’s up to you.
5. Once you have cut the calavera, leave the wax paper on it and flip it onto a different cutting board with the wax paper facing the cutting board.
6. Then take the melted chocolate and brush the entire calavera with the chocolate and along the sides as well.  Allow the chocolate to harden for at least 4 hours.

Decorate!

Once the chocolate is completely dried, take a small knife and run it along the edges to detach it from the cutting board.  Then flip it over and remove the wax paper.  Chocolate surface down, exposed Rice Krispies on top.  Then decorate as you wish.  Pull inspiration from my photo or anything else that makes you happy. To you and your loved ones departed or living this Dia de Muertos.

Disclosure: We are one of the Kellogg’s Champions of Great Starts bloggers and proud to have Kellogg’s as a SpanglishBaby sponsor.

In the upcoming animated film Wreck-It Ralph we follow Ralph on an arcade-hopping adventure. For 30 years he has been stuck playing the bad guy and being overshawdowed by the good guy “Fix it Felix” in an 8-bit game. One day he decides enough is enough and takes matters into his huge hands and sets out to become the hero.

This film of self exploration in quest to be a better person is something everyone will be able to relate to. When all the odds are against Ralph and things seem impossible he keeps moving to a different video game. At first he encounters defeat, a tough-as-nails sergeant, and war-infested with big bugs in an action game called Hero’s Duty.

When that doesn’t work out for him, he makes his way over to my favorite video game — the delicious Sugar Rush Land. A game where everything is candy sweet.

Visual developement artist “Lorelay Bove” tapped into her Spanish roots and her LOVE of Antoni Gaudi to help influence the style color and character design for Sugar Rush. A swirly mosaic sweet landscape that would be melt-in-your mouth edible. I was taken by this portion of the film and wished I could be a gumdrop amongst the ice cream, cookies, cake and cotton candy. This is also where Wreck-It Ralph finds his first real friend in the movie. I won’t go into further detail about the film, but I will say Disney has definitely hit an all time high score with this video game escapade. It will have mass appeal, attracting various generations of gamers to a theater November 2nd. I will be one of the first in line to savor it again.

Here is a Sugar Rush inspired cake I made to hold me over till the movie hits theaters.

Ingredients for Sugar Rush inspired cake:

2 – 8 inch strawberry cake rounds

1 – can of strawberry frosting

a package of oreo cookies

12 – strawberries (sliced)

marshmallow ropes

shredded coconut

Mike and Ike candy

smarties

mentos

a peppermint candy

Start with two cake rounds. Frost the top of the bottom layer then carefully place strawberry slices on top of frosting. Next top with second cake round to sandwich frosting/strawberry layer.

Now frost entire cake. Take one side of an Oreo cookie and place all around the edge of cake. Then I topped the cake with marshmallow ropes to form a complete circle.

Next I took coconut shreds and formed a circle inside of the marshmallow ropes. Then anpther circle was formed on the inside of the coconut shreds with Mike And Ike candies, and I kept decorating till my cake looked like a wonderful fantasy animated candy encrusted cake.

WRECK-IT RALPH smashes into theaters on November 2, 2012.

“Like” WRECK-IT RALPH on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WreckItRalph

Follow WRECK-IT RALPH on Twitter: @WreckItRalph

Mott’s used to have this funny commercial on T.V. in the 80′s where a group of children were dressed as secret agents and spoke in hushed tones to one another via walkie talkies saying “I got the Motts?” It made the viewer feel like those kids had their hands around the best kept secret in town. That’s exactly how I felt when I imagined up AppleCake Sandwiches as an afternoon snack for my little one. The truth of the matter is…. my son loves apples and is very particular about having them as a snack every single day, which is not always convenient. If we’re leaving the house, I usually have to slice up apples and put them in a zipped bag just to have them on hand when that craving of his kicks in. I would hate to be caught somewhere without a snack for my son, that’s just asking for trouble. Hungry three year old = no bueno.

Last week I was at the market and noticed Mott’s is making applesauce pouches for easy convenient healthy snacking. My eyes widened when I read “Natural- no sugar added”, and I felt a small smile form across my lips. I thought to myself “that would make snacking on the go so much easier.” I’m failing to mention in addition to my son loving his apple slices or applesauce he also loves cookies and cake that are typically loaded with more sugar than I would like for him to consume. Bright light goes on here! I started wondering what I could make to satisfy all his sweet cravings but still make it a bit of a healthier treat.

Like many children, my son is starting preschool in a few weeks and I want him to be able to have a fun snack to put in his lunchbox. Something I could make in advance and have on hand for the week. This is where my AppleCake Sandwiches walk in. I began thinking maybe an applesauce cookie that could be made into an ice cream sandwich would be ideal. Then that image morphed into an oatmeal applesauce cookie that was way more on the cakey side. That way a variety of snacks could be made out of them. I went with that idea, but when the treats came out of the oven they were definitely little AppleCakes and nowhere near a cookie. The applesauce worked wonders in my cakey creation, adding a natural sweetness to the dough that allowed me to cut back on a portion of sugar in the recipe. It also made my AppleCake moist… who doesn’t love moist? I quickly sandwiched a few with vanilla ice cream for an easy- to-grab out of the freezer snack, and the rest I slathered with peanut butter and topped with a thick apple slice. Problem solved. My boy would now have two treats, one his PB & AppleCake healthy snack for school, and the other we could use as a mini ice cream cake whenever we felt the need to celebrate. Hooray.

Ingredients for AppleCakes

1/4 – cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 – cup brown sugar (packed)3/4 – cup sugar
1/2 – cup Motts Natural Applesauce
1 – egg
1/4 – teaspoon cinnamon
1 – teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 – cups oatmeal
1 1/4 – cups flour
1/4 – teaspoon baking powder
1/3 – teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
-In a mixer beat sugar and butter together on a medium speed until well combined and creamy.
-Add applesauce, egg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium for 2 minutes.

-Combine oatmeal, flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl then add to applesauce butter mixture.
-Mix well.
-Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each cavity of a lightly sprayed ice cream sandwich maker pan, or on a lined cookie sheet.
-Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
-Unmold AppleCakes onto a cooking rack and allow to cool completely.

-Fill one side of AppleCake with large scoop of ice cream, and then top with another AppleCake for a sandwich. Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze immediately.

-Or slather with peanut butter and top with an apple slice.

Mott’s Snack & Go Applesauce Pouches have a taste kids love in a convenient package for on the go. They also have no added sugar and are an excellent source of Vitamin C. Find out more here.  
If you’d like to try a Mott’s Applesauce Pouch click here for the coupon !

DISCLOSURE: This post has been sponsored by Mott’s. All opinion, and pictures are all our own.

I am obsessed with farro (American name: spelt). Ever since this Italian grain stepped into my life we have been best of friends.

Farro was invited to my Thanksgiving table this year for the first time and will make several appearances over the holiday season as a decadent salad. It has such an interesting nutty texture and when paired with Nakano’s Red Pepper Rice Vinegar it becomes legendary. Initially when I first started experimenting with this salad it was lacking something and I couldn’t figure it out, then Nakano’s Red Pepper Rice Vinegar stepped in and made this grain shine brighter than the stars at night.

Try it, you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients for farro shrimp salad:

2 – cups farro (cooked as directed on package, and let cool completely)

1/2 – cup quinoa (cooked as directed on package, and let cool completely)

1 – cup fresh arugula

1/3 – cup dried cherries

1 – cup cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)

1 – cup panela cheese (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

16 – ounces shrimp (cooked and deveined, tails off)

1 – avocado (cut into 1/2 inch cubes, pitted)

1 – teaspoons salt

1 – teaspoon pepper

Dressing:

1/2 – cup Nakano’s Red Pepper Rice Vinegar

1 – cup extra virgen olive oil

3/4 – cup lemon juice

1 – garlic clove (pressed)

2 – pearl red onion (minced into tiny pieces)

1/2 – teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 – teaspoon salt

1/2 – teaspoon black pepper

Combine farro, quinoa, arugula, dried cherries, tomatoes, panela cheese, shrimp, avocado, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well to combine. Then in a separate bowl combine all dressing ingredients, mix well and drizzle over salad mixture. Toss well to coat and find yourself obsessed! Enjoy.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to develop recipes using Mizkan products. All opinions are our own.

Check out Nicole’s pictures and cherry cobbler video where she shows us how easy these were to make using the new PAM. Just click on the links below, and then scroll down to enter the giveaway:

Easy and Delicious Lasagna Cups

Easy Cherry Cobbler

The Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winners: Erin, Carmen, Delia, McKim,and Annette!

To help you try out these recipes, or create your own, we are giving away one PAM toolkit to five lucky winners!

The toolkit will include:

–PAM branded spatula

–PAM branded oven mitt, Pyrex dish (13” x 9”)

–12-cup muffin tin

–one can of the new and improved PAM

–PAM related literature and recipes.

To enter, all you have to do is tell us what recipe you plan to try out with Pam. 

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway. If you want to up your chances at winning, then this is how you can get additional entries (only after you’ve completed the step above):

**Please leave a separate comment for each so we can count them and avoid mistakes.

1. Subscribe to receive blog updates and subscriber-only content via email and leave us an extra comment letting us know you did so or that you’re already a subscriber. Make sure to leave the comment using the same email you subscribed with.

2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including a link to the post, plus a mention @SpanglishBaby and #PAMPerfection

Ex: I want to win 1 of these 5 PAM Toolkits @SpanglishBaby to try the new & improved PAM. Enter here: http://su.pr/5yhCnE #PAMPerfection

Copy the link to the tweet in an additional comment on the giveaway’s post.

3. Like SpanglishBaby on Facebook and join a thriving community of parents.

This giveaway ends Sunday, October 23 at 11:59 p.m. PST and is open to everyone with a U.S. mailing address over 18 years of age. Check out the Giveaway Rules.

Disclosure: We received compensation, a toolkit and PAM promotional items from ConAgra Foods to make this post possible.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Presley

Editor´s note: We invited one of our favorite food bloggers, Nicole Presley from Presley´s Pantry, to share with us two kid-friendly recipes using the New No-Stick Performance spray by PAM. First, she shared these ingenious lasagna cups and now we have the dessert! 

I’m a huge fan of cobbler and celebrate all that it represents: bringing my family together in the kitchen to get a slice; enjoying our cherry cobbler as a family unit; and us parents proudly watching our 2 year old baby devour his dessert from start to finish.

The part I DON’T like about it is the clean up and how it often sticks to the pan. Now that PAM has come into my life with a NO-STICK Performance Spray I will be making cobbler all winter long! It was such a breeze to cut a slice out of the pan and hand it to my eager son!

Watch the video for step-by-step instructions and scroll below for the details. Enjoy!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhA2_c5lmPI

Ingredients for cobbler cake:

1 1/8 – cups sugar

3 – cups flour

1 – teaspoon baking soda

1- teaspoon baking powder

1/2 – teaspoon salt

1 – cup cold butter (2 sticks)

2 – large eggs

3 1/2 – tablespoons half and half

1 – teaspoon vanilla

1 – cup sour cream

Ingredient for filling:

40 – ounces cherry filling

Directions

In  a food processor mix all dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking soda and powder, salt) together.  Then add in cold butter.  Flour mixture will eventually become crumbly with the butter pieces the size of peas.  Remove from food processor and place in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium bowl add eggs, half and half, vanilla, and sour cream. Then take a fork and mix well until completely combined. Now add egg/sour cream mixture to flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until combined/moistened. Divide cobbler cake batter in half.

In a 9 x 13 inch pyrex sprayed with PAM, add half of the cobbler cake batter, and spread evenly across.

Now take your cherry filling and slowly spread across the top a little at a time until completely covered.

Now add remaining cake cobbler mixture to top in big drops to try and cover top, leaving some cherry filling exposed.

Ingredients for cobbler topping:

1/2 – cup sugar

1/2 – cup sliced almonds

Lastly take cobbler and sprinkle with sugar and almonds!

Bake for 60 minutes or until tester toothpick comes out clean. Your cobbler will be golden and your kitchen will smell sweet like a cherry.

Disclosure:  This post is part of a sponsored campaign on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray. We received compensation, a toolkit and PAM promotional items from ConAgra Foods to make this post possible.