Au Pair Care

12 Fast Foods You Can Make and Take from Home

admin — Sun, 12 May 2013 12:25:34 +0000

Opting to pack your own lunch before heading to work can save a significant amount of money over restaurant meals each day. You’ll also be able to enjoy your lunch without worrying about time constraints after waiting in line or receiving slow service in a public eatery. These 12 meals are quick to prepare and completely portable, making it easy for you to save time and money on a daily basis.

Mason Jar Salads – Pour a bit of dressing into the bottom of a Mason jar, then fill it with your favorite salad fixings. When you’re ready to eat, just shake the jar to distribute the dressing. If you don’t have access to a refrigerator, you may want to skip dairy-based dressings in favor of vinaigrettes.
Bento Boxes – Bento boxes don’t have to be intricately decorative. In fact, a traditional bento is just four parts rice to two parts protein and one part veggies or other ingredients. To really save time in the morning, throw your bento together the night before and just grab the box on your way out the door.
Pita Pockets – If you’re tired of plain Jane sandwiches but love the convenience of a handheld meal, switch to pita pockets for a welcome change of pace. You’ll have a contained, portable meal that doesn’t require silverware and only takes a few minutes to prepare.
Spring Rolls – Once you get the hang of working with the rice wrappings, you can throw spring rolls together in a snap. You can also fill them with your own favorite veggies and carry a side of dipping sauce of your choice, putting your own spin on these tasty treats.
Trail Mix – If you’re looking for more of a snack than a full meal, it’s easy to throw together your own custom trail mix in a few minutes. Dump dried fruits, raisins, nuts and other goodies together in a bag, then give it a good shake.
Veggie Wraps – If you’re looking for a lower carb alternative to sandwiches, just substitute a wrap for the bread and fill it with your favorite ingredients. It’s easy to make, easy to pack and even easier to eat on the go.
Hummus and Vegetable Sticks – Put a dollop of hummus in a small thermos, then stand veggie sticks up vertically in the thermos with one end resting in the hummus. The thermos will fit neatly in a bag or can easily be carried, and it will keep everything cool and crisp.
Pasta Salad – The most time-consuming part of making pasta salad is simply waiting for the water to boil. Speed-chill the pasta by rinsing it with ice-cold water, throw in some halved cherry tomatoes, olives and diced peppers, then top the whole thing off with a bit of Italian dressing. When lunch time rolls around, you’ll have a quick, filling and tasty meal that fits in one container.
Sandwiches – There’s nothing wrong with a classic, especially when it’s as customizable as a sandwich. Get creative with your combinations, and skip the white bread in favor of something a bit more interesting. The possibilities are almost endless! If space is a concern, look for slider buns or even firm rolls that can be sliced in half to accommodate deli meats, cheeses and spreads.
Oatmeal Packets – If you can get your hands on a bit of hot water, instant oatmeal packets take up almost no room and don’t require any special considerations in terms of food storage, refrigeration or food safety. Variety packs allow you to keep things interesting, and can be a heart-healthy choice if you spring for all-natural offerings over bargain brands filled with artificial flavoring and colors.
Fruit Salads – It doesn’t get much simpler than a fruit salad, and it’s a difficult meal to beat in terms of healthiness. To keep cut fruits like apples and pears from turning an unappetizing shade of brown, toss the whole mixture with a bit of fresh lemon juice. It’ll also add an interesting dash of flavor.
Soup – There are plenty of soup brands in portable packaging, but they can be filled with preservatives and additives that you’d rather avoid. Making a sizable batch of homemade soup to eat throughout the week allows you to control the ingredients and can be cheaper per serving than a store-bought brand. If you don’t have access to a microwave, you can even use a thermos to keep your soup hot until lunch time by filling the thermos with water that’s almost boiling to heat the interior, letting that hot water sit for a few minutes and then replacing it with piping hot soup. Pop the top on your thermos, grab a spoon and you’re ready to roll!

27 Blogs with Delicious Brownie Recipes for All Occasions

admin — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:03:56 +0000

Nearly every occasion is an occasion for brownies. Your husband’s birthday, make some brownies. The kids did well on their report card, bake some brownies. Potluck at work, bake more brownies. The bad thing is that other people often have the same idea and so you end up with five pans of brownies at the potluck, not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, if you want to have your brownies stand out from the crowd you might want to try one of these recipes from the following 27 blog articles. While the tons of recipes for regular chocolate brownies can vary widely, you might want to venture into the ‘variations on a theme’ category and dress up the plain brownie with decadent ingredients like salted caramel. Doesn’t that just make your mouth water? What if you have someone who can’t eat brownies? Make blondies instead! Some of the blondie recipes have some chocolate in them so if you are trying to stay away from chocolate look for those that completely leave out the dark chocolate like the Brittle and Jam ones.

Chocolate Brownies

If you are a fan of brownies you will love giving each and every one of these recipes a try. Some are dense and fudgy while some are light and cakey. Then there are the ones that are gooey and so rich you could eat them with a spoon. There are even options for those that eat a gluten-free diet or are trying to eat healthier, but still love brownies. Try all of these nine brownie recipes and see which one is your new favorite.

Variations on a Theme

Be adventurous and add new and wondrous things to your brownies. Break away from the norm and surprise your friends and family with caramel pecan brownies or minty chocolate mousse brownies. These brownies will surely steal the show if you take them to a potluck or to the office. You will be beating people off with a stick that are trying to get your recipe. These nine blog posts feature some mouth-watering options for brownies and you can try them all.

Non-Chocolate “Brownies”

Whether you are trying something different than the same old brownie recipe or you actually have someone who doesn’t like the traditional brownie, you should be able to find a recipe in these nine blog entries that will suit the situation. Regular blonde brownies are still popular with most people, but there are vegan options in the list as well. How about giving malted milk blondie brownies a try? Give the pecan banana blondies a whirl and feel good that you are at least eating some banana with your brownie. Take a look at these recipes and see which one you want to bake this weekend.

15 Blogs with Information on How to Host an Exchange Student

admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:00:19 +0000

Are you interested in hosting a foreign exchange student, but aren’t sure how to start the process? There are several different factors you need to consider before allowing an exchange student into your home, and preconceived notions that may have been holding you back from hosting that are nothing more than myths. For instance, many people mistakenly believe that you have to have kids and that they need to be the same age as the exchange student you’re hosting. This isn’t true; what you do need to have, however, is a bed for the student to sleep in, to keep the student well-fed and to provide a normal family environment. While a separate room for the student is not mandatory, it is an added plus and can do wonders in making the student feel more at home. There are ample resources available for families interested in hosting a foreign exchange student, and the following 15 blogs can help clear up many of the questions you’re facing regarding what it means to be a host family

Who to Contact

Clueless about how to get started as a host family? These five blog posts will give you some sources to check into and can help you find a group that is right for you and your family.

Host an International High School Exchange Student You can contact this group to be matched up with an appropriate student to host.
Host an Exchange Student Learn how you can host a student with this company.
Host an Exchange Student Find out which countries have students who are looking for host families right now.
Change Your Life this Summer: Host an Exchange Student Read a heartwarming story about this bloggers experience with exchange students.
Be a Host for a Foreign Exchange Student! This blog will teach you everything you need to know about being a host family and help you find contact information for locating a student.

Why You Should Host

The benefits of becoming a host family are endless and provide you with a unique opportunity to learn about another culture and to educate your children without leaving the comfort of your own home. Many families who host an exchange student find that the student isn’t just someone staying in their home for an extended period of time, but someone who becomes a lifelong friend. Take a look at these five blog entries to learn more about the benefits of hosting.

Why You Should Host an Exchange Student—Yes, You! Read why this blogger thinks you should host an exchange student.
Host an Exchange Student… Learn a new culture and language by hosting an exchange student in your home.
Can You Share Your Experience with Hosting an Exchange Student? Take a look at the answers from real people who have hosted students and learn how their lives were made better by doing so.
Barcelona Exchange Hear the story about how this blogger hosted a boy from Barcelona and how much she enjoyed the experience.
Host a YFU Exchange Student in 2013! This post explains the benefits of hosting a student and provides a video you can watch on how to start the process.

How to Welcome a Student

Once you decide to host a student, what do you do next? How do you welcome him into your home and make him feel like a member of your family? For answers to these questions and more, take a look at these five blog articles.

How to Welcome an Exchange Student into Your Home Tips for making your home inviting for the student and creating an open line of communication are covered.
Temporary Stay, Permanent Links—Foreign Exchange Program Allows Transfer of Ideas, Cultures, Cuisines, Along with Students Read about the experiences of some exchange students and how they adapted to their hosts.
How to Prepare Your Family for Your Exchange Student’s Visit Discussion topics to open a dialogue with your family about the exchange student’s visit.
How Can I Make My New Foreign Exchange Student Feel More Welcome? Read the answers to this question.
What to Do with Your Exchange Student There are tons of ideas on this post as to what you can do with your exchange student to make them fit in to your family.

18 Blogs Extolling the Virtues of Juicing for Better Health

admin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:46:15 +0000

Juicing is a tool that is often used by fitness experts and those who are trying to improve their health. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), everyone needs to fill half their plate with fruits and veggies at each meal in order to get the vitamins and nutrients they need to be healthy. It can be hard to eat that many fruits and veggies, which is why juicing has become so popular – it’s an easy way to drink tons of fruits and vegetables at once. Your body still gets the vitamins and minerals that fresh produce has to offer, but in an easier to digest form. Check out these 18 blog entries to learn how you can lose weight by juicing, as well as avoid cancer, look younger and many other health benefits.

Weight Loss

Drinking fresh juice on a daily basis will speed up your metabolism because your body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest the juice that you are drinking. The excess energy will go to repairing the cells in your body, as well as ridding your body of leftover waste products. Not only will you feel better, but over time you will look better too. For more information on how juicing can help you lose weight, take a look at these six blog posts.

Health Benefits of Juicing for Weight Loss Figure out how juicing can help you drop the pounds while feeling better at the same time.
Benefits of Juicing Juicing helped this blogger and his son lose weight and become healthier.
Easy Weight Loss Juicing Benefits and Juicing Recipes Watch this video to learn how juicing can help your weight loss efforts.
Benefits of Juicing Recipes for Weight Loss Juices can help ease cravings, and the fiber in the fruits and veggies help you feel fuller so that you eat less.
Juicing for Weight Loss Drinking fresh juice will clean up your body and its internal systems, which will make everything work better according to this post.
Joe Cross of Reboot Your Life on Juicing for Weight Loss Find out how Joe lost 100 lbs. by juicing, and gained much more in health benefits.

Nutrients

Juicing provides many nutrients from all of the fruits and veggies, which is a huge benefit for your health. Keep reading to find out all of the different nutrients that you can enjoy when juicing fruits and veggies instead of eating them. These six blog articles will explain how it’s easier for your body to absorb these nutrients when they’re consumed in juice form.

Start Your Juicer Machine…. The Benefits of Juicing are Endless! Read how you can drink your vitamins and minerals and what that will do for your body.
Juicing is the Way to Spice Up Your Diet in a Tasty, Healthy Way! Tons of information about the health benefits of juicing is covered in this article.
Juice Up Your Health this Year This certified health coach sings the praises of juicing in this post.
6 Amazing Benefits of Juicing Vegetables! Take a look at the many ways that juicing can help get your body the nutrients it needs.
Top Health Benefits of Juicing at Home Read this article to get a thorough explanation of juicing and what it can do for your health.
The Benefits of Juicing A brief overview of the benefits of juicing can be found in this blog entry.

Health Benefits

If you have any doubts as to the health benefits of juicing, take a look at these six blog posts, which explain the many virtues and benefits juicing offers. From apple juice to carrot juice, you can learn what juicing can do to improve your health.

10 Amazing Benefits of Juicing Raw Fruits and Vegetables Amazing results from juicing are discussed on this blog post.
Health Benefits of Juice Feasting By drinking only juice your body doesn’t have to spend as much energy digesting, and that energy can be used to repair your body.
Benefits of Juicing: Vitamins in a Cup Learn about the many benefits of adding juice to your normal diet.
Health Benefits of Apple Juice Adding apple juice to any other juice will sweeten the juice, plus you’ll get a healthy dose of all the nutrients apple juice offers.
Developing an Anti-Aging Juice Recipe Learn about the benefits of juicing and how different juices can help keep you young inside and out.
Health Benefits of Drinking Carrot Juice By juicing your own carrots you can reap the benefits of everything that carrots have to offer.

18 Blogs Featuring Recipes You Can Make with Hard Boiled Eggs

admin — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 10:58:56 +0000

After Easter, you may find that you have an extra-large supply of hard boiled eggs that need to be used up. Of course, there are the old standby’s that will never go out of style, like potato salad and deviled eggs, but there are so many more interesting recipes that use hard boiled eggs. So many in fact, that these recipes will have you boiling even more eggs just to make the recipes. Eggs are high in protein, low in fat and not as bad for your cholesterol as once thought. Take a look at these 18 blogs and see if you can find a few ways to use up those hard boiled eggs.

Traditional Recipes

It seems like everyone has their own recipe for potato salad, but why not branch out and try these other recipes? You just may find a new favorite! Deviled eggs are the same way; you can go with simple and quick or change it up by twisting around the old recipe. Check out these six blog entries for some traditional recipes using hard boiled eggs.

What to Do with Leftover Easter Eggs? Spicy BLT Egg Salad Recipe Talk about kicking up an old recipe; this is not your mama’s egg salad!
Delightful Deviled Eggs! Find three variations on the traditional deviled eggs recipe. One interesting recipe uses salmon and caviar.
Healthy Deviled Eggs Recipe Just because you are watching your weight doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge in a deviled egg from time to time, especially with this healthy version.
Avocado Egg Salad Enjoy the creaminess of avocado in your egg salad to boost the nutritional value.
Creamy Dill Potato & Egg Salad Check out this dill-icious twist on the classic potato salad recipe.
Potato Salad with Pickled Celery and Hard-Boiled Egg The perfect picnic potato salad since there is no mayonnaise in this recipe.

Make it a Meal

By incorporating hard-boiled eggs into these dishes you can take them to the next level. Make a salad a meal when you add the protein of eggs to the dish. Change lunch up by filling a pita with an egg salad recipe. Surprise the kids with a new quesadilla after school. For more main dish egg recipes read through these six blog articles.

6 Recipes with Hard-Boiled Eggs Add hard-boiled eggs and greens to the traditional pot pie and you’ve got a healthier version of a family favorite.
Indian Egg Curry This recipe uses a dozen hard-boiled eggs, so if you are trying to get rid of a lot of eggs this might be the recipe for you.
5 Eggcellent Egg Recipes An unusual French sandwich is listed on this blog post.
Egg Salad and Cheese Quesadillas Recipe from a Kalyn’s Kitchen Reader Try this quick lunch idea to use up some of your hard-boiled eggs.
French Roasted Asparagus, Tuna and Hardboiled Egg Sandwiches Pile up these ingredients to make an interesting new sandwich.
Easter Baked Lobster Tails For a bit of luxury, why not try this lobster tail recipe using up your hard boiled eggs?

Decidedly Different

If you are the adventurous type, you might want to try some of these recipes. Hard-boiled eggs taste fairly good plain, but when you add them into these six recipes you get something really bold and different. How about hard-boiled eggs in cookies? If this sounds weird, you will just have to give it a try to see what you think of it. If that doesn’t sound good, try one of the other six blog entries.

Amazing Double Chocolate Hard Boiled Egg Cookies If anything would get you to try a hard-boiled egg cookie recipe, it would be one with double the chocolate in it.
Mashed Potato Salad If you like mashed potatoes and potato salad, then you will love this mashed potato salad recipe.
Happy Year of the Rabbit Try these warm deviled eggs with crab and pesto if you are looking for a twist on the traditional recipe.
Hard Boiled Egg Chocolate Chip Sno Caps Cookies The texture in these cookies is very different than normal cookies, but the chocolate makes it seem like a regular cookie.
10 Recipe Ideas for Leftover Hard-Boiled Eggs Take a look at the sliced egg breakfast pizza recipe for something new and different.
Italian Easter Bread with Dyed Eggs For this recipe you don’t even have to peel the eggs before you bake it.

24 Blogs Full of Recipes that Use Beans that Can Save You Money

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:19:09 +0000

Beans contain protein and are often one of the main sources of protein for vegetarians. Tofu is made from beans and that is another popular source of protein for people who don’t eat a lot of meat. So whether you are looking for a source of protein or just a tasty dish you can find recipes for bean soups, salads or appetizers here. These 24 blogs will give you tasty recipes that will not only allow you to get the protein that’s necessary for your body to function properly, but you could save money. Dried beans are especially inexpensive and pack a powerful nutritional punch for the price.

Soups

Bean soups have been around for thousands of years. Thankfully the recipes have gotten better now that most ingredients are readily available. So whether you’re looking for a traditional bean soup or something more exotic you should be able to find a recipe on these eight blog posts.

Recipe: Bean Soup with Avocado Salsa This spicy soup packs a punch with cayenne pepper.
Easy Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup Just add the ingredients to your slow cooker and come home to the smells of dinner, ready to eat.
Sausage and Cannellini Bean Soup Recipe For a quick lunch or dinner idea on a cold day this soup will hit the spot.
Gluten Free Portuguese Bean Soup Recipe This soup uses three different types of beans and spicy chorizo to give it some kick.
Tuesday Things + Homemade Bean Soup Recipe Make a big pot of this soup and you will have lunches and dinners all week.
Southern Chef: Spanish Bean Soup Recipe Tons of meat in this bean soup to make it hearty as well as filling.
Cauliflower and White Bean Soup This recipes is for an all white soup blended for a creamy texture.
Quick Vegetarian Black Bean Soup You can use dried beans in this recipe, but it’s considered “quick” because it calls for canned beans.

Salads

Beans in salads can really bump up the protein content in your salad. Depending on the salad it might be made of all beans like the 3-Bean salad. These salads will make nutritious side dishes for your weeknight meals when you need to get dinner on the table fast. These salads tend to get better over time because the beans will absorb the dressing. Take a look at these eight blog entries to find a bean salad for your dinner tonight.

Cherry Tomato, Cucumber and Green Bean Salad The beans in this salad are fresh versus canned or dried.
Red Bean Salad with Chick Peas This salad is protein packed with two beans in it.
Greek Three-Bean Salad Recipe A simple salad that is easy to put together since it utilizes frozen and canned beans and other ingredients. Great go-to side for busy weeknights.
Mexican Bean Salad Lots of flavor in this salad with three types of beans and tons of spices.
Quinoa and Black Bean Salad If you haven’t had the chance to try quinoa yet give this salad a try.
Recipe: White Bean Salad Being a fresh salad you may find many ingredients in your garden.
Delicious Four Bean Salad Recipe Quick recipe to throw together today since it calls for canned beans.
Healthy Salad Recipes: Brown Rice and Black Bean Salad A super nutrition packed salad with the protein from the beans, fiber from the brown rice and pomegranate seeds for heart health.

Appetizers

One high protein appetizer or snack is hummus and pita chips or veggies. Hummus is typically made out of chick peas which are not peas at all, but are actually beans. White beans on bruschetta are an elegant appetizer to serve at your next party or get together. Using beans in your appetizer will help stretch your budget, but won’t take away anything from the taste or elegance of the dish. For these ideas and more check out the next eight blog entries.

Crunchy Garbanzo Bean Appetizer/ Snack: Recipe Set these tasty nuggets in silver bowls around your house and your guests will nibble on them like nuts.
Bush’s Beans Recipe Exchange [Recipe: Chili bean Cheese Queso] Only five ingredients for this tasty hot dip that’s served with tortilla chips.
Fava Bean Crostini Appetizer Mash fava beans with mint and parmesan cheese and spread it on the crostini for an elegant appetizer for guests.
How to Make Black Bean Dip—Easy Cooking! Check out this video for the steps you’ll need to make this dip.
White Bean and Kale Bruschetta Super quick and simple appetizers that can be ready in minutes.
Deviled Strings Beans and Tuna This recipe could be a side dish or a hot appetizer.
Healthy Recipe: Black Bean and Pepper Jack Quesadillas Make this classic appetizer a little healthier by using this recipe
Black Bean Hummus with Lime and Cumin A tasty twist on a common party food.

10 Tips for Parents of Children with Sensitive Skin

admin — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:55:42 +0000

While the soft, silky skin of all children tends to be a bit more sensitive than that of their adult counterparts, some kids’ skin is so sensitive that caring for it can feel like a full-time job. Kids have thinner, more delicate skin that’s more prone to irritation and even skin infections, so it’s important to make sure that you’re taking every possible precaution to protect them from discomfort or pain. These ten tips can help you to minimize the number of reactions your child has to environmental factors, and to increase her comfort level.

Switch Her Laundry Detergent – If your child’s sensitive skin is becoming more uncomfortable or sensitivity is a relatively new issue, you should immediately replace your laundry detergent with one that’s free from fragrances, dyes and other additives. These chemicals can be very irritating to a child’s skin, and may be the root of a problem that’s just beginning to surface.
Wash All New Clothing and Bedding – Kids with sensitive skin may experience flare-ups if they wear new clothing or use new bedding that hasn’t yet been washed. Many textiles are coated in chemicals that retard wrinkling and creasing that will disperse with the first washing. Until then, they lurk on the surface of those fabrics and cause your child pain. No matter how excited she is about a new outfit or new sheets, make sure that she understands why you have to wash new things before she can sue them.
Read the Labels of Toiletries – The best shampoos, soaps and lotions to use on children with sensitive skin contain no fragrances or dyes. Before you invest in a new product, even one that claims to be designed for sensitive skin, check for any hint of scents or coloring that could be problematic for your sensitive child.
Do Patch Tests for New Products – When you’re looking for a body wash or lotion that won’t ravage your little one’s sensitive skin, you may introduce a new product with each bath after the previous one fails the test. One way to keep the irritation to a minimum is to do a patch test with new products, applying them to a small area of skin and waiting to see if there’s a reaction. If the product doesn’t agree with your little one’s skin, at least the irritation is confined to a small area, rather than spread over her entire body.
Keep Skin Moisturized – Dry skin feels tighter and is more uncomfortable. Once you’ve found a moisturizer that doesn’t cause your child’s skin to react negatively, be sure that you apply it liberally. This is especially important in the cold winter months, when dry heat and harsh winds can wreak havoc on everyone’s skin.
Lower Bath Temperature – You don’t want to bathe a child in hot water to begin with, but it’s especially important to lower the temperature for particularly sensitive youngsters. Hot water strips the skin of surface oils, leaving it drier and more prone to irritation.
Invest in a Humidifier – Dry air can be a major problem for kids with sensitive skin, especially if that dryness increases sensitivity and discomfort. Investing in a humidifier will introduce moisture into the air of your home, making it less harsh on your child’s sensitive skin.
Don’t Forget the Sunscreen – Sunburns are no fun for anybody, but they’re especially painful for little ones with extraordinarily sensitive skin. Make sure that you never send your child outdoors without a liberal coating of sunscreen.
Limit Exposure to Household Chemicals – Some of the most common household substances, including scented fabric sprays and aerosol air fresheners can contain chemicals that irritate your child’s skin. Make sure that her exposure to these chemicals is limited, and that she never manages to spray them directly on her skin.
Know Your Child’s Triggers – Every child is different, and will have different triggers that set off a sensitive skin flare-up. Figuring out your child’s triggers may require a lot of observation over a lengthy period of time, but will make it easier to avoid those triggers in the future.

In cases of severely sensitive skin, it’s wise to work with your pediatrician or even a dermatologist to find the best possible solutions for your little one’s skin. She may need prescription-strength treatments and the supervision of a physician in order to properly manage the sensitivity and minimize flare-ups.

20 Blogs Featuring Granola Bar Recipes Kids Love

admin — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:27:22 +0000

Granola bars are considered a kids’ cuisine staple by moms everywhere. They make for a very handy snack, breakfast food and lunchbox filler. While they may seem like simple fare, granola bars can contain a whole host of surprising ingredients. They are incredibly simple to make, too, which provides great opportunities for moms and kids to get cooking in the kitchen. There is a lot more to granola bars than rolled oats, nuts and honey, as any chef or nutritionist will agree. These 20 blogs put the humble granola bar through its paces, with resulting recipes that both you and your kids will love.

Basic Granola Bars

As with all great things, producing your own mouth-watering granola bars begins with learning the basics. Simple ingredients do not necessarily equate to substandard quality, though. The basic ingredients of granola bars are a perfect fusion of nuts, honey and oats. Even at this level, you can experiment with each recipe; try substituting the nuts and fruit to get the best results to better your child’s individual tastes and preferences. These four recipe blogs will get you off the ground, as well as give you some ideas for variations on the basic granola bar theme.

Chocolate Granola Bars

Is there any such thing as a kid who doesn’t like chocolate? Once you have mastered the basics of baking granola bars, it’s time to get a little more adventurous. Adding chocolate to the mix creates an extra layer of taste sensation, which only compliments the nuts and fruit inside your granola bars. Chocolate granola bars are ideal for eating on the move; especially while running, hiking or after a long day of playing in the park.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Peanut butter sandwiches are so last century. That’s not to say, however, that kids don’t still carry a strong love for the delectable, creamy spread. With peanut butter granola bars you can totally reinvent the way your children view this traditional snack food. The two perfectly complement each other, creating a fusion of tastes that kids can truly appreciate. Peanut butter granola bars are perfectly suited for your kid’s lunch box, and they’ll be the envy of the class if they’re not enrolled in a peanut-free school. In these five blogs you will find everything you need to know to get started on your delicious peanut butter bars.

Healthy Granola Bars

Granola bars are perfectly suited to diets that include healthier snacks. The variation in ingredients allows you to set the nutritional value of each batch, so your kids get everything they need in a single bar. Granola bar recipes, no matter how creative, are always simple. This means that you have a lot of room for experimenting with different ingredients without deviating too far from your original theme. Health conscious cooks are sure to love the offerings in these four blogs. Use these recipes as your starting point, putting your own healthy spin on each one.

Creative Granola Bar Ideas

For the more adventurous amateur chef, granola bars offer a great opportunity to really hone your skills and get creative in the kitchen. It’s easy to stick fairly close to the traditional recipe – but remember, they do say that fortune favors the bold. Your kids will thank you, too, when you perfect the craft to create amazingly delicious treats. For some ideas on taking your granola bars to the next level, these four blogs are just what you need.

Granola bars are a really affordable treat that you can make in your home with basic ingredients, utensils and equipment. Although it is unlikely that it will last long, you can store granola for several months, as long as it is kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you need any further reason to love this versatile treat, try baking a batch today and watch your kids instantly become your biggest fan.

5 Candy Cane Ornaments that You Can Make With Kids

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:43:30 +0000

During the holiday season candy canes tend to make a dominate appearance in the candy aisle, and are a traditional holiday treat. But these red and white striped treats can be used for more than just a festive holiday candy to consume; they can also be used as an affordable way to make several holiday-themed ornaments. Pick up a box of candy canes the next time you’re at the grocery store and try making a few of these kid-friendly candy cane ornaments at home.

Heart shaped ornament – This one is simple to do, but it requires using a hot glue gun so you’ll need to help the kids to ensure that no little fingers get burned. Use a low-temp hot glue gun, that way you don’t melt the plastic on the candy canes. Start by hot gluing two candy canes into the shape of a heart. Next, hot glue a round peppermint candy to the point where the top points of the candy canes touch. Using some red ribbon or string, tie this heart shaped ornament to your tree.
Candy cane mice ornament – For this project you’ll need to gather up some felt in coordinating colors, scissors, glue and a black marker. Cut out some fat tear drop shapes out of one color of felt. These will be the bodies of the mice. Out of the same fabric, cut out a shape for the ears. The shape needs to be like two tear drops that have kind of spilled together at their points. This shape will be threaded through a slit in the body, which is why the tear drop ear shapes need to be connected. Check out this link for templates. In a contrasting color cut out tear drops that are a little smaller to fit inside the ears. Cut out a very small circle for the nose, also in the contrasting color. Fold the body shape in half lengthwise and cut a slit just wide enough to slide the candy cane through a ½ inch from the rounded end of the tear drop shape. Cut another slit an inch from the first slit so that the candy cane can slide back through. The curve of the candy cane makes the tail of the mouse. Open up the folded felt shape and fold it in the opposite direction about an inch above the 2^nd slit. Now you will cut 2 slits ½ inch wide and ½ inch apart. Open the felt shape up and lay it flat. Glue the nose to the point of the tear drop. Using a black marker, add two eyes above the nose (googly eyes work well too). Glue the ear lining to the ear shape. Once the ears have dried thread them through the slits closest to the nose. Thread the candy cane through and your mouse is complete.
Reindeer ornament – You’ll only need to collect a few items to make this ornament: a candy cane, a brown pipe cleaner, 2 googly eyes, a small red pom-pom, glue and red ribbon for hanging. Wrap the pipe cleaner around the bend in the candy cane and twist to make it stay. Bend the ends of the pipe cleaner to look like antlers. Glue the eyes on the curve of the candy cane and the red pom-pom on the end of the curve to make the nose. Use red ribbon to hang the candy cane on your tree or to tie on a present.
Crisscrossed canes ornament- This ornament will require parental help on the first part. Hot glue two candy canes together in a crisscross pattern. Take a red, white and green pipe cleaner and wrap the center of them around the spot that the candy canes cross, then twist to secure. Using a pencil, wrap each pipe cleaner end around it to create a cork screw. After you have created all six cork screws you can stop there or take it one step further by gluing some jingle bells onto the center of the pipe cleaners. Hang the ornament from one of the candy canes.
North Pole sign ornament – Cut out a 1 inch by 2 inch rectangle from a piece of green construction paper. With a black marker write “North Pole” on it. Glue the sign onto the candy cane. The straight stick candy canes work best for this, but both kinds will work. Use the crook of the cane to hang your North Pole sign or glue a loop of red ribbon if using the straight candy cane stick.

Doing holiday crafts together with your children gives you the opportunity to spend special time with them, making sweet holiday memories. Whether you decorate your tree with the finished projects or give them away as gifts, making these candy cane inspired ornaments will provide you and your kids with hours of holiday fun.

24 Blogs with Exciting Ideas on How to Make Your Cinco de Mayo Rock

admin — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:33:27 +0000

Literally translated, it just means the 5^th of May, but to Mexico Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of a victory over the French army. Those wanting to celebrate their Mexican heritage will celebrate Cinco de Mayo in other places besides Mexico, and the celebration can be big or small. You can make some crafts and decorations with your kids and hang them around the house while you talk a little about what the holiday means, making it a great teachable moment where you can give some history of Mexico and the struggles that they had before they become independent. Then top off the lesson with some traditional Mexican food and drinks. These 24 blog entries will show you how your Cinco de Mayo can rock!

Crafts

Cinco de Mayo decorations, such as piñatas, are typically very bright and colorful. Streamers and puffy crepe paper flowers can be hung from the ceiling to help liven up any dinner. Make a banner to hang over the table or door. You can find these crafts and more on these six blog posts.

Food

Mexican food is very popular in the United States and other places around the world. Many families have taco night once a week. Making Mexican food can be an integral part of your Cinco de Mayo celebration, and there are several easy recipes you can use. Nachos are simple to make, as are many other dishes. If you have never tried making your own guacamole, you might get your kids to help you try out the recipe on the blog found below. Take a look at these six blogs and try your hand at these different Mexican dishes.

Drinks

There is a lot of fruit available in Mexico, and as such the drinks for Cinco de Mayo celebrations are often fruity, with the margarita being the most popular. You don’t have to have a cocktail at your celebration. Check out some of these Mocktail recipes that you could serve to your family. The next six blog posts will add some zip to your festive celebration.

Activities

After you have created some crafts and used them to decorate your space you will need activities to do before or after the meal. These six blog posts will share games for your celebration, like musical chairs with mariachi music. The kids can stay busy by doing printable games and puzzles. You can get the whole family together to sing some special Cinco de Mayo songs. Take a look at these ideas and see if you and your family can find something that inspires you for Cinco de Mayo.