“Spooky” Halloween Punch Recipes

Everyone enjoys a good party with family and friends when there is tasty food involved as well as some delectable drinks to be had. Halloween is a time a year when people can let loose by dressing up in a silly outfit or a frightening one, so why not let them get in the mood with some of these Halloween-inspired beverages.

Italian Fruit Punch

For those of your friends who like to drink, a great choice is the Italian Fruit Punch, which is a fast and easy drink to prepare for awaiting guests. The combination of Limoncello, Maraschino liqueur, orange juice, sparkling water, and ice will have your guests living it up in no time.

Ingredients

* 2 cups orange juice
* 2 cups sparkling water
* ½ cup of Maraschino liqueur
* ½ cup Limoncello
* Ice
* Black licorice sticks for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher with ice and stir. Place in a martini glass and garnish with a black licorice for a vibrant and festive Halloween drink.

St Patrick's Day "Green Clover" Pie Recipe

Top this pie with some whipped topping and crushed green peppermint candies for a perfect ending to your St. Patrick's Day meal.

Ingredients:

1 qt. vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (12 oz.) can frozen limeade, thawed
2 drops green food coloring
1 (6 oz.) graham cracker pie crust

St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Cookies and Icing Recipe

Shamrock Cookies

Ice with green icing and serve at your St Patrick’s Day Party.

Ingredients:

½ cup shortening
½ cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
½ tsp salt
5 cups flour
¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Leprechaun Cheese and Onion Dip Recipe

Serve this dip with pretzels, cubes of bread or rye rounds and watch it disappear quickly.

Ingredients:
 
1 (15 oz.) jar Cheese Whiz
1/3 C beer * see note below
1/2 C onion, finely chopped

Directions:

Melt the Cheese Whiz in the microwave as directed on the jar label.
Place the melted cheese in a serving bowl.
Stir in the beer until well combined.
Fold the chopped onions into the cheese mixture.
Serve at room temperature or on a warming plate.

Serves: 16

Note:  Use non-acoholic beer if serving to children

Creating "To Die For" Christmas Sweets

What is the one thing everyone enjoys at Christmas time? Arguably it could be sweets. There is nothing like a cookie, slice of cake or gum drop around the holidays. Here are some tips to make sure that those delectable morsels are just as tasty as their sugarplum visions.

Working with Chocolate

• When you create a recipe that calls for chocolate, it is so easy to go wrong here. Instead of using the store-bought chocolate syrup, make your own. Buy the chocolate bricks and melt them yourself. Keep the heat under the saucepan low so that the chocolate doesn’t burn while it melts.

• Dark chocolate is the new healthy chocolate for the 21st century. It is full of antioxidants and great taste. Use it for decorating cakes, cookies, breads and pies. Use some of that melted chocolate in a plastic bag to pipe out all sorts of cool designs onto wax paper. Once they cool, you can carefully place them on any dessert that you wish.

Butter

• The rest of the year, this word gets sneer and jeers, but at Christmas, it is spot on. There is no substitute for using regular butter in your dessert recipes. Well, there is but it won’t give you the same taste or texture in your sweets. To compensate, eat a little less of each dessert, but by all means taste them all.

• When working with margarine, part of it is water. It says that on the box. Water evaporates when baking and can partially dry out your recipes. Butter is also creamier when softened and whipped. It keeps your cakes, breads, cupcakes and cookies moist like they need to be. Unless the recipe calls for stiff butter, let it come to room temperature on the counter before using.

Fruit

• Apple pies, peach cobblers and blueberry blintzes are all great during the holidays. Fruit can be expensive since most of your choices are out of season. If you can’t find fresh at a reasonable price, opt for frozen choices. It’s as close to fresh as you can get.

• If you keep your fruit in the fridge to prolong freshness, make sure that you allow them to come to room temperature before using them in delicious dessert recipes. Fruit will juice better when warm. Scalding fruits with removable skins helps the skin to peel off easier so you don’t have to ruin the look of the fruit doing it the hard way.

Here are just a few tips for creating those desserts your family will love all holiday long. Christmas is the one time of year that they don’t want you to skimp on flavor or presentation.

Create a Fun, Festive and Inexpensive 4th of July Party

Independence Day is probably the easiest Holiday to decorate for, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Who wouldn’t mind saving a bit of moola right now?

Decorating Ideas:

• You can usually find red, white or blue paper table clothes this time of year at fairly reasonable prices. Using blue for the table cloth, add white napkins and red paper plates for a festive red, white and blue table. Blue plastic wear on the white napkins and red plastic cups add a nice touch.

• Make a centerpiece using a blue vase of red and white carnations, then add some flags. Give the flags to your guests after your meal is served.


Food Ideas:

1. White corn on the cob served in a red or blue glass bowl.
2. Blue tortilla chips served with red salsa and sour cream.
3. Sliced red tomatoes served with slices of mozzarella.
4. Red pepper slices served with a blue cheese dip on the side.
5. Blue Jell-O with raspberries and topped with whipped cream.
6. Star shaped sugar cookies with white frosting and red and blue sprinkles.
7. A large clear, glass bowl of mixed blueberries and strawberries accompanied by a bowl of whipped cream.

Beverages:

Sweet Summer Tea (I know it’s not red, white and blue, but it’s so American)

Red, White and Blue Freezee:

Mix together in a blender

1 cup whipping cream
½ cup frozen blueberries
1 tsp. lemon juice
sugar to taste
Top with a few strawberries.

4th of July Punch:

Blend together:

6 cups of orange juice
20 oz. frozen strawberries in syrup
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail

Add 3 cups ginger ale at serving time. Makes 18 servings


Now for some other ways to make your 4th of July party sparkle (pun intended).

• Stick some lit sparklers in a dish when serving it.
• Watch a movie like the National Treasure or some other movie that portrays the beginning of our nation.
• Have patriotic songs playing in the background, like the National Anthem, America the Beautiful and so on.
• Dress in red, white and blue.
• Wear some of those funny star shaped sunglasses.
• Decorate a door or window with Uncle Sam.
• Be sure to hang an American flag if you have one.

Fun, Festive Food Ideas for the 4th of July

Looking for some great food ideas for the 4th of July? You’ve come to the right spot! Below are some ideas you can use to make your 4th of July celebration fun and festive with food!

Flag Cake

1. Make a 13x9 cake using your favorite cake recipe (can be from a box mix too, any flavor)
2. Frost with white frosting (cream cheese or vanilla)
3. Use blueberries to make the stars of the flag in the upper left corner
4. Use strawberries to make the red stripes on the flag
5. For added spark (pun intended) add a few sparklers!

Red, White and Blue Cupcakes

1. Make your favorite flavor cupcakes
2. Divide white frosting into thirds. Color 1/3 with red food coloring and 1/3 with blue food coloring.
3. Frost each cupcake, alternating colors.
4. You can make little flags on each cupcake using the red, white and blue frosting.
5. Get little flags or sparklers to stick in the center of each cupcake


Need some ideas for lunch or dinner? Try these easy to make, yet fun food ideas!

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad – Use new red potatoes, white baby potatoes and blue or purple potatoes in your favorite potato salad recipe. (Leave the skins on the red and blue potatoes.)

Grilled Hamburgers with Bacon – Mix hamburger with chopped onion and Worcetershire sauce, form 1 inch thick patties and wrap each patty with a slice of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Grill on each side about 5 to 7 minutes. Top with your favorite burger toppings.

Festive Steak Fajitas – Using grilled skirt steak, red and yellow bell peppers, onions and your favorite toppings like shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, fold together in a warmed tortilla. A colorful main course that can be served with guacamole, refried beans and Spanish rice!

Faux Fried Chicken – It looks like fried chicken, but it’s baked-healthy and delicious! Dip pat-dried chicken drumsticks in a mixture of buttermilk and your favorite seasonings and roll each of them in a crushed Cornflakes cereal mixed with Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is done. Serve with your favorite side dishes like corn on the cob and mashed potatoes! Great summertime meal, perfect for a Fourth of July celebration!


Here are a couple of festive, cool desserts or treats you can serve on the fourth. These are sure to please family and guests of all ages!

Frosted Fireworks – Using red and blue flavored beverages, such as Kool-aid or Gatorade, pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Place some red, blue and clear cubes in a festive dessert glass and pour seltzer (flavored if you prefer) over the colored ice cubes. Toss in a little flag for added festiveness.

Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad – Toss diced apples, strawberries and blueberries into a mixture of honey, lime juice and fresh, chopped mint. Serve as a side dish with any entrée or use as a topping over vanilla ice cream.

These ideas will make for a festive, fun and colorful addition to any 4th of July Celebration.


Red, White and Blue Food Ideas

Are you planning a smashing 4th of July party, but don’t want to serve the traditional burgers or chicken? Here are some simple, yet very festive food ideas using red, white and blue. Use a combination of the following food ideas to create a red, white and blue 4th of July Feast.

Red Foods

Main Course: New Mexico Style Red Enchiladas

Brown some ground beef, drain. In a large skillet, combine a large can of red enchilada sauce and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. In a separate skillet warm tortillas until just flexible. Then dip each tortilla in the enchilada sauce. Next, make layers starting with a dipped tortilla then add a couple of spoonfuls of meat, a couple of spoonfuls of the enchilada sauce. Top with shredded cheese. Repeat, making as many layers as you‘d like, but a good amount is usually 3. Top it all off with a fried egg and serve with a dinner roll. (Trust me!)

Salad: Summer Tomato Salad

Using not-too-ripe, coarsely chopped tomatoes and cherry tomatoes combine with chopped basil and parsley leaves. Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil and toss.

Appetizer: 4th of July Apples

Combine an 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, 3 tbs. butter-softened, ½ cup of crumbled blue cheese, ½ cup chopped walnuts. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Core and cut apples into eighths and sprinkle with lemon juice. Use a butter knife to apply spread to apples.

Blue Foods

Main Course: Blue Catfish Fillets

Dip catfish fillets (patted almost dry) in ¾ cup blue cornmeal with finely chopped jalapeno pepper, 2 cloves of garlic and ½ tsp. salt. Heat one inch of oil in large skillet and fry the fillets until brown on each side and the fish begins to flake inside. Serve salsa, or lemon or lime wedges.

Salad: Blue Potato Salad

Using ½ lb. Peruvian fingerlings (blue potatoes), boil until soft, but not mushy. Gently mix in 2 tbsp. grainy mustard, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 3 thinly sliced celery stalks, 2 tbsp. minced flat leaf parsley and 2 sliced green onions. Makes 8 servings.

Appetizer: Blue Cheese Ball

Using 3 (3-oz each) pkgs. cream cheese, 1 (4-oz) pkg. blue cheese, crumbled,1 jar Kraft Old English cheese spread, 1 small onion, grated finely, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, Mix all together. Form into two balls, medium size then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Roll in chopped nuts. Serve with Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Dessert: Blue Ice Cream

Scoop vanilla ice cream into a parfait bowl or other clear dessert cup. Add some blueberry syrup, fresh blueberries, another scoop of ice cream, some more blueberry syrup and top with whipped cream.

White Foods

Main course: Pork Steak in Mushroom Sauce

You can make this in the oven or in a crock pot. I prefer the crock pot because the pork comes out so tender! Place 6 to 8 boneless pork steak in crock pot; let cook for 2 hours on high. Add 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, 2 cans of cream of celery soup and cook for 2 more hours on high. To bake in the oven, place the pork steak in a 13x9 glass baking dish, top with the cans of soup and cover with aluminum foil. Bake on 350F for an hour to an hour ½. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.

Salad: White Pineapple Salad

Drain 1 large can pineapple and reserve juice; add enough water to the juice to make 2 cups. Heat to a boil and add Jello, mix until dissolved. Chill until thick as syrup. Mash 2-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese and add to Jello mixture. Mix well with mixer. Add ½ pt. whipped cream and 1 cup crushed nuts, mix well. Pour into a 9x 12 dish and chill well.

Appetizer: White Pizza Bagel Bites

Using 1 pkg. frozen bagel bites, place on cookie sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle with garlic powder and bake until lightly toasted. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, sliced olives and chopped green pepper. Bake for 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted.

Dessert: All American Cup Cakes

Make cupcakes using your favorite recipe, top with white frosting. Make a flag on each one using blueberries for the stars and red licorice pieces for the stripes.

Easter Egg Cocktail Spread Recipe

This is a great way to use up some of those Easter eggs. Serve with crackers or rye bread rounds for an appetizer before dinner. Finely chopped black olives can also be added to this spread as well as chopped pimento.

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled, rinsed and chopped fine
2 t butter, softened
1/2 C green onions, diced fine

Directions:

Place the cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Add the chopped eggs and butter. Sprinkle the green onions into the mixture.

Use a rubber spatula and blend the ingredients together until well combined being sure the mixture has a spreadable consistency.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until completely chilled through.

Serves: 8

Luck of the Irish Kettle Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

2 T butter

1 1/2 C white onion, chopped

1 C celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 C chicken broth

1 1/2 C carrots, chopped

4 C cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 t parsley flakes

1/2 t thyme

1/4 t pepper

2 1/2 C cooked corned beef, chopped

1 (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with juice

1/4 t salt

Directions:

Melt the butter in a kettle placed over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and stir to coat with the butter. Cook 8 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender, stiring often. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour the chicken broth into the kettle. Carefully stir in the carrots and cabbage. Add in the bay leaf, parsley, thyme and pepper and stir to incorporate. Bring the soup to a steady boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and cover the kettle. Allow the soup to simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Up the heat to medium then stir in the corned beef. As the soup begins to boil carefully add in the tomatoes. When the soup has returned to a steady boil reduce the heat again to medium low.

Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle in the salt and stir to combine.

Serves: 8

Corned beef was originally substituted by the Irish Americans for bacon in the late 1800's. Many believe that eating corned beef with cabbage on St. Patrick's Day brings good luck throughout the year.

Chocolate Love Me Hearts - Valentine's Day Recipe

Supplies You Need:

8 (1 oz) squares milk chocolate

How to Make Them:

Place the chocolate squares in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute remove the bowl and stir. Continue at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth being sure to stir after each 30 seconds.

Allow the mixture to cool about 5 minutes.

Lay wax paper on a flat surface and spread the chocolate mixture on the wax paper to desired thickness.

Place the chocolate on the wax paper in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until the chocolate is firm but still pliable. Remove and place on the flat surface.

Use heart shaped cookie cutters of different sizes to cut out the solid chocolate hearts.

Serving Size: 24 to 32 hearts

Use these chocolate hearts for Valentine's Day, in Easter baskets, at place settings or just hand them out throughout the day. You can add a little flavoring such as orange, lemon or raspberry to the melted chocolate for a special treat.

Valentine’s Day Dinner for Kids

With all the special events taking place on Valentine’s Day it is only right to end the day with a dinner befitting the occasion. Kids can give you some ideas for what they want to have for dinner. If you trust their tastes, let them choose the meal. Here are some kid friendly Valentine’s Day dinner ideas.

1. Make your own pizza. The kids can choose the toppings and fix them up into little bowls so that they are easier to put on the pizza. Parents can shape the dough into a heart when it is ready for toppings. To get the entire family involved, each person can create a personal pizza for themselves with their favorite toppings. Add a salad and you have a perfect Valentine’s Day meal.

2. Heart Shaped Meatloaf. Anything that you can shape can become a Valentine’s Day meal centerpiece. Instead of a loaf pan, put that meatloaf into a heart shaped pan. Let the kids use ketchup to write a loving message on the meatloaf before you bake it.

3. Casseroles for dinner are typical but on Valentine’s Day, we can take some time to give it a unique touch. Parents can use kitchen shears to cut raw chicken breasts into heart like shapes for the casserole. Veggie casseroles are easier to shape and kids can do it with a butter knife.

4. For Valentine’s Day, the drinks are on the kids. Red Kool-Aid is a great choice. Let the kids mix it up. You can also make a Valentine’s Day punch. You can find many punch recipes online and in cookbooks at your local library. If your kids are really creative, they can use heart-shaped ice molds to fashion festive ice cubes to keep their drinks cool and refreshing.

This special dinner takes planning. You and your kids can grocery shop together the week before to find all the necessary ingredients and utensils to make Valentine’s Day a success. You may have to visit a few stores to find the ice molds or non-stick pans for the meals. While you’re at it, you may find some other things that could make your meal more festive on Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day takes on new meaning when you have kids. They see each event with new eyes and Valentine’s Day is no different. Take the opportunity to get them interested in cooking and begin new family traditions that they look forward to participating in together each year.

FREE Gift: 40 New Years Eve Appetizers Recipes

A FREE gift for my readers...
40 New Years Eve Appetizers Recipes

Here is just one of the great recipes you will find inside this FREE download:

Zesty Veggie Dipping Sauce

What You Need:

1 T brown mustard
2 T lemon juice
1 C prepared Ranch dressing
1/8 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t hot pepper sauce

How to Make It:

Place the mustard in a small mixing bowl.
Pour the lemon juice into the mustard.
Add the Ranch dressing and mix to combine the ingredients well.
Pour the Worcestershire sauce and the hot pepper sauce into the bowl.
Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated together well.
Cover and refrigerate to chill completely through.

Serve this dip with cut vegetables, large pretzels or tortilla chips. It has a little bite but it's not overpowering.

Serving Size: 1 C

To download all 40 of the free recipes click here (or right click and save).

Happy New Year from my family to yours...Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pecan Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and vanilla. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chopped pecans. Spoon batter into lightly greased or lined muffin tin and fill to 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for approximately 20 minutes or until golden and baked through. Cool in muffin tins for 5 minutes until removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Make Dinner For Dad This Father’s Day

Image via Wikipediaby Susanne Myers

With the weather being nice and warm outside, why not let the kids help prepare dinner for dad on Father’s Day and make it a fun night out by the grill.

During the day, let the kids make decorations like handprints on a paper tablecloth, blow up balloons or make some simple paper lanterns. Then let them help you with dinner preparations. A great Father’s Day dinner from the grill includes delicious grilled steaks, pasta salad and Texas toast. Finish it all off with scrumptious brownies a la mode.

Start by making this simple pasta salad. Cook the pasta ahead of time, and then let the kids mix all the salad ingredients together. Chill the pasta salad for several hours before serving.

Pasta Salad Makes 5 servings

· 1 16-ounce package corkscrew pasta

· 1 cucumber

· 3 carrots

· 1 bunch broccoli

· 1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans

· 3 tablespoons salad supreme

· 1 16-fluid ounce bottle Italian herb dressing

Cook noodles and combine with everything else.


Now it’s time to prepare the marinade for the steaks.

Marinated Steaks Makes 4 servings

· 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

· 1/4 cup soy sauce

· 3 tablespoons garlic minced

· 2 tablespoons honey

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 tablespoons ground black pepper

· 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

· 1 teaspoon onion powder

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

· 1 pinch cayenne pepper

· 4 beef steaks - cut of your choice

1. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper.

2. Place steaks in a shallow glass dish with the marinade, and turn to coat. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to two days.

Now it’s time to cook those steaks on the grill. Of course Mom or Dad should be taking care of this.
3. Preheat grill for medium-high to high heat.

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.


Texas Toast

What would dinner be without some sort of bread? Dad is sure to love this hearty Texas Toast. Kids can help spread the butter and sprinkle the seasoned salt.

· 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened

· 4 slices thick-cut white bread, about 1 inch thick

· 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt


1. Set oven control to broil.

2. Spread butter on both sides of bread slices. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Place on rack in broiler pan.

3. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 2 to 4 minutes, turning once, until lightly toasted. Cut each slice diagonally in half. Serve warm or cool.


Dessert

Help the kids mix up a boxed brownie mix and bake them just before you sit down for dinner. Allow the brownies to cool while you eat, then get the kids to make dessert by placing a piece of brownie in a bowl, top it with some vanilla ice cream. Drizzle chocolate syrup over the ice cream and dessert is ready.

There you have it…the perfect Father’s Day dinner that Dad is sure to love, especially since the kids were busy making most of it.

Want more family friendly recipes and crafts ideas? Visit
http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info for a sample weekly menu plan your entire family will love and http://www.kinderinfo.com/ for tons of craft and activity ideas that are sure to keep your little ones entertained.

Article Source: Lady Pens

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Recipe for a Perfect Mother’s Day

Image via Wikipediaby Jill S

Ingredient #1: Let mom sleep in. This means being quiet on Mother’s Day morning. No loud TV or loud music before mom decides to get out of bed. No loud complaining of “Mom, I can’t find my shirt, pants [or any other article of clothing which mom is somehow magically supposed to, and surprisingly often does, know where it is].” Surely you can find something semi-clean to wear. :-) Better yet, just give mom some earplugs the night before so she can simply sleep through anything.

Ingredient #2: Let mom have breakfast in bed. In order to make sure this can actually happen, make sure you know where all of the ingredients, bowls, utensils, and other items you’ll need are in the kitchen. Make a list of everything you’ll need and make sure you know where all of it is the night before. I have included an easy breakfast recipe at the end of these “ingredients.” It has just 6 ingredients and all you need is an electric mixer, bowl, and two bread pans. Under no circumstances should you wake mom up in order to find out where something is. Improvise. If it doesn’t turn out, a nicely arranged bowl of cereal that she didn’t have to make is still a nice Mother’s Day breakfast.

Ingredient #3: Let mom have the day off. This means no cooking, cleaning, laundry, or running errands. Chances are pretty good that she does one or more of these things the other 364 days of the year. Let her have Mother’s Day off. If she starts doing one of those things, pleasantly surprise her and offer to do it yourself. And for you kids, I am going to invoke the right of all mothers, she endured X hours of labor in order to bring you into the world, certainly she deserves one day a year off.

Ingredient #4: Tell her “I love you” at least once on Mother’s Day. You know she loves to hear that sappy kind of stuff so indulge her. Telling mom you love her does not make you less cool, less of a rebel, less of a man, or any of the other things you might be worried about. Yes, I realize I have just dated myself but I am hoping that you still get my point. Mom loves you. Admitting that you love her too is okay. You can still be yourself and love your mom.

Ingredient #5: Give mom the gift of your day. Give her your attention for the day. Perhaps even have a meaningful talk about something important going on in your life. Moms love that kind of stuff. Let her choose what the family will do on Mother’s Day. In a world where we never seem to have enough time for each other anymore, let her have you all to herself that day. Who knows, you might even enjoy having that special time with her.

Here’s the easy breakfast recipe I promised.

Poppy Seed Bread

1 package yellow cake mix

1 package instant coconut cream pudding

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup poppy seed

Put all of the above ingredients in a large bowl. Mix all of the ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed for 4 minutes. Pour the mixture evenly into two bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.) Allow the bread to cool for about 30 minutes (it should be just slightly warm to the touch) and then carefully take a table knife and run it around the edge of the pan. Using the table knife or your fingers, gently loosen the bread from the bottom of the pan. Turn the pan upside down over a plate. The bread should slide out. If it doesn’t, gently tap the bottom of the pan to loosen it. Turn the bread right side up, slice it up and you are ready to serve it to mom.

Happy Baking and Happy Mother’s Day!

Jill Seader shares her favorite breakfast recipes and other baking recipes along with her stories at http://www.YourBakingStory.com. She also invites you to share your own baking recipes and stories. Happy Baking!

Article Source: Lady Pens

Great Recipes For Your Cinco de Mayo Party--

Cheddar ChipotleDip, Mole Poblano, Golden Margarita

Author: Sandee Lembke

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the state of Puebla. It has major significance in that part of the country because it commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 6, 1862.

There is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day when in fact September 16th is the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico. In the early hours of September 16, 1810, father Hidalgo, accompanied by several conspirators (Iganacio Allende, Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez to name a few), rang the bell at his church calling on everyone to fight for liberty. This was the beginning of the Mexican Independence War, which lasted 10 years.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has taken on meaning beyond that in Puebla, Mexico. Regardless of their own ethnic descent, Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest (among other holidays) to honor those of Irish and German descent. Similiarly, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated to honor the culture and experience of those of Mexican descent.

Especially in cities with large populations of those of Mexican ancestry, such as Los Angeles, San Fransico and San Antonio, Cinco de Mayo is grandly celebrated. This is the perfect occasion for planning a home theme party so I thought I would help you get started by sharing a few of my favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes.

Appetizer--Warm Chipotle Cheddar Dip

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-8 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained (3/4 cup)
1-4 oz. can chopped green chili peppers, drained
2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
Vegetables, crackers or chips

I found this dip when I was on a low carb diet and was looking for a party appetizer that would work well with vegetables. Something with a robust flavor that would perk up the veggies. Well this one definitely fit the bill. This appetizer has become a favorite among my friends. It's served multiple times throughout the year at various parties that I either host or attend.

You can make it as smokey and spicy as you want by adjusting the amount of chipotle peppers (smoked jalepenos) but watch out. You can easily go from mildly spicy to blow-your-face-off hot by adding too much!

Steps to Make Cheddar Chipotle Dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together cheeses, mayonnaise, corn, green chili peppers, chipotle chili peppers and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Spread mixture into a 1 quart, covered dish.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Top with tomato, green onion and cilantro. I like to make a pattern out of the toppings so I put the tomatoes all in the middle, make a ring around them with the green onion then sprinkle the cilantro over all. Serve with vegetables, like red, green and yellow peppers. Tostido and Frito Scoops work well too.


Main Course--Chicken with Chocolate Sauce (Mole Poblano)

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 slices canned pimento, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder (or to taste)
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Grated rind of 1 orange
2 squares bitter chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup light rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a casserole, heat oil and cook garlic for a few minutes to flavor the oil. Add chicken just to brown (it will finish cooking in the oven) and then remove it from the pan. In the remaining fat, cook onion, green pepper, pimento and tomato over gentle heat for 10 minutes. Add chili powder, blending well. Add broth, almonds, raisins, seasonings and rind. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes then add the chocolate and stir until melted. Add chicken back in and spoon sauce on top. Cover and bake for 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Warm rum, ignite it and pour over contents of casserole. Allow to stand for a few minutes until flame is extinguished and then serve on a large platter. Serves 6.


Cocktail--Golden Margarita, Vero Beach Style

1-1/2 oz. Gold Tequila
1/2 oz. lime juice
3 oz sour mix
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier (can use Cointreau or Triple Sec)
Dash of orange juice
Lime wedge for garnish
Salt for rimming glass (optional)

Several years ago, my husband and I were sitting at a cute little beachfront bar in Vero Beach, Florida. The bartender asked us for our order and I wanted to try something new. He told us that he makes a "mean margarita." I told him that my experience with margaritas up to that point was not very good. Every time I tried one, they were either so tart that my face would pucker up or the sour mix was so acidy that it burned going down. He claimed that his "Golden Margarita" would be different. He was right and I have loved them ever since.

To make a Golden Margarita, Vero Beach style:

Dip the rim of a margarita glass in water then salt. In a shaker, combine tequila, lime juice and sour mix with ice cubes. Shake well. Pour contents, with ice, into the glass. Gently pour the Grand Marnier and then the orange juice on top of the tequila mixture. Garnish with the lime wedge.

When you take a sip of this drink, first you get the sweet taste of the orange liqueur and juice then you get the tartness of the lime and sour mix. The combination makes a perfectly smooth
Margarita.

Now that you know the meaning of Cinco de Mayo and have a bunch of great party recipes, start planning your party now. May 5th will be here before you know it.

About the author: Sandee Lembke from Theme Party Queen.com (http://www.theme-party-queen.com/ ) invites you to visit her site for more great theme party ideas and recipes.

April Fool's Day Treats – You Are Serving WHAT For Dinner?

By Susanne Myers

April Fool’s Day is the perfect day to have fun with the meals you serve. Surprise your family on April 1st with these fun meal ideas.

Fake Hot Dogs And French Fries

Your kids will love fake hot dogs and French fries for lunch this April fools day. Peel a banana and spread peanut butter all over it to give it the appearance of a hot dog. Serve it in a hot dog bun with some strawberry preserve drizzled over the hotdog to make it look like ketchup.

For the fries, peel some apples and cut them into sticks resembling fresh fries. Roll them in a cinnamon and sugar mixture and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 400 F oven. Serve with a side of strawberry preserve as fake ketchup. What a fun lunch.

Fool everyone in the family with these fun dinner and desert ideas. They won’t believe you are actually serving cake for dinner and spaghetti for dessert.

Cherry Cake Or Meatloaf?

Your Family will be in for a big surprise with this meatloaf cake. Prepare your favorite meatloaf and bake it in two 9-inch cake pans. Reduce the cooking time from what you would usually cook it since the meatloaf cake is thinner.

While the meatloaf cakes are baking, prepare some creamy mashed potatoes. Spread a layer of mashed potatoes on one of the cakes and top it with the second one. Use the remaining mashed potatoes to “frost” your cake. Cut a few cherry tomatoes in half and use them to decorate the top.

Serve Spaghetti As Desert

Since your serving cake for dinner, it only makes sense to eat spaghetti for dessert.

Put a slice of pound cake on a plate. Spoon some softened ice cream in a pastry bag with a thin round tip. Pipe the ice cream over the pound cake in a swirly motion to resemble spaghetti noodles. Freeze for about 15-20 minutes to allow the ice cream to harden back up. Top with strawberry jam as tomato sauce and a few coconut flakes to resemble Parmesan cheese.

Don’t Forget The Drinks

Meals like these deserve a fun twist on a beverage as well. Prepare some lemon Jello and pour it into glasses. Add a straw and let it set. It will look just like a glass of lemonade. You can even decorate the glass with a slice of lemon.

Have fun with these creative April Fool’s recipes this April 1st. They are sure to make your family smile. Enjoy!

Want more family friendly recipes and crafts ideas? Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info for a sample weekly menu plan your entire family will love and http://www.kinderinfo.com/ for tons of kids craft and activity ideas that are sure to keep your little ones entertained.

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Easter Dessert Ideas and Recipes

Easter reminds me of pastel colors and flowers all around. The sun in the Spring brings a feeling of light to everything around. Let the dessert that you serve be the same way. The perfect dessert should leave you feeling satisfied without weighing you down. The following recipes are favorites of mine. Serve them as the ending to a perfect Easter dinner.

Chocolate Brownie Trifle

One bag prepared brownie mix (family size)
One bag toffee pieces
Two containers of Cool Whip® topping
One large box of Jell-O® instant chocolate pudding
Three cups cold skim milk
Strawberries (optional)

1. Prepare the brownies as directed on the box. Bake them at 350 degrees for the time specified.
2. In the meantime, prepare the instant pudding using the cold skim milk. Refrigerate.
3. Wait for the brownies to completely cool before cutting into squares.
4. If you do not own a trifle bowl use a large square three or four quart plastic container.
5. Assemble the trifle: layer brownies on the bottom, followed by the whipped topping, then the chocolate pudding, and the toffee pieces. Continue layering until all of the ingredients are gone. Leave enough whipped topping to cover the top of the dessert.
6. Add sliced strawberries or other fruit to decorate the top of the dessert. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Easter Sugar Cookies

One or two packages Pillsbury® sugar cookie dough
Cake icing in pink, white, and yellow
Easter cookie cutter shapes (eggs, chicks, bunnies, flowers)
Assorted candy sprinkles
One cup of all-purpose flour

1. Let the dough come to room temperature. Flour a cutting board and roll out the dough to a quarter of an inch in thickness, one package at a time.
2. Take the cookie cutter shapes and cut out the cookies.
3. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for seven to ten minutes at 350 degrees (or following the directions on the dough).
4. Allow the cookies to cool before using icing.
5. Decorate the cookies with icing and the candy sprinkles.

The children can help to make the Easter desserts. Let them arrange the cookies on a serving platter and present them to the family members after dinner. Also, serve coffee with the chocolate brownie trifle to cut the sweetness. Both of these desserts are light, but satisfying.

St. Patrick's Day Brings Out the Irish Cooking

There is something about St. Patrick's Day that brings out the Irish cook in all of us. At least it seems to have this effect on the women in my family. If you are not of Irish decent it may not have quite this profound effect upon you. If you are, then I'm quite certain you will understand what I mean by this. There's something about revisiting traditions that may have been lost in the fog of coming to a new world and adopting a new way of life that is lifted on this one day of the year. As a result old favorite recipes handed down from mother to daughter over the centuries come out and grand meals are prepared.

If your mother wasn't of Irish decent and you do not have a stockpile of wonderful Irish recipes in your inventory there are a few great websites on the Internet that offer excellent recipes that have already been converted to standard American measurements that will have Irish eyes and any eyes that think they might wish to be Irish smiling once again.

Corned beef and cabbage is a favorite. In our house we add great things like potatoes and carrots to the recipe. This is a great meal because it can be put in the crock pot before the work of the day begins and with very little effort is simply waiting on you to be ready for dinner time. No real effort is necessary in creating an outstanding feast that many will think you've had to miss a parade or two in order to prepare.

Irish stew is another great dish to put on your St. Patrick's Day table. There are also slow cooker or crock pot recipes available for this family favorite if you take the time to search them out. This is a stick to your ribs kind of meal that is very popular in cooler climates for the St. Patrick's Day festivities. This makes a great lunch or dinner for this great day and goes quite well with Irish Soda Bread.

Shepherd's pie is another hale and hearty meal that is a wonderful addition to the St. Patrick's Day festivities. This dish is a favorite among those who have tried it and might just become a staple recipe in your kitchen if you haven't managed to prepare it before. There are many recipes online though I recommend going the path of least resistance and finding the simplest recipe possible.

No Irish meal is really complete without potatoes of some kind on the table. Keep this in mind no matter which meal you cook. There must be potatoes in order to complete the meal or it simply cannot be authentically Irish. This may be a slight exaggeration but you should take a moment to make sure that there are potatoes for this particular event because it's just a very Irish
thing to do.

Of course Irish coffee and green beer are quite often the drink choices for St. Patties day celebrations and they are never a bad choice, provided someone not drinking those drinks is doing the driving. If alcohol isn't your beverage of choice it is definitely not a requirement. However, if you are feeling particularly in line with the green theme of St. Patrick's Day you could make a green milk shake, a green smoothie, green powdered drink mix, or any other green drink that comes to mind. The drinks and even the colors aren't really all that important in the end. It is all in good fun at this point even if it isn't Irish in nature. There are some days when it just pays to be green despite the fact that Kermit still claims, "it ain't easy being green."

"Shamrock" Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter or margarine -- softened
1 tsp vanilla, almond extract or lemon extract
1 egg
Green sugar sprinkles

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375º.

Beat half of the dry cake mix with the shortening, butter, vanilla and egg in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon. Mix in the remaining cake mix.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each part 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with a Shamrock shaped cookie cutter; sprinkle with sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool.