A Fireside Favorite

May 14th, 2012
by Wendy.
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Spring came on quick this year. All at once, the trees have blossomed, the lawn has grown lush and my husband has hauled out his favorite outdoor toy: the fire pit.

This man is serious about fires. Each is a work of art, crafted from the kindling up for maximum burn time, warmth and beauty. And there’s no commercial firewood allowed; I once suggested purchasing a cord and he stared at me in horror. “Why would I pay for wood with all these trees around?” he asked, gesturing expansively out the window at our mid-sized suburban yard.

So, whenever we lose a tree, he rolls the logs out back to split—by hand—with an axe. It can take weeks. He then painstakingly stacks the wood into piles, which he carefully rotates for years to ensure optimal seasoning. I’m pretty sure nobody has gotten this excited about building a fire since the cavemen. (more…)

Posted in: Cookies and bars, Desserts, Family, Recipes.
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Making Mom’s Day Special

May 7th, 2012
by Wendy.
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My brood has given me some pretty memorable Mother’s Day gifts over the years. I’ve been lavished with breakfasts in bed, flowers, jewelry and (most treasured of all) the drawings, poems and handprint crafts that make my heart swell to this day.

But the kids are growing up and, though it pains me to admit it, their finger paint days are behind them. So this year, they and their dad have planned something super special just for me.

My guys know that one of my absolute favorite pastimes is watching movies. Before the kids came along, my husband and I went at least once a week.  Motherhood has severely curbed my movie habit.  For more than a decade I’ve mostly been relegated to (heavily interrupted) DVD viewings in the family room. (more…)

Posted in: Family, Mother's Day, Movies, Recipes, Snacks, Special Events.
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It’s Time for a Spring Fling!

May 4th, 2012
by Wendy.
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The sleepy lull of the winter solstice has finally come to an end. Whisk away the cobwebs, pack away the parka and haul out the patio furniture–spring is underway and not a moment too soon! Everywhere you turn, the earth is teeming with life. It is an unabashed season of rebirth; an awakening of the dormant spirit that calls for celebration. Now is the perfect time to welcome the outside  world back into your home. Plan an afternoon tea with friends and neighbors who’ve been in hibernation these past few months. An afternoon tea gives you the perfect excuse to 1) get your spring cleaning done 2) use your seldom seen china and silver and 3) pretend you’re a British royal and wear a fashionable hat.

Of course, Americans have favored coffee over tea since 1773, so you’ll want to have both available. Additionally, offer guests finger sandwiches and sweets. The following recipe tops a shortbread-type base with the sweet goodness of strawberry preserves, popcorn for an added whole grain bonus and drizzled chocolate for an elegant touch. (more…)

Posted in: Desserts, Recipes, Snacks, Spring.
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Make Mom Queen for a Day

May 1st, 2012
by Wendy.
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Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the one person who affects us more profoundly than any other. Mothers, or those who take on the responsibility of “mother” during our formative years, shape much of who we are good, bad, or otherwise. From infancy through adulthood, the role a mother plays is multifaceted and ever changing. It is seldom predictable and often challenging. It requires strength and selflessness. It requires love.

For the endless list of things she does, has done and will do, take the time to tell her how much you appreciate her. Treat her like a queen for the day, in honor of her ability to withstand the royal pain you’ve been on occasion. Small tokens and gestures will mean a lot, but, by all means, splurge on a trip to the islands if you’re feeling really generous.  (more…)

Posted in: Family, Holidays, Mother's Day, Recipes.
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Sleepover Snacking

Apr 24th, 2012
by Wendy.
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by Nicole

I don’t know who coined the term “sleepover,” but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a parent.

Ask anybody with elementary and middle school offspring, and they’ll tell you that sleeping is probably the last thing going on at these shindigs. Just last month, my thirteen-year-old had his buddy here overnight; the next day my poor kid fell asleep at his sister’s basketball game. In the bleachers. Sitting up.

Suffice it to say, I’m not a huge fan. But my kids adore their sleepovers. And I know they serve an important purpose. In fact, I recently read an article in The Wall Street Journal praising sleepovers, claiming these overnights give today’s overscheduled kids much-needed downtime to simply hang out with friends. Sleepovers also cement relationships and foster creativity. Yes, my kids play video games, but I’ve also seen them use sleepovers to break out the blocks and board games, and build monster furniture forts—all things they don’t have time to do in our daily shuttle to school, sports and activities. Best of all, sleepovers give moms and dads the chance to meet—and get to know—our children’s friends. (more…)

Posted in: entertaining, Kids, Recipes, Snacks, Special Events.
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And . . . They’re Off

Apr 16th, 2012
by Wendy.
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By Nicole

After three years, two months and 12 days, my eldest is—finally—out of braces. He’s done his time…expander, headgear, top and bottom braces and two rounds of elastics, but his teeth are now absolutely perfect! And it was all worth it. The poor kid inherited every last one of my orthodontic problems, so what could I do? I hauled him to the endless appointments (I lost count at 25) and forked over enough cash to pay for a grand tour of Europe. (Bon voyage, Doc!)

I also nagged him, month in and month out, to brush and floss. Happily for him, he also inherited my strong enamel, and skated through without a single cavity.

As any mom of a kid in braces will tell you, we wage constant war on sticky foods.  As I’ve said before this guy is already a picky eater, so his choices were pretty limited.  Lucky for both of us, he never had to give up one of his favorite snacks: popcorn. Over the years, he’s happily munched it by the bowl…sometimes seasoned with his favorite romano cheese, other times tossed in butter or just straight up plain and yummy. It’s been one of his favorite go-tos that didn’t damage all the hardware or deposit sugar in those hard to reach places. Plus, popcorn is a whole grain food with fiber, which makes it a healthful snack choice for a growing kid. (more…)

Posted in: Caramel, Chocolate, Cookies and bars, Dental Health, Desserts, Family, Kids, Recipes.
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Baskets of Easter Joy

Apr 2nd, 2012
by Wendy.
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Growing up, we spent every Easter with our cousins. The night before, we kids would pile onto the floor of our grandparents’ bedroom and compare notes about what the Easter Bunny might bring. Unlike Santa, the Bunny didn’t require us to be good all year, so we drifted off to sleep happily confident he’d deliver unconditionally.

Come Easter morning, we’d race down the stairs and dive in to our baskets, which we found displayed like treasure on the dining room table. We had to get there before the grownups woke. This gave us time to sample the goods and make any necessary adjustments, such as swapping my black jelly beans for somebody else’s purples.
(more…)

Posted in: crafts, Holidays, Kids, Recipes, Special Events, Spring.
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Popcorn Madness!

Mar 27th, 2012
by Wendy.
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My brackets are busted.

A couple of upsets and I’ve now got zero shot at this year’s NCAA pool jackpot. But being out of the money isn’t so bad; I still get to watch the hoop dreams unfold with my friends, many of whose teams are still hanging in.

In a sports world defined by lockouts, salary caps, endorsement deals and trade deadlines, the NCAA basketball tourney is a breath of fresh air. Most of these kids aren’t going pro—they’re playing for the love of the game. They’re taking their best shots, and it’s a delight to see. Best of all, the tournament is a great excuse to shake off the dregs of winter and gather with friends to watch and wager.

My buddy Andy is the Grand Master of March Madness. For the past 20 years, he has scheduled his annual “TV Vacation” just in time for the Sweet Sixteen playoffs. He and his pals gather at his place for a day-long marathon of food, drink and basketball on the giant flat screen. Over the years I’ve seen people come early…come late…come with spouses, children, neighbors and even work colleagues in tow…but they all show up for this can’t-miss party. And everyone brings food, typically of the frat house variety.
(more…)

Posted in: entertaining, feeds a crowd, Nutrition, Recipes, Snacks, Special Events, sports.
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Satisfying the Senses with Popcorn

Mar 19th, 2012
by Wendy.
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My 12-year old is a picky eater. And I don’t mean won’t-eat-his-green-beans picky. I mean only-eat-ten-different-foods-drive-me-crazy picky. I’ve heard all the advice: offer everything…don’t give choices…he won’t let himself go hungry. So have…and I don’t…and he will, in fact, choose to go hungry. Sigh.

To be fair, he had some sensory issues as a preschooler and got turned off by strong tastes and textures. He is also, to his credit, trying more new foods as he gets older. Or at least attempting to try them.

But, as you can imagine, I’ve had my challenges. It’s hard to get healthy, unprocessed food into a child that doesn’t even like mashed potatoes (what kid won’t eat mashed potatoes?!). Happily, though, for him and me, there is one healthy food he’s taken to from the beginning: popcorn. He eats it by the bowl.
(more…)

Posted in: Kids, Nutrition, Recipes.
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Cooking Up Family Harmony with Popcorn

Mar 12th, 2012
by Wendy.
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By Nicole

My three kids couldn’t be more different. I’ve got two sons—a thirteen-year-old musician/writer and a ten-year-old sports nut/math whiz—and a seven-year-old daughter who loves hip-hop and art (this week anyway). Partner these diverse personalities with the usual sibling squabbles and it can get a little tough to find family-friendly activities that keep everyone engaged and happy.

Sure, we do Family Movie Night (if they can agree on a DVD) and Family Game Night (if the middle child swears not to embezzle the bank) but I’m always on the hunt for something different. As a mom, what I cherish most are the spontaneous times when we grab a few moments to build, make or do something together. And, because we spend most of our time in the kitchen (meals, homework, pets!) lately we’ve been trying our hands at cooking together.

I’ve got three basic criteria for cooking with my brood: whatever we make has to be simple, delicious and have some redeeming nutrient value. Lucky for me, these yummy Brown Sugar Lolli-Pops fit the bill perfectly. In just a few minutes, we can whip up a treat made with whole-grain popcorn—food I feel great about giving them.
(more…)

Posted in: cooking, Family, Kids, Nutrition, Recipes.
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