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Fun Ways to Rid Your Home of Halloween Candy

Sure, you can donate your leftover Halloween candy to hospitals, food pantries, churches and shelters. You could also send excess hard candy (chocolate melts in the desert) to troops based overseas. There are even some dentists and retailers who are buying kids’ Halloween loot. However, none of those ideas scream F-U-N to me the same way eating does. When I was young I refused to part with any of my sugar stash. After all, I schlepped for three hours collecting all that junk, and by gosh, I was going to devour every last calorie… unless it started with Laffy and … Continue reading →

Get Your Ghoul On

If you haven’t bought your child’s Halloween costume yet, good luck. This year’s selection of costumes is downright scary. Honestly, you are better off making a costume from household items than paying upwards of $50 for the gross getups I’ve seen at big name retailers. The money you save making your own costume can then be spent on hosting a rockin’ Halloween bash. Take it from me; you don’t need a ton of cash to throw a Monster Mash in your home. Just exercise some creativity with these budget-friendly ideas: GAMES Ghost Bingo: Make your own cards that spell out … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day School Treats: Make or Buy?

Valentine’s Day is like Halloween 2 around here. Spring Halloween. Parents with young children know what I’m referring to: Another round of running from store to store trying to find the perfect treat for your kid to pass out to his classmates… all of his classmates. Gone are the “Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown” days when the wishy-washy, round-headed kids got shunned by the popular students. These days you bring a card or treat for the entire class or don’t bother coming to school at all. My daughter’s first grade class consists of 21 kids—14 boys and 7 girls. Whereas … Continue reading →

Do Your Kids Help in the Kitchen?

My 6-year-old loves to lend a hand (and a mouth) in the kitchen. The cooking classes I enrolled her in paid off in a big way, as her culinary skills are quite advanced for someone her age. Still, she has a way to go before she can whip up a five-course meal for the entire family unassisted. What’s more, she is still learning the finer points of food safety. If your kids like to assist with meal preparation, don’t let the opportunity to teach them basic health and safety tips pass you by. For example, my first grader already knows … Continue reading →

Fun Ways for Kids to Cool Off

Nothing beats an ice-cold sweet treat on a sweltering hot summer day. However, instead of having your kids raid your wallet to buy overpriced frozen novelties from the Good Humor guy, invite them into the kitchen to make ice cream treats of their very own. MICE CREAM Ingredients: 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened 1 package (6-count) individual graham cracker tart shells 12 chocolate-covered mint cookies 18 brown M&Ms 2 teaspoons chocolate sprinkles 6 pieces black shoestring licorice (3 inches each) Directions: Place one round scoop ice cream in each crust. Insert two cookies (for the mouse’s ears) and a … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Chocolate Treats for Love Day

Valentine’s Day is almost here and if you haven’t been to the store to pick out that special something for your sweetie, you might want to reconsider. I just got back from the mall, and frankly, I wouldn’t go back if you paid me money. I say spare yourself the drama and headache of battling pre-Valentine’s Day crowds and head to the kitchen to whip up these simple, sweet homemade treats: CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE Ingredients: 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup strong freshly brewed coffee 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons water … Continue reading →

Cool Thanksgiving Pies

Growing up in a small town on the Big Island of Hawaii, Thanksgiving dessert consisted of traditional fruit pies and little more. Which is not to say that I don’t love fresh fruit pies, but when I moved to the “mainland” in the late 1980s to attend college I was introduced to a whole new Thanksgiving dessert option: Ice cream pie. To this day I make sure that at least one frozen (or refrigerated) pie is featured on our Thanksgiving buffet. Decadent chilled pies are much cheaper to make than to buy. What’s more, they offer guests a chocolaty option … Continue reading →

Add Spring Colors to Your Menu

I’m not much for matchy-matchy color schemes and menu planning. However, I’ve had a change of heart after trying a piece of heavenly Lemon Chiffon Cake last night. A friend of mine made the delectable dessert for her gourmet group and saved me a slice. It was beyond delicious. This cake is divine… delicately divine… with a lemon cream that melts in your mouth. Needless to say I had to have the recipe and now I plan to make it for my family’s Easter feast. Though it wasn’t planned, the cake’s yellow color and bright red raspberry garnish will only … Continue reading →

How to Make Your Own Milk Chocolate Masterpieces for Valentine’s Day

What did you ask your sweetie to get you this Valentine’s Day? Diamonds? A romantic dinner for two? A massage? Since requests aren’t always granted (depending on the particular sweetie involved), you might want to brace yourself for a bar (okay, a box) of chocolates and a pat on the back. If you are lucky, your honey will honor you with a slice of Emeril Lagasse’s Milk Chocolate Cheesecake. If you are really lucky, you won’t have to make it yourself. Either way, the recipe is provided below along with the directions for mouthwatering milk chocolate cookies sealed with a … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Christmas Feast

What are you serving for Christmas dinner? With such an auspicious occasion to celebrate you might consider giving Chef Boyardee a break for the night and instead whip up the following festive dishes for your family. It’s a fancy meal fit for a king, but you won’t have to spend all day in the kitchen preparing it. SHRIMP WITH HOMEMADE COCKTAIL SAUCE Ingredients: 32 to 40 medium to large cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails intact Cocktail sauce (recipe below) 1 fresh lemon, sliced Parsley sprigs for garnish Directions: Spoon cocktail sauce into martini glasses. Place 8 to 10 … Continue reading →