Tuesday, October 30, 2012

National Pizza Month and Halloween

 Did you know that it is National Pizza Month?  Check out these great pizza recipes, which also help to celebrate Halloween!  What ways are you celebrating National Pizza Month?



One of my favorite pizza tricks is to use Hormel Foods Italian Sausage Crumbles. They make adding sausage to pizza a breeze and we enjoy the additional flavor they add to our scrambled eggs in the morning as well.

Hormel Foods Pizza ToppingsWith 

Halloween right around the corner and all this talk of pizza, I was in the mood to find some fun Halloween pizza recipes that we could make over the next few days. I thought these two were cute and would be a big hit with the kids.

Halloween Night Pirate Ship Pizza

Halloween Pizza

Spooktackular Monster Muffins

Halloween Pizzas

For more information see Halloween Pizza.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is one of the best holidays of the year for kids.  Dressing up as their favorite character and receiving tons of candy is something every kid dreams of.  While your children are enjoying this holiday, make sure to keep things safe and secure so everyone can have a good time.  Here are some Halloween safety tips for your family.

 Carve safely

Are your children begging to carve pumpkins? Make Halloween safety a family affair.
  • Decorate with markers or paint. Let young children draw faces on pumpkins with washable markers or child-friendly paint. Leave any carving to an adult.
  • Use candles with care. Place candlelit pumpkins on a sturdy surface away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave candlelit pumpkins unattended. Better yet, light pumpkins with flashlights or battery-operated flameless candles instead.

Get clever with costumes

From furry animals to princesses and superheroes, choosing costumes wisely is an important part of Halloween safety.
  • The brighter the better. Whether you buy a costume or make one yourself, choose bright colors and flame-retardant materials. If your child will be trick-or-treating outdoors after dark, attach reflective tape to his or her costume.
  • Size it right. In case it's chilly outdoors, make sure your child's costume is loose enough for warm clothing to be worn underneath — but not long enough to cause tripping. Avoid oversized shoes and high heels.
  • Skip the masks. A mask can obstruct your child's vision, especially if it slips out of place. Use kid-friendly makeup instead.
  • Limit accessories. Pointed props — such as wands, swords and knives — may pose safety hazards.
    Trick-or-treat with care
  • The promise of Halloween candy may leave stars in your child's eyes, but Halloween safety still rules.
  • Get in on the fun. Accompany trick-or-treaters younger than age 12. Pin a piece of paper with your child's name, address and phone number inside your child's pocket in case you get separated. Encourage older kids to trick-or-treat with a group of friends, parents or older siblings. Make sure someone in the group carries a flashlight with fresh batteries.
  • Stay close to home. Don't allow your child to go door to door in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
  • Set ground rules. If your child will be trick-or-treating without you, establish a route and set a curfew. Review safety rules, including staying with the group, walking only on the sidewalk, approaching only clearly lit homes and never going inside a home. You may want to give your child a cell phone for the evening should he or she need to contact you.
  • Inspect the treats carefully. Don't let your child snack while he or she is trick-or-treating. Feed your child a healthy snack before heading out, and inspect the treats before allowing your child to dive in. Discard anything that's not sealed, has torn packaging or looks questionable. If you have young children, weed out gum, peanuts, hard candies and other choking hazards.
  • Ration the loot. If your child collects gobs of goodies, dole out a few pieces at a time and save the rest. You may even ask your child if he or she would like to swap some — or all — of the candy for something else, such as a special toy, book or outing. You might also suggest donating excess candy to a food shelf or other charity.
  • Plan a party. Consider planning a trick-or-treat party with a couple of neighbors instead of house-to-house door knocking. Decorate the garages, have a costume contest, and plan games and prizes.

Stay safe and sweet on the home front

If you'll be handing out treats, make sure you're ready for trick-or-treaters.
  • Clean up. Put away anything trick-or-treaters could trip over, such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations. Clear wet leaves, snow or other debris from the sidewalk.
  • Turn the lights on. Replace any burned-out bulbs to ensure good visibility at the walkway and front door.
  • Control your pets. Take no chances that your pet might be frightened and chase or bite a child at your door.
  • Consider sugar substitutes. Instead of handing out sugar-laden treats, try stickers, glittery pencils, rubber insects or colored chalk.
If you'll be driving on Halloween, watch for children who might pop out between parked cars. Be especially careful entering or leaving driveways and alleys. Extra caution can help ensure Halloween safety for everyone.

For more information see Mayo Clinic.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Asylum is One of the Best Haunted Houses in America

 Haunted Houses are the best parts of October for some people.  Vegas has one of the best haunted houses in America right on the strip.   Come down to the Fremont Street Experience and take a walk into "The Asylum".  This haunted houses keeps guests on their toes as they wind their way through the haunted attraction.

When it comes to scaring the living daylights out of people, Las Vegas' "The Asylum" is one of the best in the country, according to a Halloween decorations website.

Shindigz examined the top seven haunted houses in the United States for Halloween.

In describing The Asylum, Shindigz said the place "prides itself in transporting its visitors into an altered reality where they are literally a part of the scene."

"Twisting corridors and trick walls keep visitors on their toes as they make their way through," Shindigz described.

The website also said there were confirmed sightings of guests wetting their pants.

The Asylum joins other scary houses located in Houston, High Point, N.C., Atlanta, Baltimore, South Whitley, Ind., Cincinnati and Glen Mills, Pa., where the iconic Bates Motel from "Psycho" resides.

Where:  Fremont Street Experience
When:  Sundays and Thursdays in October 630pm-10pm
             Fridays and Saturdays in October  630pm-12am
             October 30th:  630pm-10pm
             October 31st: 630pm-12am

 

For more information on The Asylum, you can visit www.lasvegashaunts.com. and Fox 5.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Sunday was National Pierogie Day

Cheese, Bacon, and Potato are just some of the types of pierogies you can have.  Monday was national pierogie day.  They are Polish version of the a tortellini.  Make sure to check out this great how to pierogie recipe.


Homemade Pittsburgh Pierogies with Sour Cream
Whether you spell it pierogi, piroghi or pierogie, authentic homemade pierogies are a delicious treat and a Pittsburgh tradition. Here in Pittsburgh we eat more than 11 times the pierogies of any other city in the nation, according to a recent survey, with pierogi fillings ranging from standard potato and cheese to sweet prune. A popular Pittsburgh business, Pierogies Plus, ships pierogies as far away as Alaska and Hawaii. The Pittsburgh Pirates even hold a pierogi race during the bottom of the 5th inning at every Pirates home game.
Sour cream in the dough is a favorite secret of many Pittsburgh pierogi makers.

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, plus extra to serve with the pierogi
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into small pieces
  • butter and onions for sauteing
  • ingredients for filling of your choice (potato & cheese filling recipe below)

Preparation:

Pierogi Dough
 
To prepare the pierogi dough, mix together the flour and salt. Beat the egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Add the 1/2 cup sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes). You can use a food processor with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Each batch of dough makes about 12-15 pierogies, depending on size.
Prepare the Pierogies
 

Roll the pierogi dough on a floured board or countertop until 1/8" thick. Cut circles of dough (2" for small pierogies and 3-3 1/2" for large pierogies) with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place a small ball of filling (about a tablespoon) on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle. Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.

Boil the perogies a few at a time in a large pot of water. They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes). Rinse in cool water and let dry.

Saute chopped onions in butter in a large pan until onions are soft. Then add pierogies and pan fry until lightly crispy. Serve with a side of sour cream for a true Pittsburgh pierogi meal.

Homemade Pierogi Tips:
  1. If you are having a hard time getting the edges to stick together, you may have too much flour in the dough. Add a little water to help get a good seal.
  2. If you don't want to cook all of the pierogies right away, you can refrigerate them (uncooked) for several days or freeze them for up to several months.
  3. You can fill pierogies with pretty much anything you want, though potato and cheese is the most common (recipe below). Sweet pierogies are often filled with a prune mixture.
Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling: 

Peel and boil 5 large potatoes until soft. Red potatoes are especially good for this. While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop 1 large onion and saute in butter until soft and translucent. Mash the potatoes with the sauted onions and 4-8oz of grated cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you want your pierogies), adding salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some fresh parsley, bacon bits, chives, or other enhancements if you desire. Let the potato mixture cool and then form into 1" balls.

For more information see About.com

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

DIY Folding Chairs

If you have a lot of company over, it can be hard to accommodate everyone for seating.  Here is a great do it yourself tip to take a plain folding chair and turn it into a great furniture piece.  Keep reading to find out how to have enough chairs for everyone without breaking the bank.




MATERIALS //  folding chair, screwdriver, drop cloth, spray paint (2 cans per chair), fabric (20″ x 20″ piece per chair), scissors, staple gun and staples

STEPS  // 01 REMOVE EXISTING CUSHION  Using screwdriver, remove existing cushion from chair frame and set aside.

02 PAINT CHAIR //  In well-ventilated area, place chair on drop cloth and wipe down with damp towel. Using slow side-to-side movements, apply two thin coats of spray paint (refer to paint can instructions for drying time between coats). Let chair dry overnight. Tip: If chair is dark color or smooth finish, apply primer before painting with desired color.

03 RECOVER EXISTING CUSHION //  Lay out new fabric and place seat cushion face down. Trim fabric along edge of cushion (approximately 3″ from edge). Once cut, attach fabric using staple gun. Begin by stapling at the center of each side and then at the corners. Tip: If using a patterned fabric, be sure to align to your liking prior to stapling.

04 ASSEMBLE CHAIR //  Once chair is dry, assemble with new cushion and begin using!







For more information see MakeKind.
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