Halloween parties are a great excuse to be creative and make some scary but tasty treats.  There will be plenty of candy floating around; so you can balance things a bit with some healthy snacks.

Kids young and old get a kick out of eating Eyeballs.  Slice some cherry tomatoes, followed by a dollop of cream cheese and top with a sliced black olive for a delicious one eyed snack!

How about making Brain Dip?

Mix:
3 cups low-fat yogurt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup peach jam
1 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. to 1 tbsp. mild curry powder
1/2 tsp. white pepper

Serve with raw vegetables or crackers.

Of course you’ll need some Bug Juice to wash down your ghoulish munchies.

Mix:
2 10-oz. pkgs. frozen strawberries, defrosted
1 6-oz. can lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 quart ginger ale
2 cups raisins
6 gummy worms

1. Mix the strawberries and lemonade concentrate in a blender until smooth and thick.

2. Gradually add ginger ale.

3. Transfer the beverage to a punch bowl. Stir in any remaining ginger ale and the raisins. Place the gummy worms on the rim of the bowl for a swampy effect. Makes 10 creepy servings.

Some may like the gummy worms, but how many will ask for more Worms on a Bun?

You’ll need:  Hot dogs, Hamburger buns and some Ketchup.
Cut the hot dogs into thin slices and score the edges (about three cuts per slice).  Boil or microwave until the slices curl like wiggly worms. Serve three or four worms to a bun. For an extra-icky touch, add a few squiggles of ketchup.  Ewwww!

If that’s not gory enough for you then make some Creepy Witches’ Fingers.  This recipe for these creepy cookies makes approximately 60 fingers!

1 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp Almond extract
1 tsp Vanilla
2 2/3 cups wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup almonds, whole blanched
1 Tube red decorator gel

Cream together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla. Mix in sifted flour, baking soda, and salt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remainder refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie. Press almond firmly into 1 end for nail. Squeeze in the center of the finger to create knuckle shape; you can also puff it out rather than squeeze it in for the knuckle effect. Using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle.  Use your own hand as a guide.

Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325* oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up almond; squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place, so gel oozes out from underneath. You can also make slashes in the finger and fill them with “blood.”  Now that’s gross!

For kids Halloween Parties it seems the more disgusting the better! Use your imagination and have fun with these kids Halloween recipes.

For more recipes your kids are sure to enjoy, try www.dinewithoutwhine.com/services – family friendly weekly meal planning that even picky eaters love.

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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 – rib eye is one of our favorites – but whatever you prefer

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 www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info for  weekly menu plans your entire family will love and www.kinderinfo.com for tons of craft and activity ideas that are sure to keep your little ones entertained.

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Menu Planning Services are an extremely convenient and effective way to help mom plan the family dinner each evening of the week. But planning what to cook for each dinner is just the beginning. Such services generally also include easy to follow grocery lists that show all the ingredients for the meals of the week, so mom can easily shop one time and pick up all the ingredients she needs to prepare each week’s meals. No more running to the store each day after work and wasting precious time that should be spent with you.

Menu Planning is also especially helpful for those that are on a budget or who would like to save more. You can save hundreds of dollars each month by not taking the family out to eat, and instead providing a tasty and nutritious meal right at home.

With a menu planning service you generally get recipes for each night along with side dishes and desserts that can be cooked any time. Additionally, you also get a tailored shopping list for each week of food that goes along with your meals. No more scouring all the recipes for the ingredients you need. It’s already done for you. Plus, you will receive lots of extras each month that can help you save on your grocery bill and ensure your family is eating delicious and nutritious meals. Something mom is sure to love!

If you are searching for the perfect Mother’s Day gift, give her the enjoyment of Meal Planning.
———-
To Give Mom a Menu Planning Gift this Mother’s Day visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com

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Maple Syrup Ham and Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
One of the most requested types of food to eat at Easter is ham and you can sweeten up the flavor of it by adding some tasty maple syrup. While your store bought maple syrup should work, try to purchase maple syrup that is 100% pure and not made with corn syrup. Adding pure maple syrup will add a sweet, delicious taste that your friends and loved ones will love.

You can quickly accompany your maple syrup ham with some yummy sweet potatoes smothered in miniature marshmallows. Sweet potatoes will be your maple syrup ham’s best friend. For an extra treat, add miniature marshmallows and you will definitely get some smiles from children and adults alike.

Easter Bunny Cookies
Although chocolate bunnies are pivotal to Easter, cookies can also be a fun treat. Just like Christmas cookies are fun to bake and yummy to eat, so are Easter Bunny cookies. Most food stores, discount stores, and craft retailers sell Easter Bunny cookie cutters to make your favorite chocolate chip or sugar cookie into some fantastic Easter Bunny shapes.

Easter Egg Cup Cakes
Easter Egg cup cakes are a fun way to add excitement to the holidays for your children. Easter Egg Cupcakes are an easy and fun way to bring color to any Easter dinner dessert. Instead of using cup cake holders, try to use small waffle cones to hold your cup cake mixture. Once baked, add coloring, sprinkles, candy, etc. to your creation.

Easter Bunny Carrot Cake
Easter Bunny carrot cake is an awesome way to add color and fun for the whole family. What goes better with bunny rabbits than carrots and a yummy carrot cake goes with an Easter dinner. You can simply buy a carrot cake and decorate the top by hand. Many people create their own frosting adding food coloring to color the carrot cake to look like an Easter egg.

Easter Cocktails
For those adults that prefer to top off their dinner with a delicious alcoholic libation, there are many fun cocktails that compliment the atmosphere of an Easter dinner. For example, certain liquors come in several colors such as grenadine for scarlet, blue Curacao for blue and mixing clear liquor with assorted fruit juices for multicolored Easter drinks. For those that like a cocktail without the alcohol, it’s easy to add color to your meal with a host of fresh fruit smoothies, just by adding fresh fruit with cream or milk. Many people even add a little yogurt to the mix.

If you are looking for a great way to enjoy your Easter this year, take a look at the above Easter recipes.

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning.  Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour!  For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com

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Easter eggs generally start with hard boiled eggs, so purchase one dozen or two for coloring. Gently lower them in boiling water for about 10 minutes. The eggs will cook and become hard boiled. Now just let them dry.

The most convenient way to color your Easter eggs is to acquire an Easter egg decorating kit. These kits generally include dyes to paint your Easter eggs several colors, templates or stickers to adorn and design them, and an Easter egg holder to easily allow them to dry. Most kits only cost a few dollars and are extremely practical.

You can also prepare your own colored dye. You can mix about 1 tbsp. of food coloring with a half tsp. of vinegar, then add about 1/2 cup to a third cup of water. Now just soak your Easter egg into the colored cup of water. The longer your egg sits in the water, usually the deeper and darker the color.

Moreover you can hand paint your Easter eggs. You can find many water color paints or other types of paints to design and decorate your eggs. Even undiluted food coloring usually works. It is important to note that you shouldn’t eat any eggs that you have used paint on.

Designing or decorating your egg is fun and easy as well. Once the eggs are hard boiled, you can secure stickers to the egg, use a brush to carefully coat a creative design, or glue construction paper cut outs to your egg. Some people even dress their Easter eggs up with doll or handmade clothing made from wool or other kinds of fabrics.

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning.  Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour!  For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com

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Decorated Easter Cookies Come in Many Shapes and Sizes
Decorated Easter cookies can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and if you can conceptualize it you can surely create it. For most people Easter is affiliated with bunnies, rabbits, chicks, lambs and Easter eggs. For the most part you can usually find all these shapes and more in the form of cookie cutters.

Cookie cutters are almost always easy to pick up at numerous discount shops, grocery stores, and craft shops. Or you can usually make them yourself- you just need some pliable metal and an idea. If you do not have a cookie cutter, no big deal. In fact many people that are artistically gifted choose to cut their own shapes out of cookie dough themselves, without the use of any cookie cutter.

Decorated Easter Cookies Start Out with Scrumptious Cookie Dough
The most important thing about the embellished Easter cookies that you prepare is that must taste just as great as they look. No one likes a nasty tasting cookie. For many chefs, a tasty cookie begins with delicious cookie dough. Yes, you can purchase the dough already pre-made and ready to cut, but for the purists out there, start with a family recipe that is either chocolate chip or of the sugar cookie nature.

Decorate Your Cookie Using the Tools of the Trade
It’s easy to adorn your Easter cookies, just make sure you have all the tools of the trade. They usually involve, food coloring, colored frosting, sprinkles, delicious candies such as licorice, M& M’s, nuts, marshmallows, etc. Once you have gotten the cookie shape, let yourself or your kids use their creative magic to make wonderfully decorated Easter cookies. You can find food coloring and many cool decorating accessories at your local grocery store. You can even purchase ready-made Easter embellishments to add to your cookies, cakes or Easter eggs.

Presentation is Key
Once your decorated Easter cookies are complete, make sure to show them off to the rest of the family and even give them away to your colleagues and friends. Savor the Easter spirit by showing off your tasty and creative embellished Easter cookies.

One creative tip is to take some photos of your adorned Easter cookies and include them in your yearly Easter scrapbook, this way you can regularly look back at the savory and beautifully adorned Easter cookies that you have created.

You can also write the cookie recipe on a pretty note card and include a photo of your Easter cookies to give to family and coworkers. Many people cherish handmade gifts, especially when it’s a treasured family recipe.

If you are looking to maximize your gratification of Easter this year, take part in making decorated Easter cookies.

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning.  Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour!  For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com

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Bubbles
What child doesn’t love to blow bubbles? Grab a couple of bottles of bubbles for this year’s Easter basket. The kids will have a blast with them and with a little luck it will be warm enough outside to keep them busy and running around chasing bubbles for quite some time.

Sidewalk Chalk
Another fun treat is sidewalk chalk. This is the perfect time to draw on the sidewalk with the weather warming up. Plus we get enough rain in the spring that your driveway or sidewalk won’t be decorated for too long.

Homemade Playdough
Make some playdough using your favorite homemade playdough recipe (we have one at kinderinfo.com). Get a couple of small playdough toys to go along with it and let the fun begin.

Toys from the Dollar Store
You can also pick up some very inexpensive toys at the dollar store. I have found anything from Easter themed coloring books to kites in there. This is also a great place to shop for the Easter baskets themselves, as well as some plastic Easter eggs that are great for hiding small trinkets and treats.

Of course every child should have some special treats in the Easter basket as well. Along with the obligatory chocolate bunny, include some healthier treats.

Chocolate and Yogurt Covered Raisins
Both chocolate and yogurt covered raisins look like little mini Easter eggs and are a yummy treat. Fill a small cellophane bag with these sweet treats and tie a pretty bow around it.

Trailmix with Jellybeans
Mix some low sugar cereal like Chex, or Cherios with some small pretzels, peanuts, raisins, and some jellybeans for an Easter inspired Trail Mix. You don’t have to feel bad about your kids filling up on this. Pour your trail mix in a small bag, or fill some large plastic Easter eggs with the mix.

To enjoy weekly healthy menu plans delivered to your inbox every week visit www.healthymenumailer.com.  For family friendly weekly meal planning visit www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info

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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.  Place 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 Jell-o 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  www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info for a sample weekly menu plan your entire family will love and  www.kinderinfo.com for tons of kids craft and activity ideas that are sure to keep your little ones entertained.

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Heart Shaped Cookies
Make you favorite roll-out sugar cookie recipe. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut them. Bake, frost and decorate to your heart’s content. You can sprinkle them with red or pink crystallized sugar before you bake them, or frost and sprinkle with some tiny candied hearts or pink sprinkles after they are baked. Use icing in a tube to write a message or draw a picture on the cookie.

Cookie Lollipop
Heart Shaped cookie lollipops are always a big hit. Start with basic sugar cookie dough. Roll it out to about 1/8th inch thickness (place the dough between two sheets of wax paper to keep the dough from sticking). Use a heart shaped cookie cutter and cut an equal amount of hearts. Place half a bamboo skewer, a lollipop stick (found at craft stores) or a Popsicle stick on the bottom half of the hearts. Place the remaining hearts on top and press them firmly together. Bake according to your recipe instructions and decorate as desired.

Tip – soak the skewers or Popsicle sticks in water before placing them on the cookies to keep them from getting burnt.

Valentine’s Rice Krispies Treats
Make Rice Krispies Treats and while the mixture is still warm use a large heart shaped cookie cutter to cut them out. If you can’t find a cookie cutter of the right size, draw a heart on cardboard and use it as a template. Just lay it on the sheet of Rice Krispies Treats and trace around it with a knife. For even more Valentine fun add a few drops of red food coloring to the marshmallow mixture for a pink version of the sticky treat.

Cookie Dough Jar
Place the dry ingredients of your favorite cookie recipe in a pretty jar. Write the recipe for the cookie on a heart shaped piece of paper or a valentine’s note card. Tie it with a pretty bow around the jar. Make the glass jar even more special by drawing little red hearts on it with a permanent marker.  These are so cute and easy!

Bouquet of Cookies
Bake up some of your favorite cookies. Get a pretty basket and line it with a red or pink cloth napkin. Arrange the homemade cookies in the basket. If you’d like, you can also add some heart shaped cookie cutters, Valentine’s Day themed sprinkles, or some hot chocolate mix.   Another option would be to use a piece of floral foam and arrange some decorated Cookie Lollipops within the basket and fill the bottom with Hershey’s Kisses or other Valentine Candy.

All of these cookie ideas for Valentine’s Day make wonderful gifts for a special someone that has a personal touch. They are sure to be appreciated, after all, who doesn’t like cookies?

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning.  Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour!  For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info

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Valentine’s Day Cookies
Make a batch of Sugar cookies or pick up some refrigerated dough at the grocery store. Cut them out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter and bake. Frost with a glaze of powdered sugar, water and a little red food coloring, or make it really simple and buy a container of pre-made frosting. Use some frosting pens to write messages or draw on the cookies.  Add a few sprinkles and you’re set! Don’t forget to invite your kids to get involved in decorating any cookies they are taking to school.  They will have a great time preparing these special treats.

Valentine’s Cup Cakes
Purchase a box of devil’s food cake mix (or your favorite flavor) and prepare according to package directions. Line muffin tins with paper liners and pour enough batter in each to fill to about 1/3 full. Top with 1 tbsp of fruit preserves (strawberry works great) then add more batter until the muffin tins are approximately ¾ filled.  Bake according to cake mix directions. When they are cool, dust them with powdered sugar, or frost them and sprinkle with red-hot candy hearts.

Valentine’s Day Cake
Bake any flavor cake in a heart shaped cake form. Let cook and cut in half horizontally.  Mix a few drops of red food coloring into a container of whipped topping, and spread some on the bottom layer of the cake. Add the top layer and frost the entire outside of the cake. Top with fresh berries.

Chocolate Lollipops
Get some heart-shaped lollipop molds. Melt milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate (quality chocolate chips work great). Pour the melted chocolate in the mold and add a lollipop stick. Let cool until hardened. Wrap in cellophane and tie with a little bow.

Use leftover chocolate and plastic spoons to create fancy coffee stirrers. Simply dip the plastic spoons in the melted chocolate. Let cool and repeat until you reach the desired thickness,

Both of these can be decorated by drizzling different types of melted chocolate over the finished product.

Have fun this year creating some wonderful Valentine’s Day treats.  I’m sure you will come up with a delicious treat that will be a big hit in the office or the classroom.

Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – The Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning.  Eliminate Your Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour!  For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info

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