Category Archives: Holidays

Jan 1Happy New Year!

Our family couldn't have finished 2011 on a better note. Happy new year to you and your family. May it bring you delicious food, wonderful adventures, health and happiness. xoxoxoxo Michelle

May 4You Say Tomato and I Say….Tomatillo

With Cinco De Mayo right around the corner, I got the culinary urge to try something new in the kitchen with the kiddos. We have been visiting our local Mexican grocery store almost every week lately, and the last time we were there, I picked up a bag of tomatillos. No, I didn't spell tomatoes wrong. I meant to say tomatillos. You would pronounce that toe-mah-tee-ohs, in case you were wondering. They are also known as husk tomatoes, jamberries, husk cherries, Mexican tomatoes or ground...

Apr 22Virtual Picnic for the Planet: Happy Earth Day (...

Virtual Picnic for the Planet: Happy Earth Day (& Kale Chips)

Some people think about the Earth every day. But the rest of us need reminders every now and again. And that's where Earth Day comes in. It's like one of those Hallmark holidays like Valentine's day - something that is part of our culture and gets a lot of attention. But hey - that's okay. We should be thinking about how we impact this place we call home. To celebrate, I am part of a Virtual Picnic for the planet. Of course, my picnic food of choice is Kale Chips. You have heard me...

Apr 13Dyeing Eggs Naturally

Every spring, our kids ask if they can dye some hard boiled eggs for the holidays. We celebrate Passover instead of Easter - but we don't see this activity as a religious one - merely a seasonal (edible!) activity that we can do together. For the past two years, instead of purchasing kits full of artificial chemicals, we opted to go the natural route. By using natural ingredients that we already had on hand, we could keep a handle on our budget and the eggs would remain edible, even if...

Apr 1Life’s A Picnic Earth Day Giveaway

In honor of Earth Day, Healthy Child Healthy World partners Cleanwell, Fabkins, LUNA, Plum Organics and Green Toys have created a green essentials picnic kit for mom & tot available exclusively at Diapers.com. All proceeds from the sale of the kit will benefit Healthy Child Healthy World. I first learned about Cleanwell years ago and have used their natural hand sanitizer ever since. My kids love the smell of the product, and I love the fact that it isn't made from anything toxic...

Jan 28Black Olive Pesto Dip – Deliciously Organic

I hope this admission doesn't make you think poorly of me. But I am not a big football fan. The only time that I really enjoy watching the game is when there are lots of people around and the event is stocked with good snacks. As a child, I looked forward to the weekends when my dad had his friends over to watch the game...but only because of the bowls filled with chips, salsa and guacamole. Not much has changed since then, except that I like a wider variety of snacks! And since the Superbowl...

Jan 215-Year Old Cooking Birthday Party - Olivia Style...

This is Olivia, the pig. Not to be confused with Olivia, the girl. The one who invited me to cook with her friends at her 5th birthday party. I couldn't resist the challenge. Well, the challenges. You know, it's not the easiest thing to wrangle 25 excited 5-year olds and persuade them all to cook at the same time. Or to come up with a kid and family pleasing menu that was fun, fancy and pig-themed. But, I am happy to announce that we succeeded! Before I share our Olivia-themed...

Dec 13I Dare You to Feed Hungry Kids (+ Potato Latke R...

I Dare You to Feed Hungry Kids (+ Potato Latke Recipe)

Every year, my kids and I look forward to potato latkes. Truth be told, we don't even wait for Hanukkah half of the time. Sometimes we mix it up a little and add some shredded carrots or sweet potatoes. But other times, we simply opt for the traditional ones with potatoes. This version comes from my book, The Whole Family Cookbook, due out in April. Consider it my early gift to your family for the holidays. Nothing chaps my hide like the concept of childhood hunger. We live in...

Dec 3Special Visit from Allrecipes.com: Cookies for C...

Special Visit from Allrecipes.com: Cookies for Charity

Two days before Thanksgiving, I hosted a Drop In & Decorate event with a group of children who decorated for the homeless. I shared some photos, but what I didn't tell you was that we had a special guest. Michael is the host of What's Cooking (great minds think alike, right?), the cooking show on Allrecipes.com. For the holidays, they are doing a special event called Cookies Across America. Because they are good people, they are featuring Lydia's organization, and are encouraging people...

Nov 26Kids in the Kitchen - Homemade Holiday Gifts (Gr...

Kids in the Kitchen – Homemade Holiday Gifts (Granola Recipe)

I will be the first person to tell you that I am not super creative or artsy like some of my friends. But I do like feeding people well and saving money when I can. Those traits usually send me and the kids to the kitchen, where we whip up some tasty treats to share. Don't get me wrong - the kids don't always want to hang out with me OR spend time in the kitchen...so I have to fly solo on occasion. Last year, people LOVED our spice rub mix. But what they probably loved even more was the...