Green Bags Science Fair Project

I have a confession. I tried to get out of Allison doing the science fair this year. I hate them. When my kids come in and ask for help, it always takes me back to my school days where I never did well on my projects. Plus it always seems that the parents do the majority of the work for their kids, so the voting seems a little "off" in my opinion. When my kids come home and say "What are we gonna do this year?" I groan under my breath and start plotting how to get out of it. This year it was mandatory. Allison had grand dreams of building a robot. I know my child. She can get lazy at times. Building a robot is a little too ambitious for her. I looked around the house trying to find something simple for her to do. I came across some of those green food storage bags that are supposed to make your food stay fresher longer. I've had them for a while, I just never used them. Thus, the project was born. We bought 10 different fruits and veggies, and for 12 days, Allison had to compare the food in the bag against the ones left out. By day 5 she was already complaining about having to record her observations, so imagine how well that robot build would have went over!

All of the work paid off though. She scored 2nd place at the science fair last night:

So, how well do those bags work? All of the food was left on the counter at room temperature. The food on the right was all stored in the green bags.

Day 1:

Day 4:

Day 8:

Day 12:

We found that they do work on most food, but the raspberries in the bag molded by the 4th day, and the pepper started to go mushy by then as well. Everything else seemed to still be in great, edible condition by day 12.

Have you used these green food storage bags?

5 Days of Super Bowl Eats! Reese's Peanut Butter Dip!

I've posted a lot of our favorite Super Bowl appetizers this week, but today I thought I would toss in a dessert dip to sweeten things up a bit. My niece sent me this recipe over the summer and it was love at first bite!

Ingredients:

1/2 c unsalted butter
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
8oz package cream cheese, softened
3/4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
8oz package of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Minis

Directions:

In a small saucepan, whisk together butter and brown sugar (until butter is melted) over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy. Beat in butter/brown sugar mixture (that has cooled to room temperature) until combined.

By hand, stir in mini chocolate chips and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Minis.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

*Goes great with apples, grahams, wafer cookies, pretzels, etc.

5 Days of Super Bowl Eats! Parmesan Potato Bites

The big game requires lots of finger foods. Something you can just run into the kitchen and grab real quick. These Parmesan Potato Bites are perfect to toss on your plate next to a sandwich or burger, and you don't need any utensils to eat them!

Ingredients:

12 small round red potatoes
1 and 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
1/8 tsp ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp rubbed sage

Directions:

Cook potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes, or until fork tender.
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and pepper. Saute until tender (about 5 minutes).
Preheat broiler.
Cut potatoes in half. Carefully scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 inch shell. Mash potato pulp with a fork, then stir in cheese and sage.
Spoon about 1 tbs potato mixture into each shell. Top with crumbled bacon.
Arrange stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet, and broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve warm.

5 Days of Super Bowl Eats! Buffalo Chicken Dip!

This is my favorite party dip, and is requested at every Super Bowl party we throw. It is so simple to make, and packs a huge punch of flavor!

Ingredients:

2 medium sized chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 bottle Sweet Baby Rays Creamy Buffalo Sauce
1 small bottle ranch dressing
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Mix buffalo sauce and ranch dressing together until combined.
Add in chicken and cheddar.
Stir to combine.
Serve warm.

5 Days of Super Bowl Eats! Baked Potato Skins!

For day 2 of my Super Bowl eats, we are featuring potato skins! These are one of my absolute favorite football snacks, and I tend to make extra to eat the next day.

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes, baked
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs gratee Parmesean cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream for topping

Directions:

Cut potatoes in half lenghtwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 inch shell. Discard pulp.
Place potato skins on a greased baking sheet.
Combine oil, parmesean cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Brush over both sides of the potato skins.
Bake at 475 degrees for 7 minutes. Turn.
Bake for 7 more minutes, or until crisp.
Sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese inside the skins.
Place skins back in the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted- about 2 additional minutes.
If desired, top with sour cream.
Serve warm.

Want Some Candy?

Last week I saw Allison sitting at the computer, busily munching on some candy. I haven't had any candy in the house for a while, so I look around and see she has her Halloween bag sitting next to her. Yuck! I tell her that candy is too old to be eating, toss it out. She argues with me for a bit about how it's still good, bla bla bla. We strike an agreement. Take a few of her favorites out, toss the rest.

When I came back in the kitchen a while later, I had to laugh. Never one to miss a money making opportunity, I see she has grouped her remaining candy in piles on the counter... For Sale To The Family!!!

Of course, it wouldn't be in her fashion unless she was trying to be philanthropic about the whole thing...

So, I wound up paying for the candy to throw away myself. Good Grief!


How long before you toss out Halloween candy?

5 Days of Super Bowl Eats! Crispy Onion Rings

My 5 days of holiday cookies posts were a success during Christmas, I thought I'd add in another batch of posts about delicious eats. Since Super Bowl is right around the corner, and is one of my favorite parties to attend, I'm going to post my top favorite quick and easy finger food recipes that will go great with the big game!

Today is Crispy Onion rings! These are soooo simple to whip up, and taste ah-mazing! My girls don't like onions very much, but they definitely gobble these onion rings right up!

Ingredients:

1 quart of vegetable oil, for frying

1 cup dry pancake mix

1 large onion

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Dirctions:

Heat oil in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium high heat.

Slice onion, the carefully pop each ring loose.

Prepare pancake mix according to package directions.

Add garlic powder and onion powder to batter. Stir until mixed thoroughly.

One at a time, dip each onion ring into batter, then place coated ring into heated oil.

Fry until batter turns a golden brown, about 1 minute on each side.

Drain on paper towels.

STOMP!

A couple times a year we like to go to our theater house if something interesting is coming to town. I admit, I've turned into a seat snob, so if we can't get seats that meet my approval (within the first few rows) I won't go. Our theater is in definite need of a renovation, and the seats aren't staggered, so you are constantly straining your neck to see around the head in front of you. I don't like paying $60 or more a ticket for a show that I can't see, you know?

I have been wanting to see STOMP for years, and when I found out they were going to be in our area, I made sure to get our tickets the second they went on sale- almost 6 months ago. But I did get front row (minus those who were sitting in the pit section) so our seats were amazing!

On the other hand, the show was not. Don't get me wrong, the performers hit all their marks, there was a good bit of humor added in, but I actually found my mind wondering when the show was going to be over several times. I think I was expecting BOOM, BOOM, BOOM the entire time, with a lot of energy from the performers. There were only about 3 numbers where the energy level was up, which was disappointing. To be fair, the skits were impressive, they just went on far longer than necessary. I am glad that we went though, as it is a show I have wanted to see for a long time, but if they come back to town, I don't think I'll catch it again.

Have you seen STOMP?

Blue Hair, Don't Care

When I was a teen, I never asked my mom if I could alter my appearance. If I wanted to cut my hair, I cut it. When I wanted to wear makeup, I bought my own and never thought twice about her opinion. One year I decided I wanted to lighten my hair, but didn't have the cash for a box of dye, so I used a bottle of peroxide and a blow dryer. That was a pretty ugly mistake, turning my hair almost orange, hahaha! There were so many beauty disasters I committed to myself over the years, and I'm sure my mom bit her tongue- a lot! But bless her heart, she never once said anything negative to me about my mistakes.

My teen daughter is the complete opposite than I was at her age. It drives me nuts, but she asks my permission for Every. Little. Thing. Most of the time I say yes to whatever she wants, but when she asked to dye her hair blue, it was a big, fat, NO. Blue hair!? Seriously? You wanna run around looking like a Smurf? But, then I got to thinking- I wish this child would just live a little. Just dye her hair, and to hell with what I think. But, she's too reserved for that. I sat thinking that's how I would have handled it at her age, and how my mom wouldn't have said a word. (Ok, I would have gotten a LOOK, but not a peep would have come from her mouth). Really, it's her body, she has to live with it, so I went to Ulta and bought the Punky Colors blue hair dye.

While I couldn't fully commit to dying her whole head blue, I did the half on the underside of her head so it comes through as blue highlights.

 

Pardon the crappy photo. I swiped it from her Facebook page ;)

And I must admit, I actually like it!

Have you ever dyed your hair an unnatural color?

A Christmas Story~ Santa's Mountain

Yesterday I shared with you the window displays of A Christmas Story at the visitor's center in Hammond, Indiana. Today is all about Santa's Mountain. Remember when Santa kicks Ralphie down the slide in the movie, telling him "You'll shoot your eye out?" They had their very own Santa's Mountain set up right there in the visitors center! For $5 you could climb up and have your photo taken with Santa. And if you tell him you want a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, he'll say "No! You'll shoot your eye out kid!"

 

You could even ride the slide down. Minus the boot in the face, though I would have paid extra for that! ;)

 

As one more little treat, there was A Christmas Story flagpole outside the center. I couldn't leave without a photo opp!

 We had such a blast at the A Christmas Story set up, I can't wait to go back next year to participate in the other themed activities we missed this year!

Fess up! Have you ever stuck your tongue to a frozen pole?

Visiting A Christmas Story Window Displays!

A Christmas Story has got to be one of THE BEST holiday movies. EVER! It's got guns, profanity, and "electric sex!" What's not to love about it!? My husband found out about a window display set up at the visitors center in Hammond, Indiana and mentioned we should go. Honey, you don't have to ask me twice! Round up the kids and let's go! This Christmas was the second year they held it, but we found out about it too late to really enjoy some of the fun events they put on the weeks before we went. They had mashed potato eating contests (piggy style, of course), ugly lamp contests, and parent/child relay races where you had to be the first to change a tire- saying "Oh, fudge" at the end optional, of course ;)

We took a ton of photos, so I am going to share this visit in 2 posts. Make sure you come back tomorrow for the rest!

Upon arrival, you can take your photo in a mini porch display with a leg lamp. 

Yes, my husband is overjoyed feeling up that leg...

Moving down, there were 6 window displays in all set up, each showing a different scene from the movie.

The first one shows the department store window where the kids all admired the holiday toys...

and Ralphie's Red Ryder BB Gun!

Next up was the school house...

with the ever famous scene involving one tongue frozen to a flagpole.

 

Who cares what the neighbors think? That leg lamp is Fab-U-Lous! or is that Fra-Gil-Ey? Who knows? I never did study Italian.

Add in the scene with some super grumpy elves, and a Santa who's lap I wouldn't want to sit on...

which Allison was quick to point out it wasn't the elf that kicked the kids down the slide. Still pretty cool though.

At each display they also had the video of each clip from the scenes playing, just in case you couldn't remember what that particular spot was about:

This one was showing the dog/turkey stealing scene.

The dogs were electronic, so it looked like they were really tearing into the turkey.

And the last display was of Ralphie dreaming of saving the day with his trusted Red Ryder BB Gun!

I was really impressed with the amount of detail they put into each display. And the whole event was free to the public! 

What is your favorite scene from A Christmas Story?

Hana Yori

On her birthday, we decided to take Allison to a little restaurant in town called Hana Yori of Japan. While we have lived here our whole lives, we never visited this restaurant, but we thought Allison would love it because they cook your food right there at your table. We went on a Wednesday night, so they weren't very busy, but we heard you definitely need reservations for the weekend to get a table.

A table seats 8 people, so I wasn't too thrilled to learn we had to share our table with another family. Thankfully the people we got stuck with were pretty cool, and it turned out their daughter goes to the same gymnastics facility that Allison does, so conversation was pretty easy.

Our chef was fantastic! He was doing Elvis impersonations all evening, and throwing food at the kids for heightened entertainment. We were very amused by the large flames from the fried foods!

Since it was a special occasion, we ordered a "Happy Dessert" for $5, which was just a small pineapple cut in the shape of a swan. They had two ladies come out and sing Happy Birthday to Allison in Japanese, which was beautifully done.

Dinner is right around $17 per person, but the food was fabulous! While we won't go there for dining often, we will definitely be going back for special occasions.

Do you enjoy Japanese foods? Ever been to a restaurant where they cook your food right there at the table?