Food/Cooking

UNIQUE VEGGIE BOUQUET!!!!

I came across this beautiful and Unique Veggie Bouquet idea and had to share it with you all. What better way to get the kids to eat their veggies than this right? What do you guys think?

What you’ll need:

• Small vases, cups, jars or orange juice glasses.
• Vegetables your kids like, plus celery for the stems and lettuce for leaves.
• cream cheese (optional to use as glue)
• flower shaped cookie cutter. 
• toothpicks
• water

You can also make fruit bouquets for those picky eaters.

Easy to make!

Just fill the cups with the celery, then stick the vegetables on the toothpicks and the toothpicks into the celery stalks.

You can use cream cheese as a glue to stick the pieces of carrots onto the cucumber flower. The lettuce leaves are placed around for cuteness.

Food/Cooking

Unique and Simple Easter ideas!!!!

Food/Cooking

Tie Dye Easter Eggs

Want to give your Easter eggs a unique tie dye design? These beautifully decorated eggs are so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients! Check it out.

Supplies

• Eggs
• Food coloring
• Oil
• White vinegar
• Water

Directions

Start with a bowl of hot water, enough that it will completely cover the egg. Add a splash of vinegar. 

Add several drops of food coloring into the bowl. Then add two tablespoons of oil.

Drop the egg into the bowl and add a few more drops of food coloring directly onto the egg.

Take your second color and drip directly onto the egg.

Remove the egg and use a paper towel to pat dry - and then watch as the beautiful pattern emerges!

Food/Cooking

UNIQUE RICE CRISPY SNACKS!!!!

These sweet snacks are like the pot of gold at the end of your family's feast. With their yummy peppermint and marshmallow flavor, they'll make even those without Irish hearts happy. And they'll have the cook smiling, too, because they're so easy to assemble. Try involving the kids, we think they'll enjoy it and feel proud :)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

4 cups large marshmallows (about 40)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

6 cups crisp rice cereal
6 ounces white candy coating, coarsely chopped
4 drops green food coloring, optional
Green sprinkles

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add marshmallows; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in extract and cereal. With buttered hands, press mixture into a greased foil-lined 13-in. x 9-in. pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Turn onto a cutting board; remove foil. Cut with a 3-in. shamrock cookie cutter; reshape shamrock stem if needed (save scraps for another use).
In a microwave, melt candy coating at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Stir in food coloring if desired. Spoon over cutouts and spread evenly. Decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set. 

Yield: 15 servings.

Food/Cooking

Yummy St. Patrick's Day Drink!!!!

More than a hint of cool mint makes this delicious sipper a special switch from traditional 

hot chocolate. Besides, it's a rich beverage that's quick to fix, and adding a dollop of 

whipped cream with crushed candy tops each mug lusciously.

Ingredients

. 3-1/2 cups 2% milk
. 8 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
. 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
. 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
. 8 spearmint or peppermint candies, crushed
. Additional crushed peppermint candies, optional

Directions 

. In a large saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until steaming. 

. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. . . . Stir in peppermint extract.
. In a large bowl, beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. 

. Fold in the crushed candies. 

. Ladle hot chocolate into mugs; dollop with whipped cream. 

. Sprinkle with additional candies if desired. 

Yield: 6 servings.

At Home

FUN & UNIQUE ST. PATRIC'S DAY DIY'S 

Can you believe St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner? I found this cute St. Patrick’s Day Crafts, and couldn’t wait to share it with you all

Magic Wand 

Materials: clear or white plastic drinking straws, paper scraps (construction paper, tissue paper, etc.),  colored pencils or markers, scissors, glue sticks, scotch tape and glitter (optional).

Instructions:
Discuss St. Patrick’s Day, leprechauns, and magic wands with your children using the information provided below.

Choose a straw.  Take scraps of paper and create shamrocks, tissue paper streamers, and/or other decorations.  Cut them out.

Decorate the paper with pictures or words using the colored pencils or markers.

Tape the decorations to one end of the straw.

Add glitter with the glue if you desire.

Use your wand to create magical moments.

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

This is a great opportunity to present the following information on St. Patrick’s Day to your children.  St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17^th in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.  The shamrock and the leprechaun are symbols of Ireland.  The shamrock is a plant that can bring good luck.  The leprechaun is a little old man, like a fairy, who can grant three wishes to any person who captures him.  Here is a St. Patrick’s Day Limerick:

There once was a shamrock named Pat.

Who tripped on a root and went splat.

She ripped her best leaf.

And sobbed in her grief,

And ruined her favorite hat.

____________________________________________________________________________

Art with a Bell Pepper

The thing I loved most with this craft was that fact that if combined a craft AND food!

What you need for this project:
-1 bell pepper
-green paint
-paint brush
-paper

1. Cut off a thick slice of pepper.	2. Carefully paint the edges with green.

3. Gently pick up pepper.	4. Flip and press firmly on paper.	Ta-Da!

Cute Rainbow Art with Cereal, Cotton balls and glue

Love this easy and UNIQUE idea

Hand Art with Paint so cute and easy

Rainbow and Pot of Gold Bags

Entertainment

Easter Bunny Bungalow at The Americana at Brand

Hop on over and take photos with the Easter Bunny at The Americana at Brand, 

March 15 - March 31. Daily from 12pm - 8pm.*

*Open Easter Saturday from 12:30pm - 8pm and Easter Sunday from 11am – 5pm.

Easter Bunny Photo Packages
Package A $20: (1) 5”x7” Photo, (4) Wallet Size Photos
Package B $30: (1) 5”x7” Photo, (1) Flash Drive with one image
Package C $40: (1) 5”x7” Photo, (4) Wallet Size Photos, (1) Flash Drive with all images

No personal cameras allowed

BABY LOVES DISCO PAJAMA JAM

Date: 03/16/2013 Day: Saturday Time: 12:00 pm - 3:00pm Address: (Dim Mak Studios ) 6356 Hollywood Blvd Cost: $15 per person http://babylovesdisco.com/Go shake that booty with your baby as you take over the Dim Mak nightclub (during the daytime) to get your groove on, make a sock puppet, grab a tattoos, do some crafts, and more. Real Music for real parents, freeze dance, egg shakers, Simon Says and more from DJ Captain Jack and MC Alex. Did we mention it’s a cash bar for non driving mommies & daddies and healthy snacks and and there’s a chill zone especially for them. ST. PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL AT L.A. LIVE Date: 03/17/2013 Day: Sunday Time: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm Address: (Nokia Plaza L.A. LIVE) 800 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015 Cost: FREEFREE and open to the public! 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM L.A. LIVE, in collaboration with the City of Los Angeles, is bringing the 3rd annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival and celebration to Nokia Plaza L.A. LIVE. This event will honor the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society. Join for live entertainment including traditional Irish music and dancing, Irish food & beverages, a green beer garden and much more! - Live Irish Rock Entertainment - L.A. Clippers @ STAPLES Center 12:30pm pre & post-game festivities - L.A. Lakers @ STAPLES Center 6:30pm pre-game festivities - Harley-Davidson Ride to L.A. LIVE (hundreds of motorcycles on Chick Hearn Court) - Special Guests and Appearances - Irish Food & Beverages - Additional special St. Patrick’s Day Festivities throughout L.A. LIVE!

Featured Unique Companies/Products

We are excited to feature a company that is so sweet, so unique, and always full of life; that's why it's called Chocolate Masquerade. Their work is exceptional. One thing on their mind is to always deliver the best to their customers. They create custom colorful chocolates based on the clients needs, wants, theme, ideas, style and decor. 
My ultimate favorite are the chocolates that have glitter in them. They're so elegant and yet so delicious. We've had the pleasure to work with them for many years, and every time they leave us speechless and asking for more. Below are pictures of some of their work, as well as how the company was born. Check out their Facebook page for more UNIQUE sweets. 

https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateMasquerade 

The premise of Chocolate Masquerade began around a cozy Christmas party 
table. A sample chocolate design was made by me for my friends and 
family when a light bulb went off in some of our heads. December 2008 
was the beginning of my company. The Christmas tree in my sister's 
house gave me the idea of my business. CHOCOLATE MASQUERADE began with 
creativity and beauty in mind.
Being an Elementary Teacher and using my creativity to my benefit, 
every piece of Chocolate I design is created with love and time. I take 
pride in my work and try my best to work with my loyal and new  
customers to create specialty designs to fit everyone's needs and 
budgets.

Take this journey of creativity and deliciousness and order your own 
specialty design CHOCOLATE MASQUERADE delights.

At Home

With Easter fast approaching, we bring you Easter decorating ideas. There are so many Unique, easy and cute decorations to choose from. Check it out!!!