Time to cast your vote - Who's the cutest baby in the land?

The baby named the 2013 KRKT's Most Beautiful Baby and their family will win a grand prize package including:

• A feature in Mom Magazine - Aug/Sept issue
  
• $100 Harry Ritchie's Jewelers Gift Certificate
• A photo session and prints from Troutman Photography
  
• A Downtown Shabby gift certificate
  
• A 2 hour cleaning certificate from Merry Maids
  
• A $50 gift certificate to The Barbers
  
• A $50 Savings Bond from American Bookkeeping & Tax Service
  
• A printing certificate from Wise Photography

Oh my gosh - Summer is here early and I'll take it. I just need a delicious glass of ice tea to cool off with. Do you have a favorite ice tea recipe?

You have one more day left to enter that beautiful baby!

Enter the KRKT Beautiful Baby Contest. Click here

Last day to enter is May 2nd, 2013.

Kick your fitness routine into high gear or just try out a new class

Samaritan Albany General Hospital is sponsoring Passport to Fitness: Free Fitness Week for adults interested in trying fitness classes through the Albany Parks & Recreation Department the week of April 1-6.

New or returning fitness participants are invited to try new classes or challenge themselves at a higher level for free the week before the regular spring fitness session begins. Participants can pick up a passport at any of the classes that are specially marked in the spring issue of Parks & Recreation's quarterly activity guide. Individuals who attend three or more classes during the week can enter a drawing to win a free class.

For more options, check out the Parks & Recreation Activity Guide, available at Albany City Hall, 333 Broadalbin St. S.W., or at www.cityofalbany.net. Descriptions of the classes are posted at www.cityofalbany.net/departments/parks-and-recreation/classes.

Celebrate National Potato Chip Day with your favorite bag of chips, or get crazy and make your own! Try this recipe from Jillee.

Make your own Potato Chips in the microwave.

(click on the photo for the recipe and step-by-step photos.)

"Of course most of us purchase our potato chips in bags…but making your own is a fun, healthy, and delicious alternative…especially if it's as easy as this! But what is really amazing is how crispy and crunchy they are!"
~ Jillee

And then to be sure your salty creation has the perfect mate, try this easy dip recipe.

sour cream onion dip

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Better Than Bouillion beef base (you could probably use dry beef bouillion, crumbled fine)

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Chill for one hour.

Enjoy!

Okay - I found it! Here is the recipe for Red Velvet Love.

Marbled Red Velvet Cream Cheese Brownie

Red Velvet Layer:
1 2/3 c. flour
1 c. + 2 T. sugar
4 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 small eggs
1/2 c. oil
2 T. milk, divided
3 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. red food coloring
1 tsp. white vinegar

Cheesecake Layer:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. + 2 T. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, oil, 1 tablespoon milk, vanilla, food coloring and vinegar. Combine the dry and wet ingredients, until completely combined. Remove 1/2 cup of the batter and place it in a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoons of milk. Pour the remaining batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Using a spatula, smooth out the batter to reach all the edges.

In a medium bowl, place cream cheese and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined and smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the red velvet layer and smooth mixture till it reaches all the edges. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining red velvet batter (that you mixed with milk) onto the top of the cheesecake layer. Drag the tip of a knife through the red velvet and the cheesecake layers to create swirls.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or just until the center is set and no longer jiggles. Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Use a medium sized heart cookie cutter to create the perfect Valentine's Day treat!

Tips: These brownies were a bit of work, but the result was so cute it made it all worth it! I put parchment paper down in the baking dish which made it easier to bring the brownies out and use the cookie cutter once it was cooled.

I can see these also being made for other holidays with different food coloring. (True, that would technically not be red velvet but the taste would be the same.) Green with a shamrock cookie cutter for St. Patrick's day, pink with an Easter egg cookie cutter for Easter, blue and red with a star cookie cutter for 4th of July, the possibilities are endless.

If you do use the heart cookie cutter, you will obviously have some scrap pieces leftover. If you can keep your kids or husband from eating them right away, check out the recipe for the Red Velvet Cheesecake Milkshake!

This version is from Recipes for MOMs website.

I just got Burst's Truffles from my Valentine. I'm so happy! This is true love. Thank you Valentine! I love you.

Patrick at Burst's Chocolates creates these hand-made treasures. Thank you Patrick!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm in red velvet love! Marbled Red Velvet Cream Cheese Brownie love, that is.

Amazing baker mom Stephanie brought these beauties to practice last night. I've begged her to share the recipe with us. Watch for it - I'll get it out of her yet!

Okay, I Found it! Check out the Marbled Red Velvet Cream Cheese Brownie recipe here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We are so excited about the Monster Jam this Saturday! Okay, I might not be as excited as my son, but he is "stoked!" Which according to Urban Dictionary means "to be completely and intensely enthusiastic, exhilirated, or excited about something." That's a good thing.

And so is Monster Jam!

The Portland Rose Quarter

Feld Motor Sports℠ announces that Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam^®, the world's premier monster truck series, is coming to Portland and tickets are on sale now. Monster Jam events are affordably priced for the whole family with seats starting at $20 for adults and just $5 for kids (ages 2 - 12). Tickets are also available at the Rose Garden Box Office and www.rosequarter.com.

Monster Jam will be performing at the Rose Garden Arena on:

Saturday, Feb 9, 2013 - 2:00PM & 7:30PM
Sunday, Feb 10, 2013 - 2:00PM

The event will feature USHRA Monster Trucks Grave Digger®, El Toro Loco®, Mohawk Warrior®, Monster Mutt® Dalmatian, Captain USA, Double Trouble, Destroyer and Playin For Keeps!!

Approximately 12 feet tall and about 12 feet wide, monster trucks are custom-designed machines that sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, monster trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Monster trucks can fly up to125 to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air.

The Party in the Pits on Feb. 9 from 11:30AM - 12:45PM gives fans the opportunity to get a view of the trucks up close and meet the drivers of the massive monster trucks.

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