It's a rainy, homemade play doh kind of day.

Homemade Play Doh:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 tsp. cream of tartar

2 tbls. oil

2 cups of water

food coloring of choice

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and mix over medium heat. Stir constantly - it takes a bit - until the dough leaves the side of the pan. Let it cool completely and then knead it out to get rid of the bubbles. Store it in plastic bags. Use cookie cutters and rolling pins and have fun!

It never fails. You succumb to buying a trendy toy and before the paint starts to fade your child's interest already has.  The item ends up being shuffled through the toy box that is periodically opened giving the doll or truck the brief sense of purpose it once had. Children, like goldfish, have short attention spans, even when it comes to things that are shiny and new. Instead of tossing out old toys you can use this situation to create a unique play date with a purpose. Have your kids pick items they're ready to let go of and meet up with other moms for an exchange of toys.

Kids can draw numbers to see who gets to select the first toy or they can pick a grab bag that describes the item briefly, such as 'Car for 5+'. Even if your child isn't ready to give up any of their belongings before the play date, seeing other children receive new and interesting toys might assuage them to let go. Set a return date with the group or decide whether the grab bags will stay with their new families indefinitely. It's a fun way to have a party where everyone invited gets a present while keeping your wallet from thinning out.

Inspired by Baja Fresh's pineapple salsa, we made these Pineapple & Bean enchiladas tonight - they were delicious! We even heard "it's better than pizza!" The kids loved it, which is very rare for a new recipe.

If you're one of the 100 million people or so who plan to watch the Super Bowl tomorrow, chances are you'll have to have a game plan. For youngsters who don't understand the game a Super Bowl party can lose its appeal fast.

With a good offense (fun activities) and strong defense (working together to keep an eye on them), you and your spouse can enjoy watching the Steelers and Packers and may even get to eat some great party food.  Here are a few ideas that might help ward off the whining:

Get your kids excited about the game with Team Face Painting. Have your kids pick different teams to root for and get to decorating! Have them dress in team colors and add a logo or stripes on their cheeks with some face paint or makeup. Keep them updated throughout the game on how their team is doing. Some competitive siblings might even watch the game hoping to win bragging rights.

Play Guess the Chip. Chances are there will be plenty to snack on. Blindfold each child and have them taste four or five chips or snacks and see who can guess the most correctly. This would be a great pre-game activity and your kids can continue the game following the kickoff with a new variety of snacks.

Bring an Arsenal of Activities. If you're traveling to someone else's home, bring toys, books and board games that will keep your kids entertained. Find out if other guests have new board games your tweens or teens haven't played and ask if they would be willing to bring them to the party.

And finally, map out a strategy with your spouse to keep the younger children from getting stir crazy. Trade off commercials or quarters with your significant other to check in with the kids to make sure they're having fun and staying out of trouble.

Have a family huddle before the party and make sure everyone knows the house rules. With a little planning it could become an event the entire family looks forward to!

And the recipe we've all been waiting for - Kelly Robinson's "Manly Quiche":

I originally found this recipe at Emerils.com in 2006. I've made many of my own additions to the recipe (including bacon and assorted cheeses)

Ingredients needed
3 cups grated, cooked potato or frozen has brown potatoes, thawed and squeezed dry in towels (I use frozen and defrost)
1 tablesppon melted butter
1 tablespoon Essence (this is a spice I've purchased at Costco it is a specialty of Emeril and really makes the crust have good flavor.)
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
8 oz hot Italian sausage, removed from casings, crumbled and cooked
4 strips of bacon crumbled and cooked
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 ounces green chiles, roasted, skins and seeds removed and chopped
4 ounces jalepenos, roasted and thinly chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated smoked Gouda
1/2 cup grated Chedder
1/2 cup grated fontina cheese (you can use any cheese you like here)
1/2 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, and cut into thin rings

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
In a bowl, combine the potatoes, melted butter and Essence and toss to combine.  Add the  Parmesan cheese and toss to combine.  Press the potato mixture into a 9-inch round greased glass pan, spreading evenly to cover the bottom and sides. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook bacon as indicated on package.  In a separate large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, stirring with a spoon to break up the meat, until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon and add to sausage mixture.  Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the sausage fat. To the fat, add the onions and cook, stirring until caramelized, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chilies and jalapeños and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and let cool.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the milk, cream, hot sauce, salt, and pepper , and wisk until creamy.  Add the cheeses and whisk to combine.
Spread the sausage and crumbled bacon mixture evenly across the potato crust.  Pour the egg-cheese mixture over the filling.  Arrange the bell pepper rings across the top.  Bake until the custard is set, puffed and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. ( I recommend putting the glass pan on a cookie sheet for cooking  just in case the mixture expands over the sides of the pan.)

Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving. Cut into even slices and serve.

Yield: 6 servings. ENJOY!


I make 5-6 of these when the team comes over.  


Kelly