friday family fun nights

march's theme for tastebud magazine is family favorites, so i documented one of our friday family fun nights at home. it was fun to include the kids on this one!

Friday Family Fun Night
In our house Fridays are reserved for family fun night. This can include anything from going to the Nelson-Atkins art gallery to trying a new family friendly restaurant or the kid’s favorite, game night at home. Since this night is all about fun and family time together start with setting an interactive and brightly colored table. Roll out a large sheet of white butcher block paper and provide lots of markers, crayons and colored pencils for creating bold drawings. To hold our supplies we made ‘junk drawer’ robots out of recycled cans, old hardware, paper clips and any odds and ends we discovered in the garage. Have the kids design the robots out of these old parts and an adult can attach the junk with a hot glue gun. My kids were so excited to add their works of art to create our centerpiece. Next, bring on the games! For our last game night we played bingo. The cage served as the centerpiece, we placed the bingo cards at each place setting and spread the colorful markers all over the table. Another alternative would be to place a board game and pieces in the middle and get ready to play!
The menu is simple: make your own pizza and chocolate milk. Stop by Whole foods to buy their pre-made pizza dough in the deli area and get plenty of toppings (pepperoni, black olives, broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers, etc.), sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Everyone is happy because they choose their own pizza toppings and they have fun making it. While the pizza is in the oven enjoy coloring and talking about the week. When the pizza is gone it’s on to dessert. What could be more fun than chocolate fondue? Kids love dipping marshmallows, pretzels, bananas and strawberries into the yummy melted chocolate.
Spend the rest of the evening playing games and laughing, dancing and enjoying this time together. We end our night with everyone piling into our king sized bed for a family slumber party.

Family Fun Night Tunes

House Party Time: Dan Zanes
Pizza and Chocolate Milk: The Terrible Twos
Victor Vito: Laurie Berkner
I Chalk: Justin Roberts
Heist: Ben Folds
William Tell Overture: Rossini
Catch the Moon: Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell

i have not been posting my articles for tastebud here because they are on my botanica blog.

head on over there to see what's up - i'm excited about the february issue!

if you are in the kc area-don't forget to pick up a copy at local coffee shops, grocery stores-there is a list of where to find them on the web-site.

***note to all 5 of my readers-if you would still like to find the articles here, just let me know.***

(a behind the scenes look at what is really happening when i'm trying to take pics. this little guy couldn't wait to get his hands on the fruit!)

october tastebud article:

Halloween doesn’t have to be just for the kids. Celebrate this fall holiday with a table set using classic black and white elements with added playful and spooky surprises.
Start with a tablecloth in a bold black and white pattern. This could be a fun animal print or classic damask. I found this material at a local fabric shop and made my own. Next, use the staple white dishes topped with a smaller Halloween themed plate. Try to find and use a variety of these dessert sized plates to keep the table from feeling too formal.
The centerpiece for this table starts with a large white ceramic soup tureen placed on top of a cake platter. Serving soup or chili on Halloween is a great idea for several reasons: you can prepare it ahead of time, it is usually cold and rainy in Kansas City this time of year and it can easily accommodate any extra goblins that may show up on your door step! Surround the soup tureen with acid green hedge apples-these brainy looking fruits add to the theme. Then add in the other spooky choices: wooden blood shot eyeballs, spiders and furry rats or other night time creatures. Hanging spiders from the chandelier with fishing line is another great surprise. Now add in the pumpkins. Stay with the black and white theme by choosing a white pumpkin then painting or stenciling it with black paint. Be creative with varying widths of stripes, scrolly vines or bats and ghosts. You may even choose to write a Halloween message to friends.
This table, with it’s classic color palette and goulish details, is sure to please both the adult and child in all of us. Now it’s time to decide on costumes!

Find it Here (if you dare)
Creepy crawly spiders, webs and rats
The Curious Sofa
3925 W. 69th Terr.
Prairie Village Shops
www.curioussofa.com

Soup Tureen
Nell Hills
4101 N. Mulberry Dr.
Briarcliff Village
Or
Atchison, KS
and
Target Stores

Easy Taco Soup
2 cans of northern beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of shoepeg white corn
1 can of diced green chiles
Packet of taco seasoning
Rotisserie chicken (shred meat)

Add all ingredients to a stock pot
(do not drain beans or veggies)
Thin with chicken stock if needed
Simmer until ready to serve

Top with crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa

patio perfect party

(here's my article for the july issue of tastebud magazine. wish i had better pics.)

Our normal summer entertaining usually revolves around the grill but I wanted to try something different. My friend suggested having a ‘gourmet’ sandwich bar. Perfect! An evening picnic party. This idea works great for families and with most of the prep work done before guests arrive we could spend time playing in the back yard with the kids, talking with our friends and listening to great music.
First I wanted to set the mood: playful and relaxed. The centerpiece for the table was a picnic basket filled with plates, napkins, silverware and other essentials. I found great plates at Trapp’s in KCMO. The divided plates come in bright multi-colors and are recycled. Color was added to the table by placing single blooms of flowers in collected bud vases or recycled soda bottles (gerbera daisies or peonies cut from the yard work well for this). I laid out old quilts in the yard to eat on and set up the croquet set. My favorite detail was the hanging votive cups. Luckily there is a tree over our patio so the votives made the perfect floating chandelier. Even without a tree over the patio these look fun and festive hanging anywhere in the yard and entice people to stay after the sun sets. Find similar votive holders at Nell Hills, Curious Sofa and places like Hobby Lobby. Hang them at various heights with heavy fishing line or fun ribbons. I leave them hanging throughout the summer, they make family nights at home seem a little more special. To keep the party lively we created a playlist of songs that featured artists we knew our guests enjoyed. If there are young kids at the party don’t forget to add in a little Jim Cosgrove.

Now, planning the menu and drinks. We had one signature sandwich, a delicious chicken salad, sliced meats, cheeses and the makings for BLT’s. Fresh bread from Great Harvest Bread Company was a must. Great Harvest offers several varieties each day and don’t forget their great cookies, as well. Make sure to have a good selection of farmer’s market fresh lettuce, tomatoes, avocadoes, onions and cucumbers. To top off the sandwiches provide several condiment choices like mayonnaise with fresh herbs added, different types of mustard and home made vinaigrette. Serve the sandwiches with chips (we love Art & Mary’s salt & pepper), crunchy coleslaw or potato salad and fresh fruit. Because summers are hot here make sure to have plenty of beverages. Along with beer and wine we served a fun vodka slushy. Non-alcoholic drinks included raspberry lemonade and ice-cold strawberry water (this is so simple and pretty, just add sliced strawberries to a pitcher of ice water). Dessert completed the night: citrus cupcakes and Great Harvest cookies!
Great food, friends and fun-the perfect patio party!

Recipes:
Annie’s Chicken Salad
6-8 grilled chicken breast halves cubed
½ cup low fat sour cream
½ cup light mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon curry powder
Pinch of garlic salt
Pepper to taste
Add chopped celery, red grapes, water chestnuts and toasted almond slices
Toss together and add more sour cream and mayo to desired texture and taste.

Gigi’s Vodka Slushy
1-6 oz can frozen oj
1-6 oz can frozen lemonade
1 ½ quarts Cranberry juice
16 oz 7-up
16 oz squirt or fresca
1/5 Vodka
Mix in large container, freeze for 24 hours stirring occasionally
Scoop & enjoy!

Find Them Here:
Recycled Plates:
Trapp
4110 Main
KCMO 816.931.6940
Hanging Votives:
Curious Sofa
3925 W 69 Terr.
Prairie Village, KS 913.432.8969
Nell Hill’s
4101 N Mulberry Dr.
KCMO 816.746.4320
Fresh Bread:
Great Harvest Bread Company
83rd & Mission Rd (Corinth Shopping Center)
145th & Metcalf
Overland Park

Patio Playlist:
“And it Stoned Me” Van Morrison
“Better Together” Jack Johnson
“1,2,3,4” Feist
“Acuff-Rose” Uncle Tupelo
“You Still Touch Me” Sting
“Genius of Love” Tom Tom Club
“Here We Go Again” Norah Jones & Ray Charles
“Diner” Widespread Panic
“Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes” Paul Simon
“Don’t Touch My Hat” Lyle Lovett
“Why Georgia” John Mayer