Pinwheels

Try and eat just one of these bite-sized goodies. There are many variations but the following recipe is my favorite.

INGREDIENTS

Large Flour Tortillas

1 cup of softened Cream Cheese OR refried beans

1/4 sour cream

1 tsp. Garlic Salt

1/2 cup of green onions

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of chopped black olives OR black beans OR real bacon bits

1. Mix ingredients well.

2. Slightly warm your tortilla so it is rollable and won't break.

3. Spread the mixture thinly across the entire tortilla.

4. Holding one side of the tortilla, Roll it into the shape of a log.

5. Press it firmly together while maintainging a circular shape.

6. Slice it as you would a sushi roll

7. Serve with your favorite salsa.

See other Bite-Sized Goodies to share at your next event.

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Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Mushroom caps stuffed with crab, jack cheese and a little white wine. These bite-sized goodies are usually the first to go.

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 24 fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons minced green onions
• 1 garlic clove or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup diced cooked crabmeat
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with 3 tablespoons butter.
2. Remove stems from mushrooms. Set aside caps and finely chop the stems.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the chopped stems, chopped garlic and green onions and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in lemon juice, crabmeat, soft bread crumbs, egg, dill weed and 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Thoroughly blend the mixture.
4. Place mushroom caps in the buttered pan, and stir until caps are coated with the butter. Arrange caps cavity side up, and stuff cavities generously with the green onion and crabmeat mixture. Top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Pour wine and soy into the pan around the mushrooms.
5. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve warm. Baste 1 - 2 times throughout with the sauce from the bottom of the pan.

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Bite-Sized Donuts

Going to the donut store is a tradition in our family when an all A report card is brought home. On average we go 4 times a year. My fav is the rainbow-sprinkle donut and three glazed donut holes. I've always thought donuts had to be fried in oil and purchased from a donut shop to taste good. Then I found the Mini Doughnut Pan from Sur La Table. So I baked a batch at home and now we eat them every time she brings home an A. (Ha Ha April Fools)

Here how their made:

1 1/4 cake flour, sifted (most important ingredient, Learn more about cake flour)

1/2 granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg. lightly beaten

1 1/2 TBSP. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425˚. Spray pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sift Together dry ingredients, then add remaining ingredients. Stir until combined. Fill donut tray 1/2 full.

Bake for 4-6 minutes until the top of the donuts spring back with touched.

Frost or glaze with your favorite frosting. Then decorate.

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Finger Foods - Piggies-in-a-Blanket

We brought these to a Halloween Party last year. They were finger-lickin good! (pardon the pun)

12 All beef Hot Dogs - Cut in Half

2 Packages of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

6 Kraft American Cheese Slices

1 cup Ketchup

Serve Mustard as a dipping sauce

HOW TO MAKE

Carve a piece out of the tip of the hotdog where a finger nail would go.

Unwrap the crescent rolls and cut each in half.

Place half a slice of american cheese on each crescent rolls.

Place the hot dog over it and wrap it with the crescent rolls as if you were wrapping a finger.

Fill the fingernails with ketchup to replicate blood.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

You can make a more gourmet looking version without the finger nail. Great Super Bowl Treat.

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In Memory of...Rocks

We started this tradition in our home when our cousin Steve was tragically killed in an accident. It was inspired by my mom and aunt who paint their grandchildren's names on rocks and place them throughout their yard.

Since we don't attend grave sites of our loved ones very often, I thought painting a memory rock would allow us to reflect on the people we love and miss everyday.

It is also a helpful way for children to remember their lost pets. We lost our cat Sebastian last year. In honor of him, we painted a cat rock. Now every time we walk outside we reminisce about his silly ways. A beautiful story was also written in honor of Sebastian. (Read it here on the story time experiment blog, CAT COME BACK)

This is not a tradition I look forward to doing, but I love walking around my yard and remembering the impact each loved one had on my life.

See other traditions and crafts for kids.

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Plant a Rock Garden

Over the weekend we bought seed packets to make our favorite salad - radishes, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, some herbs - thyme (for this Next Food Network Star winning chicken recipe) and cilantro. We also planted something sweet and spicy - strawberries and jalapeños. We found a small area with lots of sun, prepped the dirt and planted the seeds.

Then we went rock hunting throughout our yard and found various shapes and sizes. We painted each (with an acrylic paint set from Aaron Brothers) to replicate what would grow where - Cucumber, tomato, strawberry, carrot. Now our garden is colorful from day one and it was a fun craft to share with the kids.

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