Food Fun Family

Instant Pot Cranberry French Toast

Lolli — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 02:57:17 +0000

The holidays may be over, but I am still enjoying the classic scents and flavors of the winter. In fact, I have a pot of orange, lime, cranberry, and cinnamon stick potpourri simmering on top of my wood stove as we speak.

I had this recipe post all set to share before Christmas, but I’ve been having some pretty major website issues. My site was finally successfully migrated to a new host, and for the first time in months I can upload photos to my site, log in without using a backdoor trick I figured out….it’s a happy day!

Ok, now on to that recipe I wanted to share with you guys over a month ago! Luckily, delicious breakfast recipes don’t have a “season,” right?

Instant Pot Cranberry French Toast

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 cup whole milk
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
zest from 1 large orange
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Loaf of day-old Challah bread, cubed

Directions

1. Spray a 7inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray

2. Cover the bottom with parchment paper

3. Using a medium sauce pan, bring cranberries, orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

4. Cook until the berries have popped and thickened slightly about 5 minutes. Remove from heat

5. Pour the cranberries into the springform pan

6. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and 1/2 cup sugar.

7. Add milk, beaten eggs, orange zest, vanilla, and salt. Mix in cubed bread.

8. Let rest until the bread absorbs the milk, stirring occasionally.

9. Spread bread mixture on top of cranberry sauce in pan.

10. Pour 1 cup water into the pressure cooker pot and place the trivet in the bottom.

11. Cover springform pan with foil and place on top of the trivet.

12. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the timer for 25 minutes. When beep sounds, turn off pressure cooker, and do a quick pressure release to release the pressure.

13. When valve drops carefully remove lid.

14. Remove dish from and place onto the counter to cool completely.

15. Top with whipped cream and serve warm. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Cranberry French Toast

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar, divided
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 cup whole milk
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
zest from 1 large orange
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Loaf of day-old Challah bread, cubed

Instructions

1. Spray a 7-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray.

2. Cover the bottom with parchment paper.

3. Using a medium sauce pan, bring cranberries, orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

4. Cook until the berries have popped and thickened slightly about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Pour the cranberries into the springform pan.

6. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and 1/2 cup sugar.

7. Add milk, beaten eggs, orange zest, vanilla, and salt. Mix in cubed bread.

8. Let rest until the bread absorbs the milk, stirring occasionally.

9. Spread bread mixture on top of cranberry sauce in pan.

10. Pour 1 cup water into the pressure cooker pot and place the trivet in the bottom.

11. Cover springform pan with foil and place on top of the trivet.

12. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the timer for 25 minutes. When beep sounds, turn off pressure cooker, and do a quick pressure release to release the pressure.

13. When valve drops, carefully remove lid.

14. Remove dish from pressure cooker and place on a hot pad on the counter to cool.

15. Top with whipped cream and serve warm. Enjoy!

Coca Cola Spicy-Sweet Mixed Nuts

Lolli — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 02:08:07 +0000

This post has been sponsored by The Coca-Cola® Company and SheSpeaks.

Are you ready for football season? Do you love hosting or attending football parties with your friends and family? Mixed nuts were always served for get-togethers at our house when I was growing up. Nuts are a delicious, filling snack and a big hit with guests and especially for game day parties.

As I was thinking of a recipe to make for our upcoming fall football get-together, I couldn’t think of anything better than sweet and spicy mixed nuts. They’re delicious to eat, easy to make, and they store easily (so that I can make them ahead of time and save my sanity on game day!).

I love that this recipe has just the right amount of sweetness, thanks to Coca-Cola® and a touch of honey, paired with the perfect amount of cayenne pepper to spice things up. Don’t be intimidated by the pepper, though! These nuts are still mild enough for the kids (and those with sensitive taste buds) to enjoy while they cheer on their favorite team!

The great thing about this recipe is that it not only uses Coca-Cola® as one of the star ingredients, but it pairs perfectly with a glass of ice-cold Coca-Cola®. I picked up cases of Coca-Cola® Mini Cans at Sam’s Club during my most recent trip there…because I can never have too much Coca-Cola® at my house, especially when I know lots of people are going to be coming over.

I let Sam’s Club take the stress out of preparing for my game day parties. I’m totally hooked on Scan & Go. I scan items with my phone (via the app) as I shop throughout the store. When I’m done shopping, I can pay on my app and skip the check out lines completely. It saves me a ton of time! You can also use Club Pickup. Just order online and Sam’s Club will have your items ready for you in-store, where available. This is a great option when purchasing a variety of Coca-Cola® beverages.

Quick tip: I used a Coca-Cola® Mini Can in this recipe. Each mini can has about 1 cup of Coca-Cola®. I happily drank the second half of the can while I was preparing the recipe. However, you could easily double the recipe and use the entire mini can. If you double the recipe, I recommend splitting the nuts between two cookie sheets so that the nuts bake evenly.

Ok, enough of my chattering. Let’s get to this yummy recipe!

Coca Cola Spicy-Sweet Mixed Nuts

Ingredients:

½ cup Coca-Cola
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon coarse salt
3 cups of nuts (I used one cup each — peanuts, cashews, and pecans — because those are my favorites, but you can use your favorite variety)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

2. Toss the nuts together in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook Coke, honey, and butter, stirring frequently, until liquid is slightly reduced and starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in spices.

4. Pour hot glaze over the mixed nuts and stir to coat evenly. Gently pour the nut mixture onto the parchment paper and spread evenly over the cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once during cooking. Keep an eye on the nuts during the last few minutes to ensure that they don’t burn. Remove nuts to a bowl or a cool plate immediately before they harden on the cookie sheet.

6. Let nuts cool completely. Store in a closed container.

PS – While the nuts are cooking, prepare a feast for your olfactory senses. Your house is going to smell amazing!

What are some of your favorite game day recipes? Do you love preparing main dishes, appetizers, or sweets? Personally, I love football parties that have them all. Variety is good!

Firecracker Popcorn Balls

Lolli — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 20:08:40 +0000

The kids are finally out of school for the summer and I’m shocked at how fast the time is already flying by. It’s HOT around here, and the boys seem to want to spend their days in one of two places: the pool or the couch playing video games. Sigh.

The 4th of July will be here before we know it, and I can’t wait for the backyard BBQs and our traditional picnic on the grass while we wait for the county fireworks to start. These firecracker popcorn balls (with a fun surprise inside!) are such a fun and tasty treat to take to any Independence Day celebration or get-together this year.

And best part of all, they’re a fun and easy kitchen project that the kids can help with (believe me, they’ll love drizzling the blue and red melted candy coating over the popcorn balls and sprinkling them with red and blue sprinkles…almost as much as they’ll enjoy biting into the popcorn balls and discovering the Pop Rocks inside!

Side note: my kids LOVE Pop Rocks. We go to this local ice cream place and for years the only ice cream any of them would get was vanilla mixed with Pop Rocks. I guess there’s something fun about having your tongue fizzle while you eat, right?

Here’s how easy these popcorn balls are to make! Where would you like to take these treats?

Firecracker Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:

1 bag popped popcorn
1 bag marshmallows (10 oz)
Red wafer melts (6 oz)
Blue wafer melts (6 oz)
2 packs blue Pop Rocks
2 packs red Pop Rocks
Red & Blue Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Melt marshmallows on low heat
2. Mix melted marshmallow with popcorn

3. After cooling a minute, use greased hands to shape gooey popcorn into balls, leaving a hollow pocket inside the ball

4. Fill pocket with 1 tsp Pop Rocks and close hole all the way with more popcorn

5. Melt wafer melts as directed on package

6. Use a fork or a piping bag to spread melted wafers over balls and add sprinkles, if desired

7. Let cool completely before enjoying

Here’s a printable recipe for you. Just click on the image below (don’t right click, because that will save the smaller photo file and won’t print as well). Enjoy!

Yield: 6 popcorn balls

Firecracker Popcorn Balls

These Firecracker Popcorn Balls are easy to make and so much fun to eat. They're a red white and blue sweet treat with an exciting surprise waiting on the inside of each popcorn ball!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 bag popped popcorn
1 bag marshmallows (10 oz)
Red wafer melts (6 oz)
Blue wafer melts (6 oz)
2 packs blue Pop Rocks
2 packs red Pop Rocks
Red & Blue Sprinkles

Instructions

Melt marshmallows on low heat
Mix melted marshmallow with popcorn
After cooling a minute, use greased hands to shape gooey popcorn into balls, leaving a hollow pocket inside the ball
Fill pocket with 1 tsp Pop Rocks and close hole all the way with more popcorn
Melt wafer melts as directed on package
Use a fork or a piping bag to spread melted wafers over balls and add sprinkles, if desired
Let cool completely before enjoying

5 Skills Your Kids Can Build While Playing Outside

Lolli — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 01:19:17 +0000

The school year officially ends for us next Friday, but I know that a lot of my friends around the country are already enjoying summer break with their kids. The school year can be busy and not leave much time for free play when the kids are at home. I don’t know about you, but the kids are exhausted and hungry at the end of a school day, and all they want is to rest and have a snack before digging in to their homework. Then it’s dinner time and bed time, and the routine starts all over again.

Summer time means longer days, brighter nights, and temperatures that invite kids to be outside, whether it’s playing at the park, taking a cool, shaded nature walk, or swimming at our neighborhood pool.

My kids love the outdoors. They loved being outside when they were little, and they still love it now that they’re bigger. When they were little, and still today, I encourage as much outside play as possible. It keeps them off the electronics, the house stays cleaner, and they are more tired by the end of the day (believe me, that’s a huge plus during the summer!). Little do kids know that playing outdoors can be beneficial to their development. In fact, here are five skills that your child can build while playing outdoors.

Social Skills

While playing outside, especially at a park, your child will likely encounter other kids. This is a great time to help build social skills, as they make new friends. However, with every childhood friendship come arguments over whose turn it is. Learning to settle disagreements and learning to be fair is all part of building social skills that will help kids later in life.

Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is all about planning things in the moment and creating strategy. What better way to practice this than while playing sports? While running down the field and kicking a soccer ball, your little one will be using their brain to think about their next move.

Gross Motor Skills

Outdoor play can involve so much more movement than what your children may be able to do inside. While outside, children will have plenty of space for all sorts of activities from running across the yard, to skipping down the sidewalk. But there are so many more fun things that cannot take place indoors. For instance, climbing trees, or even using their legs to pump themselves on the swing set.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills can easily be tuned inside, however there are also many outdoor activities that help as well. Digging through a rock garden can provide excitement for little ones as they search for the shiniest or smoothest rock, but grasping those tiny pebbles is great for fine motor skills.

Self Confidence

Self confidence can easily be built while playing outside, whether at the park, or in your backyard. As children play on their own, they may find they are becoming more sure of themselves, as they step out of their comfort zone, and finally go down the slide alone or climb that perfect tree.

Playing outside is such an essential part of any childhood. Whether it’s free play or organized play, your child will benefit from playing outside. What’s better than building critical skills while having fun?

Easter Egg Cake Balls

Lolli — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 17:43:55 +0000

One of my family’s Spring Break traditions is to spend lots of time together in the kitchen. Spring Break for my kids starts tomorrow (we have a late one this year!) so I’m just barely starting to think about all of our spring traditions.

We love to hard boil and dye eggs, make batches and batches of sugar cookies and bowls full of homemade frosting in a rainbow of pastel colors and then decorate them (and eat them for days!).

It’s all about the Easter food!

This year I’m in mourning because our kitchen is STILL only half-functional, and it’s going to be a bigger challenge to make dyed Easter eggs, sugar cookies, or other treats. I’m so excited for the weekend when we’ll be getting together with our friends for a big Easter dinner (and I can use their kitchen to cook all day!).

If you’re luckier than I am this week and have a full-functioning kitchen, these cake ball eggs are not only super cute and festive, but they are beyond delicious, too! Use funfetti cake mix for a fun look inside your cake ball eggs, and mix up the flavors and use yellow cake mix with strawberry frosting. The great thing about this recipe is that there’s so much room for variations in color and flavor!

Here’s what you need to start:

12 cupcakes, made from your favorite cake mix or cake recipe (funfetti cake is super fun with this recipe!)
1 container or batch of marshmallow fondant (my daughter loves to make marshmallow fluff fondant. It’s SO easy! Just take a 16 ounce container of marshmallow fluff and mix in 6-8 cups of powdered sugar, about a teaspoon of vanilla, and a few drops of gel food coloring. Knead it in a greased surface with greased hands until it’s smooth!)
1 can of your favorite frosting (again, we like to make our own frosting, but if you want to save a step, then grab a can!)
10-15 drops pink GEL Food Coloring
Spoon
Knife
Rolling Pin
Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper or Wax Paper

Crumble cupcakes into a large bowl and stir in frosting until completely combined.

Form mixture into 12 egg shapes with your hands and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to set.

While cake ball eggs are chilling, grab your fondant. Set aside a small amount of uncolored fondant for the polka dots at the end.

Work pink GEL food coloring into larger portion of fondant until the desired color is consistent throughout. Separate fondant into 3 equal-sized pieces, set 2 aside and work with one piece at a time.

Roll one section of fondant flat (about 1/8-inch thickness).

Cut rolled out fondant into 4 sections with a sharp knife.

Remove eggs from the freezer and wrap one egg in one of the sections of fondant you just cut.

Repeat until all eggs are covered in fondant. Do not try to work the egg too much, just get it covered–the more you handle the fondant, the more sticky it will get.

Place eggs into the freezer for another 10 minutes to set. Remove eggs from freezer and make tiny circles with the white fondant you set aside earlier; mash those tiny circles randomly onto the outside of the eggs.

Chill your Easter egg cake balls until ready to serve.

Yield: 12 cake ball eggs

Easter Egg Cake Balls

These Easter egg cake balls are fun to make and delicious to eat. They're the perfect easy Easter recipe that everyone in the family will enjoy.

Ingredients

12 cupcakes, made from your favorite cake
1 container or batch of marshmallow fondant
1 can of your favorite frosting
10-15 drops pink GEL Food Coloring

Instructions

1. Crumble cupcakes into a large bowl.

2. Mix cupcake crumbles with frosting until completely combined.

3. With your hands, form mixture into 12 egg shapes and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper.

4. Place in the freezer for around 10 minutes to set.

5. Set aside a small amount of fondant for use at the end.

6. Work pink GEL food coloring into larger portion of fondant until the desired color is consistent throughout. I like to knead the fondant by hand. It's messy but it works great!

7. Separate fondant into 3 equal-sized pieces, set 2 aside and work with one piece at a time.

8. Roll the ¼ section of fondant flat (about ⅛-inch thickness).

9. Cut into 4 sections with a sharp knife.

10. Remove eggs from the freezer and wrap one egg in one of the quarter sections of fondant you just cut.

11. Repeat until all eggs are covered in fondant. Do not try to work the egg too much, just get it covered--the more you handle the fondant, the more sticky it will get.

12. Place eggs into the freezer for 10 minutes to set.

13. Remove eggs from freezer and make tiny circles with the white fondant you set aside earlier.

14. Mash those tiny circles randomly onto the outside of the eggs.

15. Place eggs back into the freezer until ready to serve. Serve cold.

6-Course Easter Dinner Plan – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #157

Lolli — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 16:37:07 +0000

Hi guys!

I’m so excited about this week’s feature. We’ve gathered a delicious 6-course Easter dinner, with appetizers to desserts, from recipes that you guys have shared.

I’m sad to announce that the Delicious Dishes party will be put on hold for now. I do plan on coming up with something new to feature here each week – maybe a weekly meal plan? I’d love to hear what YOU would like to see! I blog a lot less than I used to, but I want to keep it up and add more value to it this year.

Welcome to Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we feature our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Drumstick Quinoa Sheet Pan Supper from Mommy Evolution

#2: Reuben Tortilla Pinwheels from Home Cooking Memories

#3: Sassy Southern Quiche from The Painted Apron

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

Here are the recipes that we pulled together for a delicious Easter dinner…

Mary featured an hors d’oeuvre: Spinach Artichoke Jalapeno Bake from The Bewitchin Kitchen

Keri Lyn featured an appetizer: Reuben Tortilla Pinwheels from Home Cooking Memories

Emily featured a salad: Bunny Salad AKA White Rabbit Salad from This Mama Loves

Lois featured a soup: Creamy Leek Potato Soup from Home Cooking Memories

Brett featured a main dish: Maple Glazed Ham with Pomegranate Pineapple Reduction from This Mama Loves

I featured a dessert: Million Dollar Pie from Flour on My Face

Follow us along on our Pinterest board. Get your recipes ready. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking in your kitchen this week.

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

6-Course Valentine’s Day Dinner – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #151

Lolli — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 12:01:06 +0000

I was gone most of the day Monday preparing for today.

Somehow this ordinary Tuesday turned into the day that we’re adopting a kitten.

A year and a half ago, we were a family without pets. Now we’re all in.

I have a very happy 15-year-old girl living down the hall from me.

For this week’s Delicious Dishes Recipe Party, each of the hosts has chosen their favorite part of a 6-course Valentine’s Day dinner. Then we put them all together to create a delicious fancy (and dare I say romantic?) dinner.

In case you’re new to the party, here’s what you need to know:

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Double Chocolate Chunk Brownie Cookies from Strength and Sunshine

#2: Kid Friendly Bread in a Bag from Joyful Homemaking

#3: Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts from Walking on Sunshine

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most and thought would make the PERFECT homemade Valentine’s Day dinner….

Lois: {hors d’oeuvre} Chorizo Bacon Mac and Cheese Bites from Looney for Food

Laura: {soup} Cheesy Broccoli Soup from Bunny’s Warm Oven

Emily: {appetizer} Shrimp with Champagne Butter Sauce from Our Good Life

Brett: {salad} Classic Waldorf Salad from Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

Keri Lyn: {entree} Apple Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breast from Hello Creative Family

Mary: {dessert} Strawberry Jello Pie from Spaceships and Laserbeams

Follow us along on our Pinterest board. We pin a ton of recipes that are shared to our linky party each week. So get your recipes ready. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking in your kitchen this week.

Now let’s get this party started!

Inlinkz Link Party

Valentine’s Day Treats – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #149

Lolli — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 12:01:27 +0000

Yesterday was frigid.

When my daughter took our dog out in the morning, she forgot that her hair was damp from her shower and her hair froze in the wind. She panicked, thinking that her hair would break off!

Cold Cold Cold. Too cold.

Luckily, things are warming up with Valentine’s Day on the horizon…

Welcome to Delicious Dishes Recipe Party! In case you’re new to the party, here’s what you need to know:

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Homemade Italian Cream Soda from Cincy Shopper

#2: No Bake Breakfast Bites from Taryn Whiteaker

#3: Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls from Coupons and Freebies Mom

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Valentine’s Crack from Sparkles to Sprinkles

Lois loved Honey Graham Bears from The Monday Box

Brett loved Valentine Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Hearts from Wonder Mom Wannabe

Keri Lyn loved Strawberry Cheesecake Heart Muffins from Living on Cloud Nine

Emily loved Chocolate Marshmallow Hearts from The Monday Box

Mary loved Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Live Love Texas

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Future is Bright

Lolli — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 16:53:21 +0000

Thank you Allstate for sponsoring this post. I chose to write this post because doing good in local communities is at Allstate’s core.

I’ve been a mother of teenagers for almost eight years now, and I’ll have a teen at home for another five. When I had a house full of little ones, I thought parenting was tough, but toddlers and preschoolers have nothing on teenagers.

It’s a heavy responsibility, this parenting thing.

But it’s also full of joy, hope and pride like I’ve never known before.

I feel like the younger generation gets a bad rap most of the time (but hasn’t that always been the case?). I think it’s time to give our youth a little credit. They’re doing amazing things, have incredible potential and I can’t wait to see them grow up and become the adults and parents of the next generation.

I was inspired by the children (and their motivating, loving teacher!) in this video. Check out what these kids dreamed up, and how Allstate is getting involved in local communities across the country.

https://foodfunfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/TheseKidsHadNoIdeaTheirDreamWouldComeToLife.mp4

I have to agree with the idea of youth empowerment. Allstate is working to inspire the next generation through community projects that empower youth to be leaders and change-makers – not just in their future but right now, too. Allstate’s dedication to the communities where they live and work is core to who they are.

Our youth don’t need to wait to “grow up” to make changes and have an influence on the world around them. They can start making a difference today. And so many of them already are.

Like the kids in the video, the kids and teenagers that I interact with on a daily basis, whether my own kids or youth from church or my kids’ schools, are using their hands, hearts and voices to enrich their communities. While they’re serving others, they’re building critical social and emotional skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and empathy. I love seeing my teens not only noticing the needs of others around them, but standing up and doing something about it. They don’t wait for an adult to do it for them.

I asked my teenagers what they saw as some of their generation’s greatest strengths. What traits do they have today that will lead to their future success?

I loved their answers.

“Kids have more confidence to speak up. They have opinions on things that are happening around them and they aren’t afraid to share them.”

“I feel like adults are more willing to listen to us kids these days than they were in the past.”

It’s so true. The world is open for our children. They have opportunities that I never dreamed of when I was little. So much of that stems from the information and resources that are quite literally at their fingertips now. I’ve seen my own children driven by a motivation to learn, do and create things thanks to their access to the internet. When I was growing up and had a question about how something worked or how to make something, my options were limited: ask an adult with experience or find a book about it.

While there is still plenty of value in asking an expert or researching from a book, the internet provides answers and examples and experiences almost instantly.

My youngest son is always making something. When he hears of something that sounds interesting, he doesn’t waste any time. He watches videos online until he understands how it works and then he sets about to create it.

This results in lots of messes (just yesterday I vacuumed up a bunch of remnants of paracord shells and string and electrical tape from the hand-made bull whip that he made – his third hand-made whip so far) but I would rather deal with messes that resulted from creating than messes that resulted from laziness.

The youth in this generation are learning and doing things that generations before could never dream of learning how to do, much less being able to execute. They have the resources, drive, respect and desire to stand up, make their voices heard, and leave their mark on the world.

How are the young people in your life getting involved and making a difference in their communities? Don’t forget to check out how Allstate is involved in their local communities and why they also think that the future has good hearts.

This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are mine. As the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most–but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day.

Our Favorite Cake Recipes – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party

Lolli — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 02:09:52 +0000

Merry Christmas!

The traditional Christmas morning picture in front of the tree has been taken, and the kids are looking SO much older!

The presents have been opened and played with all day.

The Christmas dinner has been cooked and eaten.

It’s just about time to transition from Christmas decorations and music and all of the excitement of the season back to regular life.

But in the mean time, it’s still the holiday break and all of the Delicious Dishes hosts are enjoying time with our families, so we’re taking the next 2 weeks a little slower than usual. We don’t have a new link up today. And this week, instead of each of us choosing one of our favorite submitted recipes, we’ve each picked a favorite recipe from our own sites. Strangely enough, we all chose CAKES, so you get to enjoy each of our favorite cake recipes!

Happy holidays!

Host’s Favorite Cakes

These cakes are great for any occasion – holidays, parties, dessert night, birthdays – you name it! Which cake looks most tempting to you?

My favorite: Sprite Bundt Cake with Lemon Frosting from Food Fun Family

Lois’s favorite: Chocolate Brownie Cake with Homemade Ganache from Walking on Sunshine Recipes

Brett’s favorite: Coffee Cake with Coffee Glaze from This Mama Loves

Keri Lyn’s favorite: Brown Sugar Bundt Cake from She Saved

Emily’s favorite: Apple Pudding Cake with Butter Cream Sauce from Clever Housewife

Mary’s favorite: White Texas Sheet Cake from Bunny’s Warm Oven

We’ll see you back for our regularly scheduled Tuesday linky parties after the New Year!

In the mean time, share with me in the comments some of your favorite Christmas traditions or something special about your holiday this year. I hope you had a wonderful time with family and friends. I hope you know how much I appreciate each time you visit my blog!