All of The Painted Hen's Posts
The Painted Hen enjoys exploring her creative side, whether making Halloween costumes or watching a beautiful sunset with her Rooster of 12 years. She has two chicks (boys ages 6 and 3) who can always make her laugh with their knock-knock jokes and dance party moves. The Painted Hen was a geologist in an earlier chapter of her life and still has fun camping and hiking with her flock. Turns out she has passed her love of collecting rocks and other treasures on to her chicks – much to the dismay of her laundry machines.Get the RSS feed for all of the Painted Hen's posts here.
My First Homemade Halloween Costume
October 30, 2009 Posted by The Painted Hen
Growing up, I had one “homemade” Halloween costume that I can remember. Our yearly ritual usually consisted of picking out a prepackaged costume that included a hard plastic mask that left your face all sweaty, and a generic plastic jumpsuit printed with your character on the front. I had fun picking out my costume each year, but I was really focused on the upcoming candy haul. Then one fall a neighbor let me borrow an old witches costume she had made when her children were small.
Mummy Dogs and Bug-Eyed Blobs
October 29, 2009 Posted by The Painted Hen
One of the great things about having five Hens contribute to this website is that you are treated to a wonderful range of experiences, opinions and styles. We’ll offer you everything from the gourmet to the cheesy, and since I grew up in Wisconsin, I proudly fall into the “cheesy” category! Oh, I do try the simple gourmet (see Chocolate Memories) but I’m much happier when I can sit back and savor the wonderfully elegant creations of fellow Hens and Roosters!
So what cooking style do I enjoy most? Fast, easy and especially at this time of year – FUN! Halloween and Christmas are my favorite holidays, so these are the times I jump in with some festive snacks that are simple to prepare and will make the kids smile! Two favorites that my youngsters always ask for at Halloween are Mummy Dogs and Bug-Eyed Blobs. I have made these creepy treats “healthier” by using veggie hot dogs and a reduced sugar cake mix, but we also love making them the traditional way too. These recipes have been around for a while and they are still a hit at our house!
Mummy Dogs
Ingredients
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
2½ slices American cheese, quartered
10 large hot dogs
Mustard or ketchup, if desired
- Heat oven to 375.
- Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal.
- Using a pizza cutter, slice each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough.
- Cut cheese slices into quarters, making a total of 10 pieces of cheese.
The Wildlife Experience: More than a Museum
October 22, 2009 Posted by The Painted Hen
So how did the Five Hens kick off our Wild Week? The Hens, Roosters and their chicks had a Wild Day of our own courtesy of The Wildlife Experience in Parker, Colorado. The Wildlife Experience is an interactive museum that connects the community with wildlife and habitats to teach them how they can have a positive effect on the environment. If your family is interested in learning about animals and their habitats around the world, this museum is for you!
CAMP: The Game That Grows With You
October 22, 2009 Posted by The Painted Hen
All this week we have been encouraging our readers to experience the great outdoors. And I can hear your question now.. “But Hens – what can we do on stormy days?” Yes, I know exactly what you mean… those days when it’s fun to stay inside and just enjoy time with each other. This summer, our family discovered a board game that’s multi-generational, teaches about the great outdoors and best of all, it’s a lot of fun. Are you ready to CAMP?
