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  Read the rest of this post...

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles.  Press perforations to seal.
3. Using a pizza cutter, slice each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough.
4. Cut cheese slices into quarters, making a total of 10 pieces of cheese.

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don’t care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team…

Today is the first day of the 2009 World Series and unfortunately my “home” team isn’t playing in the series this year.  And that means just one thing: no nice, warm (over-priced) peanuts and cracker jack from the stadium vendor this October!  My kids and I will be watching our favorite team, the New York Yankees, take on the Philadelphia Phillies from the comfort of our own home on television.  But we all love those stadium peanuts and cracker jack.  So this year, we’re going to try making our own.  Sure, we could buy some roasted peanuts and cracker jack at the grocery, but we thought this might be more fun to try.  If you want to try your hand at making some homemade peanuts and cracker jack with your kids this year, here are two good recipes that are worth trying.  Now all you’ll need to do is find some fun little prizes to stick into your cracker jack and you’re all set!  Read the rest of this post...

One of my most enduring Halloween memories was receiving a small orange milk carton from my school teachers every October.  The box had the acronym UNICEF emblazoned upon it.  And every October 31st, I would diligently tramp around my neighborhood, ringing doorbells, and asking “Trick or Treat? UNICEF?”.  And I would always smile when I heard the sound of pennies or dimes drop into that little orange milk carton.  UNICEF and Trick-or-Treating always went hand in hand for me.  So, I find it fitting to challenge our readers to find a way to help UNICEF this Halloween.  Read the rest of this post...

A couple years ago, my then-preschooler went on a field trip to the Garbage Garage and learned about recycling and the amount of waste caused by baggies.  I pack 5+ lunches each day, and usually would use about 5 baggies per lunch.  That means I would go through a 50 count box every 2 days – Yikes!  Besides the environmental impact, I’m way too frugal for that vicious cycle.  To appease my son, and do my little part for the environment, I resolved to try not to use baggies unless absolutely necessary.  Read the rest of this post...