World Pasta Day

Pasta is one of my favorite foods. Macaroni and Cheese, Spaghetti, Lasagna, I love them all! I don't know what it is about a big bowl of pasta that just screams "comfort"!


With that being said, I must mention that today is World Pasta day! So grab a seat, enjoy some of your favorite pasta and get ready to fall in love with these delicious pasta recipes.

Cauliflower Mac 'n' Cheese
Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta Salad
Chicken and Pasta Primavera
Scarpetta’s Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Garlic Basil Oil
Healthier Lemon Pasta 
Sesame Noodles With Shrimp And Vegetables 

National Chicken Month

I could probably eat chicken every day of the week. I don't know why, but I could. 

My husband on the other hand can't. He wants things like hamburger, steaks and pork chops. Weirdo......(just kidding).

So if you're in love with chicken like I am, here are some great chicken recipes!

Pot Roast Chicken
Campbell's® Grilled Chicken Salad
Easy Chicken Skillet Stew
Chicken Asparagus Penne Pasta Salad
Lemon Thyme Chicken
Chicken with Olives
Skinny Chicken Enchiladas
Crispy Fried Chicken
Sesame Chicken

Breakfast Is So Important

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's what gives us the energy we need to start our day and it also kick starts our metabolism! 

Normally I only have time to cook a big, hearty breakfast on the weekends. Weekday mornings are so busy for me that I normally need something that I can grab and take with me. Either way, eating breakfast is a habit that everyone should have. 

Fabulous Breakfast Recipes:
Buttermilk Pancake Mix (and others)
Campfire Eggs & Breakfast Tortilla Wraps
Breakfast Pizza
Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Cherry Delight Breakfast Cake

Breakfast To-go:
Berry Crumble Muffins
Apple Cheddar Muffins
Banana Smoothie

Do you ever skip breakfast or it one of the things that you must have before you can start your day? What is your favorite thing to have for breakfast?

Frankenstein in the spotlight

                                                                                                                 

August 30th was Mary Shelley's Birthday. You know who that is don't you? If you don' t already know, Mary Shelley wrote the novel "Frankenstein" in the early 1800's. Mary was born on August 30, 1797, in London, England. This famous author also wrote: Falkner, Lodore, The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck, and The Last Man.

In honor of Mary's birthday, we've put together some birthday goodies and some Frankenstein inspiration, enjoy!

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Vegetable Dips

Granola Fruit Kabobs

Frankenstein Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Frankenmallows

Frankenstein Trail Mix

Frankenstein Pudding Cups

Frankenstein Crafts:

Tin Can Frankenstein

Frankenstein Treat Bags (Favor Bags!)

It's National Lemon Day

Did you know that Lemon Trees will bloom and produce lemons all year long? Each lemon tree can produce anywhere from 500-600 pounds of lemons in one year! They are high in vitamin C and also aid in the relief of fevers and sore throats. 

It's National Lemon Day, so let's celebrate this awesome little super fruit!

Lemon Bar Flags
Flavored Ice Teas
The Ultimate Lemon Bars
Lemon-lavender Greek Yogurt Pound Cake
Spinach Lemon Orzo Soup
Lemon & Blackberry Cream Cheese Swirl Cake

An Apple A Day

"An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away". 

Every time I think of apples, (which has been a lot lately thanks to Back To School stuff) I think of that little saying that I heard so much as a kid. 

Snacking on an apple is a good way to provide your body with immune-boosting vitamin C and fiber, but apples are also great for different crafts. They are super tasty when added to different recipes. 

Plus the "apple" theme is so cute! 

Next time you're in the kitchen, jump on over and try these apple themed recipes and craft ideas!

Apple and Apple Themed Recipes:

Sausage and Apple Chowder
Chocolate Peanut Butter Coated Apples 

Awesome Apple Munchies  Apple Pie Biscuits Apple Cinnamon Pancakes Krispy Apple Treats Caramel Apple Pie Apple Themed Crafts: Scented Apple Wreath Class Act Apple (Paper Bag Craft) Apple Prints Terra Cotta Pot Apple Container Apple-Shaped Stamped Cards for Back to School Apple Coasters

Do you have any favorite apple crafts or recipes?

New holiday crafts and articles on FC

Good morning, getting ready for the holidays? We trust you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are preparing Christmas, Hannukah and beyond! Here are a few new additions to FamilyCorner.com, hope you enjoy!

This adorable Paper Bag Gingerbread House is a fun craft for kids and a great way to make a homemade gift.

This stenciled frame is a perfect project for teen girls, makes a great friend gift!

Don't miss these new tips and ideas too!

• Make Your Own Chili Seasoning Packets
• Sugar Cookie Decorating
• Gifts from the Kitchen
• Nobody Likes A Tattletale
• How to Cut Back to Save Money

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with a twist)

Recently we added this tasty recipe for Chocolate Chip Espresso Cookies. If you like mocha flavor (coffee and chocolate) then you will love this.

Printable version of recipe available on our site.

Go here for the recipe!


Be sure to visit our boards to find more cookie recipes or share one of your favorites with our community!


(photo and recipe courtesy of Amanda's Cookin')

Dill-Licious Recipes!

Dill is one of the most popular homegrown or store bought herbs around. Whether you harvest fresh dill from your garden or purchase fresh or dried dill at your local grocer, you'll enjoy these Dill-licious recipes!

BREAKFAST
--------------------

Baked Egg Scramble

6 large eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk -- or cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 large tomatoes -- diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon fresh dill -- finely chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese -- plus 2 tablespoons, divided

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease quiche dish or shallow baking dish. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. Stir in green pepper, tomatoes, basil, and dill. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over bottom of prepared dish. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts and a knife inserted in center comes out clean.


APPETIZERS
---------------------

Cucumber Dill Dip

1 medium cucumber
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped OR
2 tsp dried dill, crushed
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced

Peel, seed and finely dice the cucumber. Using a colander, squeeze out any excess water from the cucumber chunks. Place in a bowl and blend will with the pepper and dill. Blend in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover and chill. Makes about 3 cups of dip.

Dipper suggestions: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Radishes, Carrots, Onion Crackers


Dill Snack Crackers

1 package ranch dressing dry mix
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dill
1 box oyster crackers

Stir together all ingredients except crackers. Add crackers, mix well and bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours.

To see the rest of these great dill recipes click here.

Recipes for the Grill

Besides the old past times of burgers, brats, italian sausage and hot dogs, there are a variety of other delicious things you can cook on the grill this summer. Don't miss out on these great recipe ideas.

Pork & Onion Kabobs

2 lbs pork tenderloin
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp chili sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp salad oil
1 tbsp minced green onion
1 tsp curry powder
3 medium onions, cut into chunks

Cut meat into one inch cubes. For marinade, combine soy sauce and next five ingredients. Stir in the meat cubes. Cover and refrigerate at least three hours. Stir meat occasionally.

On four long skewers (about 18 inches) thread pork cubes, alternately with onion, reserving leftover marinade. Place skewers on grill over medium coals; cook 20 minutes or until pork is tender, basting meat and onion frequently with reserved marinade and turning occasionally.

To see the other recipes in this feature including:

Turkey & Sausage Kabobs
Barbequed Short Ribs
Chicken on The Grill

visit Recipes for the Grill on FamilyCorner.com

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is almost here. I went through FC looking for some quick and easy crafts, last minute goodie ideas, and some helpful hints for those like me that procrastinate. ;-) So here they are for all my fellow procrastinators!

CRAFTS

Fun Valentine Printables - Here are some quick ideas to print off and use as gifts, games, and puzzles. Ideal for the classroom or homeschool setting, but not at all limited to it.

Charming Valentine Greeting Cards - This Valentine's Day, surprise your friends, coworkers, family, and your significant other with the "look much harder than they are" homemade cards! These charming greetings are simple to make, supplies are minimal, and the designs are as flexible as your imagination will allow!

Creative Valentine Mailboxes - Every Valentine's Day, in classrooms across the land, children collect happy little greeting cards with their favorite singer or cartoon character from their fellow classmates. But what are they collecting those cards in?

Easy Photo Card - We all have them, photos of our kids that didn't make it into frames or albums. Well grab some construction paper or card stock, a photo and some glue and make this adorable little card. Give as a gift to Grandma, Aunt Lisa, their teacher, or yes, even Mom! Change the color of the card stock, and even the ribbon, to use this idea for other holidays, such as Mother's Day, Christmas, and birthdays!

Heart Flowers - If you are looking for a simple craft that is perfect for even the smallest of kids, this project is for you. A great gift for birthdays, Mother's Day or Valentine's Day. Change the colors to fit the holiday!

Valentine Crown - Make this fun and easy Valentine crown with your kids. Simple supplies such as glue, scissors and construction paper make this a great project for even little kids.

RECIPES AND GOODIES

Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bites - Sweet-meets-salty in these delicious treats that even the littlest hands can help make. These make great gifts and party favors. Bag them up for a gift that your Valentine will surely love!

Conversation Heart Cookies - It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without Conversation Hearts. We’ve created a way to express your feelings in a BIG way by making these conversation heart cookies. Don’t hold back…show your Valentine how you really feel!

Dreamy Chocolate Cake Balls - If you are looking for a decadent and delicious recipe that will look great and your kids can help make, then this is it. Rich and swet, these cake balls are a perfect gift plain or dressed up with drizzle.

Easy Chocolate Spots for Kids - These cookies are so easy, even the littlest of helpers can join in the fun. Ultimately no real baking is required, just some quick assembly and cooling time, and you'll be the coolest Mom in town!

Valentine Cupcakes - One of the easiest treats to dress up for holidays and birthdays is the cupcake. All you need is food coloring, cake decorator gel and frosting, and a little imagination.

See all the Valentine features here including crafts, recipes, articles, romantic ideas and more! See you on FC :)