ML Interest Tag: butcher

The Best Brunch Spots Where Even the Kids Are Welcome

by Debra Flanagan

Even the super early risers can find a spot that’s perfect for brunch

There are a few theories on when and where brunch originated. Some say it originated in England as a post-hunt celebration, others a post-church meal. Brunch became popular in the 1930s in Chicago when actors would have publicity tours via train from the East Coast to California. They would stop in Chicago for a midday meal.

At some point “going to brunch” became a real event. So much so that restaurants are constantly trying to up the ante. For example, you now have Bottomless Mimosa Brunch, All-You-Can-Eat Brunch, Musical Brunch, Trivia Brunch, and even Drag Brunch. So which ones can you take the kids to? We’ve rounded up some of the best brunch spots that are kid-friendly while equally delicious. We found a couple for the early risers too!

Andersonville

Replay
From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., kids are welcome at Replay Andersonville. While you enjoy brunch favorites such as biscuits and gravy or huevos rancheros, the kids (and adults), can feel nostalgic playing classic arcade games like Asteroids, Donkey Kong, or Ms. Pac-Man. They also have pinball.

Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

5358 N. Clark St.
Online: replayandersonville.com

Avondale

Chief O’Neill’s
The brunch buffet at Chief O’Neill’s has everything you could ask for: salads, fruit, cheese, smoked salmon, glazed ham, Irish Eggs Benedict, soup, assorted bread, a Taco Bar, and more. Kids will love building their own ice cream sundaes with many toppings to choose from. Adults are only $30 while kids under 6 are $23. When the weather warms up, sit in the beautiful garden and let the kids stretch their legs a little.

Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

3471 N. Elston Ave.
Online: chiefoneillspub.com

Lakeview

2d Restaurant
2d Restaurant is not only one of the best donut shops in Chicago, but they also serve brunch items, including breakfast sandwiches, and a variety of chicken sandwiches (even plant-based.) What makes 2d Restaurant special is its decor. The monochrome comic-book murals make you feel like you’ve walked into a coloring book.

Thursdays – Mondays, 9 a.m.

3155 N Halsted Street
Online: 2d-restaurant.com

Crosby’s
Iron Skillet Blueberry Cornbread—need we say more? If we must, at this neighborhood family favorite, you’ll also find omelets & eggs, french toast & pancakes, burgers & salads, as well as a kids’ brunch menu.

Saturdays & Sundays, 8:30 a.m.

3455 N. Southport Ave.
Online: crosbyschicago.com

Smoke Daddy
The family-style brunch includes limitless servings of monkey bread, the most amazing hash browns, bacon, sausage, fruit, and a platter of pancakes. Don’t forget to leave room for your entree!

Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

3636 N. Clark St.
Online: thesmokedaddy.com

Lincoln Park

Cafe Ba Ba Reeba
Create your own feast from their selection of brunch tapas, including Jamon Serrano Benedict, bite-sized pintxos like their famous Chorizo-wrapped Date, Breakfast Paella, and a variety of traditional tapas dishes. These shareable plates are a great way to introduce kids to new foods.

Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

441 N. Clark St.
Online: cafebabareeba.com

RJ Grunts
RJ Grunts is always on the ready with crayons or wiki sticks for the little diners. Couple cheesy buffalo hashbrowns with their more traditional breakfast items, or skip straight to a classic burger. Afterward, hop across the road to the Lincoln Park Zoo for the perfect family day.

Saturdays & Sundays, 10:30 a.m.

2056 N. Lincoln Park W.
Online: rjgruntschicago.com

Logan Square

Park & Field
Even though it is called a Boozy Brunch, Park & Field is all about family. They aim to have their 6,000-square-foot patio feel like a backyard barbeque, where the kids feel comfortable playing lawn games and running around. The rotating weekly buffet includes an omelet bar, charcuterie, fruit, eggs, meats, pancakes, waffles, and vegetarian and vegan options.

Saturdays & Sundays, 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

3509 W. Fullerton Ave.
Online: parkandfieldchicago.com

Rogers Park

Honey Bear Cafe
The menu at Honey Bear Cafe is over-the-top. Choose from skillets that include a Chicken Fried Chicken Skillet, a Sloppy Skillet, a Paddy’s (corned beef) Skillet, and more. Or try to finish off a Stuffed Cajun Cheesesteak Biscuit. We dare you! Children will love their kids’ menu as well. You might want to join their loyalty rewards program as you will be back.

Monday-Friday, 7:30 am-2:30 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, 7:30 am-3:30 p.m.

7036 N Clark St.
Online: honeybearrp.com

Roscoe Village

Beat Kitchen
Beat Kitchen has long been known for its Concerts for Kids on Sunday mornings. They have since pivoted and now host a Bluegrass Brunch every Saturday. Enjoy your brunch in the front room and then head back to the performance stage to listen to some of Chicago’s finest Bluegrass Ensembles. Admission is free, open to all ages, and is first come – first served.

Saturdays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

2100 W. Belmont Ave.
Online: beatkitchen.com

John’s Place
John’s Place is one of the most kid-friendly restaurants around and you will always find lots of families dining here. Their brunch includes favorites like Bananas Foster French Toast and egg combos, as well as several Mexican specialties. Of course, they also have a kids’ menu.

Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

2132 W. Roscoe Ave.
Online: johnsplace.com

Kitsch’n
Kitsch’n may remind you of the kitchen you grew up eating in. The decor is ’70s-esque with tons of retro toys and games lining the walls and shelves. It is definitely a blast from the past and it’s fun to point things out to your kids and tell the stories of how you had this or that when you were little. But don’t let the retro vibe fool you, the menu is quite modern and very tasty. The chilaquiles “Levanta Los Muertos” are so good!

Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Friday-Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

2005 W. Roscoe Ave.
Online: kitschn.com

West Loop

Recess
The space at Recess is incredible, particularly the huge patio. It’s quite unique for Chicago. In fact, it is the largest outdoor patio in the city. While it is known as a 21+ establishment, children are welcome for weekend brunch. They even have a separate kids’ brunch menu to prove it. With giant lawn games like Jenga and Connect 4, the whole family can keep busy while you wait for your food, which by the way is also quite yummy!

Saturdays & Sundays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

838 W. Kinzie Ave.
Online: chicagoinrecess.com

Wicker Park

Janik’s Cafe
The early bird catches the worm at this one. This small, casual spot serves all-day breakfast and lunch with a Mexican flare.

7 days a week, 7:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

2011 W. Division St.
Online: janikscafe.com

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Keeping the Holidays Simple & Festive

By Nina Meehan

The holiday season is coming up fast and furious, but this year won’t be like others. Out-of-town family won’t be able to join us as easily. The busiest travel day of the year will be much quieter at the airports. Even picking up our ingredients from the grocery store won’t be nearly as simple. For many families, this time of year is steeped in tradition, and traditions are very hard to change.

Kids anchor on rituals and traditions. For kids, time is an endless loop that compresses and stretches based on events, emotions, and experiences. My 5-year-old recently celebrated her birthday, and, two weeks after, she was busy picking out what color candle would be on her cake for her next birthday.

When I explained that a year is a long time, she responded, “Is a year longer than Coronavirus times?” What an important reminder for us adults: COVID-19 will eventually abate, but the events that happen during this pandemic will form the core of who our young kids are and will become.

As I begin to visualize the upcoming months, I’m finding myself looking for ways to keep things simple, but also festive. In that light, here are a few ideas that I am bouncing around in my head as we approach Thanksgiving:

Stories looking back are just as important as stories looking forward.

  • Read children’s books by Native American authors (We love Kamik: An Inuit Puppy Story, and there are so many other great books.)

  • Let’s learn about the practice of land acknowledgments as a family and do the research to learn more about the Indigenous People on whose land we live

  • Share the story of your own family’s identity and history. You can discuss it, draw it in pictures, write it in poetry form or use music...whatever works for your story.

Gratitude makes life happier.

  • Find ways to incorporate gratitude into your everyday life with your family. Maybe there is a gratitude jar in the kitchen that kids can put a note in at breakfast time or a nightly gratitude journal that you draw or write in with your child at bedtime.

  • Create a gratitude ritual that allows kids to share and discuss gratitude with others.

  • Make a gratitude mural with your family on butcher paper, drawing events, people, and ideas from the past year

Silly fun is a great way to let go of what is not possible and embrace the new.

  • Can your family create a "Great Debate" where each person is in charge of championing their favorite food from your holiday meal?

  • A holiday table decorating competition where each person decorates their place setting to help express a common them.

Our holidays may be different this year, but I wish you amazing experiences that make them bright and joyous.

This post originally appeared on Piedmont Post.
 

Nina Meehan is CEO and Founder Bay Area Children's Theatre and the host of the Creative Parenting Podcast. An internationally recognized expert in youth development through the arts, Nina nurtures innovation by fostering creative thinking. She is mom to Toby (13), Robby (10) and Meadow (5).  

   

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Dylan Dreyer Helps Kiddos Explore Their Feelings in Her New Book

by Erica Loop

Meteorologist, TODAY co-anchor, mom. Now Dylan Dreyer can add another credit to the list—children’s book author! The NBC TV personality recently announced her new kid lit pick, Misty the Cloud: A Very Stormy Day.

Dreyer, who is mom to Calvin and Oliver, started planning the book long before she had children. According to TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones, Dreyer first talked about her book plans “seven or eight years ago.”

Fast-forward to the present, and Dreyer’s book dreams have come true. The meteorologist uses the weather as a backdrop to help kids understand their feelings.

She said on TODAY, “So Misty, she’s a cloud, you know, and she and her friends are going through all of the things our kids are going through, but when Misty has a really bad day, her day turns into a giant thunderstorm.” Dreyer continued, “That impacts everyone around her, including folks on the ground, like Claire, whose baseball game just got rained out, so now Claire’s as grumpy as Misty up in the sky.”

The new children’s book author posted a pic of the cover on her Instagram page and wrote, “THE SECRET IS OUT!!! Misty the Cloud: A Very Stormy Day has been a passion project of mine for the past 10 years. I’m pinching myself that she’s become a reality. It’s beautifully illustrated by the incredible @scrimmle (Rosie Butcher). She and @alankatzbooks helped me bring Misty to life and I can’t wait for you all to meet her…she’s a little cloud with very big feelings!!”

Misty the Cloud: A Very Stormy Day will hit stores and online book-seller sites on Sep. 14. Pre-order the book now for $18.99 (hardcover) or $10.99 (Kindle) on Amazon right now.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Amazon

 

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Creative & Budget-Friendly Father’s Day Gift Ideas

By Lindsay Myers

Father’s day is about making all the dads feel special but that doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money. And while most people look to gadgets for Father’s Day gifts, I’m challenging you to be different this year. With a little bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, you can give the most thoughtful and affordable Father’s Day gift ever! 

Make It Personal: A personalized gift always feels extra special. You can take any photo and put it on just about anything these days. Mugs, shirts, pillows, printed art, coasters, candles, koozies, and even socks! The list goes on. Or, get his initials monogrammed on a pair of cuff links, a key chain, his favorite golf balls, whiskey glasses, even his phone case. Giving something with such a personal touch makes them think of you the instant they look at it. I love Shutterfly and right now they are offering up to 40% off their personalization services. Etsy and Uncommon Goods also have some great ideas!

Give an Experience: Experiences are such a great gift. He’ll get to try something new, learn something or just enjoy something he already loves. Check out Masterclass (allows you to take a class from professionals like a chef, a photographer, a magazine editor), SkillShire (an app that give him access to learn loads of new skills), and Airbnb (locals offer their expert knowledge from wine tasting and tours to architectural walks around the city) for one-of-a-kind experiences.  

Give a Monthly Subscription: The best part about a monthly subscription is that this type of gift lasts longer than just the day!

Dollar Shave Club: This monthly subscription for razors starts at just $1. Keep your dad stocked and clean cut. 

Beers of the Month: There are lots of companies ranging in prices that offer monthly beer subscriptions. You can select beers from around the world that come monthly to his doorstep.

Magazine/Newspapers: This is a great gift for someone who loves to read a newspaper and magazine while supporting the need for journalism.

Butcher Box: A box of selected meat for a one time gift or monthly subscription. 

Kindle: For just $9 a month you can gift unlimited books 

Lindsay Myers is a Los Angeles-based budget travel and lifest‌yle expert whose outside-the-box approach proves you don’t have to pay top dollar to experience all that life has to offer... all you need is a mix of creativity and a thirst for adventure! 

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Lakeside Refrigerated Services Recalls Beef Products Due to Possible E.coli

by Jennifer Swartvagher

Check your fridge and freezer. Lakeside Refrigerated Services, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 42,922 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The raw ground beef items were produced on Jun. 1, 2020. 

Ground beef

The following products are subject to recall: 

 

  • 1-lb. vacuum packages containing “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P-53298-82.
  • 1-lb. vacuum packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES” and a use or freeze by date of June 27, 2020 and lot code P-53934-28.
  • 3-lb. vacuum packages containing three 1 lb. pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN / 7% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53929-70.
  • 1-lb. tray packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53944-10.
  • 4-lb. tray packages containing 10 ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80% LEAN / 20% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53937-45.
  • 1-lb. vacuum packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/27/20 and lot code P53935-25.
  • 1-lb. vacuum packages containing “VALUE PACK FRESH GROUND BEEF 76% LEAN / 24% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53930-18.
  • The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 46841” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered during routine FSIS testing. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160°F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact the Lakeside Processing Center Call Center at (856) 832-3881.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo:

Photo by Angele J from Pexels

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6 Easy Recipes Your Kids Can Help Make

By The Anti-Cookbook Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living

photo: Agnes Hsu via Hello Wonderful

Let’s be honest—one of your main parenting responsibilities is feeding little humans and sometimes it can be exasperating. Picky eaters, different preferences, early morning and end-of-the-day pressures are just a few things that can turn a family meal into something other than fun. Wishing you had a sous chef? Someone invested in liking the food instead of rejecting it?

There’s a way to outsource some of the cooking without paying someone else to cut the broccoli—and it’s right there under your feet asking what’s for dinner anyway. Here’s the thing: they have to learn to do it themselves sometime. What if sometime could start now?

Here’s how you get there: create your own catalog of easy recipes that kids can actually help with. If you’re working on your PhD in parenting you are likely long on common sense—you want them away from open flames and butcher knives, obviously, but that doesn’t mean they can’t cook. Want some examples? We thought you’d never ask!

  1. Standard Smoothie. Got a blender? Great. Nobody’s allowed to stick their hands in the bottom of it. You knew that. But putting half a banana, 1 cup of fruit, ½ cup of milk (or soy or almond), ½ cup of yogurt, ½ cup of juice, handful of nuts, 1 tbsp. of seeds is pretty darn doable and involves some fun measuring and math. And what do you do? Make sure the top of the blender is on securely. You have one job.
  2. Easy Pan-Toasted Gnocchi. Pasta, without the boiling water. Nice! A pan and low followed by medium heat. You can let go of this one with just a small bit of supervision. Half a minced shallot and a minced clove of garlic. You can even do some minced garlic from a jar to avoid knife work. Heat it lightly until you can smell it. Add fresh gnocchi and turn up the heat to medium. Quick-stir until golden-brown.  Serve with sauce and a veggie of choice. Or don’t!
  3. Antipasto. Just get a big platter or a pretty cutting board and get out of the way. Have your culinary artists lay out an appetizing amount of buffalo mozzarella, olives, salami, roasted peppers, breadsticks, fancy crackers or whatever you’ve got.
  4. Basic pancake batter. Why did you ever think you had to do this alone? One egg gets cracked. Then it’s easy measuring of 1 cup of milk (or soy/almond milk), 1 cup of flour, ½ tsp. of baking powder, ¼ tsp. salt. Whisk it up! Fun adds: mashed banana, chopped pecans, chocolate chips or blueberries. Pro-tip: If you’re freaking out about what’s going to spill where, put them on a step ladder and have them measure in the sink.
  5. Smashed or mashed potatoes. You can deal with the boiling. Then let them do the rest. You can go with butter and milk or just olive oil. Salt and pepper. Someone have some excess energy? Get out the masher.
  6. Guacamole. You can cut and pit them and chop up some garlic, onion and cilantro and/or jalapeno. Cut a lime in half. That’s all you have to do. Let them scoop the avocado into a bowl, add the ingredients and mash it altogether. Couldn’t be easier.

Top Chef Jr., here you come!  Or at least you’re on your way to some less stressful family meals.

The Anti-Cookbook Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

We're Shelley Onderdonk and Rebecca Bloom. A veterinarian and a lawyer-turned-writer walk into a kitchen… We aren’t chefs and that’s exactly the point. We have a lot to share about food-smart living with our own young-adult children and other people and their children, too. Together, we wrote The Anti-Cookbook: Easy, Thrifty Recipes for Food-Smart Living.

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How to Make a Mess in the Name of Art

by Allison Sutcliffe

We found the holy grail for kid’s parties: you don’t even have to clean your house for this one! With a messy art party, you’ll have endless creative fun (but you may want to warn other parents to get the bath water ready at pick up!). We’ve plotted all the points to get you from start to finish with ease. Read on for the how-to!

photo: Jim Pennucci via flickr 

Get The Party Started

Whether you’re hosting an impromptu art session for your minis or throwing a pre-planned fete for the gang, set-up is key. Especially when the plan is to get messy! Have little artists dress the part in old clothes that can handle a few paint splatters. And set out smocks for everyone to wear (psst… upcycling dad’s old dress shirts is a quick way to make smocks for the masses). If you’re really on top of your game (and planning an outside shindig on a sunny day), ditch the old play clothes for bathing suits. They’re truly the easiest way to clean up a crew after they make like Jackson Pollock.

photo: Anne Fitten Glenn via flickr

Once the minis are covered (literally), it’s time to set the stage. Setting up pre-stocked stations with supplies for each art project you want to create means kiddos can pick and choose their favorite ways to express their messy selves. The bare minimum at any station is washable paint, the more colorful the better. From there, you can mix and match media (think paint on butcher paper or old bed sheets) with delivery methods (like spray bottles or squirt guns) so they cater to your crowd. Whatever combo you choose, we suggest keeping it outside. It makes clean up a cinch and provides an inspiring backdrop for mini Monets. Now to choose the projects…

Bring on the Mess

1. Paint with squirt guns. Have an all out paint battle, painters vs. canvas when you load up the squirt guns with washable tempera paint and aim them at an old bed sheet hung between two trees. Somewhat Simple’s got everything you need to know to set up this art project that’ll blow you away, punk.

2. Have sponge? Will toss. It doesn’t get easier than target practice with paint-soaked dish sponges. Cut them up into small, tot-sized pieces and then let little artists do the dunk ‘n’ chuck at the canvas. This one works well on paper taped to trees or with butcher paper spread out on the lawn or over a picnic table. One, two, three, throw!

photo: SandToGlass via flickr

3. Make a splatter. Bed sheets make the best canvas for a group splatter paint project. Hang it between two trees or lay it out on the grass. Then let the kiddos flick paint from their brushes and watch closely as lacey patterns emerge. We love the idea of queuing up some tune-age to inspire aspiring artists as they jump, hop and twirl around the project.

4. Create egg-cellent art. We’re pretty much in love with this eggshell painting project from Growing a Jeweled Rose. It’s easy, it’s messy and it’s the best thing to happen to eggs since Easter.

5. Play Mist-y. Sure, they cool you down on a swelteringly hot summer day. But spray bottles also create some wicked cool art. Just fill some up with tempera paint and water. Then let the kiddos spray away onto paper taped to trees or art easels set up around the yard.

6. Paint with shaving cream. They won’t need a bath after this frothy experiment in body painting. A hard-sided kiddie pool filled with shaving cream becomes the paint at this station. And bathing suit clad kiddos are the canvas. Line them up around the pool, then let them paint each other until they’re covered from head to toe. Just be sure to hose them down before hosting another round!

photo: Allison Sutcliffe

 7. Burst a bubble. Think carnival game when you set up this active station. It takes a little prep up front, but the colorful patterns created by the paint-filled balloons when they burst are as intriguing as they are fun. Hello, Wonderful has the deets on this “pop”-ular project.

8. Design with marbles. Dig out old shoe box tops or cut up the morning’s cereal boxes to make rimmed canvases for this one. Fill them with plops of glittery paint then hand them off to the mini Monets. Drop and roll is how this canvas comes alive. Drop in the marble and roll it around to see what mixed up patterns appear as it gleefully glides through the paint and around canvas.

photo: Bob Keefer via flickr

9. Go all in. Forget finger painting. Challenge petit Picassos to create skillful masterpieces using their arms, legs, tummies and hands dipped in washable paint and pressed onto canvas. Butcher paper on the ground works well for this one. It means the kiddos can walk, roll and stomp out their creativity.

10. Roll with it. Hot wheels make for some cool designs, especially when you run them through paint and then race them around and around on a canvas. Use paper set out on tables or clipped to easels at this station. Away we go!

The After Party

Once the tot lot have drained their creative juices, it’s time to think about clean up. A big bucket full of water with a little bit of soap thrown in makes an easy drop spot for brushes, sponges and anything else those aspiring artists used to put paint on their canvas. Let them sit and soak before giving a final rinse.

photo: mpclemens via flickr

Next, you’ll need a place for everyone’s drippy masterpieces to dry before they take them home to be hung prominently on the refrigerator. Pinning them to the clothesline works well, but fastening a string along the fence or garage door is just as effective. Once they’re dry, drop them into brown paper bags for easy transport back to home base. Easy peasy, party done. We call this the mic drop moment.

Do you plan to throw a messy art party? Tell us how it goes in a comment.

—Allison Sutcliffe

 

 

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Eddie Murphy Welcomes His NINTH Child – a Baby Girl! Congrats!

by Red Tricycle

Photo: Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP

Congratulations to comedian Eddie Murphy and his model girlfriend, Paige Butcher, on the arrival of their first baby together, Izzy Oona Murphy. Little Izzy was born Tuesday May 3rd, weighing in at 7 lbs., 15 oz. and 19 1/2 inches tall.

Izzy Oona is Eddie’s ninth child. He is also dad to Eric, 26, Christian, 25, Bria, 25, Myles, 22, Shayne, 21, as well as Zola, 15, Bella, 13, and a 9-year-old daughter Angel.

Congrats again to the happy dad and new mom!

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Hanger Steak with Gremolata

by writerredri

The below is a guest post from Yummy Supper written by Erin Scott.

Years ago, my French uncle, Jean Louis, turned us on to the delectable hanger steak, and we’ve been buying these beauties ever since. Hanger steak, sometimes called onglet, is a lesser known cut of beef, but butchers have long been hip to its great flavor and lovely marbling. It’s no surprise that you’ll sometimes find hanger steak referred to as “butcher’s steak.” A quick stint on the grill and a rub of brightly flavored gremolata make this steak an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner option.

Tip: If you can’t get hanger steak from your local butcher, a juicy rib eye is delicious grilled and topped with gremolata.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1-11/4 pounds hanger steak
Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Remove the steak from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking. Season the meat generously with salt and let it come to room temp.

2. In a small bowl, toss together the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Give the ingredients a good stir, taste for seasoning, and you’ve got your gremolata ready to roll.

3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry and rub with olive oil. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side; you want hanger steak to be medium-rare, or it can get tough. Pull the steak off the grill and immediately season with another light sprinkling of salt and some freshly ground pepper.

4. Rub with the gremolata and let the steak rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the steak thinly and against the grain.

“Like” this story if you’re loving this recipe as much as we are!

Reprinted from “Yummy Supper” by Erin Scott. Copyright (c) 2014 by Erin Scott. By permission of Rodale Books. Available wherever books are sold. Get the book for $15.80 at Amazon.com.

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8 Awesome (Yes, Awesome!) Things About Toddlers

by Huffington Post Parents

 This story by Jennifer Benjamin originally appeared on Momtastic.com. 

Between the tantrums and the defiance and the out-of-nowhere OCD, toddlers can definitely be challenging. Despite all of the meltdowns, though — both theirs and ours — kids this age are also particularly adorable. It’s probably what keeps us from leaving them with Grandma… permanently. If you haven’t noticed, time flies, and I have a feeling that in a few years, I’m going to miss these giggly, squealing, snuggly days. While it’s easy to gripe about the annoyances, I think it’s also important to embrace the sweetness of this stage. So, with that in mind, here are all of the things I actually love about toddlers:

1. The adorable way they butcher the English language. I mean, is there anything cuter than a toddler mispronouncing words? Some day, someone is going to correct them, but right now, they can still get away with saying, “Look, a hiccup truck!” and “It’s so cold, I’m brrr-ing, I’m brr-ing,” and “My want a cookie with sprinklers.”

2. The joy they get from the smallest things. Maybe it’s the wide-eyed way that we parents talk up the most mundane tasks, but you can get a toddler psyched about pretty much anything. “Want to help Mommy Swiffer the kitchen?” you ask. “Yes, yes, hooray!” they shout with joy. They’re thrilled to get stickers at Trader Joe’s. They think juice at a restaurant is a super special treat. And going to Costco, with its free samples and double-wide carts and giant frozen yogurt cups? It’s like they won the Mega Millions.

3. They’re perfectly cuddly. Kids in their 2s and 3s have lots of big emotions, which also include full-bodied, wholehearted love and affection. They will wrap their arms around your neck and squeeze tight, nestle their head on your shoulder, and throw their body around your legs with enough force to knock you off of your feet. Their faces light up when they haven’t seen you in a couple of hours, with big smiles and gleaming eyes that make you wonder what you possibly did to deserve this kind of greeting. And in those chill moments when they snuggle in close to read books or watch a show or just to rest, they fit so perfectly against your body, you think this must be exactly what this age was meant for.

4. The drama, oh, the drama. While little ones this age might not hold a grudge, they certainly know how to milk it. When they’re truly upset, sure, that can be rough, but when it’s simply whining, with fake cries and crocodile tears, it’s hilarious. If I dare refuse to give my son some cake for breakfast, he furrows his brow, wraps his arms around himself and gives an audible “harumph.” If he’s going for a full-on, Oscar-worthy performance, he might even fall back onto the couch, a forearm over his eyes for “Oh, the humanity” effect.

5. They still take naps. Sure, there are days when they fight it or spend a good hour making a slide out of the couch cushion in their room. For the most part, though, toddlers take a nap almost every day. They give their parents an hour or two of peaceful silence to read a book or watch Bravo or take a snooze themselves. Naps, sweet naps. Please, never ever ever end.

6. They have no filter. At this age, they have pretty vivid imaginations, and maybe even make stuff up sometimes. Still, they have no understanding of what’s polite, they’re not always clear on what may or may not be rude, and they aren’t really capable of lying. That’s why he might tell daddy that he has hair in his nose. Or she’ll loudly, and proudly, tell a stranger, “That’s my brother. He has a penis.” The best, though, is that they are blatant tattletales, and will confess to anything, which is especially helpful when you have twins. If one boy is crying, and I run in to see what happened, the other will usually tell me, “He took my lovey so my hit him in his face with my hand.” See? Mystery solved.

7. Their style is unique. Many toddlers insist on dressing themselves, and unless you’re going to, say, a wedding, it’s usually not worth fighting them on it. I’ve got to say that as much as I’m embarrassed by the ensembles my boys put together, they’re also good for a laugh. The other day, they both insisted on wearing brightly-colored, tie-dyed socks, which nicely complemented one’s florescent green sleeveless tee, and the other’s orange and green plaid button-down. I like to joke that they’re auditioning for clown college, but hey, as long as they’re wearing pants, I’m happy.

8. They still need us. Every now and then, one of my boys will have a nightmare, or just a rough sleep. When they were newborns, I dreaded those middle-of-the-night cries, but now, I actually don’t mind so much. I stumble in to their room to see one boy sitting up in bed, reaching for me. I silently scoop him up and sit in a chair, with his teary face against my chest, his little hand on my arm. I stroke his soft curls and wet cheek, listening for the steady breath of calm as he falls backs to sleep. My little babies are growing up so fast, but for right now, they still need their mommy, and I love that. I think I probably need it too. And I know that this toddler stage, this moment in time, won’t last forever.

This story by Jennifer Benjamin originally appeared on Momtastic.com. 

To read more, visit Huffington Post Parents by clicking here.

What it really feels like to raise kids today — from pregnancy to high school graduation and beyond. Read personal stories written by moms and dads, celebrate hilarious moments in parenting, get advice from experts and join our conversations.

 photo credit: Heather Katsoulis via Flickr

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