It’s the peak season for this classic kid activity

On our list of timeless traditions that never go out of style are sidewalk chalk art, jump rope, and blowing bubbles. If you’re tired of buying ready-made bubble wands, here’s how to make bubbles at home using ordinary household items that you likely already have on hand.

What You Will Need:

12 cups of water
1 cup dish soap
1 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp baking powder
1-2 wire coat hangers and a frying pan
1 6-pack plastic ring
Paper towel tube

How to Make Bubbles:

In a clean bucket or dishpan mix together the ingredients in order. Keep a ladle or scoop in the bucket and stir occasionally making sure not to cause too much foam. Remove the excess foam as it appears. When the bucket is half empty add another cup of water.

No wands handy? You can use a paper towel tube, plastic rings from a 6 pack, and even those old wire hangers! Bend the coat hanger into the shape of a loop and dip it into the frying pan letting the excess drip off before waving it through the air.

Tips for Making Perfect Bubbles:

We found that Joy and Dawn dish soap brands work the best. You can also use tear-free baby shampoo if you have little ones around. While this bubble recipe is designed and tested to work in any weather, humidity really does matter. Warm and humid days will produce the best bubbles around. If you have a windy day, try blowing downwind letting mother nature do the work for you! Make your solution a couple of days beforehand and keep the extra. A solution that has marinated for a while produces the biggest bubbles of all.

Related: 20 Cheap (or Free!) Sidewalk Games to Keep the Kids Busy

 

If an all-you-can-eat IKEA Easter buffet for under $13 sounds like a dream—wake up, because it’s a reality! The Swedish retailer is celebrating the season with its annual Easter Påskbord and we’ve got the need-to-know details for you.

As if noshing on IKEAS’s famed Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam wasn’t a treat on its own, now you can get a feast of foodie finds for one low price—but it’s only for one day. The Easter Påskbord buffet is on Apr. 5 at participating IKEA stores across the United States.

The buffet includes three courses, desserts, and beverages. The first course includes tasty treats such as assorted varieties of herring, deviled eggs with shrimp or seaweed pearls, marinated salmon with mustard sauce, and poached salmon with cucumber dill sauce. The second course features assorted Swedish cheeses, Swedish cucumber salad, Swedish red potato salad, and crispbread, crisprolls, softbread and thinbread. Third course offerings include chicken meatballs, Swedish meatballs with Lingonberry Jam, mashed potatoes or boiled dilled potatoes, Jansson’s Temptations, and Swedish ham. Along with these savory selections, you can also get your fill of assorted Swedish desserts, cookies, fountain drinks, and hot beverages.

Seriously consider buying advanced tickets—seating is limited. Contact your local IKEA store for details. Prices are $16.99 per adult and $4.99 per child (ages 12 and under). IKEA FAMILY members get the discounted rate of $12.99 per adult and $2.99 per child.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Courtesy of IKEA

 

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Daphne Brogdon is already an accomplished standup comic, restauranteur and blogger (she created two websites for moms: Coolmom.com and Momversation). Up next for this mom of two is her own cooking show on the Food Network called Daphne Dishes where she’ll bring her own fresh, fun and humorous approach to feeding the family. We recently chatted with Daphne about her new show, tips for feeding picky eaters and what is always stocked in her pantry.

Red Tricycle: Do you have any family dinner traditions or routines?

Daphne Brogdon: During the week, I often feed my kids and then feed myself and my husband, if he is home. The kids need to eat earlier and sometimes I want to keep working a bit longer. If we all sit down together we share our “Rose, Thorn and Silly” of the day. It’s a nice ice breaker and way for us to connect.

RT: Are your kids picky eaters? Is there any dish or food that your kids just can’t-live-without now?

DB: Yes, all kids are I think. Vivien, 9, is much more open minded when it comes to food. Rex, 6, will often fall back on butter and spaghetti (only Spaghetti and NOT al dente). He could live on yogurt and bacon, and sometimes does. My daughter really likes my marinated tofu, and she is also a great fish eater. They both love fries of course!

RT: What do your kids like to snack on?

DB: Potato chips, stone fruit, cherries, pomegranates – summer fruits are popular in our household. Then, when they will decide they like something new, like a corn chip or cheese cracker, I run to get more, but typically by then the 2nd box has lost its allure. When that happens I move it up the shelf to the “kids won’t eat it anymore” height and my husband will finish it off.

RT: What is your best advice for parents of picky eaters?

DB: Add one new thing on a plate with some regulars. Don’t introduce anything if they are super hungry or tired, because it will never go over well at that point. Don’t tell them it’s good for them. Rex just went to a garden camp where they made hummus. He is not rushing to eat it, but he at least tried it, so it is good that it’s now on his radar.

RT: If we took a peek in your pantry and fridge, what are the 3 things you always have on-hand?

DB: Soy sauce, because it works with ALL proteins. Rice, a few kinds from off-beat to rice- a-roni. Broths, they are the base or the addition to so many great dishes, and are also a great way to reheat some foods without adding oil.

RT: If you had to choose one meal to eat for a year what would it be and why?

DB: Since my husband and I opened our new fast-casual restaurant Bombo, I’ve had more access to great fresh fish, so that’s influenced what I eat more of lately so I would have to say right now it’s fish and rice. I don’t feel heavy after eating it, plus it’s easy to vary the taste, add some lemon, some soy and honey.

Have you watched Daphne Dishes? Do you have any further advice to share about feeding a picky eater? Leave a comment below!

Mom, wife, and home cook, Daphne Brogdon, brings a fresh, fun and humorous approach to feeding the family. Whether it is for a PTA meeting or a gals’ night in, Daphne cooks up a storm with simple recipes that will feed a crowd and bring the family together. Learn more about her show by clicking here. 

 

 

 

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If your little one has a birthday coming up but the thought of having another pizza party makes you cringe, keep reading. You don’t have to rack your brain or slave away in the kitchen to dazzle your kid’s friends with unique and fun party food. Why? Because you live in D.C., hailed as one of the top 10 best food cities in the country! Peruse our list of places to score party food that’s not pizza, and you’ll see that an unforgettable birthday experience is just around the corner.

Photo: Good Stuff Eatery via Facebook

Artisan Burgers
Whether your little one sticks to a basic beef burger or something a bit more adventurous, you cannot go wrong with a party featuring burgers, fries and milkshakes. The Good Stuff Eatery takes these yummy staples to a whole new level. Natural farm-raised beef, dairy fresh cheeses, and tons of delicious toppings means your guest of honor can build a unique birthday burger all her own. Try the Prez Obama Burger with applewood bacon, onion marmalade, Roquefort cheese and horseradish mayo sauce; or the ‘Shroom Burger with muenster and cheddar-stuffed Portobello mushroom tops; or the Blazin’ Barn burger with pickled daikon & carrots, mint, cilantro, and Thai basil mayo. There’s also plenty of handcut fries to go around, and some decadently scrumptious desserts. Who needs a birthday cake when you can celebrate with toasted marshmallow, red velvet and salty caramel hand spun shakes? Locations at Capitol Hill, Georgetown and Crystal City.

Good Stuff Eatery
202-543-8222
Online: goodstuffeatery.com

Photo: Panas Gourmet via Facebook

Empanadas
Inspire the kiddos with a party catered by Panas Gourmet Empanadas featuring crescent-shaped turnovers stuffed with seasoned combinations of meats, veggies, spices, fruits and sweets. With recipes inspired by Latin Fusion cuisine, empanadas from Panas are made from fresh, all natural dough and are baked rather than fried, which gives them a lighter, healthier feel. Flavors such as chipotle steak, chicken pesto, fiesta cheese, and smoked eggplant are just a few of the yummy options. Dipping sauces vary from mild to spicy.

Panas Gourmet Empanadas
2029 P St., NW (Dupont Circle)
202-223-2964
4731-A Elm St. (Bethesda, Md)
301-657-7371
Online: panasgourmet.com

Photo: Nando’s Peri-Peri via Facebook

Portuguese-Style Chicken Wings
Fire up your little foodie’s birthday with flame-grilled chicken from Nando’s where famous, Portuguese style dishes can bring a spicy twist to any birthday party. Nando’s chicken is marinated for 24 hours and then basted and cooked in a seasoned Peri Peri sauce. You can cater your party with a platter of drumsticks or wings and watch the kids dig in. Choose from a variety of dipping sauces including mango-lime, lemon-herb, and from mild to medium to super spicy. There are several locations throughout the metro area. You can also order online.

Nando’s Peri Peri
Online: nandosperiperi.com

Photo: Priya F. via Yelp

Bento Boxes
Having a tea party? Add some Asian flare with delicious Bento boxes from Teaism. These Japanese meal boxes are artfully designed and perfectly matched for flavor and fun. Choose from the Chicken Bento with grilled chicken and Japanese-style sauce, cucumber-ginger salad, sweet potatoes and brown rice, the Vegetarian Bento with marinated tempey, broccolini and spaghetti squash, coconut kabocha and smokey-salted pears, or the Handroll Bento with tea-cured salmon, nori, cabbage, miso mayonnaise and brown rice. You can also choose from dozens of flavors of specialty teas. Locations at Dupont Circle, Lafayette Park, and Old Town Alexandria.

Teaism
Online: teaism.com

Photo: Justin C. via Yelp

Global Cuisine
Take your party guests on a taste extravaganza at Mitsitam Café, a popular downtown cafeteria-style dining option that features exceptional cuisines from Mesoamerica, the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, and the Great Plains. Each regional food station depicts the life ways and related cooking techniques, ingredients and flavors found in both traditional and contemporary native dishes. Arrange for a private chef’s tasting where a staff member will give your group a tour of the food stations and the menu. Make your child’s party the ultimate educational experience with a tour of the museum followed by a special meal at the café. You can also place large orders to go.

Mitsitam Cafe
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
4th St. at Independence Ave., SW
202-633-6644
Online: mitsitamcafe.com

What’s on the menu for your kids next birthday party? Tell us in the Comments section below. 

—Jamy Bond

Sometimes we forget how much we love marinades and what great flavor they add to a dish. Take for example this simple chicken dish that we marinated in garlic infused olive oil, lemon slices and herbs. The best part? It comes together in 30 minutes!

Ingredients:
chicken thighs (we used about eight boneless, skinless)
1/3 cup of olive oil
seven garlic cloves, smashed
half a head of flat leaf parsley, chopped
one lemon sliced into thin strips
2-3 sprigs of thyme

Method:
1. Make the garlic infused olive oil but heating the olive oil and garlic cloves in a small saucepan on low heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes, remove from burner and let cool.

2. Mix all ingredients including the garlic infused olive oil in a ziplock bag and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Place contents of the bag onto a foil lined baking sheet and roast at 450 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until done.

Our Editorial Director loved this simple chicken dish, which she served with rice and brussel sprouts (you can roast your veggies at the same time as the chicken) . Is there anything you would add, subtract or change to this recipe? Tell us in the comment section below!

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart; photo courtesy of Erin Lem

In a restaurant that produces 200 pounds of honey per year (from their own bees housed on the roof), and an organic garden that grows some of the world’s hottest peppers, kids don’t traditionally come to mind when you think of Härth restaurant. But because of the new Foodie-in-Training menu, dedicated to making sure the littlest diners have healthy and tasty plates that also tantalize their tastebuds, a brunch date with your brood at this hot spot is now a reservation must.

Palate Pleasing Choices
Even if your kiddo’s palate only chooses staples like mac and cheese, noodles or bread, they might just be convinced to join the F.I.T. Club with choices like Creamy Tomato Soup, Margherita Flatbread, and Truffled Mac and Cheese. Our little taste tester devoured the soup, and couldn’t get enough of the flatbread—that we lied and told her was pizza (so it wasn’t really a lie!). The Truffled Mac and Cheese was also a hit, especially after our date dissolved into giggles when she was told that pigs sniffed out her truffles!

Still Hungry?
Kiddos with bigger appetites—aka bottomless pits—who adore chicken nuggets might change their tune when they taste the Roasted Chicken Breast with fresh veggies and mashed potatoes. Adventurous fish lovers may refuse to eat fish sticks ever again once they eat the Fish of the Day with spinach. They’ll never know it’s good for them. Promise. Fans of noodles will love the Pork and Veal Meatballs because they come set like a flower next to a delicious pile of angel hair pasta so that little ones can mix away, or eat in pairs

Grown Up Mocktails
For anyone that ever ordered a Shirley Temple as a kid, and wondered as an adult, how they drank it, they might want to try a sip of their kiddo’s Apple Snap or No-Jito mocktail. Homemade ginger beer (our taste tester grinned when she thought she was having beer like Daddy) and apple cider are spiced with fresh lemon for a taste of fall that even grownups will want to sip. The No-Jito is made with white cranberry and apple juice, muddled mint, lime and soda. It is so tasty you’ll want to double check that it is indeed for kids!

Dazzling Desserts
Most kids would rather skip dinner—or any meal—and head straight to dessert. After sampling some of härth’s desserts you’ll be tempted too. Our mini taste tester couldn’t shovel in the Little Apple Pie fast enough. Puff pastry, custard and local apples formed an apple pie that might rival all the apple tartlets in Paris – and Grandma’s Apple Pie we’ll devour in a few weeks (Shhh). Berry lovers can tuck into a bowl of marinated strawberries with vanilla ice cream, and chocolate lovers will go crazy for Chef Luc’s Chocolate Mousse Cake. Don’t be surprised if Junior asks for it when his birthday rolls around.

Härth
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
7920 Jones Branch Rd. (McLean, Va)
703-847-5000
Online: hiltonmclean.com

Have you been to Härth with kids? What were your favorite dishes? Tell us in the Comments section below.  

—Hilary Riedemann

Photos: Hilary Riedemann

When mealtime becomes a battle, sometimes you have to put down your forks. That’s right — let your kiddos eat with their hands. Home to the largest population of Ethiopians in the nation, D.C. has more than 45 Ethiopian restaurants (where forks are optional) in a five-block radius, and even more outside and around town. Ethiopian food is kid-friendly, mom-approved and full of palate-expanding adventures. Here are three of our favorites.

Etete
Etete might look traditional, but don’t let the ho-hum façade fool you. Inside, culinary wonders await, including marinated short beef ribs and gomen (fresh garlic collard greens). Big kids will stay busy by taking a crack at guessing which D.C. political celebrity (looking at you, President Clinton and Rep. Mike Honda) peeks over their shoulder. 

Insider tip: Utensils are optional at Ethiopian restaurants – in fact, some don’t even offer them – because their main attraction is injera – a gray, spongy, sourdough-like bread that looks like a pancake and is served underneath most dishes, and used to mop it all up.

1942 9th St. NW (U St. Corridor)
202-232-7600
Open daily, 11:00 am-1:00 am
Online: Eteterestaurant.com

Gebeta
Gebeta’s bright green walls and corner piano with Ethiopian pianist Araya Woldemichael tickling the ivories (call for times) sets this place apart from others in the area. Brightly colored African art adorns the walls giving little ones plenty of eye candy. Try a vegetarian sampler which comes with four, six or eight meatless dishes like Misir Wet (lentils with onions) and Fassolia Wet (fresh green beans and carrots) .

Insider tip: If you took the metro or walked to this spot, order a glass of Tej (a traditional honey wine), or a bottle of Tella (a home-brewed beer). Kids can sip Ambo, a carbonated mineral water from the highlands of Ethiopia; tell them it’s soda, and they’ll never know it’s good for them!

8123 Georgia Ave. (Silver Spring, Md)
301-588-0000
Open Tues.-Thurs., 11:30 am-11 pm; Fri., 11:30 am-12:30 am; Sat., 11:00 am-12:00 am; Sun., 11:00 am 11:00 pm
Online: Gebetaethiopianrestaurant.com

Enjera Restaurant
With indoor and outdoor seating, there’s something for every diner at Enjera. It’s slightly more upscale (think: tablecloths and glassware) than your neighborhood pizza place, but still cozy enough to bring the kids along. The waitstaff is super attentive and very helpful. If, for example, you have no idea what Habesha FitFit is but are dying to try it. Hint: It’s marinated beef in a spiced red pepper sauce.

Insiders tip: Desserts aren’t really a part of Ethiopian food, so you may only find American options, or cut fruit. However, much to the benefit of tired moms everywhere, Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee so you can round out the meal with a cup.

549 23rd St. (Arlington, VA)
703-271-6040
Open Mon.-Fri., 11:00 am-2:00 am; Sat.-Sun., 9:00 am-2:00 am
Online: enjerarestaurant.com

Have you ever tried Ethiopian food with your family? Let us know in the Comments section below.

—Hilary Reidemann

Photos courtesy of paul s. via Yelp, Yonas B. via Yelp, Rae Marie Y. via Yelp

Let’s face it, after you pay the babysitter, there’s not a whole lot left over for dinner. That’s why we’re lucky that our friends at Seattle Magazine dished up 18 Seattle restaurants serving up affordable, and delightfully delicious meals. From the Korean Tofu House to La Medusa, you’ll be sure to find cheap eats to satisfy any palate.

$13
Korean Tofu House
University District

True value: Not only do you get exceptionally generous portions, but every meal comes with side dishes. You will not leave hungry.

While most diehard kimchi-heads will claim that the only reliably good Korean restaurants are either to the north or south of Seattle, Korean Tofu House in the U District is a happy, and welcome, exception. Dinner options arrive with a fleet of expertly prepared banchan (side dishes)—chilled bean sprouts fragrant with the taste of sesame oil, neat wedges of savory chive and jalapeño pancake, marinated fish cake, kimchi and sweet, glazed potatoes—all free. For the main event, offerings such as spicy seafood soup with shrimp, oysters and clams, beef bone broth, house-made dumplings and more hover around the $8 range. All come bubbling hot, brought to your table by a server who’ll gladly crack an egg into the tofu soup.
What we ordered: Beef bone broth ($8.99) + soda ($1) + tax/tip = $13 per person

Want to read about the 17 other restaurants? Read on!

This is our weekly guest post from our friends at Seattle Magazine, which keeps readers on the pulse of restaurants, personalities, arts, entertainment and culture that reflect the tapestry of our dynamic landscape. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a weekly dose of fantastic Date Night ideas throughout greater Seattle.