Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Food + Fun
Shrimp Alfredo
Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Cantina Nachos
Cantina Nachos Recipe
Bow-Tie Chicken
Bow-Tie Chicken Recipe
Vegetable Salad
Vegetable Salad Recipe
Cheesy 'Chiladas
Cheesy 'Chiladas Recipe
The Thankful Tree
My sons, ages 3 and 5 years, have 57 dinosaurs, 24 action heroes and 214 army men. They also have an amazing collection of 47 ketchup packets, just to prove it’s not the cost that counts. Before you convict me of attempted-spoiling, I’ll ask you to count up your children’s favorite toys. After that, consider that all these items (never mind the ketchup) were purchased by well-meaning aunts, uncles, friends and grandmas.
A Christmas Holiday Retreat in Dillsboro/Balsam
Crisp mountain air, luminaries, carolers performing on the street corner and the whistle of a steam locomotive set the stage for an memorable holiday weekend in Dillsboro, N.C. Just down the road, the Balsam Inn welcomes you with a blazing fire, hot cider and comfortable rooms. Only 2.5 hours from Charlotte, you’ll feel a thousand miles away and decades in the past.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings at the Biltmore House
To spend the holidays at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville is to step back in time. The sights, the sounds, the smells all are reminiscent of the Gilded Age at the turn of the century. Each year, the Biltmore House is richly decorated in the holiday traditions set by George W. Vanderbilt, who first welcomed friends and family to his country retreat on Christmas Eve 1895. The bright tapestry of Christmas colors complement the rich oak paneling and European furnishings of the home.
Enchantment in Blowing Rock
From late November through the Christmas season, visitors to Blowing Rock, N.C. and Chetola Resort will feel as if they have stepped into a fairy tale.
Charlotte Teen Bites the Big Apple
The age of carefree high school days are over. As high school students, my friends and I are constantly reminded of the competitiveness of college applications. Our schedules are loaded with challenging classes and extracurricular activities, but each of us is looking for that something extra to put us ahead of our competition.
Butter-Basted Lemon and Lime Turkey
A chilled lemon and lime butter, placed under the skin, adds a zesty twist to the traditional Thanksgiving turkey and solves the problem of dry breast meat. You’ll need to dispense with your rings, gird your loins and push that citrus butter up under the skin. It is a little fiddly (the butter will break up), and you may not like the slimy sensation, but it’s well worth it. To help the big day go smoothly, make the butter ahead. Let the kids help mix the butter, lemon and lime zest together,
How to Nurture an Attitude of Gratitude
Thanksgiving may get short shrift in retail stores or the media, but you can nurture thankfulness this month and year-round in your children’s hearts and minds.
Ages & Stages: Pregnancy: Expecting the Best This Holiday Season
The holidays have always been a time of anticipation and expectation — whether it’s remembering a family awaiting the birth of a small child long ago, or bubbly children anticipating Hanukkah gifts or Santa Claus — the season is a natural time to be expecting a bundle of joy. Follow these tips to be sure you’re expecting the best holiday season ever!
Just Next Door: McAdenville
McAdenville, N.C. — known as Christmas Town, USA — lights up each year to entertain and delight families from all over the area. Located in Gaston County just west of Charlotte, this small textile town, population* 619, hosts more than 600,000 visitors annually from Dec. 1-26 for the Christmas Lights celebration.
December Musings: Seasonal tips, family traditions and ideas
Charlotte Parent staffers share traditions and tips to make the holidays joyful.
Reader review: Charlotte Symphony Lollipops
First-grader Drew Dansby writes about the performance of "Peter and the Wolf," part of the Charlotte Symphony Lollipops series for children.
Great Gifts for the Grown-Ups
It can be hard to shop for folks older than 9, but adults like gifts too. Here are some they'll love!
Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Dinner
The dinner mantra is . . . Good Food Simply Prepared, the Fewer Ingredients, the Better.
Home for the Holidays: Being Mom in Your Mom's House
Nigel Bronson is an inquisitive and enthusiastic 2-year-old who likes to run and explore. His mom thinks that’s just fine; if he falls, he learns to slow down. "With a child, it’s better they learn through experience," explained Courtney Bronson of Charlotte. "I can say, ‘No, Nigel. Stop Nigel, don’t do that,’ but Nigel is going to do it until he learns there are consequences to it. I’d rather he learn that than to continually holler and go after him."
Port and Orange Gravy
It will be good to know standards of quality for sauces before you get into this recipe. The sauce should be smooth, with no lumps; not too pasty, but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon lightly. It should have a distinctive, but well-balanced flavor — salt and pepper should be present in the taste, but should not dominate flavor. No starchy taste should be present. The appearance should be smooth, with a good shine, and have a good color for its type (rich deep brown for brown sauce; white
What Do Teachers Want?
Holiday gift lists grow as our families do, thanks to the teachers, coaches, choir directors, dance instructors, bus drivers and others who enrich our children’s lives. What do they really want?
Toy Time: Good Old-Fashioned Fun
Want to see what kinds of toys your ancestors enjoyed playing with? Currently, The Charlotte Museum of History is featuring "Toy Time," an interactive exhibit of giant-sized folk toys through March 9.
