Haunted Houses and Trails in Charlotte
Prepare for a thrilling weekend or evening scare at one of these haunted houses or trails.
Give Board Games a Spin
The next time your family is making a beeline toward the video game department of a toy store, try taking a detour into the board game section. You’ll find plenty of old favorites and new variations. Along with the simpler luck-of-the-dice racing games for younger children, there are complex scenario strategy games for older kids and teens.
Recipe: Baked Spaghetti Casserole
Involve the kids with this easy to prepare recipe. It can be readily made in large quantities for freezing, and there’s a good chance your whippersnappers will love it. At least that’s what I’ve found when preparing this for my client’s kids and at home. After you’ve done the initial sautéing, bring the kids in to help you layer all ingredients before it goes in the oven. There’s an opportunity to introduce some culinary math. Units of measure: 1 pint = 2 cups; 1 cup = 8 fl. oz.; 1/2 cu
Make Johnny Appleseed Proud!
If Johnny Appleseed would love North Carolina! Our state has an abundance of fresh farm apples to pick this fall, so take advantage of it. Try any of these fun activities or recipes to make the most of the season.
September - In the Kitchen
This summer’s release of Ratatouille, presented an opportunity to inspire our three children to eat something new. The movie tells the story of a Parisian rat named Remy, who possesses a particular talent for cooking. And Ratatouille – a Provencal peasant dish of sautéed and baked vegetables - features heavily in the picture’s finale.
Recipe: Ratatouille
NEAT EATS Ratatouille This recipe originates from the southern Provencal region of France, and contains a healthy spread of mixed vegetables – eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and green peppers – that are sautéed and then roasted with herbs. The sautéing and consequent browning brings out the sweetness in the vegetables, and so may appeal to the taste buds of your children. If you’re thinking, "Not for my kids!" go with the extra incentive of showing them the Pixar movie before serving
Be Safe, Be Seen on Halloween!
Did you know? Halloween is the most dangerous day of the year for children under 14 to walk? Children are four times more likely to be killed while walking on Halloween than any other night of the year.
Host a Spooktacular Halloween Party
Whether it’s super scary or just plain silly, your Halloween Haunt will be a hit with these quick and easy party tips.
Recipe: Green Lasagna
The pluses to this recipe are boundless. Lending itself to bulk preparation, and then storage in the freezer, this variation of lasagna is healthy (the green comes from spinach), with some easy preparation, followed by brief sautéing and quick assembly.
Have a Healthier Halloween
My father, a dentist, refused to give candy on Halloween night. He suggested apples; my mother managed to talk him down to popcorn. Still our house was only slightly more popular than that of the missionary family that dropped Bible tracts into the outstretched hands of costumed kids.
Fiesta Mexican Casserole
Fiesta Mexican Casserole Recipe
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
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.
Explore Family Dining
Family Dining + Kids Eat Free
Family-friendly and Kids Eat Free restaurants in the greater Charlotte area.
