Food + Fun

Haunted Houses and Trails in Charlotte

Editorial staff,

Prepare for a thrilling weekend or evening scare at one of these haunted houses or trails.

Ages & Stages: Pregnancy: Expecting the Best This Holiday Season

Carmen Short-Shagam,

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

Eve White,

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,

Charlotte Parent staffers share traditions and tips to make the holidays joyful.

Reader review: Charlotte Symphony Lollipops

Drew Dansby,

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

Site Staff,

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

Bob Boll,

The dinner mantra is . . . Good Food Simply Prepared, the Fewer Ingredients, the Better.

Home for the Holidays: Being Mom in Your Mom's House

Jenn Q. Goddu,

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

Alex Allson,

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?

Courtney Onge,

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

Renee Roberson,

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.

Recipe: Braised Beef in Red Wine with Red Onion Marmalade

Alex Allson,

Braised recipes will always make you look good. The aromas, the rich concentrated sauce and the tender meat make for a fantastic result, but with little or no effort on your part.

Cranberry Mango Chicken

Europe's Best kitchens,

Try this recipe from Europe's Best-a frozen fruit product found in local grocer's freezer.

Molasses-Glazed Pineapple for Christmas Ham

Europe's Best kitchens,

Try this recipe from Europe's Best, a new frozen fruit product found in your grocer's freezer.

Marinated Beef Filet with a Potato and Horseradish Cake

Alex Allson,

The best Valentine’s Day recipes, for me, should include beef — one large filet shared. This excellent marinated recipe comes with a coating of chopped fresh rosemary, garlic and olive oil, with further sprigs of rosemary tucked under the string of the tied filet.

12 Ways to Say 'I Love You' to Kids

Kathy Sena,

It’s fun to find creative ways to show our kids we love them. Here are some ideas for sharing the love on Feb. 14 — and all through the year.

Take a Time-Out for Love

Eve Nicholas,

Even if you can only spare a weekend away or a simple dinner-and-a-movie night out, a brief parental "time out" might be just the thing to clear your mind and revitalize your relationship, which is good for the entire family.

Bring On the Chocolate!

Mary D. Brown,

Just over one month of staying on track with my New Year’s resolutions I have the ultimate test – a holiday that seems to revolve around chocolate! But rather than fight it, I say embrace it!

Irish Soda Bread

Site Staff,

Just as many Southerners would not let New Year's Day pass without a meal of collard greens and black-eyed peas, many Irish descendants would not let St. Patrick's Day pass without corned beef and cabbage. Your family will look forward to the annual meal.

Crispy Salmon Burgers with Pine Nuts

Alex Allson,

A variation on the burger-in-bun format, this recipe, has a good chance of success with the kids. With a texture similar to beef, these healthy, blended fish burgers contain an attractive mix of colors that come from the fresh salmon, spinach and pine nuts.