EDIBLES
Get creative with Easter sweets
Kid-friendly crafts that bring loved ones together
(Family Features) Holiday hams and deviled eggs may take center stage at Easter gatherings, but edible crafts offer a reminder of the magic of the season that’s found in moments spent together. Simple recipes that call for a dose of creativity are perfect ways to bring the kids to the kitchen, made even easier when all that work leads to sweet treats.
While plastic eggs may have led to a decline in good, old-fashioned egg-dyeing, there are still fun ways to bring crafts back to Easter celebrations. Consider these Kids Krafty Easter Cake Pops, which call for little ones to help dip seasonal shapes in chocolate, use cake molds and more.
Children of virtually any age can relish in the joys of using cookie cutters and decorating Easter Sugar Cookies, all with a little supervision and short list of instructions. This version shows how to make the cookies and homemade icing so you can create any color you desire for maximum creativity.
Remember, these delicious crafts don’t have to be perfect – having fun and making memories that last a lifetime are what make Easter truly special.
Visit Culinary.net to find more Easter inspiration and recipes from “Cookin’ Savvy.”

Kids Krafty Easter Cake Pops
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
- 1 box cake mix
- 1 can frosting
- 1 bunny chocolate mold
- 1 cakesicle mold
- ice pop sticks
- 1 bag white chocolate chips or melting chips
- cake pop sticks
- 1 bag orange melting chips
- 2 tablespoons canola or coconut oil, divided
- 1 bag green melting chips
- pastel sprinkles
- 1 piece hard foam (optional)
- edible markers
- Bake cake according to package instructions and let cool completely.
- Crumble cake and mix with 1/2 can frosting until dough forms. Add more frosting, if needed. Using small cookie scoop, form dough into balls and set aside. Place dough in bunny molds then pop out and set aside with balls. Place dough in cakesicle mold, insert ice pop stick in each slot and freeze 5-10 minutes.
- Melt handful of white melting chips. Stick tip of each cake pop stick in chocolate then insert into every cake ball and bunny until each has one stick. Set aside to dry.
- Remove cakesicles from freezer and pop out of molds. In bowl, melt orange melts then mix in 1 tablespoon oil and transfer to cup. Dip cakesicles and scrape off excess using rim of cup. Place on parchment paper to dry.
- In bowl, melt green melts then place in zip-top or piping bag. Cut tip off bag, pipe carrot leaves onto piece of parchment paper and let dry.
- Melt remaining white melts and mix in remaining oil. Transfer to cup and dip ball-shaped cake pops and bunnies then tap stick on edge of cup to remove excess.
- Over separate bowl, sprinkle ball-shaped pops with pastel sprinkles. To keep ball shape, let dry by sticking in piece of hard foam. Bunnies can dry face side up on parchment paper. After bunnies are dry, use edible markers to make face and color in ears.
- When carrots and leaves are dry, remelt orange melts and place in piping or zip-top bag. Cut off tip and drizzle orange over carrots. Add small line of orange on each ice pop stick and place leaves on each stick. Let dry.

Easter Sugar Cookies
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Icing:
- 1/3 cup meringue powder
- 1/2 cup warm water, plus additional for thinning (optional), divided
- 3 tablespoons vanilla
- 1 bag (2 pounds) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- assorted food coloring
Cookies:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 dash salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- To make icing: Mix meringue powder, 1/2 cup warm water, vanilla, powdered sugar and corn syrup. Separate into bowls and add food coloring; mix with water, as needed, to thin for piping.
- To make cookies: Heat oven to 350 F.
- Cream butter and sugar. Mix in egg, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time to form dough. Roll dough out to 1/4-1/2-inch thickness.
- Cut into shapes, place on baking sheet and freeze 10 minutes. Bake 8-12 minutes. Cool completely before icing.
- Place icing in zip-top or piping bags and cut off tips. Put cookies on parchment paper. Trace outline first then fill in middle. Use toothpicks to smooth out.
- Let dry 6 hours and finish decorating with different icing colors or edible markers.
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
EDIBLES
Simplify family dinners with easy, one-pan meals
(Feature Impact) When busy weeknights leave little time for prepping dinner – or cleaning it up afterward – simple recipes can make a difference. With a few flavorful ingredients and a single pan or casserole dish, you can get a satisfying meal on the family table without spending hours in the kitchen or leaving behind a sink full of dirty dishes.
Convenient ingredients like rice lend themselves well to a variety of easy recipes. For example, this zesty, Asian-inspired Lime-Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice combines sauteed shrimp with sweet mango, citrusy lime, savory bok choy and fragrant Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice in a weekly favorite that’s ready in about 25 minutes using just a wok or large skillet.
With no additives or preservatives, and now available in a shareable 32-ounce family size, the certified kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO long grain rice’s sweet buttery flavor makes it an easy base for the customizable dish. While the recipe calls for bok choy, you can mix and match vegetables based on what vegetables you already have on hand, including leftovers from another meal, such as carrots, onions, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas or corn.
For another easy option, this Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole comes together in just four simple steps and requires a single casserole dish for baking. Using no measure, no mess Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice ensures perfect, fluffy rice that folds into a creamy combination of cream of mushroom soup, broccoli and cheddar cheese for a bubbling, hearty dinner straight from the oven in about half an hour.
For more recipes that make it easy to get a homemade meal on the table with less cleanup, visit SuccessRice.com.

Lime-Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
- 2 bags Success Boil-in Bag Jasmine Rice
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 pound peeled, deveined medium shrimp, tails removed
- 8 baby bok choy, trimmed and quartered
- 1/2 cup diced fresh mango
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Prepare rice according to package directions. Allow to cool completely.
- In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, bok choy, mango, ginger and salt; saute 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp start to curl and bok choy starts to wilt.
- Stir in rice. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until well coated. Stir in soy sauce and lime juice; cook 2-3 minutes, until rice is heated through.
Tip: If you don’t have bok choy on hand, use small broccoli florets, trimmed green beans or leftover vegetables of choice.

Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6
- 1 bag Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup crispy fried onions
- Prepare rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Coat 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine soup, broccoli, 1 cup cheddar cheese and pepper. Fold in rice.
- Pour mixture into prepared dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese.
- Top with crispy fried onions. Bake 20 minutes, until bubbling.

SOURCE:
EDIBLES
4 ways to enjoy fresher foods at home
(Feature Impact) Fresh fruits and vegetables add color, nourishment and satisfaction to life. Knowing your food was grown from the earth and nurtured by the sun and rain can add a whole new dimension of enjoyment to your meals, which processed foods often can’t replicate.
However, if you’ve ever bought a cart full of produce with the best intentions – only to watch as half of it goes bad before you’ve managed to use it – you aren’t alone. Eating fresh foods is often easier in your healthy-eating dreams than in reality. With small habit changes, though, you can transform your household into a place where fresh, whole-food ingredients are at the center of your daily routines.
Consider these suggestions from the fresh produce experts at Avocados from Colombia.
Shop with a Plan
Meal-planning before you shop can help ensure every ingredient you buy has a purpose within its shelf life. Instead of picking out fruits and vegetables with vague aspirations of figuring out something to do with them later, you can simply consult your list and remember you need peppers, onions and avocados for that breakfast burrito recipe you want to try.
Pay Attention to Where Food Comes From
The source of your food can make a big difference in its freshness. When produce is grown and harvested with care then shipped quickly to its destination, it preserves quality and simplifies the journey from the farm to your table.
Consider fresh fruits like Avocados from Colombia, which aren’t just grown but raised at high altitude in rich volcanic soil, nourished by mountain rain and harvested by the hands of growers who care about their land and their craft. The fruit reaches U.S. shipping ports in as little as 3-5 days, so you can confidently choose flavorful produce that arrives as fresh as possible from beautiful Colombian orchards.
With two harvest seasons across nine growing regions, fresh Colombian avocados can be enjoyed throughout the entire year, whether you want to serve bright guacamole or dice an avocado as a cool, creamy topping for a warm winter chili.
Use Fresh Ingredients in a Variety of Ways
It’s always easier to use fresh ingredients when you’re brimming with ideas of things to do with them. For instance, avocados can be transformed into guacamole, creamy salad dressing or flavorful sauces; sliced for use in grain bowls, salads or avocado toast; or frozen to blend into smoothies. This also makes it easier to buy produce in bulk or take advantage of sales.
Find Inspiration Online
Recipes like these Chicken and Avocado Rollups can be an easy solution for putting fresh avocados on the menu, offering the type of everyday joy the growers behind Avocados from Colombia hope you taste. Their new “Raised by Colombia” short film puts faces to that idea, following Don Hernando, a grower of 40 harvests, and his granddaughter Camila, who brought the science of growing home. It ends where your avocado does: at a family table, where the grandmother of the house serves it in a kitchen like yours.
To watch the film and discover more recipe ideas, visit AvocadosColombia.com/RaisedByColombia.

Chicken and Avocado Rollups
Recipe courtesy of Avocados from Colombia
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 5-6
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 large flour tortillas, warmed
- 1 large avocado, smashed
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- In small bowl, mix mayo, sour cream and lime juice.
- Place tortilla on flat service and spread with lime crema followed by smashed avocado.
- Layer with tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, chicken and bacon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Roll tortilla into tube shape and cut into pieces. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (avocado on cutting board)

SOURCE:
EDIBLES
Enjoy a tangy, spicy Buffalo Chicken with Superfood Swap
(Feature Impact) When you’re craving a specific comfort food, other flavors just aren’t going to hit the spot the same way. The good news: It only takes one or two simple ingredient changes to satisfy your taste buds while leveling up the nutrition of a meal.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=MtmGlJZJqgk%3Fsi%3D3povqSwlt4EsTVDq%26controls%3D0
For instance, if you’re jonesing for the zesty kick of buffalo sauce, your mind might initially go to pizza and wings. This Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweetpotatoes recipe featuring North Carolina Sweetpotatoes invites you to rethink that takeout order and enjoy the same bold, satisfying flavors in a more nutritious way. They’re a little sweet and a little spicy with savory chicken and creamy avocado stuffed jacket-style inside a nutrient-dense baked sweetpotato.
Sweetpotatoes – deliberately spelled as one word to better differentiate this unique root vegetable from traditional potatoes – are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. The American Diabetes Association even calls them a “diabetes superfood,” as they raise blood sugar more slowly than other starchy foods while allowing you to savor some natural sweetness. They’re also a great choice for athletes, thanks to complex carbohydrates that boost energy and nutrients that support endurance and recovery.
Find more ways to level up your favorite flavors at ncsweetpotatoes.com.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweetpotatoes
Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
- 4 sweetpotatoes
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups buffalo sauce
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons diced chives
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Place sweetpotatoes on lined baking sheet and use fork to pierce each one for venting. Bake 45 minutes, or until tender.
- Let sweetpotatoes cool slightly then use knife to gently cut each open lengthwise and crosswise. Use fork to lightly mash inside sweetpotatoes.
- In large bowl, combine shredded rotisserie chicken with buffalo sauce until evenly coated.
- Spoon buffalo chicken mixture into each sweetpotato. Top with diced avocado and chives.

SOURCE:
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS4 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News
-
NEWS4 years agoSheriff’s office called out to infant’s death







