Most of us have have had at least one Chia Pet in our lives, but have you ever had a Golden Girls chia?
The decorative planter that has been mesmerizing people since the late ’70’s has always had whimsical choices, but these Golden Girls options ($20) really take the cake (the cheesecake, that is). Coming in Rose, Dorothy, Blanche and Sophia options, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t just collect them all.
photo: Amazon
Each Chia Plant comes with the terracotta planter, drip tray and enough seeds for up to three plantings. All it takes is two weeks to get your Golden Girls growing!
Perfect for the holidays or for any uber GG fan, you can find them all on Amazon for $20 each.
It’s 2021 and you can finally have Little Debbie in ice cream form! The ultimate sweet treat is coming to Walmart on November 1 and we are counting down the days.
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are delicious on their own—now they’re blended into vanilla ice cream for the perfect holiday treat. The pints are swirled with the green sprinkles and red icing from the iconic holiday treat. Don’t forget the golden cake chunks!
You’ll only be able to find this delicious dessert at Walmart and it’s only $2.50 a pint. If you really want to take it to the next level, blend it up with a box of the Christmas Tree Cakes at home, then pass out on the couch with a holiday classic.
If you are ready to jump right in and embrace the fall season, we’ve got some great fall decor options for you. Scroll down to find live succulent arrangements that make the perfect hostess gift as well as a cake stand that gives you the perfect excuse to bake all those pumpkin recipes. It’s fall, y’all!
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There's nothing like a pop of color to get your house feeling like a new season has arrived. We love these pillows that come in six different colors that are sure to make your couch the spot where everyone wants to sit.
These rattan lanterns will provide the soft glow that your living room needs and they come with handy remotes so you can change the color from the LED candle on a whim.
If your fall plans include baking an apple cake, this cake stand is the perfect way to show off your masterpiece. It has a lovely retro feel and will transition well into winter and spring desserts.
This little cutie will be the centerpiece of your fall decor, we know it. Filled with live succulents, this faux pumpkin only needs a little spritz of water to keep it going well into the spring.
It might be fall, but that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to ice cream till next summer. Cold Stone Creamery has turned its classic cake batter flavor jet black and it’s the perfect Halloween treat.
For a limited time you can score the new Boo Batter ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery locations. It’s the same flavor as their cake batter, but with a much spookier color to help celebrate the season.
You can kick things up a notch by ordering the Trick Or Treat Creation, which mixes in some of your favorite Halloween treats, like Halloween Oreos, Kit Kats and M&Ms, with the Boo Batter. Complete the entire dish by ordering it in an orange or black waffle cone.
Don’t wait if you want to get a taste of this sweet treat. It’s only around for the month of October at Cold Stone Creamery locations.
If you live near a Carvel and you’re a Hocus Pocus fan, you’ll be bewitched by this news. The ice cream company has created three limited-edition shakes that celebrate the Sanderson Sisters—and we’d buy them just for those collectible cups!
Available now through Halloween, the shakes each feature the distinctive personalities of the sisters. Sarah’s Chilling Churro Shake combines Churro Crunchies with cinnamon-sugar churro ice cream, topped with yellow sprinkles. Winnie’s Glorious Cake Batter Shake mixes up cake batter ice cream, topped with orange sprinkles. And Mary’s Divine Cookies & Cream Shake blends vanilla with cookie and cream pieces, topped with violet sprinkles.
The shakes are also celebrating Carvel’s partnership with Freeform, the network airing “31 Nights of Halloween” and plenty of Hocus Pocus. You can buy them starting at $4.79 at participating Carvel shops and on food delivery platforms. Don’t forget the collectible spoon!
If you need more of the Sanderson Sisters in your life, we’ve got you covered. Bubble, bubble we’re in trouble!
What do you get when you combine a magical unicorn with a creepy zombie? Halloween perfection.
Baskin-Robbins is dressing up its fan fave unicorn cake for the spooky season. The Zombie Unicorn Cake is ghoulish sight, complete with gooey “blood.”
photo: Courtesy of Baskin-Robbins
Sink your fangs into this devilish dessert that is made with a crushed OREO coated sugar cone horn, drippy “blood” and an OREO “dirt” speckled base. The best part? You can pick your own Baskin-Robbins flavor to appease your lil’ zombies.
The Zombie Unicorn Cake is available for a limited time at Baskin-Robbins this season.
When it comes to birthday parties, a dinosaur-themed one is almost a right of passage for most parents. Hosting an unforgettable dinosaur party doesn’t need to be expensive or require high-design skills; just read on for super easy ideas to host the dino party of their dreams. And don’t forget to surprise them with the most fantastic gift: the stompin’, chompin’, dancin’ Squeakee the Balloon Dino!
Make your tiny party-goers squeal with delight: just stuff tiny toy dinosaurs inside a few plastic balls or Easter eggs (we mean dino eggs!) and bury them in a ball pit for kids to find as part of the dig!
Your little dino-lover has probably had their share of dino toys, so this year surprise them with Squeakee Dino. Part dino, part balloon animal and part breakdancer, this giant toy is a must-have for any dino lover. It has over 70 sounds and reactions, including chompin’, stompin’ and even dancin’! We promise he’ll be the hit of the party.
Almost any food can become “dinosaur food” with some clever signage. Chicken wings can transform into Pterodactyl Wings; chips can be Dino Claws; veggies and dip can be Herbivore Snacks, and cut-up deli meats can easily be Carnivore’s Delight. Check out these Squeakee Dino printables to create your own labels. You don’t even need any design skills!
Bake up a classic birthday cake, cupcakes, or just buy some plain store-bought ones and add these cute Squeakee Dino cake toppers for the world’s easiest and cutest dinosaur cake.
5. Get Crafty with Dino Eggs
Kids love dying eggs, and it doesn’t have to be Easter to try outthis adorable at-home idea. Followour tutorial to make an ordinary hard-boiled egg dinotastic. Bonus: you can eat the eggs!
6. Have a Dinosaur Dance Party
Squeakee Dino actually breakdances when you put his headphones on! Cue up some music for the kids, pop on Squeakee’s headphones, and let the dance-off begin!
7. Play Prehistoric Tug Of War
Squeakee Dino loves a good game of Tug Of War with his Squeaker Toy. Have the kids line up to feed Squeakee Dino his squeaker bone, but be careful when he latches on and doesn’t want to let go. And if they squeeze the bone, Squeakee Dino might just come stompin’ towards them.
8. Color a Dinosaur
Print a cute dinosaur coloring page for the kids to color in themselves, either at the party or for them to take home.
9. Watch a Dino Movie
From Jurrasic Park to TheLand Before Time, wind down the party with a kid-friendly dinosaur movie.Check out our list of the best dinosaur-themed movies for kids of any age.
Pull together some fun dino-themed packaged snacks and accessories and create these super cute party favors to give to your guests.
Whether your little one is into Tyrannosaurus or Brontosaurus, they’ll love Squeakee the Balloon Dino! And don’t forget to download your Squeakee Dino party printables here.
Did you know the first-ever brownie recipe came from right here in Chicago? Yep, it did! This iconic dessert was created at the Palmer House in Chicago. In celebration of Palmer House’s 150th, we’re sharing the recipe so you can celebrate this milestone at home. As a bonus, we’re throwing in Hilton Chicago’s guest-favorite Signature Carrot Cake Pop recipe. Read on for the recipes and a little Chicago brownie history lesson to share with the kids.
photo: Palmer House Hilton
Palmer House Hilton Brownie
The first reference to the “brownie” in America appears in the Sears Roebuck Catalog published in Chicago in 1898. Specifically at the direction of Bertha Palmer to be served at the Columbian Exposition World’s Fair in 1893, the brownie was created in the Palmer House Kitchen in the late 19th century. The recipe below is well over a century old, and is the exact same one used for the brownie served in the Palmer House Hilton today! It remains one of the hotel’s most popular confections.
Ingredients:
14 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 lb butter
12 oz granulated sugar
4 oz flour
8 eggs
12 oz crushed walnuts
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Mix the sugar and flour together in a bowl. Combine chocolate and flour mixtures. Stir 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and continue mixing.
3. Pour mixture into a 9×12 baking sheet. Sprinkle walnuts on top, pressing down slightly into the mixture with your hand. Bake 30-40 minutes.
4. Brownies are done when the edges begin to crisp and has risen about 1/4 of an inch.
Note: When the brownie is properly baked, it will remain “gooey” with a toothpick in the middle due to the richness of the mixture.
Glaze: Mix together 1 c. water, 1 c. apricot preserves, and 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin in saucepan. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil for two minutes. Brush hot glaze on brownies while still warm.
photo: Hilton Chicago
Hilton Chicago’s Signature Carrot Cake Pop Recipe
Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup chopped pecans
3.5 oz. coconut flakes
8 oz crushed pineapple
Directions:
Baking Process:
1. Spray and paper a 10” cake pan.
2. Combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt).
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
4. Add the dry ingredient mixture and mix until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
5. Next add the carrot, pecans, coconut, and pineapple mixing gently with a spatula.
6. Pour into the previously prepared cake pan.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350*F degrees.
8. Let it cool down.
Assembly Process:
1. Combine the soft butter in the mixing bowl until well combined and add the powder sugar and vanilla, and mix until you reach a creamy consistency.
2. You will need to melt your favorite type of chocolate.
3. Place the chilled carrot cake in a mixing bowl and break into little pieces. Add some of the cream cheese filling until you reach a scoop-able consistency. (Note: do not add too much filling because your dough can become too soupy to scoop).
4. Scoop the size that you desire to make your cake pop. Add stick and freeze for at least an hour.
5. Melt some of your favorite chocolate. Add some food coloring to make some fun color cake pops, if desired.
6. Once the cake pops are of hard consistency, dip in the melted chocolate and let them set for a few minutes.
No, you don’t need to throw your baby an over-the-top blowout to have a special day marking their first birthday. If a party isn’t your thing, try these fun alternatives to mark your little one’s first year of life. From a day at the zoo to fun with balloons, here’s how to celebrate baby’s first birthday without a party but still with friends, relatives, or just your immediate family.
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Balloons! On the big day, gather the best elements of a birthday party and have a family day celebrating with them. We're talking things like balloons, streamers, music, cake and lots of hugs and kisses. You'll make the day special for both of you and have lots of photo ops without all the stress and expense of a party.
Fishy Fun Dive into a day of birthday fun with a trip to your local aquarium. Your baby will be mesmerized by all of the watery sights and sea creatures. (And mom and dad will be mesmerized watching baby!) Watching fish float by is fun, but we bet the dolphins, seals, sea otters and other marine mammals will be the biggest hits of the day. Don’t forget to visit the tide pool animals, too. Bonus: Children under two are usually free at most aquariums!
Festivals Scope out local festivals, and then head out for a day of fun. (Red Tricycle's city guides always keep you in the know. And check local websites or Facebook groups for event calendars.) Your child will love taking in all of the sights and sounds that accompany a street festival. Music, people watching, new foods—the event promises to be as fun for mom and dad as it is for baby.
Suzanna Palmer
Go Wild Your little one’s first birthday is the perfect time to head to the zoo. Kids love seeing animals they've read about in storybooks and making animal noises with you as you view the exhibits. All the new sights, sounds and smells will likely keep baby’s senses engaged, but bring a stroller or carrier for naps. Best spots for photo ops: The petting zoo, tram, carousel or kiddie train.
Art Project Channel your little one's propensity for making messes into a work of art with a painting session. Gather some basic painting supplies from your local art supply store, like a small canvas, washable paints and a smock. Then, secure baby in a high chair and let the fun begin. Note the date and occasion on the back of the work of art; then find a place of honor to display baby’s first-birthday masterpiece.
Seasonal Celebration Baby born during the fall? Head to an apple orchard where you can bounce along on a hayride and sip apple cider. If you have a winter baby, take a walking tour of your area’s best holiday lights. For babies born during spring or summer, visit an outdoor concert or botanical garden to celebrate the season along with baby's birthday.
Suzanna Palmer
Let Them Eat Cake! Just because you aren’t planning a party doesn’t mean you should skip a cake. Having a smash cake sesh might just be the highlight of your little one’s day, and yours. Your baby is more likely to feel at ease—and dive face-first into the goodies—without dozens of eyes and cameras peering at them, like they'd have at a party. So bake up your favorite cake or pick one up at your local bakery and then dig in, baby!
Park It Scope out the local parks for baby-appropriate offerings, such as bucket swings and paved walkways for strollers. Bonus points if the park has a water feature, such as a fountain or pond for fish, turtle or duck-watching. Pack a blanket and a picnic and enjoy a relaxing day together as a family.
Low-Key Playdate Get your mommy & me crew together for a casual playdate at one of your usual haunts. Bring a snack (cupcakes, cookies or fruit) as a nod to the birthday babe, and let the kids play while you and the other moms celebrate that you got through your first year as a mom.
However you choose to toast your tot, make sure to capture all the special moments—and share them with your family and friends near and far—with the Tinybeans app. The secure platform puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their kids.
Yes, you can skip the bakery birthday cake and take matters into your own hands. Even if you aren’t blessed in the culinary department, we’ve rounded up a bunch of cake hacks and DIY tricks that will help you pull off a Pinterest-worthy masterpiece. Box cake mix is about to get a serious upgrade—read on for all the sweet deets.
If you've decided to make your own cake at home, a warm spatula or knife will make spreading frosting easier. Head over to the Kitchn for the details, and their preferred tools!
Give It a Crumb Coat
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Once your cake is completely cool, it’s time to get frosting! We swear by the crumb coat trick—spread a thin first layer of frosting over the whole cake to catch the crumbs before you do the rest of the decorating.
Go wild with sprinkles inspired by Beki Cook’s Cake Blog. She’s got a hack to make decorating a cinch (it involves a plate and some careful maneuvering). Click here to find out how this colorful confection is made.
Sometimes basic is best when it comes to cake decorating! It doesn’t get much easier than this idea from Lyndsay Sung via You Are My Fave. Just buy a bunch of chocolates or gummies and pop them on the frosted cake. Click here to see two more simple ideas that look just as delicious.
Feeling crafty? This cute idea from Paper & Stitch is easier than you’d think—just spell out your kiddo’s age with a few supplies that you might already have at home. To get all the details on how it’s done, click here.
If your kid loves circus animal cookies, they’ll adore this cute creation from Studio DIY. Best of all, the starting point is a basic cake from the grocery store. Music to our ears! To get the details (plus five more ways to jazz up store-bought cakes), click here.
We love this sweet idea from Butterlust, especially for kids who are obsessed with all things prehistoric. The recipe includes a rich chocolate frosting and ganache, but you can also simplify it with a store-bought cake if you’re short on time. Click here to learn more.
It’s pretty tricky to pipe words with icing, which is why we love this tip from the Food Network. Use a toothpick to make dots where the letters should go, then pipe them on when you’re happy with how they look. Click here for more helpful hacks.
Take inspiration from A Subtle Revelry and make a supersized donut for the birthday kiddo. The pink frosting and sprinkles on top are essential! To grab the recipe, click here.
Perfect for summer parties, all you need for this recipe from The Kitchen McCabe is a big batch of berries. Plus, there’s a way to make a layer cake without actually having to make multiple cakes—yes, please! Get the scoop by clicking here.
This Kit Kat cake is actually a single layer cake lined with Kit Kat bars and topped with M&Ms. Not only does it look super cool, but it's easy to transport, too. Get the recipe from Mom Loves Baking.
