It's refreshing to discover a line of toys that promotes imagination and discovery.  There are no beeps and whistles on these toys.  The only sounds you'll hear are the sounds your children make as they use their imaginations to create and role-play and discover.  Manhattan Toy has a new and exciting "imagine i CAN" line that includes 28 arts and crafts, do-it-yourself, games, and role-play and puppet kits.  

There is something for everyone and at an affordable price too.  I think these toys would be great birthday gifts and if you plan ahead for Christmas like I do, many of these would be perfect stocking stuffers.  Plus, most of them come in tins which are handy for storage or travel.  

My oldest was excited to receive the create & color space alien.  He loves to craft and create so this was perfect for him.

This kit comes with pre-punched pieces that come together to create an alien.  It also includes markers and googly eyes.  He loved the googly eyes.  He was so excited to put the eyes on the alien.  

There is also a space scene inside the box to encourage imaginative play.

We also received a fun game called cheese chase.  The boys enjoyed playing this game because it was simple enough that they could play together without any adult assistance and challenging enough that it was fun.  

I like that the game pieces are well made wooden pieces and that they store easily in the provided tin.  I played this game with my three year old too.  He loves it.  He asked to play it several times today.  

In addition, we received an awesome finger paint set.  The boys love the creative tools and the paint is thick and easy to use.  It also cleans up easily.  Plus it comes in a cool storage tin.  Watch the boys at work with the art tools and paint in this video.  

We have been having so much fun playing with our "imagine i CAN" toys from Manhattan Toy and are excited to offer a giveaway.  

One lucky reader will win an "imagine i CAN" toy of his or her choice.  Enter on the rafflecopter form.

Disclosure:  I received products for review.  All opinions are honest and are my own.

We just had a "Big Snow" event this week which was a lot of fun.  The boys loved it, even shoveling snow.  They had to take turns which was hard for my three year old.  

When we came in from the snow, I read one of our favorite books to them.  Katy and the Big Snow, by Virginia Lee Burton.  I love this book.  It was first published in 1943.  I love the vintage illustrations and the message.  Katy is a snow plow who works hard to plow the roads so that the city can function.  She has a good work ethic which makes for a great message for kids.  

My favorite line in the story is "Katy liked to work.  The harder and tougher the job the better she liked it."

Okay, so this is really, really good.  A little indulgent, YES!, but we all need to indulge in some comfort food every now and then.  

I used parmesan and mozzarella cheese and it was a great combination, but feel free to be creative and use your favorite cheeses.  I made homemade onion rings for the topping.  In my recipe, I use a deep fat fryer, but you can use a large pot on the stove if you do not have one.  

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. butter
6 slices bacon
3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup milk or more as needed to thin mashed potatoes
1 cup shredded parmesan, monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, divided
8 ounces sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 green onions, chopped
1 batch homemade onion rings to top the casserole

1.  Saute onion and garlic in butter.  Set aside.  

2.  Cook bacon.  Save two tablespoons of the bacon drippings.  Crumble bacon into small pieces.

3.  Stir together the onion and garlic, bacon drippings, mashed potatoes, milk, cheeses (Just 2 cups of mozzarella or cheddar), sour cream, salt, pepper, and green onions.

4.  Spread into a greased 9×13 pan.  Sprinkle on bacon crumbles and remaining mozzarella or cheddar.  Then place homemade onion rings on top.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes.  (Place a piece of foil on top if it starts to get too dark.)

Recipe adapted from The Finer Things in Life.

We really enjoy this cake.  It is simple to prepare and so moist.  It's a great everyday cake that you don't even need to frost and it stays delcious and moist for several days.  

This is what the cake looks like in the crock pot when it is done.  It will be the shape of your crock pot so keep that in mind if you have an oval crock pot, your cake will be oval shaped.  Also, because slow cookers are different sizes, you may need to cook the cake shorter or longer.  Monitor it somewhat the first time.  

This cake is pretty easy to transfer to a platter, but you will need to use some care when doing this.  I use a turner and lift up slightly underneath the cake all around to make sure it is loose from the crock.  Then I place a platter on top of the crock and flip the cake out onto the platter.  

Doesn't this look delicious?  It is seriously good.  I may have to go and make one right now.  

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Spray crock of a large slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in the boiling water. 
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
5. Pour the cake batter into the greased slow cooker.
6. Set slow cooker to "Low". Cook until the cake has no wet spots on top and has pulled away from the sides of the crock pot, about 3 hours. Turn off the slow cooker and allow the cake to rest for 30 minutes or more before transferring it to a platter.  Keep it covered to retain its moisture during this resting period.  I have left the cake in the crock pot for as long as 90 minutes after turning it off and it was still moist and delicious.       

Serve with strawberries and whipped cream for an extra special treat.

Recipe slightly adapted from All Recipes.

Disclosure:  If you use this link for coconut oil it is a referral link.  If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.  

Linking up at Create with Joy

Guest post by: Elizabeth Lotts writer for Vitacost.com

Eating without gluten may be easier today than ever before.  Bakeries are specializing in gluten-free treats, concession stands are selling gluten-free beer and merchants are stocking a variety of gluten-free foods. Sweet and savory treats are no longer taboo for gluten-intolerant folks—go ahead, have your cake and eat it, too! 

Put pasta back on your plate – Gluten comes from a protein in wheat kernel. Traditionally, pasta is made with durum wheat flour or durum semolina (a.k.a. wheat). With the increasing prominence of gluten intolerance, companies are concocting faux pasta by replacing wheat with rice.  Rice pasta looks the same, smells the same, tastes the same and generally cooks the same as regular pasta. Looking for whole grain pasta without the gluten? Try tossing brown rice pasta shells with your favorite organic dressing for a quick, tasty pasta salad.

It’s your party. Eat cake if you want to – Again, the wheat flour in most sweet sensations – cookies, cakes, pies – spoils any good birthday or wedding when you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance. With the selection of cookies and cake mixes today, you finally have something sweet to celebrate.  If you don’t want to make your own gluten-free dessert, look for a local bakery to satisfy your dietary and sweet tooth needs. At your next party, BYOD (Bring Your Own dessert) so you can indulge, too – sharing optional.

Cheers to beer – Wines are naturally free of gluten, so gluten-free sots will sip wine as a safe bet. (Warning: some vineyards add gluten to preserve freshness.)  But what about having a beer while watching the game? Drive (sober) to the nearest liquor, or specialty wine, store for a variety of gluten-free beer brands. When you’re watching the game live, research the stadium before you go. Many ballparks feature concession stands dedicated to gluten-free fare, which might be just the ticket!

This article has been provided by the folks at Vitacost.com. Offering more than just vitamins and supplements, Vitacost.com has a wide selection of over 35,000 organic, natural products for your healthy lifestyle. From gluten free foods and bath & beauty items to sports nutrition favorites and pet essentials, Vitacost.com has your needs covered – for less!  Check out the Vitacost Coupon Code page for discounts and savings. Take your shopping list to Vitacost.com and take the cost out of healthy living. Vitacost.com is not affiliated with this blog and isn’t responsible for content outside of this article.


Disclosure:  If you use my referral link to order from Vitacost, you will get $10 off your first order of $30 or more and I will receive a $10 credit.