Wow… it’s bitter cold outside lately, isn’t it? Well, if you are lucky enough to be in the tropics, I guess it isn’t, but if you are one of the unfortunate people stuck in the winter wonderland part of the country, than you are probably experiencing the wonderful, freezing, cold weather right now.

With winter and snow and cold temps comes lots of indoor time for the kids. Today I am sharing 5 indoor boredom busters for surviving those winter days indoors!

1. Make Gak – Gak is a fun mixture of Elmer’s glue and borax also called Flubber or Slime. It’s a simple recipe to make at home and will keep your kids occupied for hours. We made our Gak in a rainbow of different colors using food coloring! You can find step by step instructions on making Gak here.
2. Make Oobleck – Oh Oobleck… it’s one really fun creation but makes a pretty big mess! The laughs and giggles you hear from your kids though will be well worth it. Watch them try to figure out the magic that is Oobleck (how is it solid one second and a liquid the next?) You can find a video for making Oobleck, on this blog post.
3. Blow up Balloons – I can’t tell you how many times just a handful of balloons blown up for the kids to play with has saved the day (and my sanity). See how many times you can hit the balloon without it hitting the ground. Play balloon volleyball. Get some kid safe markers and draw faces on the balloons and decorate them. Balloons are so much fun and provide hours of indoor entertainment!
4. Make an Indoor Fort – This is another one where you just have to turn your eyes away from the mess. Gather up all of the blankets and pillows you can and help your kids make the biggest indoor fort ever. Then, allow them to spend the day living in their fort. Being allowed to even eat in the fort gets a big thumbs up from my kids!
5. Read – Reading is our favorite indoor activity. Need some help picking out books for your kids? This list of some of the top Children’s Books for 2013 is a great place to start!

Now that you are armed and ready for some great indoor snow days, you’ll be hoping spring stays away for just a little bit longer. Stay warm and have fun indoors!

The post 5 Indoor Boredom Busters for Winter Days appeared first on Dine and Dish.

I’m optimistically looking in my pantry and trying to figure out ways to get rid of all the hot chocolate mix I stocked up on during the frigid winter. My hope is that spring is here to stay and I won’t need to warm the kids up when they come in from playing outside with hot chocolate anymore. Of course, it just got done snowing, but I’m still eternally optimistic.

I’ve made Frozen Hot Chocolate, which is such a good warm weather treat. I’ve also seen Hot Chocolate popsicles , which are on my list to make as well. But what about baking with hot chocolate mix? Surely hot chocolate mix would be a perfect addition to cake or cookies?

Lucky for me, I stumbled across a recipe on Baked Bree that gave me a great starting point for some pretty amazing cookies. I made a few minor changes and the end result was hot chocolate in cookie form with marshmallows… perfect for the hot or cold months.

Pssst – don’t forget to head over to the Giveaway for the Kitchen Aid Pasta Press attachment!

Recipe: Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallows (Inspired by Baked Bree)

• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups mini marshmallows

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda.
3. Slow add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Mix until well blended.
4. Place by rounded teaspoon onto parchment lined baking sheets.
5. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.
6. As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, begin topping with marshmallows.
7. After cooling for a few minutes on the baking sheet, move to wire wrack until completely cool.
8. (I even went as far as to use my small kitchen blow torch to “roast” some of the marshmallows – yum!)

The post Spring Optimisim {Recipe: Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallows} appeared first on Dine and Dish.