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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

How to make Varsity-style Chili Cheese Dogs

Tonight for dinner I made the yummiest homemade chili for hotdogs! It is similar to the chili found at the world-famous Varsity restaurant.   No beans, just yummy spiced meat!  What'll ya' have!?!?



Varsity-Style Chili for hot dogs

1 lb lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1/8 onion, chopped fine (omitted in my version)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/3 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 cup water 
1/2 to 1 whole (1/3 ounce) package chili seasoning mix, adjust amount to your taste


Directions:

Brown ground beef in skillet and drain fat.

Add all other ingredients and combine.  Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often.  Add  additional 1/2 c water, 1 8 oz can tomato sauce, stir well and cook, covered on med. low for 30 minutes. Stir as needed.  I also added a little more water as needed so it didn't completely thicken up.    

I topped our Hebrew National beef hotdogs on Sara Lee whole grain buns with this chili and some shredded cheddar cheese.  SO good! At the Varsity, you can get them topped with chopped onion, too.  My husband always does!  We enjoyed these with Baked Lays chips and a sweet fruit salad. :)


This is my adaptation of a recipe on Food.com: the original version can be found at http://www.food.com/recipe/varsity-chili-for-hot-dogs-120680?scaleto=4&mode=null&st=true


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Stone Mountain Spring FUN Break Part 2

Part Two of our fun-filled day at Stone Mountain Park's Spring FUN Break!


Baby Hedgehog


After our delicious lunch at Campfire Grill,  David and I headed over to the  Wildlife Wonders’ Animal Babies show.  From a baby otter to a kangaroo, animal experts immerse guests in an educational and interactive animal encounter!  We really enjoyed the show, and David was so excited to get to touch the animals.



We learned many cool facts about the baby animals showcased, and got to touch them all, except for the baby otter.  She has very sharp, strong teeth, so no touching allowed!




David was ready to run around and have some fun so next up we headed over to the Sky Hike & Camp Highland Outpost.  The line for Sky Hike (one of the nation's largest family adventure courses) was a little long so we checked out the kid-friendly Camp Highland Outpost.  The low ropes course, three line bridges, and zip line were perfect for my 9 year old! He had a blast!!


Geyser Towers was the perfect end to our time in the Crossroads Section of Stone Mountain Park.  It was getting awfully warm by this time and David was ready to cool down.  The rope bridges and various platforms are so much for hot kiddos to play on, and they are surprised by sporadic "eruptions" of water that cool them off and fill the air with screams of delight! (Note: Kids must have close toed shoes on to play at Geyser Towers.)  We like to end our day at Geyser Towers so David can go straight to the car and change into dry clothes!

As we were leaving, we decided on an impulse to visit the Antebellum Plantation & Farmyard, located right off the road we take to exit Stone Mountain.  I have been visiting Stone Mountain since I was a kid, and I don't know that I've ever taken the time to visit the Plantation.  I am so thrilled we took the time to do so this visit! We've been missing out on a hidden gem at SMP.

You enter this part of the park through a general store.  If you purchased an Adventure Pass for all of the fun over at Crossroads, then you may also explore the Plantation area with no additional charge.  If not, you can purchase a pass just for the Plantation.   You get to take a self guided tour through a collection of original buildings from Georgia, built between 1783 and 1875.  All were moved to SMP, carefully restored and furnished with period furniture and accessories.  The plantation homes are beautiful.   I think I should have lived during the Antebellum era - this speaks to my heart! The homes and their furnishings were just lovely.





The slave cabins, cookhouse and doctor's cabin were very interesting to see and read about.  The gardens are lovely.  We enjoyed ducking under the shady canopy of a huge magnolia tree - it was so much cooler under the shade!




We also ducked into the barnyard for a visit.  I quickly found out that there is one young goat who really, really likes pink - whether shirt, bag, shoes - he will find you if you have pink on! He had half my shirt in his mouth before I even realized it, lol! So don't wear pink! :)    Keep an eye out for this one:


We loved that the rest of the goats were all together on the path enjoying a nap in the sunshine. They patiently let my boy brush them.  There were also little piggies and lambs to see. 


This garden of herbs had signs explaining what each was used for medicinally.  Loved it!

After we spent about an hour wandering around the various buildings and gardens, we were pooped.  We could have stayed for the Laser Show, but we were so tired!  

So instead, we got in the van and headed north, back to our part of town.  We had spent the most delightful day at Stone Mountain Park during our Spring Break staycation!  Can't wait to see what they have to offer this summer, and over the holidays! It is one of Atlanta's best destinations for family fun!



Stone Mountain Park offers a variety of value-priced options for families to enjoy the park and the special SFB activities. 

Adventure Pass
$28 Adults/$22 Children 3-11 (tax not included)
Includes all of the SFB activities and other popular attractions such as the new Journey 2: The
Mysterious Island – The 4-D Experience, Geyser Towers®, Sky Hike®, the Summit Skyride, the
Great Locomotive Chase Adventure Golf, The Great Barn®, Scenic Railroad, the Antebellum
Plantation & Farmyard and Memorial Hall Museum.

Mountain Membership Annual Pass
$56 Adults /$44 Children 3-11 (tax not included)
Pays for itself in two visits. An annual pass lets families come again and again throughout the
year to take advantage of the park’s attractions, special events and exclusive discounts. 

Family Value Pass
$125 for a family of four (tax not included).
Saves families 30 percent. Sold exclusively onlinepass includes Adventure Passes, meal tickets
and complimentary cups with unlimited refills all day.

Families may also enjoy great vacation and staycation accommodations right inside the Park at two Marriott hotels. Family Escape Packages, beginning at $189 a night, include a one-night stay at the Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort or Stone Mountain Inn, 2-day Adventure Passes and breakfast.

Listed in Frommer’s 500 Places to Visit with Your Kids Before They Grow Up and cited by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of “35 Natural Wonders in Georgia You Must See”, Stone Mountain Park is located 16 miles east of downtown Atlanta. To get to the park, take I-285 to Exit 39B, Hwy. 78 East. Stone Mountain Park is Exit 8 on Hwy. 78. More information on Spring FUN Break, Stone Mountain Park attractions and hours of operation is available at www.stonemountainpark.com or by calling 770-498-5690.


Disclaimer: I was provided free passes to SMP in order to review the shows and attractions for the blog.  No other compensation was received and as always, all opinion are my own!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Spring FUN Break at Stone Mountain Park



Got the kiddos home from school this week? Or just looking for something fun to do this weekend? You've got to head over to Stone Mountain Park to see what's during their Spring FUN Break! David & I were there yesterday and had the most FUN day!

First we visited the Great Barn.  It is ALWAYS one of David's favorite destinations at SMP.  It's a 4 story building where kids gather fruits (foam balls) in bags to harvest.  If you go upstairs there are interactive stations to put the fruits, or you can shoot them across the barn or down on people below!  There are also slides and bridges and other fun stuff to check out up there.  We stayed for about 20 minutes and had a great time!  



Next we went to see the new 4D movie,  Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – The 4-D Experience.   
This 12 minute sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth engages guests through a 3-D film featuring spectacular 4-D special effects.  Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) partners with his mom's husband (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) on a mission to find his grandfather (Michael Caine), who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.  Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful daughter (Vanessa Hudgens) they embark on an amazing voyage and find incredible beauty amidst grave danger.  



This movie experience is AWESOME.  But it is one of the most intense movies I've seen at SMP.  I do know when my nephews visited the park last week and saw the film they were a little frightened. (ages 3 & 7)  The family behind us had to take their small (preschool age) son out during the film, too.  It is loud, and there are giant creatures coming right at you! (spider, lizard & electric eel). Oh, and you will get wet! Wetter than during the Polar Express and other movies I've seen there.  So keep your phone & camera covered up!  Even so, it was really good!  Loved it enough that if we'd had time, we would have gone again!

We decided to take a train ride after the movie.  Usually we take the train in the dark when we are there for Christmas so it was really fun to see the beautiful features of the land surrounding the mountain for a change! The cars are open so the breeze was fabulous.  We sat in the back car and had a great time.   Except for the pollen. It's bad this week in Atlanta.  Still, the train was still a great way to spend time with my son!







Lunch time!  We tried the new Campfire Grill, which replaced the popular Miss Katie's Restaurant.



It was a blast! Super kid-friendly.  The servers interact with the kids, having them look for animal tracks painted on the floor and table, identifying them and marking them off on their kid's menu.

 There was a bucket on the table that contained crayons, various animal track cards to use in making crayon rubbings, and cards with game ideas to keep kids busy.
 Kids can choose from typical kid-friendly offerings, and I liked that David's grilled cheese came with both fries AND applesauce.   I chose the grilled chicken skewer meal, served over roasted vegetables.  While waiting, our server brought us warm cheddar herb biscuits that were delicious!



Our food arrived in cast iron skillets - a cute, camp-y touch.


 Mine had roasted carrots, potatoes, celery, onions, parsnips and more.  The chicken was grilled perfectly and tasted so good!


David loved his sandwich too!!



We decided to split a dessert and chose the Campfire S'mores Skillet.  Yum!

The decor in the restaurant is quite different from Miss Katie's.  Now each table is a campsite - complete with tent over the tabletop, a flickering lantern, and the aforementioned animal tracks and bucket of fun stuff for kids.  There are faux campfires placed on ledges above the tables throughout the restaurant.  It felt very fun and family-friendly inside.



Stay tuned for part two of our day at Stone Mountain's Spring FUN Break tomorrow.  Find out about baby animals, zip line fun and a barnyard full of animals to pet! 



Date/Time: March 30 - April 13, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lasershow, March 30 - April 13, 8:30 p.m.
Location: Crossroads® at the base of Stone Mountain

Stone Mountain Park offers a variety of value-priced options for families to enjoy the park and the special SFB activities. 

Adventure Pass
$28 Adults/$22 Children 3-11 (tax not included)
Includes all of the SFB activities and other popular attractions such as the new Journey 2: The
Mysterious Island – The 4-D Experience, Geyser Towers®, Sky Hike®, the Summit Skyride, the
Great Locomotive Chase Adventure Golf, The Great Barn®, Scenic Railroad, the Antebellum
Plantation & Farmyard and Memorial Hall Museum.

Mountain Membership Annual Pass
$56 Adults /$44 Children 3-11 (tax not included)
Pays for itself in two visits. An annual pass lets families come again and again throughout the
year to take advantage of the park’s attractions, special events and exclusive discounts. 

Family Value Pass
$125 for a family of four (tax not included).
Saves families 30 percent. Sold exclusively onlinepass includes Adventure Passes, meal tickets
and complimentary cups with unlimited refills all day.

Families may also enjoy great vacation and staycation accommodations right inside the Park at two Marriott hotels. Family Escape Packages, beginning at $189 a night, include a one-night stay at the Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort or Stone Mountain Inn, 2-day Adventure Passes and breakfast.

Listed in Frommer’s 500 Places to Visit with Your Kids Before They Grow Up and cited by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of “35 Natural Wonders in Georgia You Must See”, Stone Mountain Park is located 16 miles east of downtown Atlanta. To get to the park, take I-285 to Exit 39B, Hwy. 78 East. Stone Mountain Park is Exit 8 on Hwy. 78. More information on Spring FUN BreakStone Mountain Park attractions and hours of operation is available at www.stonemountainpark.com or by calling 770-498-5690.


Disclaimer:  I received free entry into the park in order to review it for my blog.  No other compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own !






Thursday, April 4, 2013

Titanic Iceberg Hunt ~ Atlantic Station 4/13/13

Atlanta friends, looking for something fun to do next weekend (April 13)? Check out this interactive scavenger hunt - 10 prizes (vouchers for 2 free tix to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.) will be hidden in mini-icebergs!  Sounds like mucho fun!



WHO:             Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

WHAT:           Titanic, the world’s largest and most iconic Ship, sank on April 15, 1912 after colliding with an iceberg. With 2013 as the 101-year anniversary, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is hosting an iceberg hunt around Atlantic Station. Participants will gather in Atlantic Station’s Central Park to hunt for ten mini-icebergs containing vouchers for two free tickets to the exhibition. 

 Clues will be Tweeted throughout the hunt via @RMS_Titanic_Inc with the hashtag #iceberghunt.    Visitors can also enjoy a live ice-sculpting demonstration, as a giant iceberg forms right before their eyes. Don't worry, if you aren’t able to find the icebergs, you can still purchase tickets at the Exhibition Box office, online at www.TitanicAtlanta.com or by calling 866-866-8265.

WHEN:           April 13, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

WHERE:         Atlantic Station – Central Park
                        18th Street Northwest
                        AtlantaGA 30363
                         
WEBSITE:      www.TitanicAtlanta.com 




Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Best April Fool's Day prank ever!!

My poor kids, they hate April Fool's ~ I love to trick them with food fun.  So this year, they were on guard, and I told them I would not make them any food that would be a trick.  But I didn't say I wouldn't prank them at all....

So after dinner, they were in the living room.  I brought in two bowls, holding them high up so they couldn't see inside.  I asked them to close their eyes, that I had made them a delicious dessert....



Brown e's ~ who doesn't love a good brown e?!

Yeah, they were not amused, again..... oh well, a mommy's gotta try! (PS ~ I just found a page online with printable letters, saved it to a word document, then copied it several times per page, used brown markers to color those babies, and cut them out.  Easy peasy trick!)

What did y'all do for April Fool's?  Please leave me some good ideas in the comments section below! :)