Recipe Corner: SuperBowl Sunday Cheese Dip

Now I’m sure most everyone has heard of this easy dip, but just in case you haven’t, I needed to share it with you. This is an easy recipe that you can see on the Velveeta or Hormel Chili commercials. It is so delicious!

Ingredients

- Velveeta Processed Cheese Loaf
- One Can of Hormel Chili (our favorite has meat and beans)
- Chips or Veggies to dip in it

Directions

- Cut the cheese into one inch cubes. Place the cubes in a microwavable safe bowl.
- Pour Chili onto the cubes and microwave until melted.
- Make sure to stir every 30 seconds to keep it from burning.
- Dip your chip or veggie and enjoy!

Coca-Cola Arctic Home Polar Bear Pack Giveaway

My friend blueviolet is hosting a great giveaway over on A Nut in a Nutshell!  The prize pack includes: Polar Bear Hat with attached paw mittens, Polar Bear Stuffed Animal, Polar Bear 3-D Puzzle, Polar Bear Shaped Pillow, Ice Cube Tray – Bear Shapes, Polar Bear Cookie Cutter, and a Red Throw Blanket.  Head over and enter today!

Recipe Corner: Chocolate Mint Cookies

As you all know, I love my cookies!  Here is a different, but yummy cookie you should all try.  It is not the healthiest of cookies, but I suppose you could use Splenda and Egg beaters.  Either way, just delicious!!   

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 (4.5 ounce) packages chocolate covered thin mints

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, be careful not to overbake. When cookies come out of the oven, Press one mint wafer into the top of each cookie and let sit for 1 minute. When the mint is softened, swirl with the back of a spoon or toothpick to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint wafer. For smaller cookies, break mints in half.

Kidorable Valentine Day Surprise

Kidorable is on its way to reach our 25,000th Facebook Fan by Valentine’s Day. What does this mean for you, other than being associated with one of the hottest brands around?

Each time Kidorable gets another 1000 fans (18k, 19k, etc.) we will post a special question. All we ask for in return is a special place in your hearts, a response to the question we post, and the winner will be chosen at random to receive a $25 gift certificate to www.kidorable.com.

On the day Fan 25,000 likes us on Facebook, we will give away 25 more $25 gift certificates to fans that posted comments throughout the contest. If we reach the goal of 25,000 fans by Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2012, we will double the giveaway and 50 fans will win a $50 Gift Certificate. There will also be a special treat for all our fans that helped us along the way.

Please tell your friends to fan Kidorable on www.facebook.com/kidorable right away. They are going to hit 25,000 very soon!

Disney's Beach Club

The first step of planning a Disney Vacation is to book your accommodations. Whether you are planning to stay on Disney property or off, vacancies fill up fast, so plan accordingly.   My family's favorite on-property resort is Disney's Beach Club.  If you have not had the opportunity to tour this amazing resort, you should definitely stop by on your next trip to WDW.  There are so many wonderful things about the Beach Club, but I have narrowed it down to the top 3 reasons we will keep going back.   

1) Location:  The Beach Club is a Disney Vacation Club Resort located next door to EPCOT.  And when I say next door, I mean next door.  With two young children in tow, it usually takes us about 5-10 minutes to walk there. And rather than enter through the front entrance, you get to enter through the World Showcase just past England. This is amazing in the morning because the World Showcase doesn't actually open until 11:00am and the streets of England and Canada are completely empty.  This makes for great photo opportunities.  The Beach Club is also located right across the "lake" from the Boardwalk.  Another 5-10 minute walk and we are immersed in the Boardwalk experience, including great smells, amazing food, and fun street performers.  The Beach Club is also only a short boat to Disney's Hollywood Studios and a short monorail trip to the Magic Kingdom.  I am not big on crowded bus rides, so this is perfect for me.

2) Pool:  Don't let the word pool fool you.  The Beach Club's Stormalong Bay is not your ordinary Disney pool.  Stormalong Bay is 3 acres of fun in the sun (plus how many pools do you know of that have sand on the bottom?).   The pool is broken off into several different sections. So if you get a chance to stay at the Beach Club or Yacht Club, make sure to try them all.  My kids love the shallow water with the sandy beach to build their castles on.  It is like a beach for kids who are afraid of the ocean. My favorite part is the Lazy Susan type area.  The water is deep, so grab a inner tube, relax, and let the jets push you gently around.  My hubbies favorite part is the Shripwreck Water Slide.  Both of my kids loved it too, but if yours are a little hesitant, there is a smaller slide near the same entrance. 

3) Food: One of my favorite parts of going on vacation is that I get to eat great food (and I don't have to cook). The Beach Club is the home of two of my favorite buffets and my absolute favorite ice cream.  Cape May Cafe offers a delicious character breakfast that is not usually crowded.  When it comes to character meals, this is a definite plus because the characters spend more time at your table.  On our last visit, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Chip and Dale all visited our table twice.  They had fun playing around with the kids and it wasn't the same old, hug the character, take a picture, and say goodbye.   Cape May also offers a delicious seafood buffet for dinner.  I can not say enough good things about this meal.  There was something for everyone, including my favorite snow crab legs and my husbands favorite BBQ ribs.  For dinner the tables were covered in white paper and the kids were encouraged to doodle on the "tablecloth".  Everyone had a great time.  Beaches and Cream is a 50's type ice cream parlor.  Not only do they serve amazing hamburgers, but the ice cream is out of this world.  We never leave WDW without stopping in for a creamy ice cream cone or milkshake.   If for some reason, none of the meals interest you, you are short walk away from the Yacht Club and their famous steaks or EPCOT and the World Showcase.

Have you traveled to Disney World?  Where did you stay?  Would you stay there again?  Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!