How to get your kids in the kitchen and make Turkey Cake Pops

I love for my kids to help in the kitchen.  Whether it be chores like washing dishes or FUN, like making these awesome cake pops, it gives your child a sense of responsibility.   Most children have a break from school during Thanksgiving and this is the perfect opportunity to get them in the kitchen and make some delicious treats. I give you cake pops!!!  These Turkey Cake Pops are easy to make and kids love them!  You can make some now and make some to to have at your Thanksgiving dinner.  I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did,  This is the perfect opportunity to teach your kids to work as a team, teach about measurements, and a very tasty art project!

1 Box Duncan Hines Butter Golden Cake Mix

2/3 cup Cream Cheese Frosting
1 bag Vanilla Candy Wafers
2 (14-ounce) bags Milk Chocolate Candy Melts or Wafers
Vegetable Oil
Pretzel Sticks (broken into 2cm sections)
Thanksgiving Feather Sprinkles
Yellow Peanut M&M’s
Edible Black Pen
Orange Candy Coated Rainbow Chips
Heart Shaped Sprinkles
Lollipop Sticks
Treat bags
Large piece of Styrofoam
Foil
Double Boiler

Lay out a couple of ungreased pans, set aside. Cover a large piece of Styrofoam with foil, set aside. Prepare and bake cake according to package directions. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Break apart cake and place in a large bowl, then crumble completely. Stir in frosting, then blend together with hands until you have the texture of play-doh. Melt a small amount of vanilla candy wafers in a small bowl, set aside. Roll cake into an oval shape. Dip tip of lollipop stick into melted candy, then insert a little ways into the ball. Lay flat on pan. Repeat until all dough is used. *You will need to melt your vanilla candy wafers every so often to continue use. Place in fridge for 1 hour. While cake balls are chilling, break pretzel sticks into 2cm sections, set aside. Just before removing from fridge, melt 1 bag of milk chocolate candy wafers along with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a double boiler. Remove 5 cake pops at a time from the fridge. Carefully, remove from pan and dip most of cake pop in the melted candy. Use a spoon to drizzle the candy coating near the stick. Tap cake pop on the side of the pan so excess will drip off, then use your finger to smooth out the back. Carefully, insert 2 sticks into the bottom sides of turkey for legs. Place in styrofoam. Melt candy wafers as needed to continue use. Pour leftover melted candy in a bowl and save. Let cake pops sit for several hours to set. Reheat leftover hardened candy in bowl and use to seal any cracks in coating with the tip of your finger. Place back in styrofoam to harden. Dip end of feather sprinkles into melted candy and place on back of turkey making sure to hold for a couple of seconds to set. Dab a small amount of melted candy on the back of the peanut M&M’s, then place in center of turkey for face making sure to hold for a couple of seconds to set. With an edible black pen, make eyes. Dab a small amount of melted candy on the back of the orange chips and place on face for a nose making sure to hold for a few seconds to set. Dab a small amount of melted candy on the back of the heart sprinkles, then place upside down under the nose making sure to hold for a couple of seconds to set. Let sit for a few hours. Place a treat bag over each cake pop and tie with ribbon.

*You will need 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil for each bag of Chocolate Candy Wafers.
*Mike’s Candies or Candy Corn can be used in place of the feather sprinkles.

Handy.com Solving Problems

Handy.com Solving Problems

For anyone looking to find professionals to help them around their home, the search can be long and frustrating. Finding good, quality help seems like an impossible task. That was the issue that 19-year-old college student Osin Hanrahan was having. From this issue, he and a fellow college classmate found a solution to this problem.

Osin had been buying and developing apartments in Eastern Europe. He was having trouble finding quality handymen to help him with his business. A few years later, Osin met Umang Dua while they were both attending Harvard Business School. Umang expressed how he was having the same issues finding quality workers. This is when the idea of handy.com was born.

The idea behind handy.com is to be the connection between household service professionals and those who need their services. Currently, this website is available in 35 cities located in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The cities are larger in size such as Chicago, London, and Toronto.

The types of services that are provided cover four categories. Those are plumbing, electrical, cleaning, and handyman services. This provides a wide variety and should suit the needs of most people. The wide variety is a definite plus.

The process of scheduling a service seems fairly streamlined. The website states that it takes roughly 60 seconds to complete your transaction. This does seem to be the case as basic information is needed to complete your request. You need to enter what type of service you are requesting, how long you think it should take, and when you need your service done. Before you pay for your service request, a quote is given so you know the exact cost before anything is set in stone.

All professionals that are available through handy.com are screened and checked before they are added to the system. All and given a background and identity check. This does give some piece of mind that all employees are worthy and will be reliable.

Handy.com offers a 100% money back guarantee, they have customer service available 24/7, and they state that their rates are affordable. When it came to customer service, it was a bit tough to get in touch with an actual person. There is no phone number listed on their site and to even get closer to getting a phone number to call, you will need to create an account on the site. There is a large frequently asked questions section that does answer most questions and concerns but having a number to call would be nice.

How to celebrate National Pumpkin Day

If you love pumpkin spice, NOW is the time to get your Captain Morgan Jack O' Blast and make these delicious drinks!  

Captain Morgan Jack-O’Blast is the first pumpkin spiced rum to ever hit shelves, as a blend of Caribbean rum and everyone’s favorite fall flavors - including fresh pumpkin, cinnamon and other autumnal spices. Whether you’re preparing for your Halloween party or carving Jack-O-Lantern’s with friends, Jack-O’Blast is the perfect way to toast to the pumpkin holiday. Happy National Pumpkin Day!  Enjoy!

Orange Pumpkin Smash 

·         1.5 oz. Captain Morgan Jack-O’Blast

·         2 oz. orange juice

·         2 oz. club soda

DIRECTIONS: Combine Jack-O’Blast and orange juice in a glass filled with ice and stir. Top with club soda and enjoy.

Jack-O’Lager

·         1 oz. Jack-O’Blast shot

·         4 oz. Lager 

DIRECTIONS: Drop shot of Captain Morgan Jack-O’Blast in a glass of lager beer and enjoy.

Blasted Brew

·         .5 oz. Jack-O’Blast

·         .5 oz. Cannon Blast

DIRECTIONS: Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a shot glass.

Please drink responsibly and NEVER drink and drive.

Jack O' Blast Hot Chocolate with Toasted Marshmallows

Fall is in the air! ahhh  We know what that means.  All things pumpkin.   This spiked hot chocolate is sure to satisfy your pumpkin craving.    Make a large batch so all your friends can enjoy.  

This recipe makes two (2) servings

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Captain Morgan's Jack-O-Blast Spiced Rum (each mug)
• 1 oz. Bailey's Pumpkin Spice Irish Cream (each mug)
• 2 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 4 1/2 tbsps Dark Chocolate syrup
• Marshmallows

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pot over low heat, add two (2) cups of heavy cream and four (4) tablespoons of dark chocolate syrup, stir ingredients until the heavy cream is a rich chocolate brown.
2. Remove the pot from the heat source and divide the hot chocolate into two mugs.
3. Add one (1) ounce Bailey's Pumpkin Spice Irish cream, and one (1) ounce of Captain Morgan's Jack-O-Blast Spiced Rum into each mug of hot chocolate.
4. Top each mug with three (3) medium size marshmallows, then torch marshmallows using a baker's Crème brûlée torch, or place the mugs onto a cookie sheet and brown the marshmallows in the oven using the broil setting. 
5. Serve.

Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive

Handcrafted Gifts from the World Vision Gift Catalog Giveaway

Sorry for the inconvenience, but the sponsor has asked for the giveaway to be taken down.  My sincere apologies for those that have entered.

Handcrafted Gifts from the World Vision Gift Catalog Giveaway

Host: Dorky's Deals

Sponsor: World Vision

Prize: Handcrafted Gifts from the World Vision Gift Catalog ($530 RV)

Since 1996, the World Vision Gift Catalog has grown in popularity as a gift-giving alternative. Over 650,000 people were helped through funds generated by the Catalog last year alone. The 2016 World Vision Gift Catalog contains more than 250 poverty-fighting gifts, ranging in price from $16 to $39,000, that improve the quality of life for struggling children and families both in the U.S. and around the world. Want to see where your money goes? Check out this video from World Vision to learn more. Why pick up a generic gift at the store when you can get beautiful gifts handmade by artisans around the world? Aside from giving a unique handmade gift, when you shop the World Vision Gift Catalog, you are also helping to fight poverty and improve the quality of life for children and families around the world. For more information check out Dorky's Deals full review here. To order from World Vision’s Gift Catalog, call 855-WV-GIFTS or visit the 2016 World Vision Gift Catalog online. Enter below for a chance to win 6 beautiful handcrafted gifts from the 2016 World Vision Gift Catalog. A $530 total retail value. This giveaway is open to US residents ages 18+ only and ends 10/30/16 at 11:59 PM EST.

Good luck!  Handcrafted Gifts from World Vision Giveaway ($530 RV)

Getting In On The Ground Floor: Seeing The Stars Before They're Huge

Everyone loves the classics. At least, everyone pretends to love the classics for fear of appearing uncultured. If you devote a lot of time to seeming to be a cultural maven, you'll even know the little bits of info that trip others up. Did you know, for example, that Peter Pan wasn't written as a good guy? Do you refer to Romeo and Juliet as a great romance, despite the fact they both die completely unnecessarily?

The classics are fine and have their place. They are classics for a reason, of course. The entire works of Shakespeare and the music of Beethoven were edgy and new once. They have stood the test of time and thus became classics. But now, they're the past. Unless we come up with some new classics, cultural historians will just look back on this decade as being when all the greats died. How depressing would that be?

So there's a lot to be said for getting out there and seeing what's new before it becomes huge. Seeing something different, that pushes boundaries, is essential so that art forms can move forward. Whether it's visual art, music or drama, there's something to be said for the classics. But step outside the comfort zone, and you'll find there are great works being made today, too.

Music: Go See An Unsigned Band

Image from Flickr

Do you recall the first time you heard your favorite group or singer? For many of us, we came to them late, hearing their third or fourth album, or a single from it on the radio. We then went back through their back catalog and realized: "Yeah, I love this new stuff. But the debut album is life-changing!".

How exciting would it be to get in on the ground floor with a band like that? Unsigned bands play all the time, all over the place. And by going to see them you may hear some uninspired dirge - but you also might see the new Beatles before they become huge.

Drama: Not Everything Worth Seeing Is On Broadway

Image from Wikipedia

Broadway is the home of the big stage show with plays, musicals and more selling out nightly. Many people now appearing in Hollywood blockbusters have come from those stages. Many more make a great living appearing on those stages. But before a show hits the big theaters, it often has to prove its mettle in smaller houses. Sometimes, even with established stars. Buying Off-Broadway tickets is a chance to see something innovative before the creators lose control of it.

Movies: The Independent Scene Holds Real Wonders

Think of your favorite actor, and all the great films you've seen them in. These days, they make one or two films a year. Back when they were new, they often had to make at least twice that to earn a living. And so they have long, long filmographies.

Image from Wikipedia

Many of those movies never got to the big multiplexes, and were instead arthouse classics. If there is a small independent cinema near you, go and see something today. Ideally, you won't have heard of any of the actors in it. If you like that film, keep an eye out for the stars in other movies - you'll have a chance to see some excellent films.

Crayola Air Marker Sprayer Giveaway

Welcome to Crayola Air Marker Sprayer Giveaway, you can read more about my review 
ONE WINNER wins a Crayola Air Marker Sprayer Sponsored by: Crayola Hosted by: Night Helper Open to: USA only 18yrs. + Start date: 10/11-10/17 12am est. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure: We reserve the right to make revisions, to cancel, or suspend this contest for any reason. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received Open to the US 18+ only. Confirmed Winner(s) (by Random.org) will be contacted by email. Winner(s) have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this giveaway. Night Helper Blog (and any other blog participating) is not responsible for product shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements. Entrants must only enter with either one email address, IP address and/or Facebook account, anyone found violating these rules will be disqualified. It is at the sole discretion of the admin of the giveaway if the winner has met the rules or not.