December 2011 Northland Familly

Play it safe when buying toys this holiday season

Count down to the New Year with your kids

D EC. 1, 2011 Li b erty Tri bune The Kearney C ouri er The S m i thv i lle Herald Gladstone D i spatch

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D e c. 1, 2011

Lib erty Tribune, The Kearney C o uri e r, T h e S m i t h vi ll e H e ra ld, G l a ds to ne Di s pat c h

Missouri received a “C” on the March of Dimes 2011 Premature Birth Report Card, but the biggest news is the four-year, improving trend in its preterm birth rate.

Preterm births in Missouri declined to 12.1 percent of all births in 2009 (latest available data) from 12.3 percent in 2008, according to the latest national statistics. The rate has fallen each year from a high of 13.3 percent in 2005. About 10,000 babies are born prematurely in Missouri each year.

“The decline means nearly 1,000 fewer babies and families go through the physical and psychological traumas related to preterm birth than several years ago,” Mary Elizabeth Grimes, state director of the Greater Missouri March of Dimes, said.

Jamie and Jastin Antisdel of St. Louis County became parents of Adali 12 weeks early in 2008.

“Adali is alive today because she’s a fighter and because she received surfactant therapy for her lungs,” Jamie Antisdel said.

Surfactant was developed through March of Dimes research. Now expecting twins in early 2012, she hopes for full-term babies.

In 2009, Missouri reported progress in reducing the number of late-term births between 34 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. March of Dimes urges hospitals and health professionals to adhere to professional guidelines that limit scheduled caesarean sections and inductions prior to 39 weeks of pregnancy. Late preterm births in 2009 fell to 8.7 percent from 8.9 percent a year earlier.

Two other contributors to premature birth, the number of uninsured women and the number of women smoking both rose in 2009. The number of uninsured women stood at 18.8 percent and 24.7 percent of women of child-bearing age smoked in 2009.

March of Dimes invests more than $4 million annually in research and programs in Missouri to help moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.

That includes funding for an innovative model of group prenatal care — Centering Pregnancy — which has been shown to reduce the rate of preterm births.

It also includes programs to encourage smoking cessation and to encourage healthier lifestyles among teens.

The United States also received a “C” on the March of Dimes Report Card. Grades are based on comparing the state and the nation’s 2009 preliminary preterm birth rates with the March of Dimes 2020 goal of 9.6 percent of all live births. The U.S. preterm birth rate is 12.2 percent down nearly 5 percent from the peak of 12.8 percent in 2006.

Preterm birth, birth before 37 weeks completed gestation, is a serious health problem that costs the United States more than $26 billion annually, according to the Institute of Medicine. It is the leading cause of newborn death, and babies who survive an early birth often face the risk of lifetime health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and others. Even babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants. At least 39 weeks of pregnancy are critical to a baby’s health because many important organs, including the brain The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For Missouri news, visit marchofdimes.com/missouri.

4 years of declining prematurity

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New Year’s Eve for kids New Year’s Eve is widely known as a night of indulgence full of entertainment that is not particularly appropriate for young children. Many people actually find it difficult to find ways to celebrate the arrival of the new year with guests of varying ages thanks to the late hours involved and celebrants’ penchant for imbibing. There’s actually a lot of fun ways to get kids into the New Year’s Eve celebration in age-appropriate ways.

Make a lot of noise with homemade noisemakers, pots and pans or pullstring poppers (if they’re legal where you live).

Create a helium-balloon liftoff. Who says a ball has to drop at the stroke of midnight? Instead, launch helium-filled balloons into the air to represent the strike of 12.

Celebrate midnight for a different time zone if the kids can’t stay up to 12 where you live. Those on the West Coast can celebrate the East Coast midnight.

East Coasters may want to celebrate midnight in England!

Make clocks the theme of the New Year’s party or another appropriate theme, like Baby New Year. Decorate the house according to the theme and encourage everyone to dress the part as well.

Get stomping with the kids. In the moments leading to midnight, unroll some bubble wrapping that’s left over from holiday gifts or purchased for the occasion. Have the kids stomp on the bubbles when the clock hits 12 for a lot of noisy fun.

— Metro Creative

Northland Family is a special section published the first week of each month by Liberty Tribune, The Kearney Courier, The Smithville Herald and Gladstone Dispatch, divisions of NPG Newspapers, Inc. MAILING ADDRESS: 104 N. Main St., Liberty, MO 64068 Advertising inquiries: 816-781-4941 Editorial inquiries: northlandfamily@npgco.com

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D e c. 1, 2011

Lib erty Tribune, The Kearney C o uri e r, T h e S m i t h vi ll e H e ra ld, G l a ds to ne Di s pat c h

The Accidental Parent Game on

By Betsy Lee

i

It’d been years since I had at-

tended a high school sporting

Teaching my daughter to be a fan of her natural beauty while sidelining society’s ideals

event. So it felt odd to be in the stands at a high school boys’ basketball game.

We’d decided to accompany my husband to work in order to break up the monotony of a long Friday. My husband photographed the game, while I tried to

losing. Perhaps not the

keep my children from leaping for

best cheer at the time.

Anyway, that’s when

the ball.

During a break in the action, the cheerleaders made their way

forward 15 years and my

onto the court. In a flurry of hair

daughter could be one

bows, elongated eyelashes and

of those girls donning a

locked elbows, they chanted,

short skirt for the entire

“We’re No. 1. No, not No. 2. We’re

student body.

Ugh.

No. 1!” And so on.

Just a side note: The team was

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It’s not that I hate cheerleaders. I’ll be the first to admit that I cannot (nor will I ever be able to) do a back handspring. And I’m certain that teenage cheerleaders feel more comfortable in front of a crowd than I do.

I just feel that cheerleading represents what’s wrong with the American “ideal” woman. And just in case there is any doubt, cheerleading is American. In China, one of the largest industrialized nations in the world, cheerleading was virtually non-existent a decade ago.

Now before you cheerleading enthusiasts stomp off in a fury, consider the following: My son could look out into that gymnasium and see role models. Strong, confident young men. Working hard.

Sweating. Trying and failing. Celebrating victory and managing defeat.

When they were on the court, their looks were unimportant. And they had more than 100 peers standing and yelling out their support.

My daughter, on the other hand, saw beautiful young women — who were, to a large degree, decoration. It’s certainly true that their job is to entertain and lead the crowd in cheers, but couldn’t they do that in loose-fitting sweats? The early cheerleaders wore them. But, then again, the first cheerleading squad, formed at the University of Minnesota in 1899, consisted of men.

And if short skirts weren’t required, wouldn’t the 250pound teen I spotted in the stands be a perfect anchor to the pyramid? I’d much rather have her catching me than a 125-pound girl with arms no bigger around than a paper towel roll.

It isn’t the exclusion that bothers me. It’s the message it sends. Yes, there are girl’s athletic events — but they don’t get half the fan support and acknowledgement that boys’ sports do. So the average little girl grows up

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attending and watching on television many more boys’ and men’s sporting events.

American girls grow up watching the cheerleaders.

Wanting to be one of those beautiful girls who everyone seems to be watching. Wishing to emulate the dolled-up women the ESPN crew loves to use as a segue to commercial breaks.

Combine that with the more than 20,000 advertisements a child sees each year, according to the University of Michigan, and I struggle with this simple question: In a culture that still, so often, places value on a woman’s looks and not her character, how do I teach my daughter — especially as a teen — that her purpose extends far beyond being merely decorative?

How do I teach her that she’s beautiful, without makeup? That any boy or man she spends time with should want her because of her personality, not the size of her thighs.

I ask this because I’m well aware of my role. Her father and I set the stage for her self-esteem. I can model athleticism and love of my body.

I can go without makeup most days of my life. He can show her what he values in women. We can both teach her to be proud of her accomplishments, not her waistline.

But somewhere along the line, our influence will fade.

If she ends up being a bit chubby, we can’t protect her

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from sneering peers. We can’t edit MTV music videos. And we can’t fully explain to her that while teen boys seem to value only what’s clearly outlined by the dance team’s skin-sucking outfits, they’ll be terribly disappointed if that’s all they look for in a mate.

I guess I’ll just have to be content to do my part.

And hope that somewhere along the way, the world starts to change. Maybe when my daughter is in high school, she’ll be part of the cheerleading team. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll lead cheers in her sweats.

Her father and I set the stage for her self-esteem.

I can model athleticism and love of my body. I can go without makeup most days of my life. He can show her what he values in women. We can both teach her to be proud of her accomplishments, not her waistline. But somewhere along the line, our influence will fade.

Betsy Lee is a Kansas City journalist and columnist who lives in a perpetually messy house with her husband, three children and two pets. She can be reached at contactbetsylee@gmail.com.

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D e c. 1, 2011

Lib erty Tribune, The Kearney C o uri e r, T h e S m i t h vi ll e H e ra ld, G l a ds to ne Di s pat c h

By Jennifer Higgins

i

I’m not ashamed to admit my first concert was

New Kids on the Block at the Missouri State Fair. I can’t remember much about that night, but I have grown to love concerts.

My two daughters, ages 9 and 7, have watched me for years get ready for concerts and have begged to go with me. When I first

heard that Taylor Swift would be coming to Kansas City, I knew immediately this would be their first concert.

them, was enough to make ticket price — and the cost of a few extras — worth it.

Through the opening acts, we took pictures, ate cotton candy, talked with friends and waited anxiously for Taylor Swift to come out on stage. It was worth the wait when Swift came out in a gold dress, fringes spinning, as she sang “Sparks Fly.” At this point, my daughters were standing on their seats, screaming and singing as loud as they could.

Swift’s show was not just her and her guitar — she brought a whole crew of dancers and actors, so there was always something to look at. The girls were mesmerized by the dancers hanging suspended in air, by the wedding dress of the bride in “Speak Now,” and by the giant bells that popped up from below the stage then slowly raised to the ceiling for “Haunted.” Their favorite part was the mime on stage, pushing a broom and making lights turn on before Swift performed “Mine.” All of the “side shows” did not detract from Swift’s performance but added a visual element to keep the audience entertained.

My daughters noted every costume change. There were 10 during the 17 songs.

As this was Swift’s first stadium tour, she seemed to be in awe of the crowd. Several times throughout the night, Swift repeated, “I can’t believe 50,000 people paid to see me sing,” and she also appeared to have tears in her eyes as she looked around the venue. Call me naïve, but Swift appeared to be genuinely shell-shocked at her success in selling out a stadium. Most of the 50,000 fans were young girls and their mom’s (with a few dads, boyfriends, or little brothers scattered throughout), and they sang along with her on every song for two hours and 15 minutes.

Swift ended the show with two favorites. “Fifteen” was performed in a large cream-colored ball gown from a velvet couch, and for the crowd-favorite “Love Story,” she was carried over the audience in a balcony. My girls did not take their eyes off her while she floated overhead. It was a stunning finale to a show full of story-telling songs.

Like Swift, my daughters seemed in awe by the stadium and the entire atmosphere of a big-name concert. Just judging from this one experience, I would say they are hooked as well. In the middle of the concert, my 7-year-old suddenly gave me a huge hug and said, “Mom, thank you for the tickets and the T-shirt.”

She also did not take her T-shirt off for three days.

rs e t h g u a d s g n i r b t if ld r w o S w r o g l y n i a T lov c i s u m s ’ m o M into

Tickets for the September show were purchased in February, and the girls flipped out when we gave them the tickets.

All through the spring and summer, talk of the concert would creep into our conversations. “I wonder what songs she is going to sing” or “I wonder what Taylor is going to wear” was frequently heard.

Her latest CD, “Speak Now,” was purchased, and listened to repeatedly on our family road trip, and even my husband knew all the lyrics by the time we returned home.

Finally, the Saturday of the concert arrived.

The weather was perfect for an outdoor concert at Arrowhead. Our group of seven girls and four moms met for some pictures and a quick dinner, then headed out. When we got out of the car at the stadium, the littlest ones began screaming in excitement — and didn’t stop for quite a while.

I had not planned on buying shirts for my girls, but the other five purchased shirts, so I shelled out the $50 for two. We headed up the ramp — up and up and up the spiral, concrete ramp to the upper level. When we walked through the concourse to the seats, the look on the girls’ faces, to see all of Arrowhead in front of

Jennifer Higgins is a freelance writer, teacher and mother from Kearney..

A new generation of concertgoers

L ibert y T r i bu n e , T h e K e a r ney Co ur i er, Th e Smi th vi lle Her ald, Gladstone D ispatch

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If you still need a family portrait to mail out with holiday greetings, you need to act fast

By Jennifer Clark If you haven’t gotten your family portrait taken for this year’s Christmas cards, there’s still time — but you better hurry.

When looking for a photographer, consider starting your search by contacting the Professional Photographer’s Association. This association ensures your photographer has gone through current training and keeps up on photography trends.

Susan Noeller of Susan Noeller Photography in Liberty has helped many Northland families create the perfect Christmas portraits. Susan started her photography business taking pictures of horses. Now she specializes in family and high school senior portraits.

With Susan’s background with the equine community, she is comfortable photographing the family pet as well as humans in her new 1,600-square-foot studio on her property on Northeast 116th Street.

Timing for the photo shoot is something to keep in mind. Susan has a quick turnaround with her photo processing lab, with two weeks being the average time to have a finished product in her customer’s hands. However, when possible, you’ll want to allow closer to a month after the shoot to have plenty of time to get cards into the mail with minimal stress.

Making a family photo look great starts with how the family looks. When you begin creating your family photo, remember these wardrobe tips to help pull off the photo perfect moment.

Choose a formal or casual style of clothing — mixing styles does not work well.

Choose a color scheme. Remember: Darker colors are more slenderizing than lighter colors, and solid colors

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Smile — and hurry photograph better than patterns. Simple is better.

Avoid sharp contrasts in clothing or overly matchy clothing. Having everyone in the same shirt and pants is slightly boring, and it also causes the eye to go to the bodies, not the faces. Adding in a small amount of texture or small pattern creates interest.

Avoid overexposure of skin. Your eye automatically draws to skin, so avoid low cut clothing and sleeveless tops.

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Avoid any type of writing, logos, etc. on shirts.

Once you have chosen the perfect wardrobe choices for the family, lay everything out on the bed to see how the outfits play off of each other.

After the photos have been taken, independent photographers usually will use photo editing software to help minimize small marks or blemishes. Large chain or department store photographers generally will not make any adjustments to help you look your best.

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D e c. 1, 2011

Lib erty Tribune, The Kearney C o uri e r, T h e S m i t h vi ll e H e ra ld, G l a ds to ne Di s pat c h

Cooking with

coupons Sandy Barber, like many couponers, has a stockpile of items purchased with coupons and other discount offers.

Having such a surplus has led to the creation of many unique recipes, which Barber will be sharing in Northland Family each month.

Some are of her own invention, and some are from the greater couponing community.

Fall is a good time a year to start building up a baking stockpile, Barber said. She recommends combining coupons for sugar, flour, spices and similar ingredients with baking sales in stores to get the lowest prices.

“Sugar and flour freeze well, so if you use these items

frequently, stock up,” she said.

Other items that you’ll be able to add to your stockpile this time of year include stuffing mixes, cans or boxes of stock, frozen and canned vegetables, and regular and sweet potatoes.

Barber describes this month’s Fruity Cake as “the easiest, tastiest cake you have ever made. This cake tastes great just the way it is, but you can make any yummy topping from your stockpile ingredients for it, too. A little bit of caramel sauce or whipped topping is always good.” Crock-Pot Cobbler is similar to Fruity Cake, but ends up with a crumbly topping.

Fruity Cake 1 1 1

white or yellow boxed cake mix (I used white) can cola can fruit pie filling (whatever pie filling is in your stockpile)

Put the cake mix in a LARGE bowl (you’ll see why ...) add the entire can of pie filling then add the can of cola. (Fizz!)

Fruity Cake with apple pie filing

Mix ingredients together, being careful not to mash the fruit.

Transfer thoroughly mixed ingredients into a greased 9x11 rectangular pan (a smaller 8x8 pan can be used but it will greatly increase your cooking time).

Crock-Pot Cobbler 1 1 1 1

Bake at 375°F for 50 to 55 minutes.

Your finished product will have a bread pudding consistency.

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white or yellow boxed cake mix can fruit pie filling (peach filling is recommended) small individual box of raisins (or 1/4 cup) package flavored instant oatmeal (maple brown sugar is recommended) tablespoons melted butter and small pats of butter

Mix your cake mix (holding back 1/4 cup), pie filling, raisins and melted butter together. Place mixture in a greased Crock-Pot. Mix remaining 1/4 cup cake mix with package of instant oatmeal. Sprinkle over wet ingredients. You’ll want the top mixture to stay crumbly, and Crock-Pot lids drip lots of moisture onto the food, so place a dry paper towel on the top of the Crock-Pot before you place your lid on it.

Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.

Fruity Cake topped with whipped cream

Remove lid and sprinkle with remaining 1-Tbsp small pats of butter. Let set until butter melts then serve piping hot.

Toys that caused a ‘feeding’ frenzy ‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the store; Parents seek the hottest toy, while sales clerks shout, “No more!”

Few holiday seasons have come and gone without a must-have toy causing pandemonium among shoppers. In the months leading up to Christmas, one toy always seems to grab kids’ attention and become a must-have item.

Naturally, children put these gifts on their letters to Santa or wish lists. But as the days wind down to Christmas, manufacturers often cannot meet the demand for the season’s most popular item. It’s then left to parents to find the toys and gadgets by whatever means necessary.

Certain toys throughout history have caused a frenzy that results in desperate parents scouring wiped-out toy stores or making black-market deals to land themselves a hot toy. Here is a list of them, courtesy of MSNBC. Shirley Temple Doll (1934) — Shirley Temple was the inspiration behind the first recorded toy to cause a shopping frenzy. The demand for the doll elevated after the actress’ breakout film, “Bright Eyes,” was released three days before Christmas.

G.I. Joe (1964) — Hasbro came up with the male action figure after watching Barbie dolls become such a popular toy for tots. The action figures were an instant hit.

“Star Wars” Action Figures (1977) — No one expected George Lucas’ franchise to become such a smash hit.

The merchandising company didn’t have time to make associated toys beyond a few board games and coloring books once “Star Wars” fever took hold.

Therefore, “Early Bird Certificate” vouchers were sold and the action figures were shipped out a few months later.

Cabbage Patch Kids (1983) — The demand for this fad doll became so heated that adults fought over them and price gouging ensued.

Teddy Ruxpin (1985) — The $68 animatronic bear interacted with the child and told stories.

Tickle Me Elmo (1996) — Stampedes occurred in toy stores, people were injured and reports of extreme price gouging ensued, all in an effort for people to get their hands on the giggling, red furball from “Sesame Street.”

L ibert y T r i bu n e , T h e K e a r ney Co ur i er, Th e Smi th vi lle Her ald, Gladstone D ispatch

By Paul Stab

t

There are thousands of toys on store

shelves to choose from, but making sure a toy is safe and age appropriate for a child is well worth the search to prevent injury or even death.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2010, there were an estimated 140,700 emergency room treated injuries related to toys among children.

Strict safety standards are regulated through the CPSC requiring toy manufacturers to label certain toys that could be hazardous to young children and to provide a recommended age of child to be using the toy. But it is up to the purchaser to ensure the toy is safe and the correct age level for the child.

There are some guidelines that shoppers should follow to keep children safe during their playtime. Remember, though, use your own judgment, as you know the child’s maturity level and can best decide if the toy is suitable or not.

Toys to consider Non-motorized scooters and riding toys — Riding toys, skateboards and even shoes with wheels go fast and falls could easily cause injury at any age. Helmets and safety gear, including elbow and knee pads, should be worn properly at all times and be sized to fit the child.

Small balls, coins and toys with small parts — Government regulations specify that toys for children under the age of 3 cannot have parts less than 1.25 inches in diameter and 2.25 inches long, as these small objects can pose a choking risk. Any ball with a diameter of 1.25 inches or less should not be given to a young child.

Balloons — Deflated or broken balloons are another choking risk. Deflated balloons should be kept away from children younger than 8 years old, and broken balloons and the balloon string should be immediately discarded.

Art materials — Crayons, paint and other art items should not be given to children under the age of 3. Make sure art supplies are non-toxic and marked ASTM D-4236 to indicate the product has been reviewed by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Products that conform to D-4236 have been tested for toxicity. However, this does not mean they are non-toxic, but rather any toxins contained within the product are listed on the packaging.

Chargers, batteries and adapters — These items can pose electrical and burn dangers to children of all ages. Special attention should be given to instructions and warnings for these items. Some chargers also lack mechanisms to prevent overcharging so do not leave the home when charging.

Play swords, guns and other weapons — These toys should be given only to mature, grade school age children. They should be bright colors so they are easily differentiated from real weapons and should not be sharp or come to a point.

Flying toys — Toys that are meant to be airborne can result in serious eye or head injury if not used properly. It is recommended that children under eight not play with projectile toys.

Shopping tips u Be aware of the store where you are purchasing toys. Second-hand stores and yard sales can be spend-savvy places, but second-hand toys may be broken or defective, becoming dangerous. Also, with-

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out original packaging, age guidelines and warning are not available. Examine each toy carefully looking for cracks, paint chippings or even leaking battery fluid. u Be aware of what toys are made of as some products have dangerous substances that can be harmful when ingested. u For toys that produce sound, look for toys that have a volume level to protect children’s hearing. A noise rating may also be listed on the product. If there is not a rating listed, you can contact the toy manufacturer and request this information. An extremely loud toy for children is 90 decibel.

Remind children to properly put away their toys because if they are left out, they can become a tripping hazard for everyone. Proper supervision of children at play will also result in a safer playtime.

Consumers can find up-to-date toy recalls and report dangerous toys and injuries caused by a toy on the CSPC website, www.cpsc.gov.

Paul Stab is the vice president of business development at AlliedBarton Security Services.

Toy Safety

Age is just one of many considerations when buying children’s gifts

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D e c. 1, 2011

Lib erty Tribune, The Kearney C o uri e r, T h e S m i t h vi ll e H e ra ld, G l a ds to ne Di s pat c h

Snowflake Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies, Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles, Chocolate Raspberry Chip Truffles, Parmesan Pepper Spritz Crackers, Merry Mushroom Bites and Savory Southwest Donuts — Find step-by-step instructions for Mint Chocolate Chip Truffles, Chocolate Raspberry Chip Truffles and Snowflake Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies on www.wilton.com.

L ibert y T r i bu n e , T h e K e a r ney Co ur i er, Th e Smi th vi lle Her ald, Gladstone D ispatch

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W

hen it comes to celebrations, there’s no season quite like the holiday season.

The celebration experts from Wilton share party tips and irresistible recipes to help create a fabulous buffet complete with all the trimmings.

Tree-shaped Merry Mushroom Bites and tiny Savory Southwest Donuts piped with avocado to resemble a wreath will wow both the eye and the palate.

And for the sweets, beautifully decorated snowflake shaped holiday butter cookies are displayed on stacked pedestal plates alongside a bowl of truffles adorned with festive candy drizzles and luminescent pearl dust. Both treats make a fitting finale — and can be made in advance.

For more holiday recipe and decorating ideas, visit www.wilton.com.

Merry Mushroom Bites Makes 24 bites 1/3 3 12 4 1 1/4 3 3 1 1/4 1 1/2 1/2

cup diced yellow onion tablespoons butter ounces portobello or baby portobello mushrooms, coarsely diced teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary teaspoons black pepper eggs tablespoons all-purpose flour teaspoons salt package (4 ounces) water or other favorite crackers cup sour cream red bell pepper, thinly sliced Chopped rosemary or parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare Bite-Size Silicone Tree Mold with vegetable pan spray.

In large skillet, cook onion and butter over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, rosemary and black pepper; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes; cool slightly. Transfer mixture to food processor. Add eggs, flour, and salt. Pulse until mixture is pureed with no large pieces of mushroom or onion. Fill cavities of silicone mold completely with mushroom mixture, patting flat.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until top of the mushroom mixture is firm. Cool in pan 15 minutes; carefully remove and place on cracker. Top with sour cream, sliced red pepper and, if desired, rosemary. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Savory Southwest Doughnuts Makes about 36 mini doughnuts 1 1 1/2 1 1/4 3/4 1/2 1/2 3/4 1 2 1 2

tablespoon ground paprika, divided cups cake flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder teaspoon salt cup milk egg tablespoons vegetable oil garlic clove, finely minced tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Topping 1 ripe avocado 1 teaspoon lime juice

Salt to taste Additional chopped

cilantro

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Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray Mini Donut Pan with vegetable pan spray. Lightly sprinkle wells with some of the paprika.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cumin, chili powder and salt. In second bowl, whisk together milk, egg, oil, garlic and cilantro. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until flour is moistened. Fill each donut cavity about 1/2 full.

Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until the top of the donuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan 4 to 5 minutes before removing. Wash pan, dry thoroughly and prepare with pan spray and paprika. Repeat with remaining batter.

For topping, mash avocado with lime juice and salt; stir until smooth using a whisk or in a food processor. Pipe avocado mixture over top of cooled donuts. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.

— Family Features

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12

D e c. 1, 2011

Lib erty Tribune, The Kearney C o uri e r, T h e S m i t h vi ll e H e ra ld, G l a ds to ne Di s pat c h

© 2010 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

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