Wichita Family Magazine April 2017

april 2017

GET READY FOR THE EASTER HOLIDAY pg. 4

Wichita Family • April 2017 - 1

Success

begins at an early age

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Lucky 7 Publishing LLC 316.295.8465

Todd Vogts

Publisher Todd Vogts publisher@wichitafamily.com

Wichita Family Magazine is published 12 times a year by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. Wichita Family Magazine is available free, at schools, stores, restaurants, libraries, retailers and local attractions, as well as other places families frequent. For a complete list of where to find Wichita Family, or for subscription rates, email us at publisher@wichitafamily.com or visit our website at www.wichitafamily.com.

Copyright 2017 by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Wichita Family Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited. Wichita Family is distributed free of charge. The magazine’s advertisers make this possible, so support them! We reserve the right to edit submitted material. All submissions will be considered for publication, but we reserve the right to refuse material. Materials will not be returned. Any editorial content or advertising published is the property of Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. 2 - www.wichitafamily.com

Message from the Publisher

Baseball season begins TODD VOGTS

M

Publisher

y favorite time of the year is finally upon us.

The Major League Baseball season has begun, and I couldn’t be happier. As the boys of summer take the field, my wife and I will be glued to the television to take it all in.

Of course, we won’t be watching every team all the time. No. We will be focusing on our favorite team — the St. Louis Cardinals.

My wife became a diehard fan when we started dating and I subjected her to game after game. I was born into fandom.

I am named after 1986 relief pitcher and National League Rookie of the Year Todd Worrell. I grew up cheering on the great Ozzie Smith, that back-flipping short stop of Cardinal fame. Now, I root loudly for catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Carlos Martinez, just to name two of my favorite players on the current roster.

Last summer, my wife and I took a trip to St. Louis

to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We took in a game at Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. Our team took on the Los Angeles Dodgers, and though we didn’t win that game, it was a fantastic experience to share with my better half. It marked her first trip to the ballpark, and it was the first time I had been back since I was a child.

Currently, we are hoping to repeat the trip this summer. However, instead of only watching one game, we hope to catch a few and skip the tourist activities we took part in last year.

Of course, since we can’t be at every game, we will be relying on our subscription to the MLB.TV to watch our favorite squad.

This season will be special for us as we are expecting our first child this fall. With any luck, we will be able to watch some baseball with our little one and create a family tradiTodd Vogts tion of Cardinal baseball. publisher@wichitafamily.com

Wichita Family • April 2017 - 3

Baby Chick Cupcakes

A SPR ING-IN SPIRED

Easter Brunch Sweet ideas for a bright, seasonal spread

FAMILY FEATURES

S

pring is blooming on your Easter table. From yellow chick cupcakes to blueberry French-toast casseroles, there are plenty of ways to wow your brunch guests with simple seasonal recipes.

“Between hiding eggs and preparing baskets, you may be tempted to fall back on brunch basics like pancakes and scrambled eggs, but that’s no fun,” McCormick Executive Chef Kevan Vetter said. “With simple pantry staples – like food color – and a little planning the night before, you can enjoy a fun and tasty holiday brunch.”

These simple tips from Vetter can help you transform a boring brunch into a colorful Easter feast. n Waffle art is a fun way to get kids (and adults) involved during breakfast time. Try tinting the waffle batter orange by using McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors. Cut them into wedges hot out of the iron and pipe green frosting for the stems to create these Carrot-Shaped Waffles. n Making French toast for a crowd can be a hassle. Instead, make a sweet breakfast casserole the night before to pop in the oven Easter morning. Add fresh, sweet-tart blueberries to celebrate spring. n Rather than splurging on designer cupcakes, just pipe yellow marshmallow creme on mini cupcakes for a baby chick then decorate with sprinkles for the nose and cut up wafers to look like a hatching egg.

For more recipes and tips, check out McCormick.com and visit McCormick Spice on Facebook and Pinterest.

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Baby Chick Cupcakes

Prep time: 30 minutes Servings: 24 1 package (12 ounces) white confectionary coating wafers 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners’ sugar 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

1 teaspoon Sunflower color from McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors 2 tablespoons milk, plus additional (optional) 48 unfrosted mini yellow cupcakes, baked in white paper liners sprinkles (optional) additional McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors (optional) To make broken egg shell pieces: melt coating wafers as directed on package. Spread on large foil-lined baking sheet to 1/4-inch thickness.

Refrigerate about 10 minutes, or until firm. Break into small, irregular pieces. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, beating until well blended after each addition, frequently scraping sides and bottom of bowl.

Beat in marshmallow creme until well blended.

In small bowl, stir food color into milk until dissolved. Add colored milk to frosting; beat until light and fluffy. Stir in additional milk, as needed, to reach desired consistency.

To decorate cupcakes: spoon frosting into large pastry bag fitted with large round tip. Pipe two dollops of frosting on top of each other to form baby chick. If desired, insert sprinkles into face for eyes and beak. Or tint any remaining frosting with food colors to pipe out eyes and beak.

Place coating wafer pieces around bottom of baby chick to resemble broken egg shell.

Carrot-Shaped Waffles

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 6 Nonstick cooking spray

2 cups all-purpose waffle and baking mix 1 1/3 cups milk 1 egg 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract, divided 1 1/4 teaspoons Sunflower color from McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors, divided 1 teaspoon Berry color from McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors 1/2 teaspoon Sky Blue color from McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar Heat round waffle iron. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix together waffle mix, milk, egg, oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon each sunflower and berry colors until blended. Let batter stand 5 minutes to allow color to fully develop.

Pour about 1/3 cup batter onto center of waffle iron. Close lid. Cook about 3 minutes, or until no longer steaming. Carefully remove waffle. Repeat with remaining batter. Cut each waffle into 8 triangles. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, stir sky blue color and remaining sunflower color into cream. Add confectioners’ sugar and remaining vanilla; beat with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon into re-sealable plastic bag. Cut piece off one bottom corner.

To decorate and serve waffles, place waffle triangles onto serving plates and pipe green colored cream on wide side of each triangle to resemble carrot tops.

Carrot-Shaped Waffles

Overnight Lemon Blueberry Muffin Casserole

Overnight Lemon Blueberry Muffin Casserole

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 12 Streusel Topping: 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 2 teaspoons McCormick Cinnamon, Ground 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks Casserole: 6 eggs 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, milk, divided 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, granulated sugar, divided 1 teaspoon McCormick Cinnamon, Ground 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes nonstick cooking spray 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon McCormick Pure Lemon Extract 2 cups blueberries, divided To make Streusel Topping: In medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cover. Set aside until ready to assemble in the morning.

To make Casserole: In large bowl, mix together eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon with wire whisk until well blended. Add bread cubes; toss gently to coat. Pour evenly into 13-by-9-inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

In medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, remaining milk and sugar, and lemon extract until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup blueberries. Spread evenly on top of bread cubes. Top with remaining blueberries.

Cover. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 F. Remove casserole from refrigerator.

Let stand 10-15 minutes.

Cut butter into Streusel Topping mixture with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole.

Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Wichita Family • April 2017 - 5

Room by Room

Refresh

Tackle spring cleaning like a pro

S

FAMILY FEATURES

pring is a sensible time to refresh and restore your home after heavy indoor use during winter. It’s also an opportunity to conduct overdue home maintenance and achieve a sense of accomplishment.

Tackle the project room by room with these tips from the experts at Office Depot to make the work feel more manageable and ensure you complete a thoroughly satisfying job.

Entryway The main entrance, whether it’s the front door or a mudroom entrance off the garage, tends to become a dumping ground where items are shed with each trip through the door. You may have to wade through some clutter to make headway, but after a thorough cleaning of the furniture, floors and walls in this space, your next challenge is making sense of all the mess.

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One solution is assigning designated storage spaces for each family member. A series of plastic storage boxes or cubby-style organizers can help contain possessions like shoes, backpacks, handbags and more. Rely on stylish hooks or a coat tree for extra storage. Put your finishing touch on the freshly cleaned entryway with some pops of color and personality, such as cheerful wall art and a welcoming rug.

Home Office If there’s any room that comes close to the clutter of the entryway, it’s the home office. A major difference is that generally, office messes come in the form of paperwork, and paper can actually be organized quite easily.

Sorting is the best first step, so you know exactly what you’re up against. Create piles for all the different types of paper you’re likely to encounter, from bills and to-do lists to the kids’ school work.

Separate other items by category, such medical records and financial

documents or art supplies and books, into piles of their own. An option such as the 3M Weighted Desktop Dispenser and Organizer can help keep supplies like pens, tape, paper clips and sticky notes neat and tidy.

There are dozens of options when it comes to home filing systems. Consider keeping current documents in a location you can access at your fingertips, such as a hanging file drawer or a desktop filer.

Labeled tabs and color-coded folders can help make frequently used documents more easily accessible.

For archival materials, such as tax returns and insurance policies that you’re likely to consult infrequently, a secure but separate storage solution makes more sense. Drawer labels and colored hanging file pockets paired with a categorical or alphabetical organization system can make it easy to dispose of unwanted clutter without tossing important papers.

Once you’ve dealt with all the paperwork, don’t overlook important details like dusting the computer desk and screen to make your freshly cleaned office extra inviting. Adding a stylish, functional centerpiece like the See Jane Work Kate Writing Desk can also help you stay organized now and in the future.

Kitchen Because it’s likely the most used room in the house, the kitchen sees a fair bit of cleaning year-round. However, in any busy household it’s easy to let deeper cleaning slide. While you’re tackling the rest of the house, take time to give the kitchen its due. Mop the floors, disinfect all surfaces and remove clutter that has accumulated, including old and out-of-date food from the refrigerator and pantry.

Because consumables are such an integral part of this space, it’s a good idea to use green cleaning products that won’t leave harmful residues on your cooking surfaces or distribute contaminants into the air.

flipped or rotated mattress can also give the room a freshness you can see and feel.

Beyond the typical chores like vacuuming and dusting, don’t forget dusty baseboards and make sure to wipe down any glass or mirrored surfaces for extra shine. Another way to make a big difference is organizing items that exceed the storage capacity of your furniture. In the bedroom itself, a trunk at the foot of the bed or a wardrobe organizer that complements your other furnishings is a smart bet.

In the closet, you can repurpose common office supplies and organizers to make the most of limited space. For example, adhesive hooks are perfect for handbags, necklaces and scarves. Lightweight shelving or cubbies make it easy to confine shoes, and for an assortment of accessories and knick-knacks, try stacking plastic bins.

Another idea to maximize drawer space in your dresser: move undergarments and socks into a portable storage cart with trays or drawers that fits neatly in the closet.

Multi-Purpose Rooms Sometimes space dictates that each room in the house cannot be dedicated to just one purpose, but combining multiple spaces – such as a home office and craft room, den or storage area – can often lead to clutter accumulating. Start by organizing things into piles based on which part of the space is best suited for each item.

An option like a Realspace Mezza Mobile File cabinet can help you file away documents and by aligning multiple cabinets

together, serves as a versatile workspace, craft area or television stand.

Also, take time to check for broken items or ones you haven’t used in a while and determine what can be repaired, donated or discarded. Once everything has been properly sorted, store any items that didn’t previously have a home. Hanging items that are used often for crafting is one way to make creative use of your space and free up space for additional furniture or storage, such as shelving or attractive totes.

Find more storage and organization solutions at Office Depot and OfficeMax stores or online at OfficeDepot.com.

Bedrooms When warm spring weather arrives, throwing open the windows to circulate fresh air can be one of the most welcoming ways to wake up the bedroom after long winter months. Freshly washed linens and a

Wichita Family • April 2017 - 7

5 Tips to Stop Waking Up Exhausted

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t’s no secret that finding time for the recommended eight hours of sleep is easier said than done. More often than not, your time asleep is limited by your busy schedule. If you are lucky enough to squeeze in a full eight hours of shuteye, you are still not guaranteed to wake up feeling refreshed.

While some responsibilities are hard to shake, setting yourself up with the right routine can vastly improve your quality of sleep and combat the issues keeping you up at night: 1. Lighten up: If it’s never light in your bedroom, you may be confusing your body’s circadian clock. The circadian clock regulates how alert you are due to the light and darkness in an environment. If you keep your bedroom dark during the day or use black-out curtains, this can act as a signal to your body that it should be asleep. Swap out your curtains for a lighter color or keep your shades partially open -natural sunlight in your room can help you wake up in the morning.

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2. Out with the old: Approximately half (49 percent) of Americans have had their mattress for five years or more and while people struggle with sleep for a variety of reasons, your mattress could be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep. A quality mattress, like the Beautyrest Platinum Hybrid Mattress can give you the support you need to wake up feeling refreshed. It offers a “cool to touch” surface while also providing the support and pressure relief necessary to make sure that once you fall asleep, you stay asleep.

3. Tune out: Everyone’s guilty of binge-watching their favorite TV shows from time to time. While you may satisfy your curiosity by catching the ending of your favorite series, you may not be so happy when you wake up groggy after staying up too late. Set an alarm for 30 minutes before you want to go to sleep and when the alarm goes off turn off your TV and get ready for bed. Limiting screen time before

you fall asleep can also avoid disrupting your body’s level of melatonin, which controls sleep cycles.

4. If you snooze, you lose: Hitting the snooze button even once in the morning can make you feel groggy throughout the day. By hitting snooze, you are prompting your body to start another stage in your sleep cycle without giving it enough time to fully recover. Try downloading an app with a smart alarm to make sure that you are waking up during a lighter stage of your sleep cycle.

5. Cut the caffeine: While there is nothing quite like coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up, having caffeine after 2 p.m. can impact both your sleep quality and quantity. Instead of having a cup after lunch, take your coffee break earlier in the day or consider switching to decaf.

For more tips to wake up feeling refreshed, visit beautyrest.com.

— Family Features