KERA is partnering with Parent Pass for this event and it is free and open to the public.

The post KERA KIds Fest Returns to Fort Worth first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., division chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s, was the first physician to attend Camp ID in 2011, demonstrating early medical support for the program.

The camp’s reach has significantly expanded, particularly with the involvement of Natalia Chaimowitz, M.D., Ph.D., who has been instrumental in spearheading Cook Children’s Immunology Clinic since 2022. Thanks to Dr. Chaimowitz’s leadership and the clinic’s support, Camp ID now proudly hosts 19 families, a testament to its growing impact.

“We hosted the 2025 Camp ID in March and doubled the size of our attendance this year with 19 families,” Nurse Practitioner Rachael Scott, said. “It’s the one weekend a year families really look forward to and one family even said it was the first family vacation they’ve ever had!”

“I’ve always believed that one of the most important things in life is the connection we make with others,” Stroud said. “That is what camp is all about—making new connections, friendships and memories.”

At Camp ID, campers have the opportunity to make friends and participate in unforgettable activities – like fishing, playing ball, climbing a ropes course and having campfires – all while feeling safe with on-site medical support. They also go beyond traditional fun and build supportive, lasting relationships with others who share similar life experiences.

“I believe what our patients and families love most about camp is the opportunity to meet and connect with other families who are going through similar medical and life experiences,” Daniele Gibbons, MS, a certified child life specialist, said. “Seeing our patients and families build new relationships, try new things and experience the spirit of camp brings our staff so much joy!”

Many families have had the experience of a lifetime and look forward to camp every year.

Alison and Daniel Large have been bringing their kids to Camp ID since 2018. Their son, Carter, who has an immune disorder and is a patient of Dr. Chaimowitz, first experienced the camp at just two and a half years old.

“For children with immune disorders like Carter, Camp ID at Camp John Mark is more than just a weekend camp—it’s a life-changing experience,” Dr. Chaimowitz said. “It gives them a chance to step outside the routines of medical care, build lasting friendships with others who understand their journey, and experience the joy of simply being a kid in a safe, supportive environment.”

Despite facing significant physical challenges, including navigating life in a wheelchair, difficulties with gripping and eating, and frequent hospitalizations (22 visits in 2019 and 15 in 2020), Carter has demonstrated remarkable persistence and an unyielding spirit. His journey has not only cultivated incredible mental strength within himself but has also profoundly inspired his entire family.

“Being hospitalized can be so difficult because you want to do everything in your power to care for your kid and try to make their experiences easier,” Alison said. “It’s also hard on parents and Cook Children’s is great about helping you feel better.”

Camp staff and medical staff work together to operate Camp ID, which creates a safe environment where kids can simply be themselves and share the magic of camp.

“I recommend other families to try the camp 100%! Camp ID is amazing and the staff and volunteers is so fantastic,” Alison said. “They really work to build up your kid and your family!”

Alison and Daniel’s daughter, Cadence, also loves camp and the opportunity to meet other siblings. Alison and Daniel say being with others who are walking the same path fosters a sense of community and understanding.

Register for Camp ID 2026
When: February 27 – March 1, 2026
Where: Camp John Marc (4925 Greenville Avenue, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75206)

Registration opens in the fall. All Cook Children’s Immunology Clinic patients will receive a “save-the-date” in October. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis with a waitlist available once all spots are filled.

Have questions? Email Betty Stroud: betty.stroud@cookchildrens.org.

The post Cook Children’s Camp ID: Connecting and Building Community first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Buccaneers at Redskins 11/16/14
Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

In this candid and compelling episode of Driving Change, host Travis Patterson sits down with longtime friend and former NFL quarterback Colt McCoy for a real conversation that every parent navigating youth sports needs to hear. Colt reflects on his 14-season NFL career and shares an honest look at how that experience shaped his approach to parenting, coaching, and what matters most. From waiting until 7th grade to play tackle football to intentionally not putting his own kids in organized sports during his playing years, Colt offers a refreshing perspective on how to build healthy, grounded kids in today’s youth sports culture.

Colt and Travis talk burnout, over-scheduling, and the silent pressure many families face to specialize too early. Colt also breaks down a powerful locker room survey he once did among pro athletes that revealed something surprising about when they decided to fully commit to their sport. The conversation also turns to the world of college athletics and NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals, unpacking how this new reality is trickling down into youth sports and reshaping family dynamics, priorities, and expectations. Whether you’re a sports parent, coach, or just someone who wants to raise strong, self-aware kids, this episode will challenge, encourage, and leave you thinking differently about competition, childhood, and time well spent.

Listen on Spotify, Apple or Amazon

The post Driving Change: The Permission to Say “No” first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

I’ve been using this for 4.5 years to travel all over the country in a number of environments, including lots of camping and remote outdoors spaces away from cities, and we go through stuff in here like crazy, so my friend Dayna recommended I share this for ideas for other moms.

We used to collect a TON of extra bottles and meds at home because of the mindset “What are the odds that we’ll need this on the trip?” and we would then have to buy a new bottle whenever we got to a town. Eventually we started carrying everyyyything in their normal bulk form so we would stop collecting new meds and stuff at home, and it took up sooo much space in a massive suitcase when we prefer to be light packers.

Ended up making this several years ago, and it’s been super helpful. Travel sized stuff is more expensive so we just restock the old bottles where we can, then everything else is travel sized for space (like the wipes, lotions, etc.). Expiration dates are tracked from the bulk bottles in the bathroom cabinet, and the rest of the dates are on the actual creams and bottles in this kit (like hydrocortisone cream, Zyrtec, Claritin, etc.) Restocking those means just buying new containers.

We technically have more Ting and stuff, which is kept on hand for poison ivy/oak/etc., but that’s kept in our actual medic bag for space reasons, and I’m not going to bother listing that bag out since almost everything in there requires being a nurse and/or a physician to use (like sutures).

ANYWAYS, sharing this in case it gives some moms some space saving ideas when traveling with a family (or by yourselves).

I use a crafting organizer named Art Bin. Not even sure if they sell it anymore.

• Flonase
• Saline Nasal Spray
• Eye Drops
• TicTacs
• Miralax Powder
• Loperamide (Anti-diarrheal)
• Pepto-Bismol
• Transcend Glucose Gels
• Pedialyte and Liquid IV
• Dramamine
• 500 mg Tylenol
• 325 mg Tylenol
• Aleve
• Advil
• Narcan!! 3 OF THEM! (YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL JUST TO SAVE A LIFE IN THIS DRUG EPIDEMIC! Manufacturers of Narcan have even said the shelf life is “flexible,” and it’s good past its sell-by date, although ours is a long way from expiration)
• Cough Drops
• Tweezers and nail clippers
• Athlete’s Foot Cream
• Benadryl Relief Stick
• Lysol Travel Spray
• Recticare + finger condoms so your fingers don’t go numb (highest over-the-counter amount of lidocaine and works as a topical analgesic for things like shingles while pregnant)
• Mucinex DM
• Mucinex D
• Triple Antibiotic Ointment
• Children’s 5mg Claritin
• Adult Claritin
• Adult Zyrtec
• Children’s 12.5 mg Benadryl
• Adult 25 mg Benadryl
• leftover Prescription Zofran
• leftover Prescription Promethazine
• Cotton Balls
• Non-latex medium gloves
• Variety of bandaid sizes
• Alcohol Swabs
• Q-Tips
• Thermometer
• Wet Ones
• Clorox Wipes
• Tums
• Lint oller
• Listerine
• Refillable Floss
• Makeup Remover Wipes
• Hot Hands Feet and Hand Warmers
• Reef-Friendly Sunscreen
• Lotion
• Tide To-Go Sticks
• Wide-Tooth Comb
• Pen
• Small Scissors
• Hairbands/Scrunchies
• Kleenex Tissues
• First Aid Smelling Salts

** I would probably add uncoated aspirin to the list and something like Ting or similar. We keep those in our medic bag, which I didn’t list items in that bag but those of those would be helpful to have in the kit for people who are ONLY using that kit and don’t have a supplemental bag. The uncoated aspirin is crucial to thin the blood in the event of something like a myocardial infarction. Stuff like Ting helps with poison ivy/oak/etc. and irritation.

The post How to Make a Travel First Aid Kit first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Every year, there are numerous posts in the original Tanglewood Moms group asking what to pack for school lunches. It’s understandable – school lunches are difficult. The stuff you can buy is usually just a mass of fried carbs garnished with some yummy fats. But finding something your kiddos will eat on a daily basis isn’t easy either. My offspring did not like sandwiches. Who doesn’t like sandwiches???

My kiddos learned early on that they were in charge of their school lunches… to a point. They had to let me inspect what they packed, and if there wasn’t some vegetal matter, I would make them grab a carrot or a piece of fruit. There were many mornings that they muttered dire imprecations under their breaths while peeling a carrot, but they both now know how to create a balanced meal. Mom win!

Here are some ideas for school lunches. Whatever you do, let your kiddos have a say in what they take to school. Giving them that little bit of control in a world where most everything is out of their control helps immensely.

Pasta salad: The darling of ‘80s lunches is a great way to get healthy food into little tummies. Deli meat, lots of veggies, fun pasta shapes (try cavatappi, radiatori, or farfalle), and healthy dressings make pasta salad a one-stop lunch. Throw in some beans, and you have a complete protein without adding meat!

Pinwheels: Let’s face it, if you roll it up in a tortilla, most kids will eat it. I would chop up peppers, onions, cucumbers, and fresh herbs and fold it into softened cream cheese. My kiddos never knew how many vegetables they were actually eating!

Yogurt and fruit: Find a good vanilla yogurt that’s low in sugar or simply put some plain yogurt drizzled with honey in a small container with a tight lid. (I would also stir in some cinnamon!) Add apple and pear slices that you’ve tossed with a little orange juice (to stop the browning), a kiwi that you’ve peeled and cut into spears, and some grapes. The yogurt is high in protein to get your kid through the rest of the day.

Vegetables with yogurt dip: Similar to the idea above, make a dip with plain yogurt. My go-to was dried dill, basil, tarragon, thyme, chives, garlic powder, a little bit of hot sauce (trust me, they can’t taste it but it makes it so much better!), and a little salt and pepper. I would prepare the vegetables the week before and let each choose what they wanted. One loved broccoli while the other would eat her weight in raw green beans. To each their own!

Homemade pimento cheese: Pimento cheese. That old school Southern favorite is a perfect sandwich filling for a school lunch. There are quite literally thousands of recipes on the Internet, but just remember: The better the cheese and the mayonnaise, the better the spread. My kids will eat their weight in this stuff.

Hardboiled eggs: Eggs are nutritional powerhouses, and if you have an InstaPot, they are so easy to make and peel.

Pita and Hummus: There are lots of good storebought hummus brands, but it’s so easy to make, why would you spend money on it? Try these recipes.

Macaroni and cheese: Do you have a Mac Mouse in your house? Put that macaroni and cheese into a thermos! This works with all kinds of pastas. (My kiddos were always the star of the lunchroom when they had fettuccini alfredo with broccoli and rotisserie chicken for lunch!)

There are so many ideas out there for school lunches that it can be overwhelming, especially when you’re still trying to establish your school morning routine. We know. We’ve been there. And finally, don’t worry about making your kiddos lunchbox look Instagram/Pinterest-perfect. If they eat some healthy food at lunch, you’ve won!

Let us know your kiddos’ favorites in the comments below!

The post Ideas for School Lunches first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Whether it is a sleepaway camp or a day camp close to home, summer camp can be an important part of a child’s physical and mental development. A few years ago, the American Camp Association did a study on the value of summer camp. The study showed marked growth in campers’ independence, self-confidence, and self-assuredness. Ninety-three percent of campers reported that camp allowed them to become friends with people who are from different backgrounds. Seventy-four percent of campers reported that they did things that they were afraid to do at first. Seventy percent of parents reported that their child gained self-confidence at camp.

Camp can expand a child’s horizons in ways that school, with its heavy emphasis on test results, cannot. Whether it’s doing a ballet intensive, building a robot, learning a new sport, or putting on a play, camp allows children to focus on something they love or learn something entirely new.

Perhaps most importantly, camp allows children to just be children. Yes, there are expectations placed on them at camp. They have to learn to work with strangers and resolve minor conflicts that may arise. They have to learn that their every want will not be accommodated. But without the pressure of grades and the expectations of family, teachers, and peer groups, campers are free to simply live and soak up every adventure and learning opportunity. Simply put, they can stop being students and simply enjoy being kids.

There are many wonderful possibilities for your child this summer in Fort Worth. No matter what it is that makes your kiddo smile, they can do it here. We hope that this will be a comprehensive list of summer camp options in Fort Worth for you to consult from year to year. We’ve organized our index to separate camps by age as well as theme for easy navigation. Many of our partners have generously sponsored ads with full details about the camps they offer. If you’d like to learn more about advertising with us, please email tanglewoodmoms@gmail.com.

The post Summertime Means Summer Camps! first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Taking place on the campus of TCU at the soundstage and editing lab of the Bob Schieffer College of Communication, the Lone Star Film Festival Summer Film Camp will host two separate camps, with the first two-week camp opening on July 10th (Session 1) and the following on July 24th (Session 2).

Photo courtesy of Lone Star Film Festival

High school-age students interested in filmmaking are welcome to register before July 1st.  Participants will learn about screenwriting, directing, producing, on-camera acting, editing, and cinematography.  Each of the film camp sessions will be tasked with writing, acting, producing, and editing an original short film.  Each produced short film will screen at the 2023 Lone Star Film Festival in November.

“The Bob Schieffer College of Communication has been an incredible partner for our film camp,” said Lone Star Film Society Executive Director Chad Mathews. “With the success of last year’s camp at TCU, we are thrilled with the opportunity to expand as we hope to educate and inspire an even greater number of young filmmakers here in Fort Worth.”

Photo courtesy of Lone Star Film Festival

Last year was the first year that the Lone Star Film Festival Summer Film Camp took place over two weeks and utilized the state-of-the-art facilities on campus.

“We’re excited to join our Lone Star Film Society partners in teaching high school students the art and craft of filmmaking,” said Dean Kristie Bunton. “Film camp gives young people the chance to explore how professional communicators can change the world for good with the messages they create and the audiences they reach.”

Photo courtesy of Lone Star Film Festival

Discounted registration is currently being offered before March 1st, and financial aid applications are open.  Registration starts at $375.

For more information, visit https://www.lonestarfilmfestival.com/lsff-film-camps.

The post Lone Star Film Festival Summer Camp Expands in 2023 first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Butterflies are just about the sweetest and happiest creatures of the insect world. Why are monarchs so essential to Texas wildlife?

Monarch butterflies are the state insect of Texas. They are an iconic species that has captured the imagination of generations. Adults will often tell stories of seeing monarch butterflies migrating in clouds when they were children and yet today they rarely see them. The eastern migratory monarchs are essential to Texas wildlife because they are a flagship species whose habitat is shared by so many other wildlife species including grassland birds, migratory songbirds, many other pollinators and small mammals. When people rally behind planting habitat for the monarch butterfly, they are also creating habitat for hundreds of other species.

Photo courtesy of The National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes

What are kids learning from creating milkweed habitats? What other nectar-rich plants are essential for adult monarchs? 

Kids are creating both native milkweed and native nectar habitat. On school grounds, both are equally important for the monarch butterfly. One of the key things is to use native plants. Children are learning that it is important to use native plants as a way to support native wildlife because they co-evolved together, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. We also teach children that using native plants helps to conserve water and to eliminate the use of pesticides. Children learn that native milkweed specifically is essential because milkweed is the monarch butterfly’s only larval host plant. If we don’t have milkweed on the ground, these migratory monarchs will not be able to continue their northward, multigenerational migration from Mexico.

Monarch butterflies are fascinating because of their unique, multi-generational migration, which begins when monarchs leave their overwintering grounds in Mexico. Texas is one of the first places monarchs stop to lay eggs on milkweed creating the first generation of migrating monarchs. Each successive migration continues the journey north. Their journey back south through Texas is just as important. Monarchs must travel up to 3,000 miles to reach their overwintering grounds in Mexico. Native, nectar-rich plants will provide the nectar needed to build up fat reserves to last them though the winter.

Is there a certain soil type or environment that’s perfectly suited for milkweed?

There are many different varieties of native milkweed, and they all have different water and soil requirements. For example, antelope horns (Asclepias asperula) prefer well-draining rocky or sandy soils of prairies, pastures, plains and hillsides. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) in contrast, and as its name indicates, prefers soils nutrient rich and wet soils, and will thrive in heavy clay soils. As with all native plants, it is important to know the soils and climate of the eco-region where you live so that you can select the appropriate native plant for your site.

Photo courtesy of The National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes

How did this program start?

In 2014, the population size of the monarch butterfly at their overwintering grounds in Mexico was at an all-time low, causing several conservation groups to petition the USFWS to list the butterfly as an endangered species. An alarm bell sounded and many conservation organizations, NWF included, adopted an all hands-on-deck approach to help recover the species. NWF’s South Central Regional education programs took note and, in 2015, we launched the Monarch Heroes program in ten schools split between Austin and Houston. When we launched, we were confident that the program would be a success because of the parallel need in the education and health fields to address attention deficit disorder by connecting children to nature. We decided to concentrate our efforts in Title 1 schools in urban centers where access to nature is not equitable.  We are now in over 230 schools across the state of Texas serving approximately 25,000 students.

NWF is one of the oldest conservation organizations in the U.S. What other programs and efforts are unique to the South Central Region? 

NWF’s South Central Region encompasses the Gulf states, parts of the Great Plains and Southeast, and stretches to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. To meet the needs of this vast diversity of land, water systems, wildlife, and communities, NWF’s regional programs and the programs of our affiliate organizations are strategically focused for local impact as well as the development of scalable solutions.  Through our additional educational programming (Eco-Schools USA, Student Climate Resilience Ambassadors, and Earth Tomorrow), we engage thousands of students in both Texas and Georgia in outdoor learning, understanding watershed health, exploring career pathways and providing more equitable opportunities for young people to gain an appreciation and understanding of the natural world around them.

Our Texas Coast and Water Program (through our coalition-based Texas Living Waters Project https://texaslivingwaters.org/) advances water conservation and protection of the state’s prized rivers, estuaries and coastal bays for the benefit of people and wildlife. The Region’s Gulf Program leads efforts to restore estuaries and coastal habitats throughout the Gulf of Mexico with a focus on mitigating coastal land loss in the Mississippi River Delta (https://mississippiriverdelta.org/), advocating for iconic Florida wildlife, and strengthening coastal resilience across the five Gulf states. and In the Southeast states, we work tirelessly to restore the historic range of longleaf pine on private forested lands while protecting wildlife habitat. Our newest program, Climate Resilient Habitats, launched in 2021, seeks to restore urban, rural, and roadside habitat and builds on the success of six years of monarch and pollinator conservation work in Texas. One such effort, the Monarch Stewards program (https://www.nwf.org/monarchstewards) launched in 2018 and has provided thousands of Texas volunteers with the skills and knowledge needed for conservation of monarchs and all pollinators.

Photo courtesy of The National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes

How will this grant improve your program operations? 

Increased support of this type gives more credence to our program overall and will help us as we continue to develop partnerships in the Fort Worth metroplex. For example, FWISD, with whom we are currently entering into a formal partnership, was excited to learn that both the North Texas Community Foundation and the Rainwater Charitable Foundation are supporting Monarch Heroes. This grant will also help increase our overall funding for the program, which will increase our capacity to hire a new staff person and to serve more schools with the same degree of excellence.

Do you have a favorite caterpillar or butterfly fact?

A female adult butterfly lays between 300-500 eggs in her lifetime.

The post Worthy Convos: Creating Butterfly Snack Stops with Monarch Heroes first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

It’s wintertime at the Carter and I’m feeling excited about the cold weather, crunchy leaves, hot cocoa, and, of course, winter artworks! I thought I might warm my whiskers with a quick hop through the Museum galleries. Maybe I’ll even find some inspiration for making some art of my own!

Charles M. Russell (1864-1926); Lost in a Snowstorm — We Are Friends; 1888; oil on canvas; Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas; 1961.144

Look at all that snow! I can just picture myself hopping around inside Charles Russell’s Lost in a Snowstorm – We Are Friends. Can you hear the icy wind howling? Can you feel the snow stinging your cheeks? How would you feel if you were lost in a snowstorm? How would you keep warm? If you look closely, you can see the Blackfeet rider in the middle using hand signals to help the other riders find their way!

Wintertime means more than just snow. Winter also reminds me of … tasty treats! Warm bread, carrot cake, and turnip turnovers! I found some yummy artworks, like Ave Bonar’s photograph, La Estrella Bakery, McAllen, on the Carter’s collection page.

This photograph reminds me of cozy mornings in the burrow with my family, making cinnamon rolls and sweet carrot buns. Bonar took this picture so that she could show what life was like in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. What are the bakers in this picture doing with their hands? What else do they need to do before the bread is ready to eat? Think about the treats you like to enjoy with your family during the cold winter months. Do you like to buy them from a bakery, or make them at home?

Now that I’ve looked at some cozy artworks, I’m ready to get creative! I want to make a snow globe filled with my favorite winter things. Let’s make one together!

All the supplies you will need to make your own snow globe!

Materials:

• Clear container with a screw-top lid
• Polymer clay
• Water
• Karo syrup
• Glitter or sequins
• Food coloring
• Hot glue or super glue (make sure you have a grownup helping you!)

Instructions

Prickles made a carrot to put in his snow globe.

Step 1: Use your polymer clay to make small sculptures for your “winter wonderland” scene. What people, animals, foods, and other objects remind you of winter? Follow the package directions to bake your sculptures when they’re finished.

Prickles gets a little help from his favorite grownup when gluing his sculptures.

Step 2: Glue your sculptures to the lid of your jar.

Remember to ask a grown up for help pouring the water and Karo syrup!

Step 3: Fill your jar halfway with water. Fill the rest with Karo syrup, leaving 1 inch empty at the top. Add glitter and food coloring.

Enjoy your masterpiece!

Step 4: Tightly screw your lid onto the jar. Shake and enjoy! To make your snow globe permanent, add hot glue or super glue around the rim of the jar before screwing the lid on.

The post Hoppin’ in a Winter Wonderland with Prickles and the Carter first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

I’ve pulled together some of our family’s favorite menu items to share with you. And may your family’s 2023 be the best year yet!

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

We love this mocktail – it’s light and pretty and delicious!

Ingredients

1 ½ cups frozen raspberries
¾ cup sugar
Juice from 5 large lemons
4 COLD cans San Pellegrino Limonata (available at most grocery stores)
Lemon twists, fresh raspberries, and/or mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a blender, purée the raspberries, sugar, and half the lemon juice. Run the purée through a fine-meshed sieve to remove the seeds.

Combine the purée with the remaining lemon juice in a pitcher. Chill for at least an hour. Before serving, stir in the cold San Pellegrino Limonata. Serve in champagne flutes or coupes with your choice of garnishes for that extra New Year’s Eve flair!

Mexibites

These little pinwheels are hands down favorites around here. The great thing about this is that you can make them to your family’s taste; in fact, they’re better if made the day before. The really great thing about them is that you can make them ahead of time. Well, that and they’re completely delicious!

Ingredients

8 ounces softened cream cheese (you can use the light stuff if you must, but don’t use the fat free nastiness)
¼ red onion, finely chopped
½ poblano or green bell pepper, finely chopped
10 kalamata or ripe olives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika or chili powder
10 (more or less) high-quality, soft-taco sized flour tortillas
Your favorite salsa to serve

Directions

Combine the softened cream cheese, onion, poblano or bell pepper, olives, cilantro, and spices in a bowl. Lay one tortilla flat and spread with enough of the cream cheese mixture to make a layer about ¼ of an inch thick. Roll the tortilla up relatively tightly. Set aside on a plate and continue with the rest of the cream cheese mixture and tortillas.

Cover the rolled-up tortillas loosely with a kitchen towel or some plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I usually make these the day before.

To serve, slice the rolled-up tortillas into ½ inch rounds and serve with your favorite salsa. Or, if your kids are like my little monsters, just hand them a rolled-up tortilla and make sure your fingers are not near their mouths!

Orange Chicken Meatballs

These taste like the orange chicken you can get at most Chinese American restaurants and are really yummy. For an easy dinner, throw in some steamed broccoli and serve over rice!

Ingredients

For the meatballs

2 pounds ground chicken or turkey (we use the extra-lean stuff)
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs soaked in 3 tablespoons milk
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon canola or grapeseed oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
2 to 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (depending on your family’s love of spicy)
1 to 2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 jar orange marmalade
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken or turkey, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce or tamari, milk-soaked panko, and salt and pepper until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or cover with foil or parchment paper. Using 2 tablespoons of the mixture a time, make the meatballs and line up on the baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs for about 15 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce.

In a large saucepot over medium heat, sauté the garlic and ginger in sesame oil and canola or grapeseed oil for only 1 minute. Add in the pepper flakes, green onion, orange marmalade, and soy sauce or tamari and stir well to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes to allow the marmalade to melt and the sauce to come together. If it is too thick for your liking, stir in a little orange juice.

Once the meatballs have cooked, transfer them to the saucepot. Stir gently to make sure the meatballs are coated in the sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve either with toothpicks for appetizers or with steamed broccoli and rice for dinner.

Happy 2023 from Tanglewood Moms and our families to you and yours!

The post Recipes for a Family New Year’s Eve Party first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.