FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS

The calendar of events below is accurate as of June 4, 2026. The most current information can always be found at kimbellart.org/calendar.

Ongoing Programs

In addition to the free programs listed below, the museum also offers a range of regular, free Public Tours exploring the museum’s permanent collection, special exhibitions, and architecture.

Kimbell Kids Drop-In Studios introduce children (ages 12 and younger) and their adult companions to fun and inspiring ways to enjoy art through gallery explorations and related studio-art projects on selected Saturdays from 1 to 1:45 p.m. The themes are VIPs in June and FUNctional Art in July and August. Sign-up begins at noon in the Kahn Building.

Happy Hours on Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Kimbell Café feature live music and a selection of beverages and snacks available for purchase. No reservations are required. Members receive a 10% discount on beverages during Happy Hours. Note: The Kimbell Café will not be open for Happy Hour on Friday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday, or on July 3, in observance of the Fourth of July holiday.

For Adults

Films

Documentary films feature expert commentary and high-quality cinematography to complement special exhibitions, architecture, and the Kimbell’s permanent collection.

SECOND SUNDAYS, 2 p.m.

Piano Pavilion, Auditorium

No registration required

Space is limited.

JUNE 14

Picasso: A Rebel in Paris (2024, 52 min.)

JULY 12

Munch: Love, Ghosts and Lady Vampires (2022, 90 min.)

AUGUST 9

Modigliani and His Secrets (2020, 53 min.)

Kimbell Casual Fridays

Bring friends and a sense of adventure for interactive gallery experiences that mingle Friday night vibes, collaboration, and creative expression. This free, forty-five-minute program occurs once a month during the Kimbell Café’s regular Happy Hour.

SELECTED FRIDAYS, 5:30–6:15 p.m.

Kahn Building, West Lobby

No registration required

JUNE 26

Muses

JULY 17

Nature Walk

AUGUST 21

Dynasties and Destinies

Fête Nationale Française Happy Hour Celebration

Join the Kimbell and Fort Worth Sister Cities International to celebrate French art and culture. Highlights will include live music by String Theory Manouche, a French-themed scavenger hunt with prizes, and an art-making activity.

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 5–7 p.m.

Kahn Building

No registration required

For Kids and Families

Pictures and Pages

Join us for stories, art, and creative play! This free program is designed for children (ages 4–6) and their adult partners. Spanish-language facilitation is available with advance notice.

FIRST TUESDAYS, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Kahn Building, Galleries

Registration required

Space is limited.

JULY 7

Parade of Colors

AUGUST 4

Catch of the Day

Photo courtesy of the Kimbell Art Museum

First Thursday Sketching Tours

Designed for homeschool students (K–8 grades), these free programs explore selected themes through sketching and writing activities in the Kimbell’s permanent collection. All materials are provided.

10:30–11:30 a.m.

Kahn Building, Galleries

Registration required

Space is limited.

JUNE 4

Geography Games

AUGUST 6

If These Walls Could Talk: Museum Models

Second Saturdays

Experience dynamic and diverse forms of creative expression during afternoon events hosted in conjunction with the special exhibition The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem.

Piano Pavilion, Auditorium

No registration required

Space is limited.

JUNE 13, 1–2 p.m.

Texas Camerata presents Echoes of the Holy Sepulcher: 18th-Century Music for Church and Chamber

Sensory Hour / Hora Sensorial

Enjoy a calming, sensory-friendly visit to the Kimbell prior to general public hours. Sensory Hour accommodations include lower light levels, reduced attendance capacity, and quiet zones. Communication boards, social narratives, fidgets, and noise-reduction headsets will be available at the Welcome & Information Table.

Ice Cream Sunday

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 11 a.m.–noon
Kahn Building and Piano Pavilion
Registration required

Family Festival / Fiesta de la Familia

Beat the heat at this event featuring art making, gallery activities, live music, and complimentary Melt Ice Cream (while supplies last).

Photo courtesy of the Kimbell Art Museum

Ice Cream Sunday

SUNDAY, JULY 19, noon–5 p.m.
Kahn Building and Piano Pavilion
No registration required

Teen Summer Studio

Teens interested in developing their studio skills and creative practice are invited to apply to participate in immersive studio workshops led by professional artists. Students will participate in both the morning and afternoon sessions.

MONDAY–FRIDAY, JULY 27–31, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

Piano Pavilion

Applications are due June 15, 2026.

Space is limited.

SUPPORT

The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem is supported in part by the Fort Worth Tourism Public Improvement District. Promotional support for the Kimbell Art Museum and its exhibitions is provided by American Airlines, the Fort Worth Report, and NBC 5. Additional support is provided by Arts Fort Worth and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Special thanks to the Nuestro Kimbell committee for their support of our community programs.

VISITOR INFORMATION

The post The Kimbell’s Free Summer Community Programs first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Where did the schoolyear go? Summer’s coming, and your little darlings need something to keep them out of trouble this summer. Fortunately, we’ve got just the thing to help: Tanglewood Moms’ annual guide to Fort Worth summer camps. The BEST Fort Worth Summer Camp Guide!

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 Exploring, Flourishing, Thriving – 2026’s Summer Camp Guide first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The weather made the cookout a cookin, but the evening was a success. Everyone brought stuff, and I didn’t have to do a thing. From shopping to cooking to cleaning, these young adults did it all!

One friend brought homemade bolis. A cousin of paletas, bolis are essentially Mexican otter pops. You can find bags for bolis at Walmart and sometimes at Fiesta Mart, but the friend simply put them in snack-sized plastic zipper bags. These are a really refreshing, easy project that you can do with little ones, and the flavor combinations are almost endless. I’ve included two basic recipes – one that’s exclusively fruit, and one that’s got condensed milk for a creamier texture. Either way, they’re a delicious summer treat!

Cheko.al, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Basic Fruit Bolis

Ingredients

3 cups coarsely chopped fruit – try mangoes, strawberries, melons, pineapple, blueberries, oranges, or a combination of several
½ cup sugar OR 1/3 cup agave syrup
1/3 cup water (if using agave syrup, omit the water)
Juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
Fresh herbs or freshly grated ginger, optional (try basil with melons or strawberries, mint with pineapple or orange, and fresh ginger with any of them but especially blueberries and lime!)

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

To make the bolis, pour the fruit puree into the bag. Make sure to get out as much air as possible and then freeze overnight. To eat, snip off the end of the bag with scissors, just like an otter pop!

Basic Creamy Fruit Bolis

Ingredients

3 cups fruit (see options above or use your imagination!)
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
OPTIONAL: instant espresso powder (maybe don’t let the little ones have this), Nutella, dried spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, freshly grated ginger

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

To make the bolis, pour the fruit puree into the bag. Make sure to get out as much air as possible and then freeze overnight. To eat, snip off the end of the bag with scissors, just like an otter pop!

The post Beat the Heat with Bolis first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Spend an art-filled day at the museum by visiting the galleries before or after the films to experience a variety of paintings, sculptures, and photographs, including our special exhibitions, Alex Da Corte: The Whale and Feeling Color: Aubrey Williams and Frank Bowling.

Admission is free and open to the public. Screenings begin at 11 am. Films are shown in the Modern’s auditorium, and seating is limited to the first 250 guests. Admission to the galleries is free for film festival guests. All ages are welcome!

Make plans to enjoy some delightful eats at Café Modern before or after the films, and shop for art-inspired merchandise and snacks at the Modern Shop.

SCHEDULE

Wednesday, July 16 at 11 am – Little Kid Flicks (67 minutes)

Inventive first films for ages 5+

In English or with English subtitles

Pufferfish/Kugelfisch
Germany | North American Premiere
Animation, Julia Ocker, 2022, 4 min
No dialogue

Forever Seven/Für immer Sieben
Germany | International Premiere
Animation, Antje Heyn & Alexander Isert, 2024, 9 min
In English

Coquille
Animation, Multiple directors, 2023, 6 min
No dialogue

My Name is Edgar and I Have a Cow/Jmenuju se Edgar a mam kravu
Czech Republic, Slovakia | New York Premiere
Animation, Filip Diviak, 2023, 8 min
in Czech; in Slovak; with English subtitles

Hoofs on Skates/Kanopos ir pačiūžos
Lithuania | World Premiere
Animation, Ignas Meilūnas, 2024, 12 min
No dialogue

Tabby McTat
United Kingdom | US Premiere
Animation, Jac Hamman & Sarah Scrimgeour, 2022, 25 min
In English

View all Little Kids Flicks short film listings online here.

Thursday, July 17 at 11 am – Big Kid Flicks (62 minutes)

Deep and daring films for ages 8+

In English or with English subtitles

Head in the Clouds/Tête en l’air
Belgium, France
Animation, Rémi Durin, 2023, 11 min
In French; with English subtitles

Goodbye Mamajee
France
Animation, Multiple directors, 2023, 7 min
In Tamil; with English subtitles

Lotus
United Kingdom | World Premiere
Live Action, Ollie Wolf, 2023, 9 min
In English

The Queen’s Flowers
United States | World Premiere
Animation, Ciara Leinaala Lacy, 2024, 11 min
In English

Karol, the Vampire Queen
Colombia | World Premiere
Live Action, Alfonso Acosta, 2023, 12 min
In Spanish; with English subtitles

Mum’s Spaghetti
United Kingdom | New York Premiere
Animation, Lisa Kenney, 2023, 11 min
In English

View all Big Kids Flicks short film listings online here.

The post Modern Kids Summer Flicks 2025 first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

No one wants to do a lot of heavy cooking during the summer. It’s simply too hot. But I have found that kids INSIST on being fed numerous times a day. I mean, really!

This is one of our family’s favorite meals. It’s delicious, quick, only uses one pot, and can be modified in many, many ways. What’s not to like?

Summery Chicken and Orzo

Ingredients

For the marinade:

Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup olive oil

For the pasta:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (chicken thighs are far cheaper and tastier than chicken breasts, but you can use breasts for this if you want)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (I love the mixed ones – red, yellow, orange – that you can find in grocery stores)
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼ inch slices
8 ounces orzo pasta, or some other small pasta (I use whole wheat orzo that you can find in some grocery stores or online)
3 ½ cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
A couple of sprigs of basil, leaves removed from stems and thinly sliced
½ bunch parsley, chopped
To garnish: Most everyone has one or more of these in the pantry or fridge
Kalamata or mixed olives, pitted and sliced
Roasted pepper, sliced into strips
Artichoke hearts, marinated or plain, quartered
Hearts of palm, sliced into ½ inch rounds
Capers
Shaved or grated hard Italian cheese like Parmagiano-Reggiano, pecorino Romano, or asiago

Directions

For the marinated chicken:

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a zippered plastic bag or a shallow baking dish. Cut the chicken thighs into bite size pieces and add to the marinade. Allow the chicken to stay in its bath for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.

For the pasta:

Heat a sauté pan or high-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Drain the marinade from the chicken and brown the pieces on all sides, turning occasionally so each side gets golden brown and delicious. Do this in batches; if you crowd the pan, the chicken will steam instead of brown, and it will look pale and anemic. Transfer the chicken to a plate or bowl while the pasta cooks.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, orzo, water, salt, and pepper to the pan, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the orzo is cooked through, and the water has mostly evaporated/is absorbed. If the water as evaporated/absorbed before the pasta is cooked, add about ½ cup of water at a time, stirring and cooking through, until the pasta has reached the consistency you desire. You do want a bit of water remaining to create the sauce for the pasta.

Add the chicken (and any juices that accumulated on the plate or in the bowl), basil, and parsley to the pasta and stir to combine. Remove from the heat. In our house, I set out various garnishes and allow people to choose what they like. I’m partial to some olives, capers, and hearts of palm. My younger kiddo would forgo the pasta for hearts of palm and artichoke hearts if she could.

This recipe serves 4 – 2 adults and 2 starving wolverines, um, I mean teens – with enough left over for a lunch or two.

The post Healthy Waists, Healthy Wallets: Summer Chicken and Orzo first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

“You don’t need to choose between keeping your garden alive during the summer and conserving water––you can have both. All you need to do is pay attention to your current practices and make them more efficient for the summer season,” says Steve Huddleston, senior horticulturist at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

Here are six steps you can take to set your garden up for success while focusing on water conservation.

1. Know and follow the basic water regulations.

The City of Fort Worth restricts outdoor watering year round from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm with the exception of watering by hand or with soaker hoses. This rule helps the city reduce water waste. Residents of other area cities should check with their local municipal government to see what restrictions are in effect.

If you choose to water your garden by hand, do it in the morning to reduce wasteful evaporation.

2. Water your plants only when they are thirsty.

Did you know your lawn only needs an inch of water a week to survive?

One inch can penetrate the soil to a depth of six inches. This cycle allows for roots to grow deep into the soil.

If you are unsure if your grass needs more water, complete the step test. If the grass looks blue-gray and your footprint remains when you step on the grass, you need more water. If not, keep it up!

3. Present issues.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one broken sprinkler head could waste up to 25,000 gallons of water and cost more than $90 during a 6-month irrigation season. It’s important to monitor your sprinkler system and repair any broken, missing or misdirected sprinkler heads as soon as you see them.

4. Add to your garden instead of taking things away.

Mulch is a great way to help your garden stay cool in the summer heat. It conserves water in the soil, inhibits weed germination, stabilizes soil temperatures and prevents erosion.

Adding drip irrigation is efficient as well. Since with these systems the water sprays directly onto the roots, you won’t lose your water to the wind. These systems use 20-70% less water than traditional irrigation systems and are sustainable for beds and containers––just not lawns.

5. Take advantage of rain when we get it.

“Collecting rainwater is one of the easiest, low maintenance and cost-effective ways you can have water for irrigation use,” says Huddleston. According to the Texas Water Development Board, 32,000 gallons of water roll off the average Texas roof yearly.

Free water for our plants? Count us in!

6. Set up your garden with the summer in mind.

When creating a garden, look for various plants with different water needs. This helps ensure your garden can thrive at all times. Reducing your grass area and replacing it with shrubs, perennials and groundcovers can also reduce water use and resources needed to maintain your garden.

Timing is key, too. Planting in the fall rather than the spring or summer requires less water and helps your plants’ roots become fully established before the summer heat kicks in.

Do any of these tips sound familiar?

That’s because some of these tips are the basic principles for setting up a xeriscape garden. Don’t worry! Xeriscaping doesn’t limit you to cactus and rock gardens. This type of planting just means you are creating a water-conserving, dry-focused garden.

“It’s easy to feel discouraged about conserving water and maintaining a beautiful garden when the heat is so relentless,” says Huddleston. “But learning how to set up a water-efficient garden properly is a significant first step.”

This post originally appeared in the July newsletter from the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and is shared with permission. 

The post ‘Tis the Season for Dehydration: Watering During a Heatwave first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Wait. The slow cooker? That’s only for winter, right? No, my friends. It is not.

When you stop and think about it, it’s really the perfect way to cook in the summer. You put ingredients in it, you turn it on low, and you walk away. It doesn’t heat up the kitchen like the stove or oven. You don’t have to stand over it. You just wait, and voila! Dinner is ready!

I’ve included some of our family’s favorite summer slow cooker recipes. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Summery Greek-Inspired Chicken

This is a favorite at our house. We use chicken thighs as they don’t dry out, and they have more flavor than most commercially available chicken breasts. It’s delicious and healthy (don’t tell the kids!) and easy.

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 small red onion, halved and sliced into half moons
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried dill
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 8-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 12-ounce jar roasted marinated red peppers, drained and sliced
1 cup pitted, halved Kalamata olives
1 3-ounce jar capers, drained
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lemon, sliced
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 block feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of a six-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with the smashed garlic, sliced red onion, salt, pepper, oregano, and dill. Layer the grape tomatoes, artichoke hearts, peppers, olives, and lemon slices over the chicken. Pour the lemon juice and chicken broth over everything and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the lid and drizzle the chicken with olive oil and crumbled feta. Replace the lid and cook for 30 minutes more. Serve over rice, orzo, couscous, pasta, or just with some lovely bread to sop up all the juices. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Thai-Inspired Corn Chowder

We love Thai flavors in our house, and this is a great chowder that uses Thai flavors with summer produce.

A basket of sweet corn, three ears partially husked

Ingredients

6 ears corn, husked and kernels removed
1 pound baby golden potatoes, halved
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, lightly pounded
2 to 4 Thai chile peppers*
4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 cup canned coconut milk
Chopped cilantro, Thai basil, and/or mint to garnish

*Depending on your heat tolerance, you can either slice the chile peppers, leaving in or removing the seeds and ribs (the source of most of the heat), or you can just throw them in whole to get the flavor of the chiles without much of the heat.

Directions

Place the corn, potatoes, onion, garlic, lemongrass, and chiles in the bottom of a six-quart crockpot. Add in the chicken or vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the lid, remove the lemongrass stalks, give everything a good stir, and add in the lime juice, fish sauce, and coconut milk and stir again. Replace the lid and let cook for another 30 minutes on LOW. To serve, scoop into bowls and garnish with cilantro, Thai basil, and/or mint. Serves 4 to 6.

Slow Cooker Summer Squash and Pasta

Pasta in a slow cooker? Yes! This is a delicious summer meal and is ridiculously healthy. It’s super easy, so it’s one of my go-to meals when I don’t want to cook.

Just picked tomato and squashes on the white structured background. Just harvested vegetables. Top view.

Ingredients

1 24-ounce jar pasta sauce (I always look for no sugars added sauces)
1 pound shaped pasta (I use whole grain ziti, penne, or cavatappi)
1 zucchini, halved and sliced into half moons
1 yellow summer squash, halved and sliced into half moons
1 small yellow onion, halved and sliced into half moons
2 to 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup cottage cheese (please don’t use the fat free stuff)
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 8-ounce bag shredded Italian cheeses
1 bunch basil, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped

Directions

Combine the pasta sauce, pasta, zucchini, summer squash, onion, garlic, cottage cheese, Italian herbs, and salt and pepper in a six-quart slow cooker. Cook on LOW for about 2 hours. Check occasionally, and if it’s looking a little dry, add in some water, chicken or vegetable broth, or dry white wine.

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the lid, give it a good stir, and add in the shredded Italian cheeses and basil. Replace the lid and cook for about another 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

The post Summery Slow Cooker Meals for Blazing Hot Days first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Beginning July 10, the Fort Worth Zoo resumes its summer hours, opening an hour earlier (9 a.m.) and closing earlier (4 p.m.). The Fort Worth Botanic Garden opens daily at 8 a.m. with a 7 a.m. members-only hour.

“We know that many people enjoy visiting the Botanic Garden and Zoo during the summer, but we also want to offer an opportunity for our visitors to beat the heat,” said Zoo Executive Director Mike Fouraker. “By adjusting our hours, we hope guests will take advantage of the extra morning hour. Shaded pathways, ample seating, extra fans and misters exist throughout the Zoo to ensure that everyone has a positive experience. You can get a break from the heat by visiting one of our indoor, airconditioned spaces, like the Museum of Living Art.” 

The early openings and closings will apply to all areas of the Botanic Garden and Zoo, including the gardens, animal habitats, and guest areas. The last admission will be sold at 3 p.m., and all guests must exit the properties by 4 p.m. Both organizations will close at 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“The summer heat continues to impact the outdoor guest experience,” said Botanic Garden CEO Patrick Newman. “We recently placed new drinking fountain and bottle filling stations throughout the Garden and have begun running an air-conditioned shuttle bus to get guests comfortably from one end of the garden to the other.”

For more information about the early closing, please visit the websites of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and Fort Worth Zoo.

The post Botanic Garden and Zoo Adjust Hours Due to High Temps first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

I don’t know about your family, but mine is all over the place in the summer. One kid is off to Shakespeare camp. The other is off to their job. I’m in and out, as is my husband. It’s easier to simply prep a lot of salad ingredients and keep them on hand for people to throw together as they want than try to make full meals.

The one thing I do like to do to make salads a bit more interesting is to make a variety of dressings. Once a week, I make between four and five dressings for people to use throughout the week. I’ve gathered some of my recipes here for you and your family, and I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

This is wonderful on salads with leftover grilled meats or pasta salads. It’s GREAT on a salad with Brussels sprouts and almonds with leftover rotisserie chicken. Because it doesn’t have any mayonnaise in it, you can take it on picnics without worry.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I like coarse ground or whole grain, but you can use smooth, too)
1 to 2 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 2 tablespoons fresh, destemmed and chopped
Salt and pepper
A dash or two of hot sauce (you will see that this is my secret for great dressings and sauces; I use Cholula in this)
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Put all the ingredients in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until the salt is dissolved. This will keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing

Oh, this is SO good! It’s similar to one we made at one of the restaurants I cooked in, and I love it. My favorite salad right now (it will change by this time next week) is to toss spinach, fresh peaches, fresh apricots, red onions, and leftover grilled chicken in a little bit of this dressing. Heaven on a plate!

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
¾ cup buttermilk
1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano (marjoram is a little sweeter, so I prefer it in this)
Salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
1 5-oz container crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
A dash or two of your favorite hot sauce (I use a Louisiana hot sauce like Crystal or Tabasco in this)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Place in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and allow to chill for at least an hour before serving. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, add a little more buttermilk. This will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

Really Green Goddess Dressing

This is a healthy and delicious take on that old favorite. It’s wonderful on almost every kind of salad, but it works really well with grains and beans!

Ingredients

1 large, ripe avocado
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 green onions, roots removed and roughly chopped
Lots of fresh leafy herbs – I use what I have on hand or what the garden is producing like tarragon, basil, parsley, oregano, dill, chervil, and/or sage
Juice of ½ lemon
A squeeze of anchovy paste (you won’t taste it, I promise) or a couple of drops of fish sauce
Salt and lots of freshly ground pepper
A dash or two of hot sauce (I use good ol’ Cholula for this)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least an hour before using. This will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

green salad dressing with avocado, lime and cilantro in a glass jar on a rustic background

Cilantro Lime Dressing

This is fabulous on salads with a Tex-Mex or Southwestern flair or with a Middle Eastern bent. It’s funny how the same ingredients are used in such disparate cuisines.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon tahini
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 to 4 limes (I like mine sour, but not everyone does)
Salt and pepper to taste
A dash or two of hot sauce (I use Cholula for this, but if I’m feeling wild and wacky, I’ll throw in a bit of harissa instead)
1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and shaken dry
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Place all ingredients except olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine the ingredients. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream. Taste for seasoning and store in the fridge for up to a week.

The post Shake Up Your Summer Salad 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.

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