Exclusive McFarland, USA Interview With Kevin Costner #McFarlandUSAEvent

The characters from Focus Features new family movie The Boxtrolls will be participating in the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby on Saturday, July 26th at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio. Fans will be able to meet The Boxtrolls, check out their custom-built car, watch exclusive sneak peeks from the movie and enter the Boxtrolls’ fantastical home environment with an immersive photo experience and get free Boxtrolls gear! SEE THE SUPER CUTE BOXTROLLS TRAILER HERE!!
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With summer time here, you simply can’t go to the store and not see the piles of sweet smelling watermelon. It’s always been a staple on the 4th of July for us, but this year I made it a little more fun for the kiddos by turning into a watermelon slush.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups chopped seedless watermelon 2 cups ice cubes
3/4 cup White Grape flavor Juicy Juice® 100% Juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

As parents every year we ponder as to what our children are going to want and ask for this year. With 4 boys I hear it all…they see commercials and then there are the toy magazines that come out close to Christmas where they circle what they want. The favorite part of my job, and theirs is getting to test out toys and give their opinions. I’ve taken note throughout the year their favorites and have included our favorites in our Gifts Your Kids Will Love – 2015 Holiday Gift Guide.
Related

Once your little one is well acquainted with solids and is at least six months old, it’s time to introduce new tastes and textures to her palette. Continue to follow your baby’s cues. Go at her pace and do not move beyond simple solids before he/she’s ready.
When trying new flavors, gentle persistence may be necessary. Never, ever force feed your little one, but keep in mind that it often takes five or more tries before a baby takes to a new food. The more flavors you introduce, the more adventurous his palette will be later.
While still avoiding added salt and excess sugar, you can begin incorporating fresh herbs or mild spices to baby food, watching carefully for adverse or allergic reactions.
Butternut Squash
1 medium-large butternut squash
(can also use canned or frozen butternut squash puree; see below) 1 tbsp. olive oil 1/3 cup water or organic, low-sodium chicken stock
1 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg (optional)
If using fresh butternut squash… Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a vegetable peeler, carefully remove the squash’s hard shell. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon, and discard. Chop the squash into 1/2-inch sized chunks and place inside large bowl. Coat squash evenly with the oil. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast the squash in the oven until very soft and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the cooked squash from the baking sheet and puree in a food processor until completely smooth. Add fresh nutmeg if desired. Once cooled, distribute mixture evenly amongst ice cube trays or cupcake tins, dependent upon desired portion size. If using canned or frozen butternut squash… In large stockpot, empty entire can of butternut squash puree along with chicken stock and nutmeg. Make sure that mixture is heated throughout, to about 160 degrees.
Once cooled, distribute mixture evenly amongst ice cube trays or cupcake tins, dependent upon desired portion size.
Country Pumpkin
This recipe calls for fresh roasted pumpkin…but here’s a little secret. You can substitute fresh pumpkin with nutrient-rich canned pumpkin. The benefit to fresh pumpkin is all those yummy roasted pumpkin seeds, but either way, it’s a sweet way to eat one of the most powerfully nutritious super-foods.
(or can of organic canned pumpkin – make sure it’s not the sweetened pie filling.) 4 drizzles of extra virgin olive oil ¾ cup milk ½ tsp. fresh ground cinnamon (optional)
½ tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line heavy baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using sharp knife carefully cut off the top 1/3 of the pumpkin. Remove seeds and set aside. Scrape away the fibers inside the pumpkin cavity and discard. Cut the pumpkin into quarters and place on large, lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil onto each pumpkin quarter. Cover the pumpkin with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until completely tender. Once cooled, scoop out pumpkin flesh from skin; add to food processor. Add milk, vanilla and cinnamon and puree until completely smooth. Once cooled, distribute mixture evenly amongst ice cube trays or cupcake tins, dependent upon desired portion size. In large stockpot, empty entire can of pumpkin puree along with milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Make sure that mixture is heated throughout, to about 160 degrees. Once cooled, distribute mixture evenly amongst ice cube trays or cupcake tins, dependent upon desired portion size.
After introducing your baby to fruits & vegetables, you can begin serving mixtures. With so many fruits and vegetables to choose from, the possibilities for tasty combinations are endless.
Garden Vegetables
1 cup fresh or frozen petite green peas, thawed 1 cup green beans, trimmed, or broccoli florets
3 carrots (about 1/2 pound) cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
Arrange all vegetables in a vegetable steamer, steam, covered, 13 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Remove vegetables from steamer, reserving cooking liquid.
Place vegetables in a food processor process until smooth, adding cooking liquid, 1 tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency.
Yield; 2 cups or 8 (1/4 cup) servings
It’s a delicious way to introduce greens into your little one’s diet, as the mild, sweet winter squash tones down the strong broccoli flavor.
1 medium winter squash* 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium stalk broccoli
1/3 cup water
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut winter squash in half; scoop out seeds. Coat squash halves in olive oil and bake for 60 minutes, or until flesh is soft. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small pieces and put in steamer. Steam for 5-6 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.
Let cooked winter squash cool to the touch and scoop out flesh from skin. Place peeled squash in blender, along with broccoli florets and blend until completely smooth. Add water if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
Distribute mixture evenly amongst ice cube trays or cupcake tins, dependent upon desired portion size. *You can substitute fresh winter squash with frozen, organic pureed winter squash. It’s readily available at most grocery stores and makes for a great time saver! Just heat squash in microwave and add to pureed broccoli.
It’s a delicious way to introduce greens into you child’s diet, as the mild, sweet potatoes tone down the strong broccoli flavor.
1 medium sweet potato 1 medium stalk broccoli
1/3 cup water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap sweet potato in foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small pieces and put in steamer. Steam for 5-6 minutes, or until broccoli is tender. Let cooked sweet potato cool to the touch and peel off skin. Place peeled sweet potato in blender, along with broccoli florets and blend until completely smooth. Add water if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Distribute mixture evenly amongst ice cube trays or cupcake tins, dependent upon desired portion size.
Cauliflower and yellow potatoes…blended together until smooth and creamy. The mild potatoes are a good complement to the “cabbagy” flavored cauliflower.
2 cups cauliflower florets 3 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped (about ½ inch pieces) 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
Steam cauliflower in steamer basket for 5-6 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
In pot of water, add potatoes and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and potatoes and cool slightly.
Combine potatoes, cauliflower, ¼ cup of boiling liquid, and butter to food processor. Blend until smooth; add more water if necessary.
Disperse mixture into ice cube trays and freeze.
Other Combination options;
Spinach & Sweet Potatoes
Beet & Carrot
Squash & Zucchini
Asparagus & Zucchini
Veggie & Fruit Combos to try;
Apples & Butternut squash
Squash & Peach
Avocado & Banana
Sweet Potato & Apricot
Sweet Potato & Peach
OTHER MAKE YOUR OWN BABY FOOD POSTS:
Veggies Stage 1
Fruit Stage 1
Fruits Stage 2
Sample Menu for 6-8 Months

Halloween is my second favorite time of year, and my hubbies favorite. Throw in my 7-year-olds birthday around Halloween, and you know we have to do it big. We love to throw a good Halloween/Birthday party where there’s plenty of treats, spooks and things to do. While I was in LA earlier this month for the #DoctorStrangeEvent we also celebrated Finding Dory coming to Blu-ray Halloween style!
We joined Master Pumpkin Carver, Joseph Yakovetc to learn how to carve pumpkins properly…and all these years I thought I was doing a good job! Let’s go over some tips from the Master Carver himself.
TIP 1. Find a pumpkin with a good healthy stem. The stem sill has nutrients that feed the pumpkin and keep it healthy.
Lets talk about design and carving…
Things you will need:
Printable/Color Page
Transfer Paper
Pen/Pencil
Sharpie
2-4 Push Pins
Baby Wipes
Paint (colors depend on project)
Getting Started:
TIP 2. Don’t cut the stem off the top, this actually makes you pumpkin die…see #1…Instead cut a hole out in the back of your pumpkin, it will last longer and be easier to light.
Lets Get Started “carving”
Clean your pumpkin well with a wipe.
Now you are ready to pin your selected design backed by tracing paper to your pumpkin. Trace every line with your pen/pencil. Once you have that done you can remove the papers and follow outlines with a
Once you have that done you can remove the papers and follow outlines with a permanent marker…you may need to clean your marker now and then to keep it fresh.
Use your baby wipes to clean off surface from graphite paper, you will be left permanent marker lines.
Paint any areas you want to be colored.
Take carving utensil and outline the outside of the design.
Then you will pick areas that you will scrape out…for Dory, we scraped out the eyes and teeth
Photo by EnzasBargins.com
TIP 3. Use an old CD to clean out your pumpkin. The larger surface area and curve makes cleaning out pumpkins quick and easy. Joseph Yokovetc can clean a pumpkin in 30 seconds with this method.
TIP 4. Don’t let your pumpkin sit directly on the pavement, instead use a trivet or table to keep it elevated, and bring it in each night to help it say healthier longer.
FUN FINDING DORY ACTIVITY SHEETS
The summer blockbuster hit, Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory,” swims home just in time for the holidays on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) on Oct. 25 and on Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray, DVD and On-Demand on Nov. 15. Viewers can watch Dory’s hilarious and heartwarming quest to find her family and continue the underwater adventure with hours of immersive bonus features.
The film’s playful and plentiful bonus offerings include “Piper,” the theatrical short film starring an irresistible sandpiper hatchling; an all-new mini short featuring interviews with Dory’s pals from the Marine Life Institute; a behind-the-scenes look at the most challenging character Pixar has ever created; never-before-seen deleted scenes, including a digital exclusive featuring the Tank Gang from “Finding Nemo” who make it their mission to get Marlin and Nemo to the Marine Life Institute; and much, much more.
Thirteen years after the original, audiences get a new chapter in the story of their favorite forgetful blue tang. As returning director Andrew Stanton describes, “I realized that I was worried about Dory. The idea of her short-term memory loss and how it affected her was unresolved. What if she got lost again?” His response is a touching tale of friendship and family that’s truly unforgettable … perhaps even for Dory.
Bonus features include*:
Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray & Digital HD:
Theatrical Short: “Piper” – A hungry sandpiper hatchling ventures from her nest for the first time to dig for food by the shoreline. The only problem is that the food is buried beneath the sand where scary waves roll up onto the shore.
Marine Life Interviews (All-New Mini Short) – Meet the inhabitants of the Marine Life Institute as they remember our favorite blue tang.
The Octopus That Nearly Broke Pixar – Pixar’s “Team Hank” unravels the challenges, frustrations, and rewards of bringing to life the studio’s crankiest and most technically complicated character ever.
What Were We Talking About? – This piece showcases the complex routes Dory’s story took as the filmmakers worked to construct a comprehensive narrative involving a main character with short-term memory loss.
Casual Carpool – What’s it like to commute with the voices of Marlin, Charlie, Bailey and Hank? Join “Finding Dory” writer/director Andrew Stanton as he drives Albert Brooks, Eugene Levy, Ty Burrell and Ed O’Neill to work.
Animation & Acting – How do you create a connection between a human audience and a fish? This behind-the-scenes look behind the curtain examines the process of constructing believable performances through a unique collaboration between the director, voice actors and animators.
Creature Features – The cast of “Finding Dory” share cool facts about the creatures they voice in the film.
Deep in the Kelp – Disney Channel’s Jenna Ortega guides us on a research trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to show how far the “Finding Dory” crew went to make Dory’s world feel real.
Skating & Sketching with Jason Deamer – “Finding Dory” character art director Jason Deamer talks about how he got to Pixar, how he draws the characters in the film, and how falling off a skateboard teaches you lessons you can use in art and life.
Dory’s Theme – A spirited discussion among the composer, music editor and director of “Finding Dory” about the musical elements that shape Dory’s quirky and joyful theme.
Rough Day on the Reef – Sometimes computers make mistakes. Here you’ll see some of the funny, creepy and just plain bizarre footage the crew encountered while making “Finding Dory.”
Commentary – Director Andrew Stanton, co-director Angus MacLane and producer Lindsey Collins deliver their personal perspective on “Finding Dory.”
Deleted Scenes (introduced by director Andrew Stanton)
Losing Nemo – While watching the stingray migration, Dory starts to follow two fish that remind her of her parents, leaving Nemo all alone.
Little Tension in Clown Town – In this alternate version of the film, Dory tries to “follow her fins” to her parents, but ends up in a strange place with even stranger fish fashion.
Dory Dumped – In this early version of the story, Dory’s parents had short-term memory loss as well.
Sleep Swimming – Dory begins to talk and swim in her sleep, revealing what seem to be clues to her past.
Meeting Hank – Wandering the Marine Life Institute’s elaborate pipe system, Dory happens upon the abode of Hank the cranky octopus.
The Pig – Frantically navigating the pipes of the Marine Life Institute in search of her parents, Dory crosses paths with a terrifying cleaning device.
Starting Over – Director Andrew Stanton presents four different versions of the movie’s opening scene to illustrate the filmmakers’ search for the best way to introduce Dory’s backstory and to connect this new film to “Finding Nemo.”
Tank Gang (Digital exclusive) – After a close encounter with a squid leaves them separated from Dory, Marlin and Nemo unexpectedly meet up with the Tank Gang from “Finding Nemo,” who make it their mission to get to the Marine Life Institute … by any means necessary.
Hidden Seacrets of Finding Dory (Digital exclusive) – Take a deep dive to catch secret Easter Eggs throughout the movie. And just like Hank, they’re hidden in plain sight.
DVD:
Theatrical Short: Piper & Commentary
Create a fun Jello Dessert
Ingredients
2 Boxes Dory Jello
6 Cups of Water
1 Bag Sweedish Fish
Fill your cup a quarter of the way and put in fridge for about 1 1/2 hours put in a few fish and fill a little more repeat until cup is full.
Or you can fill cups, let sit in fridge about 1 hour – 1 hour 15 min and push a few fish into place (you will want to top with cool whip if you do it this way)
You will need to let your Jello sit about 4 hours before it is ready to eat.
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