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A few years ago, I shared our collection of books for kids about diversity and kindness. These books help foster an appreciation of acceptance and inclusion of others. Since then, friends and family have recommended books about diversity that they love too, and our collection has grown. I'm all about reading books to my kids that will help teach (and reinforce) different ideas or help them see different perspectives and be compassionate toward others. These stories cover a wide variety of sensitive topics and show us how we can be proud of who we are and the diversity around us. Books for Kids about Diversity and Kindness Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o Age range: 3-8 A beautifully illustrated story that made me tear up when reading it to my children. It follows the story of a young girl who wishes for her dark skin to be lighter. The story is ultimately about colorism and learning to love oneself, no matter one's skin tone. I saw this in the store one Fall and regretted not buying it immediately. I hunted it down for a few weeks and got it for my kids one Christmas. The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad Age range: 4-8 This is a sweet story about two sisters loving their culture and overcoming prejudice. This book shows the hijab as something kind of magical and empowers and celebrates a rite of passage for Muslim girls. We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrome Age range: 3-7 Another beautifully illustrated story told from the point of view of a young girl about the North American indigenous battles to protect our water. A call to action and celebration of culture. Written and illustrated by indigenous book creators! The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi Age range: 5-8 When the new girl from Korea moves to America, nobody can pronounce her name. Her classmates fill a jar full of suggestions for her to choose a name from. This book is about friendship and it really highlights the Asian culture and the power behind a name. The Wall in the Middle of the Book by John Agee Age range: 4-8 The contemporary relative to the Monster at the End of the Book, the knight is sure the wall keeps him safe from the horrible "other side" of the book. Or does it? As the water (and danger) rises on his side of the book, without him noticing, the other side comes to his rescue. Kids learn that sometimes "the other side" isn't as bad as we thought. Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian Age range: 3-5 Worm meets worm, they fall in love and decide to get married! All their friends are curious about who will wear the dress and who will wear the tuxedo. But, in the end, it doesn't matter because they love each other! You may also like our collection of LGBTQIA+ Books for Kids and Teens . All My Stripes: A Story for Children with Autism by Shaina Rudolph Age range: 5-7 This story follows Zane the zebra as he learns that all his stripes- his caring stripe, his curiosity stripe, and his autism stripe, are what make him special and unique. Learn to embrace the differences of those around us and all their beautiful stripes with this quirky and sweet book. She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton Age range: 4-8 These are the stories of 13 women who would not take no for an answer. Even when they had to fight to be heard, these tiny feminists changed the world with their ideas and bravery. This book is the perfect reminder for those who were told to sit down or move out of the way. Featuring stories of Ruby Bridges, Helen Keller, Sally Ride, and many more who overcame obstacles to show the world what they are made of. The World Needs More Purple People by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart Age range: 3-6 If you're like me, you're wondering what a purple person is. A purple person is one who brings their community together with kindness and uses their voice to speak up for what is right. In the light of the divided political parties, purple people blend red and blue together to help people become purple and encourage kids to look for similarities rather than differences. A sweet but simple sentiment and a good reminder for adults too. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena Age range: 2-6 A young Black boy and his Grandmother take a ride on public transportation and he wonders why they always get off at the dirty part of town and why they don't own a car of their own. His grandmother helps him find the beauty all around him. This is a good story of humanity and how to help people who in need. Butterflies Belong Here: A Story of One Idea, Thirty Kids, and a World of Butterflies by Deborah Hopkinson Age range: 5-10 This is a moving and beautiful story of a girl who recently immigrated to the United States and feels a little out of place, like a quiet little caterpillar. She makes a poster about monarchs, who followed the same migration path that she did. Soon she and her classmates make a garden for the traveling butterflies. This story is about building your community and the small changes you can make, that make a big difference. Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Simma Age range: 3-6 Kelp has always felt different than the narwhals in his family. When he discovers another mysterious creature like him, he finds a way to have the best of both worlds. A beautifully illustrated book about family, fitting in, and standing out! We love the underlying theme of the all-encompassing love and acceptance of family. We Are All Born Free Mini Edition: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures by Amnesty International Age range: 6-10 After World War II, in 1948, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed and declared to protect all people from all countries. This book covers all 30 articles, written and illustrated with children in mind. This book brings these concepts to life, but at a child's level - that we all have the right to live, freely and safely. Noodlelephant by Jakob Kramer Age range: 3-8 "Famous for her pasta parties, Noodlephant is shocked when the law-loving kangaroos decide noodles are only for them!" This is a great book about social injustice as Noodlephant pushes back against this unjust law. She and her friends invent a machine that turns ordinary items into pasta, like pens into penne, and so on. It will get kids thinking about bullies, exclusion, and the power of the community standing up to injustice. Hello, My Name is Octicorn by Kevin Diller Age range: 3-7 Octicorn is a sweet character who is half octopus, half unicorn but totally loveable. He feels left out, like he doesn't fit in on land or at sea, and in this book he starts naming off the unique qualities that make him someone who should be appreciated. This is a clever book about differences that is told in a silly way. The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss Age range: 3-10 A beloved classic about prejudice and discrimination. The Sneetches wear stars on their bellies and think they are special, and the ones without feel lesser than them. A scammer comes in and starts selling stars to the other ones that don't have them. He makes a profit out of prejudice, proving that always trying to be different or better, can be costly. Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho Age range: 2-6 A lyrical book about a girl who notices her eyes are different than those of her peers. She draws strength from the generations of powerful women in her life, as she learns to recognize and embrace her own unique beauty. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry Age range: 2-7 Zuri has beautiful hair, but it is full of tight coils and sometimes goes in every which way. When Mommy fixes her hair she feels beautiful, but with Mommy out of town, Daddy has to step in. This book is an ode to self-confidence and a celebration of the love between fathers and daughters. I am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde Age range: 3-7 This book is an easy read about what being human means. That it's okay to make mistakes and the power that our choices have. The main character explores how everyone feels different emotions, even sadness or anger, and how you can making different choices can turn things around. I love this illustrator as well, we have several of his books. I Walk with Vanessa: A Picture Book Story About a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoet Age range: 3-7 A powerful, picture-only book about how a small act of kindness against bullying can lead to a community joining in. When a fellow student sees Vanessa getting bullied she decides she wants to walk with her to school each morning. This book is a good reminder that sometimes just showing up and showing kindness is all that is needed to make a change. Mama The Alien by René Colato Laínez Age range: 6-10 Sophia finds her mother's resident Alien card in her purse one day and decides that her mother must be from outer space. She heads to the library to do some research but her mother doesn't look anything like the aliens in the books, with their big eyes and blue-green skin, so how could she be an alien? Through this great introduction to immigration and citizenship, Sophia learns that her mother is getting ready for her citizenship ceremony and that the word alien can also mean someone from a different country. Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger: Social Emotional Book for Kids about Diversity and Kindness by Elizabeth Col e Age range: 3-8 No matter your skin color, nationality, religion, or what you dream of becoming, this book shows kids that diversity makes us stronger. Nick gets new glasses but is afraid to wear them. There are a lot of different examples of diversity and reminders that it's okay to be who you are throughout this book. The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates Age range: 3-7 When it starts to rain there is a big umbrella by the door with room for everyone underneath it. The umbrella is big and friendly and helpful and doesn't care what you look like, it welcomes them all. With a more subtle theme that includes kindness and hospitality, you learn that there is always room for others. Mixed: A Colorful Story by Aree Chung Age range: 2-5 In the beginning, there were 3 colors, blue, red, and yellow and they all lived in harmony. Until, Red decides that "reds are best", and that starts a whole disagreement. The colors separate and live in their respective parts of town. One day Yellow and Blue fall in love and have a daughter named Green, she is a mixed color and unlike anyone else! Soon more and more colors begin to mix. This book has great use of symbolism to promote thoughts of acceptance and inclusivity. The Capybaras by Alfredo Soderguit Age range: 4-10 The chickens are comfortable, safe, and secure in their coop, each one doing what they should be doing. One day a bunch of on-the-run capybaras appear. It's hunting season and they are looking for refuge in the chicken coop, but they don't follow the rules. This book shows how friendship can form in even the most unlikely places and teaches compassion and acceptance, as the chickens learn that including the capybaras in their community will only make it better. Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev Age range: 2-6 Today is Pet Club day, except no elephants are allowed. A tiny boy with his big pet elephant comes up with an idea to team up with others who are banned from Pet Club to make their own club where everyone is welcome. A sweet story about friendship, kindness, and acceptance. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Age range: 5-12 Sometimes we have to do things that scare us, and sometimes we walk into a room and nobody is like us. This book helps reinforce the positive message that it's okay to be different from others. The message of empowerment came from the author's award-winning memoir Brown Girl Dreaming and reminds kids that it is okay to tell their own unique story. My Shadow is Pink by Scott Stuart Age range: 3-7 This book is great on many different levels. It teaches kids that it is okay to love your true self. It touches on gender identity and self-acceptance and how to support others to let their inner self shine. While helping break outdated gender stereotypes, it reminds us that small acts of kindness can go a long way. For more books like this, check out our LGBTQIA+ Books for Kids and Teens . The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah Age range: 3-7 Based on the real-life story of two friends. One liked hummus sandwiches, and the other liked peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They both thought the other sandwich looked gross, but this story is a reminder that we sometimes judge things too early, and sometimes trying new things can lead to positive experiences. Embracing cultural sensitivity and finding similarities even among the differences. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard Age range: 2-6 This book is aimed towards kids but also has a lot of messaging for adults - Native American History as well as a fry bread recipe in the back. This story is about fry bread - how it brings people together and keeps them connected to their culture. It talks about the cultural importance of food and also shows the diversity between different Native groups. Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You Hardcover by Sonia Sotomayor Age range: 4-10 Just as a garden with lots of different flowers makes it more beautiful, the same is true with people, all our differences make our world beautiful. Written by a Supreme Court Justice, this story embraces all our differences and encourages us to look at them as special powers. She talks about many different disabilities like tourettes, diabetes, ADHD, being blind, wheelchair-bound, and so on. She reminds us to be curious and learn about the person, differences and all. A good introduction for kids to people who are different than them. Laxmi's Mooch by Shelly Anand Age range: 4-8 A beautiful body-positive book for kids about a Native American girl who gets teased about the little hairs on her upper lip. Her parents teach her that hair is all over, no matter what your gender. Laxmi is proud of who she is and she helps teach that beauty standards are different all around the world. Cake Mix: Learning to Love All Your Ingredients by Mikki Hernandez Age range: 5-8 When Remy's classmates ask, "what are you?" she goes on a journey learning about cultures and loving her identity. She learns about different ethnicities and celebrates them with her class. An inspirational story of self-acceptance for those who don't fit a certain "mold". Boxitects by Kim Smith Age range: 3-7 Meg loves to build things out of boxes that impress her teacher and classmates. One day she gets a new classmate who also builds things out of boxes. She doesn't want this new girl to change everything. The girls are paired together for an annual Maker Match, but all they do is argue. They have to find a way to be a team and work together. A creative STEAM-centered book about acceptance and teamwork. Masterpiece by Alexandra Hoffman Age range: 4-10 This is an inclusive book about celebrating a child on the autism spectrum. When the class has to create an art piece, it becomes apparent that Samuel has a special way of looking at the world around him, and his teacher praises his masterpiece. Through his art, his classmates learn about acceptance, inclusion, and empathy. We love that the illustrations show a child wearing noise-canceling headphones, too! Have you read any of these books? Do you have any suggestions or any favorites?

These mini bagel bites feel so nostalgic to my millennial heart. They are perfect for an easy summer lunch or anytime snacks. Bonus, they only take a couple of minutes to throw together and cook perfectly in the air fryer. Oh, and kids love them too! Ingredients: Mini bagels pizza sauce shredded mozzarella mini pepperonis Tools needed: air fryer . Our family has this specific Cosori air fryer , which we love! (On sale as of July 1, 2025, for 20% off!) Directions: Slice your bagels in half Add sauce, cheese, and mini pepperoni to each bagel half Place in the basket (ours holds 6 halves at a time) Air fry at 370 for 4-6 minutes, depending on how many you are making and how toasty you want them to be. No preheating needed. These pizza bagel bites in the air fryer are a perfect fun lunch, easy snack, or game day appetizer!

This Chickpea and Cucumber Greek Salad is a great meatless summer dish, either on its own as a side dish or paired with something like a grilled chicken breast for a healthy lunch. It's light and bright, bursting with refreshing summer flavors. This recipe is by no means a classic Greek Salad but more like a take on many salads I've had over the years in many different places. We love to have it out at the pool or make it ahead for an easy lunch. Chickpea and Cucumber Greek Salad 1 can chickpeas, drained 1 cucumber, sliced and quartered 4 vine tomatoes, deseeded, roughly chopped (you can also use cherry tomatoes if you prefer) 1/4 cup red onion, chopped 1/4 cup feta crumbles 1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp dried oregano salt and pepper Drain and rinse your chickpeas. Add them to a large bowl. Slice your cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion and add to the bowl. Slice your olives and crumble your feta into your salad. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano and salt and pepper, as desired, and pour over salad. Stir everything together and add more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors come together.

When we moved, we gained a front sitting room and living room area. That meant we needed some other kind of seating for this area and I knew what I wanted and the vibe I was going for. Thus, started my hunt for the perfect pink couch for this space. There are many shades of pink and for me, the first thing was to figure out what shade of pink I was looking for in the space. Did I want a pale pink, mauve pink, dusty rose color, hot pink? I found so many shades of pink. A pink sofa adds a little bit of sophistication and glam to a space and can be used as an accent piece or color. Here is some of our favorite pink couch home decor to give you inspiration for your next space. Pink Couch Home Decor 1. Rolled Arm Velvet 2 seater // 2. Dusty Rose Sectional // 3. Pale Pink Curved Sofa // 4. Futon Sofa Bed // 5. Midcentury Loveseat // 6. Curved Back Couch // 7. Vintage Style Set // 8. Hot Pink Loveseat // 9. Scalloped Couch // 10. Reclining Daybed with Cupholders // 11. Mauve Chaise with USB port // 12. L Shaped Sofa // 13. Modular Couch // 14. Blush Walnut Mid Century Couch // 15. Pink Tuft // 16. Dusty Rose Modern Sofa // 17. Pink Barrel Tub Sofa // 18. Pink Loveseat What goes with a pink couch? The vibe and style you like the most will determine which other colors you can pair with your pink sofa. For a modern farmhouse, blues , grays, and neutrals will create a nice calming space and allow your pink couch to be the center of attention. If you have a more glam and luxurious style, marble accent pieces, faux fur, and gold touches will really elevate your room. You'll probably lean towards a vibrant shade of pink to really pop. Bohonavian  is a mixture of boho and Scandinavian styles. For this style, a pink couch will pair well with wood tones and neutrals. Lots of greenery and plants will bring this look to life! Best Pink Couch Styles Best Budget - This reclining couch is under $250 and can recline or lay flat to create a bed. It also has a cupholder that comes down in the middle, which is nice for movie night dinners! Best Splurge - This dusty rose sectional is an amazing color and allows for a lot of seating. This would be amazing in a great room or living room where you have a lot of space. Pink Couches We Love In Depth This is a more in-depth look at what we love about each of these pink couches. Rolled Arm Velvet 2-seater This rolled arm velvet 2 seater from US Pride is a stunner. It's got a lot of elegant details from the tufted cushions on the back, the tapered wooden legs and metal rivets. It's a lovely mauve color and has 2 removable cushions. 2. Dusty Rose Sectional This modern sectional from Modway provides more seating but glam at the same time. We love the vertical tufting and bold gold-colored stainless steel base. The overall design is modern but gives a retro feel. 3. Pale Pink Curved Sofa Give your room a hit of pink with this couture curved sofa from Safavieh. This couch can elevate any space with its trendy design. 4. Futon Sofa Bed This fushia-colored futon sofa bed has dual functions. With adjustable armrests and backrest, this couch converts to a twin bed for sleeping. This is great for small spaces but you want to offer another bed for guests. 5. Midcentury Loveseat This modern loveseat from Dreamsir has clean lines and a sophisticated look. Their cushions are great for keeping their shape and were tested with over 50,000 presses and had no deformations even after all that! 6. Curved Back Couch This is a beautiful couch from Maykoosh. That channel-tufted back gives such nice lines. If you're looking for vintage glamour this might be the couch for you. 7. Vintage Style Couch and Loveseat Set This couch and loveseat set has so much flair! It's a stunning soft rose color and has some beautiful curves that are very clearly inspired by vintage sofas you may love. It has deep tufts and soft velvet fabric. 8. Hot Pink Loveseat This hot pink loveseat is a statement piece for sure! Both the seat and back are tufted. The lucite legs give the illusion of clear glass. This is a fun piece to brighten up any space. 9. Scalloped Couch Look at the back on this gorgeus couch. The scalloped look gives it a soft feminine look. This color is a beautiful rose gold has a hint of purple and brown that warm up that pink. The solid seat gives it a clean line and modern look. The legs are gold-painted iron so they are very sturdy. 10. Reclining Daybed with Cupholders I love the functionality of this velvet couch. It has an armrest with cupholders that folds down in the middle. The back has three adjustable positions - upright, reclined, or laid flat for reclining comfort or using the couch as a bed. The color is a soft subtle pink. 11. Chaise with USB port In this modern world, everyone has their phones with them at all times. This sofa has a chaise on one side for stretching out and propping your feet up and it has a USB charging port on the other end for keeping your electronics charged. Let's be honest, a lot of us scroll social media while watching TV at the same time. This mauve is a lovely shade as well. 12. L shaped sofa This L-shaped couch provides seating for 5 people. We love this darker raspberry color. It would go well with another jeweled-toned decor. 13. Modular Couch This charming but modern modular pink couch can be rearranged to fit your needs. Three seat pieces and a movable ottoman to create multiple seating arrangements. 14. Blush Walnut Mid Century This modern mid-century style couch combines this beautiful blush pink and rich walnut color in a stunning combination. It's so trendy with button tufting, rolled pillows, and splayed legs. The gold tips on the legs are a subtle but nice touch. 15. Pink Tuft Couch This couch has tufting on the sides, which is different, and smooth cushions on the couch. It comes with three throw pillows and has chrome metal legs. 16. Upholstered Pink Sofa This dusty rose upholstered sofa has a nice clean look but adds beautiful color to your space. It's luxe modern look 17. Barrel Tub This contemporary-style sofa has a unique look with a curved tub barrel shape to the back. The channel tufting goes across both sides of the back. Looks like a great spot to sit with a cup of tea! 18. Crystal Tufted Velvet Loveseat This 2 pillow couch looks like a nice mix of modern and vintage styles. The crystal tufted back looks nice against the silver buttons of the arms. This piece will brighten up any sitting area or living room.

This simple Asian Inspired Cucumber Salad is cool and crisp, and makes a good side dish for many meals this summer! Cucumbers are a summer favorite around here, and this simple cucumber salad is light and crunchy and satisfies my summer cravings! I've had a similar type of cucumber salad in many different Asian restaurants, so it's Asian-inspired but, can go with a variety of different dishes. Asian Cucumber Salad Ingredients: 1 lb mini seedless cucumbers (about 8) 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes sesame seeds (optional) Directions: Wash and dry your cucumbers. Cut off the ends and thinly slice. In a bowl, add the cucumbers, and salt. Stir to coat. Add the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight for the best flavors. Top with sesame seeds before serving. This goes great with many Asian-inspired dishes! I love the crunch and flavors that come together in this simple Asian Cucumber Salad. I like to keep things light and serve mine with sushi but it can be paired with so many other dishes as well. Feel free to adjust any ingredients to suit your tastes! Enjoy!

This is one of my quick and easy, dump-and-go crockpot meals that I make in the fall and winter. It's a hearty chili with chicken and beans as your protein and fiber. This Crockpot Chicken Chili is great for football, especially the Superbowl when nobody wants to cook, firepits, and nights when everyone is busy! For this recipe, you're going to freeze your chicken ahead of time. I try to remember to move my chicken to my refrigerator the night before I'm going to cook this chili, but I've also pulled it directly out of the freezer and put it right in the crockpot. Crockpot Chicken Chili 2 frozen chicken breasts 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can Rotel 1 can Mexican corn or corn with peppers 1 Tbsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 package of ranch dressing mix 1 - 8oz package of cream cheese Place your frozen chicken into the crockpot. Rinse and drain your beans and add them to the crockpot. Add your cans of Rotel and corn, without draining them. Add in seasonings and mix them around, covering the chicken with some of the bean mixture. Top the mixture with your block of cream cheese. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Once everything is cooked, take your chicken out and shred it with 2 forks. Add the chicken back into the crockpot and stir everything to incorporate cream cheese. Serve with crackers, cheddar, or over rice. This is also good as leftovers in a burrito! This makes a pretty good crockpot full of chili and has even gotten me second place in a chili cookoff at my kid's school a few years ago.

Today, I'm sharing one of my favorite (easy) crockpot dinners. This Crockpot Italian Tortellini is quick to throw together in a few minutes and makes a yummy dinner on a busy day. It's practically a dump-and-go meal. Perfect for a busy Winter soupy meal. Jump to recipe! Ingredients: 16 oz frozen tortellini 1 lb ground Italian sausage 5 oz spinach (or a few handfuls) 2 cans of Rotel 32 oz vegetable broth Italian seasoning (I used dried oregano and basil) 8 oz block of cream cheese. In a large pan, brown your Italian sausage. While the sausage is cooking, I start getting out my other ingredients and my crockpot. I'm a timesaver, and this is my hustle meal. In your crockpot, add in the frozen tortellini, Rotel, vegetable broth, Italian seasonings, and spinach. Once your sausage is done cooking, add that to the crockpot too. Stir to mix everything around. Top everything with a block of cream cheese. There is no need to stir at this point or chop up the cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Once you're ready to eat, stir in the cream cheese and serve. ** It's delicious with bread to soak up the sauce. This recipe was one that I was told by a friend when we went to a birthday party. She served it and it was amazing. I may have tweaked it over the years, I can't remember if it's exactly the same as she told it to me, or if it's been changed as I made it for my own family. This crockpot tortellini is so good. We make it year-round over here, but it's even better in the Fall and Winter when you just want a bowl of something delicious to warm you up. It's also a good one to take to someone for a meal train when they've had a baby or need a dinner delivered. It doesn't get much easier than this! We hope you like it as much as we do. Crockpot Italian Tortellini Ingredients: 16 oz frozen tortellini 1 lb ground Italian sausage 5 oz spinach (or a few handfuls) 2 cans of Rotel 32 oz vegetable broth Italian seasoning (I used dried oregano and basil) 8 oz block of cream cheese. In a large pan, brown your Italian sausage. While the sausage is cooking, I start getting out my other ingredients and my crockpot. I'm a timesaver, and this is my hustle meal. In your crockpot, add in the frozen tortellini, Rotel, vegetable broth, Italian seasonings, and spinach. Once your sausage is done cooking, add that to the crockpot too. Stir to mix everything around. Top everything with a block of cream cheese. There is no need to stir at this point or chop up the cream cheese. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Once you're ready to eat, stir in the cream cheese and serve.

This chocolate fondue is so easy to make and only takes 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes to pull together. Something about chocolate fondue feels so decadent and fancy, but honestly, this recipe is so simple and can be made in various ways. Chocolate fondue is a fun thing to make for your Valentine or Galentine party! Easy Chocolate Fondue Note: I make mine in a fondue pot but you can also make a double boiler . 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups) 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla In a fondue pot or double boiler add in your chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat over low heat, stirring often. You'll want to mix the cream and chocolate at the same time to keep the cream from getting too hot too quickly and curdling. 2. Once it's melted together add in your vanilla and stir together. 3. Keep your fondue on a low heat setting and serve with fruit, cookies, donut holes, or anything that sounds good dipped in chocolate. This fondue has a really great chocolate flavor and is super smooth and creamy and perfectly dippable! Tips and tricks I have a slightly older version of this Cuisinart Electric Fondue Pot but if you don't have one or don't want to invest in one, then you can heat your chocolate over a double boiler (see below for tips) and transfer to a bowl for serving at the table. If you have a little more time you can even make this in a mini crockpot and it will stay warm and dippable for a while. You can also add things to your fondue to make it slightly different, like caramel chocolate yum! Fondue Variations You can add in a scoop of caramel sauce or peanut butter to add some different flavors to your chocolate. You can also try it with milk or dark chocolate if you prefer those. I personally like semisweet because it feels like it has a better balance with the other sweet fruits and foods you are dipping into it. Fondue Dippers There are so many things you can dip in your chocolate fondue! Here are some ideas to get you started: strawberries pound cake potato chips bacon pineapple candy oranges donut holes ritz crackers raspberries bananas cheesecake bites gummy worms peanut brittle pretzels rice crispy treats cookies blueberries apples animal crackers How to make a double boiler To make a double boiler, you need two pots that are the same size across so that they can stack on top of each other without the top one falling into the bottom one. You're bottom pot you're going to enough water to cover the bottom of your pot and then some. You'll place the botttom pot over low heat. Then, you'll place your top bot over the pot with the water. This is the pot that you will melt you chocolate in. The bottom pot will get all simmery and steamy and provide heat for your top pot so it can melt the chocolate without burning it. Happy dipping!

One of the things I make for my kids every Christmas season are these Christmas Tree Waffles! I made them one year and now they've become a tradition in our household and my kids love them! Jump to recipe! Christmas Tree Waffles Making holiday-themed food is always so fun for me. These Christmas Tree Waffles are a great breakfast to enjoy this Christmas season. These semi-homemade waffles are simple enough to make on school mornings or let the kids help make and decorate their Christmas Tree Waffles on the weekend. The best part is that they are made with spinach (not food dye), so you get lots of good vitamins. They don’t taste like spinach either. My kids love them, and even request them! I’ve made spinach waffles from scratch before, but these Bisquick spinach waffles are just as good, and much easier! I just follow the recipe on the back of the box of Bisquick for waffles, but add spinach and adjust the milk a little. First, to incorporate the spinach into the waffles, mix the spinach and milk together in a blender until smooth. Christmas Tree Waffles (with spinach) Ingredients: 2 cups original Bisquick mix 1 large container of fresh baby spinach – about 16 oz 1 1/2 cups milk + spinach blended ( note: the original recipe calls for 1 1/3 cup but I increased it just a little.) 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 egg toppings: whipped cream, sprinkles, Christmas M&M's Special Tools : Blender, waffle maker Directions: 1. In a blender, add in your 1 1/2 cups milk and the whole container of spinach. Blend until spinach is incorporated. 2. In a large bowl, add your Bisquick mix, milk mixture, vegetable oil, and egg. Whisk together your ingredients until smooth. 3. Pour the waffle batter into your prepared waffle maker and cook. I use this flip Belgian Waffle maker . 4. Cut apart your waffle triangles and arrange them into a tree shape on your plate. 5. Top with holiday M&M’s to look like ornaments and add a squirt of whipped cream at the top as a star! Serve and enjoy! My kids love them with hot cocoa in cute Santa mugs ! To be extra fancy, try drizzling them with chocolate syrup or adding sprinkles! Shop this recipe:

If you are having some friends over for a party and want a quick wow factor, our easy chocolate fondue and edible friendship bracelet skewers are the way to go. These fruit skewers are inspired by the friendship bracelets from the Eras tour and our girl Taylor Swift. This would be a perfect snack for Valentine's Day , Taylor Swift party , or a book club get-together. If you missed our Taylor Swift Eras-inspired book recommendations , you should go check it out Edible Friendship Bracelet Skewers Fruit - I choose to use strawberries and raspberries Marshmallows - These will be your letter "beads" Edible pens - Easy to create your letters on the marshmallows Donut holes - because why not, they taste amazing in the chocolate fondue Bamboo skewers - Dip them in water to make it easier to slide on the marshmallows These edible pens were so easy to use. I used the dab technique instead of dragging the pen across the marshmallow to get clean lines. You can either pre-make these for everyone to have plated when they arrive. They would make cute placeholders for where people might sit. Or, you can have everything divided into bowls for each person to create their own edible friendship bracelet skewer during the party. Strawberry Hearts Also, strawberries cut into heart shapes are easy and fun for these fruit skewers. I simply cut a V shape a the top by the stem and then round up the edges so it's smooth. The left side is rounded and the right side isn't rounded yet. I also felt like they were too big so I cut them in half as well.

The Super Bowl is just around the corner. We rounded up some of our favorite game day snacks. We all know the food is almost as important as the game! Game Day Snacks Air Fryer Buffalo Wings Veggie Pizza Jalapeno Poppers Cheesy Rotel and Sausage Dip Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Air Fryer Bagel Bites Cream Cheese Fruit Dip Sheet Pan Nachos Crockpot Chicken Chili 7 Layer Dip Buffalo Chicken Dip Fruit Salad Cucumber Salad Chocolate Fondue Pizza Pinwheels Spinach Artichoke Dip

I recently created this black and white snack board for our The Tortured Poets Department listening and candle painting party! But, this high-contrast snack board can be perfect for lots of other types of parties. Maybe you're watching an old black-and-white film, throwing a Halloween party, or having a graduation retirement, or birthday party that is black-and-white themed. Either way, this snack board was a hit for us and we think it will be for you too. Here is what we included on our snack board and some other ideas for yours! Black and White Snack Board Mini powdered donuts Oreos Blackberries Black grapes Hershey's Hugs White cheddar popcorn Cookies and cream brownies cut bite-sized Start with a large black (or white) serving tray to keep with the theme. I have had my tray for so long I can't even remember where I got it from but you can find a variety of black serving trays that will suit the vibe you are going from. Fill up your tray with a variety of sweet and savory treats to enjoy, keeping each type of food grouped together. Throw in some fruit like our blackberries and grapes for good measure and let everyone graze or have it beside a dish like mini sliders and you're golden! Other ideas to include: white chocolate-covered pretzels black olives marshmallows white cubes of cheese black and white cookies Pirate's Booty Play around with it and have fun!