Thursday, November 29, 2007

Cinnamon Ornaments..

1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon 1 cup applesauce 1/4 cup white school glue (like Elmer's) Bowl Plastic food wrap Rolling pin Wax paper Cookie cutters or a knife Ribbon or yarn for hanging Straw
How to make it:Mix cinnamon, applesauce, and glue together in a bowl. The dough should be as thick as cookie dough. Add a bit of water if the dough is too stiff.Remove from bowl and knead. Put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for at least a half hour Remove the dough, knead again to make sure it's smooth. Flatten/roll the dough between waxed paper until it's between 1/4" thick and 1/8" thick.Cut out desired shapes, use a straw to punch a hole for the ribbon to hang. The circle of dough will pull out with the straw.gently place the shapes on a piece of clean wax paper. They will take 3-5 days to dry, and you will need to turn them over a couple of times a day for them to dry evenly and flat.Don't be surprised to see that the ornaments get smaller during the drying process. Keep this in mind when you pick out the cookie cutters for your designs. You will also notice that if you do not turn the ornaments over often enough while they are drying, the edges of the ornaments will curl.When dry, thread a piece of ribbon or yarn through the hole to hang


You can add these spices before mixing...
 
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Make drawstring bags out of cheesecloth, organza or muslin, enough to hold anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of your favorite herbal bath recipe. Tie them tightly shut so the loose herbs won’t float out into the bath water. After use the contents can be emptied, the bags rinsed out then washed to be refilled and reused.


Basic Milk Bath Starter Recipe
1 1/2 cup powdered milk 1/2 cup Epsom salt 1/8 cup baking soda 2 TBS cornstarch
Use this as the base for herbal milk bath bags, add whatever dried flowers and herbs you like.


You can buy the lavendar,rose petals and Chamomile at craftstore in soap department:


Lavender Bath Soak:
1/2 cup dried lavender
1 cup Epsom Salts


Lavender Oatmeal Bath:
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup dried lavender


Lavender Oatmeal Milk Bath:
1/2 cup powdered milk (or the milk bath starter recipe above)
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup dried lavender


Rosemary Oatmeal Bath Tea
1/2 cup Oatmeal
1/4 cup Rosemary (dried)
1/4 cup Chamomile (tea is fine)


Lavender Chamomile Soak:
1/2 cup each: Epsom salt, lavender, chamomile


Herbal Splendor:
1/2 cup each: thyme, sage, lavender, mint, bay leaves, rosemary


Herbal Soother Bath Soak:
1/2 cup each: Lavender, Rose Petals, Sage, Rosemary


Rosemary Basil Soak:
1/2 cup rosemary
1/2 cup basil
1 cup oatmeal


Homemade Bath Spa Bonus:
Along with the herbal bath bags, you can add 1/2 cup of honey to your bath while the water is running. Or you could use the milk bath starter recipe with the honey for a homemade milk and honey bath.

Christmas sachet...

Thought these were so easy for a gift.Buy a Christmas hankie,put in some potpourri,gather up with thin rubberband and tie a ribbon around it so you don't see rubberband.

It's almost the weekend,chill out...

When you're running around Saturday cleaning up from the week,throw on some Christmas music or put on an all Christmas radio show,it will brighten your holidays.Got a couple of hours to chill,put on a Christmas movie,wrap in a cozy quilt with a cup of hot cocoa.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Some ideas for the holidays...

Here's what I used to do and I'm going to do it again this year.I make little cakes,cookies and breads,wrap them in red and green kitchen plastic wrap.Also,$1 coffee mugs,put in candy canes or a pack of cocoa and a candy cane,fun.They look so pretty,for prim girls you can tie around with raffia or prim fabric strip,for fancier ones,ribbon or christmas wrap ribbon.It's best to do pound cakes,breads or cookies,icing is messy for wrapping.When someone comes over you can hand them one when they're leaving,or take to a friend or someone at work,whatever.It's a special little treat for people and they'll be surprised and the season of giving will put people in a cheerful holiday mood and they can pass on the tradition.You can put these in a little basket to hand out,but it's not necessary,can get expensive.There are white paper bags like brown paper bags,you can decorate the outside or just pretty plain.You can also put a gift tag on the tie.

Butter Creams...

Butter Creams
Filling1/2 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet real chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
In large mixer bowl combine butter and cream cheese. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding confectioners' sugar, until well mixed (4 to 5 minutes). If too soft, refrigerate until firm. Shape rounded teaspoonsful of mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely; refrigerate until firm (2 hours or overnight).In saucepan melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat (3-4 minutes). Dip butter creams into chocolate mixture; let excess drip off. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate to set (30 minutes).Makes 5 dozen.

Craving Fudge,here's some recipes...

~Virginia Fudge~
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped pecans
Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with lightly buttered waxed paper or aluminum foil. Set aside. In a large, heavy saucepan combine milk, butter, corn syrup, granulated sugar and brown sugar and cook over medium low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, cover with a lid briefly to get any sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook to the soft ball stage (238*F - 115*C) or until a small amount dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water. Remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature, without stirring. Add vanilla and beat with a heavy wooden spoon until it starts to thicken; add the pecans and continue to beat until candy loses some of its gloss. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. When firm, invert pan; peel off waxed paper and cut into small pieces. Store in
an airtight container at room temperature. Makes about 1 1/4 pounds candy.

~Easy Fudge Recipe~
4 tablespoon cocoa
1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter or margarine
Mix the cocoa and sugar together well until they are of a single consistency.
In a double boiler melt the butter and peanut butter together. Pour the melted mixture into the bowl with the sugar/cocoa mixture. Mix well (but not with a mixer, but rather with your hands or a wooden spoon).Grease a 9-inch square pan. Place the fudge mixture into the pan and pat down until evenly distributed. Cut the fudge as desired (this is important to do before you go to the next step because it is not easy to cut after this point). Refrigerate the fudge until it is hard.
Before serving, bring fudge to room temperature.

~Black Walnut Fudge~
3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon black walnut extract
1 1/2 cups Marshmallow Creme
1/2 cup walnuts
12 ounces chocolate chips
Heat sugar, evaporated milk and margarine to boil and cook over medium heat to 238 degrees F.Beat in chocolate chips, Marshmallow Cr?me, walnuts and black walnut extract. Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch dish

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Quiche and other recipes....

CINNAMON SPICE BUTTER...1 C.BUTTER 3/4 TSP CINN. 1/2 TSP NUTMEG 1/8 TSP MACE MIX TOGETHER.....

APPLE CRISP...PUT 2 CANS APPLEPIEFILLING IN 13X9X2 PAN CRUMBLE BUTTER.SUGAR AND CINNAMON MIXTURE CRUMBLED AROUND ON TOP.MAKE TOPPING:3/4 C. FLOUR 1/2 STICK OF BUTTER 3/4/ C. SUGAR MAKE CRUMBLY AND SPREAD AROUND ON TOP...BAKE APPROX 1 HOUR AT 350 OR JUST TILL CRUMBLES LOOK DONE....

Need something to do with that leftover turkey,in the quiche recipe below,just skip right over to the putting of 2 cups chopped turkey in the pan with broth and continue with added ingredients.You don't have to do the first part of cooking the chicken or turkey.

QUICHE:Cook chicken or turkey in 1 onion 1/2 tsp.thyme and rosemary.Take 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken and place in greased pan( I use iron frying pan) pour 1/2 cup of the broth on top chicken.Combine 1 cup flour, 3 beaten eggs,2 cups milk,1/4 cup of melted butter,1 cup shredded cheese,dash salt.Beat till smooth,pour over top chicken.bake 1 hour.(optional;mix 2 cups broth, with 1/2 cup flour,stirring add parsley,2 tbsp.butter,salt and pepper.Cook till thickened and bubbly.Used to pour over quiche as a gravy) P.S. I sometimes use cooked ground beef instead of chicken.

LEMON SAUCE...MIX 3 TBSP SUGAR 1 TBSP CORNSTARC DASH OF SALT TOGETHER IN PAN SLOWLY ADD 1 CUP BOILING WATER STIR BRING TO BOILING SIMMER 5 MINUTES REMOVE FROM HEAT BLEND IN 1 TSP BUTTER AND 3/4 TSP LEMON PEEL....

PUMPKIN COOKIES..1/2 C. BUTTER 1 1/2 C.SUGAR 1 'EGG' 1/2 TSP SALT 1 C.COOKED OR CAN PUMPKIN 1 TSP.VANILLA 1 TSP B.SODA 2 1/2 C. FLOUR 1 TSP B. POWDER 1 TSP NUTMEG 1 TSP CINNAMON DROP BY TSP BAKE 350 FOR 15 MINUTES

PECAN FINGERS..PREHEAT OVEN 200 DEGREES MIX 1 C. BUTTER TIL CREAMY ADD 1/4 C.POWD.SUGAR 1 TSP VANILLA AND 1 TBSP WATER MIX WELL ADD 2 C. FLOUR 1/4 TSP SALT AND 2 C. GRATED PECANS REFRIGERATE 1 HOUR FORM CHILLED DOUGH INTO ROLLS ABOUT THE SIZE OF LITTLE FINGER PLACE ON GREASED BAKING SHEET BAKE 350 FOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES ROLL IN POWDERED SUGAR..

Saturday, November 24, 2007

OOHWEE!!!

It is so cold outside,the frost was all over the car windows,guess it feels more like the holidays now.I'm putting on Christmas movies,hopping under a quilt with hot chocolate today.All I have to do is heat up Thanksgiving leftovers and junk out on pies :o)

Thursday, November 22, 2007

It's Turkey Day!!!!

Just stuffed and put the turkey in the oven,hooray!Yesterday I made pumpkin,cherry,pecan and apple pies,because everyone has a favorite.My strange little girl ;o),doesn't like pies,pudding or cool whip(what?),so I made her chocolate chip cookies.

I also made,orange congealed salad,that is a story in itself(recipe is in earlier posts).You use orange jello and mandarin oranges,henceforth,orange,hello.I grabbed two boxes of orangejello with other Thanksgiving dinner items,now it's a rush,because you need to get coolwhip,rolls,stuffing and a butterball turkey before they're all bought out,it's like a mad sale around here.

Yesterday I emptied the two boxes of "orange jello",guess what,it was orange mixed with red,some nitwit had put back a box of jello in the wrong place,so I like a nitwit,didn't bother to look to make sure it was two orange and I got an orange and a strawberry box of jello.So,after my husband had already made a run to the store for me,he had to turn around and go back,which made him extremely happy to wait in the long holiday lines :o).

Anyway,made the stuffing to have it for the turkey today.This morning I made french toast and bacon so I wouldn't get bugged all day about them being hungry,they can snack on cheese and crackers for awhile.The eggs are boiled for deviled eggs,funny story,my husband's work had a little thanksgiving buffet and he's a picky eater,he loves to eat,but has to have it just like he likes it.He was telling me what was brought and he said someone brought deviled eggs,but they weren't deviled.I said,"What?".He said they didn't have the little deviling on it,he was talking about the paprika,ha,cracked me up.He said they had asian food,spicy hotwings and most of it he didn't know what it was,LOL,he said the pilgrims wouldn't eat this for a Thanksgiving Dinner,LOL.I think he married me,because I could cook ;o).


I have to put cream cheese in celery sticks,make mashed potatoes,gravy,corn and rolls and slice the cranberry sauce.I'm getting so hungry smelling all of this.We're watching "Transformers",my husband is a fanatic collector of transformers and loves this movie,my favorite line is the Mom saying,"Please,for the love of God drive safely."LOL I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and thank the Lord for all your blessings.

Monday, November 19, 2007

P.S.Don't forget....

Make a list and check it twice;)If I don't write every single thing down for Thanksgiving dinner,I'll totally forget something.I have two lists,one for the groceries and another one for the dinner(every year Thanksgiving):
Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey and Dressing
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Corn and Peas
Dev.Eggs
Cranberry Sauce
Celery sticks w/creamcheese filling
Olives
Dinner Rolls
Pumpkin,Cherry,Apple and Pecan Pies
Orange Congealed Salad
Coffee/Pepsi/Raspberry Gingerale

Best ever Carrot Cake...

CARROT CAKE..SIFT 2 C. FLOUR 2 TSP B.POWDER 2 TSP. BAKING SODA DASH OF SALT 2 TSP CINNAMON AND 1 1/2 C.SUGAR MIX THOROUGHLY ADD 1 1/2 C. OIL ADD 4 EGGS ONE AT A TIME ADD 2 TSP VANILLA AND 1 CUP PECANS FOLD IN 2 C. GRATED CARROTS BAKE AT 300 FOR 45 MIN. TO 1 HOUR. COOL COMPLETED THE FROST WITH ICING. FROSTING...BEAT 8 OZ. CREAM CHEESE WITH 2 STICKS OF BUTTER THEN 1 BOX POWDERED SUGAR AND 2 TSP.VANILLA ..OUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS CAKE......
This Carrot Cake is the one we ate every holiday since I was a kid,if you love carrot cake,this will be the one.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Peanut Butter and Butter Cream balls...


Peanut Butter Balls

Melt together:12 oz pkg chocolate chips and 1/2 stick parafin wax:
I melt together in microwave about 30seconds,stir see if it's melted enough to dip balls,if not,30seconds at a time till melted enough to dip.If you use a double boiler,simmering water in bottom pan,not boiled.
~Mix together:
1 stick margarine
1 c peanut butter
1 box powdered sugar
~Roll into small balls, then dip (with a toothpick) into chocolate and parafin mix. Drop on waxed paper to set.

Chocolate covered Butter Creams

Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar

Melt together
1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet real chocolate chips
1/2 stick of paraffin
~In large mixer bowl combine butter and cream cheese. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding confectioners' sugar, until well mixed (4 to 5 minutes). If too soft,refrigerate until firm. Shape rounded teaspoonsful of mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely; refrigerate until firm (2 hours or overnight).
~In saucepan melt chocolate chips and paraffin over low heat (3-4 minutes) in top pan of double boiler.(Or,use microwave method,30 seconds at a time till balls will dip good.) Dip butter creams into chocolate mixture with toothpick; let excess drip off. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate to set (30 minutes).Makes 5 dozen.

It's that time again,cheeseballs and crackers,mm mm...

Cheese Ball

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
12 - 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
chopped pecans
4 pecan halves

Instructions
Mix together cream cheese, grated cheddar, and dressing mix. Form into one large ball or two smaller balls. Roll in chopped pecans to cover. Decorate the top with pecan halves. Refrigerate at least a couple of hours or overnight before serving.

Pineapple Cheese Ball

Ingredients
1 8oz. Package cream cheese softened
2 tbls. chopped onion
1 8oz. can-crushed pineapple drained very well
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt(optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
1. Cream together cream cheese,onion, pineapple and seasoned salt.
2. Form a ball and roll it in the chopped walnuts. Chill well.Serve with crackers
.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Favorite Christmas Movie...






Well,I have two,one is Gift of Love,but the other is Christmas Romance with Olivia Newton John.I love prims,I love her house all prim junkies should see this movie,especially her kitchen and fireplace.What a wonderful mountain life.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Currier and Ives...


Anyone remember these dishes?I grew up with Currier and Ives dishes,reminds me of my Mom and I love this set.The plates were the Gristmill print.I also remember every morning I had to have peanut butter on saltines and Nestle's Chocolate Milk(instant powder and I love the strawberry powder,also),through junior high for my morning breakfast.And the little country store where we'd get on the bus was where we spent our lunch money and loved peanuts in a coke,glass bottles of pepsi and coke could not be beat,grape and orange nehis,yoohoos,mm. And in high school,I would spend my lunch on strawberry filled powdered donuts and Dr. Pepper,(so healthy):)wonder why they stopped selling those things during free period at school?LOL Anyway,funny how even dishes can bring good childhood memories and a piece of home.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Which is it???

That is the question...Some say lightning bugs,some say fireflies.I say lightning bugs,my husband says fireflies,either way it was one of our best summer childhood memories catching "lightning bugs",I can say that Mr.,my blog,hahahahahaa...

Monday, November 5, 2007

Good Weekend...



My daughter's wanted a jackrussell since she was 7 and now she's 12 and has had her named since then,Molly,Polly,Holly.LOL We call her Molly,though.We wanted to surprise her,made arrangements to meet owner Friday.We were early,I said,"Let's go look at puppy stuff and see if your Daddy will let you get some things now for later,except food."She was all excited,now this child has lived and breathed getting a female jack russell and had many dreams about her.We got a canvas carrier,pink collar and leash and a puppy vest,camoflage green and pink with pink fur around hood,adorable.The car pulled up and she's looking at me like I'm nuts for talking to strangers.I said,"Come here for a minute."She gets out of car,walks over,this girl about her age gets out holding the most adorable little puppy I've ever seen.She walks towards her and I said,"Do you want to hold her?"She looks like she doesn't understand what's going on and says,"Sure".She looks at me while holding this pup and I said,"Do you want to keep her?"She says,"Oh yes!!!"You would not believe her little face,she's in a moment dreamed about and can't believe it's actually happening.I took her picture with Molly.We get in the car.She says,"I can't believe this,it feels like I'm in a dream and breaks down crying,it was all too much happiness for her and it was awesome.Now,if I can just get her to stop holding her all day.Molly is 7 weeks old,but so tiny with a little face and big brown eyes.