Day 28 - Puppy Chow

I think every mom has a copy of this recipe, simply because it is the perfect way to keep your kids busy for 20 minutes (not to mention the end result tastes fabulous). In case you don't, here's one of the easiest, tastiest, kid friendly treats around...

Puppy Chow

1 stick Butter

1 cup Peanut Butter

12 oz. bag Chocolate Chips

1 box Rice Chex cereal

2 cups Powder Sugar

Melt butter, peanut butter, and chocolate chips in large pan. Add cereal. Mix well. Place powdered sugar in large paper bag. Add cereal mix, shake until coated. Store in airtight container in fridge for up to two weeks.

If you like the recipe, try this...

* Package Puppy Chow in a dog treat jar (both plastic and metal versions are available almost anywhere). Attach a copy of the recipe with ribbon for a quick gift.

* Skip the rice krispies and fill small bags of this treat for your kids holiday party. Add a handful of red & green M&M's to make it extra festive.  

Day 29 - I (heart) Etsy

For obvious reasons, I am a huge fan of Etsy. This online marketplace has almost everything imaginable, making it the coolest world wide craft show ever!

To celebrate Black Friday and Cyber Monday, thousands of Etsians have posted huge sales in their shops. To take part and save big, log in or become a member (and yes, it's free to browse!), then enter the search terms Etsyfreeshipping or EtsyHolidaySale. To take advantage of both promotions, try EtsyHolidaySaleEtsyFreeShipping.

Day 30 -

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Day 31 - Pumpkin Bread

Here's another idea for that can of pumpkin. This recipe from Libby's is all over the place this time of year. It's no wonder why, this stuff is excellent for a Thanksgiving breakfast!

Libby's Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups granulated sugar

1 can (15 ounces) Libby's100% Pure Pumpkin

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup sweetened dried, fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Day 32 - Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is the perfect day to remember what we are grateful for in our lives. Here are some ideas to bring the gift of gratitude to your holiday feast...

* Make place cards for guests using your computer and card stock . On the back of each, hand write a personal note of appreciation for each person.

* Create a Thanksgiving Journal for your kids. Trace their hand on card stock and have them decorate it like a turkey. Cut out the turkey, along with another sheet of card stock and several pieces of plain white paper. Staple the turkey together by the feathers to make a booklet. Have the kids see who can get the most family members to write 'gratitude notes' in their journal.

* Before your guests arrive, write everyone's name on a piece of paper and place them in a basket. As people come in, have them draw a name and anonymously write one thing they appreciate that person for on the back of the paper. Pass out the notes after dinner or give them as parting gifts when your guests leave.

Day 33 - Pumpkin Cheesecake

This year, skip the pie and try one of these. You won't regret it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps

1/3 cup melted butter

******
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

For Crust:
Combine crumbs and butter. Press into bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan.

Bake at 305 degrees for 10 minutes.

For Filling:

Combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Reserve 1 cup batter. To remaining batter, add the rest of the sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mix well. Pour half of the pumpkin batter over crust, then cream cheese batter, and top with remaining pumpkin batter. Using a knife, cut through the batter to create a 'marble' effect. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Cool completely, then remove from pan.

The Other Cookies

The turkeys are not the only cookies I worked on today.

I also made these beauties for Turbo, as a potential cure for his Pacman Fever.

(I still don't know what's worse, Turbo's idea to do these or the fact that I actually did.)

Day 34 - Turkey Cookies

I refuse to be like the stores and skip right over Thanksgiving. Until Thursday, I'll be doing some cool things to celebrate this forgotten holiday.

Turkey Cookies

1 bag of sugar cookie mix, prepared as directed for cookie cut outs

(I do have a recipe for real sugar cookies you'll get later,

but these work great for a project like this with the kids.)

1 tub vanilla frosting

1 tub chocolate frosting

candy corn

M&M's

paper & pen

sandwich bags

food coloring

Use the pen and paper to make a 'mitten' template the size of your child's hand.

Roll cookie dough until 1/2 inch thick. Using a knife, trace 'mitten' shape into dough and place on cookie sheet. Bake according to package directions.

While cookies are baking, place half of the vanilla frosting in a small bowl. With food coloring, tint this half yellow. This is what you will use to decorate the 'feathers'. Divide the remaining frosting in half again, tint one half orange and one half red. Put the red and orange frosting in separate sandwich bags. Snip off a small corner of the bag. This is what you will use to decorate the face.

After cookies cool, frost the 'mitten' part of the cookie with yellow icing and the rest of the cookie with the chocolate icing. Like this...

Make 'feathers' with the candy corn by placing them on the yellow part of the turkey. Like this...

Finish your turkey by giving him eyes (an M&M), a beak (orange frosting or candy corn) and a waddle (red frosting).

 

Gobble! Gobble!

DAY 35 - Zucchini Bread

If I know we're coming up on a long stretch of hectic days (like Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend) I like to make several batches of 'quick' breads. They are perfect grab and go snack for a busy morning, a long car ride, or even some worn out shoppers.

Nutty Zucchini Bread

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray.

Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts in a large bowl. Make a large well in the center of the flour mix.

In a different bowl, whisk eggs, oil, zucchini, and vanilla. Pour egg mixture into well in dry ingredients, stir until evenly moistened. Divide between pans and bake for 40 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan to continue cooling.

These make perfect gifts!

Try this...

*Wrap a loaf of bread in waxed paper, then add a strip of colored tissue paper and a ribbon around the middle. Place the wrapped bread in a new loaf pan and give with a copy of the recipe.

*Instead of a large loaf, make a batch of mini breads.

*Make some Honey Walnut Butter by mixing 1 stick of butter, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 tablespoon of finely ground walnuts. Chill the butter for at least one hour, then scoop into a pretty container to give with a basket of mini breads.

Day 36 - Peppermint Bark

Creamy chocolate. Sweet peppermint. Doesn't it just sound delicious? Don't you want some right now?

Peppermint Bark

3 crushed candy canes

1 lb white chocolate

(If you can, opt for the block form of chocolate found in the baking aisle of most stores. I find it melts better than the chips.)

Melt chocolate according to package instructions. Add crushed candy canes to melted chocolate and stir.

 Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with waxed paper. Pour chocolate mixture over paper. Place in fridge to set, about 1 hour.

Remove bark from pan and break into pieces.

Giving it as a gift?

Try this...

* Package bark in a white candy box lined with red striped paper. To make it even sweeter, wrap a ribbon around the box, secure with a bow and add a homemade label.

* Like chocolate? Add a layer of melted chocolate to the lined pan. Cool 15 minutes, then pour the peppermint mix over the top and proceed as directed above.

* Like almonds? Forget the candy canes and add 1-2 cups of chopped, toasted almonds to white or milk chocolate. Proceed as directed above.

Bed Head

Since my Christmas post is about hair today, I thought I should share some photos of Lucy and one of the many E family traits she has inherited...horrible bed head.

 

 

Thankfully a headband is an easy remedy for her bad hair days!

Day 37 - Cute Clippies

Have a little lady on your list? Try making these cute clippies for her.

 What you need:

spools of ribbon, fabric glue, and plain metal barrettes.

How to do it:

Measure enough ribbon to completely cover your barrette (mine was about 9 1/2 inches) and cut.

Starting with the bottom inside part of the clip, carefully glue the ribbon to the barrette, covering the entire piece with one long strand of ribbon. If you measured carefully, your ribbon should fit perfectly and finish on the inside top portion of the clip.

Let glue dry overnight.

Want to give these as a gift?

Try  this...

* Make a pretty package out of paper. Cut a piece of card stock in the shape of a T, making sure the top of your T is at least 2 inches tall and 3 inches wide and the stem is about 1 inch wide and at least 1 inch long for every pair of barrettes you plan to add. Decorate the top and add your clippies to the stem.
* Embellish your clippies with small flowers, rhinestones, or buttons. Simply glue them on the finished barrette and let dry overnight. (Please be sure to supervise your young kids if they use these.)
* Use a pair of clippies to attach a name tag to a gift.

Day 38 - Hot Cocoa Mix

Making gifts out of  holiday snacks doesn't have to only include food. Drinks like hot chocolate, coffee, apple cider, and tea also make great gifts. This quick cocoa mix is one of my favorite!

Hot Cocoa Mix

(recipe from all you magazine, 12/2008)

In a large bowl mix 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 3 cups of powdered milk, and a dash of salt. Scoop mix into cellophane bags (this mix will fill two 3 1/2 x 8 bags).

Include a tag with these instructions:

To make cocoa add 3 Tbsp. mix to 6 oz. of hot water and stir.

Want to give this as a gift?

Try this...

* Make your own labels by cutting a piece of card stock 2 inches tall and as wide as your bag. Fold it in half horizontally, then decorate. Fold the top of the bag down, place your label over the fold and staple to secure.

* Use disposable cake decorating bags (available at any WalMart or Michaels) instead of plain cellophane bags for a cocoa cone. Tie the top with a ribbon and add a chocolate Santa or candy cane for a quick gift for your child's bus driver.  

* Add a layer of crushed candy canes, chocolate chips, or mini marshmallows for a fun treat. 

Day 39 - Shortbread Cookies

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love baking. Every year, about a week before Christmas, I start rolling out dozens of cookies. As part of my DIY Christmas, I plan to hand out lots and lots of my fave cookie recipes. Starting with this easy one for...

Scottish Shortbread

2 cups butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

4 ½ cups flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar. Add 3 to 3 ¾ cups flour. Mix well.

Sprinkle board with remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes, adding enough flour to make a soft dough. Roll to ½ inch thickness. Cut into 3x1 inch strips. Prick with fork and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 20-25 minutes.

Want to dress them up for gifts and holiday tables? 
Try this...

* Dip the ends of the baked cookie in milk chocolate. 

* Use festive cookie cutters instead of cutting strips.

* Tie a copy of the recipe and a cookie cutter to a bag of cookies for a sweet gift for a neighbor.

40 Days and 40 Nights - an intro

I am somewhat scared to look at the calendar. Don't know if you have lately, but mine says NOVEMBER at the top of it and I don't like that one bit. It might as well say 'ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN' or 'HEAVY SPENDING AHEAD' or even something sweet, like 'PREPARE TO SPEND THE NEXT 5 MONTHS INDOORS WITH YOUR KIDS' (ok, that's terrifying too...).

Calendar aside, the signs that winter is coming are everywhere. I woke up this morning and went out to wait for the bus with Rex, still clinging to my cup of coffee for warmth, when I realized that the trees in our yard have no leaves, I could see my breath when I talked, and that winter coats are once again a wardrobe staple. Then there is the fact that Christmas commercials are everywhere, my mailbox is full of 'holiday' catalogs, and Turbo is excited about all of his upcoming time off.

Being the oddball that I am I went over to my nemesis, the calendar, and counted the days until Christmas. Just to see how close we really are. Want to know?

You sure?

Ready?

40 days. Yep, 40. Less than 2 months. Actually it's not even a month and a half anymore.  

I would be a terrible liar if I said Christmas is not the reason I'm willing to cope with the awful Chicagoland weather. The thermostat is just starting to dip and the store flyers are slowly rolling in, but I am ready. I can't wait to make the cookies and do the crafts, shop for the 'nice' guys and gals on our lists, heck, I'm even willing to get something special for the 'naughty' ones.

In my warped world, the cold accompanies a flurry of ideas and projects. It sends me to my little corner of the house where I have binders of magazine clippings and stacks of fabric that are all vying for my affections and wishing to be chosen this year. It resurrects long lost recipes for cookies and treats, pies and cakes. To me, this time before winter really sets in is a time for creating and making. It is so much fun, I think this year I will share some of the excitement with you...

You see, I'm a big fan of the preparation and the thought that goes into the best part of Christmas: the giving. I try really hard to spread holiday cheer wherever I can, whether that means dropping off cookies to unsuspecting friends or surprising someone with a handmade gift. This year, I've decided the best gift I can give is the gift of do-it-yourself creativity.

Over the next few weeks (6 to be exact) I'm going to share some of my favorite holiday recipes, craft projects, and gift giving ideas that don't put a huge dent in your budget, but will but a giant smile on someone's face.

(Now, I know some of you are already shutting me down and preparing your excuses. 'Oh, but you're crafty.' 'I don't have the time.' 'The kids blah blah blah.' 'I'm no good at that kind of stuff.' You can just stop. Right there. I will make sure they are all things any functional adult can do in a moderate amount of time, with or without help from the kids.) 

Try one, try them all, but just try. Once you get to the point where the fun is in the thought and creativity you put into your work, you'll never regret the time you spend on it and neither will the recipients.

The Over Achiever

Now that she is 1 Lucy thinks she is capable of more 'big kid' tasks, like editing Rex's Christmas list...

What a Dream, Lucy Jeanne

 ~ Nov. 7, 2008 ~

At 8:58 am our little lady turned 1!

I remember the time so clearly, because Turbo and I joked in the delivery room that she needed to get here in time for Oprah at 9. (There are some things in life I refuse to miss.) Lucy, being the delight that she is, agreed to comply with my simple request.

The time between then and now almost seems like a dream. Our little gal is nowhere near that cuddly baby anymore. She walks a little, talks a little, even holds her own against her big brothers. It's been a dream, but a good one.

Here's to many many more...

 ~ Nov. 7, 2009 ~

Birthday Boonanza!

Saturday we celebrated Lucy's first birthday with a Halloween bash.

Loads of food, tons of sweets, even some trick-or-treating.

We had a great time and I'm pretty sure our little guests did too!

Boo-cy in her birthday tutu and Sugar Skull tee. 

CAKE!

Too bad she opted to grab the candle before the cake.

Think I can honestly say I've never seen a kid do that before?

Once she figured it out it was nothing short of love at first bite!

Spooky friends make the best guests!