Pumpkin Muffins

My husband and I somehow managed to breed two little boys who are big breakfast eaters.  When I was a kid, eating breakfast meant I would be barfing on the bus (very susceptible to car sickness) and over the years, I guess my body got used to not eating first thing in the morning.
My daughter is the same way.
My husband doesn't eat breakfast either.  I'm not sure about the childhood trauma that explains his morning time eating issues, but I'm sure they're there.
So, for a loooong time, I didn't have to worry about what to fix for breakfast.
Then along came the savages.
They are asking for at least five or six different things to eat before their feet even hit the ground in the morning so I've had to come up with some options.
The recipe I'm sharing now, is my little guy's favorite 'fuffin'.  There's a little extra work at the beginning, but what with the worlds obsession with pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, I figured you wouldn't mind as long as it was worth it, and trust me, it's worth it.

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

16 oz. can pumpkin (unsweetened, not pie filling)

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

1-1/3 c. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Cook pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until thick and shiny (5-7 minutes).  Set aside.

Whisk flours, baking soda and baking powder together in a large bowl.

Add butter and vanilla to pumpkin mixture.  Stir a little of pumpkin mix into eggs to temper them so you don't end up with scrambled eggs, then add to pumpkin mixture.

Fold pumpkin mix into flour mix until just combined.  Batter will be very thick.

Divide batter into 12 muffin liners sprayed with nonstick spray and bake at 350 degrees for 19 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of muffins comes out with just a few crumbs attached to it.

Let muffins cool on rack until they won't burn your face off.

Filthy Fridays

Friday's around here used to go under the name Fitness Friday.
Yeah.  That ship has sailed.
Now my exercise consists of running up and down the stairs with laundry baskets, keeping six acres of land weeded and mowed, and marathon writing sessions (You see what I did there?).  On top of all that, I'm kinda tired of moving all the crap laying all over my house around to make ya'll think I live in some semblance of a clean house.
I don't.
So I am starting a new Friday tradition.  Filthy Friday's.
I'm hoping it will make all you overworked, tired, frustrated parents who assume everyone's houses are meticulously kept and perfectly decorated, realize it's a lie.
Today's filth is brought to you by a month of moving, too many deadlines and too many kids.
And let's be honest.  I don't feel like tackling it.

That's my loft.  Believe it or not, it looks better than it did.  While we were waiting for the new carpet to go into the kids rooms it looked like a flop house.  Mattresses on the floor and empty snack bags everywhere they could stuff them.

Eventually, I have big plans for this space.  Just not today.

Plates a Plenty

A few years ago, the great people of Ikea chose our area to grace with their presence.  For about three years, my husband and I binge bought, filling our house with washable sofa's, expanding dining tables for our children to stab with forks and every paper covered floor lamp available.  Family friendly, affordable home goods in a fun shopping environment?  Best thing ever.
So far, I have not regretted a single purchase I've made from the business savvy Swedes.  Except one.  And even that one isn't their fault.
It's the Novogratz' fault.  (Is that how you make that name possessive?  I need to check my grammar book.  But not right now.  Maybe later.  Or not.  You might have to just deal with it.)
I'm not a dish set kind of girl.  Matching plates, cups and saucers in a lovely ivy design?  Not my thing, but we needed new plates and bowls desperately.  I think we were using my husband's stuff from when he moved out on his own in 1996 and took all the hand-me-down's he could get.  I'm also pretty sure we only had enough for like, four people.  Maybe five if one was okay with using a rogue salad plate.
I decided the only way to go was white.  Then I could buy anything that tickled my fancy, as long as it was white, and everything would coordinate without being matchy-matchy.  So, off we went to Ikea and bought dinner plates, salad plates and bowls for twelve people.  It was glorious and I loved the clean look of all white everything.  Life was good.
Then, I caught an episode featuring the Novogratz family on HGTV and it ruined everything.
In this particular episode, the family was at home getting ready for dinner.  One of the kids opened a drawer and pulled out their dinner plates.  I had instant buyers remorse.
Their dishes were different.  Each and every plate was a beautiful, unique design.  Nothing matched, yet somehow it worked perfectly.
Crap.
I've thought about that show ever since and recently, decided I was being stupid.  I can find a new family for my white dishes.  Life is too short.
So last week, I started my collection. 

I found them all at the thrift store down the street and only paid $4 for all three.  It's going to take a while, but I think it's going to be a fun process.  I'll keep you posted!

Camper Part 2

A few years ago, my husband and I bought our first camper.  We loved traveling and spending uninterrupted time with our kids and it seemed like the right thing to do, and in a certain sense, it was.
Unfortunately, we did not do enough research before dropping more than a few thousand bucks on what turned out to be a pretty hot mess. 
We spent more money and a bunch of time doing our best to get her back in good order, but the more we worked, the more problems and damage we found.  It sucked.  I did a post about the first step we took to stop her from leaking at the seams (it's a real thing and ALL campers will do it if not taken care of properly).  If you want to see what we did, check it out here.
At the end of that post, I said I would tell you how we went a step further to protect against future leaks.  Then...  well...  Sorry.
So, here I am, three years later, giving you the 411 on stopping camper leaks step two.  Let me preface this by saying this is not for all campers.  This is not something you want to do unless you absolutely HAVE TO.  This will NEVER COME OFF.  It is supposed to be permanent and prevent all future leaks and I can say so far it has, but I would NEVER put this on a camper in good or even decent shape.  Our camper walls were already so rotten at the corners some of our screws had nothing to grab on to, compromising the seal during step one so we felt we had nothing to lose.
I found this product online and it sounded pretty awesome.  We bought the webbed version for it's flexibility and the UV protector required and started taping.
We ran the tape up each corner of the trailer as well as on the roof where there was a rip in the rubber.  Once we rolled over all the tape with a roller/our hands to make sure it was well adhered, I pained on the UV protector.
Since we did this, I don't think we have had any more leakage from the areas we taped.  Unfortunately, we figured out the windows were leaking terribly and the guy we bought it from, used builders caulk to try to seal them up (that's a terrible idea).  The leaking windows had caused a huge amount of damage on their own to the interior of the walls.  On top of that, the outside storage hatch at the front passenger side had been leaking for so long before we bought it that the floor of it was rotting out.  That doesn't sound too bad since it's only a storage area, but it's also where the leveling jack is attached, so the last time we used it, the jack crunched up through the floor.
Anyway, the point of this post.  Camper sealing part 2.  Eternabond.  My thoughts.

• Only use Eternabond as a last resort.  It's not coming off.  Ever.  It will be stuck to your camper for eternity.  Hence the name.
• Eternabond will look best on white campers.  The UV coting is like white paint so that's what your seams will be.  Big white stripes.
• I was very happy with the Eternabond and don't have a bad thing to say about it, my issue was lack of knowledge when buying our first RV.

So, where does this leave you?

My first suggestion is to be VERY, VERY careful if you are in the market for an RV.  I'm working up a post on some suggestions when shopping based on our experience to help ya'll out.

My second suggestion is if you, like us, already have a leaky damaged RV on your hands and have nothing lest to loose, Eternabond might be a good option to consider.

I hope this helps all of you out there in camperland!

   

The One I Left Behind

I'm deep in the throes of moving.  I have half my stuff at one place and half my crap at another and it's a little tiring.  And chaotic.  And overwhelming.
It's made me realize I've stretched myself a little thin lately and I need to simmer down.  So this morning, I pushed back the release of my next book by almost a month.
I rushed my last book release and hated every minute of it.  I had to spend every free moment writing and re-writing and it not only took a lot of the fun out of it, it also took away from the fun I was able to have with my people.
Lesson learned.
But that's not the point of this post.  The point of this post is to show you the end product of the house we've inhabited for the past half decade.
The house we worked our butts off on.  The house that will make another family as happy as it's made us.
I'm not one to get emotionally attached to a building.  For me, a home is about the people and experiences you have in a house, not the house itself, so I am happy to move my home to a new location.  I will share some before pictures of the new house soon, until then, here is the beauty I am passing on to her new people.

Sunday Morning Pancakes

I have long been on the search for the perfect pancake.  I wanted a light and fluffy pancake with great flavor and some height.  One would not think this was much to ask, but considering most restaurant breakfasts feature gummy, wet and flat versions, I figured it might take a while.  If they do it like it's their job (which it is) using a commercial griddle and still can't make a good pancake, me in my  unprofessional grade kitchen might be screwed.  And screwed I was.  I have made pancakes upon pancakes, upon pancakes.  I have tried Amish recipes (I always go there first because I figure if anyone can do something right it's the Amish... not true... they don't make good pancakes either.) I have separated eggs and whipped egg whites, I have even made sourdough pancakes (the worst of the bunch AND the most work).
So when I sat down to look for yet another pancake recipe, I didn't hold much hope.  I can across a recipe that made enough pancakes to feed an army and seemed to have less liquid than most other recipes.  I thought at least maybe these would not spread as thin so maybe it would be a good start.  I reduced the recipe to a third of it's size and adjusted the measurements ( I am NOT measuring 3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. of flour---that became 1 even cup) and made a batch up.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I had actually found the pancake of my dreams.  Tall and tender with a light and airy center AND since they use only buttermilk, they have a yummy, rich flavor.
So, if you have long been searching for the perfect pancake, rest easy, the quest is over!

Sunday Morning Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch salt

1-1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 c. buttermilk

1 egg

1 Tbsp. melted butter

Directions:

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl.

Mix together remaining ingredients (I do this in a glass measuring cup starting with the buttermilk).

Pre-heat griddle to 300 degrees or heat skillet over medium heat.

When pan is hot, gently fold wet ingredients into dry being careful not to over mix, but being sure no large flour pockets remain.

Drop onto heated griddle or pan and cook until lightly browned and top looks dry.  Flip and brown on other side.

***This recipe will make 8-5" pancakes.  IF you want more DO NOT double the recipe, make it twice.  The chemical reaction that causes these pancakes to be so airy is very short lived.  If the batter sits too long, you will end up with gummy, flat pancakes.





She Was Number One

Can you guess which of my blog posts gets the most attention?  It's not a competition.  The winning post, gets the most looks by a long shot.
It is my post about re-sealing our first camper.  In case you don't remember, here it is.
I kinda think it's because of my husband's super sexy hands in one of the shots (Any of you other ladies have a thing for a man with nice hands?).
I feel a little bad about that being such a popular post because as some of you know, we bought a new RV and have tucked our first girl away in a storage lot.  Unfortunately, in addition to being a little small for our growing family, she was pretty neglected by her previous owner and fixing her was going to take more than just a simple resealing. 
The windows had leaked to the point the wallboard was crumbling which meant not only did they need to be removed and resealed, but the inner wall surfaces needed removed and replaced.  Once that started, chances were the insulation would also have to be replaced along with who knows what else.
It didn't seem right to sell her even knowing we would disclose what all was wrong.  Most people who buy campers don't really get what all can and does go wrong with them.  We certainly didn't.
So, she sat in a lot in a neighboring town just waiting for us to decide what in the heck to do with her.
Until know.
Our new house has the perfect spot for her to sit and hang out while I convince my husband to go along with my plan for her.
I want her to be a 'she-shed'.  It would be perfect.  She could have a bed and a kitchenette, making her a great guest house, and I a desk that overlooks the pond at the back of our property would make her a perfect get away for me when I need some peace and quiet to write my sexy time books...  I mean romance novels.
Cross your fingers I can talk him into it.  I think making a she-shed would be a great thing to share with you guys!

While I Was Away

So, I've told you why I'm back (mostly) and now I feel the need to explain what went on while I was gone.
First, I redid my current house.  Now I realize a good and friendly blogger would have taken pictures of all of the projects and shared it with you.
Sorry. 
My bad.
I promise to do better next time.  Like, on the next house.

In a couple days I will share the pictures of our current home and give you the basics of our projects.  It made a huge difference when it came to selling.  All our custom touches helped us sell to the second people who looked at it, in under a day, for full price.  See, Pinterest isn't a waste of time after all.

Back to what else I did while on hiatus.  I wrote a book.  Or two.  Or three.

I'm not set on the cover for Regret, but it's okay for now.  RUN was released on April 15, 2016.  Out Bad came out TODAY!  Regret is set for release on October 14, 2016.  I will put links at the end of this post in case you're interested.

I think writing basically falls into the category of making things.  We all know I like to make stuff, and this is just an extension of that.

So, now you know what all I've been up to and I promise to keep you more in the loop from now on.

RUN on Smashwords

RUN on Amazon

Out Bad on Smashwords

Out Bad on Amazon

On the Move

Before I get to why I've been gone for so long, I thought I would tell you why I'm back. 
First, the savages are older and I'm a little less overwhelmed (most of the time).  The big one is six and the smaller, but ornerier one is three.  Now, they can handle themselves a little more and I have a little more free time.
The second, and biggest, reason is our family is on the move.  We've been searching for our next home for almost two years and we finally, finally found it.  But...
It's not real pretty.
The potential is there, but...
If 1994 called and wanted all their stuff back, I'd be screwed.
So, prepare for lots of home renovation and decorating stuff.
Did I mention it's on six acres?
Get ready to watch me figure out how to keep chickens.  I'm pretty sure most of you will stay tuned simply to watch how that works out for me.  I get it.

So, I suck.

I flaked.

Not really, I swear.  I just was really focused on a different sort of project, but.....

I think I'm back, but on a less strenuous schedule.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to blog here on a regular basis.  A VERY regular basis and it just got a little overwhelming, so...

I flaked.

I'm sorry.

I will make it up to you.  I promise.

Over the next few days, if you still love me and forgive my lapse, I will fill you in on what's going on and what is in store for The Modern Housewife.

It's exciting. 

I promise.  I know, promises, promises.

Healthy Banana Breakfast Cookies

I have a love/hate relationship with bananas.  I love a good, just yellow with a few freckles, banana.  Problem is, that particular banana complexion only lasts about 3.4325 hours.  Then you are left with 2-3 unappealing, liver spotted bananas (weird how its always 2 or 3). 
A few months back, I saw a "cookie" recipe that used only quick oats and bananas.  Out of curiosity more than anything, I gave it a try.  They were odd.  The insides were mushy and a little pasty, but the outsides firmed up a bit and had a pleasant chew to them.  I decided with a little tweaking, there could be a decently healthy breakfast style cookie hiding in there.
A few attempts later I managed a flavorful, slightly chewy breakfast cookie that had a little crispness at the edges and an almost creamy (non-gluey) center.  My 15 month old LOVES them.  I LOVE them.  Now I can eat cookies for breakfast and not feel like I ruined my day before 8am!

Healthy Banana Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:

2-3 ripe mashed bananas

1/4 c. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. rolled (old fashioned) oats

1 c. quick oats

add ins of your choice, I used 1/3 c. mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix together bananas, oil, vanilla and cinnamon.

Stir in oats and let sit for 15 minutes.

Fold in any extras you want, try coconut, nuts, dried fruit or peanut butter.

Drop by the tablespoonful onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

***These take a while to bake because of all the moisture in the bananas.  The should be golden brown and firm.***

***Do not omit the oil.  It is crucial to the texture of the cookies.***

***Freeze any extra cookies that you won't eat within 24-ish hours.  Pop them in the microwave to heat for a softer cookie or the oven for a firmer cookie.***



Homemade Marshmallows

My little people LOVE marshmallows.  Plain, roasted, in hot cocoa, big, small it does not matter.  They want them... all.

I am not a huge lover of marshmallows.  I like them roasted and that is about it.  However, I am a huge fan of cooking challenges and making my own marshmallows fit the bill.  I found a recipe in an old, old cookbook I have and on a cold and snowy Friday night, decided to give it a try.

Oh.  My.  Goodness.  The difference is huge.  Store bought marshmallows are spongy and pebbly on the outside and taste... well, just sweet.  Homemade marshmallows are smooth and pillowy.  Like a memory foam mattress.  Dense, but soft.  I used a really nice vanilla in mine, so they have great flavor and smell wonderful.  I also dipped a few in bittersweet chocolate just for fun (those are my favorite). 

I discovered the key to painlessly making your own marshmallows is preparation.  If you follow my directions, you will have a full pan of marshmallows setting up in under 15 minutes.  One additional suggestion is be sure to wash your dishes immediately after you are done, so you aren't stuck trying to scrub away stuck on marshmallow in the morning.  Other than that, these are simple and fun to make.  Maybe fancy some up and give them as gifts for the holidays?

 

Homemade Marshmallows

 

Ingredients:

2 c. granular sugar

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1-1/2 c. water, divided

4 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin (this is equal to 4 packets or 1 box)

2 egg whites

1 tsp. flavoring, I used vanilla, but you could use peppermint or almond

1 c. powdered sugar for dusting the marshmallows to keep them from sticking

 

Directions:

Butter and liberally dust a 9"x13" pan with powdered sugar.

Combine granular sugar, corn syrup and 3/4 c. water in a large saucepan.

Pour remaining water (3/4 c.) in a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over the top.

Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Turn heat under sugar mix to medium high and begin to heat, stirring constantly.

At the same time, turn heat under gelatin to low and whisk occasionally until gelatin melts.

Heat sugar mixture (syrup) to hard ball stage (250-265 degrees).

Once syrup is at the correct temperature, take off heat and whisk in gelatin.  This will foam up.

Pour this mixture into a measuring cup to make pouring easier.  Set aside.

Whip the egg whites on high until they form soft peaks.

With the mixer running, slowly pour in the gelatin mixture.  This will continue to fluff up and become glossy and smooth.

Keep beating until mixture is very stiff, but still pourable.

Spread in prepared pan and allow to set up at least 8 hours or overnight.

Once set, flip marshmallows onto a powdered sugar dusted counter.  You may need to use a thin spatula to gently loosen the marshmallow sheet from the pan.

Using a sharp knife, cut into desired shape, dusting all sides with powdered sugar as you go.

 

 

Don't forget to dip some in melted chocolate and hide them on the high shelf in the pantry!



 





The Real Story-Microwaving Ivory Soap

Microwave a bar of Ivory soap they say.  It will be cool they say.  It puffs up and becomes moldable and fluffy they say.

So I did.

"They" exaggerate. 

It does in fact expand.  A lot.  Like on the walls and door of my microwave, a lot.  And it is not easy to clean up, because...

It is neither mold-able nor fluffy so no little hands can enjoy playing with it (Not to mention the fact that it is still soap.  Foul tasting, eye burning soap.  I kind of didn't think of that when I decided this was a great idea.).  It is brittle.  You touch it and it disintegrates into soap dust.  Teeny, tiny soap dust that sticks to your hand or the surface it is on if you try to brush it into a pile so you can clean it up.  Unless...

You try to wipe it up with a damp rag, then it turns into soap paste that again, sticks to everything and is now foaming.

Now, I have a pile of soap dust:

 

 

My only option was to convince my three year old it was "snow soap:.  It was a pretty easy sell because, well, he's three and still believes what I tell him. So, I ever so gently, picked it up and put it in a Ziploc bag to use at bath time.  Worth the effort it took to clean soap expansion overflow off my microwave?  No.  But it could have been a much less painful process if I knew then what I know now (isn't that true of most things?).

 

Learn from my experience and if you want to try to make your own "snow soap"  cut a bar in half, put it on a disposable plate and microwave it for 1.5-2 minutes.  That should solve the overflow problem and you can dump it right off the plate into a baggie keeping the soap dust to a minimum.  If you breed little scientist who want to know why the soap "explodes"  there is a great explanation here .  Happy mess making!



And the Winner is...

If you are up to date, you know that my family had a cookie exchange this weekend.  You also know that in my family, a little competition is considered healthy so we turned it into a contest to see who had the best cookie.  Unfortunately, we all made copious amounts of cookies and flaked out on making the official winning cookie decision.  However, I am prepared to announce my favorite cookie of the day, AND I will share the recipe with you (season of giving right?).

You will be thrilled to know the recipe for my unofficial winning cookie is simple (only four ingredients) and even (spoiler alert family members) no-bake so it is a great way for kiddos to help with the holiday baking.  Once you make these crunchy, chewy, peanut buttery cookies I promise you will make them over and over.  We do!

 

Special K Cookies

 

 

Ingredients:

1 c. granular sugar

1 c. Karo syrup (white)

1 c. peanut butter

4 c. Special K cereal

 

Directions:

Place cereal in a large mixing bowl.

Heat sugar and Karo in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a full rolling boil (this means it is boiling so hard, it does not stop when you stir it), stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add peanut butter, stirring to combine.

Pour over cereal and mix well.

Roll into balls and place on wax or parchment paper to cool.

Store in an airtight container.

 

***Don't know what Karo syrup is?  It is corn syrup, you want the light version for this recipe.***

***For an extra twist, melt some chocolate chips in a baggie, snip off the tip and squiggle over the top of the cookies.  Yum.***





Chewy Lemon Cookies

Tis the season... for cookie baking!  As we discussed yesterday, the ladies of my family enjoyed a cookie exchange over the weekend.  I already shared one of my cookie contributions, and today I will share another.  These will lead up to my announcement of my favorite cookie of the party.  I know you are dying with anticipation.  One. More. Day.

Chewy Lemon Cookies

 

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 tsp. lemon zest (I used more)

1 Tbsp. lemon juice (I probably used more, I just squeezed some in)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1-1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

 

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar. 

Mix in vanilla, egg, lemon zest and juice.

Combine dry ingredients (except powdered sugar) and stir into butter mixture until just combined.

Roll into heaping teaspoon sized balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes.

Cool, then dip tops in powdered sugar.

 





Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookies

This morning the ladies of my family got together for brunch and a Christmas cookie exchange.  Back in the day, my mom and her sisters would bake and decorate cookies together.  I remember these parties and how fantastically fun they were.  I wanted to resurrect this tradition, but baking cookies together seemed a little lengthy... and messy.  I decided to host a "Christmas Cookie Munch and Brunch".  Everyone brought a brunch item and a batch of cookies.  To encourage participation, I made it a competition (my family is competitive in a healthy, fun sort of way see more on that here ).

I was not disappointed.  Not only did everyone bring their A-game, they brought multiple games.  We had so many freakin' cookies.  We had biscotti (three types to be exact), wedding cookies, eggnog cookies, chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread, macadamia nut cookies, scones and more. 

Over the next few days, I will share my cookie recipes with you and I will announce my favorite cookie of the party (not that it matters because we baked too many cookies and flaked on the contest).  So get out your parchment and baking sheets and lets go!

 

Pecan Lace Sandwich Cookies

 

These are almost a cross between a cookie and candy.  They are light and crispy, and were a big hit at the brunch.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 c. pecans, toasted and cooled

1/4 c. flour

4 Tbsp. butter

6 Tbsp. packed, dark brown sugar

1/4 c. dark corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 tsp. heavy cream

pinch salt

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

 

Directions:

Process nuts and flour in food processor until only small pieces of pecan remain.

Combine butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and whisk in pecan mixture, vanilla, cream and salt.

Drop by the scant teaspoonful onto parchment lined baking sheets, at least 3" apart (these cookies spread A LOT).

Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are no longer bubbling, 5-7 minutes.

Let cookies cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, then transfer parchment sheet to counter and cool completely.

Spread 2 teaspoons chocolate onto cookie bottoms and gently top with another cookie.

Let chocolate set before serving.

 

***Adapted from a recipe by America's Test Kitchen***

 

 



Mommy Moments

Do you remember the first time you saw snow?  Don't feel bad if you don't, I can't either.  I will however, remember the first time my little guy saw snow, and that is a sweeter memory anyway.



Cinnamon Scented Ornaments

I grew up with a Christmas tree that was decorated with homemade ornaments.  Some were paper, some were clay, some were made of yarn, but they were all made by my sister and I.  It may not have been able to grace the cover of Better Homes and Gardens, but it was beautiful to us.

Now that I have my own children, I realize just how special that tree was, especially to my mother.  All those years I thought it was all about my sister and I and showcasing decorations we made.  I thought my mother hung them every year the same way we hang refrigerator art... to let our children know we are proud of them and their accomplishments.  While I am sure that was part of it, I can now say that it is so much more. 

I now have my own "homemade tree".  Every year we hang ornaments my daughter made when she was three.  When I see them, I remember her chubby little hands and her baby tooth filled smile.  We have ornaments she made of beads and ornaments she made of felt.  I have hand prints covered in glitter.  Each one has a memory of my child's life firmly attached to it.  Whether it was made in school as a surprise, or made together, each one is special and irreplaceable.  So, you will never walk into my house and find an immaculate tree, covered in coordinating bulbs and ribbons.  You will find however, the most beautiful Christmas tree in the world.

 

 

Cinnamon Scented Ornaments

 

 

I made these ornaments with my kiddos last year and they had so much fun.  They make your house smell AMAZING and they are so sweet (Not in the eating way, in the cute way.  Don't try to eat them.  They would be terrible.) and simple to make.

 

What you need:

1 c. cinnamon

3/4 applesauce (maybe more if the dough is too dry)

1 Tbsp. glue

rolling pin

cookie cutters

drinking straw

parchment

baking sheet

 

What you do:

Mix together cinnamon, applesauce and glue, adding more applesauce if needed.

Roll dough out to about 1/4" thickness.  Don't roll it too thin or your ornaments will be fragile.

Cut dough into shapes using cookie cutters.

Make a hole at the top of each ornament with the straw.  Don't get to close to the edge or you will not have a sturdy loop for your hook.

Place shapes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a 200 degree oven for about 2-1/2 hours, flipping every 30 minutes.

You can also allow these to air dry, but it will take a few days.

Once dry, loop a hook through the hole and hang on your tree!



Granny Quilt Take 2

I love mixing techniques together.  One of my favorites is crochet and quilting.   I love the combination of the texture that crochet brings with the warmth and stability that the fabric has.  These are great winter blankets since all the "holes" from crochet are covered.  I also love to use them when I put my little ones on the floor.  They have a little extra cushion since they are two layers.  If you want a really cushy version, check out my first take on a granny quilt - Granny Quilt Number 1 .  In this blanket I add a layer of fleece between the afghan and the fabric making it VERY thick and padded.

This version omits that fleece layer, giving you more of a blanket, less of a mat.  The first version is great and extremely warm, but not very flexible which is necessary to snuggly tuck a munchkin in their car seat.  So, if you love the Granny Quilt, but want a thinner option, try this!

My blanket after quilting and trimming.

 

The technique is simple.  Layer your pieced granny afghan on top of a piece of flannel (or cotton, but flannel is so cozy).  Be sure you have plenty of fabric so it hangs past the edge of the afghan.  I left about two extra inches on each side.  The last thing you want is the fabric to creep in while you sew leaving a gap.

Pin at the corner/intersection of EACH granny square.  I know this sounds like overkill, but it serves two important functions. 

First it keeps the layers from shifting and stretching.  The afghan will have a lot of give and having it well pinned will keep you from ending up with a distorted blanket. 

Second, it helps to know exactly where your pins are.  They get lost in the afghan and if you know you have one at each intersection, you will not leave any behind to stab an unsuspecting person.

 

Now sew.  I run along the edges of the squares, but you can do whatever you wish, it's your blanket.  I do all the lines in one direction, then all the rows that run across, forming a checkerboard pattern.  Go slowly!  You have to do this with the crochet side up (so you can follow the lines) and it can easily get hooked on the presser foot.  Finish by sewing around the edge of the blanket.  This will make it easier to sew on the binding.

 

Trim any extra fabric from the edges.

 

 

Now bind and you are done!  Don't know how to bind?  See the simple technique I use here .

 

 



Circle in a Square

I love a good granny square blanket.  For instance:

 

How to quilt a granny square

 

or

 

Granny quilt

 

My new favorite granny square is a cool, modern and very simple pattern.  I found it on every crafty girl's best friend and worst enemy, Pinterest.

 

 

 

The squares go together quickly and combine to make an amazing blanket.  Crochet on an edging and make and afghan, or sew a flannel panel on the back and bind the edges into a quilt like I did.  It is great for a baby blanket or full scale cover.  Make all the circles one color or each a different color to use up scraps.  The possibilities are endless! 

 

Want to make your own?  Check out the square tutorial from Three Beans in a Pod.  Then check back here tomorrow (or the next day, I might be lazy) for my simple tutorial on adding flannel backing and binding!