Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Hair Bow Tutorial



If you have a little girl and have purchased hair bow clips for her hair or for yourself, you would probably agree that they are so expensive for just a little bit of ribbon and an alligator clip.  I was looking at one of my daughter's bows and thought, I could make that!  So, here is what I did...
Materials needed:
grosgrain ribbon
lighter or matches
needle and thread
hot glue (optional)
alligator clip (you can find these at craft stores)

1.   Choose a grosgrain ribbon.  (I chose the pink wrinkled ribbon and should have ironed it first.)
2.   Seal the edges so the ribbon doesn't frey.  (To do this, I just ran a lighter quickly across the edge a couple of times.)


3.   Make a couple of loops with the ribbon to form two layers on each side like the picture above shows.
4.   Using a needle and strong thread (I used embroidery floss in pink) sew up through all layers of ribbon and wind it around the center to cinch it together as shown below.


5.   Cut a thinner strip of ribbon and seal the edges.
6.   Wrap the strip of ribbon around the center to cover the thread.  Glue or sew it in place on the back.

 

7.   Slip your alligator clip in through the ribbon on the back and you are done!  You may choose to glue it in place with hot glue if you want, but it is not needed.



So cute!! 


Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Muffin Tin Pancakes with Fruit

   

I made these treats for my daughter's class at school when it was her birthday.  The kids liked the little pancake cups with fruit and the teacher's liked the fact that it wasn't cupcakes for 20 students!
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • dash salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • berries
  • powdered sugar for dusting
Mix all ingredients (except toppings) in a mixer or a blender.  Pour about half full into a muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.  My kids loved watching them puff up in the oven and then sink in as they cooled.

I think these are also called Pop-up pancakes.

Kraut Salat (German Coleslaw)


This is a really good coleslaw that does not have a cream dressing on it.  My friend sent this recipe to me from Germany and it is one of our favorites!

  • 1 head cabbage
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  1. Slice cabbage and set it aside.
  2. Boil all other ingredients and pour over the cabbage.
  3. Let it stand for 24 hours.
  4. Enjoy!
Super easy and so good.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Kale Crisps

This snack is different, but really good! My 6 year old boy ate the whole plate today!

Read about the great nutritional value of Kale Here.

Ingredients:

A head of Kale (rinsed)

Olive Oil

Garlic Salt (or another favorite seasoning)

Directions:

Rip off the Kale into bite sized pieces (seperate them from the stems)

Place on a cookie sheet

Drizzle about 1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil on the Kale

Sprinkle with Garlic salt (to taste)

Mix with your hands to make sure everything is coated

Bake in a 350∘oven for about 10 minutes (they should be dried and crisp)


Natural Homemade Deodorant




I know the thought of homemade deodorant to some may be out of the question. While to others, it may be just what they need!  I know I have always had a problem using an antiperspirant containing aluminum, knowing that there are high risks associated with Alzheimer's disease.  Also, an antiperspirant works to prevent you from sweating - a thing your body needs to do.  Natural deodorants are very expensive, so I have come up with my own recipe, and so far....  I love it!  Although I must say, I am not testing it in the gym or out in the summer sun with excessive sweating, it is working just fine for me. 

The ingredients are readily available at the grocery store or health food store.
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 Tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot powder (use arrowroot powder if you are prone to rashes)
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa butter
  • 3 Tablespoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon vitamin E oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon tea tree oil
  • 20-30 drops of essential oil
  • 5 drops grapefruit seed extract (a natural preservative, optional)
  1. In a sterilized pot, melt all ingredients except essential oils and grapefruit seed extract over low heat. 
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the other ingredients.  I used sweet orange oil and it smells so good!
  3. Pour into a sterilized jar or an empty deodorant container.  It will harden as it cools.
I used a small glass candle jar with a lid and it fit perfectly.  I have a small wooden spoon that I use to scoop it out of my jar first. 

If you use an old deodorant stick container, you can use a spoon to shape the top into a smooth round surface once it has hardened.




Monday, March 21, 2011

Chicken & Broccoli Strudel

FROM NOODLES TO STRUDELS Cherished Recipes Contributed By Women Who Care

I love the recipes on this web site

I often make her recipes for dinner with a few changes of my own.  This one I made the other night and the whole family loved it!

 

Chicken and Broccoli Strudel

  • 2 cups cooked chicken , chopped
  • 1 cup raw broccoli, chopped
  • ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill + more to sprinkle the top
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages unbaked crescent roll dough
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 375°. Combine first 8 ingredients (everything except dough and egg) in a medium sized bowl. Mix well. Unroll 1 package of crescent roll dough – do not separate. Arrange longest sides of the dough across the width of a cookie sheet. Repeat with the second package of dough, slightly overlapping the two packages of dough (you are trying to form 1 large piece of dough). Using your fingers, press the edges of the two pieces of dough together. Spread the filling down the middle of the large piece of dough. Using a knife, cut lines 1 ½” apart down both sides of the dough that has not been covered with filling. To form a “braid”, start at one end and lift 1 strip of dough from the right side of the chicken mixture and lift it up and half way across the chicken mixture. Repeat with a strip from the left side. When the strips meet in the middle, slightly press and twist them together. Repeat until all strips have been braided together. Brush beaten egg over top (you don’t need to use all of the egg, just enough to slightly coat the braid). Sprinkle with dried dill.  Bake 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 1 ½” slices and serve.
Serves 10

 

Friday, March 18, 2011

Irish Soda Bread

This is a delicious recipe for Irish Soda Bread I found HERE.
I added some caraway seeds, but you don't have to, the bread is wonderful either way.  We had some for dessert after our traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner and some with breakfast the next morning.  Mmmmm...

Irish Soda Bread
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 cup golden raisins or dark raisins (or both)
  • 1 Tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
  1. Place eggs in a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat well.
  2. Add sugar and oil and mix until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and mix.
  4. Add buttermilk and mix well.
  5. Add raisins and stir gently.
  6. Pour dough into a greased loaf pan.
  7. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F or until a inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Citrus Galore!


 

My dad picked all these oranges and lemons for us the other day from a friends trees.

Oranges are one of the worlds healthiest foods. Click Here.

Thanks Dad!


Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Juice Pouch Wallets

These cute re-cycled wallets are simple to make and require no sewing! My kids both enjoyed making these for Christmas gifts this year for their cousins.

I got the idea from my Family Fun Magazine, so check out their instructions here.
I started out making sure I had a few choices of different colored ribbon (only 2 are shown here), and several types of juice pouches, for variations in color and style. (keep in mind you will need two pouches per wallet) You will also need to pick up some velcro.

Within minutes, we had a very cute hand-made wallet. And my daughter likes to add that it is scented too!

Naturally Dyed Homemade Play Dough





My daughter had a sick day at home the other day and was bored out of her mind, so we made some homemade play dough!  Homemade play dough is so much better than the store bought kind because I think it lasts longer and I know exactly what is in it... and isn't everything better homemade?? 

We made two kinds of naturally dyed play dough.  For brown we used about 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and added it with the flour. 

For the gold, we used ground turmeric and put about one teaspoon in a cup of water in a small saucepan.  Bring it to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is about reduced by half.

You can use blueberries, strawberries or any other berry and use the condensing method explained above and then strain to get a variety of colors.  Remember, if you are using a liquid color, put the color in a measuring cup and then add the water to make a full cup.  This way, the liquid measurement will be right.

Recipe

• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
• ½ cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 cup water
• your choice of coloring

Mix flour, cream of tartar, and salt in a pan. Mix desired coloring with water, add with oil to dry mixture. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thick and forms a ball.  Let the dough cool a little bit, then kneed it a few times on a board.  That's it!

Store it in a sealed container and keep it away from pets.  The amount of salt in this recipe is toxic to animals if they eat it!!

We also made red and green, but we cheated and used a small package of sugar free jello, cranberry and lime.  They sure smelled good!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting



This recipe came from a Weight Watcher's cookbook, and it is by far my favorite banana bread recipe I have ever made.  It is delicious even without the frosting!
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup fat-free cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
  1. Arrange the oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.
  3. Combine the granulated sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition.
  5. Beat in the bananas, milk, and vanilla.
  6. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  7. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
  8. Stir in the walnuts.
  9. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes.
  10. Cool in the pan 10 minutes.
  11. Remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
  12. To make the frosting, place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
  13. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar.
  14. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled bread; cut into 18 slices.

Friday, March 11, 2011

make a Leprechaun Trap!



Don't let any Leprechauns get away this year!
My 2 year old Oliver made this trap out of a big box and happy face stickers at the library yesterday.  We figured that the Leprechaun will see the gold coin suspended in the doorway and once he tries to get it, Oliver will pull the ribbon which will close the secret door trapping him inside.  Then Oliver gets to keep him for his very own Leprechaun pet.
I hope it works!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Pom~Pom Rings!!

Pom~Pom Rings!!
This is a picture of me wearing the ring because my daughter is not here for the picture... :)
These are so fun to make, my little girl and her friends really love these rings!
I use plastic pom~pom circles (they come in different sizes at craft stores) to make our pom~ poms, but I found this website that shows you how to make a circle from cardboard, and then how to make the pom~pom!
When you are finished with the pom~pom we hot glued it to the plastic "rings" we get out of the Coffee-mate creamer, or half gallon milk containers. They are perfect because they have a flat side, and a ring for your finger. Enjoy!


Thursday, March 3, 2011

Baked Pesto Chicken with Tomatoes


Here is another chicken recipe...  I know what you are thinking, but we do eat other things besides chicken at our house!  This recipe is just really good if you like pesto.

Baked Pesto Chicken with Tomatoes
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 1/2 cup (or more if desired) pesto sauce
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • mozzarella or cheddar cheese to sprinkle on the top
  1. Place chicken and pesto in a bowl; toss to coat. Then lay the chicken in a glass baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with foil.
  2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven.
  3. Check to see if chicken is done, and top with tomatoes and cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Kyah's Babka Doll




 
This Babka (Slavik Granny) Doll was designed by Olivia at Big Red Hat Productions and you can see the tutorial HERE
We are just in love with the little girl who came up with this doll pattern.
If you can, watch the video, she's such a good teacher and so cute too.
We made some changes and sewed the face on instead of painted it.
Kyah first drew the face just the way she wanted it, and I stitched it on.
This doll was made from one of Kyah's little dresses that she outgrew and couldn't part with and a pair of baby stockings!  Love it!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

HomeMade Baby Wipes

So now that the kiddos are older and I don't have baby bottoms to clean, and our budget is really tight, I started thinking that buying babywipes is not a huge priority anymore . But we use them for so many things! I have heard that it is cost effective to make your own (although I haven't researched it myself) so one day, when we ran out of the beloved babywipe, I looked around the house and look what I found! Everything you need to make your own babywipes!!!
Here is what you need:
1/2 roll of a double layered paper towel (I used Up&Up from Target)
2 Tbs. Baby shampoo/wash
1 Tbs. Baby oil
2 cups water
3-5 drops Tea Tree Oil
a container with a tight lid that will fit the 1/2 roll of paper towels
Here is the SIMPLE process:
1) Cut the roll of papertowels in half (I used an electric knife but any really sharp knife will do)
2) Put one of the 1/2 rolls into your container
3) add the baby shampoo, baby oil, and drops of tea tree oil to the 2 cups of water, and mix
4) Pour the mixture all over the top of the papertowels in the container
5) The cardboard tube in the center of the towels will now be easy to pull out
6) Put the lid on and flip the container upsidedown- wait 2-5 minutes
7) Open up the lid, and take out a fresh new wipe from the center of your roll!
Thats it! So easy, and the whole thing took me about 10 minutes.

When life gives you lemons...


My daughter picked some lemons off of her little tree the other day and wanted to make something.
So... we found this recipe online.  We have made it a couple of times before and we love it!

Perfect Lemonade Recipe
  • 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
  • 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)
  1. Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.
  2. While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.
  3. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.
  4. Serve with ice and sliced lemons.
Serves 6.

I also made a Lemon Meringue Pie.  (I actually made it twice, because I messed up the first one, but the second one pictured below was perfect and sooo good!)

Lemon Meringue Pie 

  • 1 baked (9 inch) pastry shell
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn starch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons margarine
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
  • 3 egg whites
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  1. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, corn starch and salt in medium sized pot.  Gradually blend in water and cook over medium high stirring constantly until thickened.  Be careful not to burn. 
  2. Beat together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar.
  3. Blend a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture a little at a time until it is about half.  Then blend all of the egg mixture into the hot mixture in the pot.  (There is a reason for this, I'm just not sure what it is.)
  4. Stir constantly until it is thick and starts to boil, again taking care not to burn the bottom.
  5. Pour it into the baked pie shell.
  6. In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  Continue beating until stiff peaks form when beater is raised.
  7. Spread meringue around edge first, to touch crust all around and fill in the center.
  8. Bake until meringue is lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
  9. Cool at room temperature and serve at room temperature too.


You may use any pie crust recipe, but I used this one with one modification.  My two year old son loved this crust, he didn't want the pie, just the crust!

Pie Crust

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons cold water
When I made this recipe, I found that I didn't have enough shortening so I used all I had and the rest I used butter.  It came out to about half shortening and half butter to make up 1 1/4 cup.  The butter gave it a good taste and the shortening gave it the flaky layers. 

Just mix all ingredients together stick it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.  Split it in half and save one for another time, then roll it out on a floured board and lay it in your pie dish and stab it a few times with a fork.

Bake it in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes.


Silhouette Profiles



I just love these pictures that I did of the children's silhouettes.  They are fun to make and look great above my hutch in the kitchen.  Sorry about the glare in the photos, I never claimed to be a good photographer :)

First I had the kids stand against a white wall and took a picture of their profile.  It would probably work great if you took the photograph in front of a bright window too.  Then I printed out the pictures in the size I needed.  For these, I wanted the finished product to fit in a 5 x 7 inch frame so I actually had to print them a couple of times making some adjustments and printing again until I had the right size.  Then I took their photos and taped them to some black card stock.  Using a small Exacto knife, I very slowly and carefully cut out their profiles exactly as they were in the photos.  I used some spray adhesive to adhere them to some pretty handmade paper and stuck them in some inexpensive IKEA frames... and that's it!  So easy and fun too.  I would have loved to put these in some oval frames for more of an antique look, but those are hard to find!  Maybe one day I'll change them out.