Posted by captivemommies on Dec 7, 2008 in
crafts,
holidays,
kids Christmas Chocolate Kiss Tree
Materials:
* One 12″ X 4″ Styrofoam cone
* 1 yard red or green 1″ wide ribbon
* Aluminum foil
* Glue (low heat gun, non-toxic craft glue, glue stick or confectioner’s glue)
* 7 (8 oz) bags of HERSHEY KISS®* Chocolates — Holiday colors
Instructions:
* Cover foam cone with foil.
* Decorate cone with green foil HERSHEY KISS®* Chocolates by gluing their flat side against the foil covered cone.
* For ornaments, use the remaining silver and red HERSHEY KISSES™*.
* Insert one end of a toothpick into the side of each HERSHEY KISS.
* Insert other end into the foam cone, filling in the gaps between the green foil HERSHEY KISSES™*.
Completed craft is for decorative purpose only and candy should not be eaten.
Recipe courtesy of http://www.dreamsalivemagazine.com
Posted by captivemommies on Dec 3, 2008 in
holidays,
kids,
yummy stuff Chocolate Popcorn
Ingredients:
* 12 cups popped popcorn
* 2 ½cups salted peanuts
* 1 (11.5 ounce) package milk chocolate morsels
* 1 cup light corn syrup
* ¼cup butter or margarine
Directions:
* Preheat oven to 300º F. Grease a large roasting pan. Line a large bowl with waxed paper.
* Combine popcorn and nuts in greased roasting pan.
* Combine morsels, corn syrup and butter in medium, heavy-duty saucepan.
* Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.
* Pour over popcorn; toss well to coat.
* Bake, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes.
* Cool slightly in pan; remove to bowl lined with wax paper.
* Store in airtight container for up to two weeks.
Recipe courtesy of http://www.dreamsalivemagazine.com
Posted by captivemommies on Dec 1, 2008 in
holidays,
kids,
yummy stuff Chocolate Coffee Spoons With Peppermint
Materials:
* 2 cups white chocolate chips
* ¾ cup peppermint candies
* 35 to 45 heavy-duty plastic spoons
* 2 teaspoons solid shortening (optional)
* 2 large cookie sheets
* waxed paper
* quart-sized food storage bag
* glass 1 cup measuring cup
Instructions:
* Cover the cookie sheets with waxed paper.
* Unwrap and place peppermint candies in food storage bag. Crush the candies with rolling pin. Place crushed candy in a medium size bowl.
* Place one cup of white chocolate chips in glass measuring cup.
* Microwave chocolate chips at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir the chips gently. Continue microwaving at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
* Important Note: Do Not over-heat the chocolate.
* Add 5 or 6 peppermint candy drops to each cup of chocolate and mix thoroughly.
* Important Note: If you wish to thin the chocolate simply stir in thoroughly 1 teaspoon solid shortening per cup of chocolate chips.
* Dip plastic spoons in melted chocolate to cover the bowl of the spoon.
* Important Note: If the chocolate thickens in the measuring cup, return it to the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir gently.
* Immediately press the chocolate covered spoon into the crushed peppermint candy, holding the spoon at a diagonal.
* Place the spoon on the wax covered cookie sheet and let cool.
* Repeat the entire process with second cup of chocolate chips.
* Let the spoons cool thoroughly before wrapping individually with cellophane paper and a ribbon.
* Makes 35 to 45 chocolate coffee spoons.
* Excellent Christmas gifts for any coffee lover!
Recipe courtesy of http://www.dreamsalivemagazine.com
Posted by captivemommies on Nov 28, 2008 in
article,
holidays,
yummy stuff by Sherry Frewerd
The age-old question of ‘what to do with this left-over turkey’ lives on today, but with the revival of the slow cooker, we now have more options for stretching our food dollars by creating some delicious crock pot turkey recipes.
Today’s turkey crock pot recipes are creative and fun to cook, and should be taken advantage of throughout the year, not just during the holiday season. Gather your ingredients, plop em’ in your crock pot in the morning before you leave for work, and when you arrive home in the evening your meal is waiting, and your home smells fantastic! Using leftover frozen turkey makes meal prep even easier. Here are some Turkey Crock Pot Recipes that your family will love.
Crock Pot Turkey Stew
1 large bag of frozen mixed veggies
2 lbs boneless, skinless turkey, cut into bite size pieces
2 tbl flour
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 tbl tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Place veggies and turkey into crock pot. Mix flour, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl and then add to crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW setting for approximately 8 hours. During the last hour, stir once or twice, breaking apart any turkey that has stuck together. Be careful not to remove the lid for more than a minute or so. Stir in parsley just before serving.
Crock Pot Turkey Sandwiches
6 c. shredded turkey
3 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. Miracle Whip
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
Mix everything together and cook in crock pot for 4 hours. Stir twice during cooking, remembering not to have the top off very long. If the mixture is really thick, add some hot water at end of cooking. Serve on hoagie buns.
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About the author: Sherry Frewerd publishes ‘Family Crock Pot Recipes’. Visit today for delicious crock pot recipes that your family will love – http://familycrockpotrecipes.com. Sherry’s blog, ‘Recipes to Live By’ is the place to go for great recipes of all kinds, cooking tips and interesting articles on food and nutrition. http://theres-more-to-life-than-food.typepad.com/recipes_to_live_by .
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory
Posted by captivemommies on Nov 24, 2008 in
article,
holidays,
home & garden,
yummy stuff by Kids Activity Calendar
One of my favorite things to do with my kids is cook. Not only is it a great way to cut down on my own chores list, but it’s an easy way to interact with your kids and learn more about their lives. Christmas-time may be hectic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to cook with your kids. If you look at the opportunity right, your kids can be big helpers during this stressful time.
Christmas Party
If you’re having a traditional Christmas party – or attending a pot luck style party, have your child commit to making his or her own dish. Whether it’s an appetizer or a dessert, the final product will be something that he can say “I made it all by myself!” Even a 4 or 5 year old child can assemble a simple recipe if it’s age-appropriate. Perhaps your child could make a Cool Whip Pumpkin Pie or some Veggie Dip. Supervise for safety, but try to encourage your child to do most of the assembly himself.
Busy Night Buffet
If you know you’re about to have one of “those nights” where you have 20 different tasks to do before bed, enlist help. Have smorgasbord or buffet supplies on hand in your fridge for just this type of emergency. With little help, your child can set up a sandwich, potato, salad, taco or pizza bar. Simply have the supplies on hand and assist with anything that’s unsafe (possibly warming or cutting, depending on the age of the child).
Here’s what you’ll need for each type of buffet. You’ll notice that most of the ingredients are interchangeable.
Salad – Lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, sunflower seeds, dressing, cheese cubes or shredded cheese, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, mushroom, onion, shredded carrots, radishes, meat (grilled shrimp or chicken), and bacon bits.
Sandwich – Bread (wheat, rye, buns) or tortillas, lunch meat or tuna salad or egg salad, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, pickles, sliced tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, mustard, mayo, and anything else your family loves.
Potato – Baking potatoes, sour cream, salsa, butter, cottage cheese, sunflower seeds, cheese cubes or shredded cheese, tomatoes, peppers, onion, meat (grilled shrimp or chicken), chives and bacon bits.
Taco – Taco shells or tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, meat (taco meat, grilled shrimp or chicken), and refried beans.
Pizza - Pizza crust or English Muffins, pizza sauce, meats, cheese and toppings of choice.
Treats
One of the easiest ways to spark a love of cooking is to make cookies or cupcakes and decorate them. Include everything from sprinkles to gel frosting. You’ll be teaching both art and cooking in one activity. Of course, all cookies for Santa need to be decorated, as well!
These are just a few of the many ways you can have your little helpers build confidence and learn life skills this Christmas season.
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Nicole Dean is a co-founder of www.kidsactivitycalendar.com — a resource to help parents teach their kids the alphabet in a fun, positive way.
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Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory
