Soft Pretzels

The boys have been doing more cooking lately (YEAH!) and William wanted to try his hand at soft pretzels.  They were a fair bit of work, and needed some mommy-strength to help with the kneading, but the results were great and the boys were happy.  Days like this have me looking forward when I can call home from work and have them get supper all ready by the time I get home.  Child labour? Maybe.  Worth it?  Definitely!

Buttery Soft Pretzels

4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
5 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt for topping

Dissolve yeast and  1 tsp sugar in 1 1/4 cups warm water and let stand until frothy (approx. 10 min.)

In a large bowl, mix together flour, remaining sugar, and salt.  Make a well in the centre and add oil and yeast mixture.  Knead the dough until it is smooth, about 8 minutes.  If it is too dry, add a few tbsp. of water.   Lightly oil a large bowl, put in the dough, and turn it to coat.  Then cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Dissolve baking soda in hot water.

When the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 parts.  Roll each part into a rope, and shape it into a pretzel.  Dip each pretzel into the baking soda and water, then place on a greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

YUM!!

From Christa Rose, allrecipes.com

Camping with my boys

This past week, William, Charlie and I went up to Cyprus Lake (the provincial campground just south of Tobermory, Ontario) to camp for a few nights. I would be kidding if I implied it was not a whole lot of work, but it was absolutely worth it.  The boys were (mostly) wonderful, and we spent 3 days exploring one of the most breathtaking places in the country. It was a beautiful thing to spend time with my kids doing something that we all genuinely love - hiking, lake swimming, sitting by the campfire, and sleeping all snuggled up together.

Here are a few pics...

The boys also thought that it was important for me to include notes on their most recent culinary creation, called simple "The Masterpiece"

Squish both sides of a pie iron / campfire cookers with refrigerator crescent roll dough (no need to grease the pie irons).  Top one side with marshmallows, chocolate chips, caramels, and crumbled graham crackers.  Put the two sides of the pie iron together and place in hot campfire coals for a few minutes, checking it frequently until it is golden brown.  Let it cool (else you burn your mouth on the hot gooey goodness) and enjoy!!!  Needless to say it took them a while to come down from the sugar high that night...

Butter Tart Squares

We were all in the need for something a little sweet today, and I tried out this recipe from a Taste of Home cookie magazine from 2009.  It is now definitely one of my favorites.  It is easy to make, uses only one bowl (or pot, as the case may be) and uses things that I generally have on hand.  Moreover, it tastes like a butter tart but with the consistency of a brownie.  YUM!!

Caramel Pecan Bars

1 cup butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a large saucepan, heat butter and stir in sugar until melted.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour and baking powder, and then mix well into butter and sugar mixture.  Stir in pecans and coconut. (The original recipe calls for 2 cups of pecans, but alas, I didn't have enough.  I substituted in the coconut, and they turned out wonderfully!).  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 25 minutes.  Cool completely, and cut into squares.

Enjoy!! (Just for today, we can pretend that butter and sugar are good for us...)

Sugar Cystals

Not that any of us needed any more sugar these days, but after several weeks (months?) these sugar crystal lollys that the boys have been making were ready to taste. This was part of one of those impromptu science lessons that seemed to come up out of nowhere. I think it actually started with a close look at the table salt, followed by an exploration of some snow flakes, then a peek at the pepper shaker (nope - not a crystal!) and then, delight of delights, the sugar. When the kids learned that not only was sugar already a crystal, but that we could make it into even bigger crystals, well, the 'scientist' in them just took over.




Our crystals took a very long time to grow, but here is the basic recipe in case you want to try:

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Pour into a class jar, and very slowly stir in 3 cups of sugar one teaspoon at a time. Don't rush this step or it will slow the process down in the long run. Keep adding the sugar until it no longer dissolves and gathers at the bottom of the jar. You can add a few drops of food coloring at this point if you like. The put a bamboo sticks into he jar, and wait...and wait....and wait.

Just when you are about to toss the whole thing, you will see crystals forming on the stick. Keep it growing until it reaches a yummy size, and then enjoy!

2 Important Notes:Firstly, if you have a microscope, or even magnifying glass, make sure to take a good look at the crystals before they are eaten. They are absolutely beautiful!

Secondly, if you have more than one child, make sure to make a crystal lolly for each of them, in separate jars. Trying to make more than one in each jar may end up with all stuck together, and not so easy to share.

Coconut Macaroons

Today, inspired by a ridiculously hard piece of meat falling out of the freezer and landing on my foot, I decided to clean out the fridge freezer. And in doing so, I came across 5 bags (really!) of coconut. So, never one to let the opportunity to bake sweets pass me by, I searched out a recipe for macaroon cookies, which turned out wonderfully.

Here is the super-easy recipe for you:

2/3 cups flour
5 1/2 cups desiccated or flaked coconut
1/4 tsp salt
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract

Combine flour, coconut and salt in a large bowl. Mix together milk and extracts, then combine with coconut mixture. You could use a spoon but I found it easier, although a bit messy, to use my hands. Form into balls with spoons, fingers or a small ice cream scoop and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12 - 15 minutes. Coll completely, and then drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

Pie Wonderful Pie

Thanksgiving Dinner really wouldn't be the same without pie. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, I am really not that picky. Any pie will do. This year I thought I would try a new recipe for pecan pie, and found the one below on Allrecipe.com. It does not call for any corn syrup, the turned out lovely because of it - just the right amount of sweetness without making your teeth hurt. I did use far more nuts than the recipe called for, and it was a hit.

On a related but totally different note, the boys and I have become part of a local social justice and volunteering co-op within our home school group. Basically, it is a group of families who are all interested in helping our kids to become more active in our communities (locally and globally) and taking on projects that can help to make our world a better place. We are called The Change-Makers - can I tell you how much I love the name?!?! Anyway, here is the connection: another mom who is part of the Change Makers posted about a community Thanksgiving Dinner for people in need where she and her kids were volunteering as servers. They asked if any of us were interested in helping with the cooking.......gee, a community dinner, a new pecan pie recipe, kids who love to get their hands on the rolling pin......

The end result was an evening spent in a house full of kids (mine the the neighbours), lots of fun, a delicious smelling home, and six proudly made pecan pies ready to go to others who will enjoy them. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!




Pecan Pie

1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 cups pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl beat the eggs until foamy. Beat in melted butter, sugars, and flour. Lastly, add milk, vanilla, and chopped pecans (saving some pecans to garnish the top).

Pour into an unbaked 9-inch pie shell and top with remaining pecans.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30 - 40 minutes until centre of the pie is set.

Serve warm or cool, with fresh whipped cream, ice cream, or just a big glass of milk.

Banana Bread

We eat a fair bit of home made quick breads around here - zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, lemon bread, and of course banana bread. This is a great recipe - one of those breads that is delicious enough to have for desert (especially when there are chocolate chips on top!) and healthy enough to have for breakfast. Although it has quite a bit of sugar, it also has the most bananas I have been able to find in a recipe. YUM!

Banana Bread:
4 bananas, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Chocolate chips or nuts (optional)

Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Alternate adding mashed bananas and dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips or nuts if desired. Pour into a large greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for approx 1 hour or until a knife inserted into the loaf comes out clean.

New Chocolate Brownie Recipe

Some days really just call for chocolate, don't they? I am not talking about a bite out of a chocolate chip cookie, or some mostly bland doughnut with some chocolate goop on top. I am not talking about chocolate ice cream or chocolate milk, or even chocolate Easter eggs. I am talking about real, rich, fudgy goodness. Homemade, make-your-home-smell-wonderful, pass-the-milk=please delicacies.

I love brownies on these days - quick and easy to make, little mess, quick baking time, and made with ingredients that I usually have on hand. They make for easy-eating by little ones, without the level of commitment that comes with cookie dough that needs to be baked in batches.

Today I tried out a new brownie recipe, and I love it....so of course I will share. The original recipe is from allrecipe.com.

Best Brownies

1 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the best you can afford - it makes a big difference!)
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips (the original calls for semi-sweet, but I prefer milk)

Melt butter over low heat, and then beat in sugar and vanilla. You Can transfer the butter into a bowl first, but I usually just melt the butter in a big pot and then add the other ingredients into that. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until thoroughly blended. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Gradually stir into wet ingredients, but be sure not to over mix. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan, and back at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.

These turned out lovely - fudgy and chewy in the middle, with a great crispy sweet top. I am sure that you could modify the recipe to make it a little healthier, but some things just need to stay as they are. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Cake

I love rhubarb. I love that it is the first harvest from our garden every spring. I love watching the boys run around with 'elephant ears' made out of rhubarb leaves held up to their heads. I love how it grows so well without any help from me. I love that this plant was a gift from my mother-in-law Jean, and has been growing here since we bought our home 11 years ago. I love that it is from a plant that grew in her yard for many, many years before that.

And, I love rhubarb cake.

This recipe is nothing fancy, and the final product is not what you would call 'pretty'. But is it very moist, just the right combination of sweet-tart, and a wonderful way to enjoy the rhubarb bounty!!

Rhubarb Cake

1 1/2 cup thinly sliced rhubarb
1 c brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 - 2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup apple sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp bakign soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg, salt, vanilla, soda, cinnamon, and applesauce, and flour. Stir in rhubarb. Spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan (batter will be thick) and sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375 for 30 - 35 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pudding Goodness

I am of the general opinion that home made anything is better than commercially produced. For some things, home made is a little better. For others, there is just no comparison. Chocolate Pudding is one of those things. If you have never had home made pudding (chocolate and tapioca are our family favorites) you really don't know what you are missing. I am not talking about the rather bland, gelatinous goop that comes in a small plastic cup from the grocery. Not even the powdered stuff that you 'cook' up yourself at home. I mean the real, honest to goodness, decadent, creamy and still warm from the pot delicacy.

Today as a special treat, I made up some home made chocolate pudding and fresh whipped cream for desert. 'Cause I don't want to be greedy with something this special, here is the recipe.

Chocolate Pudding

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp cocoa
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup warm water
Chocolate (optional)
2 cups cream or milk (divided)
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 1/2 Tsp vanilla

Combine the sugar, cocoa, salt and warm water in a pot. Whisk over medium heat until combined. Remove from heat and stir in additional chocolate, if desired. I tend to use up a little bit of whatever chocolate we have around the house - today it was milk chocolate Easter eggs. Just add a few, and stir until melted. Return to heat, and whisk in 1 3/4 cups cream or milk. The original recipe calls for 10% cream, which is truly heavenly, but I usually use 2% milk and it is still wonderful. Whisk together the remaining milk and corn starch, and then whisk that into the chocolate mixture. Stir over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Let cool slightly, but it really is best served warm. Quick, easy, and fabulous. What else could you ask for?

Responses to the fresh chocolate pudding and whipped cream:
William: God bless home made!!
Charlie: I want to marry this stuff!!!
Need I say more?

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

I didn't manage to snap any pictures before these cookies disappeared a few days ago, but I though I would share the recipe anyway. These are one of my favorites, mostly because they are so yummy, provide a non-chocolate option, and stay fresh for quite a few days after baking them, if they last that long. I came across the recipe on allrecipe.com.

Soft Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup white sugar (+ sugar for rolling)
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1/4 cup molasses

Sift together dry ingredients and put aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, water and molasses. Gradually stir or beat in dry ingredients. Roll into balls, and roll balls in white sugar. Place on a baking stone or cookie sheet and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar to keep it from sticking. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes. Cookies should be cracked on top and slightly brown around the edges. Do not overcook, or they will be crispy instead of soft and chewy.

Gourmet Club

Last month, a group of friends and I decided to reincarnate our book club, alternating each month with a Gourmet Club. Today our Gourmet Club theme was Indian Food. Each of us brought some delicious food to share - food that we might not prepare every day, that are a little different from our usual, and perhaps a little more challenging to cook. The results were divine: vegetarian curry, biryani rice, naan, channa, mattar paneer, and a delicious spinach dish whose name I cannot remember. All of the dishes were vegetarian, which was an added bonus. I was tempted to make Indian sweets for desert, but when I looked up the recipes, well, I couldn't identify most of the ingredients. Unfortunately, the small town that we live in doesn't have a very well stocked grocery store. Instead, the boys and I headed into a bigger city close by, and tracked down a sweet shop. The lovely woman behind the counter didn't even bat an eye when I asked, somewhat sheepishly, to "fill the box with whatever she would recommend". She had great tastes, I must say..

I will definitely be making some of these dishes more often.

New Bread Recipe

Nothing better to do on a 'home day' than try out a new bread recipe, is there? I have been making an effort to bake my own bread whenever I can, mostly using this recipe, which has never done me wrong. Still, today I wanted to try something new.....I found this recipe submitted by J. Crury on Allrecipe.com and it turned out wonderfully. It is light and soft, and the oats give it a nice mild flavour. Next time I may try to 'healthy' it up a bit by increasing the amount of whole wheat and maybe replacing the brown sugar with honey - I will let you know how it goes. Be warned: this is a big recipe, and makes 6 average sized loaves. I baked up three today (some for us and some to share) and froze the other 3 loaves after shaping them, but before the final rising. In theory, I should be able to take them out of the freezer and let them thaw and rise at room temperature before baking the next time that I want a fresh loaf.

Homemade Bread Recipe

1/2 cup warm water
7.5 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup bread flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tbsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
10 cups bread flour

Stir together 1/2 cup warm water, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup bread flour, and yeast. Let grow for approx. 5 minutes.

Add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the bread flour. Stir to combine, then add bread flour 1 cup at a time. When it is too thick to stir, turn out onto a floured surface and knead in the rest of the bread flour.

Place dough into a large greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until double in size (about 1 hour).

Punch down and divide the dough into 6 loaves. Place each loaf into a greased 8 x 4 loaf pan (or wrap individually and freeze). Let rise until double in size (about 1 hour).

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and brush top with melted butter.

YUM!

Home made Deodorant

I came across the recipe and tutorial for homemade deodorant on this blog, and tried it out this afternoon. It was super simple to mix up, smells nice, and I have been wearing it all day. It is comfortable, not at all sticky or wet, and seems to work wonderfully!

1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
6-8 tbsp coconut oil
a few drops each of peppermint and tea tree essential oil

Mix together the flour and soda in a bowl, then mix in coconut oil with the back of a spoon. You can keep adding coconut oil / soda and flour mixture until it comes to the right consistency - fairly solid, but malleable (the same consistency as store bought). Then mix in essential oils.

I packed mine into two small canning jars and applied it with my fingertips, but you could also pack it into an empty deodorant container if you have one on hand.

Food Glorious Food !

One of my New Year's resolutions this year (and for the past 12 years, ahem!) has been to get a better handle on our family budget. And one of the biggest things that I want to change is how much money we spend on groceries. The main culprits of overspent food money in our home - waste!!

It is usually me that does the grocery shopping, and unfortunately sometimes my pack rat self takes over. After all, you never know when you will be snowed in and need 12 jars of peanut butter, right? It isn't really the 'pantry' things that are the issue. I do love to have a stocked cold cellar. It becomes a problem, though, when I stock up on too many perishables that then end up being tossed because they have rotted before we get to eat them. I also come from a long line of women who feel it is far better to have enough food to feed an army than to run out of something at the dinner table. Not a very sustainable approach to meals, but what can I say?

So, I am tackling this little issue of mine by trying to plan out the meals and snacks for our family each week. It should help me to purchase the foods that we need, but not over-buy the things that won't last. Here is what is on the menu for this week:

Breakfast: mornings on our family are a fairly relaxed affair, and breakfast is, too. Most mornings we all grab what we want of: pancakes, English muffins, yogurt and fruit, cereal, smoothies, toast and jam, eggs and toast, or oatmeal and applesauce, plus juice or milk.

Monday
Lunch: Snack lunch - crackers, cheese, sliced apples, dried cranberries, cashews, grapes and turkey / ham slices
Supper: Spaghetti with tomato sauce, tossed salad and garlic bread with cheese
Snack: Pretzels and peanut butter, sliced oranges

Tuesday
Lunch: Homemade macaroni and cheese with ham, mixed veggies
Supper: Rotisserie chicken, home made french fries, gravy and peas.
Snack:Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Wednesday
Lunch: Grilled cheese sandwiches, apple slices and juice
Supper: Cauliflower and potato bake, mixed salad, and chocolate chip cookies (at my sister's home)
Snack: Pretzels, fruit bars and yogurt on the way to swim lessons

Thursday
Lunch: Tomato soup, sliced carrots, cucumbers, and pita chips with red pepper dip
Supper: Chicken fajitas (with leftover rotisserie chicken) made with peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheese
Snack: Pear slices and Valentines day cookies

Friday
Lunch: Bacon, eggs and toast, baked beans, sliced tomatoes
Supper: Meatball subs (with leftover spaghetti sauce) and Caesar salad
Snack: Crackers and cheese, applesauce

Saturday
Lunch: Peanut butter and jam sandwiches, apple slices and milk
Supper: Homemade pizza with tossed salad
Snack: Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

Sunday
Lunch: Bagels and cream cheese, bananas and grapes, milk or juice
Supper: Roast beef with mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots and turnip
Snack: Applesauce cake with brown sugar topping

Yum!!

Cold Weather Food

I have been trying to fool myself that spring is just around the corner, but since that is really quite far from the truth, I thought that I had better start to embrace winter a little bit. Today called for some serious comfort food, and I thought I would share the recipes.

Potato Leek Soup:
4 large leeks
2 tbsp olive oil
5 large potatoes - peeled and cubed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp black pepper
250g cream cheese
2 cups milk

Trim and discard the leek roots and the tough outer leaves. Rinse well and chop. Put into a large soup pan with olive oil and garlic, and cook on medium-high until tender. Add stock, potatoes, and pepper. Cook for 20 - 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Blend in small batches and then return to pot. Stir in cream cheese by the spoonful until melted. Add milk until the desired consistency.


Sweet Potato Bread:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 3/4 flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup water
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine sugar, oil, and eggs. Beat well. In a large bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in wet ingredients, alternating with water. Stir in sweet potatoes and pecans. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for approx. 1 hour.

Chai Latte Concentrate

This is one of those recipes that you need to try on faith, because at first glance it sounds (and looks!) rather yucky. I came across it on this blog, and had to try it out. The results were this: you know those Chai Lattes that you buy at Starbucks or Second Cup that are too ridiculously expensive to admit to your husband that you buy, so you have to scrimp on groceries and make do with tuna casserole and spaghetti for a week so that you can grab one as a special treat for yourself? You know those? Well, this recipe makes them quick, cheap, easy, and guilt-free. Really. I have had two already this afternoon - stay tuned for my 3am posting as there is no chance that I will fall asleep with so much caffeine in my system now.

Chai Concentrate

1 - 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Mix together and store in the fridge. To make, brew one cup of strong black tea (I used regular Orange Pekoe since it was what I had on hand) and mix in 2 tsp of the chai concentrate. Stir until dissolved, and enjoy!

Cranberry Nut Bread

This is a new recipe that I have just tried (sorry - forgot to click a photo) to use up that last of the fresh cranberries left over from the holiday season. It got good reviews, so I thought that I would share:

Cranberry Nut Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp grated orange peel
2 tbsp shortening
1 egg - well beaten
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix together dry ingredients until well blended. Beat in orange juice, orange peel, shortening, and egg. Beat until blended. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Spread into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 55 minutes, or until done. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Recipe from Ocean Spray

Fruit and Nut Granola

In an effort to get the year off to a healthy start, I went looking for a recipe for home made granola. There are a ton of recipes out there, so I did a little bit of picking and choosing what appealed to me. The final result was sweet, crunchy and very fruity.

Fruit and Nut Granola

In a large bowl, mix together:

6 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup shredded coconut

In a medium sauce pan over low - medium heat, combine:

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup vegitable oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

Cook until sugar is melted and the ingredients are well combined.

Pour sugar mixture over dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Spread onto a large cookie sheet or shallow baking dish and bake at 300 degrees for approx. 40 minutes, stiring every 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is dry.

Remove from the oven and cool completely. Then stir in 2 cups of dried fruit:

raisins

dried cranberries

chopped apricots

I think that dried apples would be wonderful, but I didn't have any on hand.

Enjoy!

A Sneak Peak

It seems so selfish to be crafting up a storm and not sharing any of the ideas, when I learn so much from other people's blogs. So I thought that I would share this little recipe before Christmas...If you are on my Christmas list, please look away!!

Stocking stuffers are always a challenge for me...It needs to be something inexpensive, fairly small, but not junky. Best, of course, if there is something that everyone will enjoy.

This lip balm fits the bill perfectly. It is really quick and easy to make, smells and tasted wonderful, and is made from ingredients that I (usually) have on hand. Even the guys enjoy getting it!

Lip Balm:

Combine 4 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbst grated bees wax, and 1 Tbsp of honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat and stir until the beeswax is melted. Remove from heat and wisk in the contents of 1 vitamin E capsule and 6 drops of Peppermint essential oil. Pour into sterilized lip stick tubes or other small containers (the watchmakers tins from Lee Valley Tools are a perfect fit).