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Cookies for Breakfast in a Jar

December 17, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 6 Comments

Cookies for Breakfast in a jar Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

2/3 c brown sugar, packed
1 t baking soda
¾ t baking powder
1 c all purpose flour
¾ c whole wheat flour
3 c multi grain cereal
½ cup dried blueberries
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup raisins

Layer all ingredients in a mason jar. Close jar tightly and cover with fabric and ribbon. Affix with the following instructions.

1 jar cookies for breakfast gift mix
½ c butter room temperature
2 eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together butter and eggs until smooth. Add ingredients in jar. Mix until well combined.
With your hands form batter into large golf ball sized balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Press down on each ball with a spoon to flatten it slightly. Place cookies in the oven and bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Let stand 1 minute then transfer to cooling rack. Enjoy these warm with a glass of milk or leave out for Santa. Happy Holidays!

Filed Under: Baking Recipes For Kids, Breakfast Recipes For Kids, Crafts, Healthy Recipes For Kids, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids

Homemade Holiday Caramel

December 13, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 18 Comments

I love caramel.  It’s got to be one of the best candy inventions of all time.

Whenever someone sends me a chocolate box, guess which ones are gone first?

We decided to make our own at home and wrap them up as little goodie and hostess bags to give away this holiday season.

You can too…

crafts Homemade Holiday Caramel

The boys are also bringing them as gifts to school…though they’ll be bringing them without nuts, we’re all nut free facilities around here.

Homemade Holiday Caramels

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes  Cool Time: 2 hours

What you need:

Candy Thermometer

Parchment Paper

Cooking spray

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup evaporated milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter

½ t salt

1 T vanilla extract

optional

Fancy Sea Salt (i.e. Fleur de Sel)

Chopped toasted pecans

Chopped peanuts

Gift Bags

Wax Paper

Ribbon or Raffia

crafts Homemade Holiday Caramel

What to do:

Line a 13×9 baking dish with parchment paper.

Lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a medium pot combine sugars, corn syrup, evaporated milk, whipping cream, butter, and salt.  Mix well.  Heat over medium heat.

crafts Homemade Holiday Caramel

Using your candy thermometer watch the heat and when it reaches 250 degrees remove from the pot.  Stir in your vanilla then pour into baking dish.

crafts Homemade Holiday Caramel

Cool in the fridge.  Once cooled cut into small pieces and wrap in wax paper.

crafts Homemade Holiday Caramel

Place in gift bags and tie with ribbon and raffia.  Optional….top your caramels with sea salt, or chopped nuts.

Filed Under: Crafts, Featured, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids, Snacks Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Letters to Santa

December 12, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 13 Comments

It’s that time of year!!!!

Are you bombarded this time of year with that wonderful question…

“What do the kids want for Christmas?”

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate everyone who wants to buy them stuff, but honestly…

I can’t keep it all straight!

Oh and those commercials….

The never ending loop of holiday commercials!

All I hear…

“Ma, can I have that?”

“Ma, can you put that on my list???”

“Ma, come quick, you’ve got to see this!”

First off, I don’t have to come quick.  We have DVR.

Secondly, I don’t want to see another commercial for Tron, or Star Wars, or Lego, or Spongebob Operation!

So, I’ve come up with a solution…

crafts Letters to Santa

Letters to Santa – Or to Hanukkah Harry…

Prep Time: 5 minutes Craft Time: 25 minutes

What you need:

Poster board

Markers

Kid scissors (or regular scissors depending on the age of your kids)

Glue Sticks

Catalogs Galore (Toys, Electronics, Clothes – all the stuff that comes to your house all the time this season.)

crafts Letters to Santa

What to do:

Set the kids up at the table with their catalogs and scissors.

Let them cut out all the things they’d like to ask Santa for (toys, iPods, socks, whatever)

Once they’ve cut it out have them glue it onto their poster board.

crafts Letters to Santa

They can color their poster board too and decorate it to match their personality so Santa will be sure to know it’s theirs, and you’ll know what to tell the in-laws when they ask what the kiddos want this year.

I made one too…

crafts Letters to Santa

I’m telling Santa that I’ve been a very very good girl and I’d really like that smoker please!

Filed Under: Crafts, Featured, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Holiday Gift Week Holiday Bark

December 9, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 18 Comments

Do you have as many gifts to give this year as I do?

The kids have friends, teachers, and coaches galore…

Not to mention all the neighbors, mailmen, trainers, etc.

How many coffee gift cards can I possibly give out?

Well here’s the answer…

This one comes together in a snap and it’s super delicious to boot!

 

crafts Holiday Gift Week Holiday Bark

Holiday Bark

Prep Time:  10 minutes  Cook Time: 5 minutes

Cool Time: 1-2 hours

What you need:

crafts Holiday Gift Week Holiday Bark

2 11 ounce bags white chocolate chips

1 T walnut oil

¾ cup dried cranberries

1 cup shelled pistachios

gift boxes or bags

ribbon or raffia

What to do:

In a large microwave safe bowl combine chocolate and walnut oil.  Heat on high at 30 second intervals stirring in between until just melted.

crafts Holiday Gift Week Holiday Bark

Remove from microwave and stir quickly to finish melting.  Pour in cranberries and pistachios and stir to combine.

crafts Holiday Gift Week Holiday Bark

Pour out onto a greased sheet pan into a thin layer.

crafts Holiday Gift Week Holiday Bark

Refrigerate until cool.  Break up into jagged pieces.

crafts Holiday Gift Week Holiday Bark

Place into gift boxes tied with ribbon and raffia.  Perfect festive holiday gift for anyone on your list!

Filed Under: Crafts, Featured, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes, Kids Desserts, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Holiday Gift Week – Hot Cocoa in a Jar

December 7, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 19 Comments

You asked for it…

You got it!

Baby It’s Cold Outside…

Nothing better this time of year than a big ol’ cup of hot cocoa.

Why not wrap up some love for your friends, teachers, coaches and neighbors this year

It’s ok…go ahead and steal this great idea for a holiday gift.

crafts Holiday Gift Week Hot Cocoa in a Jar

Hot Cocoa in a Jar
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

crafts Holiday Gift Week Hot Cocoa in a Jar

What you need:

2 cups Instant Nonfat Dried Milk
¾ cup sugar
½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 cup non dairy creamer
1 t salt
1 cup mini marshmallows

Options:
add a layer of nutmeg and cinnamon
add a layer of crushed candy canes
make a flavored hot chocolate by adding a layer of flavored powdered non dairy creamer – Amaretto, French Vanilla, Irish Coffee, etc.

What to do:

Layer all ingredients into a jar with Marshmallows on top. Or you could combine all the ingredients into a bowl then place into the jar and top with marshmallows.

crafts Holiday Gift Week Hot Cocoa in a Jar

We did it both ways. Close jar tightly and cover with fabric and ribbon. Affix with the following instructions.

crafts Holiday Gift Week Hot Cocoa in a Jar

Hot Cocoa Mix – remove marshmallows, set aside. Shake jar well. Take out 2-3 to tablespoons and place in a mug. Mix with 8 ounces hot water, or coffee. Top with marshmallows. Enjoy. Happy Holidays!

crafts Holiday Gift Week Hot Cocoa in a Jar

Filed Under: Crafts, Featured, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,

Holiday Gift Week – Soup in a Jar

December 5, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 16 Comments

Back by popular demand…

Some of our favorite make at home gifts.

Looking for a new and unique gift idea?

Something different for neighbors, friends, teachers, coaches, and anyone else on your list this holiday?

How about a home cooked meal?

appetizers Holiday Gift Week Soup in a Jar

Beef Noodle Soup in a Jar

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes

Mason Jars

Ribbon

Colored cloth/fabric

Decorative paper for instructions

¼ cup red lentils

¼ cup green split peas

¼ cup barley

1/3 cup beef bouillon powder

¼ cup dried onion

2 T. parsley flakes

1/3 t. thyme

1/3 t. pepper

1 t. basil

1 t. garlic powder

½ t. celery seed

S&P

3 cups tri color pasta, separated into colors.

appetizers Holiday Gift Week Soup in a Jar

Layer ingredients neatly one by one into a large mason jar.

appetizers Holiday Gift Week Soup in a Jar

Close jar tightly and cover with fabric.  Tie with ribbons.  Affix instructions:

1 jar holiday gift soup

1 22 ounce can crushed tomatoes

8 cups water

Bring water and tomatoes to a boil in a large stock pot.  Add soup mix.  Simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until noodles are tender.  Enjoy.  Happy Holidays.

appetizers Holiday Gift Week Soup in a Jar

Let the kids help you with writing the instructions and be sure to let them sign their names!

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes For Kids, Crafts, Featured, Holidays, Kid Favorite Recipes, Lunch Ideas For Kids, Recipes For Kids, Soups Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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