Category: Recipe

Thanksgiving Baking

My brother and his family came to visit us for Thanksgiving this year. We had fun playing inside and outsied!

Gingerbread Men

Making gingerbread houses is our family Thanksgiving tradition. This year we tried something new and decorated home made gingerbread men…

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • Icing
  • Decorating Candies

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Once dough begins to form a ball in the center, dust generously with flour.
  2. Cover dough with plastic wrap or wax paper and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  3. Dust a smooth surface with flour, and roll out a section of the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.
  4. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter slice out your Gingerbread Men.
  5. Bake at 350˚F/180˚C for 10-12 minutes.
  6. Cool completely before decorating with icing and candies.

Hershey’s Freezer Pie

We love chocolate freezer pie for Thanksgiving dessert…

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. Hershey’s bar
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese
  • 16 oz. Cool Whip
  • 2 Prepared 8 inch Graham Crust
  • 1/4 cup milk

Directions:

  1. Heat the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted.
  2. Beat the cream cheese and add the remaining milk. Add chocolate mix and beat until smooth.
  3. In a bowl, fold the chocolate mix into the cool whip and blend until smooth.
  4. Spoon the mix into the crusts. I decorated the pies with some extra cool whip and shaved chocolate bar for my son’s birthday.
  5. Freeze for 4 hours.

Cinnamon Rolls

I made homemade cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving day breakfast…

Ingredients:

Dough

  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Icing

  • 4 ounces cream softened cheese
  • 1/4 cup softened butter
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk and yeast… let set for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Add sugar, salt, butter, and eggs. Add in flour. Using a dough hook, turn the mixer on to a low speed.
  3. Once the flour starts to mix into the dough, increase the speed to a medium range. Add more flour as necessary so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should be soft, but not stick to your hands.
  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.
  5. Lightly grease a baking pan. Punch down the dough and roll into a 12inch by 18inch rectangle.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread on top of the dough. Roll up tightly lengthwise so you have one long roll. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 one-inch slices.
  7. Place the slices onto a lightly 9×13 pan. Cover and let rise 30 to 45 minutes.
  8. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes, until the tops have a touch of brown.
  9. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the cream cheese icing by using a hand mixer to whip together cream cheese and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Whip in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add enough milk to get a super soft consistency.
  10. Frost the rolls while still warm. Serve immediately or cool and store. Stays good for 4 to 5 days.

I made them the night before and placed them in the refrigerator before the last rising. In the morning I set them on the counter for an hour before I baked them.

Cherry Cheese Pie -15

My oldest in now 15 years old! 15 years ago he taught me that it is possible to “fall in love at first sight”! He is a sweet, loving, and brilliant young man.

Ingredients:

  • 9 inch Graham crust
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
  • 14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
  • 1 tea. Vanilla
  • 1 can Cherry Pie Filling

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
  2. Beat in milk until smooth.
  3. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
  4. Pour into crust and chill for 3 hours.
  5. Top with cherries and refrigerate.

We let the 3 month old play with the balloons. We tied them to her hands and feet, since she is kicking an waving non-stop… She loved this!

Spy Birthday -10

My son wanted to have a secret agent spy birthday party with his classmates. It was so much fun, and the weather cooperated with us too!

Crime Scene Gifts

Secret Agent Badges

“First thing you all need to do is to create your Secret Agent Badge.  To figure out your Secret Agent name, you will draw a name from this “First Name” can, and then draw a name from the “Last Name” can.  Then you can write your Secret Agent Name on your ID card.  Next you can add your fingerprint to your ID card.  Gently press one finger into the ink pad and carefully place it on the box in your ID card.  Last choose a badge holder and place your ID card into it and clip it on your clothing.”

One girl even drew the name “Secret Agent”! I found the Badge Holders on Amazon.

Spy Gear

“Before we get started, we will need to equip ourselves with some Spy equipment.  Unfortunately, the equipment has been kept under lock and key, so you will need to work together to release the supplies.  To open the cuffs there is a key maze inside each cuff.  Insert the lock pick in the maze and the rotate the lock pick left, right, up and down to follow the maze to reach the bottom and unlock the hand cuffs.”

I placed the Spy Gear in the Top Secret Boxes that I found on Amazon, then I cuffed them together with the boys Spy Code Yulu Break Free game. In one box I had Walkie Talkies that I had gotten my son for his birthday gift. Another box had face disguises like mustaches. One box had Invisible Ink Spy Pens and Pads. And the last box had the Spy Look Behind Glasses that the kids loved.

Mission Possible

The kids followed the clues around the yard and solved the puzzles to find the laser maze at the end. We used the Spy Code games that my boys already had. There are several spy contraptions in each game that we pulled out and used in our Mission Possible scavenger hunt. They have Spy Code Operation: Escape Room, Spy Code Yulu Break Free, and he got Spy Code Safe Breaker as a gift from Grandpa.

“Things to remember, if you come to a ‘Mission Envelope’ that is not the next number, just leave it alone until you get to that number… the envelopes must be solved in number order.  Use the walkie-talkies to communicate and don’t open any of the “Mission Envelopes” until all of your agents are present.  Work together to solve the code, and decide who will work on the Spy contraption. Who ever is not working the code or contraption can use the walkie talkies to find the next clue after solving is completed.  Do not open the next ‘Mission Envelope’ until both the code and contraption have been solved for the current ‘Mission Envelope’.“

Laser Maze

Licorice TNT

Pop Secret Popcorn

Root Beer Floats

I scooped the icecream into jars ahead of time, so the kids could choose their flavor or icecream and soda. They really enjoyed these!

Party Foods

Basically I put out some of his favorite red and yellow foods to stick with my color theme. Watermelon, pineapple, salami and cheese and crackers, popcorn, and licorice, lemonade, and Koolaid!

Secret Agent Cake

I made a red, yellow, and chocolate checkered cake with my homemade white butter cream icing. Then I made marshmallow fondant to create the decorations.

Buttercream Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • 4 cups powdered sugar (2 lbs)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon milk (if thick)

Directions:

  1. Cream together the butter and Crisco with a mixer.
  2. Slowly add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time.
  3. Add the vanilla, if it seems too thick you can add a bit of milk.

Marshmallow Fondant Recepie

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz. Mini Marshmallows
  • 3 TBSP water
  • 2 lbs Powdered Sugar (4 cups)
  • Crisco

Directions:

  1. Grease a large glass bowl with Crisco.
  2. Pour in the marshmallows and water; then microwave at 30- second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted.
  3. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar. Place the red of the powdered sugar in a large bowl of a standing mixer.
  4. Grease the paddle attachment with Crisco and pour in the melted marshmallows on top of the powdered sugar.
  5. Beat until a dough form; there will be a lot of loose bits and sugar in the bottom of the bowl.
  6. Grease a clean work surface with Crisco and dump out the fondant and all the loose bits. Grease your hands liberally with Crisco and knead the mixture together, just like kneading bread, for about 5 minutes until smooth.
  7. Grease hands again as needed. As the fondant becomes smoother, use the reserved powdered sugar to coat the surface to keep it from sticking.
  8. Once smooth, you can divide and color the fondant. While working with one piece, cover the remaining fondant with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
  9. When you have your colors finished coat the fondant in a light layer or Crisco; wrap in plastic wrap and place in a large baggie for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
  10. Store at room temperature for several months. To us it, dust the surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar and roll out to 1/8 of an inch.

Gender Reveal Cake

Since we are stuck at home for COVID-19 pandemic, no one could go with me to my ultrasound to see the baby gender. When I got home I made a gender reveal cake for the family to cut open and see the gender of baby. I also Zoom called extended family members so that they could be apart of the excitement too!

  1. I mixed up a white cake mix then add either blue or pink food coloring for the reveal.
  2. Then I greased 2 heart shaped cake pans and put half of the mix into each pan.
  3. I baked them according to the directions on the box and then let them cool.
  4. I mixed up some of my homemade buttercream to cover the cake with. 1 cup butter, 1 cup Crisco, 4 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 tablespoon milk (if thick).
  5. Last I colored the left over food coloring blue and pink to decorate the cake with, I wrote “Brother or Sister?” on the cake.
  6. My husband cut open the cake to reveal the gender during our Zoom call with family!
Baby Sister!

Easter Pizzas

I made Fruit Pizza and Vegge Pizza for Easter this year. This is also the first year that I made a homemade Easter meal for the family. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic we had to stay home rather than going to family’s houses for Easter dinner.

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 Sugar Cookie Dough
  • 1 Marshmallow Cream
  • 1 Cream Cheese
  • Fruit

Directions:

  1. First grease a cookie sheet and place roll out the sugar cookie dough in the shape of an Easter egg.
  2. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.
  3. Let it completely cool.
  4. Mix together the marshmallow cream and the cream cheese and cover the cookie egg.
  5. Cut the fruit to small pieces and decorate the Easter egg.

Vegge Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 Crescent Roll Dough
  • 1 Ranch Packet
  • 1 Cream Cheese
  • Broccoli
  • Carrots
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

  1. First grease a cookie sheet and place crescent roll triangles on the sheet.
  2. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
  3. Let it completely cool.
  4. Mix together the ranch packet and the cream cheese and cover the triangles.
  5. Chop the broccoli and place on the wide end of the triangles.
  6. Shred the carrot and cover the rest of the triangles.
  7. Add shredded cheddar to the carrot portion of the triangles.
  8. They should look like triangle carrots 🙂

Traditional Easter

Even though we had to stay home we tried to have all of the traditional Easter fun that we usually do (except attending church)… egg dying, egg hunting, and Easter baskets!

Christmas Crafts & Snacks

The kids and I made some fun snacks for our teachers, coaches, and neighbors… We placed a variety of Hershey’s Kisses on the square shaped pretzels and melted them for a few minutes. After they came out of the oven, we added M&M’s to the middles of them.

I saved our Crystal Light containers for the past few years, and then I wrapped them in paper and added a bow and tag.

We made fun ornaments in my son’s class Christmas party… Snowman, Santa, and Roudolph.

Kids Thanksgiving Treats

One of our family Thanksgiving traditions is making Gingerbread Houses. This year we continued our tradition with mini Gingerbread Houses and Waffle Cone Christmas Trees. I also tried something new this year, I made a Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board with foods that my family enjoys.

Mini Gingerbread Houses

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. We each chose our houses and gently broke apart the pieces… one of the houses broke in the mail. But we were happy with the rest of our houses.
  2. We helped each other hold the pieces together as we used the icing to “glue” them into place.
  3. Then we decorated our houses with the candies using the icing as the “glue”.

Waffle Cone Christmas Trees

Ingredients:

  • Waffle Cones
  • Royal Icing
  • Green Food Coloring
  • Tiny Christmas Candies

Directions:

  1. We dyed some of the icing green and covered our waffle cones with it.
  2. Then we used the candies to decorate our Christmas trees.

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Ingredients:

  • Wooden Board
  • Small bowls or containers
  • Small spoons, knives, tongs, etc…
  • various Meats and Cheeses
  • various Crackers and Breads
  • fresh and dried Fruit and Berries
  • Candy Pumpkins or Candy Corn
  • Sage or Thyme

Directions:

  1. Place your bowls on your board. We put olives, craisins, frosted cranberries, and roasted pumpkin seeds in our bowls.
  2. Place your cheese. We used a sphere of Gouda cheese and a bacon ranch cheese ball.
  3. Place your meats around the cheese. We like pepperoni and hard salami.
  4. Place your crackers and breads. We used 3 different types of crackers, blue corn chips, and a sliced baguette.
  5. Place some herbs around the edges of the board.
  6. Place your fruit and berries. We used grapes, blackberries, strawberries, and clementines.
  7. Last we placed our candy pumpkins and added the utensils.

Chocolate Freezer Pies -14

He wanted chocolate freezer pies again this year… he just loves these.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. Hershey’s bar
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese
  • 16 oz. Cool Whip
  • 2 Prepared 8 inch Graham Crust
  • 1/4 cup milk

Directions:

  1. Heat the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted.
  2. Beat the cream cheese and add the remaining milk. Add chocolate mix and beat until smooth.
  3. In a bowl, fold the chocolate mix into the cool whip and blend until smooth.
  4. Spoon the mix into the crusts. I decorated the pies with some extra cool whip and shaved chocolate bar for my son’s birthday.
  5. Freeze for 4 hours.

Art Birthday Party -10

We had an Art Birthday Party for Raegan’s 10th birthday. There were several art stations set up outside and then we had the food inside.

Decorate Your Own Cupcake

Materials:

Directions:

  1. I printed out pictures of wooden paint palettes and laminated them to place the cupcakes on. Then I placed a cupcake of each color on them.
  2. I made chocolate and white cupcakes and used different colored frosting for them (the kids could have iced the cupcakes themselves too).
  3. I added different sprinkles to the plastic paint palettes and placed a cupcake in the middle of the palettes.
  4. The kids could choose a paint palette and decorate their own cupcake.

Creative Juice

We had blue Koolaid in our Creative Juice, but you could choose anything that your child likes. I also found these crazy straws for the kids!

Rice Krispie Paint Brushes

Ingredients:

  • Rice Krispie Treats
  • Food Coloring
  • White Chocolate Melts
  • Craft Sticks

Directions:

  1. After I made the Rice Krispies I cut them into rectangles and placed a craft stick into the bottom of them.
  2. Then I melted the white chocolate and added different colored food coloring to it.
  3. Then dip in the Rice Krispie treats to look like paint brushes with paint on them.

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients :

  • Crescent Roll Dough
  • Cream Cheese 8 oz.
  • Marshmallow Cream 1 can
  • Colored Fruit

Directions:

  1. I spread the Crescent Roll dough on a pizza pan and then cut out a sliver one one side and a hole to make it look like a paint palette.
  2. Then I baked it according to the directions on the can.
  3. Mix together the Cream Cheese and the Marshmallow Cream to spread on the Crescent Roll.
  4. I cut up different colored fruit red strawberries, orange mandarins, yellow pineapple, green grapes, blue berries, red grapes.
  5. I placed the left over fruit and dip in a platter for our guests.

Vegie Pizza

Ingredients :

  • Crescent Roll Dough
  • Sour Cream 1 tub
  • Ranch packet
  • Colored Vegetables

Directions:

  1. I spread the Crescent Roll dough on a pizza pan and then cut out a sliver one one side and a hole to make it look like a paint palette.
  2. Then I baked it according to the directions on the can.
  3. Mix together the Sour Cream and the Ranch packet to spread on the Crescent Roll.
  4. I cut up different colored vegetables red cherry tomatoes, orange carrots, yellow bell peppers, green cucumbers, green broccoli, purple onion.
  5. I placed the left over vegetables and dip in a platter for our guests.

Crayon Cans

Materials:

  • Tin Cans
  • Crayons
  • Glue Gun
  • Ribbons

Directions:

  1. I glued the crayons around the tin cans.
  2. Then I glued a ribbon around them.
  3. I placed the plasticwear in the cans.

Living Photo Frame

I used some large cardboard boxes and paint to create a living photo frame for the kids to take pictures in.

Tie Dye Station

Materials:

  • Tie Dye
  • Paper Plates
  • Rubber Bands
  • Plastic Bags
  • Sharpie
  • Something White to Dye
  • Bucket of Water
  • Plastic Gloves
  • Paper Towels

Directions:

  1. Write name on a plastic bag.
  2. Place the shirt in the water and squeeze out all of the water.
  3. Twist or tie the shirt with the rubber bands.
  4. Put on gloves and pour different colored dye onto the shirt.
  5. Place the shirt in the plastic bag and keep it there for 2 hours.
  6. Rinse it out in the sink before washing alone for the first time.

Sidewalk Chalk Station

I placed sidewalk chalk on this table.

Rock Painting Station

I placed rocks and paints on this table.

Slime Making Station

Materials:

  • Glue
  • Sta-Flo
  • Food Coloring
  • Glitter and Sequins
  • Bowls
  • Large Spoons
  • 1 Cup
  • Plastic Bags
  • Sharpie

Directions:

  1. Write child’s name on a bag.
  2. 1 cup glue mixed with 1 cup Sta-Flo.
  3. Keep mixing until thick enough to hold in hands.
  4. Add food coloring, glitter, or sequins.
  5. Place the slime in your plastic bag.

Sand Art Station

Materials:

Directions:

  1. Using the funnels, place the sand in the stars.
  2. Glue on the lid.

Canvas Painting Station

I put out little canvas’s and paints for the kids to create their own masterpieces.

Independence Day Foods

Our family LOVES lighting fireworks in the backyard. Occasionally, we also have fun foods too. This year I tried some new recipes for taco dip, and fruit desserts.

Patriotic Taco Dip

Ingredients:

  • Tortilla Chips
  • Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
  • 2 cans Refried Beans
  • Black Olives
  • 1 1/2 cups Guacamole
  • 2 cups white Shredded Cheese
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese
  • 16 oz. Sour Cream
  • Taco Seasoning Packet

Directions:

  1. Place refried beans on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
  2. Place the guacamole on the beans.
  3. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Then place it in the dish.
  4. Place the shredded cheese on the top.
  5. Next place the olives in the top left corner like the blue field of the American flag.
  6. Last place the tomatoes in stripes on the cheese to look like a flag.

Berry Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2 Angel Food cake mix
  • Blue and Red Berries
  • Cool Whip

Directions:

  1. Bake the angel food cake according to the directions for 3 baking pans and let it cool.
  2. Wash and slice the berries, we used strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
  3. Spread some of the cream on one of the cakes and add a few berries.
  4. Place another cake on top of the berries and spread some more cream and berries on that cake too.
  5. Then place the last cake on the top and spread some more cream.
  6. Last place the berries in randomly or in a fancy pattern if you want!

Captain America Fruit Platter

Ingredients:

  • Cherries
  • Marshmallows
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • 1 package Cream Cheese
  • 1 jar Marshmallow Cream
  • Large Round Platter
  • Small Star Dish

Directions:

  1. Mix the cream cheese and marshmallow cream and place it in the star dish.
  2. Place blueberries around the star.
  3. Place a circle of marshmallows around the blueberries.
  4. Place a circle of strawberries around the marshmallows.
  5. Place another circle of marshmallows around the strawberries.
  6. Last place a circle of cherries around the marshmallows.
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