Primitive Baskets & Berry Garlands

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This basket was handmade for me. It was one out of a set of 8, that a reader sent in for a product review sample. This particular basket was handcrafted with natural maple & leather straps.

During one of my trips to a favorite gift shop, I saw a beautiful black basket with a berry garland around the top. Unfortunately, it was way out of the price range that I was willing to pay for it.

I started thinking about some of the baskets that I had at home, and I decided to try an experiment with one of them.

I used a can of flat black spray paint and covered the basket inside & out (outside in a well vented area of course :). At first I wanted to try to keep the handles from getting paint on them for fear of ruining the leather, but then I decided to go ahead & try to paint them.

I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this project came out! Both the leather & the wood received the paint, and both covered very well!

As you can see in this picture, I’ve added a nice fall berry garland to the top for the season. Each season, I plan to add some different type of decoration.

You could use any extra basket that you have around your house – a $1 can of paint & some seasonal decorations to make your own inexpensive decorative display.

I really love the way this project gives me a primitive basket look, at a very small price!

Soup up Your Soup – Easy touches that make soup great!

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Nothing seems to warm your insides like a bowl of homemade soup. Instead of having soup as usual, why not add a little pizzazz to your next pot? Your family will love you for it!
Homemade chicken soup

Here are just a few ideas to help make your homemade soup a little more special.

* Mix 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 eggs, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup milk. Then, right before you turn your stove off, whisk this mixture into the pot (make sure that the soup is still slightly boiling so the mixture will “cook” into the soup broth. I use this technique with our chicken soup.

* Add vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or wine vinegar – adds a great taste! * My kids don’t think they can eat their soup until we add the balsamic vinegar 🙂

* Add small cooked meatballs to any kind of soup. You can use this instead of other costly meat. A little goes a long way!

* Noodle drops – 1 1/3C flour, 1C milk, 1 egg, salt, pepper, mix & drop into boiling soup. They float when done.

Homemade soup…it warms the heart & soul 🙂

Apple Butter Made Easy – Plus a great gift idea!

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While growing up, I remember friends of ours planning the annual apple butter making day. It was a huge chore & a very long process! Peel the apples – core the apples – slice the apples – start a huge fire in a pit – cook the apples in a heavy cast iron kettle – stoke the fire – stoke the fire – did I say stoke the fire? This went on for literally hours! Then came the process of canning the apple butter!
Apple butter.

Hopefully I can encourage you to try your hand at this flavorful spread, when you see how easy you can make it in your own kitchen.

Wash apples & cook whole in a large pot with water. When very tender, push through a sieve – now you have apple sauce! No peeling, slicing, or coring needed!

These ingredients make 1 apple butter recipe:

8 cups of apple sauce
4 cups of sugar (2 white – 2 brown)
1/2 cup of vinegar or cider
2 t cinnamon
1 t ground cloves

Put all into a crock pot & cook on high for approx. 7 hours. Make sure the steam can escape when it starts boiling.

You can store in the fridge or freeze for later use. Canning would also be a good option. Fill jelly jars with hot sauce & process in a boiling water bath.

* Here’s a great gift idea – a gift basket with a breakfast theme. Include things like; apple butter, homemade bread, pretty bowl, coffee cup, coffee (make some of those different coffee mixes), tea, and homemade granola cereal. Wrap it up with tea towels and cloth napkins. You could call it – breakfast in bed.

Drink Mix For The Chocolate Lover in 2 Quick steps – Great for gift giving!

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After a cool evening walk, one of our favorite things to do is grab a cup of hot cocoa! Here’s a quick recipe that will keep your family warm throughout the season!

hot chocolate

The basic recipe is made by adding 3 parts nonfat dry milk & 2 parts semisweet chocolate chips.

Example:

3 cups instant nonfat dry milk & 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.).

After you mix the amount desired, mix 1/2 of the recipe at a time in a food processor. Store in an airtight container.

To serve, place 3 heaping spoons of mix in a cup of hot water.

If you’d like, you could add a bit of vanilla or marshmallows to your cup.

* This recipe can be stored for up to 6 months!

This would make a great gift for friends, teachers, the mail man, bus driver, or anyone for that matter! Simply put mix in a pretty tin or jar, and include the directions for making on a nice card that you could attach to the container.

You could also put some of the mix in a zip lock bag, stuff that into a nice coffee mug, and attach the recipe for the mix on a handcrafted note card (brown paper bag with a stencil or stamp would be really nice!), and add a cinnamon stick or two. This would also make a great addition to a gift basket.

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To stop the mess made by pouring pancake batter from the bowl, squeeze your pancakes into the pan using a meat baster!
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Caramel Apples & Candy Apples – October at it’s best!

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Is there anything more delicious at an Oct. party than candy & caramel apples?! These tasty treats hold a special place in my childhood memory! Like cotton candy at a circus, candy apples hold the spotlight at any harvest party.

Caramel Apples with Peanuts & Chocolate

You’ll be so surprised at how easy these wonderful treats are to make! Get the whole family involved – they’ll never forget it!

Line a few cookie trays with wax paper to set your apples on to cool.

Caramel Apples

Choose your favorite apples – wash & dry.
Melt a bag of caramels in the microwave – watch & stir.
Insert popsicle sticks into the apples.
Dip & coat with nuts

Candy Apples

1 C light corn syrup
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Red food coloring

Bring sugar – corn syrup & water to a boil. Stir often! Let boil without stirring until it reaches “soft crack” stage – 285o (takes approx. 15-20 min). Use a wooden spoon to stir in red coloring & cinnamon. Dip & allow to dry. Coating will harden as it cools!

Here are just a few ideas to make these apples extra special.

After you coat with desired coating, roll the apple in;

– chopped nuts (use your favorite kinds)
– chocolate chips
– cinnamon candies
– coconut
– powdered sugar
– m&ms
– crushed cookies

Enjoy this easy caramel apple recipe & make some memories for you and your family!

Quick & Easy Sugar Cookies

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This sugar cookie recipe is such an easy one, that it would make a nice project for family night. You could make up several batches – some for you, and some to share with your neighbors. How easy you say? You simply pour all ingredients into a bowl – then mix, drop, and bake!

2 eggs
2/3C oil
2t vanilla
3/4C sugar
2C flour
2t baking powder
1/2t salt

Mix ingredients in order (1 at a time) in a large bowl. Then drop onto greased cookie sheets. Dip fork into sugar & press cookies into desired shape. Bake @ 375 degrees until golden.

* For a nice change you could: add food coloring – mold into shapes – add colored sprinkles, choc. chips, cinnamon – or have kids flatten dough with hands & use cookie cutters.

Sugar cookies are one of my favorites, and this easy recipe makes it that much more fun to enjoy 🙂