Holiday Baking has Begun

With Christmas just a week and a half away, I am knee deep into holiday baking. My all-purpose cookie dough makes it so easy to get a festive tray of cookies baked in no time. The picture above shows my pinwheel cookies.

Kid's Craft: Ice Candles

We took on a fun project with the 3rd graders and the boy scouts. My son's 3rd grade teacher found the idea for these ice candles and asked if I would be willing to help their class make them for gifts this holiday. They turned out to be quite simple and look so fun that my husband decided to tackle them with his boy scouts to make as gifts as well.

A Little More Healthy Lasagna

Lasagna is amazing - there is no denying that! When you are in the mood for something Italian, lasagna is a great choice. I wanted to make a little more healthy version so I added just a couple of ingredients.

Kid's Craft: Growing Borax Crystals

I'm always looking for something simple, yet fun to do with my kids - these Borax crystals were great! We actually did this with the entire cub scout group a few weeks ago and all the boys loved it! I neglected to take any pictures of the finished product - that required remembering to take pictures the next day and sometimes that is just too difficult. We did snowflake shapes, but there are so many you can try.

Coconut Syrup

If you are looking for something to add pizzazz to your traditional pancake breakfast, look no further! This coconut syrup is amazing! It also tastes great drizzled over cake or ice cream. My cousin's wife served it this summer on a camping trip and I have been craving it ever since.

Mexican Lasagna

When you are ready for something different than traditional tacos, you should give this Mexican Lasagna a try. My family loves it! I had a sweet friend share this recipe with me when I was serving a mission for our church in Virginia. It is so very simple to throw together and you can make an extra at the same time to freeze for later.

Freezer to Crockpot Beef Stew

The nights are getting colder and I am ready for a few easy, crockpot meals. I learned to love these freezer to crockpot meals last winter when we were living through a kitchen remodel and cooking on the bathroom counter. The truth of it all is, they also make my evenings run smoother even when I have a functioning kitchen. I can throw a few of these together in what feels like no time at all and then dinners are easier for a couple of weeks or more depending on many I have put in the freezer.