Apothecary Jars

I saw this idea on Pinterest.

You need 

3 to 4 Apothecary Jars in different sizes

Several small objects such as figures of people,animals,ornaments the choice is yours

Some Buffalo Snow

Some fake snow crystals (the kind you sprinkle)

Place some of the buffalo snow in each jar,place your figures on the snow,sprinkle the snow,place the lid on and you have a cute but simple mantle or table decoration.

Homespun Ribbon Tree

Supplies

Ribbon Scraps

A twig or cinnamon sticks

Twine

Cut each ribbon scrap to about 4 inches,tatie them around the twig or cinnamon stick. Attach a piece of twine to the top and you have a very cute ornament.

Stuffed Peppers

YIngredients 

4 Peppers,(I used red and Green)

Cooked brown rice

1 small onion chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella cheese

Slice the top off the peppers and clean them out, place them in a baking dish

In a medium sauté pan cook the onions. Chop the pepper tops and add them to the sauté pan. Cook until the peppers are soft about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir add the grated Parmesean cheese.

Stuff the peppers and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Top the peppers with the mozzarella and bake for another 15 minutes.

I served mine with fruit.

Only 5 Ingredients

Brocolli Florettes (bite size pieces)

1 small onion diced

2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese grated

1 can carnation evaporated milk

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

 

Sauté the onion until soft add the other ingredients and stir over med heat until cheese is melted.

That's it. Quick,easy and delish.

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This is Alton Browns recipe,which I am going to make on Thanksgiving.

What you need

6 cloves of garlic

31/2 lbs russet potatoes

2 tsp kosher salt

16 fluid ounces 1/2and 1/2

6oz Parmesean cheese

Peel and dice potatoe,making sure all are relitividlythe same size. Place in a large saucepan,add salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

Heat the 1/2 and 1/2 and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering.

Remove from heat and set aside

Remove the potatoes from heat and drain off water. Mash and add garlic-cream mixture and Parmesean. Stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so mixture thickens,and serve.

Acorn Squash

I love this simple recipe for acorn squash.

1 acorn squash cut in half,seeds removed

2Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg

Place squash halves on a cookie sheet cut side up

Place 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in each half

Bake in a pre heated 450 degree oven for 1hour

Deliscious 

Fall Centerpiece

What you need

A pumpkin,whatever size you want

An empty tin can

Flowers,or a pillar candle

Cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin,to fit the tin can.

Clean out the inside and place the can in the hole

Add some water if your using flowers or add a candle and some fall decorations.

This would be beautiful on your Thanksgiving Table.

Grilled corn fritters

What you need 

2 cups of corn one handful of parsley 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder one half teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup cornmeal 1 teaspoon kosher salt vegetable oil and 1/3 cup milk 

Heat oil in a frying pan ,mix all the ingredients together,using a 1/3 cup form patties and cook the fritters on each side for about five minutes until they are brown and serve with sour cream

This dish is very healthy and very easy to make.

Spinache and Mushroom Quiche

I made this for dinner tonight and it was delishous.

1 10oz box of frozen spinache

Fresh mushrooms thinly sliced

4 large eggs

1 cup of milk

1 cup shredded mozzarella

2 oz. Feta

1 cup grated Parmesean cheese

Preheat oven to 350

Defrost spinache and drain

Spray a sauté pan with non stick spray and sauté the mushrooms

Spray a pie plate with non stick spray and cover the bottom with the spinache spread the sautéed mushrooms and sprinkle the feta on top.

In a bowl beat the 4 eggs add the Parmesean pour over the spinache mushroom mixture. 

Sprinkle the Mozzarella on top and bake for 45 minutes until it's golden brown on top and solid in the middle.

Paper Weaving

This is a really fun project for all ages. For young children it can help with motor skills and older ones can use their creativity to create a beautiful piece of framed Art.

What you need 

Scrapbook papers in different patterns and textures,and an 8x10 frame or any size you choose.

Cut strips about 1/2 inch wide. Lay them out vertically so they will fit inside your frame when finished.

Begin weaving strips horizontally over under until the whole thing is covered.carefully place it in the frame and you have a very interesting piece of Art. If you need to you can always glue it to card stock before framing.

Portobello Veggie Burgers

2cups Portobello Mushrooms cubed

2cups cooked Black Beans

1 Cup Minced Brocoli or Zuchinni 

1/2 cup red onion

3 XL eggs

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1Tbl Montreal steak seasoning

1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce

2Tbl minced garlic

3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesean 

Olive Oil

In a large bowl add half the beans and mash them add the mushrooms,the rest of the beans Brocoli,garlic,onion and seasoning. Mix until coated

Add the

eggs,cheese and bread crumbs and mix gently.

Set aside while you place a pan over medium heat add oil.

Once it starts to simmer dampen your hands place about 1/2 cup of the mixture in your hands and form into a patty,continue until all the mixture is used up. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and a crust has formed on the outside.

Serve with your favorite Hummus or Guacamole.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Tonight I made Stuffed Potobello's for dinner. John doesn't particularly care for mushrooms so I was a bit nervous. Well to my surprise and relief he loved them.

 

Campfire Potatoes

You need 4 potatoes sliced thinly one medium onion sliced and then separate the slices 2 tablespoons fresh parsley 1/3 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper,6 tablespoons  butter,1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Mix everything together and place in aluminum foil. Put it on the grill and cook until potatoes are tender and cheesy,about 30 to 40 minutes.

Stamping

This is a really fun craft for anyone. You need a canvas tote in any color,an apple which is cut in half and fabric paint. Using a brush all ply the paint to the cut side of the apple and stamp it on the canvas tote,in any pattern you choose. You could also use peppers. Experiment,have fun.

Hot Dogs

Here's a new twist on a favorite camping staple,the Hot Dog

You will need 8 Hot Dogs,1/4 cup Ketsup 2 Tablespoons Worcesteshire sauce,1 garlic clove minced and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. With a small knife make cuts at an angle in 2 rows down each hot dog,about a 1/2 inch apart,cutting partway into the dog. Mix the Ketsup Worcesteshire sauce oil and garlic and place it in a ziplock bag.add Hot Dogs and let them marinade for 15 to 20 minutes. Place them on the Grill and cook.

S'Mores in a Box

Before you leave for your camping trip,pack your graham crackers,marshmallows,chocolate bars and peanut butter cups in a plastic container. This way your ready when they want those tasty treats and don't have to fiddle with all those wrappers.

Breakfast

Apples sliced,dipped in pancake batter,cooked on the griddle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Yum

Magazine Animal

Here is a really fun and unique craft to do with kids. You will need a bunch of old magazines some drawing paper scissors glue and a pencil. Have the kids draw a nice size animal,of their choice on the paper. Then have them cut narrow strips of paper from the magazines and glue the pieces on the animal they drew,making sure the pieces fit within the lines.

Marinated Shrimp and Pineapple

This is what we had for dinner tonight.

What you need

Shrimp

Pineapple chunks

Hawaiian Marinade (in the dressing aisle)

Skewers

Place shrimp along with marinade in a large zip-loc bag for about 30 minutes

Soak your skewers if your using wooden ones in water,this prevents them from catching on fire

Once the Shrimp is done marinating alternate the Shrimp and Pineapple on the skewer.

Place on your preheated grill on med high and cook 2 to 3 minutes until Shrimp is done.

This is a wonderful light meal. I served mine with a pasta salad.

Pie maker

A must have for every Camping trip is a Cast Iron Pie Maker. You use it over your campfire and it makes the most delicious desserts. You use a piece of breas on the bottom,add your filling and then another piece of bread on top close lid and cook over the open fire. We used peanut butter,chocolate,marshmallow for our filling and then added chocolate sauce on top after it was baked. 

It was so good. 

BLT Salad

I love BLTs  but I don't need the bread,so when I saw this recipe I was excited.

What you need 

Thick sliced bacon about one pound

Romaine lettuce 2 stalks sliced into bite size pieces

Tomatoes 3 large cut into bite size pieces

Miracle whip dressing 1 cup.

Mix everything together,top with the dressing mix it in right before serving.

It is so good

Grilling Fish

Have you ever tried to grill fish only to have it fall through the grate on the grill as your cooking. Well here is a great idea. It not only keeps the fish on top of the Grill but it also adds flavor. Place slices of Lemon on the Grill and place the fish on top. It's as easy as that. Then cook as usual.

4th of July Tee's

I know it's only May and 4th of July is about 6 weeks away but I like to plan ahead.Here is a cute and easy idea for a craft for the kids that I found on,where else Pinterest. I think I am going to have my grand children make these.

What you need

White T shirts

Red and navy blue fabric paint.

Never Camp without it

Fels Naptha Soap,my Mom used it all the time in the laundry,but did you know it is a great source to help stop poison ivy,oak or sumac.Wash with it and it helps cut the oils. The oils are what react to your skin,and causes the rash to spread. You can find it at the pharmacy or grocery store and it's very inexpensive. 

Baked Ziti

1 1/2 lbs ground beef( I used turkey)

1 Cup chopped onion

2Tablespoons minced garlic

1teaspoos kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 26oz jar marinara sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

1 16oz package ziti(I used mini penne) cooked according to directions

1 8 oz package mozzarella cheese

Pre heat oven to 350

Spray 6 to 8 individual baking dishes with non stick spray ( I used a caserole baking dish)

In a large skillet cook ground beef,onion and garlic over med high heat until meat is browned.

Add marinara sauce and tomatoes. Reduce heat cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta,spoon into dish,top wit cheese and bake 15 minutes until cheese is melted and mixture is hot and bubbly.

Popcorn

Camping and popcorn well why not. All you need is some popcorn,oil,foil,salt,butter,a stick yes I said a stick and a fire.

Breakfast

Here's an easy breakfast while camping. I found these at the grocery store and since I'm always looking for simple things to cook when camping I thought I'd give them a try. You just add boiling water to the cup,put the lid back on and wait about 3 minutes,stir and eat. They come in several flavors and worked out very well. They would also be good for a family whose always in a hurry.

Roasted Vegtables

I love roasting veggies,it's so easy. Toss them with some olive oil,salt,pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar and voila you have a great side dish.

Pizza

Here is an easy recipe for Chicken Alfredo Pizza.

Ingredients

1Can of Pillsbury Grands

2 Cupsshredded chicken

1Cup baby spinache

2 Cups Italian blend cheese 

1 Cup progreso Parmesean recipe starter

Spread the biscuits on a baking sheet top with progreso starter and a light dusting of cheese

Add chicken,top with spinache and more cheese.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes  and enjoy

More Camping 101

This idea is genius. 

When we first started Camping we had a tent. It gets quite dark at night in most campgrounds,and a late night trip to the campground bathroom could be hazardous even with a flashlight. I remember one such night coming back in the dark and tripping over one of the tent stakes. From a tent we moved up to a Motor Home,but there were still things to stumble over in the dark. When I saw this at one of the camp sites I thought how brilliant. They had placed solar lights around so they could see where their tie downs were,and other things they wanted to avoid falling over. We have now moved up to a 5th wheel and I am going to get a few solar lights to put out when we camp not only for safety but so we can find our campsite in the dark.

Ribbon Wreath

This is a really cute idea. Take a metal coat hanger and bend it to make a circle. Gather several different spools of colored grosgrain ribbon in solis,or patterns and cut into strips. Tie the strips on the hanger,until you fill the whole circle. If you like you can add a monogrammed letter painted to match the colors of the ribbon you chose. Hang it on your front door to welcome Spring.

Finishing Touches

This morning John called and made all the arrangements to get the truck equipped and to pick up the 5th wheel on Friday. I was shocked that it happened so quickly. Now it's my turn to get busy so with list in hand I headed to the store to pick up the last few items we needed,mostly staples. I'm sure once we get it and put everything away I'll find things I still need to get. For now though I think I'm done.

Next on the agenda is planning a few trips. 

More Egg Decorating

I have always wondered how some dyed Easter Eggs have those deep bright hues,that you just can't get with those egg dye kits. No matter how long I'd leave the egg in the dye it never got a deep hue. Well I never thought about using food coloring until I saw this. I am definately going to try it this year.

I love the deep dark colors. I think a basket with a mixture of both the ligh colored eggs and the darker ones would look great as a centerpiece.

Cupcakes

Made these today for our treat after Art.

Sooo cute!!

I used a lemon cake mix,white frosting and decorations from Wilton.

Cookie Basket

These are so cute and would be perfect to make for Easter.

Ingredients

Refrigerator sugar cookie dough

Vanilla frosting

Colored sugar

Red string licorice 

Jelly eggs

Coconut tinted green

Cut the dough and roll it in a ball 

roll the ball in the colored sugar and press into a mini muffin pan

Bake according to directions on package

Cool

Remove from pan

Fill each cup with frosting,top with tinted coconut and jellied eggs.

Cut a piece of string licorice and make handle

Green Beans

Olive oil,salt,pepper,garlic powder,Parmesean cheese,425 for 10 minutes,shake pan,bake 5 minutes more add some more Parmesean and serve.

Sage

Did you know that when your camping you can keep Mosquitos and bugs away with sage.

Take some sage tie it into a bundle and toss it in your campfire.

JELLO Pie

I made this tonight for desert.

Jello Pie

1 8 ounce package of jello any flavor

1 graham cracker crust

1 8 ounce container of cool whip softened

Mix the jello with 3/4 cup of boiling water until all the jello is dissolved

Add enough ice to 1/2 cup of water to make 1 cup and add it to the jello mixture

Stir until blended and place in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes

Once thickened spoon into the graham cracker pie crust 

Chill for 2 hours and serve

Healthy Eats

Here is a very healthy salad serve it alone or with a meal either way your going to love it.

Ingredients

Avacado's

Tomatoes

Parsley

Salt 

Pepper 

Olive oil

Cut up the Avacado's and Tomatoes and place in a bowl 

Season with salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle the Olive Oil over the top

Toss it all together

Chop the parsley and sprinkle on top and serve

Crispy Mustard Onion Chicken

I made this tonight and it was so good. I found the recipe on Pinterest,and the best part is there are only 3 Ingredients,an idea I love.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup French fried onions crushed

2 Tablespoons honey mustard

If you want to make 4 just double everything

Preheat the oven to 375, coat the chicken with the mustard and roll them in the onions. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cinnamon French Toast

I love French Toast. I used to have it quite a lot as a kid growing up. I used to make a simple version,using milk,eggs,and bread,but I found this really great recipe some time ago and it is delicious.

The secret I think is the bread you use. You need a thick sliced white,challah or brioche bread.

I also use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk. I use about 3 to 6 eggs wisk them together,add a splash or two of the 1/2 and 1/2 and some cinnamon. I add oil and some butter to my fry pan and heat it. Once the  butter is melted I soak the bread in the egg mixture and place in the pan. I check it after about a minute and if it's nice and brown I flip it and cook the other side. Once it's finished I place it on a plate and either sprinkle it with powdered sugar or maple syrup. It is so good.

Tin Foil and Camping

One of the essential things you need when camping is tin foil. There are so many uses for it. My favorite is making Hobo Dinners. They are so easy and since you make them individually they can be made to suit each person. For instance if someone doesn't like onions leave them out.

What you need

A roll of tin foil

Ground beef

Potatoes

Onions or like I use onion soup mix

Carrots

Zucchini 

Actually you can use any vegetables your family likes.

Ice cubes

Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Tear off individual pieces of the foil place a good amount of the mixture in the center of the foil

Place an ice cube in the center and fold up all the edges securing the foil around the meat mixture.

Place on grill or in an open fire and cook,it's as simple as that. 

You can also have the beef,potatoes,carrots and onions in separate bowls and let each person make them to their own liking

Decorate those eggs

With Easter coming next month I started thinking about decorating eggs. I don't like using the dye you buy in those kits,you know the ones you mix with vinegar and need a whole lot of newspapers to cover the working surface. I saw this really cute,non messy idea and might give it a try. I think the grand-children would like it since it would show their creativity.

All you need is a dozen white shell hard boiled eggs and some sharpies.

The results are well see below :)

Around the Campfire

When camping it's always fun to have activities for the kids. When we had our Motor Home,I had puzzles and coloring books and crayons,just in case there was a rainy day. When we sold the Motor Home those things went with it for someone else's children to enjoy. 

Now that we have a 5 th wheel and will start Camping again I have been searching Pinterest for ideas for when the grand-children will be around. I will of course have a puzzle since I enjoy doing them too. We will certainly have some crafty things,but I want something different. One thing I found that I think will be fun is a Campfire Tale fill-in. I plan on printing some out and keeping them in the 5th wheel and then before the inevitable campfire we will tell some tales.

Baked Banana Chips

These are a great snack for everyone.

Ingredients

Bananas

Cinnamon

Kosher salt

Lemon Juice

Slice the bananas very thin about 1/8 inch

Brush with lemon juice mixed with a little water

Sprinkle with cinnamon and the kosher salt

Bake at 250 degrees for about 2 hours turning after 90 minutes

Cool ( the longer they cool the crispier they get)

For children and toddlers spread some peanut butter on them they will love it.

Bee Gone

Here is something I found that will probably come in handy while camping. 

What You Need

Lemons

Whole Cloves

Cut a small piece off each end of the lemon,then cut the lemon in half. Invert the whole cloves in each half and set out. Bees do not like the scent.

Culinary Cuts

I love watching cooking shows and so many times they will say 2 cups of diced onions or chop 2 stalks of celery or the one that really gets me is when they say chiffonade 15 basil leaves. Dice,chop,chiffonade,very confusing.

I found this chart on the Food Network and thought it was worth posting. 

Don't throw away those empty holders

I love using things around the house for crafts. I always have empty paper towell rolls,toilet paper rolls and paper plates on hand. There are so many things kids can do with them.

On a rainy day put a bunch of things out like construction paper,pipe cleaners,stickers,buttons whatever you have on hand and let them get creative. It will keep them occupied for hours.

Here are a few ideas I found.