Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash

My Mom had this recipe among the ones I acquired from her after she passed away. Since it's freezing outside and we had no intention of venturing out,I decided to go through them. I saw this recipe and since I had all the ingredients I thought I'd try it.

What you need

1 Acorn Squash

1 1/2 cups Tart Apple (I used Granny Smith)

2 Tablespoons Apricot Jam

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons toasted Pecans

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon Butter divided

1/2 Teaspoon salt divided 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut squash in half scoop out seeds

Place squash halves in a pan cut side down with 1/4 in water

Bake for 35 minutes.

While squash is baking combine the apple,jam,brown sugar,pecans,cinnamon.

Remove squash from oven,and turn over. Season each half with 1/2 teaspoon salt,place 1/2 teaspoon of butter in each half. Spoon half the mixture into each half. Bake for another 30 minutes or until tender. If apples begin to brown tent the pan loosely.

Mini Tacos

What you need

A bag of scoops chips

Ground beef

Cheddar Cheesc

Cook the ground beef,fill the scoop chips with it top with cheddar cheese and bake until cheese melts.

Great and quick idea to serve as an appetizer. 

Apple Pie Bites

I absolutely love Pillsbury refrigerated Crescent Rolls. They have become my new best friend for snack ideas. 

Here is a great one the kids will love.Slice up some Apples,roll them up in a crescent roll that has been sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar on top,bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes. Deliscious.

Homemade Playdough

I've seen a lot of recipe's out there for homemade playdough,but saw this one for a non toxic version,which would be perfect for those little ones who still insist on putting things in their mouth.

What you need for each batch

1 cup flour

1 cup salt

1 cup water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 teaspoons  white vinegar

Food coloring (add whatever color you want) 

Mix all together stirring constantly over medium heat until it clumps together

 knead for a few minutes and repeat for as many colors as you want.

Colored Spaghetti

This is one of the neatest ideas I found. It's a fun way to get your kids to eat Spaghetti. Cook the pasta and drain. Take several zip-loc bags fill them with 1/4 cup of water and food coloring. Drop in some spaghetti and look what you've got. Now what kid wouldn't want to eat this?

Homemade Paint

Why buy paint for your kids crafts when you can make it. 

Most of the supplies we all have on hand.

 

What you need

Squirt bottles found at the dollar store

1 Cup Salt 

1 Cup flour

1 Cup water

Food coloring

Divide it among the bottles,add food color,shake and voila homemade paint.

Feed Bags

Well since we plan on raising some Chickens,I found this very cool use for recycling the bags that their feed comes in. Feed Bag Aprons. The bags are plastic coated which would be great for not only wearing around the Chickens but for pulling weeds in the garden. You wouldn't need to use the washing machine to clean them you can just rinse them off with a hose. I think depending on what kind of bags our feed comes in these might be fun to make,and very useful.

Not your plain old English Muffin

Here's something new to try. Scramble an egg,slice up some avacado,add some salsa and put it all on a toasted English Muffin. It is so good

Handmade Color Panel

I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought what a great idea,this would be for kids. It would be a way to teach them color combinations,what colors compliment each other and it's an affordable way to decorate your child's room with their own Art Work.

What you need

Paper

Paint

Hole punch,they used a circle but I think any shape would be ok

Picture frame

Glue or Mod Podge

Have the kids decide what colors go well together,especially if they are going to hang it in their room.

Add paint to the paper,several colors in different spots and carefully blend them being careful not to totally loose one color. Let it dry and then take your hole punch and punch out your shape. I think it would be fun to have a heart surrounded by circles just to be different. Using the glue or Mod Podge glue them on the cardboard in the frame,keeping them within the mat. When finished put the frame together and you have a beautiful piece of framed Art that your child did.

Homemade Doughnuts

When I was growing up my Mom used to make homemade doughnuts. She fried hers and when your a kid I guess all that grease doesn't bother you,but as an adult I looked for an alternative. While shopping one day I saw these pans for making homemade baked doughnuts. Baked has to be better than frying I thought,so I bought 2 began my quest for a healthy doughnut. I really don't believe there is such a thing as a healthy doughnut but I think these are healthier than the fried ones. Besides a doughnut once in a while can't hurt.

Baked Cake Doughnuts

2 Cups cake flour

3/4 Cups sugar

2 Teaspoons baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg

1Teaspoon salt

3/4 Cup buttermilk

2 Eggs beaten

2 Tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spray doughnut pan with non stick cooking spray

In a large bowl sift together the flour,sugar,baking powder,nutmeg and salt. Add buttermilk,eggs and butter. Beat until just combined. Fill each doughnut cup 2/3 full. Bake 7 to 9 minutes until the top of the doughnut springs back when touched. Let cool in pan for 4 to 5 minutes before removing. Finish them off with either a chocolate glaze or cinnamon and sugar as I did. 

Remember they are best served fresh,with a cup of coffee,tea or what I like is a large glass of cold milk.

Marshmallows

This is a very cute idea for any holiday,or kids party 

What you need

Marshmallows

Melting chocolate

Decorative non pareil sprinkles 

Drinking Straws 

Melt the chocolate,put the marshmallows on the straws and dip them in the chocolate and then into the sprinkles. Place them on a plate to set.

By using different colored straws and sprinkles you could serve these any time.

Cupcakes

Happy Valentines Day.

I made these using a box cake mix,food coloring to color white frosting and decorated them with edible decorations.

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

I'm always forgetting to put my potatoes in the oven in time for them to be done when the rest of the meal is ready. That usually means using the microwave,which on several occasions the potatoes have exploded and made quite a mess. I saw this idea,where else on Pinterest and thought I have to try this.

What you do.

Wrap the potatoes in foil and cook for 8 hours. Or do what I do. Spray the crock pot and the potatoes with some olive oil,place them unwrapped in the crock pot,sprinkle them with sea salt which makes the skin deliscious,and cook for 8 hours. This will be great this Summer,when we travel,besides who wants to use the oven when it 90 degrees.

Camping Tips

Here are a few tips that we will certainly use when we go camping this Summer.

1. Place a few dryer sheets under the table cloth on the picnic table,it keeps the bees away.

2. Having trouble starting your outdoor fire. Bring along dryer lint wrapped in an empty Toilet paper roll.it works better than kindling.

3. Clean out those Tic Tac containers after their empty and fill them with spices.

4. Use an empty catsup squeeze bottle and fill it with pancake batter,and squeeze out perfect size pancakes every time.

5. Mosquitos around the Bon fire place a bunch of sage on top of your fire it drives them away.

Camping with Kids

1. Have things for them to do,games,and puzzles in case it rains

2. Plan some crafts

3. Have a scavenger hunt 

Salted Goji Berry Bars

I found this recipe on Pinterest,and since dark chocolate and goji berries are healthy,I decided I would post this. The recipe seems very simple and looks deliscious. 

What you need

16 ounces of dark chocolate

1/4 cup cream

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 to1/3 cup goji berries

Sea salt

Melt the chocolate,wisk in the cream and coconut oil until fully combined.

Spread on a parchment lined cookie sheet.Top with berries and salt. Lightly press berries to make sure they stick. Let harden slightly before scoring into 14 to 20 pieces. Place in refrigerator for 45 to 60 minutes until completely hardened. Store in refrigerator.

Heart Wreath,and Tree

With Valentines Day coming at the end of this week,I have been thinking about more craft ideas for the kids. Here are two that I think might be fun. The first one looks simple enough for Benedict to do as long as the hearts are already cut out and Blaise might enjoy it too but he's old enough to punch out the hearts himself. All we need are paper plates,colored construction paper,heart punches and ribbon. The next craft I think the girls would like. Hopefully I can find the tree forms. Heading to Jo Ann's and Michaels,right now.

Using what you've got

A few weeks ago I cooked up about 3lbs of hamburger,used some for dinner that night and the rest I put in freezer bags to use later on. Well tonight's one of those nights. We went to the show today with Jennifer,Tony and the kids to see the new Lego Movie. The Movie was awesome. We got home and realizing nothing had been thawed for supper,I remembered I had some pre cooked hamburger in the freezer. As long as you have that,some pasta( any kind) and pasta sauce you have a meal. Here's what I came up with.

Hash Brown Casserole

This recipe comes from the Bronner's staff cookbook.

1(1lb) bag hash brown potatoes

1/2 cup onion chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup butter melted

French fried onion rings

Mix together the first 6 ingredients 

Put it in a 9x13 inch baking dish

Pour melted butter over top and sprinkle

With the onion rings

Bake about 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.

If it's Friday it's Art

What can you do with card stock,construction paper,google eyes,pipe cleaners,toilet paper rolls.punches and some Smarty Candies? Make Valentines and decorations.

Here is what we did.

Crescent Rolls,not just for dinner anymore

Every Thursday I make a treat for Art on Friday. Sometimes it's healthy,but most of the time I try to satisfy their sweet tooth. I have had this obsession lately with crescent rolls,yes the ones you unroll and bake for dinner. I found though that they can also be filled and made into a sweet treat that both kids and adults like. Today I made chocolate filled crescents. It's very easy and will be our treat for tomorrow.

Chocolate Filled Crescent's

Pillsbury refrigerator Crescent rolls

Nutella 

Sugar sprinkles

Egg wash

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

Unroll the crescent rolls and spread a tablespoon of Nutella on 

Roll it up and place on the baking sheet.

Beat an egg with some water,spread on top of rolls and sprinkle with sugar

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown

Leftover's what do I do?

Last night I made Taco's for dinner. With Taco fixings I always have leftover meat,cheese,tomatoes,black olives and shredded lettuce. I don't like to waste,so I took everything that was left tossed it in a container and voila Taco Salad for lunch today. I'll put some Catalina dressing on it and serve it with couple of cheesy garlic biscuits I had. It was so good.

Hearts Galore

I am always looking for cute craft projects to do with my grandchildren. With Valentines day coming up in a couple of weeks I began looking for some. Here are a couple that I think they will enjoy. They look easy enough for the younger ones and the older ones can get creative and add their own touches. I think they will enjoy them.

5th Wheel

With all the snow that has been falling today,and I understand there's more to come it got me to thinking about the new 5th Wheel we bought,and wondering if we'll ever get to use it. I know it will stop snowing eventually,but at this rate will the snow be gone by April or early May so we can at least move it out of Storage and get it ready to use? Fortunately I still have pictures of it on my phone and I looked at them today and then looked outside,and then back at my pictures. Oh Spring please hurry up I'm so over all this Snow,and I want to go camping.