Month: October 2024

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The Colors of Fall Are Amazing!

It has been a busy month. One full of crafting and my first Crockpot of Chili. We had a few cold days and therefore, the chili had to be made. However, today it is 77 degrees and I want a grilled hotdog. Life’s ups and downs!

Recipes

Grandma’s Fudge

All my life we have made my Grandma Nellie’s Fudge. I hadn’t made it in a long time and thought I might make it and add some marshmallow fluff to her old recipe and see what resulted. The recipe card is yellowed and stained. The words are old-fashioned but it’s a great recipe.

1 and 1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

Butter the size of a walnut (the old-fashioned words)

I heaping tablespoon of peanut butter (I use about a half cup)

Cook the sugars, milk and butter to a rolling boil. Stir constantly. Test a drop of the syrup every once in awhile in a dish of cold water to see if it forms a ball when rolled in the water. When it does, you turn off the heat and beat until the mixture thickens. Once that happens add the peanut butter and combine. This time I added a tennis ball size (my old-fashioned words) amount of marshmallow fluff and mixed that in. Finally you pour the fudge onto a pre-buttered plate and allow to set.

Crockpot Tomato Soup (thediaryofarealhousewife.com)

  1. 28 oz Crushed tomatoes, (canned)
  2. ▢30 oz Diced tomatoes, (canned)
  3. ▢1/2 cup White onion, (diced)
  4. ▢1 teaspoon Thyme, (dried)
  5. ▢1 teaspoon Oregano, (dried)
  6. ▢1/2 teaspoon Basil, (dried)
  7. ▢1/2 tablespoon Sugar
  8. ▢1/2 teaspoon Salt
  9. ▢1/4 teaspoon Pepper
  10. ▢2 cups Vegetable broth
  11. ▢4 tablespoons Butter
  12. ▢1 cup Half & half
  • Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Give it a mix then cover with the lid. Allow to cook for 4-5 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.
  • Use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth and creamy. Serve warm and enjoy!

This came out so good! I highly recommend this soup!

Mom’s Pizza Cracker Treat

My Mom used to make these for my brother and I on Friday nights for when we watched TV. There’s nothing complicated or gourmet about these but they are tasty and bring back good memories for me.

You lightly butter one side of saltine crackers. First you add some pizza sauce (don’t over do it) and then add your mozzerella chees and finally a slice of pepperoni. Put on a tray in the oven. Use the broiler setting for 3 to 5 minutes.

I remembered to take a picture when I prepared them but not when they were done. I was having company and the crackers went from baking tray to serving plate asap!

TikTok Ramen (mommymouseclubhouse.com)

I recently tried this after seeing it online so often. It was easy and tasty.

  • 1 Package Ramen Noodles (3.5 ounce)
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic, minced
  • 1/4-1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Reserved Broth
  • 1 Egg, lightly beaten
  • 1-2 Teaspoons Everything Bagel Seasoning
  • Sliced Green Onions, optional
  1. Start by cooking a package of ramen noodles al dente according to package directions. Add the seasoning packet if desired and mix with the noodles. Drain the liquid, reserving 1/4 cup of the broth before draining.
  2. In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red chile flakes to the melted butter and cook for about one minute.
  3. Stir in brown sugar, soy sauce, and reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about two minutes. Add the cooked noodles to the sauce and toss to combine.
  4. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly with a fork. Slide the noodles to the side of the skillet and slowly pour in the beaten egg. When it starts to set up, stir to create ribbons of cooked egg throughout the Ramen noodle mixture.
  5. Transfer the cooked ramen noodles to a serving bowl and top with a few sprinkles of bagel spice, sliced green onions, and some sriracha sauce for more flavor!

Crafts

Man In The Moon

For some reason the man in the moon face is a big deal lately. Of course, I wanted one but wanted to make it myself. I found a free downloadable to print. I printed that out and on the back of it I rubbed pencil lead on the paper where the features of the face were. I painted a wooden disk white and when it was dry I lightly sanded it. I put the paper on the disk with the face up and the back side where the pencil rubbing was down. Then I used a pencil to trace the outline of all the features. This transferred the pencil rubbing to the disk. When I removed the paper you could clearly see the outline of the face. Using a paint marker I traced over my pencil transfer and then filled in all the features. I am really happy with how it came out!

Halloween Eyeball Plant

Seeing this on Pinterest a lot and just decided to do it! For the planter I used a black skull that I use to hold a liquid handsoap and put a small block or floral foam inside. I used bbq skewers I had kicking around and deco mesh tubing from the dollar tree to make the stems. The eyeballs were from the Dollar and a Quarter tree also. My handy hot glue gun was used to secure the eyeballs to the “stem”. Once all the eyeballs had stems I pushed them into the floral foam. As you can see in the picture, some of the eyeballs were droopy. That was by design. I used moss t hide the floral foam.

Mop Head Witchy Ghost

This is so simple and cute! All the supplies are from Dollar Tree except the hat which I made from black construction paper. You pick a vase from DT’s that is tall enough to let the mop head hang nicely. First you turn the vase upside down and open up the mophead so that it lays flat on the bottom of the vase and glue in place. This means that the black base of the mophead is sticking up. Don’t worry, the hat hides that part. Using black felt, material or construction paper cut out and glue your eyes on the mop head. (There are many tutorials online as to how to make a witch’s hat or you can just buy one. ) I glued down my hat on top of the ghost, adorned it with some ribbon and a sunflower. Finally, I put an LED tealight under the ghost and there you have it!

Pool Noodle Spooky Candles

You will need a pool noodle, black paint, hot glue, Halloween tealights and any adornments you would like. I used a miter box and a bread knife to cut the pool noodles. The miter box to keep the cuts straight so my candles took nicely. You could make a batch of 5 candles too. I only made 3. It is always more pleasing to the eye to have an odd number in any grouping. After cutting the pool noodles I used the handy glue gun again to form drips on one end of each piece. When you cover the glue and the pool noodle with black paint the glue looks like dripping wax. Before you paint you should hollow out the center if the pool noodle a bit to accommodate the tealight. Once you have done that and painted all 3 pieces (and it is dry, of course) you can glue the three candles together and put something around all 3 to bundle them.

Little Bit ‘O Life Hacks

*Before shopping day, inventory your freezer to see what has been shoved lost to the back/bottom of your freezer.

*Plan one or two meals a week using up what has been in your freezer or on your pantry shelf the longest. (Waste not, want not)

*Flipp is an app that gathers up sales flyers in your area and allows you to see them all together on your phone. You can then pick the best deals.

*Scan freebie websites like FreeStuffFinder, ILFT or FreeFlys. These sites offer samples of name brands that are promoting consumer products. You will have to enter your name, email and street address to get the samples.

*Every year check that the top of your washing machine is still perfectly parallel to the floor. Even off a little bit can tilt the basket and cause the motor and bearings to work harder.

*Clean the drain trap in your dishwasher periodically. It will lengthen the life of your machine and you will have cleaner dishes.

*Don’t open your oven door when baking if you can avoid it. Each time you open the door the oven temperature will lower by 25 degrees. This means using more energy to heat it back up. Use your oven light instead.

*One more appliance thing – cover your sewing machine when not in use. The oil that lubricates the parts can get all gunked up from dust. This cause wear.

Hope that your enjoyed this post. Let’s dive into November and have some fun!

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Boys and Girls, It’s “Boo” Time!

I am in the mood for Fall with its smells, colors, baking, soups, etc. You name it, I’m in it!I haven’t done as much cooking/baking as I have crafting. Let’s get caught up!

Recipes

When I started traveling to Massachuesetts with my friend, Darcy, I fell in love with Portuguese Muffins or Bolo. They are on the order of English muffins but a bit sweet and denser. We just went up to Mass and all I could find to bring home with me were 2 muffins! I decided I needed to make some. They were yummy and I learned some of what not to do.

Portuguese Muffins (cookingwithmichael.com)

  • 1 package yeast 2¼ teaspoons
  • ¼ cup warm water add a pinch of sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups milk warmed
  • 7.5 cups flour
  • ¼ cup butter melted

Re-hydrate the yeast by adding it to a bowl with a pinch of sugar and ¼ cup of warm water (105-115°F). Set aside

  • Warm the milk to about 115°F. The milk should feel warm but not hot to the touch. This will help speed up the time it takes for your dough to rise.
  • Mix together eggs, sugar, salt and milk. Stir to combine. Add in flour, re-hydrated yeast, and butter. Stir to combine, using your hands if needed to incorporate all the ingredients into a wet dough. It will be coating your hands or spoon.
  • Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Let it proof, or rise, until it has doubled in size. This will take any where from 1½-2 hours depending on the temperature of your ingredients and the temperature of the air.
  • Generously coat the countertop with flour. Once the dough has doubled in size, knead again for 3 minutes. After kneading, shape the dough into balls about the size of tennis balls. Flatten the balls slightly into discs about 3 inches in diameter. Place them on a floured baking sheet. Leave room in between each bolo so they have room to expand. Let them rise for about 1½ – 2½ hours
  • Cook the bolos on the stove top in a pan over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes on each side. Then transfer to an oven preheated to 325°F, for 10-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F. This will allow the exterior to brown slightly and develop a slight crust and then the interior will finish cooking in the oven.

*I learned that my “medium low heat” for the stove top was not low enough. They mean pretty darn low. I also learned not to let my dough rise to 3-4 times its size. I have double the muffins. Still yummy!

Kale Chips (tastesbetterfromscratch)

I was given kale and I am not a fan so I figured making them into chips would a good treat. I mean, you know, chips. They did have a very good flavor and if you like kale, this is for you.

  • Remove large stems from kale. Chop into chunks and wash well. (I use a salad spinner, which works really great for removing all the water from the kale.) Dry really well! This will make all the difference in allowing the kale to bake up crispy, instead of “steaming” because of water droplets.
  • Place kale in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, and garlic. 
  • Lay flat on a large baking sheet. For best results, don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. (Make these in two batches if necessary).
  • Bake at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  • Serve warm or store in an airtight container to save.

New “Fresh Pet” Style Dog Food (with all the nutrients a dog needs)

3 pounds of ground turkey or chicken

1 small bag each of frozen sweet potatoes, carrots and peas, and spinach

1 cup of rice

2 cups of water

2 cups of bone broth

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low until veggies are done, rice and meat are cooked.

*I had to sub mixed veggies for the peas and carrots this time as the store was out of them.

Craftiness of All Sorts

Denim Coasters

Remember my denim wreath of a previous post? I had the pockets from the jeans I used leftover and of course, I had to save them since they just might come in handy. I made them into coasters.

I cut the entire pocket out of the jeans and not just the front. I cut plastic lids from containers like Cool Whip to fit inside the pocket. Then I sewed them shut when I added the jute like edging. Finally, I added a little ribbon detail. I think they are cute as a button!

Skeleton Candle Ring

I used netting, black leaves, a wreath form, a black charger and the skeleton heads from the Dollar Tree. First I wrapped the netting around the wreath form so I would have a good base to hot glue the leaves on. I then added the leaves until they were nice and full. The skeletons were glued on next and I place the whole thing on the charger. I found the candle at Big Lots and it was the perfect one for this spooky display!

Embroider Hoop Jack-O-Lantern

I had an old metal embroider hoop in my craft room that I used. It was small but I was having trouble finding a book page to fill it as I saw in the example on Pinterest. I ended up using newspaper instead. I simply put the newspaper in the hoop as you would fabric. For the face I used a black ink pad to color some newsprint and then cut the mouth and eyes out. One dab of glue each and it was assembled. This would be a great craft for kids of all ages.

Witch’s Broom

All you need for this project is a plunger and 2 packages of rope from the Dollar Tree. Oh, and hot glue. I am going to insert the link below from the video I used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNi-03V3-RMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNi-03V3-RM

Here is my finished product.

Stamped Kitchen Towel

I stamped a plain kitchen towel with an apple and red paint. I put the stamp in each of the four corners. I used fabric paint so that the towel would really be able to be used. I found that after you cut the apple in half it is better to let it sit and dry out a little before stamping. You just coat the half apple with paint and stamp on the fabric. If anything isn’t as clear as you would like or didn’t get enough paint on the fabric you can fill it in with a paint brush. You can use almost any fruit or veggie to stamp. I think I will try a canvas tote next time with a variety of veggies that I could use at the Rarmer’s Market to bring my goodies home.

Wine Glass Witch

I had a Dollar Tree wine glass on hand (does that surprise you? lol). I painted the inside of the goblet portion with orange paint. The stem and base were painted on the outside with black paint. The face was done with the black paint on the outside also. I added a couple of pieces of ribbon to the stem and an LED tea light from (all together now………….) Dollar Tree so the face glowed.

Fall Tree

We made these in our Home Bureau meeting last month. I used a Dollar Tree candle holder for the base. The tree itself was made from a 15 inch styrofoam cone that I ordered online. The Fall leaves I had on hand but you could find them “you know where”. Using hot glue we attached the fall leaves to the cone and any adornments that we wanted. The final touch was to add the little fairy lights.

Spooky Clock Face

You know how I collect things for “just in case”.I had picked up this clock face from a little shop probably a year or two ago. I cut out hands ominously pointed near midnight, added the skeleton hands and some spiders. I have it resting on a little shelf.

Hacking Life One Idea at a Time

  • Pro-tip, if you like condiments like I do you might like this. Heinz is making a pickle flavored catsup. It is YUM!
  • Credit card companies make all their money on outrageous late fees. Set a reminder on your cell phone calendar so you don’t miss a due date and give them some of your hard earned cash.
  • If your insurance company gives you money to spend on OTC items make sure you use them and not let them expire.
  • Keep your block cheese fresh by wrapping the block in a paper towel that has been dampened with white vinegar before you put it in that ziplock bag. The moisture prevents the cheese from drying out and the vinegar’s acidity fights off mold and bacteria.
  • Keep track of National Food Holidays like National Pizza Day which is February 9 and National Coffee Day which is September 29. Many stores and restaurant apps offer specials on these special days that you can take advantage of. On Pi day this year I took advantage of a special for 2 slices of pizza or $3.14 at a local convenience store (with great pizza) and I got my free medium coffee from my favorite coffee shop on National Coffee Day.
  • Go on Facebook and put in the name of your town or county and the words “buy nothing”. Chances are you’re going to find listings of items that people are just trying to give away.
  • If you’re going to travel at Christmas this year, lock in your savings in early October. Average prices for flights bottom out 71 days before mid December. You’ll get your best deal!

I love reading comments to leave one if you can. Hope you found something of use in this post. See you next month!

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