A Crafty Christmas

I don't really consider myself crafty!  Pinterest has turned even me into a crafter!  Every time I am on Pinterest I am inspired by all of the great DIY ideas out there!  Kudos to all of you creative people who come up with these great crafts!!

Two years ago I bought a roll of Deco Mesh, convinced I would (could) make a wreath or garland out of it.  Last year, time got away from me and the Deco Mesh remained in the boxes with the Christmas decorations.  This year, determined to use it, I decided to make a garland for the mantle.  Armed with the Deco Mesh, pipe cleaners and some ribbon, I made the garland! It was fun and easy.  The biggest challenge is how to attach it to the mantle.  I have some mesh leftover and am thinking of making bows for our garage lights.  

Our downstairs family room / bar area is decorated in a wine theme.  We have a small pencil Christmas tree in that room.  Last year I remember thinking how  great it would be to decorate this tree in a wine theme but decided against it because it would mean buying all new ornaments.  This Spring when we were in wine country, I purchased a key chain made from a wine cork.  At the time, I thought, I could do this.  I should make these for gifts or to sell.  Last week while browsing on Pinterest, I saw this same idea turned into Christmas ornaments.  Tim reminded me I had "those" beads I purchased when I took beading classes a few years ago.  With Tim's help (THANK YOU, TIM), we now have a tree in the family room with a wine theme!!!

A few weeks ago our local home improvement store, Menards, had those fun glass blocks on sale.  I picked up a couple.  I know Tim thought they were going end up, undecorated, in the box with the Christmas decorations, along with the Deco Mesh (from last year) at the end of the season.  Convinced I was going to prove him wrong, I did some searching on Pinterest.  I found some fun lettering sets for the blocks but they were a bit expensive and I really didn't want to spend a lot on something that was only going to be out for a few weeks each year.  I did find a pin on Pinterest showing the glass block wrapped like a present!  Ribbon and some sort of embellishment, seems easy enough.  I can do this!  I even think if I change embellishment on these, they can be Valentines Day blocks, too!!

What crafts have you made this holiday season?

I am linking this to  Homespun Christmas and Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

A Recipe Rewind - Peanut Butter Balls

When Tim shared with me that his office was having a cookie exchange, I didn't have to think twice about what I was going to share.  Not sure if you would consider these cookies or candy but they're a holiday recipe I've been making since Justin was small.  I've posted these a couple of times before but they're so good, I couldn't resist sharing again this year.  This years batch is in the fridge chilling, so I am posting a picture from a couple of years ago.

I saw this tip for keeping chocolate warm while dipping candies and plan to give it a try when I dip these this week. 

Peanut Butter Balls
1/2 cup butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 pound powdered sugar
8 ounces Hershey's chocolate bar
6 ounces semi sweet chocolate bits
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cake paraffin

Melt butter, stir in peanut butter until smooth. In a large bowl, combine rice krispies and powdered sugar. Pour peanut butter mixture over rice krispie mixture. Stir until combined well. Chill for at least one hour. Roll rice krispie mixture into balls approximately the size of walnuts.

In a double boiler or a bowl over a pan of boiling water, combine chocolate bar, chocolate chips, paraffin and vanilla. Stir until melted and combined.

Dip balls into chocolate mixture, making sure to cover all sides. Place on waxed paper to dry.


I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday. 

Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Have you started your holiday baking?  Tomorrow is food day at Tim's office, so I decide to bake a holiday cookie recipe I've been eying since last year.  The chocolate and peppermint are a perfect combination!  Watch out these are addictive!!

Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies Recipe:
(Makes about 4 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10 ounce) package  Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt, flour and cocoa powder.  Add to the butter/sugar mixture and combine.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to avoid cookies from flattening.

After your dough has chilled, drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes or until set up but the centers are still soft.  Let the cookies cool for 1-2 minutes.  Top each cookie with an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss.  Allow to cool long enough for the kisses to harden.


I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday. 

Banana Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

 Thanks to everyone for your kind words last week!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Brown butter adds such depth to the flavor of these bars.  Most of my experience with brown butter has been in savory cooking with recipes like this Brown Butter Sage Pasta.  When I saw this recipe for Banana Bars with Brown Butter Frosting, I couldn't wait to give them a try.

The trick to perfect brown butter is to brown the butter slowly, swirling the pan while the butter browns.  If you brown it too quickly it will burn and that's not good!!!  You frost this cake while it's still warm.  I used a trick I learned a number of years ago with this banana bread, I poked holes into the cake allowing the frosting to seep down inside the cake.

These banana bars are delicious and dense like a pumpkin bar.  The brown butter frosting is heavenly and puts these bars over the top. 

Banana Bread Bars:

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

4 c. powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk.  Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting).  Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm). 

Yield: 2 dozen large bars

I am linking this recipe to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!

Goldie June Johnson 04/21/20 - 11/12/12

Goldie June Johnson, 92, passed away quietly at the Life Care Center of Kansas City, on Monday, November 12, 2012. June was born on April 21, 1920 in Benton City, Missouri. She lived most of her life in Kansas City, Missouri or Kansas, and was a graduate of Rosedale High School. She also lived in Clark, Missouri, California and Nebraska. June was a Regional Manager for Russell Stover's Candies, and a homemaker. June and Robert W. Johnson, her husband and sweetheart, were married August 3, 1988.  She was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. June enriched the lives of all who knew her, and she leaves many in sorrow but with gratitude for having had her in their lives. 

June was my Bonus Mother (I never liked the word step mother).  (My Mother passed away when I was 16.)

  Having June in our lives brought us all great joy.   She will be missed!!!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta - Secret Recipe Club

It's Secret Recipe Club time! For those of you who aren't familiar with SRC, it works like this. Each month, we're assigned a blog and choose one of their recipes to feature on reveal day. For this month's reveal, I was assigned Cheese Curd in Paradise.  Congratulations to Ashley, she's about to welcome a new baby, Kellen, into this world.

 I try to choose a savory recipe for SRC since I never have any trouble coming up with a new sweet recipe to make! I love Chicken Enchilada's. When I saw this recipe for Chicken Enchilada Pasta, I decided that was the recipe I was going to choose. I omitted the red peppers (none on hand) and used some leftover cream cheese instead of the sour cream. This recipe tastes just like chicken enchiladas. I think next time I might try adding a few black beans, more protein and more color.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (you can add more chicken if you like a meaty pasta)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 4 oz. can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 10 oz. cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used medium heat)

1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce (I used mild heat)

2 cups shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup light sour cream

1 lb Penne pasta

Toppings:

Avocado

Green Onion

Sour Cream

Cheese

Black Olives

Instructions

In a large rimmed skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir. Add chicken, spices, chilies, and enchilada sauces. Simmer for 15 minutes.  While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta, drain and set aside.

Lower the heat for the sauce and stir in the cheese. Allow mixture to stop bubbling and stir in the sour cream. Be careful not to boil the sauce because the sour cream will break and curdle.

Return drained pasta to the original pot and pour sauce over pasta. Toss pasta with sauce so it is evenly coated. Plate and top with desired toppings.

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday.

Taco Bake

Looking for a new hamburger recipe, here's one that's easy and uses ingredients you may have on hand.  This dish is cheesy and the leftovers, if you have any, are delicious the next day!

Taco Bake

Recipe Courtesy of The Country Cook

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

* water as called for on back of seasoning packet

3 large flour tortillas (8-inch size)

1/2 cup Salsa Con Queso

1 1/2-2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions:

Brown and crumble ground beef. Drain excess grease.

Add in taco seasoning and water (following directions on back of seasoning packet).

Once the taco meat is ready, turn off heat and had in 1/2 cup salsa con queso.

I like a mild salsa con queso. This is a spicy dish so a hot salsa con queso would just be too spicy for us.

If you have anyone in your family that is very sensitive to spicy dishes, you could always use a regular, spreadable cheese dip.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Layer the bottom of  the pan with a flour tortilla.

Now add about 1/3 of the meat filling.  Then add 1/3 of the shredded cheese.

Continue until you are done with all of the layers.

Bake a 350 for 15 - 20 minutes. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes, cut into wedges.  Top with salsa or sour cream.   

I am linking this to On The Menu Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday and Foodie Friday!