Lunches Week 17 - Advent Style 3

Today is the last day I'll be posting for 2012. I will be spending the next week celebrating with friends and family.
I will resume posting on January 2nd, but I'll still be around on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter during the break. I hope everyone has a fun, and safe holiday break!

See you in 2013!!!!

For the month of December I decided to do a countdown to Christmas with my daughter's lunches, so you will see the number of days until Christmas in each lunch.

If you would like to see last weeks advent style lunches click here and here.

 MONDAY

I packed her a gingerbread sandwich, carrots, Christmas goldfish crackers, a sugar cookie bar, and a Capri Sun.

TUESDAY

I packed her snowflake shaped sandwiches, carrots, applesauce, Christmas cookies, and a Sistema Twist N' Sip* of water. 

WEDNESDAY

She had a tree shaped sandwich, carrots, grape tomatoes, pretzels, a Hershey's bar, and a Sistema Twist N' Sip* of water.

THURSDAY

I packed her a snowman shaped sandwich, Christmas goldfish crackers, applesauce, a marshmallow snowman, and a Sistema Twist N' Sip* of water.

FRIDAY

 She had Christmas shaped mini pancakes with syrup, grapes, Christmas goldfish crackers, and a Capri Sun.

The products used in this post are listed below.

The container with green inserts is the Rubbermaid LunchBlox entree with trays*.

The clear container with 3 sections is an EasyLunchBox*. 

The tree cup is a silicone baking cup*.
The star cup is a silicone baking cup*. 

The gingerbread cup is a silicone baking cup*. 

The tiny clear container is an EasyLunchboxes Mini-Dippers*.

*Affiliate Links.

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Homemade Christmas Gift for Teachers

This week I sent my kids to their activities and schools with gifts for their teachers.

Nothing will ever truly express how much appreciate our children's teachers for all they do, but it is nice to show them that we are thinking of them during the holiday season.

I did two different things this year depending on how many teachers we were gifting to at each school.

For the schools where they have the same teacher all the time, I made little individual boxes of treats.

I found the adorable little boxes in the Target dollar section, and lined each section with a cupcake liner. 

I then filled each section with a treat.  The treats included Chocolate Fudge, Samoa Pretzels, Slow Cooker Cinnamon Almonds, and Chocolate Kiss Pretzels.

I topped the box with our family Christmas card and tied it all up with some baker's twine (DIY baker's twine). 

For the schools where they have the a lot of teachers for a short period of time (like karate), I made cookie trays.

This cookie tray contained Sugar Cookie Bars, Biscoff Chocolate Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies,  Chocolate Chip Potato Chip Cookies, Browned Butter Cookies, Slow Cooker Cinnamon Almonds, and Chocolate Kiss Pretzels.

I hope these small gifts let my children's teachers know that we really appreciate all they do.

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Samoa Pretzels

Caramel + Chocolate + Pretzel = Yummy

Caramel + Chocolate + Coconut + Pretzel + Toasted Coconut = AMAZING!

 

I have been eyeing these pretzels over at Love From The Oven for quite some time now.

I wanted them sooooo bad; but they just looked time consuming to make, and anything caramel always makes me hesitate because it can flop. To my delight, they ended up being quick and easy to make. Plus, they are surprisingly foolproof, thanks to Kraft Caramel Bits*. I looked everywhere for them, but the only place I could find them was Wal-Mart for around $3.00 or on Amazon.com* but they are in bulk.

Samoa Pretzels

Recipe from Love From The Oven

1/2 - 1 pound bag Pretzels
1 - 11oz bag Kraft Caramel Bits*

2 - 12oz bags Chocolate Melts (I used Wilton Light Candy Cocoa Melts*)

1 - 14oz bag shredded coconut (some reserved for toasting)

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. You want to coat it with the spray.

2. Place pretzels on lined baking sheet.

3. Melt Kraft Caramel Bits* following package instructions. (Place caramel bits in microwave safe bowl with 2 Tablespoons of water. Cook for 2 minutes in the microwave. Then stir.)

4. Dip or drizzle your pretzels with the caramel, smooshing coconut on top of them as you go.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Allow caramel to cool. This only takes a few minutes, but you can pop them in the refrigerator to speed it up if you want.

7. Toast some remaining coconut, by placing it on a baking sheet in the preheated oven and stirring it every couple of minutes. There really is no exact time for this, but keep your eye on it or it will burn.

6. Heat the chocolate melts in the microwave in 1 minute intervals. Stirring in between each minute until melted.

7. Dip the caramel coated pretzels in the chocolate, place on lined baking sheet, and top with toasted coconut.

8. Allow chocolate to harden.

9. Store in air tight container.  

*Affiliate Links.

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DIY Santa Cookie Plate

On the 7th I guest posted about this over at One Creative Mommy, but I figured I would share it here too, just in case you missed it!

Lately, it seems like everywhere I look people are decorating their own dishes with Sharpies.  The reviews have been mixed on the outcome, but I figured it was worth a try.

Also shown above are my snowman marshmallows and chocolate chip biscoff cookies.

Supplies Needed

• Plate, Mug, Bowl, etc. - I got mine at the Dollar Store for $1 each
• Sharpies, or Vitrea Markers* (The Vitrea Markers* are made for glass, and probably more durable.)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Draw your design.

3. Bake your dishes on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes. 
4. Allow the dishes to cool in the oven.  The reason I say in the oven is because when I tried to take mine out, I touched my design and a little ink rubbed off.  I fixed it and put it back in the oven to cool.

The "after" picture was taken after the dishes were baked in the oven and cleaned in the dishwasher.  The only fading I noticed was the "for."  After I took these pictures, I hand washed the plate.  I scratched the different colors with my fingernail and was able to remove some of red while the plate was wet.  Once the plate was dry, I was not able to scratch it off.  I touched up the scratch, and the plate is good to go again!

Over all, this is perfect for what we are going to use it for.  I would not recommend Sharpies on dishes for everyday use, but for something decorative or used one time a year, go for it!  Just use caution when handling the dishes if they are wet or hot, because that is when the ink seems most likely to get messed up.  This is where the Vitrea Markers* may prove to be more durable if you are planning on everyday use.

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Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars

During October I had many requests for my Candy Corn Sugar Cookie Bars. I decided to Christmas them up a bit, and include them in my holiday baking.

Sugar Cookie Bars
Recipe adapted from Cookies & Cups

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons flavoring (I used Princess Cake & Cookie Emulsion by LorAnn Oils* - this stuff is amazing! but you could use almond, vanilla, lemon, whatever floats your boat.)
5 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, I used Kosher
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
red and green food coloring (or whatever colors suit your needs) - (I used AmeriColor Red & Green*)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a 9"x13" baking dish with foil, and spray light with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together.  (I did all the mixing in my stand mixer, but you could do it by hand with a lot of elbow grease.)
4. Add eggs and flavoring. Mix until combined.
5. Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until combined.
6. Divide the batter in half and color half green and half red.
7. Spread the green layer in the prepared pan.
8. Layer the red dough on top of the green dough. I found this was easier when I took small sections the red dough and flattened it in my hand and pieced it together in the pan until all the green is covered.

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Until very slightly browned on the top.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Frosting - You probably won't need this entire amount of icing.

1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla (DIY Vanilla Extract)
white food coloring if you want a true white color - I like AmeriColor Soft White Paste*

1. Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.
2. Slowly beat in the powered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
3. Beat on medium until fluffy and smooth.
4. Using the foil, remove the bars from the pan.
5. Spread the frosting on the cooled bars.
6. Cut into bars.

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Lunches Week 16 - Advent Style 2

For the month of December I decided to do a countdown to Christmas with my daughter's lunches, so you will see the number of days until Christmas in each lunch.

If you would like to see last weeks advent style lunches click here.

MONDAY

I packed her a snowman sandwich, carrots, a gingerbread cookie, and a Sistema Twist N' Sip* of water.

TUESDAY

I packed her a bell shaped sandwich, carrots, applesauce, an Andes candy, and a Sistema Twist N' Sip* of water. 

WEDNESDAY

She had a bear shaped sandwich, carrots, space goldfish crackers, pudding with sprinkles, an Andes candy, and a Capri Sun.

THURSDAY

I packed her candy cane shaped sandwich, Christmas tree shaped cucumbers, Christmas goldfish crackers, pudding with sprinkles, and a Capri Sun.

FRIDAY

She had a angel shaped sandwich, applesauce, Christmas goldfish crackers, and a Sistema Twist N' Sip* of water.

The products used in this post are listed below.

The container with green inserts is the Rubbermaid LunchBlox entree with trays*.

The clear container with 3 sections is an EasyLunchBox*. 

The tree cup is a silicone baking cup*.
The star cup is a silicone baking cup*.

The tiny clear container is an EasyLunchboxes Mini-Dippers*.

*Affiliate Links.

 I'll Be Linking Up At These Parties!

Addictive Slow Cooker Cinnamon Almonds

*WARNING* 

These almonds are delicious and addictive!

They taste just like the ones you can find at the mall. Plus, they make your house smell amazing!!!! My kids couldn't stop talking about how "yummy" our house was.

Slow Cooker Almonds

Recipe from The Recipe Critic 

1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar (I used dark brown sugar)

3 Tablespoons Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Salt

1 Egg White

2 teaspoons Vanilla (DIY Vanilla Extract)

3 cups Almonds

1/4 cup Water

1. In a large bowl mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

2. In a small bowl whisk together egg white and vanilla, until frothy. 

3. Add the almonds to the egg mixture and coat thoroughly.

4. Add the coated almonds to the sugar mixture and coat thoroughly.

5. Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray. 

6. Add the almond mixture to the slow cooker and turn the slow cooker to low. (It just looks like a big sugary mess at this point. It won't turn syrupy until you add the water.)

7. Cook the almonds for 3-4 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. 

8. During the very last hour of cooking and the 1/4 water and stir well. (This helps the coating get crunchy.)

9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or your counter), and spread the almonds onto the sheet to cool. The almonds will be sticky, so separate them or you will have a giant almond piece.

The first time I made these I made a double batch in my 6 quart slow cooker, and at the end I dumped them out on parchment paper. They came out perfectly fine. But if my husband was not there to help me separate the almonds, I would not have been able to separate them all before they cooled.

The second time I made them I scooped them out of the slow cooker one-by-one and was able to separate them on my own with no problems.

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Chocolate Kiss Pretzels

Let's face it, anything that has chocolate and pretzels is going to be good.

These are the quickest, most simple treat you can make. Plus, by using color appropriate M&M's, they can match any holiday.

Chocolate Kiss Pretzels

1 - 16 oz bag Pretzels

3 - 11 oz bags Hershey's Kisses (or Rolo Candies)

1 - 12.6 oz bag M&Ms (any flavor, my favorite are the mint and the plain)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place pretzels in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Place a chocolate kiss on top of each pretzel.
4. Place them in the oven for 2-3 minutes. (Just until the chocolate kisses are soft.)
5. As soon as they come out of the oven, press an M&M into the top of the chocolate kiss.
6. Place in refrigerator until chocolate kisses harden.

These make a great addition to any cookie plate or candy tray!

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Make Your Own Baker's Twine

It is that time of year again when bakers' twine comes in handy for packaging up homemade goodies. The cost of baker's twine can really add up if you need a lot or want to use a lot of different colors. This year after seeing a video on youtube, I decided to make my own instead of buying it.

Supplies

-Size 10 Crochet Thread, get it from your local craft store and use a coupon to get 400 yards for around $2-$3

-Sharpies or another permanent marker

-Cardboard (or a ruler covered in painter's tape)

-Tape

-Scissors

 

1. Cut a piece of cardboard about the size of a ruler (or use a ruler covered in tape).

2. Tape 1 end of the crochet thread to cardboard.

3. Wrap the crochet thread around the cardboard in a single layer. 

4. Once you have wrapped the length you desire to make, tape down the other end and cut it.

5. Using a permanent marker color diagonal lines across the thread on both sides of the cardboard.

6. Unwrap the crochet thread, and enjoy your creation.

Just imagine the possibilities! All the colors and all the gifts you could wrap!!!

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Gingerbread Cookies

My all time favorite Christmas cookie is gingerbread. 

They are just so yummy!

The only problem with gingerbread is that they can be time consuming to make. This year I made my usual gingerbread boys and girls, but I also did a little cheat. By making some of the dough into balls, I got to skip all the rolling and cutting of the dough, but I got the delicious flavor I was looking for.

Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe Adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook 1981

1 12oz bottle dark molasses (I use Grandmas Molasses)

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2/3 cup cold water

1/3 cup shortening (Butter flavored Crisco)

7 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon allspice

2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon clove

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a large bowl mix molasses, brown sugar, water, and shortening. (To get most molasses out of the bottle. I place the bottle of molasses in a hot cup of water for a few minutes. Then dump the molasses in the bowl, and pour the cold water into the molasses bottle. Then I shake the bottle, to release the remaining molasses, and dump the water into the bowl.)

2. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together.

3. Add dry ingredients into molasses mixture, slowly. (I usually add 1-2 cups of the dry mixture at a time.)

4. Mix completely. The dough will be very thick and sticky.

5. Cover the dough,  and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours. (I prefer overnight.)

 

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. Roll dough to ¼” thick on floured surface. Cut using a floured cookie cutter, and put on to cookie sheet (either very lightly greased, or a parchment paper lined cookie sheet). 

OR

Roll dough into balls and put on to cookie sheet (either very lightly greased, or a parchment paper lined cookie sheet).  Slightly flatten the balls. (I use the Papered Chef Cookie Scoop, so they will all be a similar size.)

8. Bake the cookies for 7-10 minutes. (If you are using a large cookie cutter you may need to increase the baking time.)

9. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.

10. Place on wire rack to cool completely.

 

Gingerbread Icing

1/8 cup margarine, softened

2 Tablespoons milk

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

 

1. Sift confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl.

2. Add the margarine, and milk, and mix until smooth. 

3. You can dye the icing at this point, but I prefer white. If you do dye the icing I recommend using gel food coloring like AmeriColor*.

Note: The icing will be thick, but you want it that way. You can add more milk to thin the icing, but you need to keep the icing thick or it won’t get hard.

To decorate the round cookies, I used a Wilton #4 tip.

To decorate the gingerbread people, I used Wilton #5 tip. 

Gingerbread cookies make great place cards for a Christmas dinner or party!

After decorating your cookies leave the out overnight to allow the icing to dry. Then store in  an airtight container.

  

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