Homemade Finger Paint!

Thanks to Pinterest I found some easy to make Edible Finger Paints.

I made the paints last night and then this afternoon the kiddos and I enjoyed painting with them. They had a weird texture to them. And I don't think that they tasted very well. I managed to keep Lyric from eating it. But with Michael.... That was a little harder. He managed to sneak a little taste here and there. And he wasn't too into painting. He did stick his fingers in it a couple of times, but didn't really paint on the paper. I knew that he was getting tired because as Lyric was finishing up he was rubbing his eyes and his face. And can you imagine what happened when he started to rub his face. The paint that was on his hands went straight to his face and his eyes. I wasn't able to get a good picture of his face after he rubbed his face. 

Lyric loved the paints. She didn't want to stop. :) It is going to be another go to paint in the future. I think that she liked the feel of them. She would scoop the blob of paint up that I put on her paper and would smear it across her paper. Then she started to mix all the paints in her hands and then would go about and make her masterpiece.

The Recipe:

1/2 C Cornstarch

3-4 Tbsp Sugar

2 C Water

Mix in a saucepan over low-medium heat until it becomes thick but smooth. Let cool. Scoop into bowls or cups and add food coloring.

Homemade Pancakes

So, Monday morning and this morning I made egg-less pancakes. I wanted pancakes but didn't have any eggs. So, I got to looking on the computer for pancakes that didn't involve eggs. Well, I found a very easy recipe. And it tasted wonderful! And both the kiddos enjoyed them as well. They both out ate me. But that doesn't surprise me. Lyric ate 4 pancakes Monday and this morning and Mikey ate 3 pancakes Monday and this morning. I can see these pancakes in our very near future again. Like probably next week if not this weekend. :)

After we ate breakfast we cleaned up. Lyric wiped down their table and I vacuumed the floor, with Michael's help of course. I've got some pretty amazing kids, I must admit. Even if they don't listen to me very well. :(

Now, you probably want the recipe... Huh?

I found this recipe over at Rak's Kitchen.

I added a few things to them to make them a bit sweeter. :)

I used:

2 c flour

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp baking powder

a dash of salt

1 tbsp of cinnamon

2 c milk

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp or so of vanilla

1. mix all of the dry ingredients first.

2. add the milk, oil, and vanilla. mix well. let sit for 10 minutes.

3. heat griddle. 

4. pour batter, do not spread. heat until bubbles pop and the color changes. then flip and heat the other side until finished. 

5. serve with butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and/or syrup. however your heart desires.

6. enjoy!

Yummy!

Tell me...

If you could eat any one meal every day, what would it be? 

I would choose to eat my grama's breast of chicken. I think it is to die for! I love it. 

Instead of the peas, we usually have corn and mashed potatoes. But since we don't have any more corn, I opted for peas. 

Breast of Chicken

1 lb. of chicken breast

1 can of Cream of Chicken soup

1/4 c. water 

Seasoned turken/chicken stuffing

1/3 c. melted butter

Sliced swiss/american cheese

Put your chicken breast in a baking dish (I cut mine up into bite sized pieces) you don't have to.

Put a slice of cheese on your chicken. Mix your soup and water together in a bowl, then pour over the chicken. Top your soup/water mixture with the stuffing mix. Melt your butter and pour over stuffing mix. 

Bake in over at 350 degrees for 1 and a 1/2 hours.

Orange Julius (But Better!)

We made Orange Julius' this evening...

And Lyric ended up wanting some as well.

And guess what?

She took it from me!

And that's not all!

She drank it gone! 

All gone!

And that's not all...

She wanted more!

So,

When I didn't give her more...

She went,

And started to play with her cup.

Now, you probably want that recipe???

I don't get credit for this recipe. 

The credit goes to my amazing mother-in-law.

Almost Like Orange Julius (Better!)

3 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate

  (1/2 of 6 oz. can)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 ice cubes

Combine in blender, blend until smooth. 

Makes 2 servings.

**Double the recipe for more servings.

Five Question Friday #26

1. What's the best Christmas present you've ever received?
The best Christmas present that I ever received would probably be the digital picture frame that my mom got me for Christmas last year.

2. Worst/Funniest White Elephant gift ever received?
Hmm... I don't know about this one. With being involved with Jobs Daughters for so many years and one part of each meeting we had we had a White Elephant gift that we did each week. And I got it a few times. I can't remember which one I had was the funniest. 

3. Is your Christmas tree plain and simple (white lights and matching ornaments) or is it wild and crazy (colored lights with lots of ornaments collected over the years)?
This year our tree was plain and simple. And I very much like it that way. We had white lights and green and red ornaments that had three different style bulbs but each set matched just different colors. Although, we did have a few Winnie the Pooh ornaments and other "milestone/special" ornaments. Next year I think we are going to get a small Christmas tree for our little window opening that is in our dining/den area and put all our special ornaments on it and keep our big tree uniform and simple.

4. "How" do you iron your clothes? The old fashioned iron/ironing board way, the shower, back in the dryer, etc.
It all depends. If it can go into the dryer, I will throw it in the dryer for a while or have Chris iron it.

5. How much baking do you do for Christmas and what are your "must make" items? (I'm looking for recipes here, peeps...)
I really didn't bake this year for Christmas. I made my grama's really yummy hamburger soup and lots and lots of cookies and kiss pies for Christmas gifts for our neighbors and friends.

Kiss Pies

1 refrigerated pie crust, thawed

14 Hershey Kisses of choice

1 egg white whisked with 1 Tbsp water

Powdered sugar/Granulated sugar for dusting

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll out pie dough onto a lightly floured counter top.  Place 10 kisses around the edges of pie dough, about 2 1/2 inches apart.  Take a knive and cut a 2 1/2-3 inch circle around kiss.  Fold half of pie dough around top of dough and pinch edge around top of kiss.  Now, fold up both sides of remaining dough up to the tip of the kiss pinching edge.  Now press together edges and form criss cross as shown in photo, step 3. * *Continue cutting dough around kisses until all dough is used up.  I got about 14 rounds cut when I re-rolled my scraps  **

2.  Brush all little pies with an egg white wash then sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Bake for 20-28 minutes or until little pies are golden.  Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.  Dust each with powdered sugar and serve.

about 14 little pies.

We Want To Know #27

1. What is your favorite cookie to eat?
Hmmm... I love cookies! I love! love! LOVE! cookies! But my favorite cookie has probably got to be No Bake cookies. They are to die for, I believe. I love to make them. I have even got the recipe memorized and I shall share my recipe with you. They are great and easy to make. Even late at night. 
No Bake Cookies

• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 
  
• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.
• 
  

2. Have you ever done a cookie exchange?
No, I have not. I have never heard of one either. 
3. How are you doing on your holiday shopping?
Haven't gotten any of it done yet.
4. What is your holiday shopping style? (A little at a time, or power shopper? Early in the season or last minute? Online or part of a crowd?)
I tend to shop last minute. But hopefully this next year I can shop a little at a time and early in the season. I tend to prefer shopping in a crowd to online. 
5. Light displays... Do you put them on your house? What is your style? Favorite kind to see?
I love light displays. We didn't put any lights up this year, but we are planning to next year. I like simple light displays if we are going to put them up around our place rather than going all out. Although, I love to go out and look at the more out there displays that people put time and effort in to doing.

30 Days of Me (Day 26)

A Recipe?  

Sour Cream-Chocolate Drops

Prep: 25 Minutes Bake: 8 Minutes per Batch

Oven: 350 Degrees Makes: About 42 Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add melted chocolate; beat until combined. Beat in sour cream. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Frost with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Beat 1/4 cup butter until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, beating well. Slowly beat in 3 tablespoons half-and-half and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups powered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional half-and-half to make a spreading consistency.