Want to win a cute alpaca scarf or kit to make one?

These scarves are adorable. And warm alpaca would make a great scarf, right. You can win one if you go to Alpace Farm Girl. But you have to hurry it ends today!!! So go quick. Hurry.

Looking for an awesome cloth diaper for a steal???

Check out CottonMamma. She has an XL Jolly Bums up for Lottery right now, it is Free For Shipping only. I have used these diapers myself, they are well made, very absorbent and hold up really well. Check out her other items as well. Some of the softest wipes you will ever wipe your baby's bottom with, and home made soap that smells devine. So don't miss out. The lottery ends December 17th, 2008 at 8 pm EST.

It was candy making day at my house yesterday.

Why don't I ever think to take pics of the goodness I make. I will get better, maybe one day.

So I made the cream cheese truffles, a little messy, not bad, very good, so very worth the mess.

I dipped pretzel rods in the remaining melted chocolate and the girls decorated them with sprinkles. Fun was had by all, and they got to eat the sprinkles left in their bowls at 9 am, unheard of in this house until yesterday. hehe

Then I made Butter Brickle, thanks to Tree from Granola Chicks. She posted the recipe and I knew I had to try it. It is an interesting combination, but a very tasty treat.

BUTTER BRICKLE BARS

Saltines
1 c. real butter
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. milk chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts


Spray 10"x15" cookie sheet (with sides) with Pam and line with saltines. Combine butter and brown sugar in saucepan and boil hard 3 minutes.
Pour over saltines and bake in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes only. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top to melt then spread. Sprinkle on nuts and press into chocolate. Cool to warm and cut into bars. Cool completely.

**I sprinkled these with chopped pecans and coconut, heavenly!!

Make them, enjoy them, try to share them. They are easy and wonderful! My favorite combination.

Killer Chocolate Truffles

Thanks to Kraft Foods, I am trying this amazing recipe. So far it is fabulous and easy peasy.

Chocolate truffles

2-1/2 pkg. (20 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided(I found dark chocolate chips which I am using instead)

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

decorations: chopped PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts, multi-colored sprinkles

MELT 8 chocolate squares (or 8 oz of chips = 1 1/3 c). Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.

SHAPE into 36 balls.* use a melon baller. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet.** I suggest chilling again for easier handling.

MELT remaining chocolate. Use fork to dip truffles; return to baking sheet. Decorate, then refrigerate 1 hour. **Try stabbing them w/ a toothpick to dip in the chocolate then gently slide them off and cover the hole.

So far I just have the filling made and chilling, but it is very tasty, should make great christmas gifts.

**Edited to Add, I finished these yesterday and they are fabulous. You can taste a hint of the cream cheese so they kind of taste like a very mild cheese cake. Very creamy, very rich, very delicious. So simple. Make some! :-D

What do you think of my beautiful new look?

I love it. Thanks to Brandy the creator of Stitchblade for fixing me up. She did a fabulous job.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Who wouldn't love a homemade stocking?

I know I would, and you can enter to win one at Life As Mom. Check out her blog and enter her giveaway, but do it quick it ends tomorrow night.

Granola Bars

I make this recipe all the time, the girls love it. I usually add 1 c corn flakes or rice crispies in place of 1 cup of the oatmeal. I have subbed raisins and dried cranberries for the chocolate, but mini chocolate chips are definitely everyones favorite.

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, or raisins, nuts, dried cranberries etc
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the 2 cups assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.
3. Firmly press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.

**Some of the other tips suggested subbing some rice krispies (about 1 cup) for part of oats, I didn't read that until I had already made it. I think I would have liked it that way. I did add some wheat germ probably 1/4 c.

Another tip from allrecipes was to push everything down again lightly after taking it from the oven, I did this and everything seems to be holding together well. Do this, it really helps!

Easy Festive Cookies

Chocolate Batons


This cookie comes from FAMILYFUN contributor Emily Todd. She uses a pastry or plastic bag to squeeze the soft dough into batons. Once baked, the cookies are dipped in melted chocolate and rolled in sprinkles.

Cookie 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 egg yolk 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt Chocolate Dip 4 oz. semisweet chocolate (squares or chocolate chips) 2 tbsp. butter 1 tbsp. milk Colored sprinkles

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg and yolk, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 2
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined. Spoon the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large rosette or star tip or into a zip-top bag with a 1-inch opening snipped off one corner.

Step 3
Squeeze the dough into 2-inch logs on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, or until just lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Step 4
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate dip. Melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of butter in the top of the double boiler (the water should be hot but not boiling) or in the microwave on high, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Stir in the milk and remove from the heat.

Step 5
Dip both ends of the cookies in the chocolate, then immediately into sprinkles and let cool. Makes about 6 dozen batons.

More Christmas Cookies

Where has the time gone?

Didn't we just start 2008, why is it already 2 days before Thanksgiving? I knew this year was going to fly by when it was Christmas last year and I heard more about 2009 than I did 2008. Oh well, such is life.

I am sure raising 3 kids, homeschooling, errands, social life, and everything else has had nothing to do with how quickly the time has passed. I am just always amazed when I look up and it is Thanksgiving and Christmas time once again.

This week with Thanksgiving break we have been spending lots of time with our friends, getting the girls together w/ old playmates. It is nice to see familiar faces that we haven't seen in a while. In their "free time" the girls have been coloring lots of turkey hands and making thanksgiving cards. So cute, I didn't even have to prompt them this time, S. has been doing the count down to Thanksgiving every day too.

I was going to have them make a fall wreath w/ paper leaves on TP rolls but I am just getting enough rolls collected to make the wreath part so maybe we will work on a Christmas one instead. So many projects, so little time.

And then their is Christmas shopping, I don't even know what to get these girls anymore. There are too many choices, they want them all, but I know my kids, I know they won't play w/ half of it. I hate having a bunch of stuff sitting here that barely gets looked at. G. said she wants a new baby doll, and I will probably replace all the playdough she has let dry out this year. R. is the hard one, maybe some new art supplies for her and a leapster game for the system grandma is getting her (shh don't tell). S. is getting a DS from grandma so I got her some games to go with it already. I will probably get her some books too, she is my book worm and recently discovered the "Magic Tree House" series. I am keeping it small and simple this year, Grandma's always over spend on the kids, so I going to even it out by keeping things small. Plus we don't really have the extra $$ since we are traveling for the holiday too.

Let the blogging begin!

So I have considered doing this for a while and decided today I am going to do it. Just jump in feet first into the icy cold water (afterall it is mid November) and see if I sink or swim. I am sure most of what I write will just be the rambling of a Marine wife and mom of 3 girls, all of whom make me crazy on a daily basis (I write as my youngest is screaming MORE MORE in my face waving her empty bowl that she just had raisins in).

I hope to gather my favorite recipes here, talk about our homeschooling adventures and other good and bad highlights of our days. Lets pray for more good than bad, right.

Thanks to all my friends for the encouragement to start a blog, I am sure it will be fun.