I made a batch of these and took them to Thanksgiving Dinner. People descended on them, saying Oh my grandma used to make these and I loved them. Straight from the Sixties and Seventies, folks. Or Eighties. Or Nineties. Or the Aughts. Guess that’s what makes them a classic! It is tempting to roll out the candy mixture and treat it like cookie dough. Does not work well, as the small mints are difficult to handle and quickly become distorted beyond recognition. I tried! The stars and Christmas trees on the plate were the result. Total result! At least, that remained recognizable. And they took as much time as the rest of the mints put together. Your mileage may vary, but I found the roll and press method far more efficient and consistently better looking. Leaving the mints ... [Read More]
#Quickandeasy
Barbecue Stuffed Corn Muffins
Barbecue Stuffed Corn Muffins is what’s for lunch today. Served with a side salad or melon slices these quick and easy muffins make a complete light meal. If you are looking for a more hearty meal, add baked beans. Or slow cooker Calico Beans. The cave hieroglyphs on top are a few shreds of cheese that vaporized in the hot oven. Didn’t add a cheesy topping, but created an imaginative lunch conversation. Is the upper left muffin depicting a charging elephant? A kangaroo? A water buffalo? Or a longhorn? Several weeks ago, while we were still doing in person grocery shopping – wait! has it really been that long!?! Anyway, I picked up a tray of pulled pork on sale at the grocery and popped it in the home freezer. I was glad I did! We had three meals from it. Meal #1 was pulled ... [Read More]
DIY Gift Bag
Can you help by making a dozen Fabric Gift Bags for foster children? The plea came at a Kiwanis meeting. And I volunteered. They were so easy to make that I finished all of them in one sitting -- less than half a day. The recipient would have a bagful of gifts, thanks to Kiwanis, and a bag that could be used to keep the gifts or any other possessions together. Quick and easy to make, reusable so no piles of wrapping paper to throw away, functional for other uses or easy to store , washable if necessary and, best of all, colorful and fun. I thought it was such a good idea that I have made them for gifts given to other children, who were thrilled to get them -- with gifts inside, of course :-) -- and to use afterwards. The ones I made for foster children were already cut with ... [Read More]
Cowboy Beef Hash
Cowboy Beef Hash is a meat and ‘taters meal that is ready in about 30 minutes. It is a quick and easy, stick to the ribs meal that everyone in the family will love. You probably have the ingredients on hand in the pantry/freezer right now. Add it to the rotation and your family will thank you!! The recipe is also easily adjusted to individual taste. Instead of adding the entire 16 ounce jar of salsa to the meat mixture, I only add half and then serve the remainder on the side for those who want more kick. (You know – my wimpy taste buds!) I like the shredded frozen hash browns, because you can cook them crispy. Bytes and Wheels like their potatoes so they prefer Potatoes Obrien for heartiness -- and that's what I use. I had not heard of Frozen Roasted Sweet Corn until I saw ... [Read More]
