Happy New Year!

Happy Year, my friends! Here‘s hoping you all have a wonderful year in the year to come.

As I look back over the past year, a lot has changed. We moved to a new town in a new province. Last year we spent New Years eve celebrating with friends and even crashing overnight at her place with ALL our kiddies. This year we are spending a quiet night at home. I. Am mmaking a Newfie Jiggs Dinner tomorrow and Notsosnowwhite and her white Knight will be coming over.

In the past year I learned that my perfect Little Prince has special needs (probably autism, all the signs are there). My Princess Magpie started kindergarten and is super smart! Princess Snifflefritz has grown so much and is the most gentle, sweet, tender-hearted little girl ever! Princess Belle is in full bloom of puberty and I am so NOT ready for this! At the same time, I am really liking the person that she growing into.

That is my year in summary. Not a bad year. For the year to come, I have two major goals. I would like to lose weight again and I would like to move us back to Nova Scotia. What are your goals for the year?

taking down Christmas

So I am slowly taking the Christmas stuff down. It is kind of sweet that my little Princess Magpie, who was so excited when she saw a little more Christmas decorations go up, is now a little sad every time she sees some of it come dow. She is such a sweet girl, my Princess Magpie.

Prince Charming has a new job! It is only part time, but there is potential for more. The best part it is right next door! No transportation at all.

Another good thing is that Prince Charming has agreed to start eating healthy with me in the new year! That will make it easier for me to stick to it too!

Gratitude Sunday

I am grateful for:

1. The smell of freshly made muffins wafting through the house attracting little noses from all over the house.

2. Giggling girls playing together; playing make-overs, legos, dolls, animals, and camping out in a tent in their room.

3. Finally thinking of food that my special boy will eat.

4. Looking out my windows and watching snow storms from my warm.house with a cup of coffee and a full pantry.

5. The smell of freshly baking bread in my kitchen.

6. The feeling of accomplishment and the nice fresh air of having shovelled the driveway.

Evaluating This Years Christmas

My computer is STILL without internet, so here is another shorter post. I have to say in these quiet days that follow Christmas, I find myself looking back and evaluating things I like and things I would change for next year.

I definitely would like to start preparing earlier next year. It is always so much easier when I can do that. I want to watch my eating more, I let it go this year. I would like our next Christmas to be about our not-so-little family and less drama from outside.

On the good side, I did enjoy how the girls got exactly what was the most perfect for them. The stuff was mostly inexpensive, but they have been playing constantly with all their gifts ever since. I love our classroom tree. I love how excited they got to make new decorations every day and how they loved putting them on the tree. And, I love the finished product, a tree filled with fun, memories, and love.

Thursday thoughts

My computer still has no internet access so my posts will continue to be a little short. One of the things that has been fun for me since Christmas is watching the kids enjoying their new toys. I love how they giggle together. It is just fun for me.

Troubles

I have lost internet connection so I will have to be a little quieter for a while as I work to get it sorted out. We did have a lovely Christmas. The kids had a great day and we are having quiet family today.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my friends in blogland! I hope you are all having fun with the people you love today!

Peanut Butter Pie

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 16 oz. whipped topping
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 1 chocolate crumb pie crust

Blend first 4 ingredients and pour into the pie shell. Freeze for at least one hour.

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe

2 gal. hot water

1 bar of soap, grated

2 c. baking soda (not washing soda)

This recipe just calls for a bar of soap, basically the same soap that you use in the shower. I’ve read that Fels-Naptha is great for stain fighting, but this works.

1. Grate the soap. 
2. Put the grated soap in a saucepan, cover with water and cook on low until the soap melts. Be patient, it takes a while. 
3. Now add 2 gallons of hot water into large bucket. Add the dissolved, melted soap and stir well.
4. Add the baking soda and stir again.
5.  Use a half a cup on regular loads and a full cup on heavily soiled loads. That’s it! After sitting your soap will be lumpy and gloppy, that’s normal, just stir well before use.

Homemade Tortillas

    2c. flour (can substitute 1c. whole wheat)
    1tsp. salt
    1tsp. baking powder
    1Tbsp vegetable shortening
    water

1. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder. 
2. Add shortening and mix with hand forming little “peas”. 
3. Add water slowly until it forms a soft dough. 
4. Pinch off 12 balls and roll on a floured surface. 
5. Heat on cast iron griddle.

After a tortilla comes off the griddle, immediately put it in a kitchen towel wrapped up. Once the next one is done, put it in with the first one, and wrap it up again. Continue in this manner with the rest of the tortillas. The kitchen towel keeps the tortillas warm and the just the right amount of heat and moisture stays in to make the tortillas soft and flexible.

Saturday Photohunt: Mellow and Decorations

The themes for the Saturday Photohunt this week: Mellow and Decorations.  I thought about this one, trying to decide a way to go with it and then I decided to use pictures of our homeschool classroom tree.  All month, we have been making decorations and putting them up on the tree in our classroom.  I have been MELLOW about how they are made and how they are arranged on the tree.  The DECORATIONS are made with three year old Princess Snifflefritz and five year old Princess Magpie with 11 year old Princess Belle joining in when she felt like it.  It was a month of MELLOW fun, creativity, and hand-made DECORATIONS.

Technorati PhotoHunters and Photohunter Facebook

Pineapple balls

• 1 can pineapple cubes
• 1 cup margarine or butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 4 cups unsweetened coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla
• graham wafer crumbs

1. Drain, pineapple cubes. Set aside. 
2. Cream, cup margarine or butter, icing sugar. 
3. Add unsweetened coconut and tsp vanilla. 
4. Roll this mixture around the pineapple cube, then roll in graham wafer crumbs. 
5. Refrigerate til firm.

Microwave “Peanut Butter Cup” Fudge

•     1 pound icing sugar
•     1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•     1/4 cup milk
•     1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
•     1/2 cup shelled peanuts
•     3/4 cup peanut butter morsels

1. Spray 1.5 quart baking dish with cooking spray.  
2. Sift icing sugar and cocoa in a large bowl.  
3. Add milk and melted butter, until mostly combined.  
4. You may not be able to get all the sugar off the sides of the bowl, but that is OK.  
5. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, just until bubbling. 
6. Remove from microwave and add shelled peanuts and immediately stir mixture until smooth and all the sugar is dissolved.  
7. Quickly pour fudge into greased baking dish, shaking from side to side to let it settle.  
8. Then immediately sprinkle peanut butter morsels over top, lightly pressing them down into the fudge.  
9. Cool on counter for 15 minutes before chilling in the fridge for at least 1 hour.  Cut into 16 squares to serve or other desired amount
10. NOTE:  The fudge will solidify quickly, so it is best to have greased dish, peanuts, and peanut butter morsels ready and measured before microwaving.

This Moment: Princess Puppy

A beautiful and fun Friday ritual. Inspired by SouleMama.

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. – Amanda Soule

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

•     2 T. olive oil (optional)
•     2 lbs. ground beef
•     2 T. chili powder
•     2t. ground cumin
•     1/2 onion, chopped
•     1 14 oz. stewed tomatoes
•     1 C. taco sauce
•     1 can black beans, drained
•     1 C. frozen corn
•     salt
•     8-8in. flour tortillas
•     2 1/2 C. cheddar cheese, grated
•     2 green onions, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Preheat large skillet over medium high heat. 
2. Add ground beef and onion,brown and drain. 
3. Season with chili power, cumin, then add tomatoes, taco sauce, black beans, and corn. 
4. Heat mixture through 2-3 minutes, then season with salt to taste. 
5. Grease Baking dish. 
6. Layer meat, tortillas, cheese and repeat as needed. 
7. Bake 12-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. (May top with green onions) Serves 6-8.
   
   Plan ahead and cook the beans from dry, make your own tortillas and taco sauce and this meal ends up being an inexpensive dinner.

Peppermint Bark

• 2 cups Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips, 2 cup White Chips
• 4 tsp Vegetable Oil
• Crushed Candy Canes, (as much as you like. I use small chunks)
• Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips, Optional

1. Line a 9x9 Baking Pan with foil. Smooth the foil out to the best of your ability.
2. Spray a 2 Qt Saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Put the 2 c of the chocolate and 2 t of the Vegetable Oil in, and melt the chips. Make sure the heat isn't high. (I melt chocolate in the Microwave).
4. Pour melted chocolate into pan and let harden. (I put my in the freezer).
5. Once chocolate is hard, remove from freezer and let warm up a bit.
6. Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 with the White Chocolate. While melting the White Chocolate, put some of the crushed candy cane pieces in and mix thoroughly. Be careful with White Chocolate b/c it burns quickly.
7. Pour on top of the Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate, and spread evenly.
8. Sprinkle top with crushed candy canes or Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips.
9. Put back in the freezer. Make sure you leave it in long enough so the chocolates come together. (about 40 minutes).
10. Remove from freezer, flip over to remove foil. Let warm up a bit before you cut it or break it into chunks.

No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

• 1 cup butter, 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, 
• 1 tsp vanilla, 
• 3 cups quick cooking oats, 
• 1 cup choc chips, 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter. 

1. Grease a 9x9 inch pan. 
2. Melt butter in a lg saucepan over med heat. 
3. Stir in brown sugar & vanilla. 
4. Mix in oats. 
5. Cook over low heat for 2 or 3 minutes or until well blended. 
6. Press half of mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. 
7. Reserve the other half for topping. 
8. Meanwhile:
1. melt the choc chips and PB in a small saucepan over low heat til smooth. 
2. Stirring frequently.pour the choc mixture over the crust in the pan and spread evenly. 
9. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over top.
10. Press down gently. Cool on counter for a while. 
11. Then refrigerate for 2 or 3 hours or until firm enough to cut in squares!

Lentil Chili

This recipe is one of our family favorites.  It fits nicely into our budget and I can make our money go farther if I use all lentils instead of the beef.  Our whole family LOVES lentil chili so I have to make a HUGE batch to satisfy everyone.  I can also make it stretch by serving it over rice, especially nice if we have company drop by unexpectedly.

Ingredients:

• 2 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 20 c. water
• 2 lb. dry lentils
• 4 tsp. salt
• 4 c. salsa
• 2-29 oz. canned tomatoes, crushed
• 2 lb. ground beef
• 2 tbsp. chili powder

1. Brown ground beef with the onion, drain.  
2. Add lentils and water. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.  
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.

Variations:  Omit meat and double the amount of lentils for a vegetarian dish.  Serve over rice.  Top with cheese and/or sour cream.

Magic Cookie bars

• 1/2 c. butter or margarine
• 1 & 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (14oz) can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (16oz) package semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 (3 1/2 oz) flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 (325 for glass dish)
2. In 13 x 9 inch pan, melt butter
3. Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs.
4. Top evenly with remaining ingredients; press down gently.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lighly browned.

Cool thoroughly before cutting.

Tuesday Talk

First a question: What is the one thing you want for Christmas this year?

Now some random bits of stuff on my mind today:

1. Cute little girls watching popcorn in the microwave in a kitchen I finally have somewhat organized.

2. Sisters watching Polar Express together while they eat Popcorn.

3. How cute our handmade ornaments are looking on a classroom tree.

4. Little Prince Completely adores his father and how much his father just loves it.  It makes me so happy to see them together.

5. I want to baking and decorating but I can't find my decorating equipment. That sucks.  I used to have a lot of fun doing that.  Oh well I guess I have to buy myself some more after Christmas.

6. Gingerbread pancakes make the house smell FABULOUS early in the morning and make sure that everyone wakes up with a smile on their faces.   Even LITTLE PRINCE ate them! and like Mikey in the old commercial, he doesn't like anything!

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

• 2 lb ground beef
• 2 med. onions, chopped
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (you may do more or less)
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 2- 10 3/4 can cream of mushroom soup (substitute ‘from scratch’ varieties)
• 16 oz. sour cream

1. Brown ground beef, drain.  Add onion and cook until onion is tender.  
2. Add mushrooms and butter, cook until mushrooms are tender.  
3. Stir in flour,  garlic salt and pepper until mixed.   
4. Mix in soup and place in crock pot.  
5. Cook on low until a half hour before eating, then stir in sour cream.  (Everything is cooked when you add it to the crock pot, so there is no need to leave it in the crock pot all day.)
6. Serve over pasta or rice

Cranberry Pork Roast

Ingredients:

4-5 lb. boneless pork loin
16 oz. jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cranberry juice
1 tsp. dried mustard
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Put the pork loin into the crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over roast.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Use the juices from the roast to make an AMAZING gravy.  We always serve this with mashed potatoes because it would be a shame to waste this gravy.

POTATO PUFFS

Ingredients

• 3 cups of mashed potatoes
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sour cream (optional extra for serving)
• 1 heaping cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Lightly grease with butter 8 - 9 of the wells of a nonstick muffin pan. 
3. In a medium mixing bowl whisk the eggs then mix in the sour cream. 
4. Stir in both cheeses and the chives. Add potatoes and mix well. 
5. Spoon them into the pan filling the cups to slightly below the top. 
6. Bake 25- 35 minutes until they pull away from the sides of the cup and are golden brown. 
7. Remove from oven and let them cool 5 minutes in pan. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Laura Secord Balls!

• 5 c unsweetened Coconut (fine)
• 1 can condensed milk
• 2 c Icing sugar
• 1/2 c melted butter. (real butter)
• 2 tbsp. Shortening
• 1 pkg. Choc. Chips

1. Mix first four ingredients together & shape into balls about one inch in diameter. 
2. If too soft to roll, add a little more coconut. I am not sure if placing these in the fridge would help. 
3. I usually added a little more coconut which solved the rolling problem. 
4. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. 
5. Using a small double boiler with a little water in bottom boiler (ensure water is not touching the bottom of the top saucepan), bring water to a simmer over low heat. 
6. Do not boil. Add choc. 
7. Chips & shortening to top boiler. Stir together until melted. 
8. Turn off heat & dip each ball in melted choc. using a fork & place on wax paper lined cookie sheet. 
9. If choc. start's to harden, turn heat back on. 
10. Let balls cool. These freeze well. Store in covered container in fridge.
11. NOTE:  I would not add 2 tbsp. shortening all at once. When starting the melting process, add a little marg. (I use crisco) bit by bit until you get the desired consistency for dipping. I find shortening is better than parawax. It do not have that waxey look/taste.

Quarantine?

I swear my house should be quarantined.  Out of the six of us, four are six have the flu.  It is a nasty mess of laundry, buckets and cuddles all while I am sick too!  YUCK!

Chocolate Kiss Cherry Cookies

• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup Butter, Softened
• 2 teaspoons Maraschino Cherry Liquid
• 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
• 4 Drops Red Food Coloring
• 2 1/4 Cups Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Maraschino Cherries, Drained and Chopped
• 48 Milk Chocolate Candy Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Combine Powdered Sugar, Butter, Cherry Liquid, Extract, and Food Coloring in a bowl. Mix well
3. Add Flour and Salt. Mix well
4. Stir in the Cherries
5. Shape Dough into 1" balls
6. Place 2" apart on ungreased sheets
7. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until you can see that the lower edge is a light golden brown
8. Remove from oven and press a candy kiss into the top each cookie.

Little Prince

I don't talk alot about my worries for Little Prince.  How I worry about his development and how he will grow up to be.  He is 21 months old, almost 2 years old and he acts like a baby.  He doesn't make his will known without crying, he doesn't say any words, it is hard to find foods that he will eat, he is mostly like a doll just doing as he likes and preferring to spend a lot of time in his room.  He hasn't gotten his official diagnosis yet, but I am pretty sure he is autistic and the specialists he has seen seem to think so too.

We celebrate the little things.  When his baby babble includes a new sound last week we celebrate, when he reached his arms up to his father tonight we really celebrated.  He is an easy-going, sweet, ticklish boy who makes me happy.  I need to put my worries behind me, forget any previous expectations and just celebrate him, who he is, how much he accomplishes.  I LOVE my boy, he loves me and he loves his father.  Celebrate that and the rest will come.

#Autism

Nutella French Toast

Ingredients:

10 Slices of white bread
Nutella
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Butter(for frying)

Method:
1. Remove crusts from bread (do not discard – I make breadcrumbs with the crusts)
2. Roll each slice of bread with rolling pin
3. Spread one side of each slice of bread with Nutella, making sure you spread right to the ends
4. Roll up bread tightly , dab a bit of nutella to seal if required.
5. Whisk egg and milk in a shallow bowl
6. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl, mix well
7. Heat the butter in a pan, dip each roll in the egg mixture until well coated, then place in the hot pan. Lightly fry each slice until golden.
8. Roll in the sugar/cinnamon mixture
9. Serve immediately

Oven Baked Tacos!

• Ground Beef
• Refried Beans
• Taco Seasoning
• tomato sauce
• tortillas (also known as soft taco shells)

1. Brown your ground beef and drain completely 
2. Add refried beans, taco seasoning and about half a can of tomato sauce. 
3. Mix together and scoop into taco shells, (stand them up in a casserole dish).
4. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake at 375 for 10 minutes!!!!!!

Candy Cane Creations

So we did two fun things with candy canes that I wanted to share.  First we made candy canes out of pipe cleaners and it was huge fun and a big hit!  The girls just loved it and I wished I had more pipe cleaner to make more of them.  It was fun for them that from the littlest girl to the biggest one, they could all twist the pipe cleaners together and then bend them into a candy cane shape.  Then they rushed over to hang their creations on the homeschool classroom tree.

Another fun thing I did was have the girls help me plant candy cane seeds (striped mints!) in a bowl of sugar.  The next morning before they got up, I replaced them with candy canes and the girls were amazed that we magically grew candy canes.  They were so impressed they even shared it with the neighbour boys who came over to see this AMAZING thing we had done and went and shared with their mom.  The candy canes I had tended to break when I was unwrapping them, so I decided that they just grew to different heights.  LOL

Easy Fudge

Ingredients:

• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (some prefer milk chocolate chips or a combination of the two)
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
•  1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter or margarine in large microwaveable bowl. 
2. Zap in microwave on medium until chips are melted, about 3-5 minute, stirring once or twice during cooking. Stir in nuts, if desired.
3. Pour into well-greased 8x8-inch glass baking dish. Refrigerate until set.

Wordless Wednesday: Silly Princess Magpie

Click the pic above to get to other Wordless Wednesday Participants or go check out the following links:

Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday Bloggers, 5 minutes for mom, Ms. Mystery Case, Tales of a Pee Dee Mama, Only Passionate Curiosity, and Stacys Random Thoughts!

Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar1 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter or margarine, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well blended. 
2. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
3. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. 
4. Spread over the prepared crust. 
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Bombshell Brownies

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl. Gradually stir flour mixture into the egg mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Fudge Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Unfold piecrust; fit into 9 inch pie pan. Prebake crust according to package directions. Remove from oven.
2. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
3. Beat together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, butter or margarine, eggs and vanilla in a medium-size bowl. Spoon into pie shell.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Shortbread

2 cups flour
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter

Combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter, should be crumbly. Press into ungreased 9x9 baking dish. Prick entire dough with fork.

Bake at 300 degrees F. for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack and cut into squares.

Princess Magpie's First Tooth Lost!

Princess Magpie lost her first tooth tonight.  She was so excited.  I was a little sad to see the last vestige of babyhood left behind.  My babies are growing up much too fast.  But she was super-sweet and excited to put her tooth in the pocket of the Tooth Beary for the Tooth Fairy to find.

Dole Whip

• 2 cans (20 oz. each) DOLE crushed pineapple
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/3 cup sugar ( i Used Stevia)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. Drain pineapple: reserve 2 tbsp. juice.
2. Set aside.
3. Place pineapple, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and reserved pineapple juice in blender.
4. Cover and blend until smooth.
5. Pour into two 1-quart freezer zipped bags.
6. Store bags flat in freezer.
7. Freeze 1 1/2 hours or until slushy.
8. Stir pineapple slush gently into whipped cream until slightly blended in large bowl. 
9. Return to freezer until completely frozen, about 1 hour and serve.

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

• 14 ounces, weight Sweetened Coconut
• 14 ounces, fluid Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• 2 whole Large Egg Whites
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ½ cups Melted Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips For Dipping

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. 
2. In a big bowl, mix the coconut, condensed milk, salt and vanilla. 
3. Whip the egg whites in your mixer on high until they form peaks. 
4. Carefully fold egg whites into the coconut mixture. 
5. Spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake until golden, about 25 minutes. 
6. To dip them, I just melted some chocolate chips in the microwave, dipped the cooled cookies and let them dry on parchment. How easy is that?

Gratitude Sunday

Sunday's heart felt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

Here are some things I am grateful for this week:

1. Making oatmeal muffins and raspberry muffins for my family to enjoy, 

2. Sweet, smiling dirty dirty faces full of good food and lots of love.

3. A three year old and a five year old who love to make ornaments for the tree that is in our homeschool classroom

4. Having fun making craft projects with the girls for our homeschool classroom windows. 

5.  Christmas trees that make me smile:

One for our classroom

One for our family room:

And four little ones for the kids to enjoy: