Crock Pot White Chocolate Candy

Have you tried making candy with your crock pot?  Yes you read that correctly with your crock pot.  There are a ton of recipes for crock pot chocolate candy on the internet.  I can't remember where I saw this first but I am so glad I made it.   This was super easy to make and delicious.  

Here is a link for 25 Slow Cooker Chocolate Candy Recipes for you to try and I also love Trisha Yearwood's Crock-pot Chocolate shared on Southern Hospitality.

What you need for these White Chocolate Goodies:

12 oz Bag of White Chocolate Chips

1 pound of melting White Chocolate (I used these blocks used for Almond Bark)

1 Baking Bar of White Chocolate

1 Cup of Peanuts

2 Cups of broken pieces of pretzels.

Parchment paper or Silicone mat

Mini ice cream scoop or spoon

Ingredients Pictured Below:

I placed all the chocolate in the crock pot and set it on low.  You let the chocolate melt about 1 hour.  I stirred the chocolate half way through at 30 minutes.  

Once the chocolate was melted I then mixed in the peanuts and pretzel pieces.  I stirred, coating all the peanuts and pretzels.  I used a mini ice cream scoop and placed small scoops onto the parchment paper, then I used christmas sprinkles to top it and let it set, about one hour.  

STEP ONE: Place Chocolate in Crockpot on low.

STEP TWO: Melt (Approximately one hour, stir half way through)

STEP THREE: Stir in peanuts and pretzel pieces.

STEP FOUR: Place scoops on parchment paper and sprinkle with festive sprinkles.

These make great gifts, place them in a mason jar, or include them in a tin of baked goods and deliver them to your neighbors, delivery people or local fire station.  They will so appreciate these yummy treats.

This is an easy treat to make while you are watching a holiday movie or doing some Holiday Crafts with your kids, I hope you give it a try.

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Easy Kids Crafts for the Holidays

Here are some easy craft ideas that will come in handy over Christmas break or if you are having any family get-togethers with kids.  Hosting a Christmas or New Years get together, these are easy activities to keep little hands busy.  My boys love doing fun holiday-themed crafts.

We recently did these crafts on our Christmas break, and my boys loved it.  A great tip is to use a cupcake pan to hold a variety of craft items (buttons, pom poms, googly eyes, ribbon, etc.)

1. Cardboard Gingerbread Man - This is where all that Amazon Prime shopping comes in handy, use your empty boxes and cut out gingerbread shapes.  You can print a template to trace if you need.  Then let the kids decorate with glitter, pieces of ribbon, buttons, googly eyes, and any other craft items you may have.  They could also use paint, crayons, and markers. 

2. DIY Puff Paint Snowman - All you need is shaving cream, glue, and optional glitter.  Mix a baseball size amount of shaving cream, with about 3-4 Tablespoons of glue I just squeeze the bottle and eyeball it.  You can also stir in some white glitter to make it sparkle. 

3. Paint Pinecones - I love this one because we usually talk about this ahead of time and go on a hunt for good sized pinecones.  I love to take the boys to the park and let them look for pinecones they know they can turn into painted Christmas trees or DIY ornaments.  If you have star-shaped buttons you can use those or construction paper to create your star.  We used a piece of an empty toilet paper roll on the bottom.  This helps too if you have a leaning pinecone, just position it on the toilet paper roll stump and hot glue it.

Some other tips, throw a movie-themed party if you show the Grinch movie, set out green food, green punch and green treats.  If you show the Frozen movie, make blue rice Krispie treats, let the kids decorate their own snowflake shaped sugar cookie, etc.

I made this Grinch Popcorn from Two Sisters Crating for my boys and they loved it!

You could set up a hot chocolate bar, and let the kids create their own marshmallow skewer to go in their hot chocolate.  

All you need: skewers, 3 large marshmallows per skewer, I used a food marker for eyes and buttons, but you could use mini chocolate chips, candy corn for a carrot nose and pretzel sticks for arms and legs.  

I hope you enjoy this Christmas Season with your family and friends and I hope these ideas help create fun, festive memories with your children.  Although the crafts are fun, the most important thing is the time we spend with our little ones, they grow up so fast.  I know I still look back fondly at the memories I have baking Christmas treats with my mom to deliver to our neighbors and friends. 

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You can watch us share about these crafts on Studio 40 Live on Fox 40 News.

10 Things to do During Christmas Break

I am so looking forward to my kids having two weeks off for Christmas Break.  We have been so busy lately with soccer, school activities, a community Christmas Musical my boys are in and the list goes on.

I know if I don't have a plan with things scheduled out, the time off will fly by and I will not accomplish all the things I want to.  I encourage you to take some time this week and pencil in your calendar some fun festive things to do with your family.  These things don't have to be set in stone but it helps to have a plan of action.  Someone once told me the most important day to schedule is your day off, and that is so true.  The days I have off seem to go by quicker and if I don't have it scheduled out, then I am disappointed in what I did not accomplish.

These are some of the fun, festive things I plan on doing with my children in the next two weeks. I hope it helps you with some ideas for your family.  

1. Baking - We will be baking cookies, here is an easy recipe: http://bit.ly/2z1efgD.  We will be making easy crock-pot chocolate candies and festive Rice Krispie Treats to pass out goodies to our neighbors and friends.  Sometimes we have gathered all the cousins at grandma's house and iced and decorated cookies, that is always a lot of fun. We always build Gingerbread Houses during Christmas break. Sometimes we use the pre-made kits and sometimes we just use graham crackers and bulk candies.  Both ways are fun!

2. Making Ornaments - My boys love making ornaments, they especially like getting them out the next year and recalling the memories of their creation.  You can find easy all-inclusive kits at the Dollar Store to make ornaments, you can use twigs from outside.  Take them to the park one day, let them find twigs, and pinecones and make these cute Pom Pom Pinecones and Twig Trees and Stars (pictured below).  
You can use empty toilet paper tubes to make snowflakes.  Use leftover buttons from your sewing kit and glitter, kids love making these. 

3. Decorating - We have most of our Christmas decorations displayed already, but I always like to include my children in some DIY decorating, like making paper snowflakes and a chain link Christmas countdown.  Here is an easy idea to include the kids, take a glass cake stand and turn it into a Christmas centerpiece.  Have the kids find things you already have and create your winter/Christmas scene.  We used a nativity scene we had, a Christmas tree salt shaker we've had for years and some other decorative pieces to create this one pictured below.

4.  PJ Movie Day - I also like to schedule some downtime.  With busy schedules, it is nice to stay home and watch our favorite Christmas movies and hang out around the house.  

5. Reading - It is a family tradition to read the Christmas Story on Christmas and make a cake to sing 'Happy Birthday Jesus'.  I also like to keep the kids reading while they are on Christmas break.  We have seasonal books that I put away on purpose with our Christmas decorations, so when we get them out next year, it's like a brand new book, and they love reading them.  Some of our favorites are The Berenstain Bears Christmas Tree, Berenstain Bears The Joy of Giving, Pete the Cat Saves Christmas, Christmas in the Manger and so many others.

6. Game Day - If I let my boys they will play on their electronic devices for as long as possible.  I make sure to limit screen time, even while on vacation, they don't always appreciate it at first, but once they get out the Legos and Nerf Guns, they forget about their electronics.  I schedule a Board Gameday, and they love to play some of the oldies but goodies, like Candy Land, Monopoly, Sorry and so many others.  

7. Free Art - I look for canvases when they are on sale and save them for Christmas break.  The boys love painting on canvas.  I also let them paint and draw on cardboard boxes.  They have fun cutting the boxes to create things.  This is when all that Amazon Prime shopping comes in handy.  If it's a nice day we do chalk art on the trampoline.  Let the kids pick or do a variety of art projects throughout the day.  

8.  Talent Show - My kids love putting on Talent Shows, Puppet Shows, Magic Shows, my oldest loves using his Magic Show Trick box, and now with YouTube channels they follow like Dude Perfect and Evan Tube, for example, they love making their own videos.  I haven't let them post on YouTube yet, but they still love making their own videos of trick shots and skits.

9.  Lunch Date - We usually schedule a day to go out to lunch to one of their favorite places like John's Incredible Pizza, Chuck E Cheese, or even McDonald's with a play yard.  It's a fun treat and nice to get out of the house.  

10.  Groupon Adventures - In the months before Christmas I keep my eye out of for deals on Groupon that I can take the kids to during Christmas break.  Sometimes that's been bowling, roller skating, or one of those indoor play places.  Keep this in mind for Spring Break and Summer Break, just make sure you check the expiration date.  

Having fun and being festive during Christmas Break does not have to break the bank.  There are plenty of fun things you can do that cost nothing.  The important things is to spend quality time together and create memories. Lets also not forget to keep everyone from getting bored and annoying each other including mom.  With four boys in my house if I don't have a game plan boredom can quickly lead to quarreling.

I also know that my boys are getting older and one day they won't want to make paper snowflakes anymore so I am soaking in all the crafting moments with mom and hopefully, they never outgrow baking and decorating cookies.  

I hope you enjoy this Christmas season with your family and have a very Merry Christmas!

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DIY Snow Covered Mason Jars

I love mason jars, they are great for DIY gifts and great for DIY decorating.  This past Fall I made leaf covered mason jars and they added a great Fall touch to my mantle and my dining table for Thanksgiving.  

There are a ton of ideas on Pinterest for DIY Christmas Mason Jars, so I decided to try this snow-covered mason jar.  They turned out beautifully and they were easy to make, which is my kind of craft, with 4 kids and a busy schedule.  

If you want to try a craft this Christmas definitely make these, you'll love them and probably already have everything you need to make them.  You can find mason jars at the Dollar Store if you don't already have some.  I think these would make a great gift, I sure would love to receive something like this. 

What You Need:
Mason Jars
Mod Podge
Epsom Salt
White Glitter (optional) I think it adds a nice sparkle.
Twine or Ribbon
Greenery, Berries, Pinecones or Bows

Directions:
1. Pour Epsom Salt and White Glitter in a bowl.  Have a scoop to sprinkle over jars.  I used a sand toy shovel.  
2. Begin by covering the jar with Mod Podge.
3. Sprinkle the mixture of Epsom Salt and Glitter over the jar.  This makes it look like it's covered in snow.  
4. I had spray adhesive so I used it, but I don't think it's necessary, others have recommended a second coat of Mod Podge on top.  I just used the spray I had.  
5. Tie twine around the mouth of the jar and decorate with greenery, berries or small pinecones.  You could also use ribbon if that's what you have.  

This is a simple and easy craft to make that adds a beautiful winter touch to a mantle or dining table centerpiece.  Place those flameless candles inside and they look great even at night.

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DIY Photo Christmas Ornament

Christmas is upon us!  My kids usually make a photo ornament at school each year and I love hanging their photo ornaments on the tree and seeing how much they've grown throughout the years.  One thing I've found though is the kid made photo ornaments sometimes break, or fall apart so I was looking for something more durable this Christmas.  My sister-in-law gives each child in our family an ornament with their name on it each Christmas and it's one of my favorite gifts they receive, I love ornaments and the memories they bring.  

Each year I make a photo calendar for my mom, mother-in-law, and sisters and they love that, but they also now know they are getting one.  This year I wanted to change it up a bit and make a photo ornament for my mom and mother-in-law of their grandchildren.  I thought these would make a great gift, something new to go with their annual photo calendar.  

I saw some wood birch photo ornaments on Pinterest that I loved, but when looking at the craft stores all the wood birch pieces I saw were too small for what I had in mind or super thick.  While I was at Target I saw these wood coasters and although they are a little larger than I had in mind, I went with it.  I love the way these turned out and they were easy to make.

What You Need:
Wood Pieces
Pictures Printed out
Mod Podge 
Foam Paint Brush
Drill
Twine or Ribbon

Directions: 
1. Print out your picture, I did mine in black and white on my laser printer at home.  I figured black and white will go with any color Christmas Tree decorations. I also typed out their name and the year before printing.

2. Cut out the picture to the size of the wood piece you are using.

3. Place Mod Podge first on the wood, then stick on the picture.

4. Apply a layer of Mod Podge over the picture, let dry (about 30 minutes). 

5. Drill a hole (if needed).

6. Add in Twine or Ribbon, I like the rustic look of Twine.

If you are still looking for a gift for a grandparent or parent, I think they would love and cherish these through the years.

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I shared how to make these photo ornaments and these DIY Snow Covered Mason Jars on Fox 40 News in the Morning here is the video clip.

2018 UPDATE
I made these in color this year, and LOVE how they turned out.  This year Target had these four pack of coasters with red sparkles on the back and some with a green felt tree cutout.  They are only $3 for a four pack. Here are some pictures of this year's ornaments.

PIN IT FOR LATER: https://pin.it/4gztcimaikp6ry

Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe

Looking for a great recipe to make Christmas Cookies?  This is my favorite recipe for Soft Christmas Cookies.  

I found this great Sugar Cookie Recipe on AllRecipes.com I have made a few adjustments thanks to the comments by others and this is my go-to recipe for Sugar Cookies.  My mom and mother-in-law make delicious sugar cookie cutouts.  My mother-in-law is famous for her sugar cookies and they have kindly shared their recipes with me, but every time I try their recipe, they don’t come out like theirs do.  So I have tried many recipes to find the perfect one that my family loves.  With this recipe, the sugar cookies come out soft and keep their shape I love them frosted and un-frosted. 

Here is the link to the original recipe: http://armagazine.com/2g4jEcj 

Ingredients:

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup margarine, softened

 

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients until fully absorbed. Cover dough, and chill for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a clean floured surface, roll out small portions of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are barely brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

The changes I make: Use butter instead of margarine, I only use 3 ¼ cups of flour and when I roll them out I use powdered sugar on the flat surface instead of flour.  Tip, keep the dough nice and thick when you cut out your shapes, this helps give a soft sugar cookie if your cut-outs are too thin they will be crisp, still good but not as good in my opinion.

I find with my oven I bake them at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 

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