Christmas Candy Sleighs

You'll Need:

Hot glue gun

1 standard Kit Kat bar

2 candy canes

10 Hershey bars (stacked 4, 3, 2, 1)

ribbon & a bow on top

Directions can be found here: http://ellynsplace.blogspot.com/2011/12/candy-sleighs.html

DIY: Shower Soothers

Ingredients
 
Water
Baking soda
Rosemary essential oil
Eucalyptus essential oil
Lavender essential oil
Silicone cupcake pan - a pan that makes shaped ones would be fun
Optional, lavender buds



Directions

1. Mix 1 cup baking soda with 1/3 cup water (mix in optional lavender buds)

2. Fill each cupcake cup approx. half full with the baking soda/water mixture

3. Add a few drops of each essential oil to the half filled cups

4. add more baking soda/water mix to essentially fill each cup the rest of the way

5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees

6. Allow to cool

7. Add a few drops of each essential oil to the top and bottom of each cup's finished material

8. Store as is for up to 6 months or more

9. You can add a few drops of each essential oil directly before use for more scent strength

  

To use a shower soother, place it on the floor of the shower, in water but not directly under the stream if possible.

Makes a great gift!! To gift, place soothers in individual treat bags, tie with a bow and a cute label.  Or, put several in a small decorative Chinese takeout-style container.
 

Homemade Jelly Candies

The hardest part of this delightful recipe is keeping the jelly from sticking to everything during the cutting stage.  Liberal amounts of sugar on all surfaces will help prevent sticking.

Note: this recipe takes some time, so be sure to plan ahead!




Ingredients

2 - 3 oz pkgs flavored jello (not sugar free)
2 packets unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups sugar
More sugar for coating candy, about 1/2 to 1 cup


Making the jelly:

Spray a 11x7 pain with nonstick spray. Put in fridge to chill.

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.  Let sit 1 minute.  Then, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.  Boil 1 minute, stirring the whole time.

Pour immediately into prepared chilled pan.  Refrigerate for 4 hours. 


Cutting the jelly:

After 4 hours, remove from fridge, and sprinkle sugar on the surface of the jelly, gently spread to coat.  Run a knife along edges to loosen jelly (wet knife if needed).  Gently pull up from pan (I found a small metal spatula helps). 

Turn out onto a surface that has been coated in sugar.  I've found my large plastic cutting board works great.  Just make sure it's coated in sugar to prevent sticking.

Sprinkle plenty of sugar in the bottom of the 11x7 pan you just pulled the jelly from.

Now, either cut into cute shapes with little cookie cutters, or use kitchen shears (or a knife) to slice into little cubes.

Toss cubes in sugar to coat all sides.  Cut and coat all pieces of the jelly and place black in 11x7 pan.  You can also place spaced out on a cookie sheet if you want to.


One last step:

Leave jelly candies sitting in pan on your counter, uncovered, for 8 hours or overnight.  Then, store them sealed.


Tips:

• Using 2 packages of the same flavor of jello will provide a more intense flavor.  Mixing will muddle the flavors more.
• Try using flavored applesauce.  I combined cherry jello and cinnamon applesauce.  The cinnamon wasn't too strong, but you could taste it.
• There are tons of jello flavors!  Have fun and get creative.
• This makes a fantastic gift -- people will be impressed because homemade jelly candies are not as common as cookies or fudge, for instance.

Pizza Kits - a fun, fresh gift

Looking for a unique and useful -- and super-easy -- gift to give this spring? How about a "Pizza-to-Grow Kit", complete with tomatoes, spices and a box to hold it all in?

It's a great gift for kids to assemble and give, and it would make a fun, practical, and tasty present for teachers or for Mother's Day.

1) To start, visit your favorite local pizza joint and ask for a box (you may have to pay a small fee).

2) Then, purchase the fresh "ingredients" for your pizza -- lots of plants. Good choices for the pizza theme would be tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and herbs such as oregano and basil. For a fun play on words, include a flower plant to represent "flour" for the pizza dough.

3) You can transfer the plants into small pots (or styrofoam cups) if need be, then cut holes in the lid of the pizza box and place the plants in each.

4) For final touch, if you choose, include a gift certificate to the pizza place you got the box from.

A Pizza-to-Grow Kit is sure to be a big hit with recipients, and, assembling it will give your kids a chance to learn more about plants and the foods they make. For a great list of tomato, herb and flower options for your kit, visit our website at http://www.countryharvestgreenhouse.com/ and we'll help you find the plants for an awesome kit.

PS: Don't forget to let your kids plant their own pizza garden!

source: Family Fun magazine