Comfort Food at its Finest

I'm all about one-pot meals with very few ingredients. I guess if I'm honest, this is a two pot meal since you have to cook the pasta first, but you get the picture. I came up with this idea the day after we had Italian sausage sandwiches for dinner and I didn't have any rolls left... and I think I like this better! The whole meal takes about 20 minutes to cook.

Here's what you need:

• 1 package of Italian sausage, 5 links (hot, sweet or mild)
• 1 can diced tomatoes in basil and oregano
• 1 green pepper, cut into strips
• lots of mozzarella cheese : )
• 1/2 pound of pasta

Add a little water to a skillet to steam the sausage. As it is steaming, turn the water on to boil and cook pasta according to instructions. Add the green pepper strips to the skillet with the sausage and saute. When the sausage is almost finished cooking, add the whole can of tomatoes and let the liquid reduce. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add tomatoes, peppers and sausage to the pasta and toss. Sprinkle liberally with cheese and enjoy!

I'm Disappointed in Myself

I had such big plans for this blog for December - there are so many fun topics related to Christmas, winter, giving, crafts, recipes... but now we're halfway through the month and I've only posted once - and it wasn't even my idea!

I guess I've been in a bit of a rut lately and the blog is suffering because of it. If you're still checking this blog (and thank you if you are!), please leave me a comment on a few ideas that you'd like to see in the upcoming weeks. Maybe that will help my writer's block!

Until then...

Jolly Elves

What you'll need:
One whole chenille stem and a half stem (also known as pipecleaners), small and large beads, wooded face bead, small jingle bell, felt, hot glue gun, scissors, ribbon

How to make it:
HAT Cut a 1.5" diameter semicircle from felt. Wrap the semicircle around from point to point to form a cone, leaving a small opening at the tip; hot glue to secure.

SCARF Cut a 1/2"x4" piece of felt; fringe ends with scissors. Cut a small lengthwise slit about 1 3/4" from end for opposite end of scarf to pass through.

BODY Bend one pipecleaner stem in half and, in the following order, thread materials over the bent point to about halfway down the stem: large bead for body, face bead, felt hat, small jingle bell. Leave about 3/4" above the jingle bell and shape the stem into a loop. Then, starting on opposite ends: Thread 4 small beads onto each leg and bend the ends to form feet. Use the half pipecleaner to make arms by centering and twisting around the elf's nexk area. Thread 4 small beads onto each arm and bend the ends to form hands. Wrap the scarf around the elf's neck, then thread ribbon through the top loop and hang.

Idea orginally from December 2008 edition of Parents magazine

Making 'the Kid's Table' Memorable

A thought recently occurred to me: in most families, each 'sub-family' is generally asked to bring something to contribute to the family holiday meal. Whether you're in charge of dessert, a side dish or wine, everyone contributes something so no one is burdened with the responsibility of feeding the entire family.

Another thought occurred to me as well: why doesn't someone take charge of the kids' activities this year? There are so many crafts and projects that are simple to organize and will keep the kids busy and entertained so the adults can catch up with each other and enjoy the holiday too. Age appropriateness needs to be taken into consideration, but maybe you could pair up older cousins with younger ones and have a creativity contest that the rest of the family can 'judge'? Everyone can get involved that way - and who doesn't love prizes?!

If you're hosting the party, you could use these projects before the party to have your kids create decorations for the centerpiece, mantle and placesettings. Holidays are more fun for kids when they feel that they are involved and can contribute! (Click on each title for instructions)

Village People

Pilgrim Place Cards

Pilgrim Pal

Make Your Own Hats

Sponge Painting

I just came across a great art project idea for anyone with little ones who aren't coordinated enough to use a paint brush yet! The idea in Family Fun magazine is for painting an autumn tree, but this would also be really use for painting a turkey, a pumpkin, candy corn, a cornucopia, a Christmas tree, a Santa face and so much more.

Using a piece of construction paper, draw the outline of of the object to be painted (for example, draw the trunk of the tree or the outline of a pumpkin). Cut a kitchen sponge into roughly 1 inch pieces. Pour a few puddles of the appropriate colored tempera paint onto a paper/plastic plate and put a piece of sponge in each puddle (to avoid color mixing and to allow more than one child to paint at a time). Simply stamp the colors onto the construction paper to create a work of art!

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Here's a must try recipe for this fall. I was able to whip them up while making dinner for the boys, which proves that it's a pretty easy recipe. My taste testers LOVED them!

Cookies:

2 c flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t salt

1/2 c butter, softened

1 1/4 c granulated sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten

1 c pumpkin puree (I used Libby's)

1 t vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

6 T butter, softened

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

Directions for cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bown on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Stip in flour mixture until combined. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. A total of 72 cookies are needed for the recipe)
3. Bake 10-13 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cook on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Directions for filling:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Spread a heaping teaspoon on filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of another cookie.
3. Store in covered container in the refrigerator.
4. Try not to eat them all in one sitting! : )

From Thanksgiving to Tantrums...

Calling all moms with kids old enough to have thrown tantrums! I need your help!

The boys are getting to be possessive, opinionated, emotional kids. If one takes a toy or book from the other or starts standing too close, if they can't get a puzzle piece to fit in the correct spot, or if I take something (like the phone) off of them, a full out screeching tantrum usually begins. Eli is especially bad, throwing himself into a back bend and practically hitting his head off the floor or wall. They are the happiest kids if you let them do what they want, but when that includes trying to open the cabinets under the sink or playing in the toilet, obviously they have to be stopped.

So what do you do?! I have been laying Eli down on the floor (so he doesn't hurt himself) and just walking away. The crying doesn't last long, but their reaction when things don't go their way is so over the top that it drives me nuts!

I have a feeling that this is just a fact of life, but does anyone have any tips that have worked to ease the pain of tantrums? Even things that have worked in specific circumstances (like when a puzzle piece won't fit) would be helpful!

Thanksgiving Tree

Advent is a countdown to Christmas. It readies our hearts and keeps us in the right frame of mind for the meaning of Christmas. This year, why don't you make a Thanksgiving Tree with your kids to help them get in the mood of Thanksgiving?

Trace your kids' hands on construction paper and cut out enough to countdown to Thanksgiving. You could even color code each child's handprints with their favorite color. Ask them what they are thankful for everyday leading up to Thanksgiving and write their response on their handprint. Find a prominent place in your home (dining room, entry way, front door) to tape their hand prints every day, forming a tree as the days go on. Make sure that you and dad include what you're thankful for too! This would be great as a dinnertime activity - talk about what happened that day in school, at home or in the world.

When Thanksgiving is over, be sure to collect the handprints and save them to look back on some distant year in the future when your kids come over for Thanksgiving dinner with families of their own and you can all remember what they were thankful for as little boys and girls.

Autumn Scavenger Hunt

Halloween decorations are starting to rival Christmas decorations! Why not make a game out of it?! Create a scavenger hunt list or a BINGO card with all the things that your kids think they will see during a walk around the neighborhood. You can include pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, tombstones, spiderwebs, ghosts, colored lights, blow-ups... anything! Then go for a walk and let your kids find the items on their list or card. Get little toys as prizes, or make coupons that are "good for one piece of candy" that they can cash in after trick-or treating. As a family you can get some exercise, play a game and use your creativity. What do you think?


Image from FamilyFun.com

Stash the Stash

Do you wonder how to keep your kids (or yourself!) from downing candy bar after candy bar after Halloween? I have been hearing some great restraint ideas from other moms that I couldn't help but share.

The Great Pumpkin/The Sugar Witch
Let your kids pack a small sandwich bag of their favorite treats from the evening (pack one for yourself too!) Put the rest of the loot in a bowl by the front door/the fireplace/the kitchen table and tell your kids that The Great Pumpkin (or the Sugar Witch) is coming tonight to take all the extra candy to a local food bank to share with other kids. In exchange for their 'generosity,' The Great Pumpkin leaves a small toy for each child.

Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar
Create a countdown calendar similar to an Advent calendar. As you open the door for each day leading up to Thanksgiving to eat the candy that day, talk about what you are thankful for and what your kids are thankful for. This will help to spread out the sugar consumption over many more days.

Unload!
When we were kids we would plan our route so we could stop back home and unload our loot, lighten our load and run even faster to each house. While we were gone, my mom would sort through the candy and use the kinds that we didn't like as much to give out to other trick-or-treaters. We all know that if it's around, we're going to eat it, even if it's not our favorite... so why not be the house that gives handfuls of candy to the kids and get rid of the pieces that you don't like as much. Ask your kids before they go what their two favorites are, keep those and give all the others away (like jawbreakers - I mean c'mon, who wants a jawbreaker?!)

Do you have any good ideas for decreasing the candy consumption for your little ones or do you overlook the extra sugar because Halloween is only once a year? What did your parents do when you were a kid?

Pumpkin Critters & Templates

I don't know about you, but I am terrible at carving pumpkins. Not only that, but I'm terrible at envisioning what I want it to look like too. Here are a couple cute ideas and a link for pumpkin carving templates from Family Fun magazine.

Pumpkin Carving Templates
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/pumpkin-carving-decorating/printable-halloween-patterns/

Instructions for these pumpkin projects can be found at http://www.parents.com/

Cupcake Magic

Witch Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chocolate frosting
1 package Oreo sugar cones
Orange sprinkles
1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting, divided
Neon green food coloring
12 cupcakes, removed from paper liners
Chocolate chips
Green and red tube icing
Mike and Ikes
Chocolate sprinkles

Directions:
Place chocolate frosting in a ziploc bad and snip off a small corner. Pipe base of cones, dip in orange sprinkes, and set aside. Place 1/2 cup vanilla frosting in another ziploc bad and snip off a small corner. Tint remaining frosting green and frost cupcakes. Turn cupcakes on sides, then place decorated cones on top. Using vanilla frosting, pipe eyes on cupcakes. Attach chocolate chips for pupils and pipe a dot onto chips. Use red icing for mouths, green icing for warts; shape Mike and Ikes into noses. Pipe chocolate icing onto cupcakes for hair and sprinkle with chocolate sprinkes.

Gummy Mummies

Ingredients:
1 box (22.5 oz) brownie mix
1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
Green sour apple bubble tape gum
M&Ms

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Divide batter among lined mini cupcake pans to make 36. Bake 20 mnutes and let cool completely. Spread frosting onto brownies. Place a piece of trimmed gum across center of cupcake. Top with M&Ms for eyes. Place more pieces of gum at slight angles to cover tops, leaving eyes visible.


These recipes are from Parents.com