Laurel Wreath’s Reflections

I am suppose to be packing, cleaning, etc…. I feel like the rabbit in Alice In Wonderland `Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!’
But below is all I have accomplished, when you have a house full of boys because everyone is off of school, this is what you do all day in order to keep them all fed. It was a miracle I got a picture before all of it was scarfed down. My SIL has no idea what is coming with twin boys, ;)))

Tags: Food

For full disclosure…yes I am on a break, but I wanted to post this. This is what I submitted last year, and seriously I make it each year it is that good.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEX MIX

This one I use for gifts, I make up large batches and then fill some pretty plastic containers with a nice Christmas bow. This give you the salty/sweet combination.

3 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Corn Chex
3 c. Cheerios
3 c. pretzels
2 c. peanuts
12 oz. M & M’s
1 lb. white chocolate (I use white bark chocolate)

Melt chocolate. Mix with Chex, Cheerios, pretzels and nuts. Continue to mix and break up until white chocolate is completely dry. Add M & M’s. Enjoy.

For more wonderful Gift Exchange ideas head on over to Kisses of Sunshine.

Tags: Food, Holiday Items, Homemade With Love

Loni at Joy In the Morning is hosting

“Share Your Christmas Cookie or Dessert Baking Traditions.”

Now I will give you our Christmas cookie recipe that we make every Christmas Eve, but you have to promise not to tell I passed it on. =) This is what my husband looks forward to the most (he is worst than the kids when it comes to these Christmas cookies).Christmas Cut-Out cookies.

1 3/4 cup of sugar
2/3 c shortening
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 8oz sour cream (sounds weird I know but this is what makes it!!)
2 eggs

Mix the above ingredients well. Then add gradually 4 cups of flour. Stir/knead in 2 1/2 cups of flour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I usually make this the night before). Roll out 1/4″ thick, cut out and decorate.

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Enjoy

I made Barb’s Pumpkin Cookies and here is a picture to prove it.

They are yummy (according to my picky family) and they make your house smell WONDERFUL while cooking them. Go ahead make some of your own, won’t be disappointed.

The only problem is when I began cooking, I did not know where to stop. This is what happens when you have not been able to eat “normal” food and the cooking smell gets to you. Wanna come over and have a cup of coffee and help my boys eat all this food!

This is what a beautiful FALL day does to me =). And plus they say “the best way to man’s heart is through his stomach”. Well I say this is the best way to say “honey I am sorry I broke your computer monitor, is through these foods”.

(for the record I was just the last one to touch it before it decided not to work anymore, but sigh….that does not help that much).

The good news is, it was still under warranty and he is getting a new one in 3 to 5 days. YIPEE! But I think “manly man” will think he has died and gone to heaven when he sees this food.

Pensieve is hosting.

Ok I am going to need some help.

I can cook (when I have a recipe) “winging it” has not been my thing. So I need some fish recipes (and this will be my cat when I do cook fish).

I have been told that when I get my rubber bands off in a week, soft fish is one of the best and most healthy ways to begin my chewing again.I am embarrassed to say the only kind of fish I know how to cook is “fish sticks” bought in your local freezer section. No crunchy stuff, things need to be soft.

How do I go about buying good fish?

Have any good, fish rubs?

And the biggie how do I cook it?

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEX MIX

This one I use for gifts, I make up large batches and then fill some pretty plastic containers with a nice Christmas bow. This give you the salty/sweet combination.

3 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Corn Chex
3 c. Cheerios
3 c. pretzels
2 c. peanuts
12 oz. M & M’s
1 lb. white chocolate (I use white bark chocolate)

Melt chocolate. Mix with Chex, Cheerios, pretzels and nuts. Continue to mix and break up until white chocolate is completely dry. Add M & M’s. Enjoy.

For more wonderful Gift Exchange ideas head on over to Kisses of Sunshine.

Overwhelmed with Joy is hosting “Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style” recipe exchange! I am so excited to try out some of the recipes listed on her site. Below is my submission:

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEX MIX
This one I use for gifts, I make up large batches and then fill some pretty containers with a nice Christmas bow. This give you the salty/sweet combination.

3 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Corn Chex
3 c. Cheerios
3 c. pretzels
2 c. peanuts
12 oz. M & M’s
1 lb. white chocolate (I use white bark chocolate)

Melt chocolate. Mix with Chex, Cheerios, pretzels and nuts. Continue to mix and break up until white chocolate is completely dry. Add M & M’s. Enjoy.

Snack

Sausage Balls (a must with my husband around)

3 cups of Bisquick
1 stick Kraft Sharp cheese, grated
1 pound Jimmy Dean sausage

Have grated cheese and sausage at room temperature. Mix all ingredients into a dough with hands (mix well). Roll into small balls.

Bake at 350 until brown.

* Appetizer

Cocktail Meatballs

1 bag frozen meatballs
1 bottle chili saurce
1 jar grape jelly

Heat together the chili sauce and grape jelly, stirring until jelly is melted. Add meatballs (either in a large pan on the stove or in a crock pot). Simmer for approximately an hour (unless in a crock pot, then I put on low setting and let it simmer most of the day).

* Appetizer

Overwhelmed With Joy announced a holiday recipe exchange, Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style. On Monday, October 2nd, she’ll post specific instructions and provide a one location for all of us who participate to link our recipe posts.

I love the idea of a place I can refer to when I am wondering “what should I cook”. I am looking forward to this.

Randi over at I Have To Say.. is asking for low cost recipes. Now ya’all know books are my biggest weakness, but collecting recipes is another one. So here is my recipe (in fact this is what I am eating for lunch).

3 Bean Salad

1 can of cut green beans
1 can of wax beans
1 can of red kidney beans
1 small yellow onion cut up
2/3 cup of white wine vinegar
¾ cup of sugar
½ tsp of pepper

Mix all the ingredients, then refrigerate over night. Very good light salad for lunch or an excellent side dish.

Randi over at I Have To Say.. is asking for low cost recipes. Now ya’all know books are my biggest weakness, but collecting recipes is another one. So here is my recipe (in fact this is what I am eating for lunch).

3 Bean Salad

1 can of cut green beans
1 can of wax beans
1 can of red kidney beans
1 small yellow onion cut up
2/3 cup of white wine vinegar
¾ cup of sugar
½ tsp of pepper

Mix all the ingredients, then refrigerate over night. Very good light salad for lunch or an excellent side dish.