Elf Seeds- Free Printable

Elf seeds are something my sister does with her kids, and we will do this year. She asked me to design something to go on boxes of Tic-Tacks, so that's what I've done and can now share with you!

Just click the link below and download. Print off, cut out along red lines and tape to a box of Tic-Tacks. Have children plant them.

Wake up the next morning to a candy cane garden! It's Christmas magic!

Plant these in a shallow dish filled with white sugar and use sprinkles as fertilizer. Once the kids go to bed, switch out the tic-tack "Elf seeds" for full size candy canes. There will be some pretty excited kids jumping around the next morning when they see what happened to the seeds! I can't wait to try this.

Elf Seeds Free Printable

Mocha Chip Brownies

This brownie recipe is decadent. Cut them into smaller pieces than you normally would, because there is a lot of chocolate goodness in just a small square!

These don't need frosting. Great all on their own; they disappear FAST around here. If I ever needed to bribe anyone, this would be my go-to recipe :)

I'm going to try making them this week with some crushed candy cane sprinkled on top once they come out of the oven for a fun Christmas twist.

I've figured out the measurements so you can use a scale if you want to be really accurate. I love baking using scales! Especially to measure flour. I detest spooning flour into a measuring cup and then levelling it off. I always make a mess. Dumping it straight into a bowl and getting the right number to show up is sooo much easier! 

• 226g butter (1 cup)
• 283g chocolate chips (1 1/4 cups) + another 129g (2/3 cup) (keep separated)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp instant coffee (one with sugar works best, Starbucks Via is too bitter)
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 72g flour (1/2 cup)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

2 tbsp flour for coating the 129g (2/3 cup) of chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Melt together butter, 283g (1 1/4 cups) chocolate chips, and the cocoa powder in a medium bowl over simmering water.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, add eggs, coffee powder, vanilla and sugar. Gently stir (do not beat).

Stir chocolate mix into eggs and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1/2 cup flour, baking powder and salt.

Add to cooled chocolate mixture.

Toss remaining chocolate chips (2/3 cup) with 2 tbsp flour; add to chocolate batter and lightly stir to combine.

Pour into baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Do not over bake.

Allow to cool, cut into squares.

Festival of Lights- Santa Claus Parade 2015

Last night was our little town's Festival of Lights Parade. We haven't been to a Santa Claus Parade or tree lighting ceremony since we lived in Kingston- 6 years ago!

The boys were all excited about going to this one since it's been so long.

For a little town, it was a really big parade. The whole thing took about 45 minutes. Jacob was in it, since he's in Cadets and they were marching. I tried to get a photo of him, but by the time I spotted him he was nearly past me and my phone was too slow focusing.

Max seemed to enjoy it for the most part. The sirens and music coming from various floats was too loud for him (and me!) so he cuddled into Corey whenever it got to be too much.

We had good weather for it. About -6, but it was windy, so that made it colder. Still not a bad night for early December on the prairies though!

Orange Muffins with Brown Sugar Glaze = YUM!!

How did I not know about this sooner?! Orange juice combined with brown sugar to form a glaze to pour over muffins is AMAZING.

I imagine it would be great on all sorts of goodies. A plain cupcake, waffles, pancakes, a spoon.

I found a recipe in a cookbook that's been on my bookcase for years and decided to give it a try, since I had all of the ingredients in the kitchen already.

The orange and brown sugar glaze was the finish. So, so good. I'll make that again. Not sure about the muffins. They were a bit time-consuming.

Zest of two oranges plus juicing them takes quite a bit of time. It made two dozen and they lasted all week, so maybe. If I can get one of the boys to do the zesting and juicing, it would go so much faster.

The boys loved these. Max asks for mum-ins at least once a day. That little boys loves his baked goods!

Here is the recipe. It's adapted from the pioneer woman.

Orange muffins with brown sugar glaze

• 1 cup (226 grams) Salted Butter, Softened
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 2 cups (300 grams, I think. Need to double check that) Flour
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Buttermilk (OR 1 tbsp white vinegar added to just under 1 cup of milk)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 whole Oranges, Juiced And Zested 
• 1 cup Brown Sugar (lightly Packed) 

Cream together butter and white sugar in a mixing bowl. 

Add eggs, beat well, then add baking soda, buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute) and the orange zest. Mix. Stir in flour just to combine. Don't over mix or muffins will be tough.

Line muffin pans with paper or silicone muffin cups. Fill each cup 2/3 full. (This recipe yields 2 dozen regular sized muffins)

Bake at 375ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar and juice from the freshly zested oranges. You should have about ½ cup. Mix well. Drizzle this glaze over the warm muffins. 

Remove muffins from the pan while still warm.

Perfect with a morning cup of coffee

Mini Hot Chocolate Mugs- craft

I've been making these little crocheted hot chocolate mugs to give away this year as Christmas ornaments. They are super cute and now that I've made enough and memorized the pattern, I can make one in about 45 minutes to an hour.

I had to make some changes to the original pattern, since it didn't have a nice base and I wanted it shaped more like an actual mug. I also changed the handle a bit, to give it more of a curve.

Teachers are all getting one of these, along with my Rodan + Field mini-facials. Add in some Hershey kisses, a candy cane and some Christmas starburt mints and we have the start of a pretty decent little gift. I'm still trying to think of something else to add. Maybe that's enough? I always like to give gift cards for coffee or something, but the cost on these is already adding up. Maybe I should get the boys to write letters about what they like about being in their class?

On to the pattern!

Adapted from pattern at imfrayedknot.com

Materials:
Worsted Weight yarn in colours you like. I used green and red
Size G/4.0mm size hook
Polyester Fiber Fill
Yarn Needle
Stitch Marker
Size: My finished mug is about 2.5 inches. I made a smaller one using a smaller hook, it took more time and the size difference isn't much.
Abbreviations used:
st(s) – stitch(es)
ch – chain
slst – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
blo- back loops only
*The mug and the cocoa sections are worked in a continuous round. Do not join.
*You can add a piece of ribbon to the handle or use the handle itself to hang from your tree.

MUG – (use red, or green yarn, or whatever you choose)
Ch2.
Round 1 – work 6sc into the 2nd chain from hook, DO NOT JOIN. (6)
Round 2 – 2sc in each st around. (12)
Round 3 – *sc, 2sc in next* repeat *to* around. (18)
Round 4 – *sc in next 2, 2sc* repeat *to* around. (24)
Round 5- sc around (24)
Round 6-sc around in blo (24)
Rounds 7 thru 12 – sc around, slst to join, ch1. (24)
DO NOT FASTEN OFF but move on the the next piece (cocoa).
COCOA – (use brown yarn)
Ch2.
Round 1 – work 6sc into the 2nd chain from hook, DO NOT JOIN. (6)
Round 2 – 2sc in each st around. (12)
Round 3 – *sc, 2sc in next* repeat *to* around. (18)
Round 4 – *sc in next 2, 2sc* repeat *to* around. (24)
Fasten off and weave in your ends.
MARSHMALLOWS: (make 3 or as many as you like)
Ch3, slst to first ch. Fasten off. Use the 2 tails to tie each marshmallow to your cocoa piece. Trim all loose ends.
Assembling the 2 pieces:
Line up the stitches. (There are 24 in each.)
Grab the yarn that you didn’t fasten off from the first piece and sc though BOTH loops of BOTH pieces around to connect. (Work about half way around then start filling with poly-fill.) Work to the last 3 sts and fill the mug all the way. (Be sure to “over stuff” it slightly so it pushes the cocoa up a little.) Finish working the last 3 sts, slst to join. Now slst all the way around. DO NOT JOIN.
HANDLE:
Ch8, count 6
Slst in next 4 sts back up the ch, sc in next ch, 2hdc in next, sc in next, slst in last ch, then slst into the mug. Fasten Off and weave in your ends.
rounds straight down, slst around a st. Ch1, turn.

Free Printable- Polar Express Tickets

These Polar Express inspired tickets have been a huge hit for a few years now.  My kids start looking for these in early December. Depending on where we live, we do it a bit differently year to year.

When the tickets arrive, usually as that day's activity in our advent calender, they are nearly too excited to eat dinner.

Once we eat and have cleaned up, it's time to get ready and put those tickets to use. Everyone gets into their cosiest pajamas and we drive to the nearest coffee shop.

There, the kids hand over their tickets in exchange for hot chocolate. Well, they give me the tickets while we use real money to pay for the hot chocolate. I don't think Tim Hortons is about to accept printed tickets in exchange for treats ;) Then, it's off to drive around town to look at everyone's lights.

This has changed a bit since moving to Manitoba. Winnipeg puts on a really great drive-through light show at an exhibition park on the North edge of the city. We get additional (real) tickets to that and spend about 30 minutes slowly driving a circuit through a light show that is really well done. With places to pull over, other vehicles can get around you should you decide to stop and look at a display more closely.

Everyone stays inside their vehicle, and everyone drives the same direction. It's probably the safest way to take in a light display, and definitely the warmest!

Get the free printable here: Polar Express Tickets Printable

Looking back-and moving ahead

Just took a peek back at the blog last time I posted. Oh, how things have changed!

We've added another son to our family. He turned two in September!

We've also moved a few times since then. We did nearly 6 months in San Diego, back to Cold Lake for 7-8 months and then on to Winnipeg. We're now in a little town about 35 minutes North of Winnipeg and have been here for nearly a year.

I was going to start a new blog, but this one already has some posts, so I'll continue working on this one.

My main reason for starting it up again is just for a place to collect my thoughts. I get so much more focused when I write. I write websites as a part of my business, but that is work. I need to write things for pleasure as well. Plus, this is a good place to post and share recipes :)

I guess I'll backdate a bit so I can share photos of our travels in the US and share what I can about Manitoba while we live here. It's flat. Very, very flat. I'll leave it at that for now!