Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter Blossoms are another favorite treat I always make at Christmas time.

This recipe makes about 60 so there are plenty to share - which is perfect this time of year.

They also freeze well.

Here's how to make them:

Cream together shortening and sugars.

Add eggs and mix well.

Add vanilla, peanut butter and milk.

Mix well.

Add dry ingredients.

Mix well.

Roll into balls and then roll into sugar.

Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes.

Immediately place a chocolate kiss on top of each cookie.

Let cool and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

 1 c. peanut butter

1/4 c. milk

4 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

Chocolate Kisses

Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs. Mix in vanilla, peanut butter and milk.

Sift in dry ingredients. Mix well. Shape into balls about the size of small walnuts. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes.

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Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps are my very favorite Christmas Cookie.

I got the recipe from my Grandma. They are slightly crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They are oh so good. I don't care for the crunchy kind but I loooove these.  They also freeze very well so I make up a batch or two and throw them in the freezer and pull them out when I assemble my neighbor's cookie plates.

Here's how to make them (recipe is at the bottom of post):

Cream shortening and sugar. 

Add egg and molasses. (I doubled the recipe so I added two eggs)

Mix well.

Sift in dry ingredients and mix well.

Roll into quarter sized balls.

Roll balls in sugar.

Place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

These are so yummy! I hope you enjoy them too.

Ginger Snaps

3/4 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. light molasses

1 egg

2 c. flour

1/4 t. salt

2 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. cloves

1 t. ginger

Cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and egg and mix well. Sift in dry ingredients. Mix well.

Roll dough into quarter sized balls. Dip into sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  

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Quick, Easy and Cheap Christmas Crafts

I have been super busy sewing my girls Christmas dresses. With all the ruffles, they seemed to take forever. I haven't had much time for crafts. Yesterday I finally had a few free minutes and whipped together some super simple, easy and cheap Christmas crafts.

First up I made these "snow" covered candles.  This project seriously took me less than 5 minutes.  

I was inspired by this post over at Raising Oranges.

Next I made some ornaments from 2 placemats that my mother-in-law was getting rid of.

I cut them up made ornaments out of them.

 Some of them I just poked an ornament wire through ....

And others I hole punched and tied a ribbon to hang.

 

A few years ago I bought a couple 3' trees after Christmas on clearance. My kids have them in their rooms. These ornaments are for their trees.

I think this next one is my favorite.  I absolutely love it.

I like it so much that I think I'm going to replace the Christmasy ricrac once Christmas is over so that I can still use them.

I got the idea from Baby Berry. Head on over there to find out how to do it.  The only trouble I had was printing the music to the tissue paper. I ended up taping it to a regular piece of paper and then printing it.

The last project I have to share I actually made last year.  

Pipe cleaner snowflakes

I think I used three pipe cleaners for each snowflake. I cut them in half. I twisted them over each other at the middle and added beads. It was fun to make different designs with the beads.  

Stay tuned - next week is all about the Christmas goodies. 

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This project has been featured!!!
Check it out here.

Christmas Skirt

My oldest daughter has been wanting to make a skirt all by herself for a while now.  I finally got around to helping her with it. It's going to be her Christmas skirt.  

I love the material. 

I'm going to buy a red top to go with it.

I cut out the material and she did all of the sewing and even the ironing herself.  I helped to stick the elastic in the waistband.

This is the first thing she has sewn and she did a great job!

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Christmas Dresses

I like to make my girls Christmas dresses each year.  

This is how they turned out.

I got the pattern from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop.

It's called the Vivienne Party Dress.

I added some ruffle sleeves just because I wanted too. I can't seem to just make something straight from the pattern anymore.

I think they turned out darling. What do you think?

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This project has been featured!!!
Check it out here.

O'Henry Bars

If you've never tried homemade O'Henry Bars, then you have been missing out.  These are super yummy and very addicting. They are super easy as well.

They also freeze really well.  I wouldn't have thought that, but they do. I made a double batch and froze 1/2 to put on my cookie plates for the neighbors.

Here's how to make them:

Combine sugar and corn syrup in a pot.

Bring it to a boil.

Add peanut butter.

Stir to combine.

While you are waiting for your sugar mixture to boil measure out the cereal.

Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal.

Mix until it's all coated.

Press into a greased pan. (The recipe should fill a 9x13 pan. I doubled it so I put it on a cookie sheet.)

*A tip so that the cereal doesn't stick to the spoon is to get the back of the spoon wet with water.*

Now for the topping place chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a bowl. (I usually add more of each than the recipe calls for.)

 

Melt in the microwave. I melt it in one minute increments, and stir it in between.

Spread it over the rice krispies.

Here's the recipe - it was one of my grandma's

O'Henry Bars

1 c. sugar

1 c. corn syrup

1 c. peanut butter

6 c. rice krispies

1/2 pkg. chocolate chips

1/3 pkg. butterscotch chips

Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Mix together with rice krispies and press into 9x13 pan.  Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in the microwave. Spread over peanut butter mixture.

 I hope you'll try them - they are sooo worth it.

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