::no fail...no cook::

...so simple...play-dough!!!

this recipe was graciously shared with me by my kindred friend...and we've been loving it ever since!!

so...give it a try, and just see if you're not hooked...to it's simplicity, to it's smell, and to it's ability to keep a child occupied for an unusually long amount of time:)


for an individual amount (double if you want to share)

1 c flour
1 pkg kool aid (the tiny envelopes that are concentrated)
2 Tbsp cream of tartar (do NOT try making it without this! - but you don't HAVE to have this exact amount)
1/2 c salt
1 c boiling water
1-2 Tbsp oil

1. mix all the dry ingredients
2. add the oil to the boiling water
3. make a well and pour the water into the dry ingredients
4. STIR, STIR, STIR... it is in this stir that you work the flour to a smooth consistency and activate the tartar...
5. gather it all up into a big smelly ball
6. ENJOY!!

...so simple!!

::mmm...pizza::

here's another speedy, scrumptious idea here for ya!!

so...when you feel like pizza, good pizza, but you're pressed for time...don't worry! you can still satiate your hankering without the time-consuming thoughts of dough-prep!!

how?? you ask! Well...simple, I say!

*************

INGREDIENTS
(for one personal sized pizza):

2 flour tortillas (lrg size)
grated cheese of your choice/amount
pizza sauce
toppings of your choice
VOILA!!

okay...so you preheat your oven to...hot! Say, 425 degrees. Grab a cookie sheet and place one tortilla one the sheet, sprinkle some cheese all around it, and place the second tortilla over that. There's your "crust"!

...now, easy-peasy...
spread the sauce over the crust...load up the cheese then neatly place your yummy toppings all over...and into the oven it goes!!

bake for 15 mins, or until golden brown all over - kind of like getting the perfect tan!

so simply...so good!

enjoy....

::'tis the season::

okay, okay...i may be putting myself way out there, admitting my ignorance?! But, on the other hand, my honesty here could quite possibly enlighten any of you who are also living in unaware ignorance!

what could possibly be so enlightening, you ask?!

Hot Cocoa, of COURSE!!!

and what was my "a-ha" moment?? Well, here it goes: I thought that the only way you could make hot chocolate was to buy "Cadbury's" mix (or something of the like) and mix it with boiling water!! Seriously!!! But have you READ the ingredients?!?!?! If I feel like drinking hot chocolate, that's ALL I want...not any/all of the other 12-15 remaining ingredients that are added to the store bought junk...thank.you.very.much!

I, who consider myself quite knowledgeable in the food/drink department, had NO IDEA that it was SO SIMPLE to make hot chocolate...from scratch!!

So...this is for you! If you, like me, just received an "a-ha" moment...

to make ONE CUP of Cocoa: (double, triple or quadruple accordingly!)

1 c whole milk
1 Tbsp cocoa
1-2 Tbsp sugar (gauge depending on how sweet you like it)

** the key thing is to mix the dry ingredients with a few Tbsp of cold milk until it dissolves...and THEN add that syrup to your hot milk ;)

....your welcome!

Pour the warm chocolaty goodness into a festive mug and top with some nummy mini marshmellows (say that 5 times fast!) heehee...you did, didn't you! ;p

SO SIMPLE...SO GOOD!
enjoy...

::creamy potato leek soup::

okay...so if you love going out for lunch, and getting a hearty bowl of simmered, full of flavour, warm you to the core soup...then, we have something in common!!

let me know if we have THIS is common too: good soup takes ALL DAY to make! Or at least that's what I THOUGHT!!!

Until I chopped, sauteed, boiled and blended up this beauty tonight!!


Seriously...THIS was THAT-gotta-go-out-for-lunch-to-get-a-good-bowl-of-soup SOUP! For ALL who enjoyed it tonight!! And...it was ready in less than an hour!!!!

So...wanna know how to make it??? Okaaaay, i guess i'll tell ya!

******************

1/2 large onion
2 small links farmer sausage
(shocker, i know!)
3 leeks, chopped
2 large potatoes, chopped
1 carton chicken broth
sea salt
cracked pepper
celery seed
1/2 c whole milk
1/2 sour cream

********************

okay, so put the onion and sausage in the pot and fry it up until it smells really yummy!

then, pour in the carton of broth and add the leeks and potatoes, salt, pepper, and celery seed - bring it to a boil, pop the lid on your pot, turn it down to medium and let it "brouddle" away (I know that's not a word, but it's something Jim says)

I did that for about 15 mins?? until the potatoes were nice and soft...

it should look something like this...

then, put is in a food precessor and give it a good "jooj" to smooth things up a bit...I did this in two batches.

NOTE: if you are using a processor/blender that has a tightly fitting lid, PLEASE make sure to vent the lid, or...well, just listen to me;)

THEN>>and ONLY then...add the creamy stuff, because you don't want to add it before, for fear of cooking the dairy too long!

Stir in the dairy...bring it back to a boil, and then take it off the heat and keep it covered until your ready to serve it...

But, believe me, it won't be long before it's all.gone.! I didn't even have a bowl of left-overs!


~mmmmmm...so simple!!! enjoy!

(please let me know if I missed explaining a step here, I'm just so excited about this soup!!)

hunker down

and get serious about this crafty, home-made business!!!

that is what i've been telling myself recently!

because, in all honesty, i DO do quite a bit of home-made stuff,

and i could quite simply share my little nuggets of wisdom with you...

like this blog was originally intended to do!!

DUH!!

so, okay...if you promise me you'll keep checking in,

i'll promise you to be more diligent in my posting

maybe even do something crazy....

like the 12 days of Christmas???

if 12 of you are interested in that idea...

(meaning i get 12 comments!!)

then i would commit to doing a stint resembling the twelve days of christmas!!!!




so...whatchya think???

SERIOUSLY?!?!?!


Are you even still there????

Okay, well, I am too!!

But life has an incredible way of "filling up"

And "blogging" just NEVER seems to make it onto my "list"

sorry, but it's true!

i AM very busy enjoying this time that I am blessed to have...AT HOME!!

When life (and friends) are SO busy surviving life and all the back and forth, to and fro

We are here...at home...and L.O.V.I.N.G. I.T.!!!

So, when I find the moment, I WILL post on how to make a little PJ bag,

but for now, I'll leave you with this - the PERFECT addition to ANY Fall dinner:

Homemade Noodles

1 egg per person...1/2 a cup of flour per egg! and then some salt...of course:)

example: if you're expecting 4 people for dinner then you'd use 4 eggs and 2 cups of flour.

So...figure out how many people you're serving...crack the eggs, measure the appropriate amount of flour, sprinkle in some salt and MIX!! (I use my incredible Bosch mixer)

Then, let the dough rest for approx. 10 mins

Roll our fairly thin and cut into strips

Using a generous amount of flour, stack up the strips and cut them width-wise with a pizza cutter!! Seriously, using a pizza cutter makes this WAY easier to manage!

Then...throw them into whatever soup/ boiling water for past sauce you are having until their done and....VOILA!!!

...mmmmm!

Nibble on those until we meet again:)
~C

::hopeful::

hopeful:

that there is still a reader out there

that you'll forgive me for my absence

that i'll get to post something on here soon, in attempts to keep you, my lone reader

that you'll stick around long enough to witness that post;)

that all the posts i have been thinking of in the past weeks/months will be able to be mentally-recalled

oh....oh....ohhhhh....i got one for ya!!!





my girls have just both started dance AND they love sleep-overs...






so, i decided to make them and dance/PJ bag....







wanna know how to make THIS!?!?!?!?!











GOOD! They'll you'll surely stick around until I post about it;P

stay tuned...