Yummy Mummy's

October 4th 2013

With fall finally approaching us here in Texas tomorrow it is going to be a high 65 degrees and we are so excited!  I love to surprise my family with fun, quick, easy meals.  Fall just helps me create things more than once a week and so after David and Kendall loved the Monstober Taco Salad I wanted to do something else fun as we start our fabulous fall weekend.

So tonight we enjoyed:   Yummy Mummy's  and french fries.... another night that David and Kendall popped their phones out for pictures!  Guess you could say I'm one happy mummy ..... lol!  So here's to you having fun with your family spooky fun meal.

1 package of Franks/Hot Dogs  ( your choice )
1 package Pillsbury Refrigerated Bread Sticks

Unroll the bread-sticks then stretch 8 of them long....about 20 inches
Wrap the bread-stick dough around the hot dog and leave a little gap somewhere for the eyes
This makes 8 little mummy's.  
Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes and get ready for smiles and no left overs  :)

I emptied the frozen fries onto a baking sheet, sprinkled granulated garlic and a little salt and pepper, dried parsley just for look and had them cooking while I wrapped the hot dogs in their mummy outfits and about the time they were finished the french fries were done and then bake the mummy's.  

Valentine Inspired Car Bingo Recycled Tin Tutorial

We live in the country and well, frankly, getting down our driveway is a mini road trip.  Our rock driveway is about 1/4 mile down to the actual Highway for us to go anywhere.  We are always on the lookout to see what we can see and, honestly, we can see a lot.

We have trees, telephone poles, our donkey GusGus, a pond which is a host to a lot of wild life not limited to but often seen:  Red Tail Hawk, an array of other birds, the tanks Blue Crane, Racoons, Skunks, Armadillos, Deer and Bob Cats to name a few!

I am always searching for Kendall to do something in the car on our drives other than play on her phone.  She likes to play games or text but if she does it for too long it makes her head hurt and not feel very good.  The car bingo we've had before engages her to look outside and keep her mind searching so with that in mind I created a special one for her.

My youngest brother years ago gave me some Brighton Cross Earrings that I just love.  The neat lime green heart shaped container they came in with fun writing on it was just to cool to not do something with.  There came the Valentine Inspiration as it is February 2, 2013 and this container is in the shape of a heart!  :)    So here is what I did to make this.  Realize, you can use any size tins to make it compact with a lid, I'm thinking an Altoid Tin for the next one Christmas inspired  ;)

I will give you a complete supply list at the end of this tutorial, enjoy!

Get some scrapbook paper, open your tin and cut out section to fit for both lid and base.

Open your tin and decide how many magnets you want to use so you can still see the pretty/fun paper.

Turn your tin upside down on the backside of your paper (easier to see on white ) and trace your shape for both bottom and top.  Cut out your shapes.

Next I used Elmer's glue and glued the paper into the top and bottom of my tin.
Then I went to Google Images for Road Trip Bingo and picked the one I liked and chose the things that would keep her looking for a while.

This is the one that I used and the website link is on the bottom of this picture!  She did a great job and for us it was the most easy to recognize via picture because my tin is so little I had to import the file and shrink it down to 3 x 3 and 3 x 4.   I printed 2 copies.
1.  I cut out the bigger ones to glue to the magnets
2.  I cut the smaller ones to glue stick to the base of my tin.

Now the hard part is just letting these dry for our next outing in the car.  Kendall is 11 and she loved the bright paper and the special tin made just for her.  She can keep it in her purse for use when traveling with friends or in our car; her choice.  This was just so quick, fun and easy I felt really good making it for her with things we had just lying around!  No $$ spent that's the way to have some free fun!

Supplies:
Tin of your choice
Pack of magnets ( craft section Walmart or Hobby Lobby )
Sheet of Scrapbook or any other paper you like
Elmer's School Glue and Glue Stick
Scissors and a pen or pencil for cutting and tracing your shape
Images or Stickers of what you want your little ones to look for

May your day be filled with SunShine, Joy and Smiles............. Have fun & God Bless!  

Crafty Fun Bird Feeders....recycled TP rolls

My Grandmother used to always feed her birds and we would just watch them for hours at the kitchen table through the window.  She taught me so many birds by the way they looked and or the sweet sounds they make.  I have grown up and have my own little girl and have passed this love of birds and God's majestic nature to her.  

We love feeding our birds and watching them enjoy their meals.  The fun thing is different ways of feeding them besides the regular feeders and just throwing it on the ground.  Winter here in Texas is off and on with temperature fluctuations but even with that the natural bug selection Thank God is scarce!

With that said I like to give the birds a little something extra to help fatten them up and supply much needed warmth.  In a magazine I have seen about peanut butter etc., but also the less expensive route in which we are using this winter is:  LARD!  I have to laugh, I don't cook with it but actually buy it for the protein for the birds!   Here is what we have on our tree branches/sticks now:

This is so easy here is what you need to complete this cheap, quick, easy, fun craft 

Bird Seed     a small tub of LARD     something to smear it on with, my $ store silicone brushes and TP empty rolls.   I absolutely love these little recycled things they make many cheap, fun crafts!

Next, get a roll, get some Lard on your brush of choice and paint/smear away!

Now for the FUN part!  When completely covered put it into the birdseed.

Just move it around and push it in a little with each turn

OK, now it should look like this! 

Now just decide where you want to put them and enjoy watching the birds have fun!  Our 6 rolls were ready to be replaced in less than a week once discovered!

Sure hope to inspire you to have a little craft fun and at the same time enjoy some of God's wonderful creatures!

$$$ Saving Laundry Soap Mix last for months~

Almost a year ago I was on Pintrest and discovered Laundry Soap you make that last a very long time so I had to try it!

This is one thing I am truly glad I pinned and did!  We have saved so much $$ over the past year in laundry detergent and this recipe is so incredibly easy, inexpensive, works perfectly and lasts for months!

Here is what I used to make a batch the other day:

The needed things to make this wonderful laundry fix are:

A painter's bucket - got at Home Depot for a couple dollars

Cheese Grater - the $ Store

2 Containers of Oxy Clean or the generic brand is fine ( I use both or mix if the store only has 1 of each )

1 Box Borax

1 Box Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

1 Box Large Arm and Hammer Baking Soda

1 or 2 Bars of the Fels-Naptha Bar Laundry Soap

I empty all the ingredients into the painters bucket, but make sure to do slowly and I turn my head for the dust, then I use the large side of the grater and grate the Nels-Naptha Bar soap right into it.  I just mix all together using my hands, until the what looks like "cheese" is mixed through and then pour into the 5$ container I purchased at Walmart.  I use the scoop from the Oxy cleaner and if a really large load I use 2 scoops.  That's it!  Mine lasts approximately 8-9 months!

I have a regular machine but on all the packages it says safe for He machines.  

Do use at your own discretion as this is just what I use and share with family.  I am not taking credit for this idea as I received it from the blog linked below, she answers more ?'s if you have doubts.  

Here is the breakdown in price for months of laundry soap:    :)

Walmart:  

Container: 5.00

Oxy-Clean 3.86

Fels-Naptha .97

Super Wash Soda 3.24

Large Baking Soda  2.18

Borax 3.38

Total:  18.63   

- 5.00 for the refills

13.63  !!   

Hoping you enjoy this as much as we have!  It is truly nice NOT to have buy Tide or Cheer $$ every 2-3 weeks!

Here is the link for the pin I got it from.

http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html#comments

Thanks to her we are spreading the $$$ saving secrets and love her site for sharing!

Egg Salad Sandwich

Egg Salad is one of my family favorites!  It brings back loving memories of my Grandmother making it for my school lunches.  I would sit at the bar talking to her while she would get my lunch ready.  She was an amazing woman and such a huge part of my life.

I got a lot of my cooking skills from her that's for sure.  Grandmother was for sure the down home country cook and my mother made some but liked to dabble in more elegant like Roasted Duck etc... 

My husband, daughter and myself love egg salad.  To me it tastes like deviled eggs and we love those and want them more than just at the holidays so we eat these sandwiches off and on all year!  While my Grandmother would boil just 2 eggs to make my sandwich I boil usually 8 to 12 eggs for us!
So here's how to have a quick, easy and delicious egg salad sandwich!

Ingredients: Eggs

Mayonaise 

Mustard ( we like Dijon for the added flavor)

Lemon Pepper

Dill Weed

Boil Eggs - the secret to boiling a good egg is bring the water to a full boil then add your eggs; carefully one at a time and return to full boil for exactly 12 minutes.

Remove from heat and drain and rinse in cold water.  

I just dump them into a colander in the sink and run water over them. They are cooked and the shell comes off easily. 

Peeled and ready to mash!

Start mashing, this day I just used a fork (but normally use my pastry blender or potato masher) dice, smash, whatever you like just break them up to get your preferred texture.

All smashed up and ready to get dressed up with all those good spices!  

Here's where you make it your own.  I do not measure.  Where my Grandmother would use Mayonaise a little mustard, salt and pepper.  

I use a generous scoop of Mayonaise, a little less of the Dijon Mustard, sprinkle lemon pepper all over the top and then a lot of dill weed.  

Dill Weed is a special ingredient that just gives it a wonderful fresh flavor.  We all love it and I use it in Mac-n-Cheese too!  Kendall actually requests it!  

 So you blend in your ingredients to taste and load it up on what ever type bread you like and enjoy!

I often thank God for letting me have so much time with my Grandmother because I have so many memories with her and lots of them were centered around her in the kitchen, me at the bar which looked into the kitchen watching and learning from one of the greatest women who I've ever met and that God graced me to be a part of her life.  

A funny note:  She would send these sandwiches to school with me and honestly everyone would be grossed out by the smell thinking my lunch smelled like a toot!  The funny part is that it was all I could do to keep others from taking my "stinky" sandwich.  They all loved it!  :)

Caramel Apple Snack Mix

Caramel Apple Snack Mix...........Fall Snacks are fun, festive and so easy!  

Fall is such a fun time of year for many reasons like the cool weather, football, pumpkins, falling leaves, sweater weather, finally get to wear pants, apple pies, bonfires, s'mores, hot chocolate, warm apple cider, apple pies and my list goes on and on and this kick's off the Holiday Season and it just doesn't get better than this!  With this said I'm in full baking mode and one of the 1st things I make every year is this Caramel Apple Snack Mix.

This is a super easy, delicious and fun to share with friends recipe and so I am posting/sharing it for the first time.  Wishing you fun in making this as it is so easy and my daughter loves to help get it ready!  Let me know what you think if you try it!

So here are the ingredients you will need to make this fall snack.
1st:  Get a Large Roasting Pan to put all your dry ingredients in.

7 cups of popped popcorn
4 cups Crispix Cereal
4 cups Apple Jacks Cereal
2 cups salted peanuts
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 stick of butter = 1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In large roasting pan, combine popcorn, cereals and peanuts; set aside.  Preheat Oven to 250 degrees.

 In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup; bring to a rolling boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.

Cook without stirring until mixture turns a medium amber color, about 8 minutes.  Then remove from heat; quickly stir in vanilla and baking soda until mixture is light and foamy.

See, when you add the baking soda it puffs up a little and looks like caramel!   Light and foamy;  Ooo la la! My daughter thinks this is the coolest of the stages~ and~I agree!

I actually snapped this while I was stirring!

IMMEDIATELY  pour over cereal mixture and stir to coat.  ( the peanuts seem to stay at bottom and this is okay)

Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  This will get those little peanuts coated and make everything nice and crispy!  :)

   Spread mixture onto baking sheet to cool completely.  Now you can store for gift giving surprises or just
   enjoy!  We usually keep half and package the other 1/2 in different ways to share!  Enjoy and beware...
   you will be asked for this recipe again and again!