"Best Hot Chocowat in Da Whole Wide-Word!!!!"

The other day we were out of milk.
And one of the littles asks for a glass of hot chocolate...
We ALWAYS make hot chocolate with milk...

SO we improvised and made the "Best Hot Chocowat in Da Whole Wide-Word!!!!"(note the voice of a six year old).

What was my secret ingredient you ask? Half-and-half.

"Best Hot Chocowat in Da Whole Wide-Word!!!!":

1 cup  1 serving size of your favorite cocoa mix  1/2 cup half-and- half   1/2 cup hot water

put the mix in the mug.
fill the mug a little over half way with hot water
and top it off with half and half.

It makes for a much creamier hot chocolate than the traditional fat free or 2%.

At our house, you can't have hot chocolate without whipped cream or marshmallows!

For different flavors, try putting cinnamon on top of your whipped cream, or stir your drink with a candy cane!

Of course this is a very common drink to make during winter months, but it is still fun to share ideas! How does your family make warm winter drinks?

and now for some cocoa pictures courtesy of google search:

don't those just look yummy?


If you want to give cocoa as a gift, you can also make a cocoa cone!
People love to receive hot chocolate at white elephants, gift exhchanges, or other fun events!
And they are really simple to make.

all you need is a large plastic bag such as a gallon ziptop, or a bread bag, or a cheap pastry bag.
fill it about 2/3 of the way with cocoa mix, and about 1/6 with toppings such as marshmallows, crushed candy cane, favorite candies or powdered creamer. Tie off the top of the bag with a ribbon and recipe card.

again, found on a google search...we make them all the time, but always give them away before I think to take a picture...
* zip top bags will require the zip top to be cup off before the bag is filled. Make sure to use the cheap and uniform, clear bags. The freezer bags, colored bags, and folded bags, though very useful, are not ideal for this project.

A New Way to Follow Sew What's Cookin'!

The last couple of months have been very busy. However, a pinterest account has been started and built up which is full of fun ideas for the Holidays and for all seasons. You will find craft ideas, stocking stuffers, DIY projects, Sewing tips, and recipes.
Follow us on Pinterest!!!

http://pinterest.com/sewwhatscookin/

If you follow the boards, your boards will be followed back!

Just because money is tight, that doesn't mean that gifts have to stop.
Items can be repurposed, re-created, and can be the most meaningful gifts of the season.

Do not let hard times make you feel inadequate. It isn't about the stuff. It's about the Spirit.
It's isn't about the gimmes it's about celebrating the Savior by loving others.

May your Soul be given peace and joy as December brings many new adventures!

Luke 2:10

Kids and Christmas

This is a really cute video where the magic of Christmas is shared through the eyes of Children.

Stuffing or Dressing?

Is if Stuffing or Dressing?

There is much confusion about this breaded side dish that is a staple of holiday menus.

If they both have the same ingredients, then what's diffference?

The difference in the name is only a matter of where is cooked.

Put simply, stuffing goes in the bird, dressing goes beside it.

The recipe being shared today is an easy and delicious comfort food.

(we are going to cook it dressing style)

 Ingredients:

16oz Bread Crumbs

1c celery        1c onion

1c pecan        1c apple

1c mushroom 1c carrot

 

8TB butter          2 1/2c broth

1 1/2 TB sage  1/2 tsp marjoram

1tsp thyme        3TB parsley

1tsp basil

salt and pepper

 

*the recipe calls for 1c of each veggie/ fruit...

we did a bit more than that to feed a family of six, plus leftovers...

 

in a large pot, over medium heat, start melting the butter. Add the celery, carrots, apples, mushrooms, spices and broth. stir until butter is melted and everything is well mixed. Add the bread crumbs and pecans and mix until the bread crumbs are well saturated and all is evenly incorporated.

disperse the dressing in a glass baking pan and bake at 350F until the top has a golden crust

(around 45min- 1hr)

 serve hot

 

From the kitchen of: Kimberly Leinbach

Pumpkin Cake

Today's recipe is from the kitchen of Eliza Jeanfreau!

She is an amazing baker and wanted to share this yummy seasonal favorite.

Pumpkin Cake 

Super tasty! Like pumpkin pie, but with a yummy topping.

Mix together:

1 box yellow cake mix

½ C. butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
Save one cup of this mixture and press the ret in bottom of buttered cake pan ( 9X13 or 10X15)

Filling:
1-29 oz. Can pumpkin
1 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 can evaporated milk

Mix and pour over crust.

Topping:

1 cup of the saved crust mixture
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup soft butter

 

Mix topping and sprinkle on top.  (Mine usually isn’t crumbly, so I make little pancakes of the topping and drop it on top.)  Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until knife test proves done.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Kicking off the Holidays

Isn't Thanksgiving a wonderful way to kick-off the holiday season?
Thursday was a day filled with giving thanks for the wonderful blessings God has given us.
The Lord's bounty is upon every person who seeks His love. It is such a wonderful gift.

Christmas is a time to remember the birth of our Savior. It is a time of sharing and reverence for His Glory. To celebrate and ring in the Christmas Spirit, the blog will feature a series of holiday themed posts, yummy recipes and fun craft ideas. The hope is that these ideas will inspire you to serve and share your joy with those around you.

Below is a wonderful video to help us all remember the true Spirit of the Season!

May God bless you.

Finding Time

As the new school year is taking off, we need to remember that time is something that were are given to use wisely.  We have 24 hours in a day. That means that have 1440 min to do something incredible. Everyday we are given this gift. However. Trying to manage that time can seem down near impossible.
So to help with that, here are 5 tips to help use time efficiently:

1. Get enough rest
    You can not function unless you are well rested and able to concentrate. Devote enough time in your day to getting good rest. The amount of sleep each person needs is case specific. Learn how much you need and make it a goal to get the perfect amount.
Remeber: too much sleep can leave you lethargic and even more tired.

2. Eat right and stay healthy
    Try your best to eat the right kinds of foods. It doesn't need to be a designer, organic brand to be healthy. Believe it or not, but simple foods, such as oatmeal or beans and rice, are chalked full of vitamins and minerals that the body needs. It doesn't need to be fancy to be good for the body. If these foods are too expensive to buy at the grocer in individually wrapped packages, try buying an off brand in bulk. Save your pennies to get food that will last not just on the shelf but in your stomach. Buy foods that fill you up and keep you full. Try to make sure that the time you spend on food is time well spent.

3.  Always be trying to learn something
     If you aren't in school or are inbetween classes or teaching homeschooling lessons, see what else you can learn. It doesn't need to be school related. Maybe you need to find a more efficient way of doing something. Figure it out! Let those around you help. When you involve others, you will find that life can become very entertaining very quickly. Find something that interests you and learn about it. If you don't know how to do something, learn about it. Become and expert on the topic. Continuous learning helps the brain to focus. Take a break from the typical reading, writing, and arithmetic, and discover something worth while. Pick up a hobby. Learn random facts. With the magic of the internet, there are so many opportunities to learn. All we need to do is utilize the information.

4.  Don't waste time with endless hours of television
     There is nothing wrong with taking a break from your day and watching a little TV. Sometimes your body needs to stop and just breath for a spell. But don't let television and computer games rule your day. If you are especially motivated, learn how to multi-task. Work on a project while watching your favorite show; learn to knit, crochet, sew, paint, make cards, jewelery, cook even! Many times when you are able to distract your mind for a period of time, when you return to a task, you are better able to focus.

5.  Make time for the Lord
    He gives you 86,400 seconds in a day. Give him a couple back. Let Him know that you remember Him. Give Him praise. When you are focused on Him, He will make the rest of your load seem more managable. It won't always change or ease up, but you will feel better about being able to handle it. If you let Him help, you will find more time for accomplishing what needs to be accomplished. You will be focused and ready to complete the tasks that He gives you.
With that, you must also serve Him. How you ask? Help others. It doesn't need to be anything big. It can be telling someone something kind. If you can make one person feel loved, good. But don't stop at one. It feels like a lonely world. Change that. "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God." Don't squander that. Make feel their worth. Don't give them the option of not feeling like someone can be kind;even when others arent. Let His Light so shine through your actions.


As the journey from 2012 into 2013 progresses, may you feel His strength upon you. May you find that the challenges we face in life are meant to make us-not break us. May your time be well spent and full of many positive memories and learning experiences.

God Bless you through the journey.