Thanksgiving Yarn Tassel Garland

Tis the season to eat TURKEY... Fa La La La La, La La La La! 

Have family coming for Thanksgiving dinner? Feel the home needs a little more of a festive touch? This a great last minute decoration to add an extra seasonal flair to your home on Thanksgiving. Simple but totally cute! 

Gather up a wrap base of your choice, yarn, and scissors and follow the arrows! Lets do this! 

Using a square piece of cardboard or lid to a tupperware wrap yarn of choice around and around until you reach how thick you'd like your tassel. I did 30 wraps. The size of wrap around base can be however short or long you would like your tassels as well. The tupperware lid I used was 4 3/8 long.

Once you have your yarn wrapped around, take about a 3-4 inch piece of yarn and tie a simple knot on top side of wraps as in photo. Take your scissors and cut along the bottom of your wraps turning them loose to look like in the next photo. Cut another 3-4 inch piece of yard and tie your yarn into a tassel shape forming the ball on the top. 

Repeat until you reach desired amount of tassels for your garland. I strung them onto another piece of yarn but anything you have that would form a garland you can use.

There you have it! Simple, quick, and cute seasonal garland.

Homemade poultry seasoning

The only time I use poultry seasoning is when I'm making a big pile of stuffing.  And those dinky little bottles they sell it in are ridiculous.  I need a ton of them.  Two years ago I was doing my pre Thanksgiving grocery shopping and the store was out of poultry seasoning.  I went to another store and it was out as well.  I decided to make my own.  After looking at a few recipes out there I 'made' my own.  I like mine a tiny bit more sagey.

1/2 Cup Sage

1/3 Cup Thyme

1/4 Cup Marjoram

1/8 Cup Nutmeg

1/8 Cup Pepper

If you have all finely ground spices just put all of it in a jar and give it a good shake. Mine were not so I put them all in my magic bullet and let it grind em and mix em up. Then I dumped it all in a jar.  Easy as pie. 

Flashback Friday - How to clean a pack and play

 Welcome to Flashback Friday! Today we have this popular post on how to clean your pack and play.  I wasn't expecting it to get near this much attention but hey, lots of us have pack and plays and they all need cleaned.  Enjoy.

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Awhile back I saw a you tube video about how to clean your pack and play.  Okay, I'll file that idea away under 'things I don't need to know right now.'  My pack and play is NOT dirty.  I have had it almost 5 years and it still looks perfect. 

Wait.

Seriously, almost 5 years?

In the tub it goes.  Fill it full of hot water and a half cup of homemade laundry soap and a half cup of Melamagic (cleaner by Melaleuca).  If I didn't have those cleaners, I would use a half cup of any all purpose cleaner and 2  cups of store bought laundry soap.  Let it soak for a couple of hours.  This is how dirty the water got from my 'not dirty' pack and play.

Pretty gross if you ask me.

After I pulled it out of the tub I set it on a towel to dry.  The brown spots on my towel where out of control gross.  So I put in back in the tub, same as before. The water was just as dirty AGAIN! After it was done soaking for the second time I took it outside and rinsed it with the hose til the water ran clear and then set it on a towel to dry. The towel stayed clean that time.

Next time, I'll just rinse it the first time.

Biscuit & Gravy Casserole

What more do I need to say? Its biscuits & gravy.... as a casserole! A comforting breakfast favorite all combined into one dish. Fast, easy and that classic flavor we all love. Give it a try!

Crank your oven to 375 and lets do this!

Biscuit & Gravy Casserole

*This makes a large 13x9 casserole, feel free to half the recipe*

2 Cans flakey biscuits

2 Pounds jimmy dean sausage

4 Cups country gravy (Thick)

1 Onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1 Tablespoon butter

Pre-heat your oven to 375. Caramelize your onion in butter and garlic, add sausage and cook. Prep 4 cups of country gravy weather its from a packet or homemade from your sausage grease prep right around 4 cups. I prefer my gravy to be thick but of course whatever your preference will work!  Pop your  biscuit cans and cut them into pieces of 4. Layer half your biscuits on the bottom layer of a greased casserole dish. Bake bottom layer of biscuits until they begin to get golden so your bottom layer is cooked. Once brown stir your sausage and onion mixture into gravy. Allow to simmer for a couple minutes. Pour entire mixture over your bottom layer. Take other half of biscuits and layer the rest of them on top of your casserole. 

Bake for 10-15 Minutes or until your biscuits on top get brown.

*Tip* This is an easy recipe. Too much sausage? gravy? no problem... make it work for you. This is the basic layout of how to make a slam dunk breakfast great for feeding family visiting during the holidays!! 

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Chicken Delight

This is one of my favorite recipes for three reasons

1. My kids eat it.

2. It's delicious.

3. It's so super quick to make.

4 chicken breasts

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium onion, diced (purple or white is fine)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup salsa

1 can diced green chilies

8 oz cream cheese

Dump everything into the crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours (until the chicken is cooked).

Before serving stir everything up and shred the chicken breasts.

Serve with corn chips or heated tortillas and  shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.

This would also make an amazing appetizer...except no one would want to eat anything else, and that just might be a problem.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Apple Donut Bites!

Here is a flashback to a post you may have missed. Delicious apple donut bites... Perfect for some halloween treats, or a seasonal sweet tooth. Add some pumpkin spice to your batter for a special twist to make it more fitting! 

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 With summertime among us that brings fair season. A lot of fair food that is oh so sinful but oh so good. Cinnamon rolls, funnel cake, crepes, burgers, fries, nacho's, hot dogs, BBQ, tri-tip sandwiches, deep fried pickles, sweet potato fries, DEEP FRIED ANYTHING! Ugh! Must I say more? 

Anyways apple donut bites is my twist on a fair snack that is so yummy for a summertime treat when your craving your fair style bites. With a greek yogurt batter this recipe is a little different then your normal batter you would make. So give this recipe a try next time you have that crazy craving! 

I did NOT just lick my screen.. I swear... Oh my! 

Apple Donut Bites

4-5 medium sized cooking apples

1 Cup flour

1 Cup Greek Yogurt

1 Egg

1/4 Teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 Cup water 

Canola oil for frying

1/2 Cup sugar

1-2 Teaspoons cinnamon

Using an apple slicer slice down your apples you can peel if you wish but its not required. Mix dry batter ingredients. Add egg and yogurt in a separate bowl and whisk until combined. Add to flour and stir. Mixture will be thick and dry because greek yogurt is very thick. Add water until mixture takes on a thicker pasty batter consistency. You may need more than 3/4 cup. Add water and use your judgement. You want a cake like batter!

Heat your oil to 350 degrees either in a skillet or your deep fryer. Once heated grab your sliced apples. They will still be in apple shape so just start pulling off rounds in halves or smaller pieces if you want. Gently dip apple pieces in your batter and lay in the hot oil. Repeat in small batches until apples are gone. The batter will be sticky so it may look like a lot on your apple but thats what puffs up and makes it donut like. Fry for 40 seconds to a minute or so on each side if your skillet frying. For a deep fryer keep an eye on your apple bites until they are golden brown. 1-2 minutes. Once fried drain on a paper towel. 

Mix your sugar and cinnamon and shake over drained apple bites and gently shake around to get a coating all the way around your bites.

Once coated you can sit back and enjoy this delicious sweet bite! 

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Cheyenne's three year old interview

Another flash back, to 3 year old Cheyenne, soon she will be 4 and you can see the current up to date answers from my sweet Cheyenne. Enjoy...

Oh sweet Cheyenners, I can't believe she is three already. She is so smart and so determined and so stubborn and so lovey. She talks so much and so well for her age. She didn't do all the questions again this year.  Despite my best efforts to ask her a few everyday she seemed rather board with it all. Harlee on the other hand helps me think up more questions to ask.

Blast from the past: Cheyenne's two year old interview 

What is your name?  I'm Cheyenne

What is your mom's name?  Doylenn

What is your dad's name?  Daddy

What does your mom do all day?  Kiss Daddy

What does your dad do all day?  He hugs you and kiss you

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?  to earth
What is your favorite color? Purple
What is your favorite toy? Pink Bear
What is your favorite fruit? I want a cutie
What is your favorite cartoon? Umizoomi

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Cuties

What is the grossest thing to eat for lunch? pears are yucky
What is your favorite thing to wear? necklaces
What is your favorite game? Umzoomi
What is your favorite snack? Eyes

What is your favorite animal? pink bear

Which do you like more, hunting or fishing?  Fishing
What is your favorite song? Umzoomi
What is your favorite book? Busy Bugs
Who is your best friend? Jazy

What is your favorite cereal? Purple
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Ride my bike
What is your favorite drink? to drink inside

What is your favorite season? purple is my favorite season

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? I can sleep on a pillow, I want my baby
What do you want to be when you grow up? Just a grown up

Where is your favorite place to go? to the left

What kind of party to do want for your 4th birthday? purple party

What kind of party do you think Harlee should have for her birthday? a purple party, no Harlee like pink parties that's all
What pets do you have? 3 pets
What is your favorite butterfly? really small

Polka dots or stripes? stripes
Do you like showers or baths more? showers
Who is your favorite person in the whole world?  Elfie
What is your favorite thing to do with friends? We just hide Elfie

What is your favorite sport? I wanna play soccer
If you could have one wish what would it be? To be a baby
Who is your biggest hero? Jazy
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Purple ice cream
Is there anything else you want to tell me about yourself?  No thank you

Know of any great questions I missed?  Please let me know!