Homemade Christmas Gifts, Keeping it Simple For Everyone

Mulled Cider Sachets

6 Star Anise
12 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Tbsp  Allspice Berries
1 Tbsp  Whole Cloves

Divide between three bags

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Honey Skin Cream With Herbs

2 tsp each dried mint, sage, & rosemary

1/2 oz beeswax

2 ozs lanolin

1/2 cup carrier oil*

1 tsp honey

1.  Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over combined herbs.  Steep 10 minutes.  Strain through fine sieve.  Allow liquid to cool.  Discard herbs.

2.  Melt beeswax and lanolin in heatproof glass over simmering water.  Add carrier oil, stirring.  Add herbal infusion by teaspoonful, stirring until well blended.  Remove glass from water.

3.  Add honey to tepid cream and stir carefully until blended.  Let cool completely.

4.  Stir cream thoroughly and transfer to clean containers with tight-fitting lids. 

Makes approximately 10 ozs.  Will keep about 3 months.

* Carrier oil: Sweet Almond oil, Jojoba oil, Sunflower oil, Canola oil

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Body Scrub

2 cups Epsom Salts
1 cup carrier oil  (like sweet almond oil)
8 drops essential oil(s)
1 drop food coloring (optional)


1.  Stir together Epsom salts and carrier oil.

2.  Add essential oil, 1 drop at a time.  Add food coloring.  Stir until even throughout.  Spoon into clean jars.

Can also use this recipe with organic cane sugar.

Replace equal parts Epsom salts with organic cane sugar.

 

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Scented Geranium Leaf Pound Cake

12 - 16 unsprayed scented geranium leaves, wiped clean

1 pound butter, room temperature

1 pound sugar

1 pound flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 pound eggs, separated

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Grease your pans and line with parchment.

Arrange leaves, tops down.

Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar, 2 - 3 minutes to light and fluffy.
Sift together flour and baking powder.
Add egg yolks, one at a time, slowly to the creamed butter.
Alternate with flour mixture.

Beat in vanilla, then cream.

Batter will be thick.

Transfer to large mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Place egg white in medium, non-reactive bowl.

Whip to stiff peaks.

Stir in about 1/4 with rubber spatula.

Fold in the remaining whites.

Carefully spoon batter into prepared pans,

filling the mini ceramic loaf pans 2/3 full and

running a knife blade through batter a couple times

to remove air bubbles.

Bake 40 - 45 min. until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool.

I've adjusted the baking time to accomidate the small ceramic pans.

Ceramic requires longer times, but the smaller amount requires less.

A little investigation, and a careful eye will help.

Do not open the oven while pound cake is baking.

National Listening Day

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;

courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

— Winston Churchill

"If speaking is silver, then listening is gold."

— Turkish Proverb

Ear - Our Hearing Organ

lis * ten     (lis' en)
1. To make an effort to hear something.  2. To pay attention; heed.  3. An act of listening.

Give advice; if people don't listen, let adversity teach them.

- Etheopian Proverb

 

 



Hearing in the Brain



"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously."

— Hubert Humphrey

"Listening looks easy, but it's not simple. Every head is a world."

— Cuban Proverb

Heart and Soul - Hearing Deeply

Who speaks, sows; Who listens, reaps.

— Argentine Proverb

Listen or thy tongue will keep thee deaf.

- Indian Proverb

 

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak

and slow to become angry

James 1:19

Great American Smokeout

Happy Joe Lucky Comic Strip

You'll like it. Women like it.

Because the noise alone isn't enough.

Promoting youth and beauty!

Geez, that looks like a stinky room!

Smoking and exercise go hand in hand.

"Happy Birthday Dad, we know your A B Cs!"

Doctors prefer Camels for our soldiers.

Ooh, that's sexy!

Sneaky Granny

"Gee, Dad, you always get the best of everything!"

Throat protection

She looks familiar!

Cuz if you're gonna smoke, it's gotta be pretty

I know I'd rather be thin with a raspy voice, stinky house, asthmatic kids, yellow fingers...

You can prove there's no unpleasant aftertaste!

"Ooooo!"

She likes a smokin' hot fella.

Aparently, pipes are like astrology.

"You need this throat protection!"

Facts up in smoke

"Blow in her face and she'll follow you anywhere."

Well, if doctors smoke them...

no comment

Quite the comparison.

Athletic smokers. That's realistic.

Start'em right from school.

"Mighty easy on the throat."

"An army man must keep fit.

Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet."

"To keep a slender figure

Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet."

Phillipss Milk of Magnesia

Minimize the After-Effects.

"I like what you like"

Miss America smokes Lucky Strike!

Forever and ever...

well, maybe not.

Cranberry Relish With Clementines

Cranberries are high in fiber, vitamin C,

and even provide some iron. 

This is a delicious way to eat cranberries.

If you're not a fan of the sauce,

give the raw ones a try.

This is a perfect accompaniment to any poultry

in any season.

We find them in bags in the produce section.

You'll find they bounce when they're ripe.

This is easy to make and disappears quickly.

I'll make this a few times between now and January.

It's a favorite of the kid's.

1 Bag Raw Cranberries, sorted & rinsed
2 Tart Apples, cored, peeled, & chopped
2 - 3 Clementines, peeled & sectioned
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 -2 drops Almond Extract (optional)

Raw Cranberries, rinsed & sorted



Clementine





Tart Apple



Savory Sweet Potato, Black Bean Salad

I have eaten this several times at a local restaurant.

While I don't have an exact recipe,

I have scrutinized the flavors often enough

to be able to make this outstanding, original salad at home.

It's simple to make  

for a filling lunch or hearty side dish.

It's a fantastic meal for those who are wheat-sensitive,

you don't even miss your breads.

Give this recipe a try.

It's high in fiber and vitamin A.

It's economical year-round.

And it's a great meal for a pot-luck or a holiday.



Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Peel your sweet potatoes

and chop them into rough 1-inch cubes.

Coat them well with plenty of oil,

a pinch each of cumin and cayenne,

and a teaspoon or two of chili powder.

Place them into a hot oven, 400°F,

and bake for 40 - 50 minutes,

until fork-tender, but not mushy.

Once cooked, set aside to let cool.

Drain and rinse well a can of black beans.



Cooked & Rinsed Black Beans





Fresh or Frozen Sweet Kernel Corn



Add some sweet corn, fresh or frozen

so it's crunchy and sweet.

Slice some scallions to your liking,

for a bit of fresh zip.



Scallions / Green Onions

Finally, add some fresh cilantro

 for that fresh, herb flavor.



Cilantro



3-5 Sweet Potatoes

1/4 cup Canola or Olive Oil

1 - 2 teaspoons Chili Powder

pinch Cumin

pinch Cayenne Pepper (optional)

1 Can Black Beans

1 cup Sweet Corn Kernels

1/4 - 1/2 cup Chopped Scallions

1/4 cup chopped Cilantro