Creamy Super Chocolatey Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

FB Source: Trish Patterson Kobialka

Ingredients:
11 cups powdered milk
1 cup confectioners' sugar
11 ounces powdered coffee creamer
2 lbs nestle' nesquick powdered chocolate milk mix
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 box instant chocolate pudding mix

Directions:

• Whisk together all ingredients and store in an air tight container. You will need a HUGE bowl. I used my 10-liter Thatsa Mega Bowl from Tupperware that I ordered through my favorite Tupperware Consultant. Using an electronic kitchen scale helps, too. 
• To mix: Use 1 part mix to 2 parts water. So, 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup mix, or 1 cup water, 1/2 cup mix. You get the picture. 

I doubled the called for cocoa in ours because my family is crazy for rich chocolate and I serve mine with extra marshmallows to sweeten it because I'm not as crazy for rich chocolate as the rest of my family. I used French Vanilla flavored coffee creamer, but you could use plain or hazelnut, or whatever you like. If I were making it for me and not my family, I'd use the called for amount of cocoa and double the powdered sugar.

Homemade Brown Sugar

FB Source: Carl Barbaro

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons molasses

Directions:

• Mix sugar and molasses until no molasses globs remain. An electric mixer works great, but you can mix by hand.

For dark brown sugar, add another tablespoon of molasses.

* Brown sugar is the original product when sugar is made. White refined sugar is made by taking out the molasses. So if you're in a pinch or want to save money, mix up your own brown sugar by adding the molasses back in the sugar.

(from allthingshomeade)

Easy Bookmark: http://www.primalrights.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=7629

Homemade Taco Seasoning

FB Source: Carl Barbaro

Ingredients:
1 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1/4 - 1/2 T crushed red pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together.

Store in an air-tight container.

Use as you would regular taco seasoning, adjusting for taste.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Next Day Chicken Noodle Soup

FB Source: Carl Barbaro

Two Recipes in one post!

Slow Cooker Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken - thawed
Seasoned Salt
Garlic Power
Italian Seasoning
1 Box Chicken Stock (for after the chicken is cooked and taken out)

Directions:

1. **If chicken is frozen make sure to THAW it out first!!** Unwrap the chicken and discard the insides.
2. Rinse off the chicken
3. Spray your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray or rub it down with butter.
4. Place the whole thawed chicken into the crock pot and add seasoning to the top! (as little or as much as desired, although it doesnt take much.)
5. No water or stock needed the chicken will create its own juices!!
6. Set your slow cooker on LOW cover and let it cook for about 6-7 hours.
7. Serve your chicken for dinner, but, and this is an important step, **make sure to keep the juices and bones from the chicken for your soup**!! Add a box of Chicken Stock to the left over juice from the chicken in the slow cooker and let the bones simmer in it over night!

Next day Chicken Noodle Soup


Ingredients:
1-2 boxes of Chicken Stock
Carrots
Celery
Corn
Left over Chicken
Egg Noodles

Directions:

1. After you have allowed the broth and bones to simmer over night you can now strain the bones from the juice and discard.
2. Add the other 1-2 boxes of chicken stock depending on how much soup you want to make. (add water if still not desired amount)
3. Cut up vegetables and add them to the broth and let them cook on low or high until tender (about 4-5 hours depending on the crock pot setting)
4. Add Noodles and Chicken when vegetables are done! DO NOT ADD NOODLES UNTIL ABOUT 5 MIN BEFORE YOU EAT ( they will get soggy if they continue to cook)

ENJOY!!

Salt Dough Ornaments

FB Source: Julie Morgan

Ingredients:

2 C All-purpose flour

1 C Salt

1 C Warm water

Directions:

1. Mix well.
2. Shape with your hands or cookie cutters.
3. Make a loop out of wire and insert before baking.
4. Bake at 325 for approximately 1 hour.
5. Cool completely before decorating.
6. Have fun making memories.

These are too cute! What a great gift idea!

Stacie says: "I notice a lot of pictures with 'SBC' on them. I have tried searching for the source, but can't find out exactly what that means. I have also tried doing a search on 'Crafts by Trina', but haven't found out where this actually came from. I like to be able to put a source with these posts, when I have that information available."

Homemade Coffee Creamer

FB Source: Julie Morgan

For each flavor of creamer, you start off with the same basic ‘base’ recipe.

Base Recipe:
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup milk or cream

Mix the ingredients together well. Add them to a mason jar and shake to thoroughly mix the contents.

Possible Flavor Combinations:
French Vanilla Creamer

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Coffee Creamer

• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Chocolate

• 2-3 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Chocolate Almond

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder + 1 teaspoon almond extract

Strudel

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 1 teaspoon almond extract

Vanilla Caramel

• 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping + 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Raspberry

• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder + 2 tablespoons raspberry syrup

Coconut

• 2 teaspoons coconut extract

Chocolate / Caramel / Coconut

• 2 teaspoons coconut extract + 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup + 2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

Peppermint Patty

• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup + 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Cinnamon Vanilla

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon + 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Honey Vanilla

• 1/4 cup honey + 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Almond Joy

• 1-2 teaspoons coconut extract + 1 teaspoon almond extract + 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Chocolate Orange

• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup + 1-2 teaspoons orange extract

Hazelnut

• 2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Chocolate Hazelnut

• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup + 2 teaspoons hazelnut extract

Cinnamon Cake

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon + 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Salted Caramel

• 2-3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping + 1/2 teaspoon salt

Toasted Almond

• 2 teaspoons almond extract

Sweet Cream

• Use 1 3/4 cups of heavy cream instead of the milk in the base recipe
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR the inside of a vanilla bean, scraped
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Eggnog

• replace milk in base recipe with equal amount of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons rum extract
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pumpkin Spice

• 3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Irish Cream

• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions & Tips:
In all these recipes, anything that has a dry or thick ingredient (like cinnamon, honey, etc.) should be heated up with a small amount of your milk/cream from the base recipe so it can dissolve properly. Then, add the rest of the milk/cream along with the sweetened condensed milk.

If you want really creamy creamer, use heavy cream instead of milk in your base recipe.

Best English Toffee Recipe

FB Source: ReBlinged
ORIGINAL SOURCE: allrecipes.com/adapted by ReBlinged

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup slivered/chopped almonds
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Butter a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan. 
2. In a heavy skillet, over medium heat, melt butter. 
3. Stir in sugar and water. Bring mixture to a boil. 
4. Cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is golden. 
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Let stand for a minute then spread the chocolate over the top. 
6. Add almonds 5 minutes before chocolate is completely set. Then let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Best, EASIEST recipe for ENGLISH TOFFEE. Takes 20 minutes to make. Oh yum!

Homemade Face Lotion Bar (coconut vanilla scent)

ORIGINAL Source: Don't Waste the Crumbs

Ingredients:
8 ounces coconut oil
2 ounces beeswax
½ tsp vanilla extract
pinch vanilla bean flakes (optional)

Directions:

1. Create a double boiler with a medium saucepan and a glass bowl.
2. Melt the coconut oil and beeswax together in the glass bowl.
3. Remove from heat and add extract and vanilla bean flakes (if using).
4. Pour into silicone muffin molds and allow to cool to set.

Homemade Chile Powder

ORIGINAL Source: An Organic Wife

Ingredients:
2 TBS. ground ancho chiles
2 tsp. ground chipotle chiles
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. cayenne

Directions:

1. Grind dried ancho chilies in a blender or food processor to make a powder. You may sift the powder over a fine mesh sieve to get out the seeds and larger pieces, but that is for appearance only. 
2. Grind the chipotle chilies in the same way.
3. Pour the two powders in a 4-ounce mason jar with the cumin, Mexican oregano, and cayenne. 
4. Close the lid and shake it up!

Soaked Pumpkin Spice Granola

Source: Mommypotamus

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Savory Lotus

Ingredients:

4 cups oats
2 cups filtered water
1/2 cup yogurt or kefir (lemon juice or apple cider vinegar will work as well- about 2 TBS and add a bit of water)
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (preferably soaked and dehydrated)
2 cups nuts of choice- cashew, almond, hazelnut, pecan (preferably soaked and dehydrated)
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/8 tsp clove powder
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
1/2 cup ghee, butter, or coconut oil
1/2 cup REAL maple syrup OR RAW honey

OPTIONAL: (to be added after granola is ready to store)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

1. The evening before, pour water over oats and mix. Add yogurt/kefir and mix again to combine. Cover and allow to soak for 12-24 hours.
2. Once your oats have soaked, pulse nuts and seeds in food processor to break down just a titch. Add to soaked oats.
3. In another bowl, combine pumpkin puree with rest of ingredients and stir to combine. Pour over oat mixture. Go ahead and mix it up real good now. Let all that sweet, spicy yumminess combine.
4. If using a dehydrator: Spread mixture onto parchment paper lined trays and dehydrate on 105′F until dry and crispy. Time will depend on how you spread your granola and your specific dehydrator. Mine takes about 18-20 hours.
5. If using an oven: Set on lowest temperature and bake on parchment paper lined baking sheets until dry and crispy, stirring occasionally. This will take anywhere from 12-24 hours.

Add optional raisins and shredded coconut. Store in sealed glass jars. I keep mine in the fridge but in the cupboard is fine, too. ENJOY!

DIY Chai Spice Balm

ORIGINAL Source: Homegrown & Healthy

Ingredients:
Infused oil (1/4 cup of spices to 1 cup of oil), olive or sesame
Beeswax (4 oz of oil = ½ oz of beeswax)
Vitamin E (optional)

Directions:
To infuse Oil

• To get more spice from your spices, lightly muddle or crush them while you gently heat them in oil in your water bath, ensuring no water gets into your oil.
• Or shake them daily while infusing them in jars over 30 days or more. If using the 30-day method, ensure your oil fills the jar to the top and it is capped tightly, with a dish towel underneath to allow for any leakage.

To make Balm

1. Once you have your strained, infused, warm oil, add melted beeswax.
2. Test the consistency by removing the spoon with a little of the mixture on it. It will cool quickly and give you an indication of how hard it will be once set.
3. If it is softer than you’d like, add more beeswax and continue to heat until melted.
4. If it is too hard, add more infused oil and repeat the test until you reach the consistency you desire.
5. Remove the mixture from heat, making sure absolutely no water from the bath gets into your blend.
6. Add a splash of vitamin E if you have it, for a natural preservative, and pour the mixture into clean, dry containers.
7. Once cooled, cap the containers and gift them to others or enjoy the spice blend yourself.

Read more: http://homegrownandhealthy.com/diy-chai-spice-balm/#ixzz2mXWjVTu3

Pledge Glitter Ornaments

ORIGINAL Source: The Whoot

Toffee - A Signature Recipe

ORIGINAL Source: The Yummy Life

Step-by-step directions can be found here: 

http://www.theyummylife.com/Toffee

Ingredients:
1 cup unblanched (skin on) whole almonds
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 (12 oz.) package milk chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Toast almonds by spreading them in a single layer on a plate and microwaving on high for 2-3 minutes (stir after each minute). 
2. On foil-lined baking sheet, arrange almonds in a single layer over an area measuring approx. 13x9 inches. 
3. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan combine butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Cook over med-high heat, stirring constantly with a clean, dry wooden spoon till butter is melted. Continue cooking and stirring for approx. 7-10 min. till candy is the color of the brown skin of the almonds; it will start smoking slightly. 
4. Immediately pour candy, without scraping pan, over almonds, covering all nuts. 
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the hot candy. Wait 1 minute and spread the melted chocolate until it is smooth. 
6. Sprinkle with pecans. 
7. Let cool and break into pieces. Store in a tightly covered container in cool place or refrigerator.  

Keepsake Thumb Print Ornament

FB Source: Every Mom Needs

ORIGINAL Source: Little Bit Funky

DIY Christmas Ornaments -- a fun project with the kids!

Make Your Own Brown Sugar

ORIGINAL Source: One Hundred Dollars a Month

Ingredients:
1 cup plain old sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses {for light brown sugar} or

2 Tbsp. molasses {for dark brown sugar}

Directions:
Place both ingredients in a bowl. Beat on low with a hand mixer. It will be a bit sticky and lumpy at first, but press on. After just the tiniest bit of patience, you will have purdy no-one-can-tell-it’s-not-store-bought-brown-sugar.

To store, just pop it into an airtight container and use as needed

Homemade Soft Caramels

FB Source: The Good Life

Ingredients:
1 c light corn syrup
2 c packed light brown sugar
1 can(s) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 lb (2 cups)** butter

Directions:

1. Combine corn syrup, brown sugar, milk and butter in a saucepan. 
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. 
3. Cook for 20 Minutes* stirring constantly. 
4. Pour into buttered oblong pan.
5. Cut into squares when cool.

*Deb's note......cooking this for 20 as mommy's world states make them very hard.....they taste just like Werther's Originals...for a soft caramel (like I wanted) I recommend using a candy thermometer and getting to the soft ball stage..around 230 degrees

recipe by mommy's world

**Stacie says: The last ingredient calls for '1/2 lb (2 cups) butter'. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but these two measurements cannot co-exist.

1/2 pound of butter = 1 cup of butter = 2 sticks of butter.

I have never tried this recipe, (and I tried finding it online, but wasn't successful) so I'm not sure which measurement to use for the butter. If you try this one way or the other, please let me know how it turned out, and which measurement you used. :)

DIY Designer Candles

FB Source: Kari Stoddart Cameron

Draw on wax paper with permanent markers, wrap around candle and heat until image is transferred...
Would make a great gift!!!

Sock Snowman

FB Source: Attitude 4 Fitness/Paige Sterner

Supplies Needed:
A pair of old socks (crew length, or longer)

rice, 

rubber bands, 

map pins with heads, 

buttons, 

any left over fabric if you want for a scarf.

Directions:

1. Assemble your supplies.
2. First, cut off the top of the sock (sock) from the foot (foot).
3. Turn the sock inside out and attach a rubber band tightly to the top of the sock.
4. Then turn the sock right-side out again. 
5. Fill the sock with rice. Make sure to pack it down as you go so the sock gets a nice round base. 
6. Rubber band the top of the sock closed and put another rubber band 3/4 of the way to the top for the head of your snowman. 
7. Now, decorate! Tie a scarf around your snowman's neck and add eyes, nose, and buttons. Use the leftover foot to fashion a stocking cap. Or you could use colored argyle socks to create hats and sweaters for your snowman. You can either sew or glue on your buttons, and add embellishments - twine, bows, ribbons, etc - as needed. 

This is such a quick and easy craft - 10 minutes tops - that it would be simple to create a whole family of snowmen for your mantle! How cute are these to make with the little ones?!!!!!!!!!!!

Homemade Corn Dogs

FB Source: Jennifer Spilman-Dalbol

Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups *buttermilk (regular milk works too)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp honey
1 (10 count) package Hot Dogs
10 wooden skewers or chopsticks
2 Quarts Vegetable Oil, for frying

Directions:

1. In a medium or large pot, add the oil. Turn heat to medium and heat oil to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir together. Then add the beaten egg, buttermilk, oil and honey. Stir until combined. (Batter should be a little thicker than pancake batter)
3. Remove hot dogs from package. Wipe them all dry with a paper towel (this will help the batter stick to them better) Insert one skewer or wooden stick into each hot dog.
4. Pour the batter into a tall drinking glass. Holding by the skewer, take one hot dog and dunk it into the batter, coating all of the hot dog. Slowly remove from batter and let a little excess batter drip back into the cup.
5. Immediately place it into the hot oil, while still holding the stick. Turn as necessary to brown all sides. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until all sides are a deep golden brown. Remove from hot oil and place on paper towels to drain grease. Repeat with all hot dogs.

Yield: 10 corn dogs

*Looks like a great option for using Buttermilk Powder as a substitute for the real thing. ;)

Colorful Christmas Bulbs

FB Source: Candie Henry

Put a piece of crayon in a clear Christmas bulb, use a blow dryer to melt the crayon while turning the bulb to distribute the color!!

Stacie says: "This looks like multiple colors were used in each bulb. Play around with different color combos. It's a great way to weed-out the leftover crayon nubs that the children don't want to color with anymore."