apple and cinnamon snowflake pancakes

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Somebody needs to give me a fantastic pancake recipe. I'm getting so frustrated at making flat pancakes all the time. I have visions of these wonderfully fluffy and delicious pancakes and I'm getting pancakes that are flatter than flat. I even tried a new recipe this time with buttermilk. What am I doing wrong? Besides being flat though they still tasted delicious. I used a well-buttered snowflake cookie cutter to make the snowflakes and it was a hit with the kids. Although Kirsten wasn't sure about the sprinkled cinnamon at first. She looked at me with disgust and said "what's this brown stuff on my apples?" After she tasted it, she loved it. Here's the recipe I used:

What you'll need:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk (plus an extra tablespoon or so if batter is too thick)
1 large egg , separated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl. Pour buttermilk and milk into 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Whisk in egg white; mix yolk with melted butter, then stir into milk mixture. Dump wet ingredients into dry ingredients all at once and add your applesauce and cinnamon; whisk until just mixed.
2. Meanwhile, heat griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush griddle generously with oil. Brush cookie cutter generously with oil. Place cookie cutter on griddle and fill with pancake batter about 1/4 inch. When pancake starts to bubble in the middle and the sides looked cooked, remove the cookie cutter and flip your pancake. Continue cooking until second side is cooked.

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snowmen

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We had a really heavy snowfall on the weekend so I decided to make some crafty little snowmen inside with the kids. They LOVED this. I cut out the pieces and found some decorations and they glued them all on themselves. I would occasionally help by pointing where certain parts of the snowman should go (especially with Cam), but they did such a great job! Here's how we made them:

What you'll need:

1 large sheet blue cardstock
1 large sheet white cardstock
craft foam - whatever colours you want
buttons
pipecleaners
pom poms
glue
scissors
plastic snowflakes - found at dollar store

Directions:

1. Using your white cardstock, cut out 3 circles of different sizes and cut out a piece to use as the snow on the ground
2. Using your craft foam, cut out a toque and a carrot nose
3. Let your kids glue on all the pieces and whatever decorations they think their snowman should have



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I-spy bottle

Pin It I've seen these all over the internet lately and decided it was time to make one for my kids. I had this great bottle that had hot chocolate in it that I got at a specialty home store. I thought it would be perfect for this, and it was. I searched the house for small things to put in the bottle, and in no time at all I had a pretty good collection. It's amazing how much garbage small treasures you can find in your home when you really search. I put this together in no time at all and Kirsten ADORES it. It cost me next to nothing to make - I already had everything I needed to make it on hand. Here's the directions:






What you'll need:

1 plastic bottle
small items/toys
rice
hot glue gun

Directions:

1. make sure bottle is clean and dry
2. lay out all your small items/toys and take a picture of them
3. print this picture out and laminate it if you can
4. start filling bottle alternating rice with a few toys until bottle is about 3/4 full - you want to leave some room at the top so you can shake and move the rice around the bottle
5. unless you want a large mess on your hands - use a hot glue gun and glue the lid on!
6. give the bottle to your kids with a picture of the items in it and have them find all the items.

Every shake will show new treasures:



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fun food friday: brrr, baby it's cold outside!

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This week's fun food friday is a pair of mittens. I thought it would be a good lunch because we have snow on the ground now and it's pretty cold. Although not officially Winter yet, it's definitely coming! The kids loved this super easy lunch and I loved making it for them. Here's how I made it:

A rotisserie chicken sandwich cut into 2 mittens. I used a Wilton mitten cookie cutter. I used strips of fruit leather and sliced carrots to make stripes and polka-dots on the mittens. Raspberry applesauce swirled to look like mitten strings and fresh raspberries for garnish. Yummy!



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homemade chili

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Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends. I hope you're having a wonderful day with family and friends and enjoying some delicious food. I figured I'd share a recipe today, even though I can't really eat anything right now. I'm still on a liquid/soft diet and my face is blown up like I'm storing balls in there, but I'm slowly recovering. Thank-you to everyone for your kind comments and well wishes in my last post. Nothing says Fall to me, like homemade chili. This is my mom's recipe and it's my favourite. James sometimes likes a few more ingredients in his, but I like it simple. Here's how I make it:

What you'll need:

1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef
1/2 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced thinly
2 large cans diced tomatoes, juice and all
1 large can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans condensed tomato soup
2 cans water (using tomato soup can)
chili pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. in a large frying pan, brown your ground beef. Drain grease.
2. add all ingredients into a large stock pot and mix well.
3. bring to a boil and then simmer for a few hours. Pin It

my little love and her lovey

Pin It I had a wisdom tooth extracted yesterday and I can't sleep. I'll spare you all the details. I figured I'd share some photos of Kirsten with her most favourite thing in the world - new baby dolly. Yes, that's her name. I've gently tried to suggest other names, but she insists on new baby dolly. The new part because she has two of these dollies - the other one is old baby dolly. Original, right? Kirsten doesn't go anywhere without new baby dolly. She just loves her and it's the sweetest thing. It's funny seeing the differences between my daughter and son. Kirsten has always been very attached to her dollies and she is very nuturing and loving with them. Just like a little mommy. Cam has never really shown any interest in a particular toy to use as a lovey despite all the stuffed animals he has. If he does grab one, it's usually to toss across the room. There are no hugs involved! I love these kids. Now I need to try and go rest before the kiddos wake up.









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sweet little newborn footprints

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I didn't just start liking handprint and footprint crafts when my kids became toddlers, I've always had a love for them. I did footprints of each of my newborns at 10 days old in paint colours to match their rooms. I framed them in an IKEA ribba frame and they hang in their bedrooms. These are memories I will treasure and I'm so happy I was able to capture them. Don't you just love tiny little newborn feet? Pin It

pomegranate, pear, and pecan salad

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It's pomegranate season here and I couldn't resist picking up a few to make some yummy new recipes. I found this recipe last summer, but I had to wait until I could get my hands on some pomegranates to make it. It was definitely worth the wait. This is a yummy salad just to make for yourself and your family, or it's fancy enough to serve to guests. Here's the recipe:

What you'll need:

Salad:

4 cups mixed greens
1 bartlett pear, sliced thinly
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Dressing:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tablespoon honey
ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss.

2. combine the vegetable oil, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, mustard, honey, and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the dressing thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour the warm dressing over the salads and serve.



Recipe adapted from All Recipes Pin It

fun food friday: baby beluga in the deep blue sea

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I made this fun food friday so long ago, I can't believe I forgot to post it. My kids love the song baby beluga by Raffi, that I decided to make them a little baby beluga lunch. This lunch was so easy to put together. It probably took less than 5 minutes. The whale isn't the best whale you've probably ever seen, but I don't have a whale cookie cutter and had to use a knife to cut it out. Not an easy task with fresh bread. Here's how I made it:

Chicken sandwich cut into whale shape, blueberry eye and craisin mouth. Blueberry water and blueberry coming out of the spout. Goldfish crackers in the 'water.'

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bubble bath paint

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My kids LOVED this. I mixed up some baby bubble bath/body wash with a little cornstarch and a little food colouring and they played in the tub forever. They had so much fun painting the walls and even painting themselves. I didn't have to worry about them painting themselves either because I made this with gentle, tear-free, baby wash. It only took minutes to make too, which is always a bonus. Don't worry about this staining your tub walls either. I have white tiles and grout and it washed off very easily. Try this out with your kiddos, they'll love you for it! Here's the 'recipe':

What you'll need (this was enough to make 4 containers):

1 cup baby bubble bath or body wash - as long as it is clear/white
4 tbsp cornstarch
a few drops of food colouring
small containers with lids

Directions:

1. in a mixing bowl mix together your bubble bath and cornstarch
2. pour this mixture into 4 small containers
3. pour a couple drops (you only want to use a couple drops so it won't stain) of food colouring in each container and mix well
4. your kids can use either paintbrushes or their hands to have fun in the tub
5. when you're done, snap on the lid and they're ready to go for next time











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broccoli, cheddar and chicken tater tot casserole

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This isn't the most sophisticated recipe there is, but the kids liked it. I actually wasn't too much of a fan of it myself. Maybe my tastes have matured as I've begun to cook more. Who knows. At any rate, the kids ate every bite of it. When they clean their plates, I really can't complain. I guess I'll be making this one again for the kids when James and I have something else to eat! Here's the kid-approved recipe:

What you'll need:

2 small cans cream of chicken soup
2 small cans cheddar cheese soup
1 1/2 Cups milk
8-10 Cups broccoli florets
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 bag tater tots, frozen
1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place soup and milk into a large pot over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook for 5 additional minutes to soften slightly. Stir in chicken, hot sauce, salt, pepper and garlic seasoning. Pour mixture into 11×7 inch baking dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Top evenly with tater tots and cheese; bake for 20 minutes then cover with foil. Bake for an additional 15 minutes with dish covered with foil. Remove from oven and serve.

Recipe from Picky Palate Pin It

lollipops!

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Since Halloween just passed, my little Kirsten has become obsessed with lollipops. Every time she asks for a treat, she asks for a lollipop. We actually got rid of all the candy this weekend so we didn't have to hear her ask for another lollipop. When she asked me for a lollipop this weekend, I decided I'd give her another kind of lollipop. We would make some crafty lollipops. She just loved this. I cut some cardstock with a couple punches I have and she decorated them with glitter and beads (aka sprinkles). We made this craft while Cam was napping because he surely would have eaten them! Here's how we made them:

What you'll need:

different colours of cardstock or paper
paper punches or scissors
glue
lollipop sticks
ribbon
"sprinkles" (glitter, small beads, or whatever else you have on hand)

Directions:

1. cut out some circular shapes using a paper punch or scissors. I have larger scalloped ones and smaller circles.
2. glue the smaller circle on the larger one
3. decorate your lollipop with whatever you desire
4. glue a lollipop stick to the back
5. tie on a pretty ribbon



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personalized apple pies

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These little individual, personalized apple pies are a wonderful dessert for Thanksgiving dinner if you have young kids. I made these personalized apple pies for my family for Thanksgiving. I should have stuffed them way more than I did, because as you can see from the picture, they sank a lot. Apple pie always does that. It didn't make for the prettiest picture, but they still tasted delicious. My kids just loved these little individual sized apple pies with their own initials on them. I think Kirsten felt very special, like this dessert was made just for her. It's so easy to please my little preschooler! Serve them warm with a little bit of vanilla ice cream or whipping cream. Yum! Here's the recipe:

What you'll need:

I used leftover pie dough I had using this recipe for pie crust

1 lb apples - peeled, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp superfine sugar

1 egg, beaten slightly

Other things:

4 small ramekins (oven-proof dishes)
rolling pin
alphabet cookie cutters - or use a knife

Directions:

1. Make your pastry dough using the recipe above.
2. Mix the apple slices with the orange juice, cinnamon, and superfine sugar.
3. preheat oven to 400F.
4. Divide the apple mixture between the 4 oven-proof dishes. Wet the rim of each dish.
5. Roll our your pastry dough and cut 4 round tops - I used a glass that was the same size as my ramekin.
6. Top each pie with a pastry round and trim the edges. Press edges with a fork if desired for a fancier look.
7. Brush each pie with an egg wash and make a slit in the top for steam to escape.
8. Using cookie cutters if you have them, or a knife if you don't, cut out the initials you will need to top your pies and place them on top. Brush again with the egg wash.
9. Put your dishes on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, until top is golden.
10. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipping cream, or just alone.

Recipe adapted from Kids can Cook!

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fun food friday: dinosaur fun

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This week we're doing dinosaur fun for fun food friday. I found this dinosaur sandwich punch at the dollar store and couldn't pass it up. It cuts 1 sandwich into 2 dinosaur shapes with very little waste - just the crusts which my kids don't usually eat anyway. This was really fun and easy and the kids ate everything on their plate. Here's how I made it:

2 dinosaur peanut butter sandwiches with candy icing eyes, sliced green grapes and sliced red apple, 5 mini dinosaurs made out of cheddar cheese made using a small dino cookie cutter. SUPER EASY!



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milk carton tab rings

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I just love crafts that use recycled materials. Kirsten just loves all things girly. Enter this craft. Adorable rings with beads made out of milk carton or juice carton tabs. Brilliant. I saw these adorable little rings on Zakka Life and just had to make them. Kirsten LOVED these rings. Seriously. If you have a little girly girl, she's going to love these. Give them a try:

What you'll need:

milk carton or juice carton tabs
tiny beads (seed beads) - any colour, or use a variety like I did
glue
mod podge
brush

Directions:

1. clean your milk or juice carton tabs and dry
2. cover the flat part with a layer of glue - don't be shy, lay it on thick
3. place beads in a dish and place your ring, glue side down, in the beads to fully cover the ring
4. allow to dry
5. using a brush, spread a thin layer of mod podge over top to keep the beads in place
6. allow to dry









Idea from Zakka Life



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raspberry marble cheesecakes

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These were so delicious, it's insane. Would you expect any less from a Martha Stewart recipe? My dear husband had a work meeting a couple weeks ago and promised his coworkers that I would bring cheesecake. I know, how sweet of him. Couldn't have promised cookies. No. Cheesecakes. I had been wanting to try these, so I guess this made the perfect opportunity. These were sooooo good. They were also a lot of work. They needed to be baked in a water bath using a roasting pan, which meant that I could only bake one batch of 12 at a time. It took all evening. But, it was totally worth it. These were the most creamy and delicious cheesecakes I've ever had. Thank-you Martha! Definitely try these.

Note: Baking the cupcakes in a hot-water bath produces the creamiest results and prevents the batter from sinking in the oven.

1 1/2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 12 sheets; use a mini chopper or food processor)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar plus 5 tablespoons, divided
1 container (6 ounces) fresh raspberries
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Stir together ground graham crackers, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar. Press 1 tablespoon crust mixture firmly into bottom of each lined cup. Bake until set, about 5 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool.

2. Process raspberries in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pass puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing with a flexible spatula to remove as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar.

3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a steady stream. Add salt and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each.

4. Spoon 3 tablespoons filling over crust in each cup. Dollop 1/2 teaspoon raspberry puree in a few dots over each. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl sauce into filling. Place each tin in a roasting pan (bake in batches, if necessary); pour enough hot water into pan to come three-quarters of the way up sides of cups.

5. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until filling is set, 27-30 minutes. Carefully remove tins from water bath and transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate (in tins) at least 4 hours (or out of tins up to 5 days in airtight containers). Remove from tins just before serving.



Source: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Pin It

free printable toy labels

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In an effort to keep my kids playroom organized, I decided I needed new labels for their toy buckets. Now I'm no graphic designer so these are far from perfect, but they serve my needs. I made these little labels using picnik, and if anyone wants them they can have them. The labels are 2 inches wide and I recommend printing on best quality using sticker paper. I bought the buckets at the dollar store and just attached the stickers and I'm done. I love that they have a picture on them, so my kids who can't quite read yet, can help clean up by using the picture to guide them. Colourful and cute!

Download the labels here

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sunday fun

Pin It Ughh, clocks going back an hour does not equal an extra hour of sleep for me. Cam still woke up at 5:00am! Anyway, I took these pics of the kids a couple weekends ago, but didn't have a chance to post them yet because I had so many halloween crafts and recipes to get through. The kids were just having fun playing with their megabloks. Easy Sunday fun.



















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