Online Christmas Party

Melissa over at Lilliput Station is hosting her first online Christmas party! She is offering some great prizes and a chance for others to share their Christmas ideas! I thought I would join in on the fun. My dh works with computers for a living. Last Christmas, the kids and I made him some things to hang at his work made from old CDs and simple coloring shapes that we traced unto construction paper, colored and then cut out.

Here is the ornaments that we made...dh and his co-workers hung them on their Christmas tree. In order to get the holes in the top of the CDs we used dh's cordless drill with a small drill bit. We place the CD on a block of wood to drill the hole. Then we were able to thread ribbon thru the hole and tied it.

Here is a wreath that they hung on the door to their conference room. We used hot glue to stick the CDs together.

The kids decided to make them a snowman as well. The hat is made out of construction paper, the buttons are scraps of black construction paper, the arms are twigs, the body has cotton balls glued on, and the boots are made out of construction paper.

Then what was leftover of the CDs, we made them a personalized tree for their department. We just took our leftover shapes and glued them onto the tree. Then we typed up all their names along with Merry Christmas in red and green.

Menu Plan Monday

**This is just a plan and plans have the ability to change at the cook's discretion! Last week, Sonshine's family favorite meals were a hit! The only day that I didn't follow the plans exactly was Saturday. I used the meat that I had planned but fixed it differently than planned and had other side dishes as well. This week, I am going to try to work in as much as I can from my pantry and freezer. I need to hit up the good sales at the grocery store this week along with making a Sam's Club run so menus could change if I find some good sales on meats. Lunches listed below are for the kids and I, dh's lunches are not included as he normally will just take what leftovers are available. A special thanks to Laura-Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Need help with your menus, go check others out at Organizing Junkie's site!**

Sunday(12-2)
Breakfast: eggs, hashbrowns, muffins, sausage links and canadian bacon
Lunch: Wendy's
Dinner: Pizza Hut Pizza @ church before the Kids Christmas Musical
Snack: "snack basket"

Monday(12-3)
Breakfast: cereal, toast, and go-gurt
Lunch: chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, carrot sticks
Dinner: chicken n' gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, and biscuits
Snack:"snack basket" or go-gurt

Tuesday(12-4)
Breakfast: eggs, poptarts, and go-gurt
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: goulash and rolls
Snack: "snack basket"

Wednesday(12-5)
Breakfast: waffles and fruit
Lunch: sandwiches and chips
Dinner:Chicken club sandwiches, seasoned pan fries, and green beans
Snack: mystery snack(probably cookies or brownies--gotta get some baking done this week!)

Thursday(12-6)
Breakfast: cereal, donuts and fruit
Lunch: sandwiches and chips
Dinner: chicken and fish and shrimp, fries, and corn (I like to call this dinner "homemade Long John Silver's night" lol)
Snack: "snack basket" or go-gurt

Friday(12-7)
Breakfast: pancakes, eggs, and sausage
Lunch: sandwiches and chips
Dinner: homemade pizza
Snack: "snack basket"

Saturday(12-8)
Breakfast: "Cook's Choice"
Lunch: ???????
Dinner: beef stroganoff, peas, and homemade bread
Snack: popcorn


This week aside from the menu, I need to get some holiday type baking done!! It will be interesting as to how much of this I get to this week!! On the to-do list is (I'll post recipes for all of them later):

• Pumpkin bread
• Pumpkin cake
• No-bake cheesecake
• M&M cookies (double the recipe--put one bag chocolate chips and 2 cups of M&Ms)
• Jewish Coffee Cake
• Snickerdoodles
• Chocolate Chip Cake
• Peanut Butter Balls
• Bran Muffins
• Apple Bread
• Apple Pies(indivdual pies using Grands biscuits)
• Sugar Cut-out Cookies
• Orange Juice Muffins
• Creamed Filled Cupcakes

Singing Sunday

Be Thou My Vision
sung by Jars of Clay

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light
Be thou my wisdom and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, I , Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one
Riches I heed not nor man's emptly praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and thou only first in my heart
High King of heaven my treasure Thou are
High King of heaven my victory won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun
Heart of my own heart whatever befall
Still be my vision O Ruler of all

Lunch Box Dessert

Looking for an easy dessert to slide into a lunch box??? How about "homemade" layered pudding cups?? What do you need?







Ingredients:
3-3oz INSTANT pudding mixes (I used 2 boxes of chocolate and 1 box of white chocolate)
3 cans of evaporated milk
Individual containers-- I use 16 Gladware mini rounds(1/2 cup/4oz). You can get them at your local grocery store, Target, or Kmart.
Pour the dry mixes into mixing bowls. Then pour the whole can of evaporated milk into the bowl slowly while you whisk the pudding mix so that it doesn't go lumpy on you. You will need one can of evaporated milk for each box of pudding. I measured the whole can of evaporated milk, it equals 1 3/4 cups, which is exactly the same amount as what you use for making "Pudding Pie". Once the pudding is soft set, I take my medium size Pampered Chef scoop(about 2 tbsp) and scoop the chocolate pudding into the bottom of the containers. Then I take my Pampered chef tart shaper and use it to smooth out the pudding. Then I repeat the step and add another layer. Usually it is three layers in the 1/2 cup containers. Refrigerate when complete.
Here is the finished product!
I love using these Gladware containers for individual servings in the lunchbox. The containers are reusable along with being disposable. So if they get dumped by accident it is not a great loss. I use the containers to make up individual pudding cups or no bake cheesecakes.

This was also posted over at Jenn-Frugal Upstate and her Frugal Food series!

Kitchen Tip Tuesdays

A few weeks ago, I came across Tammy's Recipes blog and found that she has a Kitchen Tips Tuesday. So I thought I would participate today with a Kitchen Tip.

My Kitchen Tip is....

Make a list of everything that you buy, divide the items into categories(canned goods, frozen, breads, etc). Basically you are making yourself a Master Grocery List! The one I have made I did on MS Word, and it is one sheet.

Post that Master Grocery List on your fridge so that when you are out of something or nearly out you can highlight or circle it. Then remember to look at the list before you go do your grocery shopping so you know what you need to get from the store. I have found that having a Master Grocery List on my fridge has saved me ALOT of those last minute store runs in order to finish a dinner or a baking project.

Thanks to Tammy for hosting and be sure to check out the other kitchen tips on her blog.