That dreaded 5 or 10 pounds seems to creep on this time of the year. Here are my favorite 20 tips to help you avoid holiday weight gain. The holidays are here, and for many this means a week so entertaining, indulging and basically forgetting to eat well. Extra junk calories seem to be everywhere, …
This festive DIY blue spruce stocking wreath is quite different from the circular shaped wreaths so commonly seen at Christmas time and you can make it yourself. The colorful Blue branches also add a great pop of color to your front door. A great wreath makes a wonderful welcoming accent to your front door for …
Now is the perfect time to winterize garden tools. The garden will be resting for a few months but tools still need TLC. Once the cooler weather sets in, and thoughts of the upcoming holidays come to mind, that last thing we want to think about is gardening. But trust me, your garden tools will …
It’s an expensive time of the year! There seem to be so many uses for our dollars when the holidays roll around. These frugal tips will make your holiday season something to remember without breaking the bank. The whole essence of a successful holiday season does not lie in the amount of money you spend, …
One of the fun things about the holidays is sharing with family and friends. These holiday graphics are a great way to do that. It’s fun to find images and then edit them to add a cute meme or saying. Here are some of my favorite holiday graphics. You may share them on Facebook, but …
This sweet DIY miniature gumdrop topiary is a colorful and fun addition to your holiday table. I normally use gumdrop candy to decorate my gingerbread house. Today, we’ll use them to make an edible topiary tree decoration. The only problem will be keeping it decorated until the end of the evening of your party! Do …
These candy cane peppermint kiss cookies are a variation on the normal kiss cookie that is so often seen this time of the year. They are also lighter than the traditional kiss cookie and perfectly festive. They are a great choice for a cookie swap or to take to your child’s school party. I’ve made …
Prepare to have your sweet tooth tempted with this collection of dessert recipes. I admit it. I love desserts much more than I should. I’ve gone through just about every phase of dessert cooking there is. From light fruit desserts to rich decadent treats that no dieter would be able to look at without gaining …
The Red Lobster restaurant is known for its signature cheddar biscuits, creamy clam chowder, and delicious seafood dishes of all types. This copycat recipe shows an easy way to re-create Red Lobster’s Nantucket Baked Cod recipe at home. It uses items that you most likely already have in your pantry. As nice as Red Lobster’s dishes …
This holiday potholder mitt DIY project would make a great kitchen decoration. It is also a great idea for a homemade Christmas Hostess gift for a person who loves to cook. The project is easy to make and uses some items you may already have on hand. Note: Hot glue guns, and heated glue can …
Our Thanksgiving menu planning is done, and now it’s leftover time! This hot turkey sandwich is my favorite way to use up the leftover turkey that seems to abound after the holiday meal. I actually love the leftovers and buy a turkey much larger than I need so that I can make the taste last …
This 4 layer Mexican dip is very easy to make, but don’t let that fool you. The flavor is fantastic! The recipe combines jalapeñ0 chilis with canned chili, and cream cheese. It’s topped with Mexican cheese and cooked in the microwave. If you need a quick party appetizer, this one fits the bill perfectly! Bring …
This recipe for Italian Herb Vinegar is perfect for any Italian or Mediterranean recipe. I love growing herbs and combing them with vinegar and oil gives me a great ingredient for cooking. Herb infused vinegar oils keep the flavor of the herbs well and add such a special taste to any recipe. Make Your Own …
This list of 25 foods you can freeze may have some items that will surprise you. We have all heard about foods that you should not freeze, (salad greens, I am looking at you!), but the list of foods that you can freeze is very long and some may well surprise you. Freezing food can …
Teach your child the joy of gardening with these fun projects using cut and come again vegetables. This vegetable garden hack is easy to do and makes use of vegetable parts and pieces that would normally end up in the trash. Vegetable gardening is so rewarding. But not everyone has the space for it. There are …
Managing your old used candle wax. Candles are wonderful at setting the mood of a room, but once the candle burns down to the bottom it can be unsightly and hard to remove from the container. Some candle containers are so delightful, so it is nice to reuse them. Candles can also be messy and …
A cookie exchange is the perfect way to share your favorite cookie recipes with friends and family. Who doesn’t love a great cookie recipe? They are generally quite easy to make and family members are sure to love them better than boxes of store bought cookies. And this time of the year, many people have …
There are times that I am simply amazed by the beautiful, unusual and sometimes humble side of our planet. I especially love unusual nature photos. Since I am a gardener, it stands to reason that I love everything beautiful in nature. I thought it would be fun to have an ongoing page featuring some of …
Cooking Tips to Make your Life Easier There are so many things to take up my time in the day. So finding ideas that will save me some time is always something I enjoy. I love to browse on the internet to see what other busy people pin for cooking tips to make your life …
Christmas will be here before you know it. If you are looking for a special DIY Christmas gift for a gardener, these giant jingle bells will ring in the festive season in a natural way. They are easy to make and are a great gift idea for anyone who loves to potter in the garden. …
If you love to use hard boiled eggs in recipes, put this curried egg salad with olives on your rotation. It’s the perfect filler for a pita pocket. Pita pockets are the perfect containers for any salad type sandwich. They hold the ingredients well and don’t spill the contents all over you like a sandwich …
If you love the taste of peanut butter, these peanut butter recipes will be right up your alley. I am like Claire from Lost. I can’t get enough peanut butter. I just love the stuff and could sit with a jar of Jif peanut butter and a spoon and lose a few hours. So it …
If you’re looking for an impressive dinner that is easy to cook, you’re in the right place. This recipe for roast beef with rosemary and garlic is a favorite at our house! My husband’s favorite meal is roast beef, so I cook it often. I’m always trying new ways to delight his taste buds. And …
Fall is the time of the year when apples are so plentiful. Apple pie, Caramel Apples, Applesauce, and, of course, Hasselback baked apples. These caramel baked apples are a super delicious way to end a meal and you won’t miss a normal high-carb dessert at all! How to make caramel baked apples I love using …
This fall table DIY project was a special treat for me to do. It features a very special plate that was given to me last Christmas by my daughter, Jess. I love to reuse items to make them into new projects. It makes me feel thrifty and pleases me to get more than one use …
These sweet Pilgrim hat cookies are the perfect choice to tempt the little ones (and the young at heart!) this Thanksgiving. They are easy to do and will have them wondering where they all disappeared. It is such fun to have some treats for the Thanksgiving menu that the kiddies will love. Perfect for Thanksgiving …