Creating: Cooking and Crafting

I saw a short video online with some paper stars made from book pages.  So, I tore up a sad book that my mom sourced for us.  I started on the project about a week before Thanksgiving by gluing the pages to boxes out of the recycling bin, but knowing the projects that Thanksgiving would bring, we had to knock it out.  Emily, Grace, and Juliet all helped trace, cut, punch holes, and string the stars for us to hang.  The original had lights, but we weren't quite that fancy.

The Kroger magazine had a special festive issue, and as usual, had some great ideas, but I loved this penguin cracker in particular. = )  So I made some for our most recent visit to the Cornishes.

Alice used the air fryer, for the first time ever, despite the fact that we've had it for four years (according to the date that I wrote on the box when I stuck it down there.)  She was making knock off chick fil a nuggets.  They weren't bad, but not quite like the original.  The first round was pretty overdone, since none of us had ever used an air fryer before, but I fried up the rest using the traditional pan and oil to cook up the remainder of what she had.

When my mom left for Texas last time, she left two bags of kale in our refrigerator, so I thought it high time to make another round of kale and bean soup.

Billy was in the mood to make some fresh bread, so my lunch one day was fully homemade and exceptionally tasty!

I made some sliders for dinner one night, and while making up leftovers, thought that the leftover mulberry jelly that we'd brought home from Clare, and a dash of powdered sugar, would make them in to a Monte Cristo knock-off.  It was pretty good considering I didn't use a fryer!

At some point during the year, I found a cute little turkey craft, probably at a rummage sale.  On Thanksgiving eve, Grace and I put it together to turn it into a magnet.  Sadly, It didn't stick very well, since we had just used a glue stick.  So, when I went to glue the magnt on it the next day, I added more glue, but it didn't get to hang on the fridge, since it had to dry.  But, once it was time to put away all of the Thanksgiving day decor, it was ready to sit until next year, when it will grace our fridge. = )

I was making a chicken and rice casserole one night, but doubled the recipe, to make sure that all of us could have our fill.  Turns out, my dish can't quite accommodate a double portion, so I made a smaller portion out of the rest of it, and froze it, to send over to my mom and sister.

Looking forward to all of the cooking and crafting that the Christmas season always brings!

later days

Christmas Gift: Finders Seekers: Florence

For Christmas, Billy bought me a three month subscription to Finders Seekers, and escape room style game.

The first one (a bonus) arrived a couple of days after Christmas, and was a National Park theme.  It was really fun, and we knocked it out in a night, but I found the final puzzle annoying. However, while taking in all of the elements, I found that they had music and recipes to enhance the experience!

My second one was a Route 66 theme, and arrived right before New Year's Eve, so we brought it to the Cornishes' and played about half of it after our pirate game.  We have plans to finish it with them this weekend!

All that to say this one came a week or so ago, and I wanted to really glam it up.  So, I downloaded Spotify, gathered my ingredients, even prepping the bread the night before! And Billy and I immersed ourselves in a lovely Italian holiday!

The bread was very similar to the other bread that I make in my dutch oven, but was a little on the salty side (I don't think my other recipe calls for any salt.)  It must have been okay though, because it was all gone by the next morning.

Kale and beans and beets and celery made for a decent soup.  If I were to make it again, I would throw in some sliced sausage!

I ended up looking up the answer to a couple of puzzles, one of which I still feel like was a bit abstract.  The second one I do wish I would have slept on and looked at with a less tired brain.  Despite those two puzzles, we were able to deduce the end puzzle answer and free the trapped archeologists. = )

There is still one more coming, next month, but Billy already bought me a new brand for Valentine's Day, to see if I like it any better. = )

It was a good way to spend a snowy Saturday!

later days

edit 2-11-25: backdated for continuity.