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Gift Idea: Gingerbread Play Dough

We are at the stage in life where lots of our friends have little kiddos.  While I love giving treats to families, it’s fun to be able to give a little one something special of their own. 

As long as no gluten or cinnamon allergies are a part of the child’s life, this gingerbread play dough is so festive and fun, it makes the perfect little something.

Plus – you have fun even making it!

Gingerbread Play Dough – Adapted from Mommy Savers

Ingredients

  • 4 C all purpose flour
  • 1 C salt
  • 1 T cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. ginger
  • 3 T oil
  • 2 C boiling water

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon and ginger.  Stir well.

Then, add in the oil and boiling water. 

Begin by stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until the dough cools off a bit from the boiling water. 

Then, knead on a lightly floured surface, adding more oil and/or flour as needed to achieve a non-sticky pliable dough. 

Place in a bowl and cover to prevent drying and let the dough cool completely. 

Divide into fifths by cutting the dough with a knife.  Place each section into an airtight bag or container. 

Enjoy! 

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Ingredient Spotlight: Caramel

Welcome to the first Ingredient Spotlight of December!  We’re talking Caramel today.  Yum, yum. 

Here are our favorite recipes using caramel:

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Cranberry Chex Mix

Caramel Corn

Dark Chocolate Caramelitas

Butterscotch Cake with Caramel Frosting

Toasted Marshmallow S’more Bars

Join us next week for Candy Canes, and the following Wednesday for Mint

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Baking Day 2013

It’s become an annual tradition.  The day following Thanksgiving (otherwise known as Black Friday) is our baking day

Although, to be honest, this year, we moved the date to the Saturday after Thanksgiving because of my sister’s work schedule; regardless of when it falls, it’s a day I look forward to all year long

My mom, sister and I make a huge mess in the kitchen, preparing goodies for the Christmas season. 

We form an assembly line:

1) One of us (my job this year) is to mix and prep all the dry ingredients.  Each dry ingredient bowl gets a label with the cookie title, the wet ingredients needed and the oven temp + bake time, and a note if the recipe needs chilling or not. 

2) Another person (my sister this year) is in charge of the mixer.  Creaming butter and sugars together according to the recipe, and adding in the dry ingredients already prepared. 

3) Finally, the last person preps any add-in ingredients, and volunteered to do the dishes.  Yes, my mom volunteered to do the dishes.  She also shuttled the cookie dough to the porch or fridge if chilling was needed. 

After the chilling is done, we line up the dough on the kitchen table and all of us scoop cookie dough balls onto wax-paper covered cookie sheets. 

Most of these end up being flash frozen and then packaged into labeled containers or freezer bags for later baking.  All bags get a cookie name, baking temperature and time written on them, as well as the date.   

But, of course, some require immediate baking and consumption. 

In the end, here’s what we made:

I’m tired just looking at that list!  But, we had so much fun and my freezer is stocked and ready for the Christmas season. 

Now, whenever we have people over, I can bake up a fresh batch of cookies and serve it with hot cocoa. 

On my baking list are a few more treats before the season is over (and, by over, I mean before February):

We finished up the baking day with pizza and a cute Hallmark Christmas Movie featuring Candace Cameron Bure (remember DJ from Full House?!) called Let It Snow.  It was the perfect end to a wonderful day. 

Do you do a Christmas goodie baking day, or do you spread out your baking all Christmas season?  I’d love to hear your baking traditions!

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Menu Plan–Dec. 1

Happy Advent!  Although Thanksgiving & Christmas are close together this year, I am loving it.  There’s nothing like gratitude and Thanksgiving to get your advent season off to a wonderful start. 

We had such a fun long weekend.  Thursday, of course, we celebrated with our favorite Thanksgiving foods

Friday, we decorated our house for Christmas!

And, Saturday, my mom, sister & I baked from 9:30am until 7pm!  It was a blast.  Christmas music on… assembly line down and much laughter and good food.  

We have all of our baking done for the season (sans a 1-2 treats we’ll make closer to Christmas); we were so productive, and my freezer is full. 

We wrapped up our weekend by hanging our outdoor Christmas lights, and reading about the first week of advent – our Hope. 

This coming week, we’re planning to eat pretty easy meals around here:

Sunday
Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
Broccoli Hotdish (uses leftover turkey & stuffing)

To do: Dice & peel sweet potatoes, thaw Italian sausage

Monday
Leftover Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal
Sweet Potato Risotto (double recipe)

To do: Prep mushrooms for pizza

Tuesday
Granola & fruit
Canadian Bacon & Mushroom Pizza

To do: Prep dinner for Wednesday night

Wednesday
Granola & yogurt
Healthy Mac & Cheese with Broccoli

To do: Thaw muffins

Thursday
Blueberry Greek Yogurt Muffins {freezer}
Leftovers

To do: Prep appetizer for Friday night; thaw turkey

Friday
Granola with Dried Cherries
Crockpot Turkey & Wild Rice Soup {new}, Artisan Bread
Ladies Christmas Tea! Bringing Loaded Baked Potato Dippers or 40-Minute Pizza Bread

To do: Thaw pork

Saturday
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles
Crockpot Balsamic Pork with Baked Apples
Buttercup Squash
Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap Crust

Menu Plan Monday is hosted at Organizing Junkie - stop by for hundreds of menus

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope your day is wonderful - filled with family, friends & good food too.  We have so much to be thankful for; and you are part of that.  Thank you for visiting and reading Finding Joy in My Kitchen!  I hope you are blessed by our little part of the world wide web.

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Menu Plan–Nov. 24

Here we are, at Thanksgiving week!  I have a short week, with classes only through Tuesday, and I’m really looking forward to celebrating all that we have to be Thankful for on Thursday. 

If you missed some posts last week, we shared our favorite Thanksgiving bread, side dish, turkey, and dessert recipes.  Plus, on Friday we shared 5 menu plans for your Thanksgiving event.  I do hope you’ll check them out. 

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Following Thanksgiving, we have our annual Black Friday Baking Day!  Except, this year, we’re planning to decorate our tree on Black Friday and bake on Saturday.  Can’t wait.  You can check out my Christmas Baking Pinterest Board for some recipes on our list. 

This week, we’re taking it easy in the beginning of the week and then enjoying leftovers following Thanksgiving.

I’m also going to be taking the week officially “off” from blogging, so no Ingredient Spotlight this week.  I will be posting on Facebook, though, so be sure to say “hi”.   

Sunday
Kris Kringle Pancakes with Maple Apple Sauté
Life Group Chili & Cornbread Dinner
Apple Pockets

Monday
Blueberry Greek Yogurt Muffins
Winter Minestrone, Artisan Bread

Tuesday
Maple Brown Sugar Granola {new}
Crockpot Spaghetti with Whole Wheat Pasta & Steamed Veggies

To do: Boil veggies for stuffing

Wednesday
Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Topping
Spaghetti Braid, Broccoli

To do: Make wild rice bread, stuffing, dinner rolls, pie

Thursday
Buttercup Squash Baked Oatmeal
Bacon Wrapped Turkey + Bacon Infused Gravy
Wild Rice Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Squash
Green Bean Hotdish
Sweet Potato Corn Bread
Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap Crust & Spiced Whipped Cream

Friday
Gingerbread Scones (or Pumpkin Pie… just being honest!)
Leftover Turkey Sandwiches on Wild Rice Bread

To do: Put up tree! Make caramels

Saturday
Potato Doughnuts
Turkey Noodle Soup or Turkey Mushroom & Brown Rice Bake

To do: Christmas baking day #1! 

Menu Plan Monday is hosted at Organizing Junkie - stop by for hundreds of menus

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

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Thanksgiving Week: Menu Plans

To wrap up our Thanksgiving week, we’re going to share a few ideas for a menu plan for your Thanksgiving planning.

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Each menu includes an appetizer, main dish, 3 side dishes, a bread, and two dessert options, plus free printable name cards and/or other printables to jazz up your dinner.  Enjoy!

Menu #1 – A Little Elegant

Menu #2 – Kid Friendly

Menu #3 – Healthy

Menu #4 – Gluten Free

Menu #5 – Feeding a Crowd

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