give the gift that gives year round...

a food magazine subscription is a great gift that is reasonably priced & will keep giving all year! i love Everyday Food. there is also Cooking Light, Bon Appetite, Gourmet & others great food magazines to choose from. it's always great to get new inspirations in the kitchen:)

homemade gifts continued...

i found this great FREE download here on Shabby Princess. it is the perfect gift for any cooking friend or family member in your life. you could print them on card stock blank, or you can type your favorite recipes from our site & print them ready to use:) anyway you choose, you can't go wrong! go download yours now!!!

{pictures by Shabby Princess}

** all downloading & printing instructions are on the the Shabby Princess website.

i just recommend printing them on regular card stock if you are going

to gift them blank.

handmade of the holidays...

i love doing handmade gifts for my neighbors & friends, & so do my kids! this is a great little gift for you to help your kids make for there friends. there are lots of options of "flavors". just split the play dough into smaller sizes & put them in clear containers. stack them & wrap them up in some cello & tie a cookie cutter onto the top & you've got yourself the perfect handmade kid friendly gift!

Here’s the super easy recipe:

2 C Flour

1 C Salt

4 tsp. Cream of Tartar

2 C Water

2 TBSP Vegetable Oil

Food Coloring (the more the better!)

2 TBSP Peppermint extract

Combine all dry ingredients in a large pot. Stir together. Mix all the wet ingredients together & add to the pot. Stir on low heat until mixture starts forming a ball and will pull away from the sides. Let cool. Enjoy.

i also made gingerbread flavor with with pumpkin pie spices (2 TBSP) & brown food coloring. as well as white with erridecent glitter to look like snow. play around with it & try different spices & extracts. i haven't tried it yet, but i want to do a chocolate one with cocoa powder. the kids love them & they feel like they're cooking with me!

**Obviously you could eat this dough and not die, but with that much salt, I can’t imagine it would taste very good:)

must have for this holiday season...

this is a pantry must have, not only for the holidays, but year round!!!! my neighbor brought me over a can & i have been hooked ever since! with all the holiday baking this time of year you don't have to run to the store when you forgot the buttermilk. you'll be so glad you have it. not to mention the shelf life! comes in a box or tub.

** i even use it for my buttermilk syrup:)

kesley's pretzel jello salad...

i have had 3 people call me for this recipe this week & each time they ask if it's on the recipe blog & i have to answer no. but why isn't it??? i don't know why i haven't posted it yet. so here it is!

{kesley’s pretzel jello salad}

2 c. crushed pretzels

3/4 c. melted butter

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 c. powdered sugar

1 lg. box raspberry,strawberry or blackberry Jello

2 cups frozen berries of any kind

Mix together pretzels, melted butter and the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Then press in 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool. Mix cream cheese, Cool Whip and 1 cup of powdered sugar; pour over pretzel crust.

Dissolve large package of raspberry Jello in 2 cups boiling water. Add 2 packages of frozen raspberries not drained. Mix well and pour over cream cheese. Chill for a couple hours.

mary's brown bag apple pie...

just in time for Thanksgiving! kristin brought this recipe, from her mother-in-law mary, last month & it was oh, so delicious!!! i had heard of baking the pie in a paper bag but had never done it myself or tasted on that had been cooked that way. it was perfect! so if you haven't tried it & have wanted to, or not wanted to:) try it this week for Thanksgiving!

{picture courtesy of theelegantfarmer.com}

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 T cold milk

Pat all ingredients into a pie pan

Slice and put in crust:

• 4 cups sliced apples (7-8)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T flour
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter, softened but not melted
• 1/2 cup sugar

Sprinkle topping on and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Bake in a brown grocery bag (place on a cookie sheet to avoid spilling in oven!

market streets creamy clam chowder...

in staying with the theme of yesterday... here is another great take-out, made-in recipe from kristin. we went up to see thriller as friends this fall & had to go get soup & salad @ market street before the show. as we were bellied up to the bar, kristin says--"oh, i have the recipe for THIER clam chowder." to which i of course responded... "well why haven't you brought it to recipe club!?!" so, without fail, the next month she delivered! thanks kris!

{picture courtesy of foodtravelblog.com}

*market street grill clam chowder*

1 cup potatoes, diced ½ inch
1 cup celery, diced ½ inch
1 cup onion, diced ½ inch
1 cup green pepper, diced ½ inch
1 cup leeks, diced ½ inch
¾ cup chopped clams (canned or fresh)
¾ tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoon salt
¾ tablespoon whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Tabasco
¾ cup sherry wine
2 cups water
¾ cup clam juice (drained from canned clams or purchased separately in can)
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 quarts half-and-half

Directions:
Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half-and-half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half-and-half until blended. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.