New Use for Toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls

After wrapping gifts you can prevent the paper from unrolling by slicing a paper towel, or toilet paper roll up the side and placing it around the paper on the tube. It will hold it and keep it from unrolling! Works great! Merry Christmas!

Making The Peanut Butter Twix for Christmas!

 

Today we are making Peanut Butter Twix! Our eldest daughter, Joy, always loved the original Peanut Butter Twix candy bars when Twix still made them. Now the company makes the PB Twix with chocolate cookies. We make her Peanut Butter Twix, like the original ones. It isn't hard and only uses 4 ingredients. Lorna Doone shortbread cookies, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk chocolate chips.

 

You start with the Lorna Doone cookie. Open the package and place the cookies on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet.

 

Mix together 1 cup of smooth peanut butter and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. You can use a spoon or a fork to mix it. You do not have to use a mixer, just mix it in a small bowl.

 

 

 

Using a knife place the peanut butter mixture onto the individual cookies. I angle the peanut butter towards the center, from the center down towards the edges.

 

 

Next pour the milk chocolate chips into a microwaveable dish and microwavwe it for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave an additional minute. Stir. The chips should all be melted.

 

 

Turn the cookie over and lightly coat the bottom of the cookie with the melted chocolate.

 

 

Place the cookie with the chocolate coated bottom, chocolate side down, on the waxed paper.

 

Use the knife and pick up a bit of the melted chocolate. drip and coat the peanut butter mix on the cookie. Only touch the peanut butter mixture LIGHTLY, as you don't want to push the peanut butter mixture off of the cookie! 

 

 

Don't forget to coat the edges and encase the whole cookie in a thin layer of chocolate. I find that the melted chocolate smooths over the peanut butter easily.

 

 

 

If the chocolate in your bowl begins to set up, microwave it for one minute and stir. It will be 'drippy' once again!

 

 

 

 

When the cookies are all coated you can either wait a couple hours for the chocolate to harden, or you can set the tray into the refrigerator and in about 30 mins. the chocolate will be hardened.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

26 random acts of kindness aren't all that many - especially done one at a time!
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/18/15999109-if-you-do-good-youll-feel-good-ann-curry-explains-origins-of-26acts-of-kindness?lite

Our youngest son has just discovered that his Mother was correct! Yes Justin, if you have a light bulb, or even a Christmas light, that has had it's base broken off in the socket, twist a raw potato into the light's base and the jagged edge of the broken light. The broken light bulb will grab onto the potato and you will be able to remove the broken bulb from the socket! If it is a Christmas light, simply use a smaller potato! Merry Christmas!

The Victorian Kitchen Garden in December

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The Victorian Kitchen Part 8 - Picnics

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The Victorian Kitchen Part 7 - The Dinner Party

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The Victorian Kitchen Part 6 - Supper

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Victorian Kitchen Part 5 - Dinner

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The Victorian Kitchen - Part 4 Afternoon Tea

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Victorian Kitchen Part 3 Luncheon;

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The Victorian Kitchen Part 2

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Cooking during the Victorian times was quite a task. This video shows a bit about it;

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LARGE SCALE RECIPES - SCHOOL CAFETERIA FOOD RECIPES
For any of you out there who need to cook for a large crowd, or who just like cafeteria food, this one is for you!
http://www.nfsmi.org/Templates/TemplateDefault.aspx?qs=cElEPTEwMg==

MAKING YOUR OWN HONEY VANILA LIP BALM (CHAPSTICK)

Mix together; 2 TB Petroleum Jelly, (Also known as Vasoline); 1 TB Beeswax, and 1/8 tsp Vitamin E oil, (I used a pin and opened a Vit. E capsule); Place in a microwaveable container. Heat in microwave for 2 1/2 mins. stir and heat again in microwave for 2 1/2 minutes. Stir. The ingredients should be all melted and stirred together. Let this sit for 5 to 10 mins. Then stir in 1 tsp. of vanilla and 1 tsp. of honey. When all stirred together and still warm, pour into the lip balm container you wish to use, (i.e. an empty lip balm / chapstick container; or any other container). They say that this can store up to 6 weeks without refrigeration, however we have used it longer with no ill effects. (You could store it in the refrigerator).

HOMEMADE COOKING OIL SPRAY
The product"Pam" can get expensive over time and really doesn't last a long time. I have a different approach for those wishing to 'grease' their frying and baking pans with a quick spraying. Using Olive oil or cooking oil and water! You can place 1 part oil and 5 parts water into a spray bottle and shake it before use. It works GREAT and doesn't need refrigeration. Try it! You will be saving money, it lasts a long time and you will be saving money! Enjoy!