First, combine flour, salt and water. Knead the mixture for 15-20 minutes. Matthew had a friend over, so they divided the mixture in half and they each kneaded their portion for 15 minutes. We then rolled it out and used cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Then the boys used a wooden skewer to make their designs...
I took a couple and made imprints of Sandy's paw and Brooke's "paw." We baked them on wax paper in the oven for 25 minutes.
After they cooled completely, the kids painted them with acrylic paint.
After they dried, we sprayed varnish on them to give them a glossy look.
The last step is to string a piece of yarn through the top and hang them on the tree! Even for my sporty, outdoorsy boys, this was a fun activity that they enjoyed.
I suggest cutting the recipe in half because we ended up throwing out quite a bit. I bought the acrylic paints at Target in the craft section, and I bought the spray varnish at Ace Hardware.
Here's the recipe:
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
Combine above ingredients and knead 15-20 minutes. Roll out about 1/4-1/2 inches thick and cut into desired shapes. Design - don't forget to make a hole at the top for hanging! Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
I have to admit that as I'm writing this, I feel a bit sick to my stomach because I've eaten no less than 6 today of what I'm about to tell you about. I made chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz cracker sandwiches. These are my favorite. My friend, Chelsea, makes them each year and I appreciate every bite. They are delicious! But, they are a labor of love - it takes a while to coat each sandwich in chocolate. Fortunately, Matthew helped me... that is - until he got bored with it.
First, assemble your sandwiches.
Then, melt your chocolate in a simmering double broiler.
Then, dip each sandwich into the chocolate and coat on all sides. Place each chocolate covered sandwich on wax paper.
When they are all assembled and dipped, place them in the fridge to harden. I love the salty sweetness of these treats!
I wrapped them in three's in wax paper, tied them up with a green bow and attached a holiday lottery ticket to it - a great gift for friends!
I've also enjoyed mixing greenery, adding some red berries and a bow for a beautiful holiday arrangement!
Busy week ahead - packing, holiday lunches and dinners, decorating the dining room table for our Christmas Eve feast....Nutcracker with my sister-in-law and nieces.... what a fun week - my most favorite week of the year! So, here's to keeping the kids busy and out of trouble!
Tonight, my father-in-law made me a Bloody Mary...doesn't this look like such a treat?
So, cheers to you and this week - cheers to your traditions and to your joy...
