Okay, so I’m not a “baker”. You know the type, homemade everything for anything (MOPS, potlucks, neighbor gift, dessert, birthdays). At times, I’ve been envious. But, I know my place in the store bought section of the potluck line. I am glad that “bakers” have a gift and can use it to provide lovely goodies for their loved ones, really, I am.

I, on the other hand, have been gifted with the skill to get messy. Hence, the nick-name, Messy Jessy, that I self-proclaim from time to time. My blood pressure does not rise nor does my voice at the mere sight of Play-doh encrusted table tops, paint filled hands or craft glue pooled on random pieces of paper.

Which brings me to my point. I can bake with kids. Splats, missed measurements, over blended ingredients…whatever the case, I’ll do it. Why? Cause it is darn fun! It’s like playing kitchen but for real. Since, I have no expectation of something “turning out” I can relax and let the experience of baking with kids be super rewarding.

Our pink heart cookies (above) actually turned out and I am pleased that our efforts paid off. However, I think I ate way too many of them…also a valid reason I am not a “baker”.

A few tips, if you are wanting to try baking with little ones:

1. Use pre-made dough or measure your dry ingredients on your own before the madness begins. If you are like me, your brain will shut off because it’s too busy making sure no body slips off the chair or can reach for the sharp knives, to notice if you put 2 cups of flour or 4 cups of flour into the bowl already.

2. Allow plenty of time. Plenty, plenty, plenty. Baking with little kids is not something to do on the way to your event, in which, you signed up to bring the baked good in question.

3. Use timers. Okay, fairly obvious here. But, I promise, you will get distracted sweeping up spilled sprinkles that weren’t supposed to come out until frosting time or playing legos in a different room entirely & forget about the oven!

4. Bake with LOVE & PATIENCE. If the words, “Don’t touch that! Careful! Let me do it!” even cross your lips…it might be time to take a breather. Chill…it’s just frosting! However, in the area of hot stoves, electrical outlets/appliances and sharp knives…you get to be as demanding as ever. Cause Mama said so, that’s why!

5. Pour milk and enjoy! Let your kids eat their creations (before lunch if the case may be). Waiting until after dinner would just be torture!

Love,

Ahem…Messy Jessy

I get together every year with my mom, sisters-in-law (and their mothers), and my mother-in-law to bake. We call it Cookie Day.

But really, it is a day each year to connect with one another. Some of us bake, others do projects to help them get ready for Christmas (like addressing Christmas cards), and still others nurse their crying babies…ehem.

It is a time to connect, create and celebrate during an otherwise busy season.

What I remember and cherish about Cookie Day:

• Smelling cookies baking and candles burning (thankfully, not cookies burning!)
• Feeling fresh, cold air hit my face, as the patio door opens to let out bakers cooling their warm treats
• Tasting chicken salad sandwiches, white wine and a lot of nibbles of “that pieces is broken I might as well eat it now” cookies
• Listening to Christmas carols and a lot of conversation
• Seeing community and love being built by generations of women working side-by-side

Oh, yes, I did find the time to get the new-to-me work bench set-up (phase one – still more organizing and cuteness to come) in the garage. SO, Pete can finally park in the garage!

Love,

Jess

This post was linked up with The Preacher’s Wife for her “How We Christmas” blog post party.

Thankfully Neat Pete can cook grill! I know I will be relying on him for many dinners over the next 4 weeks.

Drs. are hopeful my morning all day sickness will subside around 16 weeks.

So now I can just chill survive during the witching hour (5-7 p.m.).

I may be overusing falling in love with the alpha-cross-out feature. We’ll see where this new grammar function relationship leads.

For now, I’ll be on the patio. Have a great weekend!

I’d rather spend more time loving than laboring.

Here are two quick and easy Valentine treats.

Sherbet “Pie”

• Scoop pink sherbet into a pre-made graham cracker crust mini-shell. (Keebler makes them)
• Dollop cold whip cream on top
• Garnish with a conversation heart
• Freeze until ready to serve

Grown-Up Raspberry Chocolate  Sundae

• Run warm water over the bottom of a pre-made ice cream cup for 5-10 seconds
• Remove contents of ice cream cup onto a plate by squishing it out (carefully pinching the bottom of the cup until it slops out)
• Place one Oreo cookie “side” on top of the ice cream to form a crust ledge
• Cover in fresh raspberries
• Drizzle with chocolate sauce

• Blue tinted 1% milk
• Purple “berries” from Berry Kix
• Dried blueberries
• Grape Jell-O
• Grape jelly in tortilla
• Blueberry yogurt with a fruit snack

This muffin tin (cupcake liner) lunch added a much needed levity to our day. Pencil on the wall, book torn apart, car doors being locked…oh my!

Thank goodness for sunshine and artificial colorant!

For more Muffin Tin Meals go to Junior Mints and Reeses.

Dirty Berries (chocolate chips, dried berry mix)

Garden Scrap Greens (no dressing)

Yams (butter and brown sugar)

Roasted Pig (ham in the shape of a crown)

Crumbs of Bread (torn french bread)

A Jeweled Sceptre (sugar-free sucker from my dental office)

Sword (straight piece of a red candy cane)

Welcome to Lunch! Let me show you how to make a snowman you can eat!

Ingredient List: cream cheese; candy canes, pepperoni pieces, raisins, pretzels, candy stars, carrots, and blueberry bagels.

First, add the cream cheese. Then make a design with all the stuff. Here is my "Snowy Guy" and "princess tower" candy cane. {He loves to rescue princesses}.

Here is my mom's snowman. She was sneaky and added gummy worms to her guy.

Now you can “eat their head off and their butt-heads…”

**I, Mom, have now interuppted this regularly scheduled program….No Potty Talk!**

Enjoy!

I can’t wait to try the Family Heritage theme for next week’s MTM post. We are Irish, German, French, Norweign, Scottish. Oh My!

Molly loved her pink flowered shaped muffin "tin". er.... I loved the tin, she loved the apple sauce.

Ry had: Apple Sauce, chicken strips, blue jello, mac-n-cheese, carrot, fruit snacks, gold fish and pickles. (No theme, just a snack lunch)

photo from allrecipes.com

M: Easy Potato Sausage Soup

T: Florentine Lasagna

W: Slow Cooker Oriental Chicken

Th: Salmon Cakes/ Jelly sandwiches if rejected after tasting 4 bites

F: Pizza Night

Sat: Halloween Party at Grammy Kris’

Sun: Spaghetti and Broccoli

Check out other menus at org junkie.

Instead of planning whole week of meals I am featuring a whole weeks worth of apple recipes!

M: Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings Neat Pete (my new blogging nick name for my darling husband) may try this recipe with our son while I am away at a wedding shower.

T: Warm Apple Pockets

W: Apple Leathers This link calls for an oven. I will be using a dehydrator on 160 degrees for 10 hours.

Th: Apple Sauce

F: Dried Apple Rings

S: Applesauce Honey Rolls (recipe below)

Sun: Apples with Homemade Caramel Dip

Applesauce Honey Rolls

This comes from Apple Lovers’ Cook Book by Shirely Munson, Jo Nelson.

2 loaves (1 lb. each) frozen bread dough
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup honey
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine
4 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup applesauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup raisins

Allow dough to thaw in plastic bag. Let rise until doubled in bulk.

Mix the 1 cup brown sugar, honey and 3 Tablespoons butter. Sprinkle mixture over the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Place dough on lightly floured pastry board or sheet and roll or pat into a 14×12-inch rectangle.

Combine the 4 Tablespoons melted butter, applesauce, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar and raisins; spread evenly over dough. Roll up and seal.

Cut into slices about 1/2 to 1-inch thick. Place slices on honey mixture in pan.

Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and turn over onto a plate or tray.

Makes 12 rolls.