Scott's Firehouse Peppermint Ice Cream

From the ARCHIVES...

I am the luckiest ducky in the world because my hubby is one fantastic cook and he teaches me things all of the time. I am his "official taste tester" and he is mine! {Amongst other friends and neighbors}.

Last night, he finally perfected his Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream. TO.DIE.FOR. and the best part about it is that he is sharing it with all of you. Now, we are all lucky little duckies {even though I don't believe in LUCK!}

Thank you, Honey, for workin' on it until you got it "right"! Such the sweetie you are!!!

Here is a fun idea for Christmas gifts or for entertaining during the Holidays. This is great because it can all be made up ahead of time. When dessert time rolls around, all you need to do is to pull out your tray of Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream containers. You may want to make two different sizes. The good news is there is no mess {YAY!} and no clean-up...EVEN BETTER!  If they are too full, they can take it home!

Your guests will feel completely pampered and pleasantly full!

Scott's Firehouse Peppermint Ice Cream

Scott Pearson



INGREDIENTS:

2-1/2 cups milk

2-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2-1/2 cups half & half

1-1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp. TORANI PEPPERMINT SYRUP or MONIN

5 cups whipping cream

2 cups crushed peppermint candies


DIRECTIONS:

• Heat milk until bubbles form around pan.

• Remove milk from heat

• Add sugar and salt, stir until dissolved.

• Stir in remaining ingredients.

• Place into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s directions.{BUNNY FOO FOO!}

****This recipe makes 5 quarts of ice cream******

This is such a versatile recipe! Eventually you will come up with your own variations.

Another yummy option: Skip the peppermint candies and fold in two rows of Trader Joe's Candy Candy Joe Joe's, chopped...or if you really want to have a sugar coma, go ahead and roughly chop the whole entire box of chocolate cookies. Just FOLD in the cookies after the ice cream has already been made! This is hubby's secret!




Packaging Ideas:

As soon as the ice cream is made. Pour into whatever containers you plan on gifting and place in freezer until needed.

Simply place four embellished containers in a Take-Out drink carrier {My friends and family collect these for me year-round! THANK YOU!}

Placed cedar clippings around the containers and attached a sweet little label with the family's initial to a branch. That is it!


What are some ideas you have for Christmas this year?





JUST BECAUSE I HAVE TO SHOW OFF MY VERY SWEET DOGGIE...





Shared with:  Stone Gable

Christmas Snow Globes

After seeing snow globes at Anthropologie last year and again on my friend Diana's blog, I decided to make a few...using Dollar Store supplies and leftover canning jars from the wedding this last summer.

My one little problem was that the globes needed a bit of light in them...so, I bought flameless candles and it was perfect!

They are super easy and take minutes to make!

Here is a "how to" for YOU!

Aside from the canning jars, which our Dollar Store also carries, everything was purchased there.  However you may  have the other supplies at home already.

Supplies you will need:

One 3- pack Dollar Store flameless candles

One 2- pack of Dollar Store bottle brush trees

1 Dollar Store spray bottle of snow in a can

1 Dollar Store small box of Epsom salt

Two canning jars OR two cheese shakers 

Ribbon, twine, string or jute

glue gun and glue sticks

Directions:

1. Take your cheese shaker or canning jar and HOT GLUE your little bottle brush tree into the bottom of the jar.  DO NOT spray the snow first as it is super greasy and your glue will do the slip-n-slide and will not stick to the bottom.  Trial and error.  :}

2.  Glue your flameless candle to the top of the shaker.  Make sure the on/off switch is under a hole so that you can turn it on or off with the help of a toothpick. :}

3.  Shake the can o' snow really good and then spray it just a bit with the nozzle pointed toward the bottom. You just want a tad bit so that you can still see your little flocked tree.

4.  Pour a bit of Epsom salt in the bottom.  I like the Epsom salt instead of fake snow...because it LOOKS like sugar and it actually glistens just like real snow when light reflects off of it.

5.  Take your ribbon, twine, string or jute and knot the ribbon evenly through a hole on both sides so that it is nice and sturdy and will hang straight.  This way it will not shatter into a million pieces once it is hung.

6.  Screw on the lid and hang with care!

If you are using a canning jar, punch a couple of holes in the lid and hot glue the flameless candle so that you can easily turn the light on and off with a toothpick or fork tine.

OOOPS...I totally forgot the ring on the jar.  You get the idea.

These are darling hanging from the ceiling, on the windowsill, perched on chunky candle holders, nestled in a basket with greens and winter berries.  The possibilities are endless!  I put one on a cake stand in the bathroom and it is adorable!  Lamp posts would also be fun if you aren't into bottle brush trees.

I know...blah blah blah, but one more thing.  I put them down our dining room table without our dining table light on and they are very classy looking.  Just right for a Christmas dinner party as they make your table glow.  They are not too fussy or too tall to distract from dinner conversation.  Okay.  I think I have exhausted this topic of conversation by now!!!

Have fun creating your very own!

When we have grandbabies, I think they will need these little Christmas globes for night lights...what do you think???

Shared with:  Stone Gable, http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/Titus2sday, see vanessa craft

Scott's Firehouse Crock Pot Steak Fajitas

Okay, girls...this is a winner!
If ever there was the perfect recipe for feeding a crowd on a budget and when you are short on TIME, almost an order too tall to fill...this is it!
It takes minutes to make and it is divine.
My hubby combined his original recipe with YVONNE from Stone Gable's recipe and it is to.die.for!  Coming from a "happy without meat vegetarian wanna-be"...this is my favorite way to eat red meat!!!

Steak Fajitas

1 cup MEDIUM prepared salsa

1/4 cup deli sliced jalapeno peppers

3 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon molasses

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 squirt of ketchup

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 large yellow onions, peeled, cut into half and then sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

1 orange pepper, sliced...any combo of peppers, really.  Whatever you do:  DO NOT USE GREEN PEPPERS.  Trust me.  {nastiness!!}

3 pounds Carne Asada

Directions:

*Combine salsa, peppers, garlic, lime, molasses, liquid smoke, ketchup, salt and pepper together.

*Place Carne Asada in the bottom of your crock pot.

*Cover with sauce.

*Make sure meat is covered in sauce.  Make sure the sauce is on the the bottom, too.

*Place onion and pepper slices on top.

*Put the lid on and cook on high for 6 hours...or until meat is falling apart.

*Ladle into a warmed bowl and enjoy!

Don't forget the tortillas, beans, cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce.

I made a large pot of rice and skipped the fajitas and made a stacki upi.  This is perfect for those with food allergies as they are able to top it with what they may have or for those picky eaters that don't like certain things!  Not that we have any of those in our family.  :}

To make this even easier, I cut the peppers and onions up the night before while I was cutting veggies for a salad...and just put it in a large bag so that I could just toss it in the crock pot.

****BLOGGER is no longer letting me add pictures.  Sorry about that.  My hubby will need to help me figure this out.

Cranberry Poppin' Jezebel Sauce

Happy Monday to you all!

Does it even seem possible that Thanksgiving is THIS week??

Among other Thanksgiving traditions, this cranberry sauce {with a bit of a not-so-nice name!} takes center stage every year.  It is used to top the turkey, but has a bunch of other uses during the holidays.  I think every holiday table looks more beautiful with a crimson cranberry sauce, don't you?

Thank you, Linda for sharing your recipe with our family so.many.years ago!

 {Cranberry Poppin'} Jezebel Sauce

Linda Shaw

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 package {12 oz.} fresh cranberries 

Cook for 10 minutes on low boil.  You will see and hear the cranberries poppin'!  :}

Stir well...and smoosh the berries if you want!

Let cool.

Add 3 tablespoons horseradish sauce { I buy the Trader Joe’s brand without the sugar!}

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

Makes 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Store in glass jars.  I had enough for 5 mini canning jars.  This is one recipe you will want to double or triple!

These make the perfect little hostess gifts.  Just think:  one pot, a few measuring spoons, and a measuring cup to wash...a few minutes...and you have hostess gifts ready to give!

Even the pickiest of gourmet friends will be loving this!

Other ideas for your Jezebel Sauce:

*Spread onto a toasted bagel with cream cheese and turkey.

*Pour over cream cheese on a platter with crackers.

*Set brie on puff pastry.  Top with a bit of brown sugar and hazelnuts or pecans...and top with a bit of Jezebel sauce.  Bake according to directions for puff pastry.

The list goes on and on and on!


Shared with:  stone gable

Mini Pecan Pies {in mini clay saucers}

The only thing better than a mini pecan pie...is the BEST PECAN PIE recipe.  

It is one thing to have a cute little pie that is all your own, but it is an entirely different story when it tastes even better than it LOOKS!

My dear Southern Belle friend, Penny made these most.delicious pies several years ago and they were honestly the best pecan pies I had ever had...and that was without the rum sauce, ice cream and whipped cream!

I asked her for the recipe and it was the same one I had {on the back of the Karo syrup bottle}...but her secret was doubling the pecans!

No wonder it tasted oh.so.good!

Thank you, Penny for the sweet friendship and your secret to the yummiest pecan pies...EVER! You girls from the South do know a thing or two about baking!

Since I am slightly obsessed with mini clay saucers, I decided to make mini pies in them for this Thanksgiving.

All you need is 12 three-inch saucers that are not glazed.

Wash them up well and let them dry in a warm oven.

Mini Pecan Pies 

Karo Syrup and Penny Newton

1 cup Karo syrup

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla...I use vodka vanilla or vanilla bean paste

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 cups pecans...I use 2 cups pieces and 1 cup whole 

1 store-bought pie dough...you will only need 1 of the 2 inside

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.

Mix syrup, eggs, sugar, vanilla, butter and pecans together.  {YOU gotta love a one or two dirty dish dessert!}

Roll out pie dough.

Using a cookie cutter, use one that is a bit bigger than your saucers.

I got 12 cut outs from one dough.

Line each saucer and fill with about 1/4 cup of your pecan filling.

Place filled saucers onto a baking sheet and bake @ 350* for about 28 minutes.

...and when your little pies are baked and cool, you just may want to box them up so that they don't disappear before Thanksgiving!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Shared with: Hungry Little Girl, Stone Gable

A Burlap Silverware Caddy

You will not need a sewing machine, a needle and thread or even a glue gun to make this caddy.
Can you believe it?
All I did was cut a piece of burlap.
Then, I placed it over the top of the chair and created a small pocket for the silverware.
I grabbed a piece of ribbon and tied it together and voila...a simple little touch for an un-cluttered table for the holidays.

You will need a glue gun for the little placecard unless you want to pin it on.

These could easily be used for other things as well, but I thought it may be something a little different to place the silverware into a pouch as opposed to sitting on a napkin to the left of the plate!

Happy Monday!

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Debbie E.!!!!!

Thank YOU to each one of you who left such sweet comments.

We love our bloggy readers...

The Pearson family

A {little vintage} GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

  

We {yes, it was my hubby's idea, too!} thought it might be fun to do a little giveaway on our neglected little family blog...what do you think?

With the holidays peeking right around the corner, I decided to make a few gifts that would not require a whole lot of time, zero creativity and no energy...and again, using what I already had.  Although I did have to buy a few more tags.  They are authentic vintage tags from an estate sale.  

My friend had posted the idea on her facebook page.  I think it was how they served the milk at the HOTEL where she was staying--thank YOU, Leslie!  I really had no idea it was me that it reminded you of!!! Anyhoo, I had the bottles saved for Laurissa's wedding.  Thankfully, Caleb only used a few for TARGET practice!!!  I think his favorite job will always be to "protect" his family...even his sister who is now a married woman!!!  Just ask her!  :}  Oh, how I love our children!

This pair of vintage-style milk/cream bottles {pint size} would make a perfect gift.  You can tailor these to fit the occasion...whatever it may be!

Giveaway Guidelines:

1.  Please make sure you are a simply...this.that.and the other bloggy follower.

2.  Please leave a comment.

We will randomly select one winner on Saturday, November 10th, 2012 at 9:00 pm PST.

P.S.  If you would like something different stamped on the tags, I would be happy to do that for YOU!

Happy {almost} Friday!  And can I say HOW excited I am for Christmas music, hot tea and my hubby who changed the outdoor globe lights from 2 hours to 4 hours??  It is the little things...

Love to YOU!