Christmas Truffles

Here is a wonderful Recipe that I've been using for Christmas truffles! They are so good! They make great gifts for friends and neighbors!

1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
8 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

12 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate melted for dipping
decorations

Melt the 8 squares of chocolate and soften cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese with a mixer and then add the chocolate in. Stir together and refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour)

Shape filling into 36 balls. Melt remaining squares of chocolate and use a fork to dip the truffles. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Decorate with chopped nuts, candy or Christmas sprinkles. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until hardened. You can also find the little foil cups - they look like mini cupcake liners at Wal-mart or a grocery store for about 1.50$ Enjoy!

Turkey Napkin Rings

Here is a super cute craft for Thanksgiving! The kids can do it and that is what makes it fun. Sorry there is no pattern! I just cut everything out by hand and eyed it. In fact, a lot of the pieces are not symmetrical in any way. I cut turkey bodies, turkey heads, beaks, 6 feathers per turkey and gobbles. My kids put them together and i added eyes and names to make them double as place cards. I rolled up long strips of paper and stapled them into a tube and then glued the finished turkey on! Easy as pie!

Weekly Menu

Monday - Spaghetti, garlic bread

Tuesday - Hawaiian Haystack

Wednesday - D.R. chicken, salad, Spanish Rice

Thursday - Brats, French Fries, Chips

Friday - Grilled Cheese, Tomato Soup

Saturday - we'll be gone all day at the blood drive!!!!

Sunday - Moo Shu Noodles

Pumpkin Bread

I know, I know...you have yet to see a craft tutorial or something that I made. But if you want to get technical, making food is crafty...Try this one out, its great!



Ingredients

* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 2/3 cup water
* 3 cups white sugar
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Weekly Menu

Monday-Breakfast muffins
Tuesday - Chicken Quesedillas, Mexican Rice
Wednesday - Italian Chicken, Onion soup Potatoes
Thursday - Eggrolls, Baked Crab rangoon, Egg drop soup
Friday - Sammies (Josh is at school)
Sat - Leftovers
Sunday - Twice Baked Reuben Potatoes