Homemade Party Favors "Reindeer Ornaments"

Hey Rudolph!

These charming reindeer treat bags/ornaments will put a smile on everyone's face this Christmas.

You can give them to your kids, kids teachers, friends, family, or as a party favor

so get started on making these great gifts now.

You can download this free pattern HERE at Parties and Patterns.

Download, print and get crafty!

Fall Crisp Apple Pie

Two of my families favorite pies!

One unbaked 9” pie crust
8-10 apples
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, core, and slice apples into a bowl. Add ½ cup sugar, spices, and lemon juice. Mix lightly and pour into a 9” pie crust. Blend the remaining sugar, flour, salt, and butter to a crumbly consistency. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake for 45 minutes, or till apples are tender and crust is browned.

Pie Crust (Makes 4 single pie crusts)

Whisk together:

4 cups flour

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

Cut 1 ¾ cup shortening into flour mixture.

Mix together with a fork:
1 T vinegar
1 large egg
½ cup water

Add egg mixture to flour/shortening mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator until needed. Freeze unused dough.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 egg yolks, beaten
One 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup lemon juice, divided
Dash of salt
3 tbsp. butter
One 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1½ cups cold water
One 4 oz. instant lemon pudding mix
Whipping Cream
Lemon slices to garnish
One 9 deep dish pie shell, baked

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in water, mixing until smooth. Cook and stir until thick and clear. Quickly stir in egg yolks. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice, salt and butter. Cool for several hours. In a mixing bowl, blend condensed milk and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in pudding mix and 1/3 cup lemon juice. Fold into chilled lemon filling. Place filling in pie shell. Refrigerate and garnish with whipped cream and lemon slices.

Turkey Peanut Butter Ball

From Megan's Kitchen

The first time I made this ball I pictured it as a turkey...who does that with food? Not an elaborate feathered friend, just quick and easy dessert parading as a table decoration.

Of course if you are really wanting to be creative, you can always do more.

 Apples stuck in as wings, or pretzel legs, but this is about all the creativity I was feeling last week so this is what you get.

Peanut Butter Ball:
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Beat together powdered sugar, peanut butter, cream cheese and brown sugar. Cut a piece of plastic wrap and pour the ingredients in the middle of it, forming it into a ball shape. I use a cereal bowl to help. Put it in the freezer for an hour and a half to firm up (I put the bowl in the freezer). When it can hold it's shape well enough but is still slightly sticky, pull it out and roll it in the chocolate and peanut butter chips. Return to freezer for another half an hour and then it is ready to decorate. I stuck apple slices in as tail feathers because that is by far the best food to eat this peanut butter ball with. A nutter butter quickly became the head and then I used chocolate chips and a candy corn to do the eyes and nose. The waddle is a slice of an air head but you could also pipe it on with red icing. You can freeze this, but I wouldn't decorate it until you are ready to serve it since apples brown quickly. Let it defrost for 20-30 minutes and you will be ready to go. Tastes best served with apples, graham crackers and pretzels.

Homemade Party Favors "Pumpkin Cookies"

I wanted something fun to give my friends this Thanksgiving Season and who doesn't like pumpkin cookies? I designed a cute casing for the cookies and

voila: it's a perfect little treat to let friends and family know you're thinking about them.

The packet comes with instructions, patterns, recipes and gift tag to make the gift bag.

Fill it with homemade pumpkin cookies and deliver to make someone's day.

This idea can also be used as a party favor. Download this pumpkin cookie box packet

HERE at Parties and Patterns, print and party.

Homemade Party Favors "Turkey"

This little guy was easy to make and the both kids and adults love him.

He was gobbled up faster then you can say Count Your Blessings! This "Turkey" packet includes instructions and patterns and can be downloaded for free

HERE at Parties and Patterns!

Happy Thanksgiving

Table Runner Patterns "Pumpkin Patch"

Yup, another table runner pattern. I really do love fall! I still have pumpkins out on my front walk. We didn't carve them this year for Halloween and so now they are perfect for Thanksgiving.

You can download this pattern packet

HERE at Parties and Patterns.

Homemade Party Favors "Give Thanks"

Add a bit of charm to your Thanksgiving dinner table.

This free download includes instructions and patterns to make these fun favors.

Fill these homemade boxes with cookies, candies or a special treat.

You can download this packet

HERE

at Parties and Patterns.

Table Runner Patterns "Pumpkin Patch"

Across the waters they did sail,

and now at thanksgiving we tell their tale.

Of hopeful freedom, families and strife,

Of a journey to find a better life.

Of people coming together joining hands,

To thank God above for fruitful lands.

Megan Jessclard

This Thanksgiving Table Runner can be downloaded

HERE at Parties and Patterns.

Taco Salad

From Megan's Kitchen

Let's face it...we are salad people. Many nights a week we are eating some variation of salad and so I am always trying to think of new ideas to mix it up. This salad is our absolute favorite lately. It's just a taco salad, but it is so yummy. Here's how we do it at my house:

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce

Jalapeno ranch dressing - I had some fat free ranch in my fridge, which I personally think is disgusting, so I threw it in the blender with some jalapenos and it was amazing. But two weeks later we can hardly eat it it's so hot. :) You can just buy jalapeno ranch dressing though to make it easier on you.

Ground Turkey - I season it with taco seasoning. Easy enough.

Black Beans - I throw these in the pan that I cook the meat in once the meat is done just to heat them up.

Corn - Same as the beans - I brown them in that same pan with a little butter and salt and pepper. You could do them with the beans, but due to my bean aversion, I refuse.

Tortilla Strips - The best part. I take a couple of corn tortillas and cut them into strips. Then I toss them in olive oil and season them with either all seasoning salt or taco seasoning depending on my mood. Then I crispify them in the same pan I've been using. That's right. I crispify them. So tasty.

My husband's salad:

My beanless salad...

Table Runner Patterns "Sunflower"

Sunflowers grow wild in my yard and I could not resist in creating this table runner that has big, bright yellow flowers. It makes me happy just thinking about my garden.

You can download this table runner pattern HERE at Parties and Patterns.

Thanksgiving Table Runner Patterns "Pumpkin Festival"

Crisp is the air rustlin the leaves,

Dangling from the many trees.

They're red and yellow, orange and green,

Making such a lovely scene.

but soon enough, down they'll twirl,

to be collected by each boy and girl.

Raked in a pile and fluffed to perfection,

Make kids come running from all directions.

Megan Jesclard

It's autumn. Horray! Bring the fall into your home with this autumn table runner or wall hanging. You can download this pattern
HERE at Parties and Patterns.

Download, Print and Sew.

Haunted Pumpkin Patch

Megan Jesclard

I had been talking to my cousin right before Halloween and saying how disappointed I was that I hadn't gotten into the holiday like I usually do....so to remedy that we decided to have a Halloween themed dinner. This is my haunted pumpkin patch: I made the pumpkins out of cake balls and the mummy's are cake pops. The hay stacks are just peanut butter rice krispy treats.

Cake Pops and Balls

1 box chocolate cake mix (or cake mix of your choice)

1 can cream cheese frosting

White, orange and green candy melt

Sucker sticks

Make cake according to package directions. Let cake cool. Mash the cake with ¾ can of

frosting. Roll the dough into balls and freeze for a couple of hours. Melt the candy melt

according to package directions. Dip the end of each stick in the candy melt and let sit in

freezer for 10 minutes. Push the stick up halfway through the frozen cake ball and dip cake ball

in melted candy melt. Put cake pops back in freezer as you dip them. After you have dipped

all the pops, decorate them. Put melted candy melt in a squeeze bottle (found in your

local grocery store) to make the mummy wrappings and attach the eyes. Enjoy!!!

I also contributed these little mummy wraps...they were cooler but I had thrown the worms on right before we left the house and the mummy's were still a little warm, so by the time we got there the mummy's were covered in puddles of goo...lovely. One is filled with PB&J and the other is filled with cheese and pepperoni. I have a bread braid addiction lately. Turns out you can fill them with pretty much anything and they are delicious!(The recipe can be found under main dishes and is called bread braids.)

Frieda made some awesome meatloaf mummys. I don't know how I didn't get more pictures of everything but the spread was impressive...and we had a great time.

Dads Favorite Pumpkin Pie

Dad’s Favorite Pumpkin Pie

One unbaked 9” pie crust
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ginger
½ tsp salt
One 15 oz. can pumpkin (packed pumpkin)
1 cup evaporated milk

Prepare pie crust. Combine eggs, sugar, salt, and spices and beat well. Blend in pumpkin, Add milk and beat well. Bake 450 degrees for 20 minutes, reduce heat and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. (Do not substitute the canned milk.) I like to put tin foil around the edges of the pie crust so they don’t burn.

Pie Crust (Makes 4 single pie crusts)

Whisk together:

4 cups flour

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp salt.

With a pastry cutter, cut 1 ¾ cup shortening into flour mixture.

Mix together with a fork:
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 large egg
½ cup water

Add egg mixture to flour/shortening mixture
Roll dough out into pie crust. Freeze unused dough.