Category: Holiday/Christmas

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

I’ve been sick most of this Christmas season so I have not made ANY Christmas cookies.  Okay, I’ll take it back.  We made peanut butter blossoms and then we ate them.

I decided to update my peanut butter blossom recipes using gluten free flour.

I noticed that the dough does not stand up as well as the gluten dough so you will need to place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before forming it into balls.

Even with that little inconvenience, the cookies are absolutely delicious.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

  • Servings: 3 to 4 doz.
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 48 Hershey’s Kisses
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups gluten free flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Granulated sugar

Directions

  1.  Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
  2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended.
  3. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.
  4. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.
  5. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
  6. Place the dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes
  7. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  8.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  9. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges.
  10. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
  11. Cool completely.
  12. Enjoy!

Happy eating,
Traci

What a Bunch of Turkeys – Thanksgiving 2017

Thanksgiving 2017 was totally different than Thanksgiving 2016.  Last year, we were in Disney.  This year we were at home.

We started the day by sleeping in.  Both boys slept in which is typical for the Wee One but not the Imaginative One.  He must be going through a growth spurt because he complained about being tired even after sleeping in longer than normal.

After watching the Macy’s Day parade, we cleaned a little bit before heading to the Senior Center to help serve food.  I wanted to help but they told the adults to stand on the side and have a drink while waiting on the boys.

The boys helped clear tables and serve some of the seniors.  Then they helped clean off the tables.  I helped with moving the centerpieces off the tables so they could be put away.

While we were there, we were allowed to have some food which was very generous of them.  So I ended up with TWO Thanksgiving meals.

Here are some photos of our time at the senior center:

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Thanksgiving meal #1
The top photo was my plate of food.  The bottom photo was the Wee One’s plate of food.  Turkey, stuffing, rolls, and lots of gravy.

Some of the decorations

After we were finished with at the Senior Center, we went home, finished cleaning, and cooked the meal.

The Wee One and the Imaginative One helped get some of the food ready.  The Wee One set up the table.

After the table was set, the boys decided to watch Moana because we had watched it exactly the year before at Disney Springs.  The Wee One knew a lot of the lines of the movie.

I had gotten the plates and bowls at the Dollar Tree.  They were made in Canada not China so the dollar a plate is a good deal.  Both the Wee One and the Imaginative One are notorious for breaking plates, bowls, etc. . . so it is a good idea to have $1 plates and bowls.

Getting ready.jpg

Then it was time for the big meal.

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Appetizers
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Family
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The food plus the burnt green bean casserole that went in the trash.
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Gathered around the table
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My meal
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Dessert
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After dinner – the Imaginative One was pretending to be his dad. 

 

I hope you enjoyed my Thanksgiving day.

What did you do on your Thanksgiving day?

Have a magical day,
Traci

Our Fourth of July – Afternoon and Fireworks

After the parade, the Wee One went with his grandma, aunt, and cousin.  They had Arby’s for lunch which made the Imaginative One upset.

Later on, the Wee One and my niece came over to my house to swim.  I took a few photos of them swimming with the Imaginative One.

Continue reading “Our Fourth of July – Afternoon and Fireworks”

Our Fourth of July – The Parade

Every year, our town hosts a Fourth of July parade.

Last year, I was too ill to go to the parade.  This year I decided the boys, Hubby, and I should watch it even though we had the chance to walk in the parade.

collage #1

Before the parade begins, there is a fly over.  This year we had two different fly overs which was cool.

The Wee One has freckles normally.  They are even more pronounced because of being in the sun last week.

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If you haven’t heard about the Honor Flight, click on this link to find out more information.  I live in the town next to where the Honor Flight was started.

The owner of Foy’s was driving the Ghost buster’s car.

collage #3

Ohio State University is HUGE around here.  We had the guy who dresses up for all of the games in the parade, a guy who looked like Jim Tressel, and a guy yelling “O-H” up and down the street.  I didn’t take a photo of the Jim Tressel look-a-like.

The Wee One was all about getting the candy.

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The librarian who was driving the Bookmobile noticed the Imaginative One was reading a book while watching the parade.

One of the floats had a random grill on the back of it.

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The Wee One saw candy caddy corner from us that had not been picked up.  When there was a lull in the parade, he made sure it was safe to cross.  Then he picked up the candy and waited there until it was safe to cross back over to where we were sitting.  I was so proud that he was thinking through his actions.  The candy was shared with his brother and cousin.

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One of the photos in this collage is the street cleaner.  We knew at that point that the parade was over with so we packed up and walked the three blocks back to where we parked.

Here are some videos from the parade:

I hope you had a great Fourth of July!

I will share the photos of the fireworks next Monday.

Have a magical day,
Traci

My Grandma’s Fudge – Christmas Making and Baking 2016

Have you ever done or bought something but did not know why?  A few weeks ago, I bought some marshmallow creme/fluff because I wanted fudge.  Then I kept looking for a recipe that used marshmallow creme.  I didn’t find any recipes that I would want to make.   Continue reading “My Grandma’s Fudge – Christmas Making and Baking 2016”