Leah Kroeger has sent in some pictures of gifts she has made for Mother's Day.  Check them out in our gallery!

Here is a little description to go with the pictures:

Ceramic mug, kids decorated, and picked out flowers and butterflies/ dragonflies at store. Easy and fun for kids to make!

Infant Footprints:
Paint baby's feet with white fabric paint into a 6 x 6 loft canvas. You can write something or not. Either attach a ribbon, and tie a bow for hanging. OR I chose the polka dot mat from Michaels and will put this in a shadow box frame.

Name Project:
This is fun craft for kids. They can either draw the letters of their names or trace them. They can color with shading, as on the sample, or color their own way. Tape a current picture of the child on the back to capture the age of the child, frame and wrap! Happy Mothers Day!

For these Chilly days how about a yummy soup!

 

Ingredients:
1 Cup Onion, diced 1″ pieces
1/3 Cup Whole Butter
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Garlic Puree
1/4 Cup Flour
1 Qt Chicken Stock
1 Jar of favorite Marinara
1 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Roasted Garlic
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, diced 1/2″ pieces
8 tsp Fresh Basil, julienned (for garnish)

 

 

Cooking Instructions:
1. In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium-heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add thyme, roasted garlic and garlic puree. Continue to cook for approximately 3 minutes more. Reduce heat and add flour. Mix with whisk until flour is incorporated. Cook 2 minutes more.
2. Add the chicken stock and marinara and bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper and heavy whipping cream and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming the impurities that rise to the surface.
3. Using a food processor, puree all the ingredients together, strain and add basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Garnish with 1 tsp of julienned basil per bowl.

From: Peggy Pierce

Here are a few Fall Recipes from Peggy Pierce :)

Pork Chops

 

Heat 1 Tbl of olive oil in skillet over med high heat

Season 4 pork chops with salt and pepper

Cook the chops until brown on each side, only turn once

Remove from skillet, place on the side

Add 2 minced shallots to skillet,

cook until translucent

Add 2 cups of apple cider, heat to a simmer (just before boil)

Add 1 cup of apples (skinned) until soft and cider has reduced to about half

Stir in 3 Tbl of whipping cream

2 tea of spicy brown mustard

and salt to taste

cook until slightly thickened.

Return chops to skillet, heat until cooked through

 

Mild red or Bold white wine pairs nicely with this Fall Dinner.

 

Dessert

Pretzel Popcorn Cookies

 

NEED:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels

1 1/2 cups popcorn (yes popped)

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts if you want

 

Heat oven to 350

Cream butter and sugar

Add baking soda, & salt, mix well

Add vanilla & eggs; one at a time

Mix until just combined

Mix in flour

Stir in pretzels & popcorn, & chips

 

scoop batter into a flat disc

place on parchment paper

bake until brown, do not over bake.

 

 

Materials needed:

• A solid color t-shirt, freshly washed
• One large piece of cardboard
• Alphabet letter(s) of your choice {I used the first letter of each child's name)
• Contact paper
• Elmer's spray adhesive (I bought mine at Target with a coupon!)
• Fabric paint, colors of child's choice.  (I used sparkle paint which looked very cool when dry.)
• duct tape
• plastic garbage bags
• Enough sponges or foam paint brushes to equal the colors of paint being used

Directions:

• Lay shirt on a flat surface and place a large piece of cardboard between the layers of the shirt. 
• Using duct tape, section off a large portion of the t-shirt (in the center) that will fit the child's hands/arms.  Be sure to leave enough room for the child to add paint colors. 
• Cover the rest of the shirt outside of the duct tape with a plastic garbage bag to prevent any fabric paint from getting on it.
• Trace both of the child's hands and forearms onto contact paper. Peel off one side, spray with elmer's glue adhesive and let it set for 30 seconds.  Then let the child position it on the shirt as he wishes, sticky side down. 
• Do the same with the alphabet letter and let the child place it on the shirt.  You can add the year, child's initial, or full name. The choice is yours!
• Cover the child with a smock or put on a really icky shirt because this can get messy!
• Set out the brushes and the fabric paints, and let the child go crazy!  (The effect looks best when all of the fabric is covered in paint.
• When finished painting, carry the shirt to a location where the paint can set for 24-72 hours. 
• Gently peel off the duct tape and remove the plastic bag.  Be careful
• Gently lift up the painted section of the shirt to ensure that it doesn't stick to the cardboard, and place it down again.
• Carefully remove the contact paper hands and sticker(s), starting at the bottom and pulling upward.
• Let the paint set for 2-3 days; it will be ready to wrap!