Snowflake Craft- A Sparkly Winter Wonderland Indoors

Photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies


Snowflakes are not often seen in the desert, but inside our house we have a wintery wonderland! This past week we made snowflakes out of paper. They are so pretty, and it was so EASY that I wanted to share how we made them with you!

I found the free templates for the snowflakes on the internet at Marcel's Kid Crafts. These templates are not just your ordinary snowflakes: within the designs of the various snowflakes are snowmen, trees, bells, and other wintery things! The detail is extraordinary! I hope you are able to see the snowmen in this picture:

Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

All you have to do is print them out on your printer, easily fold them according to the directions on the website, cut away the gray areas on the template, and unfold your snowflake!

Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

The children and I went one step farther and dabbed some school glue on the snowflakes and sprinkled them with glitter!... Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies



Once I learned how to fold the paper for the snowflakes, I folded some paper for the children and let them cut out their own designs for larger snowflakes. We put sparkles on these snowflakes as well and hung them on our fireplace mantle. They shine and glisten in the light!

Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

This snowflake craft takes no time to make, and really does do a nice job of decorating for the winter months. So, while you're busy with Christmas preparations, why not sit down, take a break, and cut out a snowflake or two?!

Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Frugal Christmas Gift Ideas

It's going to be a frugal Christmas for many people this year! I love to find ways to bless my family, while not having to break the bank to do so! Shhh... don't give away my Christmas surprises to my children, but I did want to tell you a couple of ideas I've come up with for gifts for them this year. While we are blessed to be able to afford a few store-bought gifts, these are some extra things that cost me pennies, but will give them a lot of pleasure I have no doubt!

First, my daughter, who loves to read, is going to be receiving the Elsie Dinsmore series of books by Martha Finley, which I printed out online for FREE! This is a very popular book series, especially with young homeschooled girls, and, while you COULD go somewhere like Vision Forum and get a very nice bound hard bound copy of the books for around $150, you could also do what I did and print it out on your own computer for only the cost of paper and ink in your printer! I found Elsie Dinsmore and thousands of other free vintage books in the public domain at Project Gutenberg. You can punch holes in the paper and put them in a ring binder, but this past year I have learned to easily bind my own books (another blog post in and of itself!) and am in the process of binding the Elsie Dinsmore books for my daughter:

photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

The next frugal Christmas gift idea I want to share with you is making your own coloring books for your children. I came across a website called Coloring Book which has an incredible selection of popular children's themed coloring pages...all for FREE! If this website doesn't have what you are looking for, do a search on the internet for whatever subject you're looking for plus "coloring pages" or "printable". For my horse lover, I searched for "horse coloring pages" and found a bunch to download and print. Here are a few of the coloring books I've made so far:

photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

I hope I've inspired you to "think outside of the box" when considering frugal Chrismas gift possibilities. If you focus on the types of storebought things that would make your children happy to receive, see if there is a way to create something around that theme yourself, rather than spending lots of money to fulfill those often expensive Christmas lists! Do you have some ideas? Comment below and please share them with us!

Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Unique, Delicious Dip For Your Next Party- Hummus Recipe

Sometimes when you're thinking about what to serve at a party, you want to offer something new and different, rather than turning to your time-tested recipes that you've collected through the years. I know that when I'm in that frame of mind, I'm looking for something that will be attractive, unique, and a conversation piece--in a good way! And, of course, it needs to be economical!

A wonderful, Middle Eastern dip that I came across is Roasted Garlic Hummus with homemade spiced Pita Chips. It is a great break from the usual, yet the flavors are easy to take a liking to...in all, it's some very delicious eatin'!

I've tried several Hummus recipes, but this one, with my tinkering, has become an absolute favorite. If you're not big fan of garlic, I suggest you decrease or eliminate the amount of raw garlic (but the roasted garlic is mild in flavor--it really is a wonderful addition!)

Here's how to make the pita chips (I adapted to go well with the Hummus):


12 pita bread pockets

olive oil cooking spray

1/4 t pepper

3/4 t garlic powder

1/2 t basil

1/4 t onion powder

1/4 t marjorum

1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray both sides of the pita pockets liberally with olive oil cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the pita bread with herb and spice mixture.

With kitchen scissors cut the pita bread into pie shaped pieces, as big or as small as you'd like. Arrange pieces on 2 ungreased cookie sheets.

Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies


Bake for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Keep a close eye on the chips-they burn easily!

Instead of using olive oil cooking spray, you can use 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and mix the spices in before drizzling on the pita bread. I just find that it's less messy for me to use the cooking spray.

Yum!....

Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies


Now, for the incredible Roasted Garlic Hummus:



1 small head garlic, roasted (see below for instructions)

1 (15 oz) can cooked chickpeas, (also known as garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed with water.

1/2 cup tahini (Tahini is sesame seeds that have been ground to the consistency of peanut butter, often found at gourmet or health food stores in the peanut butter section.)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (approx 2 lemons)

1 medium sized clove raw garlic, minced finely

1/4 t sea salt

1/4 cup water

extra virgin olive oil, paprika, and dry parsley for garnish

Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast the head of garlic by slicing off the top 1/3 of the head, place in small oven-proof container, and add water to cover bottom 1/3 of garlic head. Drizzle garlic with a little extra virgin olive oil and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. Cool.



Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Add all ingredients, except garnishes, to a food processor and process until very smooth (2-3 minutes). If necessary, add a tiny bit more water to make a dipable consistency. Place in serving bowl and top with extra virgin olive oil, paprika and parsley. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve

Photo Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Colorful and delicious!

Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Easy Meal Planning Ideas

"What's for dinner, Mom?" is a late afternoon question that rings through the kitchens of households everywhere throughout America. With insatiable appetites, food seems to be constantly on the minds of growing children! Likewise, trying to figure out what to cook for dinner seven evenings a week can become a tiresome task for busy moms! You know what your family's likes and dislikes are when it comes to specific dishes, so rather than tell you exactly what to make in with specific menus, this article tells you how to easily organize and plan your family's favorite meals. So, when that popular question of what's for dinner pops up, you already know the answer!

Meal planning does not have to be difficult! First, come up with seven categories of dinner meals, one for each day of the week. In our house, our categories are the following:

Monday- Mexican

Tuesday- Italian

Wednesday-Chicken

Thursday- Soup or Main Dish Salad, and Bread

Friday- Hamburger and Fries

Saturday- Pizza (or Eat Out)

Sunday- Beef or Chef's Choice

Your categories of meals may look completely different than mine, depending on your family's tastes. You may prefer to have a Vegetarian Night, Pork Night, Sandwich Night, or Greek Night. The possibilities are endless. I like to include a Chef's Choice option during the week to allow some flexibility in what I cook if I feel like trying something new, or I find a good sale on an item and want have it for dinner.

Now, list a main dish your family likes (which is quick to prepare) under each category. Add an optional side dish or dishes, and optional dessert to go with the main dish. You now have one weeks worth of meals planned. The menu plan for one week at our house looks like this:

Monday (Mexican)- Tacos, Refried Beans

Tuesday (Italian)- Spaghetti, Salad

Wednesday (Chicken) Roasted Chicken, Cooked Baby Carrots, Green Beans

Thursday (Soup or Main Dish Salad, and Bread)- Chicken Caesar Salad, Italian Garlic Bread

Friday- Hamburger and Fries

Saturday- Pizza (or eat out)

Sunday- (Beef or Chef's Choice) Pot roast with potatoes and vegetables, Corn Bread

You can repeat the steps of choosing dishes your family likes in each category, for each day of the week, as many times as you'd like to make multiple weekly menu plans. It helps if you first list out as many main dishes as you can for each category. Then, you can pick and choose what main dishes from each category you want in the same week. Continuing the example from my own family's meal plan, my list of dishes in each category include:

Mexican- Tacos, Taco Salad, Quesidillas, Enchilladas

Italian- Spaghetti, Fettuccini, Calzones, Lasagne

Chicken- Roasted Chicken, Chicken Fingers, Broccoli and Chicken Casserole, Chicken Pot Pie

Soup or Main Dish Salad, and Bread- Chicken Caesar Salad, Chili, Baked Potato Soup, Vegatable Beef Soup

Hamburger and Fries (This has become a tradition, we always have this on Fridays.)

Pizza or Out to Eat- (Again, we have this every week and usually do not vary the menu on this day.)

Beef- Pot Roast, Cubed Steak, Grilled or Pan-Fried Steaks, Hamburger Pie

From the above list, I have four weeks of meal plans that I can make. All I need to do is write out each weekly menu plan and add some side dishes.

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Planning meals can take a little effort at first, but definitely saves time in the long run. With meals planned, from those recipes you can easily make a standard grocery list for your dinners for each week. By sticking to your meal plans, you will save money on groceries by having fewer miscellaneous ingredients to buy for dishes you may only make once in a while, which, if they are not used within a short amount of time often go to waste. Plus, with a grocery list in hand and meals already planned, you'll be less tempted to grab for those extraneous items on the grocery shelves that you don't really need, and only add up to a bigger grocery bill at the cash register!

Meal planning is not meant to be confining or restrictive, as you can always choose not to use the plan any time you want to fix something different. Whether or not you strictly follow your plan, once you've got it on paper, you now always have an answer to fall back on when the inevitable question arises, "Mom, what's for dinner?"


Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

To Buy Ice Cream Cake...Or Not?! Ice Cream Cake Recipe

A favorite dessert for entertaining, especially birthdays, is ice cream cake. And are they expensive! An ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins that serves 8-12 people costs around $26! That can eat up your entertaining budget in a hurry! But, did you know how easy it is to make an ice cream cake yourself? It will cost you a fraction of the price of a storebought one, and it really isn't difficult to do!

photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Here's what you'll need to make an Ice Cream Cake:


1 box cake mix, any flavor (don't forget eggs and oil to make the mix!)

1/2 gallon ice cream, any flavor that coordinates with the cake mix

5-6 scoops vanilla ice cream (or other flavor you'd like for the "frosting")

1 container prepackaged or homemade frosting, any coordinating flavor to decorate cake




Before you start, make sure you have freezer space for the cake!

Cook cake according to package directions in 8 or 9 inch pans. (Depending on how you make this, you may have a layer of cake left over--See below)

Cool cakes completely, level the tops of the cakes with a serrated knife, then put the cake or cakes in the freezer. (See below)

Set out the 1/2 gallon of ice cream to soften enough to easily scoop out.

Scoop and pack the ice cream into one of the clean cake pans used to bake the cake. (Leave about 3/4 inch space at top of pan to later place the cake on top.) Use a spoon warmed in water to smooth and level the ice cream.

Place the pan with ice cream into freezer.

When cake and ice cream are frozen solid, remove from freezer. Run a hot spoon over top of ice cream to slightly melt it, then set one layer of cake on top of the ice cream. (Cake will be taller than the pan.) Return to freezer.

Set out, in a bowl, 5-6 scoops of vanilla ice cream to soften (or whatever flavor you're using for the "frosting"). Stir occasionally until it is a spreadable consistency, then place in refrigerator.

Put a few inches of hot water in the sink, remove cake and ice cream pan from freezer. Hold the bottom of the pan in the water for just a few seconds, remove from water, and invert the cake and ice cream onto a cake plate. Return to freezer to refreeze a few minutes.

Remove cake plate with cake and ice cream from freezer. Quickly frost with the softened vanilla ice cream, and return to freezer to freeze, about 30 minutes.

Prepare icing decorating bag and tips with the storebought or homemade frosting. Remove "frosted" cake from freezer, and decorate. Pipe boarders, words, or whatever you'd like. You may need to occasionally put the ice cream cake back in the freezer for a few minutes while decorating, to keep the ice cream from melting too much. Keep cake frozen until about 20 minutes before serving, when you should set it out to soften slightly.

Note: You can use the second layer of cake to place on top of the ice cream once the first layer of cake and ice cream are on the cake plate. If you do this, though, I recommend you frost the ice cream cake with actual frosting, rather than softened vanilla ice cream, as you would a regular cake. You'll be able to feed more people this way. Again, you may have to return the cake to the freezer for a few minutes to re-freeze while decorating. I added an extra layer of cake as frosted with regular frosting in this cake:

photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

You can see that the flavor combinations are limitless! Our favorite is chocolate cake with Cold Stone Creamery's Cake Batter ice cream and chocolate frosting. Mmmmm!

Let us know what kind of ice cream cake YOU make! Email me a picture and I'll post it here!


Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

It's SNOW...or IS it? White Sands, New Mexico

photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

One of the most fascinating places we've been was so intriguing because it really tricked our eyes. What looked like the purest, whitest snow was actually not cold at all! The "snow" was actually sand at White Sands Missile Range and park in New Mexico!

This place is nature's huge playground, being a mixture of playing at the beach and sledding down the humongous, steep dunes! To give you some perspective on the size of these things, here are some people climbing up the side of one:


photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies




And, while we were immensely enjoying ourselves we didn't even have to freeze as you do while having fun in the snow, in spite of bundling up in layers of clothes, coats, gloves and boots-it was warm and windy, and shorts, t-shirts, sunglasses and sunscreen were all that was necessary!


photo copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

White Sands is another one of those must-see places if you are ever in the vacinity of White Sands, New Mexico! You'll not likely to see a place like it anywhere else!

Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies

Is Your House Ready for Company? A Housecleaning Plan

When throwing a party, hosting an event, or simply having a single guest in your home, making sure your house is clean becomes a top priority. Hospitality, and being a gracious hostess when pre-planned, comes more naturally. But, when unexpected guests arrive at the door, unless you are in the habit of always keeping your home clean, you may have had to shove clutter into closets and kick the dirty laundry under the beds as you frantically race to the front door to answer the bell! At that point, having a spirit of hospitality and graciousness can quickly become more of a challenge!

There is a great, free house cleaning and decluttering online resource I'd like to tell you about that will make those stressful, frantic cleanups a thing of the past! It's at Flylady.com. Flylady focuses on establishing a house cleaning routine and getting rid of the clutter that can so easily take over certain "hotspots" in your home. Flylady does not require you to put extreme effort into getting things perfect before you can start the program-you start where you are and work in different "zones" in your house, using a timer, and attack the mess one chunk at a time. There is very little preparation and little effort to set up the program...Flylady sends you email reminders of what you need to be doing that day!

Most of us have moments of clutter and chaos in our homes from time to time. With Flylady your ability to recuperate from these lapses will be so much easier, and you'll be ready for those drop-in guests and be better able to enjoy their company!

Copyright 2008 Domestic Legacies