Snack Recipes Needed!

Side and Salad Recipes Needed!

Chicken Recipes Needed!

Beef Recipes Needed!

Pork Recipes Needed!

Lemon-Basil Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta and Spinach (20 minutes)

8 oz. (1/2 box) angel hair pasta

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp (fresh, if possible)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

3 tbsp. capers, drained

2-3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 (10 oz.) bag fresh baby spinach

• Boil a pot of salted water, then add pasta
• While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in large frying pan and saute shrimp until just opaque (white and pink)
• Stir in basil, capers, lemon juice, and remaining  2 tbsp. of olive oil.  Bring to a boil and reduce to low (just to keep it warm while draining the pasta)
• Pasta should be done about now, so test it, drain it, and then add it to the shrimp mixture and toss it to coat it well
• Put a couple handfuls of fresh spinach on each plate and top it with the shrimp/noodle mixture
• Enjoy!

Add your own seafood recipe...

Pasta with Fresh Spinach and Ricotta (15-20 minutes)

1/2 box of fun-shaped pasta (shells, corkscrews, penne, pipettes...)

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

1 bag (5 or 6 oz.) fresh baby spinach

1 tsp. salt

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

• Boil water in a large pot, then add pasta
• While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large frying pan, then add garlic and saute for just a minute or two
• Add entire bag of spinach and stir/cook until spinach is wilted, then add salt and pepper
• Add ricotta cheese and milk, then stir until smooth and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat
• Pasta should be done about now, so test it, drain it, and return it to the large pot
• Add the spinach mixture and the 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, and mix well
• Voila! ... a healthy, alfredo-like pasta ... Bon Appetit!

Add your own vegetarian recipe...

Homemade Glitter

Makes ½ cup

½-cup salt

3 drops food coloring

Preheat oven to 350*.  Place salt in a small bowl.  Add drops of any color food coloring you like.  Mix lightly until salt is thoroughly colored.  Spread slat mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Remove baking sheet, being careful not to spill the glitter.  Let glitter cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to a storage container. 

Bubble Juice

Makes about 1½-cup

1-cup water

2-tablespoon corn syrup (or) 2-teaspoon glycerin

4-tablespoon dishwashing soap

In a large and shallow dish, combine water, corn syrup and dishwashing soap.  Mix thoroughly and use with homemade bubble wands.

Bubble Wands

Form wire clothes hangers or pieces of pipe cleaner into various shapes.  Lightly dip the wands into the bubble juice and wave through the are to make big bubbles.

Chocolate Scented Playdough

Makes about 2 cup

1 ¼-cup flour½-cup cocoa powder

½-cup salt

½-tablespoon cream of tartar

1-cup boiling water 

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and cream of tartar.  Add vegetable oil and boiling water and mix well.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture forms soft a dough.  Remove from heat and let cool.  When mixture has cooled, continue to knead with your hands.  When finished, store mixture in an airtight container.  Kids will enjoy creating shapes and characters with this sweet-smelling playdough.

Bread Dough Basket

Makes 1 basket

1 ½ -cup warm water

1 lb. salt

2 lbs. flour

Clear gloss varnish

Preheat oven to 250*.  In a large bowl, combine warm water and salt.  Let mixture cool and slowly add flour, mixing constantly, until a firm dough forms.  Knead dough with hands until mixture has an elastic feel.  Cover mixture with a damp cloth and let sit for 30 minutes.  Measure the diameter of an ovenproof baking dish.  Roll out dough to desired thickness and cut dough into strips that are about 1” longer than the diameter of the dish.  Lay the strips horizontally across the dish from the top of one side, down over the base of the dish, and up the opposite side of the dish.  Continue laying the strips, leaving a gap of about 1” between each strip.  When the baking dish has been covered in one direction, begin weaving strips in the opposite direction, alternating going over one strip and under the next.  Continue this weaving method by placing the next strip so it goes under and over the opposite strips.  Trim any uneven edges with a knife.  Roll remaining dough into thin 5” long strips.  Lay the strips end-to-end along the rim of the dish until rim is completely covered.  Run your fingers over the dough to create a smooth finish around the rim.  To give the rim of the basket a ribbed effect, make small cuts with a knife around the rim.  Bake in oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until dough is golden brown and hard to the touch.  Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing breadbasket from baking dish.  Using a medium brush, paint the basket with a clear gloss varnish.  Let varnish dry and apply another coat.  When varnish has dried completely, use basket to hold fresh fruits or bread rolls. Do not eat the basket!

Rock Candy Stir Sticks

Makes 5 to 6 sticks

2-cups water5-cups sugar

Drops of Food

ColoringPlastic container lid

Wooden coffee stir sticks, (or) bamboo skewers, (or) popsicle sticks

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, place water.  Bring to a boil and stir in sugar.  Continue to boil until mixture reaches 260*.  Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 5 minutes.  Pour sugar mixture into glass jar and add drops of food coloring.  Mix lightly.  Punch stir sticks through the plastic container lid.  Set lid over glass jar so the sticks hang down into the sugar mixture but do not touch the bottom of the jar.  Set the mixture aside for 7 days.  After 7 days, carefully lift the lid out of the jar and you will find magical rock candy stir sticks.  Give the sticks as gifts for grow-ups to stir in their coffee or tea. 

Birdie "Tweet" Treats

Makes 3 wreaths

8-tablespoons water, divided

1- ¼-oz. pkg., unflavored gelatin

2-cups wild birdseed

3-4” mini bundt or fluted pans

3-12” pieces colorful ribbon

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 6 tablespoons water to a boil.  In a medium bowl, combine unflavored gelatin and remaining 2 tablespoons water.  Let mixture sit for 1 minute and then add boiling water.  Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Stir wild birdseed into gelatin mixture, stirring well.  Let mixture sit for a few minutes and stir again.  Repeat this process twice, allowing the birdseed to absorb the liquid.  Divide the mixture evenly unto the miniature bundt pans.  Place the filled pans in the refrigerator for 3 hours.  Remove the wreaths from the molds by inverting and carefully tapping on the bottom of each pan.  Let wreaths dry overnight.  Thread one piece of ribbon through each wreath and tie closed.  Hang the treats outside for birds to enjoy.

Colored Vases

Makes 1 basket

¼-cup tacky glue

1-teaspoon water

1 paintbrush

2 empty bottles, washed

Colored salt (from recipe below)

Use the colored salt form the recipe below to make beautiful vases.  In a plastic cup, combine tacky glue and water.  Mix well.  Using a paintbrush, apply a thin coat of the glue mixture to the outside of the clean bottles.  Pour your colored salt into a cup, using a separate cup for each color.  Using one hand, hold one bottle, sprinkle some of the colored salt over the bottle so the salt will attach to the sticky surface.  When the bottle is satisfactorily covered with salt, set the bottle aside for 1 day so the glue can dry.  Repeat with remaining bottle.  Carefully fill the bottles haft way with water and display flowers in your homemade vases.

Colorful Salt Art Creations

Makes about 2 creations

1-cup table salt

Various pieces of colored chalk

2 empty baby food jars

Toothpicks 

Divide the salt into separate small Ziploc bags.  Place one piece of colored chalk in each bag with the salt.  Close the bags and rub the salt and chalk together by hand until the salt is completely colored.  Remove leftover pieces of chalk from the bags.  Pour salt in any pattern or order, alternating colors, into the baby food jars.  Fill jars completely full so the slat will not shift.  If desired, create patterns along the inside of the jar by sticking the toothpick into the layer of colored salt.  Put a thin line of hot glue along inside of jars and screw lids tightly onto jars.  These slat art creations make great gifts or paperweights.

Beauty Bath Bars

Makes 1 bar

1 bar soap

Acrylic paints

Paintbrushes

2-oz. Canning wax

Paint a design over one side of the bar of soap, using the acrylic paints and paintbrushes.  Meanwhile, in a double boiler over medium high heat, place canning wax.  When wax is completely melted, use a disposable brush to paint a layer of clear wax over the painted design on the bar of soap.  Set the bar of soap aside until the wax dries.  The protective layer of wax will allow the soap to be used, while the painted design remains on the bar.

Cinnamon Holiday Ornaments

Makes 12 ornaments

½-cup cinnamon

1-cup applesauce

1-tablespoon nutmeg

1-tablespoon ground cloves

1-tablespoon white glue

Ribbon

In a medium bowl, combine cinnamon, applesauce, nutmeg, ground cloves and glue.  Mix well, until a stiff dough forms.  Roll out dough to ¼” thickness.  Using cookie cutters, cut dough into various shapes.  Using the end of a straw, poke a hole into one side of each ornament for the ribbon to go through.  Carefully place cut out shapes on a wire rack.  Let ornaments air dry for 5 to 7 days, turning occasionally.  When ornaments are completely hardened, thread a piece of ribbon through the hole in each ornament and tie loop so the ornaments can hang.  You will love the smell of these ornaments when placed throughout your home. 

Mini Log Cabin

Makes 1 Cabin

1 empty ½ pint milk carton

1-cup creamy peanut butter

50 pretzel sticks

1 graham cracker half

2 square pretzels (or) cereal squares

12 thin wheat crackers

1 pretzel nugget for chimney

Rinse milk carton completely and staple top closed, trimming the top so carton resembles a house shape.  Cover sides and top (roof) of carton with creamy peanut butter.  Cut pretzel sticks into desired length and cover sides of carton with pretzels, to resemble logs.  Use the graham cracker half as a door and the square pretzels or cereal squares for windows.  Press the pretzels, cereal and graham crackers into the peanut butter to secure to the carton.  Use the thin wheat crackers as overlapping shingles for the roof.  Using additional peanut butter, attach the pretzel nugget to the roof as a chimney.

Apple Doll

Makes 1 Doll

1 large Red Delicious apple

Carving knife and potato peeler

Colored markers, optional

1 plastic bottle

Hot glue gun and glue

Various pieces of fabric

Peel and core the apple.  With the help of an adult, carefully carve a face shape into the apple, hollowing out deep-set eyes and a deep slit for the mouth.  If desired, add extra features like ears or a nose.  Set the apple aside for several days, until the apple has shrunk to about 2/3 its’ original size.  When the apple face has completely dried out, go over the eyes and other features with markers, if desired.  Cut the top part off of the plastic bottle and apply a line of hot glue.  Attach the apple head to the bottle and hold in place until hot glue has dried.  Decorate the doll by wrapping fabric around the bottle to make clothes.  Enjoy playing with your new doll, but remember that this doll is not for eating.

Apple Spice Potpourri

Makes about 1 ½-cups

½-cup chopped dried apple slices

½-cup dried whole cranberries

4 cinnamon sticks

1 whole nutmeg, broken into pieces

2-tablespoon whole cloves

2-tablespoon whole allspice

Place dried apples and cranberries on a baking sheet and set aside to air dry for several days.  In a large bowl, combine dried apples, dried cranberries, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg pieces, whole cloves and whole allspice.  Mix ingredients together by hand.  With the help of an adult, simmer the potpourri in a small saucepan, combine ½ cup of the potpourri mixture and 2 cups water.  Place the saucepan over low heat and let simmer for several hours.  If mixture begins to dry out, add more water as needed.  Simmering potpourri will fill our entire house with a please fragrance.

Finger Paints

Scented Rocks

Makes about 6 rocks

½ -cup whole meal flour

½ -cup salt

¼-teaspoon essential oil, any kind

2/3-cup boiling water

Drops of food coloring

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and essential oil.  Mix well and add boiling water.  Add drops of any color food coloring and mix well.  When mixture has cooled enough to handle, roll mixture into 2” to 3” ball.  Shape balls into assorted rock shapes.  Place “rocks” on a cooling rack in a warm, dry area.  After several days, the rocks will be hard.  These scented rocks will give a nice fragrance when placed in various dishes around your home.

Eggshell Chalk

Makes 1 chalk stick

4 to 5 egg shells

1-teaspoon flour

1-teaspoon very hot water

Drops of food coloring, optional

Wash and dry eggshells completely.  Place clean and dry eggshells in a small bowl and grind into a fine dust.  When eggshells are almost completely ground, discard any larger pieces.  In a separate bowl, place flour and hot water.  Mix well and add 1-tablespoon of the eggshell powder, stirring until a paste forms.  If desired, add drops of any color food coloring and continue to mix.  Remove mixture from bowl and shape into a log or chalk stick form.  Wrap mixture tightly with a strip of paper towel.  Set aside chalk piece and let dry for about 3 days, until hardened.  Carefully unwrap paper towel to reveal your homemade chalk.  This chalk is for use on sidewalks only.

Spray Chalk

Makes about 1 cup

4-tablespoon cornstarch

1-cup warm water

Drops of food coloring

1 small plastic bottle mister

In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch and warm water, stirring until mixture is smooth.  Add drops of any color food coloring and mix well.  Pour mixture into a small plastic bottle mister.  Shake bottle before using to break up clogs.  Use spray chalk to decorate sidewalks or snow, or use it to create colorful sand sculptures at the beach.

Artificial Snow

Makes 1 cup

½-cup sugar

½-cup talcum powder

½-cup white glue

½-cup water

In a medium bowl, combine sugar and talcum powder and set aside.  In a separate bowl, combine glue and water.  Spread glue mixture over surface that you want to decorate with snow.  Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the glue and enjoy the look of sparkling white snow.

Colored Pasta Art

Makes 2 cups colored pasta

¼-cup rubbing alcohol

1-tablespoon food coloring

2-cup dry pasta, any kind

In a 1-quart Ziploc bag, place rubbing alcohol and food coloring.  Securely close bag and shake until well combined.  Open bag and add dry pasta.  Close bag again and turn in hands to coat pasta with the coloring.  Lay bag on a flat surface and let sit for 1 hour.  Turn bag over and let sit for an additional 30 minutes.  Carefully pour liquid from bag and pure remaining pasta into a large paper bag to dry.  Use dried coloring pasta to make pictures, sculptures, jewelry or other art projects.  *Use various pasta shapes, such as :  rigatoni, macaroni, wagon wheel, spiral or bow tie.

Juggling Balls

Makes 3 balls

3 plastic baggies

4 ½-cup dried beans, divided

6 balloons

Fill each plastic baggie with 1½ -cups dried beans.  Secure baggies with twist ties.  Cut the top off each balloon (the part that you blow into).  Stretch one balloon over a filled plastic bag, being sure to cover the twist tie.  Stretch another balloon over the baggie to conceal the hole, making sure the plastic bag is completely covered. 

Marbled Paper

10-cup cold water

2 or 3 different colors of oil paint

Turpentine

Brown paper bags

In a shallow pan, place cold water.  Add one color of the oil paint and a little turpentine until mixture reaches the consistency of thick cream.  Drop a few drops of a different colored oil paint into the pan.  If the paint drops sink, the mixture is too thick and you should add a little more turpentine.  If the paint drops spread, the mixture is too thin and you should add a little more oil paint.  When the mixture is the correct consistency, drop large spots of oil paint, one at a time, into the mixture.  Using a spoon, sick or comb, swirl the paint into desired marbled patterns.  Cut the brown paper bags into pieces that are slightly smaller than the shallow pan.  Holding opposite corners of the paper, slowly lower the paper into the mixture in pan until one side of the paper has touched the solution.  Carefully lift the paper out of the solution and place, marbled side up, on a stack of newspapers or drying rack.  If desired, hand the papers on a clothesline to dry.  Use this marbled paper for various art crafts or as stationery.

Homemade Glue

Makes about 6 cups 

1-quart skim milk

1-tablespoon white vinegar

¾-tablespoon baking soda

10 oz. water

In a double boiler over low heat, place milk and vinegar.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until curds begin to form.  Remove from heat and pour mixture through a strainer, discarding any remaining liquid.  Slowly wash curds under running water until the smell of vinegar has disappeared.  Place the curds in a clean, medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine baking soda and water, stirring until baking soda is completely dissolved.  Pour mixture over curds in bowl and stir until a white paste forms.  Use glue for craft projects and store in airtight containers. 

Modeling Clay

Makes 1½-cups

1-cup baking soda

½-cup cornstarch

¾-cup water

Drops of food coloring

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine baking soda and cornstarch.  Mix well and add water.  Continue to heat for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is the consistency of mashed potatoes.  Continue to stir, as mixture will thicken very quickly.  Cover a flat surface with additional cornstarch.  Spread mixture over cornstarch knead the sections by hand until the color has distributed throughout.  Use modeling clay to make fun sculptures and creations.  For a permanent sculpture, let the modeled clay air dry overnight.  Place leftover clay in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate.  Use leftover clay within 3 days.

Doggie Biscuits

Makes about 2 dozen

¼-cup hot water

1-teaspoon sugar

1 package active dry yeast

8 chicken bouillon cubes

1½-cup tomato juice

2-cup flour, divided

2-cup wheat germ

1½-cup whole-wheat flour

Preheat oven to 300*.  In a large bowl, place hot water. Add sugar and yeast and let stand for about 5 minutes.  Crush chicken bouillon cubes with a fork and stir crushed bouillon into yeast mixture.  Add tomato juice, 1-cup flour and wheat germ and stir until a smooth batter forms.  Add remaining 1-cup flour and whole-wheat flour and stir until dough is stiff and very dry.  Continue to mix by hand.  Turn half of the dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface.  Using a rolling pin, roll dough to about ¼” thickness.  If dough is too sticky, add additional flour.  Using cookie cutters or a knife, cut biscuits into desired shape.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Place biscuits on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 1 hour.  Turn off oven, let biscuits dry and harden in oven for about 4 hours.  Remove cooled biscuits from oven and give them as a treat to your favorite dog. 

Invisible Writing

1 small paint brush

½-cup lemon juice

White paper

1 medium paint brush

1-cup grape juice

Write a secret message on a piece of paper that only your friends can see.  Dip the small paintbrush in lemon juice and write your message on the white paper.  Your friend can reveal the message by dipping the medium paintbrush in grape juice and “painting” over the entire piece of paper.  Your secret message will show through.

The Butter Factory

1-pint heavy whipping cream

Small plastic container with lid

Yellow food coloring, optional

Pour the heavy whipping cream into the plastic container.  Securely fasten the lid to the container.  Take turns shaking the container with cream vigorously.  Continue shaking for 15 to 30 minutes, until the cream has separated into buttermilk and solid butter.  Open the container and discard the buttermilk.  If desired, stir in a few drops of yellow food coloring until butter reaches desired shade.  Use butter for normal purposes.  Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.