Picture it....Scarves

Baby, It's Cold Outside

 So, like most everyone else, I'm getting ready for Christmas. Tree is up, cards and parcels are in the mail, house is decorated......I have a little bit of shopping left to do, then on to wrapping!!

Here is a little christmas music video - Baby, It's Cold Outside, for you done by some of the cast of Glee:

Framed Cooks: Molasses Cookies

It's baking day again, and man, I really wasn't feeling it. Actually, I wasn't really feeling anything but movies and jammies today, so the idea of having to bake, do laundry and make school lunches for tomorrow... forget it.

No way.

I felt like skipping Sunday Chores and just knitting. So that's what I did, for the first half of the day. I watched kid movies with the Smidgens, knitted, and just let the rest go.

Then, when the movie was over, Kaid said to me, "What are you making for my lunches, Mommy?"

"Nuttin'" I told her, "You don't deserve anything."

She's used to this response.

"Ethan doesn't, but what are you going to make me?"

Classic. So of course I jumped right up and made something!

No, you didn't believe that did you? Course not, you know better.

What I really did was internet a bit instead. And wouldn't you know it? I was destined to make something sweet for my Salties after all. I found this blog, Framed Cooks, and it's full of all kinds of super simple yummy recipes.

One recipe especially caught my eye, since it fell into both the Lunch Box and Festive categories, Grandma's Molasses Cookies. I've got a serious weakness for gingerbread, (wasn't my last post gingerbready?) so I had to try these. Luckily I had my minion with me, who did all of the hard mixing, and some spilling (thanks Kaid).

 Image by Kate's Casual Portraits aka Framed Cooks

I lazed out a bit though, and turned these bad boys into icebox cookies, since I didn't feel like doing the scooping part, not even with my tiny icecream scoop that I have just for scooping cookie dough.

You really need to try these cookies. I maybe had a coupla burnt-ish ones, eh-hem, don't know how that happened... and even they were good.

Now, my house is all toasty warm from the fireplace, it's twinkly from the Christmas lights and it smells like gingerbread heaven. Makes me feel a little bit better about the day. I'm still, however, in my jammies, and I still don't want to make lunches for tomorrow, or do the laundry. I'd rather watch Christmas shows, in my jammies and eat cookies for dinner.

Hearts and Bubbles,
Lissy

LazyLady Snack Cake

I've said it before and it's something you all know about...

Lissy = Lazy

So, does it surprise you that one of my favorite recipes is super duper easy, really really quick and contains a smidgen of sugar? No, me neither.

Here's the deal, this cake can be whipped together in less than 5 minutes, not including baking time, obviously. It can also be just about anything you want it to be. I've made five different flavors of this cake, and there are many more I'd like to try. It's good iced, glazed, powered or just left plain. Basically, it's only limitation is the end of your imagination.

Because of the season, I'm going to give you the gingerbread-ish version of this awesome cake. If you're lucky, I won't laze-out and I'll add some variations at the end...

(Molasses Oatmeal Snack Cake)

Ingredients:

1. 1 2/3 c. Flour (your choice of white or WW or a mix of both. It depends on the flavor of cake for me)
2. 1c. Sugar (again, your call of white or brown. And, again, it depends on the flavor for me)
3. 1 tsp. Baking Soda
4. 1/2tps. Salt
5. 3/4c. Quick Cooking Oats
6. 1 sp. Ground Ginger
7. 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (and Allspice, if you have it and want it)
8. 1c. Water
9. 1/3c. Vegetable Oil
10. 1tsp. White Vinegar
11. 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
12. 2-3 tbsp. Molasses

* you could also add Candied Ginger, if you like it, and/or Chocolate Chips, Lemon Rind, Berries or whatever you think sounds good with gingerbread.

Instructions: (Now this is the really hard part... get ready)

1. Preheat oven to 350degrees
2. Dump ingredients in 8x8 square pan. Stir with fork.
3. Bake 35-40 minutes.

The End

Unless of course, you want to frost it, then go ahead, do it. I've done a Lemon Cream Cheese icing with this version, also a lemon glaze (like in the picture above). I usually just eat it as is though, because I can't be bothered to make anything else.  

Variations:

 Berry's Lemon:

Omit Molasses, Ginger, Cinnamon, Allspice and Oats. Add rind and juice from one lrg. lemon, and 1/2-3/4 c. of berries.

CooCooCocoa:

Omit Molasses, Oats and spices (well, you can leave in the spices if you want). Add 1/4c. cocoa. Sprinkle1/2 chocolate chips on batter before you put in oven.

CookieCake:

Omit Molasses, Oats and spices. Add 1c. of your favorite cookies (mine's Oreos) cut into chunks.

S'more:

Omit Molasses, Oats, spices. Add 1/2c. Cocoa to batter. Sprinkle with 1/3c. each Chocolate Chips, Mini Marshmallows and Graham Cracker pieces.

Enjoy!
Hs&Bs

Lissy

Picture it....Dream Catchers

Mexican Paper Flower Tutorial

So, if you don't know me well, I'll tell you something about myself...I love Mexico! I love the heat, beaches, culture, colors....so many beautiful colors!! Last week my friend Alli turned 30, and we threw her a surprise party....and we wanted bright colorful decorations for her party, and since she loves Mexico too, these flowers were perfect for her party!!! So, here is a tutorial on how to make these beautiful paper flowers! Hope you like them!

You need 3 things: Tissue paper, scissors, and yarn, string or pipe cleaners. I got my beautiful tissue paper at Hummingbird Office & Art Supply store on Quadra Island.

Cut tissue paper for small, medium or large flowers. I cut the tissue paper in half for lrg. flowers, 1/4 of a sheet for med. flowers, and 1/8 of a sheet for sm. flowers.

Choose 5 or 6 colors.

Fold accordion style.

Fold in half to find the center.

Cut notches out on each side.

Tie your yarn in the center.

Scallop cut the ends for more of a flower effect.

Lay your tissue paper out like a fan.

Pull one color at a time up to the center.

When you are done one side, repeat on the other side.

Now, you have a beautiful flower! Congrats you did it!!!

Long Time No Talky

Sooo, it's been awhile, hey? 2 weeks and no word from Lissy. Were you dying? Have you been longing for me? I know, I know... it's ok, I'm here now. For the moment...

Listen, I've got a good excuse for my absence, and it's not a lame, "I was busy," excuse (although I was). My computer had a nasty virus, well, 3 actually, as well as a slew of other problems. Thus, no blogging play time for me until I had time to deal with my poor old girl.

And I finally did!

TaDa! I've whipped my old horse so she'll ride for another day. We'll see how long she lasts, she really is on her last legs.

Now, because of my computer problems, I was stuck with my tiny netbook, Bijou, to satisfy my computer needs. Let my tell you, for interneting, she doesn't really cut the cake. So I have really been off the grid for a while. Now, today, I'm trying to get caught up and, as rarely happens, Facebook gave me a shiny gem of fun. I'm sure you know how rare that is, when Face actually gives you an "OH!" moment... that sounded pretty dirty actually... anyway a family member put up this link and I, being internet deprived for the passed while, actually followed it.

I was brought to a site that creates a video from Santa Claus to your child. To be honest, I thought it was a bit cheesy, just reading about it, but once I filled out the "Magic Card" and saw the video... it's some serious fun. If I got this as a kid, I would probably still be a believer now. Well, I sorta am anyway, but you know what I mean.


To make one, go here Magic Santa and fill out the Magic Card info.

To see one made, you can plug pf7odq into the retrieve line and watch Kaid's.

Go make one now, you and your child can thank me later.

From, 

Inside Day......

Well, it's really cold out and I have tons to do in my house today so I'm staying indoors......and since we can't seem to give a new song everyday anymore....(unless we find a new site that will let us share that with you again)....today I'm going to give you a video of a song I'm loving right now and would have put on song of the day...if we had it! Hope you like it!


Mark Ronson ft Q-Tip & MNDR - Bang Bang Bang

Just a Thought.....

Picture it.....Rings