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My friend, Becky, shared a wonderful crock-pot candy turtle recipe. I knew right away I wanted to make this for Christmas. It’s an easy and yummy treat/gift for someone special on your list. Great for shut-ins, secret Santas, co-workers, or an overdue thank you.

I packaged mine in boxes and Christmas tins.

Crock-Pot Candy Turtles

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) package dry roasted salted peanuts
• 1 (16 ounce) package unsalted dry roasted peanuts
• 1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate bits
• 1 (4 ounce) German chocolate bar
• 32 ounces white almond bark

Directions:

Put peanuts in bottom of crock-pot; add other ingredients.

Cook on low setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Place rounded spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool.

Enjoy!

 

   

Paper plate scarecrows are fun and easy to make. A great Thanksgiving craft for children.

Supplies needed:

I chose cardstock over construction paper. Your decision. Be as creative as you want. I didn’t have Zots on hand, so I substituted with double-sided tape for the hat, leaves, and ribbon. I used regular tape to hold the raffia down. Glue will work, and I used that on everything else. Have fun with your little ones as they delve into this inexpensive project.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

 

No better time to make homemade crockpot applesauce and an easy spider craft for children. The Dum Dum spiders are easy and inexpensive to create. They make a great children’s party addition. And the applesauce will WOW even picky eaters.

Spider supplies:

• black pipe cleaners
• Dum Dum suckers
• glue
• eyes

Cut the pipe cleaners in half and wrap tightly around the front of the sucker stick. Bend the tips for legs. You can trim the pipe cleaners to even out. Give yourself a little leeway when wrapping the pipe cleaners. Glue on eyes.

I found a great crockpot applesauce recipe online and doubled it.

Crockpot Applesauce

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 6 medium apples–your favorite)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water

Place the peeled, sliced apples into the crockpot bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples and mix well. Pour the water into the crockpot and place the lid on top. Cook on high for four hours. (Mine took about 2 1/2 hours).

When cooking time is up, remove the lid and mix the apples using a wire whisk, stirring until smooth.

Allow to cool completely then place in a sealed container in the fridge.

Enjoy these fun and easy projects.

Happy Autumn!

 

 

Love Calls the Shots

 

Two doctors, a comedic jokester and a charming romantic, show off to gain Dr. Saige’s favor, but when the unexpected happens, Dr. Saige bargains with God for the man’s life…will she lose her true love or will love call the shots? A charming heart-warmer with laugh-out-loud humor. Available on Amazon, online bookstores, and at crossrivermedia.com

 

 

Along with being a great cook and baker, my author friend, Deb Gardner Allard is a fantastic writer. She’s been my right arm when writing issues stall my work. Deb is a blessing to everyone she meets. I’ve had the pleasure to read an advanced copy of her debut novel, Love Calls the Shots. The writing is amazing, storyline a grabber, and it’s fun. The Christmastime setting, love triangle, and humor makes this romance a page turner. I can see it as a Hallmark movie. Order availability is listed above. To learn more about Deb and visit her website, scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Deb has graciously shared a cookie recipe. Why not curl up on a chilly day with her debut novel and a plate of these yummy Quick Fudgy No-Bake Cookies.

Quick Fudgy No-Bake Cookies

On brisk autumn days filled with rowdy cheering going on in the family room during football season, I like to make simple, quick treats for my family. If I close one eye and squint, I can almost see some nutrition in this fudgy taste sensation. But while enjoying a football game, who cares!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa.

½ cup milk

1/2 cup melted butter

2 1/2 cups quick oats

Optional extra ingredients: ½ cup peanut butter, coconut, raisins, or chopped nuts

In saucepan on medium-high heat, bring first five ingredients to rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for exactly one minute, no longer, or fudge sauce will harden too soon. Remove from burner.

Add desired optional ingredients: I add peanut butter AND coconut. Then add 2 1/2 cups quick oats. Drop by spoonful on waxed paper. Cookies will set within a couple of minutes. Enjoy the fudgy deliciousness. If adding only one optional ingredient, may need to add another 1/2 cups of oats.

Thank you, Deb.

Deb Gardner Allard is a passionate Christian who cherishes humor because laughing out loud is the best cure for what ails us. Love Calls the Shots, her debut novel, was written to entertain weary souls with a story that will leave them smiling for days. Visit her website:  https://www.everydayromancewithdeb.com where she puts God first in relationships.