Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting
What does a mom do when trying to fit her entire family into a picture? She hops on her husband’s back (makes her teenagers gag at the precious display of young love) and peeks around just in time to snap the picture.
We love you and wish you a Christ-filled Christmas. May your home be filled with God’s light and love as you celebrate with your family!
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!It’s a Merry Christmas from Healthy Traditions! I love it when they offer this!
Through the 25th, Healthy Traditions (formerly Tropical Traditions) is offering free ground shipping and 50% off Palm Shortening. We have no choice but to stock up on this gem! (Sales like this usually only come about once each year.)
I use Palm Shortening for these five main purposes and recipes:
Palm Shortening is flavorless, so it will not change the taste of your fried foods or baked goods! We often hear that “all fried food is bad” but it’s important to note that food fried in coconut oil or palm shortening is perfectly healthy! This is because these particular oils can withstand the high temps required for frying without going rancid! There are oh so many French fried reasons to love Palm Shortening!
Use the code christmas2017 at check-out for FREE SHIPPING to apply.
Important: This offer expires December 25, 2017.
These links are my referral links. If you are a new customer with Healthy Traditions, shopping through these links will reward you with a free Virgin Coconut Oil Cookbook!
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!Awww. Throw-back to the blogging days we shared a fun virtual Christmas Brunch together. Remember this??
I decided to re-post this delicious Peppermint Cream Cocoa recipe (originally published December, 2013!) just in case you needed a reminder of this wonderful and SIMPLE recipe!!!
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It was a fun experiment – creating a whipped cream topping for yummy hot drinks. But I had to wonder, would simply adding a little sweetener and peppermint extract to whipped cream really make cocoa or coffee that much more special?
Ohhhhhhh yes, yes, yes, and yes again. I quickly put this together one afternoon, plopped a generous serving onto a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and immediately decided that I needed to sit down, close my eyes, and relish the moment. It was hot beverage deliciousness in a mug. The rest of the family enjoyed this special whipped cream on their hot cocoa, and we all declared it to be ah-mazing.
Matt was finishing some work at the computer at the time, and therefore hadn’t joined us at the table yet to enjoy this treat. I took him a mug and declared with excitement, “Seriously, who needs Starbucks??” As he was a bit distracted with the work he was doing, he looked up, confused as he saw that I was cheerfully sipping coffee and that I had a dob of whipped cream on my upper lip. “What? You need Starbucks? Why?”
No, no. I really, really don’t. I had everything I could want in a special hot drink, all without the high fructose corn syrup or big price tag. And now, I am sharing this recipe idea with you. Enjoy, savor, stay healthy, and save yourself some cash.
Which do you like better – coffee or hot cocoa?
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!This Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mousse recipe was originally published here in 2014. I decided it deserved to be bumped back up to the top of my site so you can relive the deliciousness. It’s such an easy recipe that you can quickly make it during these last few days before Christmas!
This is one of the easiest treats you will ever make. You’ll especially appreciate the final step. Allow me to explain…
Many a recipe (including this one) will instruct us to:
Is it just me, or does it seem that in order to follow the directions diligently we should mix our ingredients, pour the mixture into serving dishes, then promptly “put our feet up and do nothing for at least two hours?” It says to “chill” right? If we read this literally, I do believe we are being told to do absolutely nothing. Relax. Take a breather. Chill out already. For two entire hours (or more – don’t forget the “or more”).
Is anyone else thinking about Amelia Bedelia right now? (If you haven’t read those children’s books, you’re missing out.)
Now I’m not exactly sure what to think about recipe instructions that say, “chill until firm.” Rarely do I notice more defined muscle tone when I’m chillin’ in my chair for two hours or more. “Chill until it jiggles in the middle” – well now, unfortunately that makes quite a bit more sense.
I’ll be the first to admit that taking time to rest doesn’t come easy for me. I’d love to “chill” after mixing up a recipe – but who will take care of all those dirty dishes? Amelia Bedelia, perhaps? If only.
While I’m sure we could have a lovely discussion about taking time to rest, washing dishes, or encouraging healthy muscle tone – I will now turn the conversation back to this new recipe I’d like to share, letting you know that in fact, once you mix it up, it needs to be poured into serving dishes and chilled.
To be clear, this means that you need to put the mousse into the refrigerator for at least two hours until you are ready to serve it to your family or guests. Before the pan and bowl get crusty, wash your dishes and wipe down the counter-tops. Then hug your children, check the mail, return a phone call, switch out the laundry, get out meat for dinner, scrub the gunk off the floor, and re-hang the curtain that got pulled down.
After that, by all means, you should chill. :)
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!It is a fact that the first time I made this Cranberry Apple Cider, a young boy visiting our home looked into the crock pot, saw the floating cranberries, and asked, “Are those berries poisonous?”
Hey. It was a fair question. He’s been taught well. Never eat berries without first asking what they are and checking to be sure that they are safe to eat. Smart kid, that one.
I assured him that the berries floating in my cider were merely cranberries, but my proclamation meant nothing at all to him. So he stood waiting for me to answer his actual question, “Are those berries poisonous?”
I’ll admit that for at least two seconds, my mind started heading down the path of possible answers I could but should not give. “We’re not really sure, but we decided to try them and see what happened.” Or maybe, “Yes, but they were so pretty we decided it didn’t matter.”
But only a terrible hostess would scare visiting children, so even though this kid is a regular guest in our home and knows we specialize in sarcasm, I ignored the untrue answers threatening to come out of my mouth and told him, “Yes. But only if you chew them up and swallow them. If they’re just floating in your cup, they won’t hurt you.”
I kid, I kid.
I actually didn’t have to say anything at all because while I was quietly saying, “Nope, they’re just cranberries. Not even a little bit poisonous.” My almost 13-year old was sharing his own scary remarks about how his mom sometimes, but not always, puts poisonous berries in the cider so the family never knows which batch is safe, then ended with, “So. You want to try some?”
It’s so much fun to be a guest at our house. You should definitely come drink cider with us sometime. If you dare. Mooh-ha-ha.
Well now that we got all the sarcasm out of the way (a Christmas miracle), let’s get on with the niceties about this recipe.
This Simple Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Cider actually smells like Christmas. Yes, if you’ve ever wondered what Christmas smells like, this is your answer. It also looks like Christmas because what is more festive looking than (potentially poisonous) red berries, oranges, and cinnamon sticks in a crock pot? So pretty!
The best news is that this may be the simplest recipe you can make during the holiday season. Put ingredients into crock pot. Turn on crock pot. Let the smell of Christmas fill your home.
This cider is fun to leave in a crock pot for several hours during the day so that at all times the house smells wonderful and at any time a cup can be refilled!
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!Once you’ve got your Chocolate Pie Crust made, you’ll need this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Pie recipe to go with it.
I will say right off the bat that if you must avoid peanuts at your house, simply leave the peanut butter out of this recipe and make a regular Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. This tastes amazing either way!
Can you use a regular pie crust for this pie? Of course you can. I’m not the boss of you. You can even use a graham cracker crust. You can go crustless. So many options!
No matter what though, I do suggest that you make this pie. It is super easy and a huge hit!!
Need more cheesecake recipes? Some of these will be great in the Chocolate Pie Crust! Or in a Regular Whole Wheat Pie Crust. Or maybe they should remain crustless. Ohhhh, the options!
What are your favorite desserts to make at Christmas time? Think you should add this Chocolate Chip Cheesecake to your list?
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!Why make a regular pie crust when you can make a Chocolate Pie Crust?
Well now. Sometimes we actually do need a regular ol’ pie crust. Though pie crusts around here are anything but regular. We use whole wheat flour and palm shortening in our pie crust so that it is actually nourishing. But other than that…normal. Regular. Absolutely average. Nothing to see here. Just a regular ol’ pie crust.
Here I am calling pie crusts normal as if I make them all the time. No ma’am I do not. It’s rare that I actually take the time to make and roll out crusts these days. It must be a special occasion for me to “go to the trouble” to make a pie, because extra time I do not have.
But then suddenly, in between a History lesson with Malachi and taking time to proof-read a paper for Justus, I thought of the idea to turn a regular pie crust into a Chocolate Pie Crust. And would you believe? Tuesday afternoon became a special occasion, just like that. For no reason, I made a pie.
I mean, I do think one of the boys did exceptionally well on his math lesson that day. I did three loads of laundry like a boss. The mailman delivered some mail that wasn’t bills. The kitchen floor got swept. I answered several emails. For all these reasons and more, it seemed that a pie was in order. I can think of no other reason to celebrate, can you? Things like this call for pie with chocolate crust. Obviously.
Who says you can only make pie on special occasions?
In a couple of days I will share a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pie recipe with you that is simply perfect to fill this Chocolate Pie Crust. In the meantime, I also suggest filling your baked shell with:
And by the way, I get my palm shortening from Tropical Traditions. It’s fabulous and healthy. New customers at Healthy Traditions can get free shipping on their first order when you use the code FS10 at checkout!
Raise your hand if after seeing this recipe for Chocolate Pie Crust you just came up with a perfectly good (though random) reason to make a pie.
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!This is a super fun gift for you and your spouse. Take note!
The brilliant folks at MELT have put together a package deal that is pretty hard to pass up. If your husband is difficult to buy for, I think your problem has just been solved. Check this out!
MELT has created their very own massage oil to go with their very wonderful massage videos. For a couple of years now, my husband and I have been enjoying these (very tastefully created) videos to help us learn great massage techniques. To have a wholesome oil to go with the massages is super exciting. And because Christmas is coming, the offer is significantly better than normal!
You have to buy the massage oil to qualify for the video discount, and there is a very limited supply of massage oil. This special offer begins on December 13, so here’s what you need to do!
Your purchase will get you lifetime access to the videos. Included are 3 massage routines that take couples from
the basics of massage to advance techniques, showing you where the good spots are and how to massage the knots so you can literally make your spouse melt!
Melt gives you connection, a time to reflect with your spouse, to spent time together away from the children, away from work and the pressures of life so the two of you can experience one-another the way you did before life got in the
way.
You can come back to it over and over again in your relationship. Have it sit there and wait for you on that special occasion such as birthdays or anniversaries. Or share backrubs weekly! It’s totally up to you and you go at your own pace.
Each technique only takes only minutes to learn. You don’t have to commit to an entire night of massage. Some couples spend no more than 10 minutes each night practicing one technique – that’s all.
This post is sponsored by MELT Massage. My husband and I give it a big thumbs up!
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!Truly these Chocolate Peanut Clusters can’t get any easier.
I make some with semi-sweet chocolate and some with white chocolate and when it’s all said and done, I’ve spent about 10 total minutes making amazing Christmas treats.
You don’t have to scoop these treats into muffin cups, but they sure do a lot to dress up the plate, don’t you think? (Read more ideas here for ways to serve festive food without using food coloring.)
The effort it takes to make these Chocolate Peanut Clusters involves pouring chocolate chips into a saucepan with peanuts, then stirring them both together until they melt. Two-ish minutes later your mission has been accomplished. Scoop the melty mixture into muffin-lined cups. Refrigerate. Serve or package up to give as gifts.
If only all of our Christmas preparations would be this easy!
By the way, Olive Nation loves Heavenly Homemakers readers so much that they give us a 20% discount on our orders! Shipping is free when your order is $50 or more. Use the code home for the discount!
If you’re into more time consuming treats (ha!), try these Truffles. I prefer simpler recipes, but of course the effort it worth the prize when you make truffles. They also make amazing Christmas gifts!
Also great for gift giving: Homemade Peppernuts. My grandma always made these at Christmastime!
What kinds of Christmas treats do you enjoy making to share?
Some of these links are my affiliate links.
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!I have all kinds of ideas for serving festive holiday food without food coloring, and it’s likely much simpler than you think!
I’m not opposed to someone going out of their way to make real food dye with natural colors that won’t turn our insides purple and our teeth blue. I just don’t personally have the time to do that during this season in my life. There are actually fun options for purchasing natural food coloring, the ingredients of which are made with vegetables. They are pricey, but worth it if you enjoy frosting your Christmas cookies different colors. Check them out here!
But if you want to have fun with food and avoid the trouble and expense of natural food dye, here are some great ways to serve festive food without any food dye at all!
1. Use real food with real, natural color
It’s too simple, right? If you want something red on your holiday treat, use red food (pomegranates, strawberries, raspberries).
Add a little bit of 100% juice to Cream Cheese Frosting to naturally and easily turn your frosting into pretty colors. Garnish with fresh fruit if you can find some in season!
2. Serve your holiday food on pretty, festive dishes or on a pretty holiday table cloth
It doesn’t even matter if the plates are made of paper and the tablecloth is made of plastic. These items make serving holiday food so much fun! Or save up and add a few real holiday dishes to your collection each year when they go on sale after the holiday.
3. Use ribbon
It’s amazing how a bit of fabric or colored ribbon will change the look of a food gift!
4. Use cookie cutters
Don’t just limit your use of cookie cutters to cookies! Use small festive cookie cutters for your pie crust too. Here’s our favorite Whole Wheat Pie Crust recipe.
5. Use special holiday muffin and cupcake liners and toppers
It is ridiculous how much fun these are! Cupcake and muffin liners are such a simple way to dress up holiday treats. I watch for them to go on sale after a holiday and I stock up for the next year. (Here are 23 Muffin Recipes, by the way.)
We had a little bit of fun with this idea and made some printable Muffin and Cupcake Toppers for you. Print them in color to cut and use, OR print them in black and white and let your kids color them before you cut them and put them together!
Get this fun, FREE Muffin and Cupcake Topper Printable when you join our Learning Zone. Membership is entirely free and will give you access to this and many more printable family learning resources!
6. Decorate with candy canes
Fine. These have food coloring. But you can buy plastic ones OR you can buy the actual candy canes and use them entirely for decoration. We use them to brighten our table and living room, but we hardly ever actually eat them. They are a perfect way to make your holiday table more festive!
7. Serve festive drinks in special mugs and teacups
Somehow they just taste better this way. :) Here’s a link to share 7 holiday drinks that include all real food ingredients.
What fun ways do you serve festive food without using food coloring?
Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!