I hope you are enjoying the holidays!  Most of us are currently in the Christmas shopping mode as we try to figure out what to give to our friends and loved ones for Christmas.  I wanted to share that Dine Without Whine does offer Gift Subscriptions.  You can find the link here:  http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/gift-subscriptions.htm  This would make a fun unique gift for moms, or even young couples.  Head on over and take advantage of crossing a couple people off your holiday list. 

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Easy Christmas Gifts in a Jar

Are you ready for an economical, cute and useful gift idea?  Sometimes it is the simple things in life that make us happy.  Easy Christmas gifts in a jar are one of those simple things. I personally love receiving jar gifts.  They are fun to look at and they have saved me in a pinch when I need to quickly prepare a treat for guests. 

Do you have a favorite cookie recipe?  Why not put the dry ingredients in a jar; write the recipe on red construction paper; cut the construction paper to the circumference of the jar; and wrap the construction paper around the front of the jar with white ribbon. Place a fabric scrap or a bow on top of the lid of the jar and you’re set.

Brownies are a wonderful gift anytime of year, but especially during Christmas.  Find your favorite brownie recipe and put the dry ingredients into a jar.  Type up the recipe, roll it up, and place the rolled recipe into jar along with the ingredients.  Wrap the jar in color cellophane, and tie the cellophane with a pretty ribbon.

How about your favorite candies?  Jelly Beans, M&M’s etc. (You could even do trail mix or dried fruit for a healthier option) This would make a perfect Christmas gift in a jar, especially for co-workers who need a little snack at work every once in awhile. 

For chocolate lovers, why not put chocolate pretzels in a jar.  Chocolate pretzels come in packages, and are available in your local supermarket.  What a sweet treat this gift would make.

How about theme gifts in a jar?  Examples are: Chocolate golf balls; chocolate baseballs; chocolate footballs; chocolate soccer balls.  Any of these fun theme gifts would be a hit with anyone who enjoys these sports.

No matter what you choose; traditional; off-beat; baked or bought, making easy Christmas gifts in a jar is fun and allows you to be as creative as you want to be. Gifts in a jar can be an inexpensive treat to give to your colleagues at work; your friends, and even your family members. 

The best part is you can go to your local grocery store or discount store and stock up on your favorite candies and chocolates, to make as many jars of treats as you need. You might even make a few extras to have on hand for hostess gifts for holiday parties you may get invited to.  Happy Holidays! 
 

Mint Chocolate Brownies
8 T. unsalted butter (plus more for pan)
8 ounces of semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chopped
1 c. sugar
3/4 t. salt
3 large eggs
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
25 small chocolate peppermint patties

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.

2. Place chocolate and butter in a double boiler and stir occassionaly until melted.

3. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and salt until smooth; whisk in eggs. Gently whisk in flour and cocoa powder just until smooth (do not overmix).

4. Spread 1/2 of batter in prepared pan. Arrange peppermint patties on batter in a single layer, leavinga narrow border on all sides. Top with remaining batter, and smooth surface. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Approx. 45-55 minutes.

5. Cool Completely.

Are you still trying to figure out what to cook on Thursday?  I can help!  My friend Susanne and I have prepared a complete Thanksgiving Menu along with a categorized grocery shopping list and a planning checklist.  Go grab a copy and erase your holiday stress!  www.healthymenumailer.com/thx

Enjoy!

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I am excited to introduce Kid Approved Meals - www.kidapprovedmeals.com  This is a site offering 13-week menu packs that incorporate breakfast and lunch recipes for kids.  I have had many moms request this service, so here it is!  ENJOY!

My Mother-In-Law just forwarded me this article.  It made me think!  I often set my purse on the kitchen counter, but I don’t think I am going to any more!  YUCK! 

Have you ever noticed how often women set their handbags on public toilet stall floors - then go directly to their dining tables and set it on the table?  It happens a lot!  It’s not always the ‘restaurant food’ that causes stomach distress.  Sometimes “what you don’t know ‘will’ hurt you”!  Read on… 

Mum got so upset when guests came in the door and plopped their purses down on the counter where she was cooking or setting up food. She always said that handbags are really dirty, because of where they have been. Smart Mum!!!  It’s something just about every woman carries with them. While we may know what’s inside our handbags, do you have any idea what’s on the outside? 

Shauna Lake put handbags to the test - for bacteria - with surprising results. You may think twice about where you put your handbag.  Women carry handbags everywhere; from the office to public toilets to the floor of the car. Most women won’t be caught without their handbags, but did you ever stop to think about where your handbag goes during the day?  I drive a school bus, so my handbag has been on the floor of the bus a lot,” says one woman. “On the floor of my car, and in toilets.”  I put my handbag in grocery shopping carts, on the floor of the toilet while changing a nappy,” says another woman “and of course in my home which should be clean.” 

We decided to find out if handbags harbour a lot of bacteria. We learned how to test them at Nelson Laboratories in Salt Lake, and then we set out to test the average woman’s handbag.  Most women told us they didn’t stop to think about what was on the bottom of their handbag. Most said at home they usually set their handbags on top of kitchen tables and counters where food is prepared.  Most of the ladies we talked to told us they wouldn’t be surprised if their handbags were at least a little bit dirty. It turns out handbags are so surprisingly dirty, even the microbiologist who tested them was shocked. 

Microbiologist Amy Karen of Nelson Labs says nearly all of the handbags tested were not only high in bacteria, but high in harmful kinds of bacteria. Pseudomonas can cause eye infections, staphylococcus aurous can cause serious skin infections, and salmonella and e-coli found on the handbags could make people very sick.  In one sampling, four of five handbags tested positive for salmonella, and that’s not the worst of it. “There is fecal contamination on the handbags,” says Amy. 

Leather or vinyl handbags tended to be cleaner than cloth handbags, and lifestyle seemed to play a role.  People with kids tended to have dirtier handbags than those without, with one exception. The handbag of one single woman who frequented Nightclubs had one of the worst contaminations of all.  Some type of feces, or possibly vomit” says Amy.  So the moral of this story - your handbag won’t kill you, but it does have the potential to make you very sick if you keep it on places where you eat. Use hooks to hang your handbag at home and in toilets, and don’t put it on your desk, a restaurant table, or on your kitchen countertop. 

Experts say you should think of your handbag the same way you would a pair of shoes. “If you think about putting a pair of shoes onto your countertops, that’s the same thing you’re doing when you put your handbag on the countertops” - your handbag has gone where individuals before you have sneezed, coughed, spat, urinated, emptied bowels, etc!  Do you really want to bring that home with you? The microbiologists at Nelson also said cleaning a handbag will help.  Wash cloth handbags and use leather cleaner to clean the bottom ofLeather handbags.

It is already time to start thinking about Thanksgiving! 

Here is a fun idea to make this Thanksgiving extra special.  A few weeks before Thanksgiving, write a list of each family member. Beside their name, make a note of a favorite dish they make. Call each member and ask for a copy of that recipe, plus one or two of their own favorites that they’d like to share. When you have all the recipes ready, compile them into a booklet and print them, using your computer and printer. (You can also use professional services, if you wish, to make a longer-lasting recipe book.) After your guests all arrive for your Thanksgiving dinner, give them each a copy of your special recipe book as a special little gift.