Nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like a basket full of homemade cookies, brownies, chocolate sauce and pound cake. My neighbor outdoes herself each December and this year is no exception. Yesterday she dropped off a huge gift basket filled with my daughter’s favorite sweet treats, lovingly prepared in her own kitchen. I love the idea of getting and giving gift baskets during the holiday season. Even if you are working on a tight budget, homemade gift baskets are a great option for neighbors, co-workers, family and close friends. The best way to save when putting together a gift basket is … Continue reading →

Who can resist a bit of bling around the holidays? I am not a flashy person, but when I saw Martha Stewart’s latest Christmas creation I stopped dead in my tracks. I actually turned off my vacuum and turned all of my attention to the TV where a tree bedazzled with dozens of shiny beaded ornaments and garland stood like a beacon of beaded glory. There’s no way I have the time, talent or budget to recreate Martha’s beaded masterpieces; however, I did some research online and found a few cheaper and affordable alternatives that can be made by people … Continue reading →

Besides construction paper and crayons, some of the most inexpensive materials for crafting homemade holiday decor are traditional candy canes. You can purchase a big box of candy canes for a dollar or less at discount stores during the Christmas season and use them to make a variety of holiday-themed decorations from wreaths to tree ornaments. Given that the candy is so cheap, it’s a good idea to pick up a few extra boxes just in case a few break during the construction process. Here is a kid-friendly candy cane project to get you started on your sweet Christmas ornaments: … Continue reading →

It’s raining candy canes in our home. We attended a number of St. Nick’s Day parties and events in the last 48 hours where my daughter raked in quite a haul of candy canes. We are now the proud owners of more than two-dozen candy canes in a variety of sizes and flavors. (Who knew Jolly Rancher made candy canes?) Two-dozen seasonal sweet treats is way too much for a 6-year-old to consume, so I talked my daughter into using some of her candy canes to make Christmas crafts. Needless to say, my Martha Stewart wannabe jumped at the chance. … Continue reading →

C-r-a-f-t-s spells big fun around our home, especially during the holidays. My young daughter is a Martha Stewart wannabe, which is why the majority of our seasonal decorations are handcrafted and displayed with love. Of course, the homemade holiday fun requires quite a bit of craft materials. Fortunately, I stock up during post-holiday sales, so our craft closet is well-stocked in preparation for the Christmas project rush. Never underestimate an after-holiday sale. Last year I scored major savings on a number of seasonal craft staples by shopping on the day after Christmas. In addition, this year I found drastically reduced … Continue reading →

I tried to come up with a cute and catchy name for the turkey-shaped sandwiches I make each Black Friday, but the fact is my young daughter’s moniker for the tasty treats stuck when she was a toddler, and now the entire family refers to them as “Crazy Turkey Sandwiches.” The bite-sized birds are a breeze to make and are a perfect way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers: CRAZY TURKEY SANDWICH #1 Ingredients: Cocktail pumpernickel bread Vegetable-flavored cream cheese Peas Red pepper Pepperoni Cheese Cashews Slivered almonds Parsley Directions (for one sandwich): Spread vegetable cream cheese between two slices of … Continue reading →

You know it’s time to dump your kid’s Halloween loot when you’re going on day three of eating Kit Kats for breakfast… ahem. I was this close to pitching my daughter’s trick-or-treat bag when our neighbor came over bearing more candy. However, instead of just handing us a half-eaten bag of chocolate, she presented us with a tray filled with edible butterflies and caterpillars made entirely of Hershey Kisses. If you are looking for an adorable craft idea that will put a major dent in your leftover Halloween candy pile, then consider making Hershey Kiss critters. They are a breeze … Continue reading →

NBC’s “Today” show, “Live with Regis and Kelly,” as well as a number of other televised talk shows traditionally host costume contests on Halloween. If you live in the New York area or are willing to drive to the show’s studios (typically located in major metropolitan areas), then you can show off your craziest Halloween costume in front of millions of people. I don’t live any where near New York or Los Angeles and I am not very creative when it comes to holiday getups, but I love to watch others strut their stuff in their homemade Halloween creations. I … Continue reading →

Pumpkins, candy and witches are staples of any Halloween party, but the latter is not as easy to incorporate into the menu as the former two. Or is it? The following fun tricks illustrate how you can turn a witch theme into a real Halloween treat: CHOCOLATE WITCH HATS Ingredients: 24 chocolate-flavored sugar ice cream cones 24 Oreo cookies Assorted small Halloween candy, such as M&Ms, Skittles, Reese Pieces, candy corn, etc. Chocolate ganache 5 tablespoons whipping cream 5 tablespoons light corn syrup 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips Directions: Bring cream and syrup to simmer in a sauce pan … Continue reading →

When it comes to celebrating Halloween, most people focus on trick-or-treating or costume parties, both of which are traditionally nighttime events. However, in our family, Halloween is an all-day affair. Basically, we party from sun up to sun down. I’m kidding. Though, we do nosh from sunrise to the witching hour, on foods I make especially for the holiday. Breakfast, lunch and dinner (and the occasional late snack) all feature Halloween-inspired foods, including these favorites that I whipped up last year: PUMPKIN PECAN PANCAKES Ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon … Continue reading →