Holiday Happenings

Wreath making ...

 Lots of baking...

Three generations of women who love to bake!   

Homemade Runzas!  I think we made a little over a hundred of these this year. 

Brown paper packages =)

I hope you all have a restful Christmas!

Snow Day

Made some yarn balls

Watched the snow fall and finished my book

Made the 'perfect chocolate chip cookie' via Pinterest =)  Find the recipe here.

Fall Happenings...

Burlap cards

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Fun Fall wedding...

Crock Pot Apple Butter

 

 This past weekend we took our yearly fall trip to the Nebraska City Apple Orchards.  It is the best.  You can buy bags, boxes, or bushels and pick whatever apples you want in the orchards. A Kocarnik Family favorite :]

Here is an easy apple butter recipe for all of those apples!

- Crock Pot Apple Butter -

4 lbs (12 cups) apples cored/peeled/sliced
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
2 Tbl apple cider vinegar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg (really good if you have a whole nutmeg you can ground)

Put all of the ingredients in the crock pot on High for 5-6 hours (I only do mine for 5 hours because I like my apple butter more chunky).  Stir every hour or every other hour.  When done, just cover and let it chill over night.  Can in the morning.  Enjoy :]

Current Project

It has been a while since I have picked up the knitting needles...but it was time.  I found some sweet burnt orange/gold yarn on clearance today and this sweet neck warmer on Pinterest.  We'll see how it turns out!   Love the cream cross stitches.

Random Things...

Baby shoes...so fun to make for all the little ones arriving.

Leftover lemons...first attempt at a lemon meringue pie...with a graham cracker cinnamon crust.

Jewelry box from a shadow box.

Yum yums from our CSA box.  

I'm an Aunt Again!

Rory Rae Stoner.  6 lb. 13 oz.  Great job Andrew and Kristen.  She is beautiful!

Banana Coconut Chocolate Muffins

Banana Coconut Chocolate Muffins
Makes 15

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup of sugar
1 large egg
3 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried coconut (if you can find the unsweetened variety, feel free to use.) and a bit more to sprinkle on top of the muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake/muffin pan with liners. In a medium bowl, measure out and mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk egg and sugar, and vanilla extract together until well combined. Add melted butter. Mix well. Squish into the bowl bananas and mix. Add chocolate chips and coconut. Mix well.

3. Add dry mixture. Use a VERY light hand to mix at this point. The more mixing you do the tougher the muffin so try not to over mix. You want everything well mixed together but not over mixed.

4. Divide batter equally in liners. Sprinkle tops with some coconut. Bake until golden brown, about 22-30 minutes.

5. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then enjoy.

Chevron Felt Flower Pillow

Weekend project is done =)  It was a lot of fun to make, and I have enough fabric to sew a couple more!  I am selling them for $25.  If you want one, either text, email, or facebook me.  Thanks!

Strawberry Mint Lemonade

Just some random things I like and threw together:

2-3 cans of frozen lemonade (I did not add all of the water because of ice)

Sliced strawberries

A couple handfuls of strawberries pureed

Lemon slices

Mint leaves to taste (I like a lot)

Ice & Serve...or refrigerate in mason jars. 

Charlie's Baby Shower

So stylish!  Charlie, you make pregnancy look good =)

Super cute mamas-to-be!

How big is mommy's tummy?

Had a shower for my friend Charlie this weekend.  Her and Jonny are going to be great parents!  Can't wait to meet their little one =)

Home Sweet Home

Well, here it is.  Our first home!  We are all moved in...now to nest =)  More pics coming soon.  

Paper Bunting

I did not have enough fabric to make a banner, so I just sewed seams on some fun vintage paper and threaded the triangles with a chopstick =)  I can't wait to use these for a baby shower coming up in July! 

Next Project...

Mini Cakes!



Yellow Cakes Here

Green Cake Here

Window Garden

Due to our lack of a back yard, I am going to try out a mini garden in out apartment windows.  So far I have a mini patch of succulents and a lavender plant.