WHAT WE'RE MAKING: LIP BALM

My husband & I buy local as much as we can. I actually for years have been buying my lip balm from a local bee keeper...his honey as well. I was spending $3 a pop when I finally came to my senses: I can make them myself for a lot less. So I watched some Youtube videos, gathered my supplies and started.

You can use most any oil. I chose OLIVE OIL mainly because it's my favorite oil and I have some from my friend's family's olive grove in Greece. You just want it cold pressed. I chose to infuse my olive oil (although you don't have to) with Comfrey leaves (dried) because they're very soothing to the skin. Fill a mason jar half way with dried herbs of your choice. Pour in oil, just enough to cover. Shake everyday for one week. Then shake every other day for a total of at least 3 weeks. Then with a strainer and cheesecloth, strain oil into a bowl (not metal).

For every 1 C oil, you'll need 2 oz bees wax.

Line your surface with waxed paper or paper towels. Then opened containers that you'll store your lip balm in (tubes or small jars work great). Place the wax in a glass double broiler (if you don't have one like me, just use a pan with water and boil it, then place a ceramic or pottery or glass bowl over). Melt wax, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon. Add oil. It will solidify the wax. Continue stirring over the heat until melted.

If you want to infuse your lip balm with essential oil, add 1 t 100% essential oil to a Pyrex measuring cup. Good choices are orange, lavender, Thieve's oil, lemon, wintergreen, cinnamon bark, peppermint, etc. I chose orange.

Working quickly, pour wax/oil mixture into Pyrex measuring cup and stir with the essential oil. Continue working quickly to pour into the tubes or jars. If it solidifies in the measuring cup, place it back over the boiling water and stir until melted.

Allow the tubes/jars to sit until solidified. Cap. Label if desired.

1 C oil & 2 oz bees wax makes approx 46 tubes lip balm.

WHAT WE'RE CANNING? SLOW COOKED APPLE BUTTER - GREAT for gifts!

Are you better financially than you were four years ago? I believe that most of us that aren't on welfare aren't. But if you're like me, I love to give my neighbors and friends homemade gifts. Canning is a great choice especially when you have something truly yummy to give!

5 1/2 lbs apples, peeled and chopped

(I like to mix the tart & sweet apples or use tart apples and mix in a few pears)

4 C sugar

2 t cinnamon

1/4 t cloves

1/4 t salt

1 juice of lemon

Mix in a crock pot. Place on High heat for 1 hour. Then on low heat for 8 - 10 hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for another hour on high heat. Use a hand held blender to mix until smooth. You can either freeze it, can it or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

WHAT'S ON THE TABLE AT THANKSGIVING? FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE

It's cranberry season. Costco has huge bags of them. 

This is the only way I'll eat cranberry sauce. I hate that processed stuff in the can!

1 C sugar

1 C orange juice

12 oz bag fresh cranberries

Dissolve sugar in orange juice over medium heat. Stir in cranberries. Cook until they pop, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. It will thicken as it cools in the refrigerator.

WHAT WE'RE DRINKING? COFFEE KOMBUCHA

As you would with Kombucha Tea, brew a batch using coffee instead. 

FYI, your scoby will be stained a little darker from the coffee. 

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? GREEN CHILI CHICKEN ENCHILADAS with AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE - gluten free

In a stock pot, bring 3 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts to a boil. When cooked through, remove and shred. Set aside. Save the chicken broth for later.

In a saucepan on medium high heat, melt 2 T butter then whisk in 2 T cornstarch. Whisk in 2 C chicken broth (from boiling the chicken). Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/2 t cumin, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t garlic powder and 1/4 t pepper. Add the meat of 2 large avocados and the juice of one lime. Either use a hand blender or put into a blender and blend until smooth.

In a saucepan over medium high heat, heat 2 T oil. Saute 1 medium chopped onion and 2 green chilis, roasted and thinly sliced until cooked through. You can also use a can of green chilis. 

You'll also need 8-10 warm corn tortillas & 3 C shredded cheese.

In each tortilla, add a little avocado cream sauce, shredded chicken, sauteed onion mixture and shredded cheese. Wrap carefully and pack tightly in a greased baking dish. When finished, top with half of what's left of the avocado cream sauce and the rest of the shredded cheese. Cook in a preheated oven of 375° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining avocado cream sauce and sour cream, if desired.

WHAT WE'RE COOKING? TEX MEX SPANISH QUINOA - gluten free

Just like you would Spanish rice, substitute quinoa instead.

Here's the link to my own "White Girl" Tex Mex Spanish Rice recipe.

WHAT'S FOR DESSERT? FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE COOKIES - gluten free

Whisk together:

3 C powdered sugar

2/3 C cocoa powder

1/4 t salt

Mix in one at a time, just until moistened to a brownie batter consistency:

2-4 large egg whites (it took me 3 lg egg whites)

1 t vanilla

Spoon or scoop onto a lightly greased piece of parchment paper that's on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 14 minutes. Remove parchment paper with cookies still on them directly onto a cooling rack until completely cool. Peel paper away from cookies carefully. 

WHAT WE'RE MAKING? KIDS HAND PRINTS GIFTS

I saw several times on Pinterest that you can take a permanent marker, write on a dollar store plate and bake it for 30 minutes and it would be permanent. Well, I tried it and it's just not true. It wipes off immediately. After some trial and error, I've found what does work though. Oil based paint pens. There are a couple of different brands. I found some at Hobby Lobby and at Joann's. Make sure they're non-toxic.

I traced my kids hands on cardstock then cut them out to use as stencils. Use the paint pens to mark on the dollar store bought dishes. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes directly on the rack. Turn off oven and let cool in oven. Remove and it should be permanent...mine are. Although I'd recommend gently hand washing still. When I ran it through the dishwasher, it came off in places. 

For the mug, I traced the hands on both sides of the cup so that it kind of looks like they're holding the cup too. 

You can also put the kids names on the bottom of the dish and the date or other note.

WHAT WE'RE MAKING WITH WASHI TAPE? HANGING PHOTOGRAPHS

Plenty of times I've seen washi tape on Pinterest but I didn't know what it was until I bought some on Pick Your Plum. Very simply it's very, very pretty masking tape that comes in all different colors and patterns. 

Frames are expensive. So here's an idea that you can use a window, mirror or old window panel to display your photos and change them out whenever it suits your fancy. Great for kids room too. 

Use photographs, designs, Bible scriptures, quotes, etc. I printed mine out on cardstock and cut them out so that it's easy and very inexpensive. 

Just tear off some washi tape and stick your paper to the window panel or mirror. Since it's masking tape, it will come off easy with little to no residue when it comes time to change them out with something else.

Thank you to Carrie Tungate for our family photographs!!!

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? HOLIDAY WREATH CHICKEN & KALE SKILLET - gluten free

On medium high heat, pan sear 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in 1 T olive oil for 7-9 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute 1 small chopped onion & 1 clove minced garlic in a little more olive oil. When cooked through, add approx 3/4 lb baby kale (or regular kale, deveined). Stir then cover, stirring occasionally. When wilted, add 2 chopped tomatoes. Add chicken back to skillet. Cover and cook a few more minutes. Serve immediately.