{Creative Mamas Blog Hop} The Best Gingerbread Cookie Men EVER

Join us every Monday morning with your own creative post! Link up, meet other crafty moms, and be inspired!

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My Creative Endeavors

So I made the best ever Gingerbread Cookies for Thanksgiving! They turned out so good that my parents hid the leftover cookies afterward, hoping I would forget...

I was LUCKY. I used the first recipe I googled that looked halfway decent - I was going blind, lol. And the gingerbread men ended up being the best I've ever tasted! So on with the recipe, from McCormick - McCormick Gingerbread Men Cookies.

Step 1: This is very important - don your favorite cute apron! It makes baking so much more fun!


2. Get the following ingredients together:

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons Ginger, Ground
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg

Got 'em? Good! I actually didn't use McCormick for any of the spices, lol. I generally buy the least expensive... and it still turned out great!

3. Mix the first six ingredients together in a bowl - flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.

4. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and the sugar - medium speed until light and fluffy. Mmm... you know you have to take a taste at this point. ;-)

5. Add molasses and egg, mix well.

6. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed.


7. Shape dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

*Twiddle your thumbs, write a blog post, chase your children around*

8. When you're ready to start making cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees!

9. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness on lightly floured surface and cut out dough into gingerbread men cookies.

10. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes (mine were perfect at 7 minutes) on ungreased cookie sheet.


Decorating Time!

Make yourself some quick and easy frosting with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla - just add until it tastes good and has a good thickness for decorating. I spoon mine into resealable bags, cut a tiny hole in a corner, and squeeze the frosting out that way. It works really well! Just check out my lovely people...

I had a bag of red frosting, but after decorating one cookie decided... it just didn't look... right.


Share your Thoughts!

Do you have any recipes, crafts, or other creativity to share? You can: a) Write a post on your blog and link up to it so we can come visit and give you some comment love, or b) leave a comment letting us know what you've been up to. :-)

Can't wait to read your comments and visit your blogs!





Past Creative Mamas Monday Fun:

Share Your Thanksgiving Creativity (Nov 23)
Holiday Scrapbook Paper Chains Tutorial (Nov 16)
Easy Christmas Tags/Ornaments Tutorial (Nov 9)
No-Sew Projects (Nov 2)
Easy Flower Hair/Hat Clips Tutorial (Oct 26)

{Holiday Gift Giveaway #18} Hostess with the Mostest Aprons

I didn't appreciate the necessity for aprons until I became a wife and mother. I didn't appreciate the necessity for pretty aprons until just recently, when I discovered that feeling pretty while cooking actually made cooking more fun! Aprons don't have to be that piece of so-so cloth you feel compelled to throw over your head when it's time to slave away over the hot stove (aka "the enemy") in order to protect your clothes from grease stains and the flour that ends up all over the place (how does that happen, anyway?).

Really? You didn't know that? Well, now you do! And I'm going to show you something that is going to totally make you want to start collecting aprons for yourself or a very loved female family member...

Introducing: Hostess with the Mostest!

I fell in love with the beautiful, feminine aprons by Hostess with the Mostest while browsing Etsy and was thrilled when Lisa, talented seamstress and designer, agreed to be featured and give away one of her aprons here! I think that once you take a look at her aprons, you'll fall in love with something as well.

About Hostess with the Mostest:

Aprons bring back memories from when I was a child and my Mother wore them every time she was in the kitchen. I have been sewing since the age of 11. My Mother was an avid seamstress and crafter. I could tell she enjoyed teaching me to sew. I always thought if I wanted more clothes in my closet I might as well take advantage of this opportunity. As an adult, I continued to sew clothing and in the late 70s began to sew home decor as well. I have worked in the corporate world for years, but never really enjoyed it. I looked forward to free time on weekends so I could release my creative juices! Today I am a grandmother of 17 and loving every minute with them and enjoying my favorite pastime - sewing!

Style and Sophistication:

I'm so impressed with Lisa's versatility when it comes to apron design! She makes halter aprons, aprons that look like chic dresses, full length aprons and half aprons, and even aprons especially for the garden! There's really something for everyone. Oh, and did I mention she includes girls' aprons as well? Scroll down for a very sweet giveaway after my review...

My Thoughts/Review:

It is so obvious when looking at an apron made by Hostess with the Mostest that she is into details. That's really what gives her shop that extra zing... she isn't just someone out there making aprons - she is really good at what she does! Both designing the aprons and putting them together. Lisa sent me the apron on the left to review. Believe me, my photo doesn't do it justice. It is gorgeous! Every detail really just makes this apron. From the retro pocket with the bow, the lacing at the neck, and the buttons, this is a flattering, sophisticated apron. And I feel very pretty in it!

My apron has nice, long "ties" that you can tie into a fancy knot at the back of your neck and around your waist. I like that the tie around the neck isn't a fixed length because it makes it easy to put the apron on and adjust it so that it fits me perfectly. The pocket isn't just for decoration - you can use it to stash a recipe card or whatever you might need in the kitchen. It's super easy to wash, too!

All of Lisa's aprons are very professionally made. All seams are trimmed and serged (no unraveling), and they are made in a smoke-free, pet-free home. I'm very happy with the apron I received!

Conclusion:

Lisa of Hostess with the Mostest has my admiration for the quality of her work and the timely arrival of my apron! She is a wonderful person to correspond with, too. I recommend checking out her inventory!

Note: She recently changed from "The Hopeless Romantic" on Etsy to "Hostess with the Mostest", so you'll have to go to the former to check out her recent sales and her 100% positive feedback.

Buy it!

Most aprons can be purchased for between $20.00 and $25.00 - a sweet deal, in my opinion. :-)

Check out Lisa's other Etsy Shops!

Pillows by Design
The Hopeless Romantic

Prize info: One lucky winner will receive this beautiful girl's (age 5 - 8) cupcake apron! Open to US and Canada only.

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit Hostess with the Mostest and tell me which apron is your favorite! Please leave your email address in your comment or make sure it's in your public profile so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

Get 1 extra entry for each: Add my button to your sidebar ♥ Become a Facebook Fan ♥ Follow my blog ♥ Subscribe to my blog by feed reader ♥ Subscribe to my blog by email ♥ Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) ♥ Tweet this giveaway ♥ Share this giveaway on Facebook

Get 2 extra entries: Add my Giveaway Extravaganza Button to your sidebar. (Find it in my right sidebar)

You can Copy/Paste this Sample Tweet:

Win a sweet tiered girls' cupcake apron from Hostess with the Mostest and @kindred_spirit - http://kindredspiritreviews.blogspot.com #giveaway

Giveaway will be closed on December 5 at midnight and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product(s) were sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product(s), and my own opinion. :-)


If you have a moment, leave a comment -
It'll make me jump up and down for joy! :-)

{Holiday Gift Giveaway #17} Gooseberry Patch 101 Christmas Recipes Cookbook!

Gooseberry Patch is one of those companies that, once you discover them and really get to know their products and their warmth, you are a forever customer. That's how I feel, anyway! I've always loved Gooseberry Patch cookbooks (that love came from my parents), but now I love everything on their website and I'm always oohing and aahing over something new I've found. Like this, check this out:

Okay, how cute would it be to make animal pancakes for your little one? You can't tell me they wouldn't taste better than regular pancakes. ;-)

About Gooseberry Patch:

Gooseberry Patch is a veritable treasure trove! Everything you need to make your home homier and your holidays more fun can be found there including calendars, coupon organizers, every kind of cookbook you can possibly want, kitchenware, gourmet foods, quilts, and more!

I can think of something every woman in my family, old or young, would absolutely love at Gooseberry Patch. It's the perfect place to buy gifts, and I'm sure any woman would be thrilled to have a Gooseberry Patch gift certificate (that's for you, men).

Gooseberry Patch Books are in high demand nowadays. And why not? They are extremely well-made, full of beautiful photos, and contain easy-to-follow, delicious recipes and craft tutorials! Every home should have a collection, in my opinion.

Review and Thoughts:

Gooseberry Patch generously sent me their new 101 Christmas Recipes cookbook. Now I had seen Gooseberry Patch cookbooks before, but until I actually had my own family to cook for, I didn't realize how great they are. I. Absolutely. LOVE. This. Cookbook. Seriously! I can't believe I'm raving here, but I am. I'm impressed. Everything in this cookbook is totally doable, and this is the kitchen klutz talking. I get overwhelmed easily and that's why I don't own many cookbooks. Normally I look around online for the simplest-looking recipe I can find and just hope it's a decent recipe. That's not happening anymore, though. I am bound and determined to collect the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks from now on.

Okay, details.

What I love:

• Large, beautiful photos of delicious food on each page. I am a visual person and don't like cookbooks without pictures. This is the best one I've come across so far - the photography will have you drooling!
• Easy, non-overwhelming recipes abound - and they look SO good! They aren't overly common, either. I feel like I could make any of the recipes easily and possibly appear to be a woman who slaved over her stove for hours to get everything just right.
  
• A wide variety of recipes including main dishes for every time of day, desserts, holiday beverages hot and cold, side dishes, and hors d'oeuvres (I have no idea if I spelled that right). If I ever had to host a Christmas dinner (heaven forbid), I could probably do a very decent job. Just don't tell my mom.
• This cookbook is easy to flip through and lies flat while you're following the recipe - gotta love ring-bound!
  

What I don't love:

Um, nothing. Noooothing.

Conclusion:

I highly recommend 101 Christmas Recipes by Gooseberry Patch! This is a beautiful book that retails for only $14.99. In my opinion, a great price.

Watch the Gooseberry Patch video review of this cookbook:



Watch more videos reviewing Gooseberry Patch products here!

Fan them on Facebook
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Prize info: One lucky winner will receive the 101 Christmas Recipes cookbook from Gooseberry Patch! Open to US only.

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit Gooseberry Patch and tell me what you love! Please leave your email address in your comment or make sure it's in your public profile so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

Get 1 extra entry for each: Add my button to your sidebar ♥ Become a Facebook Fan ♥ Follow my blog ♥ Subscribe to my blog by feed reader ♥ Subscribe to my blog by email ♥ Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) ♥ Tweet this giveaway ♥ Share this giveaway on Facebook

Bonus Gooseberry Patch Entries (1 comment for each): Fan them on Facebook ♥ Follow their blog ♥ Follow them on Twitter ♥ Join their email club ♥ Request a mail catalog

Get 2 extra entries: Add my Giveaway Extravaganza Button to your sidebar. (Find it in my right sidebar)

You can Copy/Paste this Sample Tweet:

Win a gorgeous Christmas cookbook from @gooseberrypatch and @kindred_spirit - http://kindredspiritreviews.blogspot.com #giveaway

Giveaway will be closed on December 5 at midnight and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product(s) were sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content, my own true experiences with the product(s), and my own opinion. :-)



If you have a moment, leave a comment -
It'll make me jump up and down for joy! :-)

{Holiday Gift Giveaway #9} Relish Meal Planning Service (One Full Year!)

When Relish contacted me about reviewing their online meal planning service, I was hesitant about trying it out. I've never been good at meal planning, but having someone else planning my meals for me seemed a little bit lazy to me. And what if I didn't like the recipes they provided? Would there be a lot of repetition? Was it worth paying someone money to plan my meals for me?

Well, there's no better way to answer those questions than to try it myself, so I did. And boy was I pleasantly surprised to find that it is for me!

I decided that the best way to show you how cool Relish really is is to actually show you, so here we go!

(Video embedded in post)

Here's how it works:

• Every Thursday you receive an email with the featured article of the week (this week it's tips on freezing your meals ahead) and a link to go to Relish and see the week's new menu.


• You are able to choose from about 15-20 new recipes each week (or pick from old favorites).

• Plan to cook for 2, 4, 6, or 8 people - the list and recipes automatically scale up for you!
  


• You choose up to 5 entrees and one dessert for the week's menu.


• Submit your meal plan and print your shopping list and recipes (all one PDF file - easy!).

What I love:

• You can customize your menus any way you want each week, choosing from your "favorites" or new recipes added that week.


• There are "legends" distinguishing certain recipes as kid-friendly (KD), Vegetarian (V), lower calorie (LC) and more, making it easy to find just what you want.
  


• The shopping list is categorized by grocery section. For example, all of the items you need to find in the meat section are in one category, all of the dairy in another, etc. Quick grocery shopping trips, yay! This is a total must when you have a fussy toddler in the cart...

Sample Grocery List

• The subscription to Relish is only $7/month, and even less if you order six or twelve months at a time!

What I don't love:

I don't really have anything I don't love about this service! Would you hate someone who helped you save time and money every week? I think not! You'd be grateful, as I am. However, I do have a suggestion: I think that it would be awesome if you could uncheck and therefore not print items that you don't want or need on the printable shopping list. It's not a problem crossing those items out, but I would love to have that option.

Will this work with my budget?

Relish's weekly meals don't cost more than $85 a week, but that was still a bit steep for me. I'm happy to be able to tell you that you can customize your menus and only shop for the meals that you can afford that week. There are some weeks that I can only shop for two or three bigger meals. I check those two or three meals and print a shopping list and recipes for that. I just make more, we eat leftovers, and sometimes we end up having a macaroni and cheese night now and then. I do think, though, that making a list and keeping to it will save you money as it has for me.

To Recommend, or Not To Recommend?

This service does indeed save me time and money. I love it and recommend it to anyone who, like me, hates meal planning or wants to get more organized. It's actually fun now! I find $7 a month very worth paying for this service. The peace of mind it gives me makes me very happy!

Cool Fact: Relish is a company that guarantees you'll love them! "We guarantee that you and your family will enjoy our service. If you are unhappy with your subscription, please email us and we will refund your membership cost at any time."

Relish is generously giving away a one-year subscription to Relish to one lucky winner! This would make a great gift subscription for yourself or a loved one!

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit Relish's How it Works or FAQ page and tell me what you learn and like about the service! Please leave your email address in your comment so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

• Answer this question: Is meal planning easy or hard for you? (+1 extra entry)


• Follow/Subscribe to this blog (+1 extra entry each)


• Add my blog to your Technorati Favorites and/or stumble this post (+1 extra entry each)


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• Blog about this giveaway (+3 extra entries)


• Follow my blog on Facebook's Networked blogs here! (+1 extra entry)
  


• Follow me on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/kindred_spirit (+1 extra entry)


• Tweet this giveaway and/or share on Facebook (+1 extra entry) Copy/Paste this:
  
  

  #Giveaway - Need some help with meal planning? Relish is giving away a free one-year online subscription! (Review, too) http://kindredspiritreviews.blogspot.com @kindred_spirit

• Grab my 2009 Holiday Gift Giveaway Extravaganza button and put it in your sidebar! (+2 extra entries!)
  
  
  
  <a href="http://not-a-real-namespace/http://kindredspiritreviews.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="A Kindred Spirit's Thoughts" src="http://not-a-real-namespace/http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q83/ladyufshalott/blogeventbutton.jpg" /></a>

Giveaway will be closed on November 28 at midnight and winner notified by email - good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: This service subscription was provided free of charge to me by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content and my own opinion, and I was not reimbursed in any other way for this post.