Friday Inspiration: Spread The Love With May Day Baskets

May 1st sneaked up on me this year. I had every intention of making several May Day Baskets for my neighbors but I didn't. So it seems I need to throw something together fairly quickly. Thankfully I stumbled across this post from Homey Oh My. She used her little flower bundles as Valentine gifts but they would work perfect for a May Day Baskets!

First bundle together small bunches of flowers with a rubber band.
Next lay the flower bundle on one of the corners of a square sheet of tissue paper.
Wrap a second time with stiff paper like Kraft Paper and tie with a ribbon.
You could punch a couple of holes at the top and add a loop to hand the flowers on a door knob.

Image source

A Twist On The Traditional Trick-or-treat Favor Bags

Last time I did a Halloween trick-or-treat favor bag was back in 2012. I used newspapers to create the bag and decorated them with Halloween stamps. This DIY is maybe even simpler with most (if not all) of the supplies already in your home. 

Things you need: Plastic Easter eggs in shades of orange for the "pumpkins", permanent markers, and lots and lots of candy!

Start by drawing different "jack-o-lantern" faces on the front sides of the plastic eggs (hinges to the back) with permanent markers. If you're having trouble coming up with different faces try searching jack-o-lanterns online. Next let them sit to dry for a few minuets so that the faces don't smear. 

And last but certainly not least stuff the eggs full with your favorite candies to give to your kids, grandkids, or to toss into trick-or-treaters bags for Halloween. So easy, right?

Root Beer Float Party

Last Friday my grandkids had the day off from school so I decided to invite them over for a Root Beer Float Party! I had promised them root beer floats this summer (when they worked as interns) but it was something we never got around to doing. Now that things have started to settle back into routines now seemed like the perfect time to enjoy a yummy treat with a few of my favorite kids. 

The Set Up: 

- I always keep fun paper straws around (these ones had black mustaches on them). 

- I picked up these large glass mugs recently at the Dollar Tree and placed them in the freezer about an hour or so before we needed them. 

- Our #100 white paper soda hats for fun retro feel. 

- And last but not least Root Beer and vanilla ice cream.

 {#100 White Soda Jerk Hats}

Homemade Strawberry Syrup

You may or may not remember but I recently posted about making strawberry jam here, but there was another strawberry recipe I wanted to try out strawberry syrup! I knew you could make your own syrup for an old-fashioned fountain-style soda and have always wanted to try it out. Sorry I don't have any step-by-step photos but its very easy and similar to the strawberry jam recipe. You only need four ingredients: strawberries, sugar, water, and club soda. Simply hull and cut strawberries, then simmer in water strain out the fruit, and simmer one more time with sugar. It made about 1 quart and after the syrup cooled down I added it to club soda to make an old-fashion fountain-style drink so refreshing. I love breakfast foods so I also tried the syrup on pancakes and waffles and man was it delicious! The recipe can be found here.

Homemade Strawberry Preserves

I was flipping through some of my older magazines (as I seem to do a lot) and I came across a recipe for strawberry preserves. Perfect timing since I recently bought several cartons from the grocery store on sale for a $1 a piece. The process was relatively easy especially with my new eager assistant. 

Ingredients: 

3 containers (16oz each) strawberries hulled and sliced 

3/4 cup of sugar 

2 Tbsp of lemon juice 

Instructions: 

1. Place all ingredients in a 5-qt saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 45 minuets, stirring frequently to make sure mixture doesn't burn.

2. Store in an air tight container in refrigerator for up to one month. Makes about 4 cups.

{My summer intern Cohen}

Friday Inspiration: Spring/Easter Tablescape

Flowers are always a great way to add some life and beauty to a home. Now that spring is here I feel the need to fill my home with them. This past week I went to my local florist and picked up tulips, hyacinths, roses, and daisies to name a few. I decided to place my double tulips down my table and I added some plastic easter eggs and parceling egg holders down the table for an Easter themed tablescape.

Pig Sugar Cookies

{#444PC Pig Cookie Cutter}

Our #444PC Pig Cookie Cutter is one of the newest additions to our store. The cookie cutter is 3.75" long and made of metal. They can be purchased individually on our website here. For the sugar cookies I used store bought dough and made homemade icing (recipe can be found here) using red food coloring to create pink pigs. 

Apple Crunch Pie

{Apple Crunch Pie}

Just found this recipe in a Woman's Day Magazine, 2004.  I just love the crunchie topping on this apple pie.

Recipe:
Make 1 bottom pie crust for 9'' pie (mine was homemade but the recipe recommends buying a store bought crust)

Crumb topping:
1/2 C plus 2 T flour
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/3 C white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter, cold, cut into small pieces

Filling:
7 medium to large apples
1 T lemon juice
1/2 C white sugar
3 T flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Topping:  Mix flour, sugars, and cinnamon, cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture forms moist, coarse, crumbs that clump together easily.

Filling:  Peel, quarter and core apples.  Cut in 1/8'' thick slices. Put into a large bowl and toss with lemon juice to coat.  Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl, sprinkle over apple slices, toss to coat.

Layer apple slices in pie shell, pat topping over apples to form a top crust.
Place pie in 450 degree oven for 15 min. then reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake 45 min., topping should be brown.  Serve alone or with ice cream while warm.

Coffee Mocha Frappe

{Coffee Mocha Frappe}

I took about 3 recipes and combined some ingredients until I came up with a mixture I liked. Tastes much like the coffee mocha frappes you get at coffee shops. A great drink for a pick me up in the afternoon.   

Recipe:
Fill a glass 1/2 way with milk. (I used a 16 oz. glass)
Add 2 t. instant coffee
2 T. chocolate syrup
1/4 C of sugar and stir.
Add crushed coffee ice cubes. (I made mine with left over coffee and used my ice crusher to crush them)
Add a couple of dips of vanilla ice cream
Add whip cream on top with sprinkles and a little more chocolate syrup. 

Peach Pie

Delicious melts in your mouth peach pie. I made several pies this year with the over flow of peaches I received. I also tried my hand at peach sorbet, but nothing will beat these peach pies. My husband said these were some of the best pies I had ever made.

Recipe for a 9" pie
5 c. sliced peaches
1 t. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. cinnamon
Mix altogether with peaches.  Pour into an unbaked crust and top with 2 T of butter.  Cover with top crust, sprinkle with sugar and bake 425 degrees for 35-45 min.

Peach Sorbet

{Peach Sorbet}

While looking for more recipes that called for peaches, I stumbled upon this recipe for peach sorbet. The recipe was just what I was looking for. It was simple, delicious, and a great way to finish off my over abundance of peaches. 

Rosemary Butter Cookies

{Rosemary Butter Cookies}

I came across this Martha Stewart recipe online and was surprised by its use of rosemary, and also the seemingly simplicity of the recipe. It did prove easy to make with all the ingredients already in my kitchen, but most importantly they were delicious to eat.  

 {Fresh rosemary in my backyard} 

 {Coarse salt, vanilla extract, sanding sugar, rosemary, eggs, butter, and flour (not pictured)}

 {I started by finely chopping fresh rosemary. You will need 1 tablespoon}

{Combine butter and sugar, then mix in whole egg and vanilla. Last add flour, rosemary, and salt}

 {Roll out the dough on parchment paper into a log shape}

{Fold the parchment paper around the dough and insert into a paper towel roll to keep its shape}

 {After one hour in the freezer remove dough and coat with egg white and sanding sugar}

 {After slicing into 1/4 inch rounds I added a little more sanding sugar to each cookie}

 {Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes until edges are golden brown}

{Enjoy}