Category: C R E A T I V I T Y

Tater-Tot Breakfast Casserole

December 23, 2018 3:00 AM December 23, 2018

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When it comes to Christmas, anything and everything I can do ahead of time is golden. This Tater-Tot Breakfast Casserole is prepared the night before and then thrown in the…

When it comes to Christmas, anything and everything I can do ahead of time is golden. This Tater-Tot Breakfast Casserole is prepared the night before and then thrown in the oven about an hour before breakfast. Making it the perfect way to get out of the kitchen and back with those that you love on Christmas morning!

The first step is to brown the breakfast sausage in a skillet. While that is cooking in a separate bowl, add eggs, seasoning and milk. Whisk together until eggs are broken up and evenly mixed.

For seasoning, this recipe calls for Salt, Mustard Powder and Montreal Steak Seasoning (which of course is great on everythinggggg).

Drain the cooked sausage on to a plate lined with paper towel. Then cook the bacon in the leftover sausage grease. Once cooked cut the bacon into bite-size pieces.

Spread the sausage and bacon evenly on the bottom of a 9×13 pan then cover in cheese. My family chose to add green chilies, this flavor is optional.

Pour the egg mixture over the meat and cheese.

Carefully arrange tater-tots to cover the top. Seal tightly with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Christmas morning preheat the oven to 350*. Remove the saran wrap, sprinkle with cheese and place in the oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Once out of the oven let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

What does your family eat on Christmas? Do you make a big breakfast?

Enjoy, Merry Christmas!

xo,

5 from 5 votes

Tater-Tot Breakfast Casserole

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Author Carolyn of Handrafted

Ingredients

1 lb Breakfast Sausage
4 strips Bacon
3 large Eggs
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Milk
1/2 tsp Mustard Powder
1 tsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 pinch Salt
2 cup Shredded Cheese
1 bag Tater-tots
2 Green Chiles optional

Instructions

Brown sausage in large skillet.
Drain sausage on a paper towel lined plate.
Cook bacon in excess sausage grease.
Combine eggs, milk, seasoning in a separate bowl.
Layer sausage, bacon and cheese in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. (Add chiles if desired)
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the meat and cheese.
Layer the top with tater-tots.
Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator overnight.

Next Day

Preheat oven to 350*F.
Remove from fridge and sprinkle with cheese.
Place casserole in the oven, middle rack. Cooke for 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes.

3,958 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Holiday String Art DIY – with Printable Templates

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December 21, 2018 3:00 AM December 21, 2018

21776 views

4,873 Comments

Lately, I have seen these fun string art pieces all over Etsy, Hobby Lobby and of course Instagram. They add such character to a room with a strong sense of…

Lately, I have seen these fun string art pieces all over Etsy, Hobby Lobby and of course Instagram. They add such character to a room with a strong sense of personal touch.

As I decorate my home for the holidays I keep finding holes in my decor. Holes that need to be filled by DIY of course!

From a piece of wood to a beautiful piece of art, this project was wonderful! I cannot wait to do it again for the next season!

Items you will need:

Wood (I used one piece 4.5″ x 14.5″ and one 8.5″ x 8″)
.75″ nails (with a nail head)
Embroidery floss or crochet thread
Hammer
Tape

I purchased this nail assortment at Hobby Lobby, but I am sure you can find them elsewhere.

I chose to use a grey crochet thread with silver sparkle. I wanted my pieces to be neutral enough to transition to January without issue.

Next print your template:

JOY/HOHO
Download Now!
Snowflake
Download Now!
Tree
Download Now!

Next, cut your design to fit your wood. Once aligned secure the template by lightly taping down the corners.

Begin securing a nail at each point on the design. Continue around the design until all spots have a nail.

Once complete, begin slowly tearing the paper template away from the wood.

Finally get your string handy. Tie a not at your starting point and then snake through the nails exposing the design.

On the letter sign, I overlapped the string to create a pattern. This pattern was not planned it’s just the way the project flowed. Stringing the pieces was very methodical and relaxing.

On the snowflake, I went around a total of three times, where the Joy I was more attentive to pattern than a number of passes. For the next project, I plan to use multiple colors of string and add several more layers for a fun look.

Plan to give string art a try?

Tag me on Instagram (@handrafted) for a Shout Out!

Happy Crafting!

xo,

4,873 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Gift Card Tags – FREE Printable

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December 20, 2018 3:00 AM December 20, 2018

17392 views

4,751 Comments

If you are anything like me by now your stomach is upset from too much sugar, your fingers are raw from the tape dispenser and they’re starting to use the…

If you are anything like me by now your stomach is upset from too much sugar, your fingers are raw from the tape dispenser and they’re starting to use the “bag trick” on your debit card to make it work. 😬 The holidays are always so stressful; so much to do and it seems like there is enough time to do it.

Que the inevitable teacher gifts. Don’t get me wrong teachers deserve all the gifts in the world for putting up with our angel children 🙃 and making them into functioning adults. Buuuuut teacher gifts tend to sneak up on me. Enter this 2018 gift hack, the printable gift card tag. Below you will find four different designs featuring Target, Amazon and Starbucks (all #winners). Pick up your gift cards at the grocery, print these fun tags and voila – a put together MOY (Mom of the Year) teacher gift!

Bonus attach them to a box of chocolates and your son or daughter will be set for the next semester. 😉

For Target Tags

Download Now!

For Amazon Tags

Download Now!

For Starbucks Tags

Download Now!

For Another Amazon Tag

Download Now!

If this download helped you get through teacher gifts
this holiday season please consider pinning the above!

Thank you for stopping in!

Happy Holidays Friends!

xo,

4,751 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Kid-Friendly Ball Ornament Crafts

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December 18, 2018 3:00 AM December 18, 2018

15639 views

3,640 Comments

Creating unique and interesting ornaments at the holidays is always so much fun! The crafting, the conversation and the memories – always a great time to be had. For this…

Creating unique and interesting ornaments at the holidays is always so much fun! The crafting, the conversation and the memories – always a great time to be had. For this round of kid-friendly holiday crafts, we chose to use plastic ball ornaments!

As our base we used plastic clear ball ornaments, I got this 25 pack at Michaels – plenty to go around!

To embellish these ornaments we used various materials:

Glitter Glue
Fake Snow
String
Ribbon
Scraps of Fabric
Bells
Pom Poms
Pipe Cleaners

To attached the embellishments we utilized a mix of Quick Dry Tacky glue and hot glue *use caution – requires adult assistance/supervision*

For this ornament, we painted the tacky glue on the bottom of the ornament using our fingers. We then rolled it in a paper plate of fake snow and allowed to dry.

So simple and pretty!

These ornaments were especially easy!

Begin by cutting square pieces of holiday fabric. Wrap them around the ball and tie using fun ribbon or string. For some extra jazz, we added bells to each one.

The red ornament was painted using red craft paint and then sprinkled with white glitter for a beautiful snow effect!

Some of the ornaments were filled with surprises, like little snow globes and others were wrapped with candy cane string and red rickrack.

This beautiful snow globe ornament was then embellished with holiday ribbon and fake snow!

Always remember to write the artist’s name and year on each ornament so you can relive the memories every year!

Happy Crafting!

xo,

3,640 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Vegan Cherry Cordial Cookies

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December 16, 2018 3:00 AM December 16, 2018

13116 views

3,857 Comments

Cherry chocolate is definitely one of my favorite flavor combinations of all time. Whether it be in ice cream, baked dessert or out of a box of chocolates – I always…

Cherry chocolate is definitely one of my favorite flavor combinations of all time. Whether it be in ice cream, baked dessert or out of a box of chocolates – I always seem to reach for it. This recipe offers those same great flavors you’ve come to love with a vegan option.

After creaming the vegan butter add the sugar, almond and vanilla extracts to the batter. Turning your mixer on low slowly drizzle in the cherry juice. Once the juice is mixed in add the flour and mix on low to create a soft dough. Once mixed completely pack tightly in the bottom of a bowl and place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is best) in an airtight container.

After dough has chilled roll into one in balls. *Dough must be firm and cold*. Using a Silpat or parchment, place cookies two inches apart. Indent the top of the cookie with your finger or a spoon. Stuff each indentation with vegan chocolate chips (fill to the brim).

Bake as instructed. Once removed from the oven use a butter knife or spoon to smooth out the melted chocolate.

Allow to set and enjoy! These cookies are light, fluffy and super moist!

Enjoy!
xo,

Vegan Cherry Cordial Cookies

Vegan cherry almond thumbprint cookies topped with melted vegan chocolate.

This cookie dough must be chilled, so plan accordingly.

Course Dessert

Keyword vegan

Prep Time 5 hours

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup Vegan Butter Substitute softened to room temperature
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Tablespoon Maraschino Cherry Juice
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
16 Maraschino Cherries drained and chopped
1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Before you begin, ensure there is enough room in the freezer/refrigerator. This dough must be chilled before baking.
Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
Switch mixer to medium speed and add the sugar, vanilla and almond extracts. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed.
With the mixer running on high, slowly drizzle in 1 Tablespoon of the cherry juice. Beat for 1 minute on high.
Turn the mixer off and pour the flour into the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed, then, with the mixer still running on low, add the chopped cherries. Beat just until the cherries are disbursed in the dough.
Press the dough down to compact it and tightly cover with plastic wrap to chill until firm, at least 4 hours (and up to 3 days). If the cookie dough is not sufficiently chilled, your cookies will spread all over the cookie sheet.

After Chilled

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (silicone mats preferred to reduce spreading).
Shape the cookie dough into 1" balls. Make sure they're nice and smooth. If you find that the balls of dough are sticky and/or have gotten a little soft after rolling- place the balls of dough back into the refrigerator to firm up. You absolutely DO NOT want soft dough.
Press your thumb gently into the middle to indent the cookie. Drop vegan chocolate chips in the indention.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The cookies will puff up and spread slightly. Do not overbake.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then gently spread the melted chocolate to cover the center. Allow chocolate to set before stacking.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead tip: Store cookies covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 6 days. Shortbread cookie dough may be frozen up to 2 months; baked cookies may be frozen up to 2-3 months.

Non-Vegan: Use real butter and Hershey Kisses. Once you take the cookies out of the oven place the Kiss on each cookie. Quickly transfer cookies to the fridge as to slow the melting process.

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission.

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C R E A T I V I T Y

DIY Essential Oil Bathbombs

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December 14, 2018 3:00 AM December 14, 2018

22197 views

4,845 Comments

Still looking for the perfect gift for friends at work or even your child’s teachers? Look no further – these DIY Essential Oil Bathbombs are fun to make and even…

Still looking for the perfect gift for friends at work or even your child’s teachers? Look no further – these DIY Essential Oil Bathbombs are fun to make and even better to receive!

To begin this craft make sure you have all your ingredients:

Epsom Salt
Citric Acid
Baking Soda
Cornstarch
Coconut Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Essential Oils
Bathbomb Mold (I purchased this silicon mold at Hobby Lobby)

Start by combining all your dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Then combine the melted Coconut Oil, EVOO and Essential Oils in another small bowl. *I added some food color to my liquid ingredients. This did not work. I recommend adding dry powder food coloring*

SLOWLY add your liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients whisking constantly. If the mixture bubbles add wet ingredients even slower.

When choosing a mold, I chose the silicone one from Hobby Lobby mostly because you can make four at a time and they are smaller than your average bathbombs. After experimenting with this activity I would highly recommend beginning with a larger single mold like this one. The silicone mold made it difficult to compress the bathbombs.

For my first batch I used Lavender Essential Oils. For my next batches I would like to try Palo Santo, Peppermint and of course Stress Away.

If you enjoyed this activity please pin the image above!

Happy Fizzing!

xo,

Carolyn

4,845 Comments