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

Pendleton Whisky Hot Toddies & Other Slow Cooker Cocktail Recipes

November 21, 2018 10:45 AM November 21, 2018

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Hot Toddy The vanilla flavor profile of the Pendleton Whisky is the perfect complement to a nice warm Hot Toddy. This recipe was created for use in a slow cooker…

Hot Toddy

The vanilla flavor profile of the Pendleton Whisky is the perfect complement to a nice warm Hot Toddy. This recipe was created for use in a slow cooker (crock pot) for easy creation during the holidays.

In the slow cooker, I added several cinnamon sticks and a teaspoon of ground cloves. I opted for ground cloves so it would disperse evenly in the cocktail and you wouldn’t have to pick around the seed pocket as you were drinking. (It’s the small things – am I right?! 🤷🏻)

For the lemon flavor in this Hot Toddy I, of course, reached for my trusty Young Living Lemon Essential Oil. Just six drops of oil added the perfect flavor to the mixture – couldn’t get any easier!

Weather you prefer whiskey, rum or even creamy liqueur these fun Slow Cooker recipes are sure to please! Click the links below to find the recipes.

Apple Cider Bourbon Whiskey

by Camille Gable of Growing Up Gable

Read More

Kahlua Hot Cocoa

by Jenny of Honey and Birch

Read More

Boozy Cherry Cider

by Lori of Who Needs a Cape?

Read More

*** Featured blog posts were used with permission from their respective creators. Please follow the links and show them some love. ***

Pendleton Whisky Slow Cooker Hot Toddy

This warm and tasty beverage is perfect to set and forget. Make it in the crockpot and enjoy throughout the day. Perfect for holiday parties or pot-luck dinners.

Course Drinks

Servings 12

Author Carolyn of Handrafted

Ingredients

1 Bottle Pendleton Whisky 750 mL
6 Cups Water
5 Tablespoons Honey
6 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
1 Teaspoon Ground Clove
4 Cinnamon Sticks
Lemon Slices for garnish

Instructions

Pour Whisky and water into your crockpot. Set heat to low.
Measure in honey and stir gently.
Add Essential Oil, clove and cinnamon sticks. Stir again and then cover.
Serve hot from the crockpot and garnish with lemon slices.

4,150 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Hot Cheetos Mac – Perfect Thanksgiving Side

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November 15, 2018 3:00 AM November 15, 2018

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3,827 Comments

It is that time of the year again! Time to dust off the old cookbook and look for something new and interesting to bring to holiday dinners. Choosing a side…

It is that time of the year again! Time to dust off the old cookbook and look for something new and interesting to bring to holiday dinners. Choosing a side dish can be harder than you would think; you want a recipe that will please the masses, encourage conversation and most of all be eaten in its entirety – no leftovers. 🙌🏼 If you can achieve these three things your side dish is a complete success. #winning

This recipe is one of those #winning recipes. It is flavorful, creamy and topped with everyone’s favorite Flamin’ Hot Cheetos! The crunchy Cheeto crust gives the Mac a wonderful flavor and unexpected spice.

For this recipe I used whole milk, butter, cheddar cheese, gouda cheese, elbow pasta and of course Flamin Hot Cheetos (crunchy).

Prepare al dente pasta as instructed on the box. Drain cooked pasta and set aside.

Then, begin the sauce by melting the stick of butter. Once melted whisk in the flour to create a nice creamy rue.

On medium-high heat continue to heat the flour-butter mixture until it bubbles and begins to brown. Then add the shredded cheese. Mix constantly as the cheese melts into the mixture.

Once thick and creamy season with black pepper, salt and cayenne to taste. Mix sauce into the cooked pasta and place in a 9×13 baking dish.

Prepare the Hot Cheeto topping by crushing Cheetos with a blunt object. Working to achieve a uniform size.

Sprinkle another layer of cheese onto the prepared mac. Place baking dish in the oven to broil for 2-4 minutes. When the cheese is bubbling and turning golden remove from the oven. Cover immediately with the crushed Cheeto topping. Gently press the Cheetos into the melted cheese and serve.

If you are making this dish ahead of time I recommend preparing the macaroni initially and doing the topping just prior to serving.

I hope your holidays are filled with new recipes, clean plates and overflowing fridges!

xo,

Carolyn

Hot Cheetos Mac

This thick and creamy mac and cheese is topped with crushed Flaming Hot Cheetos giving it a great crunch and exciting flavor! Always a winner amongst the kids!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Author Carolyn of Handrafted

Ingredients

1 box Elbow Pasta
1 stick Salted Butter
1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Gouda shredded
1 1/2 cups Cheddar shredded
Black Pepper, Salt and Cayenne to taste
2/3 bag Flaming Hot Cheetos crushed

Instructions

Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente (4-6 minutes).
Drain noodles and place off to the side.
Melt one stick of butter in a large saucepan.
Over medium-high heat slowly whisk in flour to create a creamy rue. Continue cooking until it starts to brown. Stirring constantly.
Slowly add milk, whisking continually.
Once incorporated add the cheese, pepper, salt and cayenne. Continue to stir until fully mixed. If sauce is too thick add small amounts of milk to thin as desired.
Combine drained noodles and cheese sauce in a 9x13 pan.
Sprinkle the macaroni with additional shredded cheese.
In a bag crush Flaming Hot Cheetos. Pieces should be about 1/4 inch in size at the largest.
Broil cheese on the mac until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown (2-4 minutes).
Remove from the oven and cover with Cheeto crust, serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

DANGER -- DO NOT Broil the Cheeto Crust - Cheetos are very flammable 🔥.

If you are making this dish ahead of time I recommend preparing the macaroni initially and doing the topping just prior to serving.

3,827 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Spooky Chocolate Covered Strawberries

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October 25, 2018 3:00 AM October 25, 2018

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5,294 Comments

This spooky twist on a classic favorite is perfect for any Halloween party, open house or pot-luck! Chocolate covered strawberries are always a crowd pleaser and with some imagination a…

This spooky twist on a classic favorite is perfect for any Halloween party, open house or pot-luck! Chocolate covered strawberries are always a crowd pleaser and with some imagination a few sprinkles you can have some really fun designs. Plus you can get the kids to help! Can’t beat a family fun Halloween treat!

Gather Materials

Before you begin it is important to have all your decorations together and ready for use. Once the chocolate (or candy coating) is melted they come together pretty quickly. For this project, I got my materials from Michaels.

I used

1 pound of Fresh Strawberries (cleaned and dried completely)
8 oz White Candy Coating (can sub white chocolate if desired)
Sprinkles
Milk Chocolate Chips (for drizzle)

Time to Dip

Using a double boiler or the microwave heat your candy coating (or chocolate) as instructed on the packaging. Remove from heat and begin dipping your strawberries. Press the strawberries into the chocolate carefully rolling from side to side to cover as much of the berry as possible. Once covered lift up and swirl to finish. This is the fun part, once dipped begin decorating. Place dipped strawberries on a lined cookie sheet for easy transport to the fridge.

Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes or until chocolate is set then remove from the fridge and place in an airtight container and keep at room temperature. Strawberries left in the fridge with get mushy faster.

Tips & Tricks

Use room temperate berries for the best results.
After washing your berries make sure to pat them dry completely. Any water on the berries will break the candy coating (or chocolate).
Use the leaves as a handle for dipping. If you prefer no leaves remove them and skewer the strawberry for dipping.
For chocolate drizzle melt chocolate in a ziplock baggie. Cut a small hole at the corner of the bag and use to pipe chocolate on to the strawberry.
If you choose chocolate over candy coating add butter for a smoother consistency. Melt together 2 teaspoons of butter for 8 ounces of chocolate.

Are you hosting a Halloween party this year?

Hope you have some spooky fun!

xo,

5,294 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Squash Bisque with Green Chile

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October 18, 2018 3:00 AM October 18, 2018

13802 views

3,915 Comments

As the temperature cools off and the leaves begin to change I find myself gravitating to all things warm, cozy and orange. This rich, creamy bisque meets all those requirements. Its…

As the temperature cools off and the leaves begin to change I find myself gravitating to all things warm, cozy and orange.

This rich, creamy bisque meets all those requirements. Its sweet and spicy flavor profile is complex and unexpected. Perfect for a dinner party or just dinner with the fam. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Roasting Squash

Select two large butternut squashes, half them and clean out the seeds/pulp.

Generously coat the flesh side of the squash with EVOO and sprinkle with salt. Roast in a 450* oven for 45-55 minutes, face down. Roast until the rind is soft to the touch.

Take squash out from the oven and remove from the rind (best to do while still warm).

Making Bisque

Peel, seed and clean green chile (Don’t have Pueblo Green Chile? Get some here, it’s worth it – I promise!)

Sautee garlic cloves in EVOO. Then added roasted squash and cleaned/chopped green chile.

Allow mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Then add syrup.

Puree mixture in blender until smooth.

Lastly, add the heavy cream, stir in and serve.

We prefer to serve this bisque with buttered toast points to add a little crunch. Also feel free to garnish with some chopped Green Chile and shredded cheese. 😋

Cheers to Fall Y’all!

xo,

Carolyn

Special thanks to the Handrafted-Hubby for this wonderful recipe – I’m a luck girl!

💗💗💗

5 from 21 votes

Squash Bisque with Green Chile

This rich, creamy squash bisque is a perfect complement for fall.

Course Soup

Ingredients

2 Large Butternut Squash
2 cloves Garlic Minced
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
4 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup Heavy Cream
4 whole Roasted Pueblo Green Chilies seeded, save some for garnish
2 tbsp Maple Syrup

Instructions

Roast the Squash

Preheat your oven to 450*.
Half each squash and clean out the seeds, being sure to remove all strings.
Generously coat the inside with EVOO and sprinkle with salt.
Prep a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Turn halfs meat down, flat on the baking sheet.
Roast for 45-55 minutes or until the rind is soft to the touch.
Remove from oven and peel away the rind. (Easier to do when still warm)

Bisque

Sauteed garlic cloves in 2 tbsp EVOO.
Add roasted squash and cleaned Pueblo Green Chile to the oil in a large stockpot.
Allow simmering over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Add syrup to the mixture.
Puree mixture in the blender until smooth.
Return to the stock pot and mix in heavy cream. Serve immediately. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Notes

Garnish with chopped green chile and parmesan cheese.

Serve with crusty toast points, buttered if preferred.

3,915 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

DIY – Halloween Decor

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October 11, 2018 3:00 AM October 11, 2018

17176 views

4,010 Comments

As the seasons change one of my favorite things to do is decorate the house. In February of 2017, we moved into our home and I have worked hard to…

As the seasons change one of my favorite things to do is decorate the house. In February of 2017, we moved into our home and I have worked hard to be very picky when it comes to home decor. I really want to love the pieces we add, even if it takes time. As I pulled out the Fall/Halloween boxes this year I realized that there was an empty spot on our fireplace. Determined to find a fun item to put there I got to brainstorming – and that is how we ended up here. Time for a fun DIY – Halloween Decor project, Wooden Pumpkins!

One of my favorite stores is the Home Depot, during a recent trip I dug through the cull lumber (scrap/damaged/warped woodpile). In the cull lumber, I was able to find some 2×10 and 2×12, because cull lumber is not suited for building it is usually for sale at a deep discount. For my particular items, they were discounted 70%!

Once I decided on my plan to make wood pumpkins I had Aaron assist me in cutting down the wood.

I cut the wood into three different sizes:

Large Pumpkin: 12 x 16
Medium Ghost: 10 x 12
Small Pumpkin: 10X 12

After cutting each piece I sanded the fronts, sides and edges using 60 grit sandpaper. This cleans up the wood, cleans up the cuts and removes the markings from the factory/store.

**Be sure to sand out any paint or stamp completely before moving on. The stamp will bleed through the paint.

I used craft paint from Michales, foam brushes and paper plates. For my pumpkin colors, I mixed different combinations of orange, brown and yellow.

Once they were painted and dry it was time to move on to adding faces. Normally I would have just free handed the faces, I believe that would be just as great. But I ended up making multiple sets so I chose to make a stencil. To make the stencil I used Stencil Blanks I found at Michaels (see above).

Print out pictures of the faces you like.
Place them under the Stencil Blank and trace with a Sharpie.
Using a wood burner/soldering iron, cut out the design. (You can also use an Exacto knife.)
Pop out inside pieces and blue tape into position on your piece.
Using a foam brush fill in the stencil area, being careful not to get too much paint around the edges.
As soon as the design is painted remove the stencil.

See traced design on the Stencil Blank.

See Soldering Iron, cutting out design.

See final design placed on painted wood.

Use blue tape to lightly position stencil.

Allow drying for 24 hours before stacking.

I chose to paint the backs of the pumpkins so I can use them as fall decor in addition to Halloween decor! I love dual-purpose or reversible decorations!

I do plan on adding a stem to each one, but I ran out of time. Perhaps a piece of wood or maybe even some rusty re-bar. 🤔 I love anything rusty!

Thanks for stopping by, if you try these out let me know!

Also, in making this blog I did make multiple sets.

Love the idea, but not a DIY-er? Email/DM me for details on purchasing a set!

Will ship in the US.

xo,

Carolyn

4,010 Comments

C R E A T I V I T Y

Grandma B’s Banana Bread

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September 20, 2018 3:00 AM September 20, 2018

22263 views

7,457 Comments

Growing up one of my favorite memories was using my Great Grandmother’s cane as a microphone while I sang my heart out for anyone that would listen….

Growing up one of my favorite memories was using my Great Grandmother’s cane as a microphone while I sang my heart out for anyone that would listen. Ha ha ha fast forward a few years and now I only sing in large groups without microphones. 😂 Grandma B was always such a kind and nurturing soul, it truly was a blessing to know her. This banana bread recipe is one of her’s that my mom has made for me my whole life. Now it is my turn!

Time to transform those icky brown bananas into banana bread magic! ✨

Recipe Notes: The bread pictured is the Pumpkin Spice version. In addition, I added a liberal serving of chia, hemp and flax seeds with a tablespoon of espresso.

Makes for the perfect breakfast bread!

5 from 3 votes

Grandma B's Banana Bread

This easy and delicious banana bread recipe is sure to please. Passed down from my Great Grandmother it has stood the test of time.

Try adding a few ingredients to make the Pumpkin Spice version!

Course bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas mashed
2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Optional: Nuts, Seeds or Espresso Powder

Pumpkin Spice Version

1/2 can canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend all ingredients (except nuts, optional) together in a large bowl.
Pour batter into greased loaf pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes (add 20-25 minutes for Pumpkin Spice).
Remove from the oven only after a knife or skewer is removed from the middle clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert on a cooling rack. Let cool on the rack completely before sealing in an airtight container.

7,457 Comments