I Love To Freeze

No, I am not saying I love the below freezing temperatures we have had in Northern Utah for the past month. I am saying that I love to freeze any foods I can get my hands on. For example, I freeze brownish bananas for smoothies - they make the best smoothies. I also freeze leftover tomato paste in tablespoon portions for future recipes - because most recipes only call for a tablespoon or two which leaves the rest of can to throw out. 

I use the following technique to freeze bananas, onions, bell peppers, fresh fruit, and more. How to quick freeze produce: First wash and drain produce before spreading in a single layer on parchment lined baking sheet. Once it is frozen solid, store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. 

Picture from Martha Stewart

I am a green smoothie addict and buy my organic spinach in bulk at Costco. Some weeks I have leftover spinach and hate the thought of throwing it out before it turns bad. You can put it in a blender with a little water, blend, and pour it into ice cube trays. Once frozen store in a freezer bag. Add a couple of cubes to your green smoothie and you're good to go.

Picture from All That Is Sweet In Life

I love using wine in cooking, especially when making anything Italian. It gives the dish such a great flavor. If you ever have left over wine... okay, that was silly... when you are at the store then pick up an extra bottle of wine just for cooking. Freeze wine in an ice cube tray and then store in an airtight container once frozen. Add it to your favorite sauces or dishes for extra flavor.

Picture from The Art Of Doing Stuff

I always freeze fresh herbs. I grow herbs every year and freeze as many as I can or I buy them in bulk and freeze them. Find out how I freeze fresh herbs, here. On Pinterest I found a great tip on freezing fresh herbs in olive oil. I love this because I use a lot of olive oil and fresh herbs when I cook and these can be dropped into a lot of different dishes.

Picture from theKitchn

These tips and more can be found on my Kitchen Tips and Tutorials board on Pinterest.

Top Five: Favorite Toddler Pins

Happy New Year! One of my goals for 2013 is to create, make, and bake more of the pins I have collected on Pinterest. Some of things I plan on doing this year are from My Little One pin board. It's a board of pins just for my toddler.

Here are my top five favorite pins on My Little One pin board: 

DIY Sidewalk Paint

This easy-to-make paint made with food coloring, corn starch, and water makes a super fun and easy summer activity. You can find the recipe at All Things Simple.

A Handmade Hideaway

This little playhouse is so cute. Now I just have to convince my husband to build it. You can find the instructions on how to build it and a price list of all the materials on The Handmade Home. 

DIY Fishing Game

On Design Dazzle you can find free printable fish and instructions on how to create this fun game for little ones. I think my 2 1/2-year old will love this. 

Toddler Lunch

This is such a cute way to serve lunch since most toddlers, including mine, are so picky. You give them an ice cube tray full of fruits, veggies, crackers, and even cookies. It's a great way to give them variety while experimenting with new foods. You can find out what foods are pictured below at Pink Pistachio.

Kids Artwork Book

I couldn't find where the original post of this picture came from, but I love the idea. You scan your kids artwork and create keepsake books. You can add pictures of your kids creating the artwork or their school picture to track their grade/age. 

You can find and follow My Little One pin board, here. Or follow all of my Pinterest boards, here.

Monthly Pinspiration

It's the most wonderful time of the year. I love the Christmas music, decorations, homemade goodies from neighbors, parties with friends, and all the fun holiday festivities with the family. 

I was so inspired this month that I am sharing three more pins: 

8 Tutorials to Get Beautiful Holiday Photos

Source: Kevin & Amanda

Their website has a ton of tips, tricks, and advice on photography, plus a lot of other fun stuff. Find the post about creating your own beautiful holiday photos, here.

Found on my Pinterest Board "Photography Ideas" 

How To Make Your Own Wreath

Source: Fellow Fellow

I love this pin. It shows step-by-step instructions on how to make a wreath using fresh plants. Find out how to make your very own wreath, here.

Found on my Pinterest Board "Winter Holidays"

Gingerbread Snowflakes

Source: Chasing Delicious

I love homemade gingerbread cookies! They are one of my favorite holiday treats. This lovely website gives you a recipe for gingerbread cookies as well as illustrations on how to decorate them like perfect snowflakes. Find the recipe, here.

Found on my Pinterest Board "Winter Holidays"

You can find me (and follow me) on Pinterest, here.

Monthly Pinspiration

I am a huge fan of Pinterest. I absolutely love spending time going through all of the amazing pins and getting inspiration to try new recipes, make new crafts, and travel to new, fun places. I thought that since I have so many wonderful pins (well, I think they are wonderful), that I would share three of them a month, which I will call "Monthly Pinspiration." 

Here are three pins that inspired me this month: 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Source: Bakerella

Original Source: Love and Olive Oil (The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook)

I made these today and they were very simple to make and incredibly delicious. Find the recipe, here.

Found on my Pinterest Board "Party and Event Ideas"

Handmade Holiday | Woodland Wrapping

Source: Odessa May Society

I love this. It's simple, pretty, and probably smells really good. 

Find out how to create this beautiful gift wrapping, here.  

Found on my Pinterest Board "Winter Holidays"

Enjoy The Little Things

Original Source: Unknown 

I just love this saying. I think that especially this time of year we need to just relax, slow down, and enjoy the little things, too. 

Found on my Pinterest Board "Words To Live By"

You can find me (and follow me) on Pinterest, here. 

Lemon, Rosemary, and Vanilla Home Simmer

If you are on Pinterest you have probably seen a pin for some kind of natural home deodorizer that you can simmer on the stove to make your home smell delicious. The recipe I have seen the most is this one; mix water, a couple of sprigs of rosemary, slices of lemon, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and simmer of the stove all day. This is a smell that is familiar in Williams-Sonoma stores. 

I have a mini slow cooker and thought it would be perfect for this. I turned it on high, left the lid off, and it let it simmer all day. It made my house smell really fresh and delicious.

Eggplant

I love eggplant! It's probably one of my top 5 favorite veggies. It's so delicious, filling, and really low in calories (27 calories in a 1-cup serving). However, it's no longer a healthy vegetable when you order it fried and covered in cheese like my favorite Eggplant Parmesan at Brio Tuscan Grille.

There are so many ways to cook eggplant healthy; Bake it, layer it in veggie lasagna, add it to a healthy ratatouille, and so much more.

Here are some facts on why you should include eggplant in your diet;

• Eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fiber, which can help protect against colon cancer and keeps the digestive system regular.
• The vitamins in eggplant consist primarily of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), B vitamins, folate, and vitamin C.
• Eggplant is rich in minerals, boasting a large quantity of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous.

Facts from livestrong.com

If you have never had eggplant or if you tried it before and didn't like it then here is a beginners recipe to try that is super easy, healthy, and delicious. Come on, you know you want to try it. Don't be scared. 

Baked Italian Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch circles (see above)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 T water

3/4 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup marinara sauce

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine egg and water in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip eggplant slices in the egg mixture, coating both sides; dredge in breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides. 

3. Spray baking sheet or line in parchment paper. Place eggplant on baking sheet; broil 5-7 minutes on each side until eggplant is golden brown and tender. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons marinara sauce on each slice and top with 2 tablespoons cheese. Return to broiler until cheese melts; about 1-2 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers

Here are some other healthy eggplant recipes to try that I found recently on Pinterest;

Baked Eggplant Fries w/ Lemon Dipping Sauce

via Shape.com

Baked Eggplant Pizza

via pinchofyum.com

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

via marthastewart.com

Lasagna Roll-Up's

Picture from Classy Cooking 

I have another delicious recipe I want to share. I found this recipe for Lasagna Roll-up's on Pinterest which linked me to a blog called Cooking Classy. You can find the recipe, here. They were really tasty and easy to make. What I LOVED about this recipe was the "roll-up" part. You pretty much make twelve separate servings of lasagna in a baking dish. You cook the noodles, lay them flat, pile on the cheeses, sauce, and meat and then you roll them up and put them in a 9x13 baking dish. After you have them all in the baking dish, you put more sauce and cheese on top. When they are done baking you sprinkle fresh Italian Parsley over the top.

I love it because they are portion controlled and just the right amount. I have a favorite lasagna recipe I have made for years that I can't wait to make into roll-up's. I honestly don't think I can go back to baking lasagna the "traditional" way.

Amazingly Delicious Dinner

Between Our Best Bites and Pinterest I have been finding some very delicious recipes. The other night we tried four new recipes all in one meal. Let's just say it was one of our favorite meals ever. I found two of the recipes on Pinterest, one online, and one in Our Best Bites cookbook. Here they are:

The First Recipe: Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork Sliders (found on Pinterest, from Better Homes and Gardens)

They were the BEST pulled pork sandwiches I have ever had. The meat was cooked in a slow cooker and then after it was done a homemade sauce was added to it. The only step I didn't do was adding all the onions and peppers back to the meat mixture. If you make this recipe just make sure you read through the instructions before you begin.

We bought dinner rolls for the slider buns, lightly buttered them, and toasted them on the stove top. 

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens

The Second Recipe: Homemade Coleslaw (to go on the pulled pork sandwiches). I can't find the recipe, but it was just pre-packed coleslaw mix, light mayo, sugar, and vinegar. Mixed it taste.

The Third Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Honey-Lime Dip (from Our Best Bites)

These fries are so delicious. My husband and baby both love sweet potatoes and they loved this recipe. We opted not to do the dipping sauce since we had so many other flavors going on.

Photo from Our Best Bites

The Fourth Recipe: Roasted Broccoli (from Our Best Bites cookbook). The whole family loved the broccoli. It was tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and baked for about 20 minutes and then topped with parmesan cheese. It was a little crispy with great flavor.

In case you were wondering - yes, dinner took a couple of hours that night... but it was SO worth it!

Top Five: Things I Am Loving Right Now

I can't believe it's already February. Since it's the month of love and I am loving so many things right now, I thought I would share my top five list (above and beyond my family and friends, of course). Ready to hear see the word "love" a lot? Here we go...

I Love My Job

I just finished my first week of training and all I can say is I LOVE MY JOB! I love being a Barista and being part of the Starbucks team. My co-workers are so amazing. I love that Starbucks offers their part-time employees such great benefits. I have never had a job like this and I have discovered that I love working with the public and learning all about being a Barista. I don't really love waking up at 4:00 am (Ugh!), but it's only three days a week and that's why naps were invented. I also love that this job has filled a really tiny void I was feeling. Don't get me wrong, I love being a full-time stay-at-home mom, but I also love working as long as I enjoy what I'm doing. Plus, Ella wakes up between 8:00 and 9:00 am, so I only miss a few hours of her week. 

I Love Our Best Bites

Since stumbling upon a few of Our Best Bites recipes on Pinterest, I have fallen in love with their website and cookbook. We have made lots of recipes so far and we have loved every one of them. They are healthy, flavorful, and easy meals to make. So far we have made Apple Butter Pork Chops, Guiltless Alfredo, Tomato Artichoke Pasta, Roasted Broccoli, and Orange Chicken (from the cookbook) just to name a few. Our goal is to make every recipe in the book. They all look THAT good. 

I Love Blue Lemon

I have mentioned Blue Lemon before, but it's because it's one of my favorite restaurants. Blue Lemon's motto is "Pure Clean Food with a Twist." It's all-natural food (mostly local) and really delicious. The reason it made this list is not only because I love them but because they are opening a new location in Cottonwood Heights and I am so excited. I am always in that area at Target, Snider Bros Meats, The Store, or Whole Foods and now I can stop at Blue Lemon for lunch. I love that. 

I Love The Revolution

The Revolution is a new daytime TV show that focuses on women. It provides the tools to help you start your own revolution and make transformations in all areas of your life. The team of experts include;  Dr. Tiffanie Davis Henry (emotional well-being expert), Dr. Jennifer Aston (OB-GYN, health expert), Harley Pasternak (Celebrity Trainer and Nutritionist), Tim Gunn (Fashion Guru), and Ty Pennington (Design Expert). Each expert shares tips and advice on how you can become your best self. Also, each week they feature one woman going through her own transformation (her 5-month journey unfolds over the 5 days of the week). I just love this show and get so many tips from it. It's a daytime show worth watching. 

I Love Pink Pistachio 

I am pretty sure everyone has someone that inspires them, even if they don't know them. They are talented, beautiful, funny, and just downright amazing. One of those people to me is the girl (her name is Missy) that writes the blog Pink Pistachio. I follow her blog daily and pin (on Pinterest) almost everything she posts. I love all of her fashion advice, favorite things, recipes, beauty tips, etc., etc., etc. I also love that she is a mom of a toddler just like me and loves her dog like a child... just like me. She is also into organic and earth-friendly which I love. You can check out her fabulous blog, here. 

Pink Pistachio's DIY Infinity Scarf

Vegetable Enchiladas

I decided that since I have over 500 pins on Pinterest that I need to start baking, cooking, and crafting some of the things I have pinned. So, tonight I made Vegetable Enchiladas from my Delicious Food pinboard. The recipe and the beautiful photo come from a food blog called The Novice Chef. All of the recipes on this blog look delicious - check out all of them out, here. 

Photograph from The Novice Chef

These enchiladas were seriously so delicious. I can't wait to make them again. They had just the right amount of spice, filling, and cheese. Plus, they had a lot of cilantro which I LOVE. I can honestly say they were the best enchiladas I have ever had.

I made just a few adjustments to the ingredients to make them a little less spicy (since I am the only one in my family that likes spicy food) and reduce the calories. I will share the recipe with my changes. I also cut the recipe in half and will post those measurements.

Vegetable Enchiladas 

4 tsp olive oil 

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp white pepper

1/8 tsp ground coriander

2 T all purpose flour

2 T tomato paste

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

Salt and pepper

1/2 large onion, chopped

3 oz fresh baby spinach

1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 can corn kernels, drained

1 cup reduced-fat four cheese blend (or Mexican blend)

1/2 cup grated pepper Jack cheese

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 

8 corn tortillas, 6-inch (I used La Tortilla Factory's handmade corn tortillas that are half flour/half corn - they are fabulous)

The Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of the cumin, garlic powder, white pepper, coriander, flour, and tomato paste. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Set aside. 

The Filling: In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until it becomes transparent. Add spinach and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in the black beans, corn kernels, cilantro, 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/2 cup four-cheese blend, and 1/4 cup of the pepper Jack cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray 7x11 baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the enchilada filling into each tortilla and roll up. Place in the baking dish, seam side down. Pack the filled tortillas tightly in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas to cover. Sprinkle remaining cheeses over the enchiladas. Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve. 

Serves 4 (2 enchiladas per serving)

Slightly adapted from The Novice Chef. Originally from Martha Stewart.

Delicious Post-Workout Green Smoothie

Last night after a very intense step class (I burned almost 600 calories in 60 minutes!), I came home and whipped up a very delicious post-workout smoothie known as a "Green Monster." I have found many variations of the Green Monster on Pinterest, but this one is made with fruit, Greek yogurt, ice, and spinach - which is obviously the reason it is green. But I must assure you, it is DELICIOUS! You can't taste the spinach at all. Even my baby loves it and it's such an easy way to sneak more greens in her diet. Plus, the Greek yogurt adds lots of protein. 

Here are some facts on why you should include spinach in your diet;

• Spinach is low in calories, and is a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and minerals like iron. 
• The high amount of vitamin A promotes healthy skin by allowing proper moisture retention, which helps fight acne and even wrinkles.
• Leutin is an antioxidant that promotes good eye health, and may help prevent cancer of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate, and even dementia. 
• Dole lab tests found spinach has twice the chlorophyl, eight times the calcium, six times magnesium, 10 times the potassium, 15 times the vitamin C, and 43 times the vitamin A of wheatgrass juice. 

Some of these fantastic facts are from Iowa Girl Eats. 

Post-Workout Green Smoothie

1/2 Orange, peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup Mango, frozen chunks (or you can use 1/4 cup pineapple)
5-6 large Strawberries, frozen
1 Banana
1 cup Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani, Plain, Non-Fat)
1-2 cups Baby Spinach (I used Organic Girl)

Put all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Serves 1

Update: I started adding 1 tablespoon of Chia seeds to my smoothie. They have no taste and have great health benefits. Read more about Chia, here.

Well, I am off to Spinning so I can come home and have another one of these refreshing gems. I hope you try one soon - they are so yummy!

Cleaning and Organizing Tips

I don't know what it is about taking down Christmas decorations that makes me want to clean and organize everything. January is my time to spring clean. I am a very clean person anyway (you say OCD, I say neat and organized), but during the first week of January I like everything to sparkle. I used to be a huge neat freak, but since my little tornado (aka 18 month old) started walking I have been so much more relaxed about "everything needs to be in it's place" - I just couldn't clean up as fast as she was destroying. So, now I just sit back and enjoy watching her play and make huge messes. 

Anyway, on Pinterest I created a pinboard dedicated to cleaning and organizing and I will share a couple of my favorite pins with you:

Store Sheets In Their Own Pillowcase

This idea comes from Martha Stewart, go figure. She is seriously the queenbee of domestic diva's. To make your sheets look this nice you must learn how to correctly fold a fitted sheet which Martha will teach you, here. 

 Picture from MarthaStewart.com

DIY Non-Toxic Cleaners

DIY Window/Mirror Cleaner - Another tip from Martha Stewart is making your own window/mirror cleaner with equal parts vinegar and water. 

DIY Non-Toxic Tub Scrub - And another tip from Martha on making a tub cleaner from dish soap, essential oil, and baking soda. Click here for the exact amounts. 

DIY Drain Cleaner - I have used baking soda and vinegar for years to unclog drains - but this tidy Mom has it down to a science. You can get the how-to on unclogging your drain, here. 

Other tips on cleaning without chemicals from Martha can be found here.

Picture from MarthaStewart.com  

Spring Cleaning Tips

If you are getting ready for spring cleaning, you can find a spring cleaning checklist, here. You can also find a really fun organizing checklist, here.

Since we are on the topic I just had to share my favorite cleaning products - Method. They are non-toxic, they work great, and smell fabulous. I also love that Method is helping in the effort to retrieve some of the ocean plastic to recycle into Method bottles. They are a green product and healthy for my family and that's why I love them.

To read a little more on ocean plastic and Method's latest clean-up efforts in Hawaii, click here.

You can find and follow my cleaning and organizing pinboard, here. (You can find and follow all of my pinboards, here.)

Top Five: Cookies

Today I made a batch of some of my favorite cookies, peanut butter no-bake cookies (which were made with mostly organic ingredients). I know, it's only the 4th day of January and most people are well on their way to healthier eating, but I was craving something sweet. And sweets are okay in moderation. One cookie with a glass of skim-milk totally hit the spot. Before I share the no-bake cookie recipe with you, I thought I would share my top five favorite bakery cookies. I personally think they are the best cookies you will find in Salt Lake City. So, here they are in no particular order:

RubySnap Vivianna Cookie: It has mangos and dark chocolate in a citrus dough and it is truly mouthwatering. I actually love all the cookies at RubySnap. They are all made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. I also love that you can buy the dough frozen and bake them at home. 

Nordstrom Coffee Bar Sugar Cookie: This cookie can be found at the Fashion Place Mall location. It is a delicious sugar cookie with an absolutely fabulous buttercream frosting. I heart them! 

Schmidt's Pastry Cottage Mint Sandwich Cookie: Two chocolate cookies dipped in chocolate with mint frosting sandwiched in between. They are minty deliciousness.

Mrs. Fields Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie: Who hasn't had one of these cookies? Right up there with the best chocolate chip cookies ever. 

The Sweet Tooth Fairy Small Sugar Cookie: I love this cookie because it's baked to perfection. It's a tiny bit doughy which I love and it has an amazingly tasty buttercream frosting that tastes like it has a hint of coconut in it.

Now, as promised, here is my favorite no-bake cookie recipe:

Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter

2 T cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla 

2 cups old fashioned oatmeal (I like to use quick oats)

Mix the sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk in a medium saucepan. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from stove and add the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix quickly until peanut butter melts, then add the oatmeal and mix until well blended. Drop spoonfuls onto wax or parchment paper. Allow time to set and cool completely. (Note: Cookies may not set up on a humid day.)

Makes 2 dozen 3-inch cookies

And next week I am making these cookies found on Pinterest: New York Times Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. Don't they look amazing? I think so.

Christmas Bucket List

As you probably know, a bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish before you "kick the bucket." On Pinterest I have found several Winter/Christmas bucket lists that you can use to plan all the fun things you want to do during the holiday season and then keep it going year after year. Here are some fun examples and my Christmas bucket list:

Bucket List from littlepumpkingrace.com 

 Bucket List from makoodle.com

Bucket List from etsy.com 

Activities Advent from kimmccrary.blogspot.com

My Christmas Bucket List

• See The Nutcracker
• Look at Christmas lights - Zoo Lights, Temple Square, Thanksgiving Point, and some of the Best Decorated Homes (listed in the paper)
• Decorate Cookies
• Drink Peppermint Hot Cocoa
• Kiss under the Mistletoe
• Build a Snowman
• Order the Holiday Assortment from Georgetown Cupcake 
• Visit the Festival of Trees
• Build a House (from chocolate, graham crackers, or gingerbread)
• Watch the original Grinch on TV

Now I just need to make it a festive list like the ones above and hang it on the calendar each December. And I am sure this list will grow as Ella gets older - we will definitely have to add sledding, write a letter to Santa, bake cookies for Santa, and more.

Don't you think it's a fun way to see all the things you get to do as a family during the holidays (above and beyond decking the halls and sending Christmas cards)?

Genius Kitchen Tips

I always find the best ideas and tips on Pinterest. Here are three kitchen tips I found and tried and absolutely LOVED. 

The first one is baking potatoes in the slow cooker. I know, right? You just have to wash and dry the potatoes, wrap them in tin foil, and cook them on low for 8 hours. I tried this out the other day and it made dinner so easy. All I had to do was put some ingredients like salsa, cheese, broccoli, etc. on the table and we had a potato bar that literally took 10 minutes to prepare.

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes by skiptomylou.org 

The next tip is absolutely genius! Cooking bacon in the oven! This frees up room to cook other things on the stove and the best part is, no grease splatter! One site suggested lining your baking sheet in parchment paper and another suggested tin foil. I personally liked the tin foil because you just wrap it up and toss it - no mess. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, lay bacon strips flat (don't overlap), and bake until crisp 15-18 minutes. Lay bacon on paper towel to drain. 

Less-Mess Bacon from MarthaStewart.com

This tip saved me the last time I made pasta. To prevent a pot from boiling over just lay a wooden spoon across the top. Not a single bubble will go over the side. Love it!

dollarstoremom.com

Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas

It is the first of December and the holiday season has already begun. It's time to start, if you haven't already, planning gift ideas for co-workers, neighbors, friends, as well as everyone else on your Christmas list. I thought I would get started early this year and so far I have put together two small gift ideas that both cost less than $5.

The first gift was one I gave to my coworkers. It is a collapsable berry colander by Progressive (I have one of these and I love it and use it all the time). 

I printed a note that says "Have a 'Berry' Merry Christmas." I cut it out, added some festive paper and tied it all together with ribbon. The berry colanders only cost $3.99 each at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Another gift idea I made was inspired by Pinterest. I found so many creative ideas on how to make a Magic Santa Key. These will go to all our neighbors with younger kids.

I found my 'Magic Keys' at Rodworks for $2.99 each. They are actually Christmas ornaments but they have a 'magical' look about them. I printed the poem below along with santa clipart on velum, cut out a piece of metallic silver paper to fit behind it, and tied it all together with shimmery white ribbon.

Santa’s Magic Key

It’s the night before Christmas and we’re

excited as can be. We’re leaving this out

for you… it’s a very special key.

You can shimmy down the chimney or

tiptoe through the door. Just use this key

we left for you to find cookies, milk, & more!

Now my neighbors kids will have no doubt in their minds Christmas Eve that Santa will be able to get in.