15 Quarantine New Years Day Activities to Do with Your Family this Year
This year is 2020 the year of the global pandemic. Are you ready to ring in a new year? I sure am! However, we need to be careful so we don’t spread more of the virus to our friends and family. We can stay home and still have a wonderful New Year. That’s what we are planning to do this year. Here are 15 things you can do this New Years Eve!
- Dress up and have a photo shoot.
- Have everyone pick a favorite appetizer and have those for your lunch.
- Make personal pizzas for dinner- loaded with everyone’s favorite items.
- Play games via zoom with friends and family.
- Have a dance party to favorite songs of 2020. Do you have a strobe light? You can totally include this.
- Make New Years resolutions/Vision Boards, but make it fun! If you have kids, get posters and have them print out pictures or color pictures that goes with their goals. Then hang them up in their room so they have a visual reminder. You could totally do that in your room too.
- Play classic board games with each other.
- Pop the Balloon hour by hour games. This is where you put games or activities on a piece of paper. Put them in a balloon and blow it up. Tape the balloons around the house. Then, starting at whatever hour you determine, you pop one balloon each hour or half hour and you do what it says in that balloon. Then you pop the next one and so forth. This is fun for kids to keep them busy until it’s time for bed!
- Watch a movie together.
- Make a festive dessert that you can enjoy during the evening.
- Make noise. If you have pots and pans, then that’s all you need! Go outside and bang those pans, your neighbors will enjoy it too!!
- Silly string. When the new year chimes in, then get that silly string out and go have a party with string. Fun way to ring in the new year.
- Outdoor time. Being inside all of the time can be hard. Plan something to do outside, even it it’s short. Go on a walk, go sledding or biking.
- Pajama party. If you’d prefer not to dress up, then get in your pajamas and relax the night away together.
- Watch the ball drop at Time Square. They will be doing it virtually this year without crowds. Tune in to ring in the new year!
Deals to look for after New Year
Many people may have decided on their New Year’s resolutions already, and if saving money is a part of your New Year resolutions, we quite understand. But what if you love to shop? What to do in that case? Well, if you do love shopping, we would tell you that there are some crazy deals right after New Year, which can fetch you great things at budget prices. You can find excellent prices on both splurges and necessities during this time, but it all comes down to timing. To make the most of the sales, you need to know when the items you need will go on sale. To help you make the right pick at the right time, we have jotted down the list of some of the best deals to look for after New Year’s. Let us get started and take a look at them one by one.
January
With a new page in the New year comes a great start to the sales. Some of the excellent deals that you can find in the first month of the year are:
- Linens or beddings
You can find many discounts and deals on towels, bedding, pillow covers, and sheets, both online and offline.
- Fitness equipment
Anytime we need to shop for gym equipment, we wait for January because the equipment is available at low prices, comments Connar, an educator offering assignment help Brisbane. We believe it is primarily because many people make New Year resolutions to get fitter or shed some weight.
- Electronics and TV
Right before the Super Bowl, there are excellent discounts and deals on TV and other home electronics.
Top Sale Days – New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
February
February is a month for gifting and love.
- Winter clothing
In late Jan and Feb, there are excellent deals on winter clothing. So, you can pick some jumpers, coats, jackets, socks, and scarves. Platforms like Amazon may have 50% off on these items too.
- Tax software
Since the employer deadline for sending W-2s is January 31, many companies offer tax software at reasonably discounted prices.
- Jewelry
After Valentine’s Day, you can find phenomenal discounts on jewelry pieces.
Top Sale Day – Presidents Day
March
Even though there are not too many holidays this month, you can still manage to grab some decent deals.
- Grills
You can shop for summer grilling tools in March as prices are high in summer.
- Patrick’s Day essentials
There are several online and department store sales on St. Patrick’s Day for party supplies, green-colored items, and jewelry.
- Ski gear
As the ski season is fast approaching, you can bag some good ski gear discounts in March.
Top Sale Day – St. Patrick’s Day
April
April, too, has a good variety of deals.
- Spring formal wear
Easter is on April 12. In just a few weeks after Easter, you can get good discounts on Easter Sunday clothing, which means good formal wear and dresses, especially for children, comments Shelly, an educator who offers online do my python homework services.
- Home goods and appliances
Many people undertake Spring cleaning during this time, so vacuums are available at good discounts in April.
Top Sale Day – Easter Sunday
May
May is the month of bloom, flowers, blossom, and spring.
- Furniture
You can find excellent deals on furniture and home-décor items in May.
- Small kitchen tools
If you need small appliances, such as coffee blenders and makers, May is the time for you.
Top Sale Days – Mother’s Day and Memorial Day
June
Though one of the shorter months of the year, it still has good deals to keep you enticed.
- Restaurant gift cards
Since Father’s Day falls in June and is also the graduation season, you can find good deals on the restaurant.
- Caribbean getaways
Hurricane season is from June to November, so this is when the cruise and resort packages are super-cheap.
Top Sale Day –Father’s Day
July
Regardless of the rising temperature, you can still expect a slight drop in some prices.
- Technology
Since we have Amazon Prime Day in July, you can find good deals on tech items during this time.
- Furniture
It is also a great time to shop for home furniture, especially during the 4th of July sales.
Top Sale Day – Amazon Prime Days and July 4
August
The summer is nearing an end, so you can find good clearance sale deals.
- Outdoor products
With the summer ending, people will step out more, so outdoor equipment will be on sale.
- Swimsuits
Since swim days are over by August, you can find swimsuits at good discounts in many clearance sales.
- School supplies
Since the school starts again this time, you can find several stationery items and school supplies on sale.
Top Sale Day – National Waffle Day
September
In September, you can find reasonable discounts on several items too.
- Mattresses
Most of the mattress sales happen in September. So, on Labor Day, you can expect good deals on it.
- iPhone
Since new iPhones are launched in September, older ones get cheaper.
- Appliances
Many appliances are also at good discounts on labor day.
Top Sale Day – Labor Day
October
The month of Halloween is here. You can find good deals during this month.
- Candies
With the candy season here, good discounts can be found on sweets and candies.
- Denim
Though the fall collection comes in August and September, you can get a good discount on it if you wait until October.
Top Sale Day – Columbus Day
November
Great deals on Black Friday are a highlight during November.
- Electronics and TV
On Black Friday sales, you can find good deals on electronics.
Top Sale Day – Black Friday and Cyber Monday
December
The end of the year does bring in good discounts and deals.
- Toys
Some toys for the kids are also on sale during the last month of the year.
- Christmas decorations
On the day after Christmas, you can find Christmas decorations for next year at almost 50 percent off.
Top Sale Day – Christmas to New Year’s eve
Awesome Games for Kid-Free Game Nights
Are you planning on having some fun with a game night? We all love a good family game night, but sometimes a kid-free game night is pretty great too! While there are, of course, many games that can be played and enjoyed with or without kids, there are some other games that are tons of fun for those kid-free game nights.
These games may be a little too over the top, inappropriate or just plain difficult for kids to understand, but they are all a ton of fun!
Awesome Games for Kid-Free Game Nights
If you are planning a family game night, here are some of my favorite games that are suitable for the entire family!
Poker – Poker has been the hot adult game to play for years and year and for good reason! It’s so much fun! While technically you could play this with just some cards, it’s always nice to have a good poker set on hand.
Pictionary – Pictionary is a great family game, but it’s really difficult to play with little ones that can’t draw well. Pictionary can bring an entire day full of fun and laughter when played with a group of adults though.
Cards Against Humanity – I realize that many people play this game with their kids, but I am of the belief that it’s too inappropriate for kids to play, but boy is it fun for the grown ups! I played this for the first time about a year ago and it was so much fun. We had a blast with our group of friends.
Off Topic – Are you looking for a creative board game that inspires creativity and gets the conversation popping? Then Off Topic is the perfect board game for you! You and your friends are going to absolutely love this one!
Awesome Games for Game Nights with the Family
Are you planning on having some fun with a family game night? Game nights are a great way to spend time with family. With the year that many of us have had, games have become more of a mainstay in our lives.
That being said, a family game night is still a wonderful thing to put together. That is true if it is simply your immediate family or you are inviting over extended family too.
Awesome Games for Game Nights with the Family
If you are planning a family game night, here are some of my favorite games that are suitable for the entire family!
Uno – Uno is a simple game that is easy for even young family members to catch on to. Plus, it goes super quickly for those family members that don’t have a super long attention span.
Yahtzee – Looking for a fun, easy game that everyone in your family can play? Yahtzee is great for people of all ages and is easy to play wherever you are.
Apples to Apples – Oh my goodness, my family love love loves to play Apples to Apples. We play the regular Apples to Apples game as a family, but there is a junior version if it’s just going to be the kids playing. This game has created lots of giggles and many fun nights.
Sorry – Sorry is one of those games that is really rough if the people in your family are too competitive, but it’s so much fun! It’s another one that is relatively quick to play too, which makes it good for those that don’t like to spend too much time playing.
Monopoly – I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I love playing Monopoly, but only about once every 1-2 years. I find myself getting very burned out on this game, but I can also tell you that for some reason the teenagers in my life LOVE this game. Like seriously, they love it. My son asks to play it almost monthly, so this is always a good game to have in your board game collection.
Deals to Look for When Shopping after Christmas
Are you doing any shopping this weekend? There are some amazing deals that you can score just after Christmas so I am a big proponent of shopping this weekend! The thing that I love about shopping right after Christmas is that these deals are great for stocking your gift closet, or for things that you actually need and use at home.
Check out this list that I put together of deals to look for when shopping after Christmas and let me know if I missed anything.
Deals to Look for When Shopping after Christmas
When you are out shopping this weekend, keep your eyes open for these deals.
Holiday Decor – If you have the storage for it, be sure to grab some amazingly low deals on holiday decor. I have scored some holiday decor clearance deals at like 90% off shopping the after holiday clearance rack.
Clothing – The days after Christmas is the best time to score sweet clothing deals, especially for kids! I like to look for clothes for my toddler during this time because I know he will be growing throughout the year. It’s also a great time to find deals on winter coats!
Bath and Body Products – Many holiday bath and body sets are priced at 50%-75% off in the days following Christmas and I like to buy these for gifts (if they are not too Christmasy, of course). I also like to buy them for my family and I to use throughout the year. We are a family of 5, two of which are teenagers. That means we go through a lot of razors and shaving cream throughout the year. I’ll take all the savings I can with this stuff!
What are your favorite deals to score in the days after Christmas? What is the best after-Christmas deal you have ever gotten?
Last Minute Gift Ideas
We are less than a week away from Christmas. Do you have your gift bought yet? If you are still scrambling to figure out what to buy for your friends and loved ones, you are not alone.
It’s been such a weird year that I know many of us are not quite in the holiday spirit and lots of us haven’t even begun shopping yet! (No judgment…like I said, it’s been a weird year!). If you are on the hunt for some great last minute gift ideas, I’ve asked around and a majority of the people that I have asked have said the following last minute gift ideas are what they would want!
Last Minute Gift Ideas
Here are some of the best last minute gift ideas that you can give this year.
Amazon Gift Card – I know that you were expecting to see Amazon gift cards on the list, but I just had to talk about them again. You can order them with next day delivery, via email delivery or you can print them at home! All of which are a win-win for last minute shopping.
Make and Deliver Dinner – Like we mentioned before, this has been a rough year and as it turns out, many of us have been isolated from friends and family. A wonderful gift idea for people who have dealt with this type of loneliness is to make and deliver dinner or treats for them! Even if you just deliver it to their porch, this will be a gift that they will love!
Subscription Boxes – If you are buying a gift for someone you know, why not check out subscription boxes that are related to their hobbies. There are so many awesome subscription boxes out there! Subscription boxes are an amazing gift because they come monthly or quarterly which means that it’s a gift that keeps on giving!
Easy Cake Mix Cookie Recipe- Perfect for Santa’s Christmas Eve Cookies
I love making cookies, especially at this time of year. I turn on a little Christmas music and get baking. I had to share with you one of my most favorite cookie recipes. These cake mix cookies are AWESOME. What makes them awesome? They are fool proof. Seriously. It requires little ingredients, not a lot of time, and they turn out great! You can also make them with a variety of cake mixes and add in different candies, chips and sprinkles. YUM! Kids can even help with this recipe. I like to have them help me with these cookies for Christmas Eve. Then we leave a few out for Santa. I hope you enjoy these as much as our family does.
Ingredients:
1 Package Dry Cake Mix of your choice
1/3 Cup Oil
2 Eggs
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together well with a fork or spoon. Roll balls into 1-1 1/2 inch balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Don’t over bake. Once they start to crack on top they are done!
**You can mix and match cake mixes and add ins. Try making a devils food cake mix with mint chocolate chips. You can also get a vanilla or lemon cake mix and add in sprinkles or butterscotch chips. Try a chocolate cake mix and add in crushed peanut butter cups. There are so many different ways to make these and they are always yummy!
The BEST and EASIEST Cinnamon Roll Recipe For Christmas Morning!
Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning is one of my favorite traditions! But I’m not the mom wanting to spend hours in the kitchen so finding this amazing recipe that’s quick and easy was just what I needed to carry the tradition on! This recipe was given to me by a friend when I was explaining my problem of not wanting to be in the kitchen all day. We’ve now made these cinnamon rolls multiple times for different holidays, family get together and just to give out to neighbors. I’m sure you’re going to enjoy these just as much as we do!
One Hour Cinnamon Rolls
3 1/2 cups warm water
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
6 Tbsp yeast
Combine these together and let sit (I cover mine so the yeast will activate) for about 15 minutes. Then add in:
1 Tbsp Salt
3 Eggs
10 1/2 cups flour
Mix together for 10 minutes and then let rest for 10 minutes. (if it’s still really sticky, mix for a minute longer) After it’s rested for 10 minutes place some oil on the counter (yes oil not flour) and roll out your dough. You’ll want to divide your dough in half and press half of it into a rectangle shape. Spread out 1/4 cup of melted butter. Then in a bowl mix together 1 cup brown sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon. Once mixed well sprinkle over the butter. Roll up tight but not too tight. Take a bread knife (one with a serrated edge) and cute into 12 even slices and place on a greased sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Let rise (timing depends on the temp in your kitchen but you want them to be large in size) After, bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. To make your frosting combine:
1 cube butter
2 dashes of salt
2 tsp vanilla
6 cups powdered sugar
You’ll want to add these to your rolls when they’re still warm but not right out of the oven, let them sit for a minute or two before adding your frosting. Then, enjoy!
Just a side note, these make 24 LARGE rolls! I usually half this recipe when making it just for my family unless we’re planning on sharing in quick case I’ll make the full recipe!
3 Easy Tips for Keeping Your House Clean During the Holidays
Have you started your holiday preparations yet? I know that the holidays are looking wildly different this year, however, I am still getting my house ready for Christmas. I like the house to be clean during the holidays for reasons beyond just having guests over.
If you are trying to get your house ready too, here are 3 easy tips for keeping your house clean during the holidays.
3 Easy Tips for Keeping Your House Clean During the Holidays
Before we talk about ways to keep your house clean for the holidays, let’s talk about why we do it and how it benefits us.
- You are ready for guests! – If you do have any guests coming over, a clean house is necessary!
- Less stress! – I don’t know about you, but I find myself far less stressed out when my house is cleaner. I like the idea of being able to spend my holiday less stressed out.
- All the photos! C’Mon, you know you are going to be taking a lot of photos during the holiday season. You want more than just the kids to look great in those pics, right?
Okay, now let’s talk about those tips for keeping the house clean during the holidays:
Meal Prepping
Meal prepping is good for more than just saving you time and money on cooking! The more you have your meals prepped each day, the more likely you are to have less of a mess to clean up at the end of each day.
Use Foil Cookware
Okay, it’s not the most cost-effective or environmental choice, but if you bake as much as I do during the holidays, you are going to thank me for this tip. Using foil disposable cookware such as Hand-foil pans will save you so much time on cleanup! Especially when combined with meal prep.
Get the Kids in On It
Okay, the kids aren’t in school and that means that now is the perfect time for them to clean up after themselves! If you have kids you know that cleaning up after them is half of the battle anyway, so imagine how much time can be saved if they are pitching in.
Christmas Games & Activities to Enjoy Together!
Things this holiday season look different but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend time with those we love, safely. Here are some great Christmas games and activities you can do with your family over zoom! They’re also perfect for your kids to play with their friends while they’re out of school on Christmas break!
Christmas Scavenger Hunt (great zoom option)
My kids used to do this with one of their teachers from last year and had so much fun. Here were the rules of the game. First, the item you found had to come from a different room than where you were sitting. Second, once the game was over, everything had to be returned to it’s home. How was it played? Simple! The teacher (or person in charge) would call out a shape, color or theme (starts with letter S etc.) then each person had 30 seconds to run into another room and find something that fit that description. Then they’d switch and someone else would call out a topic/theme.
Christmas Heads-Up (great zoom option)
If you’ve played any version of heads-up then you know exactly what to do! To set up you’ll simply need to come up with different Christmas/Holiday characters or items (such as: Christmas Present, Santa Clause, Reindeer, snow flakes, Mrs Clause, Snowman, Christmas Tree, Ornaments, ect) Have each person pick a card from the deck and hold it up to their head (without seeing the card). Then you’ll begin asking questions to figure out who or what Christmas item they are. If you’re playing this one over zoom make sure you select to not see your own camera so you’re not seeing your card as you put it up to your forehead.
Christmas Bingo (great zoom option)
Print out a fun game for your kids to play at home or even with their friends over zoom! (Great for grandparents to send to their grandkids in the mail too) Simple look up or create a fun Christmas or nativity bingo card (great way to tie in the true meaning of Christmas!). Then take it around to friends or have the kids sit at the table to play. This one is great because you can play with as few or as many people as you’d like.
Christmas Superlatives (great family zoom option)
If you’re looking for a fun game to play over zoom with the family this is sure to bring lots of laughs. You’ll need to print pictures of each person playing so that everyone has a copy of that person (so if you’re playing with 5 people, you’ll need to print out 5 pictures of “Jane”, one for each person). You could also have everyone write each persons name down on a piece of paper. Then you’ll ask a question such as “Who is mostly like to peak at their presents early?” and see who agrees with who. If you voted for the majority, each person that voted gets a point. Continue onward until you’ve reached your desired number of points.
Christmas Pictionary (great zoom option)
This is perfect to play with any number of people! You can divide your players up onto teams. Then first person to go will pick a card and have one minute to draw the corresponding clue. They’re team has one minute to guess to earn themselves a point otherwise it’s turned over to the other team. Come up with some fun Christmas themed topics like your favorite Christmas candy, Christmas movies, songs, etc.
Christmas Charades (great zoom option)
This one we’ve played over zoom and it worked out perfect. Just add a Christmas twist to the traditional game of Charades! Remember, there’s no speaking for the person acting it out and the team that guesses first, wins!
Gingerbread House/Cookie Competition
Here’s a great one to set up for your kids to do at home together. Make it fun and put them together on teams or have them each decorate their own. You could easily award the most creative/craziest one with something fun (picking the Christmas movie for the night or who you’ll gift your cookies too).
Although this year will look different for many of us you can still create lasting memories and share good laughs together this holiday season!
5 Easy Christmas Desserts that Don’t Require an Oven
Have you started your holiday dessert indulging yet? I don’t think I ever eat desserts as much as I do during the holiday season. And this is every single year. As much as I love to enjoy holiday desserts though, I don’t always like to be baking. Sometimes I just love baking, but not always. That’s why I have decided to keep a nice selection of recipes on hand for Christmas desserts that don’t require an oven.
If you are ready to start making some yummy holiday treats for yourself or for others, here are 5 easy Christmas desserts that don’t require an oven.
5 Easy Christmas Desserts that Don’t Require an Oven
Swiss Roll Pudding Cake
This Swiss Roll Pudding Cake is delicious and ridiculously easy to make! My family loves it when I make this easy Christmas Dessert! Depending on my mood I will top it with different things such as sprinkles, chocolate sauce or caramel. Most of the time though, I just serve it as is.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Pie
If Salted Caramel tops the list of your favorite treats, you are going to love this salted caramel chocolate pie. Did I mention that it looks delicious too?
Nutella Cheesecake
Where are all my Nutella fans at? This Nutella Cheesecake is all the rage in no bake desserts. You are going to love it!
Lemon Oreo No Bake Cheesecake
If you have any Lemon Oreos on hand, here is an awesome idea for them! This Lemon Oreo no bake cheesecake looks absolutely delicious!
No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Rice Krispie Treats
You knew that Rice Krispie Treats had to make this list, right? These Peanut Butter Cup Rice Krispie treats are going to be your kids’ next favorite!
Fun & Easy 12 Days of Christmas Ideas (Starts Dec. 13th!)
Every year when I was growing up, we would do the 12 Days of Christmas to a few neighbors. I always thought I would get caught. However, I don’t think we ever did! Now that I’m a mom, I realize how much this service meant to those neighbors. This year, since we haven’t been able to see a lot of friends and neighbors, whey not do a secret 12 days of Christmas to them? I’m sure they would love it. This version is super simple and has some fun items to give. Feel free to change it up and add your own in. These ideas might get you started!
12 Days of Christmas Ideas:
- 1st Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…. a partridge in a pair tree. (Can of Pears or a basket of fresh pears)
- 2nd Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you… 2 Turtle Doves (Turtle Chocolates or Dove chocolates or Dove soap)
- 3rd Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…3 French Hens (Chik fil A gift card, or Chicken Noodle Soup cans)
- 4th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you… 4 Calling Birds (Gold Fish Crackers, or phone accessories, you can find examples here)
- 5th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…5 Golden Rings (Ring Pops, Pineapple & slicer)
- 6th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…6 Geese a-laying (Cadbury Cream Eggs, Egg McMuffin Ingredients)
- 7th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…7 Swans a swimming (…in Sprite, or Coke, or Fanta, you could also give a bath bomb or bath bubbles)
- 8th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…8 Maids a Chocolate Milking (Chocolate Milk)
- 9th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…9 Ladies Dancing (iTunes Gift Card, Just Dance Game if they have a gaming set, CD for any favorite artist)
- 10th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you… 10 Lords a-Leaping (…over cookies- you can make or buy any cookies, you could also get jump ropes)
- 11th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…11 Pipers piping (Licorice, fun drink straws, long pretzels)
- 12th Day of Christmas your secret friends give to you…12 Drummers Drumming (Drumsticks Ice Cream bars, or a cute Little Drummer Boy Ornament or book found here)
Awesome & Frugal Neighbor Gift Ideas To Hand Out This Christmas!
Neighbor gifts are hard – you don’t want to spend to much but you want it something practical they’ll like. But who needs more cookies? And we all know costs can add up fast! Here’s a list of 15 awesome (at least I think so) neighbor gifts you could give out this year that aren’t going to hurt your pocket book later on!
- DIY Clementine Wreths
- “Twizz” The Season to be Jolly
- Wrapping Paper and Tape with Cute Card
- “Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas From the Ding Dongs Next Door!”
- Santa-Tizer Gift
- “There Ain’t Muffin Like Good Friends”
7. Tic Tac Christmas Labels
8. Paper towel Gift with printable (did this last year – they loved it!)
9. Have a “Holly Jolly” Christmas
10. Joy Soap Gift
11. Soda-Lighted You’re My Neighbor
12. Merry Christmas to a “Grate” Neighbor
13.“Don’t let your dishes pile up this busy holiday season! Let our family “do the dishes” this week
14. Redbox Neighbor gift idea with popcorn
15. Bread and jam
16. Bless You tissue pack (or box)
17. Rolled up coloring pages with a box of crayons
What do you guys do for neighbor gifts? Are you doing them with Covid this year? Have you through about donating that money to someone in need – maybe even within the neighborhood? I want to hear it all in the comments below!
Candy Cane Cookie Recipe
Have you ever made these cookies before? If not, you should totally do it this year with your kiddos or friends! Each Christmas season, my mom would make these with my sisters and myself. It’s a fun memory. They are super easy and kid friendly. Give them a try!
Candy Cane Cookie Recipe
Recipe & Picture by Princess Pinky Girl
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure peppermint extract
- 1 ¼ teaspoons clear vanilla flavoring
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon red squeeze gel color
Instructions
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Using a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl, on medium-high speed, cream the unsalted butter for 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
-
Reduce the mixing speed to low, and add the granulated sugar, cream of tartar. Increase the mixing speed to medium and continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shortening mixture is fluffy.
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Reduce the mixing speed to low and add the peppermint extract and clear vanilla flavoring.
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Keeping the mixer speed low, slowly add the baking powder and all-purpose flour a ½ cup at a time. Continue mixing just until the flour is well incorporated and no visible streaks of flour are showing.
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Divide the cookie dough into 2 equal dough balls. Return 1 dough ball to the mixing bowl to be colored red. Cover the dough ball that is to be the white part of the candy cane cookie and place it in the refrigerator.
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Add the ½ teaspoons red gel color to the dough that is left in the mixing bowl. Using the mixer on low speed, add the red coloring into the dough until it has a uniform color and no white streaks are visible. Place the red dough in a medium-size bowl and cover the red dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
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Just before removing the dough from the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Using a ½ tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out the white and red dough balls. Roll each into a tight round ball, to make sure the dough rope holds its shape.
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Cover your counter or a cutting board with a sheet of parchment paper. (This is to keep from staining the counter or cutting board red) Use your hand to roll the white and red dough balls into 5 inch long ropes. It is very important that your hands stay cool while you are rolling the ropes.
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Lightly press the bottoms of the 2 ropes together. Carefully and with light pressure, twist the ropes together. Be sure to keep the ropes rounded and do not flatten them out.
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Place the twisted rope onto the prepared baking sheet and curve the rope tops into the candy cane crook. Repeat the dough ball and twisting process with the remaining dough. Place the cookies 2 inches apart.
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Bake for 7 minutes.
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Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Easy & Yummy Vanilla Steamer Recipe
My kids found a recipe for Vanilla Steamers and begged to make it. I agreed and they started to make it. The outcome was actually really good. It’s a good change from the traditional hot chocolate. This recipe has simple ingredients that you most likely have in your home as well. Enjoy this yummy Vanilla Steamer this winter season!
Homemade Vanilla Steamer Recipe
Recipe & Picture by Premeditated Leftovers
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- whipped cream (optional)
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- Add milk, vanilla, and sugar to a microwave-safe coffee cup. Stir to combine.
- Heat the milk in the microwave for 1 minute. If it is not warm enough, heat for an additional 15 – 20 seconds, but avoid letting it reach a boil.
- Top with whipped cream if desired.