Homemade Crayons and Tye-Dye Candles

This is another idea from iMOM.com

1.When you have accumulated a box full of broken crayons you can gather them up and evenly distribute them (without the wrapper) into a small muffin tin.
2.Bake them in the oven at 200 degrees until the wax is fully melted.
3.Remove the tray from the oven and set it in the freezer for half an hour.
4.Once the wax hardens and cools you should be able to easily remove little "crayon cookies" from the tin.
(If you would like you can add some glitter to the mix before you bake them for a little more sparkle.)

To create tie-dye candles you can follow the same baking instructions above, and use the melted crayon wax to dip small white candles in. You can find the candles in the ethnic food aisle of your local grocery store or at the dollar store. The wax creates a tie-dye effect and you can accentuate the waves by tracing them with glue and adding glitter or acrylic rhinestone jewels.

Make Your Own Play-Doh

This is another idea sent to me by iMOM.com

Recipe #1

•1 cup flour
•1/2 cup salt
•1/2 cup water
•A few drops of food coloring

1.Measure out 1 cup of four, and pour it into a bowl.
2.Measure out 1/2 cup of salt, and add that to the bowl.
3.Add 1/2 cup of water to the above mixture.
4.Mix until mushy.
5.Add a few drops of food coloring, and then knead the dough. (Add more food coloring for more intense color.)
Recipe #2

•3 cups flour
•1 cup cold water
•1 cup salt
•2 tablespoons cornstarch
•2 teaspoons vegetable oil
•A few drops of food coloring
1.In bowl, mix water, salt, oil, and food coloring to make a bright color.
2.Gradually add flour and cornstarch until the mixture becomes doughy.
Recipe #3

•1½ cup flour
•1 cup salt
•1/2 cup water
•2 tablespoon oil
•A few drops of food coloring
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.

Ice Sculpting for kids

Picture from Family Fun website

I received this idea from iMOM.com

1.Start your preparations for your ice sculpting at least 10 hours in advance.
2.Fill plastic containers, ice trays, muffin trays, or milk cartons with water and add a couple droplets of food coloring.
3.Store them in the freezer and wait until the water is frozen solid.
4.When you are ready to start building, take the objects outside and have your kids help remove the ice from the containers.
5.Let your children try stacking, sorting and building with the ice.

Stephanie's idea: For more fun, use shaped ice trays such as stars (found at Wal-Mart around the 4th of July) or hearts, etc..... (found at IKEA or craft stores such as Hobby Lobby)

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff by Paula Deen

2 lbs. beef tips (aka stew meat)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 can cream of onion soup
1 (8oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained ** I use pre-sliced fresh mushrooms instead
1 tsp. pepper
1 (8oz) cream cheese
1 (8oz) carton sour cream
1 (16oz) package of egg noodles, cooked and hot

In a slow cooker combine beef tips, onion, onion soup, mushroom soup, mushrooms, and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours (it only took me 6 hours when I prepared this). When done cooking, stir in cream cheese and sour cream and mix until combined. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

In my opinion: This was fabulous! I even loved the leftovers and I am not one for leftovers. I'm putting this at the top of my slow cooker favorites.

Very Cherry Cake by Paula Deen

1 cup butter, softened
1¾ cups sugar
2 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup whole buttermilk
5 egg whites, beaten until stiff
1 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
Cream Cheese-Cherry Frosting (recipe follows)
Garnish: maraschino cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray three 9-inch baking pans with nonstick baking spray with flour.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add cherry juice and vanilla, beating until combined.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; sift. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until combined after each addition. Gently fold in beaten egg whites until mixture is smooth. Gently stir in maraschino cherries.

3. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese-Cherry Frosting evenly in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with maraschino cherries, if desired.

Makes one 9-inch cake


CREAM CHEESE-CHERRY FROSTING

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Slowly beat in cherry juice until mixture is smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth.

Makes about 4½ cups.

In my opinion: This was a fabulous cake. I think it will become a Valentine's Day tradition.