My new Projects

Today I am going to start designing our families launch pad are area by out kitchen door. So far I have come up with an idea using old door knobs as coat hangers and possibly a large frame as a dry erase board and message center. I really don't want to purchase anything for this project, so I am going to go up to my attic area tonight and look for inspiration. If that doesn't work, then I get to go shopping at the area secondhand and antique stores to find some objects I can repurpose. (Don't worry I will be posting pictures as I complete the project)

Today I am also making up my weekly batch of pumpkin bread for our family and I am also going to try to make some pumpkin monkey bread that can be used on Christmas morning. I am hoping that I can freeze the monkey bread until Christmas Eve. Then all I will have to do on Christmas morning is warm it in the oven and pour a glaze over it. If it turns out the way I want it to it will be a perfect tradition for years to come.

Now that we are in our new home another new tradition I am starting is the Shelf Elf. We are going to have the elves show up this Saturday morning. That morning the elves will be surprising our family with a traditional North Pole breakfast. So I will need to go to the store and get some small powdered donuts, large candy canes, mini marshmallows and bottled Starbucks coffee. I plan on using recycled Starbucks coffee bottles to put milk in, then I will place the candy canes in them and thread some donuts over the top of the candy canes. With the marshmallows I am thinking of making a winter wonderland fruit salad.

I will post pictures and more recipes as the projects are completed. So stay tuned.

Winter wonderland Fruit salad (serves 8)

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce package fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, drained
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 small container Cool Whip topping
• 1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and cut in half

• Preparation

  The evening before:
  mix together the cream cheese, pineapple and
  marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

  The next morning:
  fold in the thawed Cool Whip and the cherries and serve.