Makeup Tip: Mascara

I have very short eyelashes so a couple of years ago I started using L'Oreal Voluminous Original mascara. It's very light on the lashes and it looks really natural. I've been very pleased with it. My suggestion is to use an eyelash curler before applying the mascara.

Fluffy Cheesecake

I plan on trying this for Christmas.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 c sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip topping, thawed

1 prepared graham cracker crumb crust (6 oz. or 9 inch)

Beat cream cheese and sugar in lg. bowl w/ wire whisk or electric mixer until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping.

Spoon into crust. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Garnish with raspberry sauce, cherry or blueberry pie filling or drizzle with chocolate and carmel.

Recipe: Rocky Road Fudge

This is the easiest fudge recipe you'll ever make.

1 (12 oz.) pkg. (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Creamy Supreme frosting

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

3/4 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts)

Line 8-inch squared pan with foil; extending foil over edges; lightly butter foil. Melt chips in large saucepan over very low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in frosting. Add marshmallows and nuts; mix until well coated. Spread in buttered foil-lined pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil; remove foil from fudge. Cut into squares. 36 candies.

Recipe: Cheese Danish

This goes out to Tami! My cousin Tanya gave me this recipe and it's so easy to make.

2 (8 or 10 oz. each) package of crescent rolls
2 (8 oz. each) package of cream cheese
1 c sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 egg

Glaze: 2 Tbs. warm milk, 1 c powdered sugar

Pull apart 1 pkg. of rolls and put on bottom of 9x13 greased pan. Mix all ingredients and pour over rolls. Then take second container of rolls and pull apart and lay on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Put glaze on hot out of the oven. Good served warm or cold . I like cold. This would be good for Christmas morning.

Breakfast Casserole

This is a great casserole to sever for you Christmas morning.

6 slices bread, cubed (I use white bread)

1 pound sausage (Bob Evans) browned and drained

8 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

2 c milk

1 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

Cube bread and place evenly in a greased 13x9 pan or baking dish. Sprinkle evenly w/ sausage and cheese. Mix egg, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over ingredients in pan. Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees until set. Cut into squares. Serves 8-10.

Holiday recipe: Broccoli Salad

This is one of my favorite salads to have over the holidays. It's very simple to make.

1 1/2 heads of broccoli

1/2 pound bacon - fried and crumbled

1/2 c salted sunflower seeds

1/2 c chopped onion

Dressing - 1 c miracle whip, 1/3 c sugar, 2 Tbs. vinegar (I use red wine vinegar)

Mix all together and refrigerate for a few hours. Enjoy!

Christmas Cookie and Candy exchange!

This a great way to celebrate Christmas. Find out how many people would like to participate in the exchange and then have everyone bring 1 dozen cookies in per person including yourself. If there are more than 6 people, then lower the exchange to 1/2 dozen. Bring an extra container to place the cookies in. It's best if you don't bring store bought cookies or candy.

To evoke a winter holiday mood.

Fill a pot with water; add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and let the mixture simmer on the stove.

Party favor!

If you can't think of something to bring to a party or dinner, you should try the Sparkle juice from Meiers. It cost under $5.00 and it has an excellent taste. We always have it for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. The kids love it too! You can find it at the local grocery stores.

Quick tips: Breads

Freeze ahead breads for Christmas gifts!

Yeast breads, coffee cakes, muffins and quick breads. Cool completely; do not frost or decorate. Place coffee cakes on foil-wrapped cardboard before freezing. Store in freezer up to 3 months. Unwrap slightly and thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Serve at room temperature or reheat, wrapped in foil, at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Quick tips: Cakes

Frosted or unfrosted, (Butter cream frosting freezes best; egg white frosting and custard fillings do not freeze well.) Special tip: Cool cakes completely; place frosted cakes in the freezer to harden the frosting before covering. Place layer cakes in a cake container to prevent crushing. Store in freezer unfrosted up to 6 months, frosted up to 3 months. Thaw covered at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Thaw loosely covered overnight in the refrigerator.

Quick tips: Cheesecake

Freeze ahead cheesecake

If baked, cool completely before wrapping. Store in freezer up to 5 months. Thaw wrapped in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

Tips: Bake ahead Christmas cookies!

Bake ahead those Christmas cookies now! Package cookies in containers with tight-fitting lids. If cookies have been frosted before freezing, freeze them on a cookie sheet, then package the frozen cookies between layers of wax paper in a container. Storage time: (Unfrosted) up to 12 months, (frosted) up to 2 months. Thawing hints- Thaw in the container at room temperature. If cookies should be crisp when thawed, remove them from the container before thawing.

Quick Tip: Pies

Pies - Baked pumpkin or pecan pies and either baked or unbaked fruit pies.

Freezing tips - Cover pies with an inverted plate (foil or paper) and then wrap. Store in freezer (baked) up to 4 months. Unbaked: up to 3. Thawing hints - Baked: unwrap and heat at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until warm or room temperature. Unbaked: Unwrap, cut slits in the top pastry and bake at 425 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until the center is bubbly.

Quick and easy appetizer

Spread thin ham slices with Philadelphia Brand cream cheese. Roll up and secure with toothpicks and then chill for an hour. Cut into 1 1/4 pieces. You can sprinkle with Mrs. Dash seasoning on the top of the rolls to add a little extra flavor.

Laugh a little!

Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Reipe: Tater Tot Casserole dish

This is a simple recipe that my friend Tanya gave me.

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained

precooked tater tots, cook according to package (I usually cook only

what I think my family will eat. About 3 handfuls)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the ground hamburger and soup. Place in a 8x8x2 in. or 2 quart casserole dish. Place cooked tater tots on top of the meat mixture and sprinkle w/ cheese. Cook for about 10 minutes to heat. Serve w/ a veggie.

Reipe: Barbeque Sloppy Joes

Very quick and easy sloppy joes.

1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained

add 1tsp. yellow mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup barbeque sauce

Recipe: Chili

This is so easy and fast to make. Enjoy!

1 lb. ground hamburger

1 small onion, chopped

1 (16.oz) tomato sauce

2 cans (16.oz each) tomatoes

2 cans (16.oz each) chili beans, undrained

1 pkg. taco seasoning

Brown onion and hamburger in a stockpot that has been sprayed w/ non-stick coating. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Add shredded cheese to each serving and serve w/ tortilla chips.

Encourage One Another

Encouraging words make a difference. Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Romans 14:19 - Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Hair Tip: Shampoo build up

When you have a lot of build up in your hair and you just can't seem to get it clean, try using a small amount of baking soda in your shampoo. It will strip the build up and leave your hair smooth. Do this every couple of months.

Recipe: Apple crisp

Apples are in! Here is my favorite apple crisp recipe. It's so easy to make!

8 large sliced apples

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

7 Tbsp. margarine (not melted)

Place apples and water in buttered casserole dish, sprinkle cinnamon on apples. Mix sugar, flour and margarine until crumbly and sprinkle over the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until apples are soft. Serve warm w/ vanilla ice cream.

Skin: Olay!

Wow! I've tried Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum for a couple of weeks now and I've noticed a big change in my skin. It feels so smooth and my large pores look less noticeable. I'm loving it!

Recipe: Apple muffins

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups shredded apple

3/4 cup applesauce

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use cup cake papers. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In Large bowl beat together butter, white sugar, applesauce, eggs, vanilla and shredded apple. Spoon in muffin pan. In a small bowl mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter until mixture looks like crumbs. Sprinkle over muffins and bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Lunch box Tip: wet wipes

Keep those hands clean! Buy a travel size package of wet wipes and keep them in your childs lunch box. Great for spills too!

Recipe: Salsa

6-8 medium tomatoes
1-3 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (I use minced garlic from a jar)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb Mix
1 Tbsp cilantro
2 Tbsp lemon juice or lime
1/2 cup onion finely chopped

Place a couple of tomatoes, jalapeno, bell pepper, garlic, salt, Mrs. Dash, cilantro and lemon juice in a blender. Pulse until just blended. Hand chop remaining tomatoes and mix with blended ingredients. Add onion.

After School snack: Cheerio bars

My sister Monica gave me this recipe and the kids love it. This would be a great treat for lunches too.

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. honey or light corn syrup (I use honey)

1/2 c. peanut butter

3 c. cheerios

1/4 c. chocolate morsals (melted)

Butter a 9x9 or 8x8 inch square pan. In a large saucepan, stir together sugar and honey. Cook and stir over medium heat just until smooth. Stir in cheerios until well coated. Put into buttered pan and pat mixture evenly. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars . Cut into squares.

Quick Tip: How long does food stay good in the refrigerator and freezer

Soup/stews: Refrigerator - 3-4 days, Freezer - 2-3 months
Raw ground beef: Refrigerator - 1-2 days, Freezer 3-4 months
Raw pork chops: Refrigerator - 3-5 days, Freezers 4-6 months
Cooked leftover meat: Refrigerator - 3-4 days, Freezer 2-3 months
Fresh, whole raw poultry: Refrigerator 1-2 days, Freezer 1 year
Cooked poultry dishes: Refrigerator 3-4 days, Freezer 4-6 months

Recipe: Banana Muffins

Back to school treat!

Serving: 12

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate morsals

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans. Bake 25 - 30 minutes for large muffins and 10-15 for mini muffins.

Skin tip: Dry skin

Try Olay Body Wash Plus Radiance Ribbons. I've used it for about a year now and it works great! And it doesn't burn my legs after I shave.

Wish List

For the past couple of years I've been making an on-line wish list for the kids. It's an easy way for Grandparents to find out what the kids want for Birthdays and Christmas. You can even add yourself to the list.
Stores that are easy to make the list on are Target, Toysrus and Walmart.

Recipe: Creamy Vanilla Frosting

I use this frosting on my chocolate zucchini cake.

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
About 2 Tbsp. milk

Mix sugar and butter, stir in vanilla and milk slowly.

Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups grated zucchini
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 9x13 baking pan. In medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, powder, salt and cinnamon. Add eggs and oil mix well. Fold in nuts and zucchini. Pour in pan and bake 50-60 min.

Recipe: Cole Slaw

1/2 head of shredded cabbage
1/2 cup miracle whip
1/4 cup red wine vinagar
2 TBS. sugar
dash of salt and pepper

Makeup Tip: foundation

Are you tired of heavy foundation? Try mineral makeup. My sister who is an Esthetician told me a year ago to look into trying mineral makeup and I love it. I use Loreal Bare Natural, it's not heavy like the liquid foundations and it's so easy to apply. And less expensive.

Hair Tips: Frizzy hair!

I sometimes use a teeny tiny amount of vaseline to the ends of my hair to keep down the frizz. Don't use too much or you'll look like a grease head!

Potty-training!

My friend Mandy is having a hard time getting her 3 year old potty trained. Does anyone have any suggestion?

Chocolate Peanut butter smoothie

The kids favorite. Okay, mine too!

To make a serving of 4 you'll need:

2 c. milk
2 frozen bananas
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. Hershey syrup

Blend until smooth. If you don't have frozen bananas then add 4 ice cubes to blender.

Fried Cabbage

This is a simple recipe and my friend Jo said that her and the family enjoyed it, so I thougtht I would pass on.

Shred cabbage and fry w/ butter in a skillet until it becomes tender and then add some brown sugar.