Big Sis and the Gingerbread Man Writing Assignment

Weekend Creative Writing Journal Assignment

Prompt: 

You just finished decorating a tray of gingerbread cookies and one of them leaps off the counter.  

What happens next?

Don't Run Away Gingerbread Man

By: Big Sis

Once upon a time I was baking some cookies. 

 So then I got them out of the oven and put them on the counter. 

I had to wait for them to cool.

So I got a book to read and soon they were done. 

I put my book down and started to decorate the cookies.

 I just finished the first one when the phone rang. 

I answered it and talked to my Grandma, but only for a minute.

(notice the Gingerbread man in the picture below!)

When I was done I turned around and it was gone. I was so surprised!

 It can't be.

(notice the Gingerbread Man in the picture below!)

 I thought my Lil Bro took it, but he was clean.

 What was that?  I rubbed my eyes. 

This couldn't be!

Did I really see a gingerbread man  running across the floor and out the door?

 I chased after him but man can those little legs run!

 I wondered where he would go, but I never forgot that Christmas. 

1 Year Later...

Every year at Christmas I get a postcard from different places all over the world. "Dear Big Sis, Thank you for giving me life so that I can see how the World celebrates Christmas. Love,TGBM (The Gingerbread Man), Gingy." 

The End!

Big Sis said she may want to write some 

blog posts now!  

Please leave her a comment to encourage her!

Recipe ~ Gingerbread Man Cookies

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Original Recipe found HERE

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 4 Hours 30 Minutes

Servings: 24

"These Gingerbread Men Cookies are as cute as can be. 

If desired, decorate with raisins, currants or cinnamon red hot candies 

for eyes and buttons. Or, pipe untinted or colored icing onto cookies."

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground
1 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground

1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract 

1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and 
   salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown 
   sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium 
   speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla;
   mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until 
   well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in 
   plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
   
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch 
   thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread 
   men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on 
   ungreased baking sheets.
   
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and 
   just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. 
   Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled 
   cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to5 days. 
   
   
   Icing:
   1 Cup Powdered Sugar
   1/3 cup Milk
   "A Titch" (acc. to Lil Sis!) Almond Extract
   
   
   Blend and then pipe or spread on with a knife.

Beware...They may try to run away!

Recipe ~ Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

In September, my hubby and I went to Cedar Point (Thanks to winning tickets from itickets.com for PointFest!) and we grabbed a quick bite to eat at one of the Old Fashioned Diners.  

We sat at the bar and watched the High School kids work their magic behind the counter.  

Now seeing that the food was super over priced (more expensive than Disney World!)

 I didn't splurge on a Milkshake, but I did get to see how they were made.  

On the next family night we re-created these Johnny Rocket Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes.

Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes

1 Pumpkin Pie (buy or have Lil Sis and Lil Bro make one!)

Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions: Blend and enjoy!

You can see our fabulous Date at Point fest by clicking HERE!

Recipe of the Week ~ Salted Caramel Popcorn

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Yield: About 8 cups popcorn

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

This sweet and salty popcorn treat is a super yummy to snack on 

while enjoying a night at the Drive-in with friends!

ingredients:

6 cups plain popped popcorn
2 cups coarsely chopped salted pretzels
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Drop of red food coloring
     -if you want to make the popcorn pink for Easter
1 1/2 cups Easter Pretzel M&M's

directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine popcorn and pretzels. Set aside. In a
medium saucepan, bring sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to a
boil over medium high heat. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture is
amber in color, for about 8-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat
and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Be careful because the mixture
will bubble up. Stir until smooth and add vanilla extract,
marshmallows, and drop of red food coloring-if using. Stir until
marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.

2. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pretzels and gently
stir with a rubber spatula until popcorn is well coated. Stir in
 the pretzel M&M's. Transfer mixture to a large baking
sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool completely.

I found the original recipe HERE!

Recipe ~Turkey and all the Fixings!

Turkey Time!

World's Simplest Thanksgiving Turkey

Find the original recipe HERE at the Food Network

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

 Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity; ditch the liver and save the rest of the giblets for gravy. Dry the turkey with paper towels, then season inside and out with salt and pepper. 

Fill the turkey with aromatics like chopped onions,carrots, apples and herbs, then place breast-side up in a roasting pan and brush with melted butter.

 Tent with foil and roast for 2 hours (for a 10- to 12-pound turkey; add an extra 15 minutes per pound for larger birds). Remove the foil, baste with more meltedbutter and crank the oven to 425 degrees F.

 Roast for another hour or until the meat at the thigh registers 165 degrees F. 

Let rest while you make the gravy.

Turkey is done but lots of little hands helped make rolls, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green bean casserole!  The house smelled delicious, the food was fantastic and the little 

chefs were pleased with their dinner!

Yum!  We'll have to do this again next year!

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Recipe

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Ingredients

4 cups Bisquick

3 Ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1 1/3 cups water

1/2 cup melted butter

1 t garlic powder

1/4 t salt

1/8 t onion powder

1/8 t dried parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine Bisquick, Cheese and Water.  Mix until dough is firm. Use a small scoop to place dough on prepared pans. Bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown. Combine the rest of the ingredients and brush over the baked biscuits as soon as they are removed from the oven.

 These biscuits are absolutely, melt in your mooch, delicious!  Perfect with a bowl of Autumn Soup.

 When I was done taking pictures of my dinner, 

everyone else wanted me to take pictures of their food too!  

 Guess they couldn't wait to eat their biscuits!

You can find the original recipe HERE

Family Night ~ Backyard Campout

Hi Everyone!  It's me, Middle Sis!

Two weeks ago, Daddy called home with some pretty exciting news!  Are you ready for it?  Daddy got a job as a Middle School teacher!  We wanted to celebrate so Momma and all of us came up with a fun plan!  We decided to surprise Daddy with a Backyard campout! We set the tent up and everything!  We made our own little campsite! When he got home we told him we had to show him something in the backyard...he thought it was going to be Big Sis's bug collection!

 Here is the checklist for our Surprise Campout!

Tent, Camp Chairs, Fire Pit, Hammock, Sleeping Bags, Ice Cream Maker, Ingredients for Homemade Ice Cream, Borrowed Projector, Library Movie

 We celebrated with a Pizza party! 

(Frugal Mom tip: Pizza Hut has been running a $10 any size unlimited toppings deal for the past couple years.  You have to ask specifically for it and pick it up.  They also have had a coupon in the Sunday flyer for $6 off if you order online. Plus, they gave us a key tag for $1 off any purchase. This amount of food equals 2 meals at a little less than $2 per person.  Not to shabby for Pizza Party night!)

 We made Homemade Ice Cream by stretching an extension cord to the Backyard!

 Here is Lil' Bro showing off his moves! He is so funny!

 We also tried a Campfire treat that Mommy has had her eye on all summer.  She found it on Pinterest.  She loves Pinterest because it makes being creative easier!  This recipe though, was a complete FLOP.  No one wanted to eat it.  At least the Homemade Ice cream was good!

 Don't get me wrong, this was fun to make!

It was just so gross that no one wanted to eat it!

Here is the recipe if you want to try it...I just do NOT recommend it! hahaha! 

Ingredients

Banana, Chocolate Chips or other Chocolate, Mini-Marshmallows

You can add other additions including chopped pecans, coconut, peanut butter chips, etc.

Directions

Combine on tin foil, fold the tin foil over and place on fire for a few minutes until the marshmallows are "melty"!   The bananas were mushy and gross.  I never thought I'd say that!  The chocolate didn't melt right.  Let's just say that the ice cream couldn't cover up the grossness!  It was downright EEEEEWWWWWW!  ...and we are not picky eaters here!

 It was fun to make it!

 Deserts done!  I just wish it was good!

 Next, on to some fun!  Momma stretched the extension cord into the tent!  We used a borrowed movie projector and Disney's Have A Laugh 4 DVD that we checked out from the library.  The best part is that the Have A Laugh movies are the shorts and shows from when Mommy and Daddy were little.  

They are so funny!  I laughed and laughed!

 What's funnier than Donald Duck's tail feathers on fire!  We were laughing so hard.  

Daddy told us to laugh quiet so we wouldn't wake up the neighbors!

Daddy's Surprise Celebration Camp out....Success!  

He absolutely LOVED it!

We love you Daddy!  We are so proud of you!