Squish Balls

We found this idea on Pinterest and they have really been a blast to play with.

First- Make a batch of your favorite playdough.  Here is mine- it has such a nice smooth texture.  I just made the dough white since I was stuffing it into colored balloons.

1 1/2 cups of flour
3/4 cups of salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 TB vegetable oil
1/2 TB cream of tarter 
*food coloring - I use the liquid kind but I hear the gel is the best.

Mix all of the ingredients into a saucepan. Add the food coloring to your liking. - Children can help with this step

Adults only - 
Set your stove top to medium-low (about a 2.5 on a glass top stove). Stand by the pan and stir occasionally. When the batter look is gone and the ingredients start staying together when you stir (5-8 minutes), remove the pan from the heat. Lay out some wax paper and scoop play dough onto the wax paper. I can usually start kneading right away, but make sure that you check the dough for heat - you don't want to burn yourself!
Once the dough has been kneaded into a nice texture, place in an airtight container or zip lock. 

Pull open your balloon.  I used large 12 inch balloons and I thought it was easier to use 3 fingers on each hand to pull it open.

Roll dough into a snake and then stuff it into the balloon.  

Once you get it all stuffed in- squish the air out and then tie off the end.

If your balloon rips open simply remove the dough, and place it in another balloon.  As long as they are sealed they won't dry out.  We have had ours for a week and they are still going strong.

They have been a blast!

Cupcake in a Cast

Sweet Little Laini Cakes was the victim of an aggressive bounce on the trampoline.  The culprit, who feels horrible will remain nameless unless you know who Gramps implies.

Fortunately, the resident Doc had some casting materials in his bag of tricks and fixed her up nicely.

It took a couple of days but she is walking around on it more now.  Which means a little more freedom for all of us!  She is so so sweet!

Color Cast

Self Color Cast

Chinese New Year 2012

We had a blast celebrating the Year of the Dragon!  Celebrating the Chinese New Year is one of our favorite traditions.  We invited two families over to share in the festivities.  We made our favorite  Butter Yaki and Egg Rolls.  It is always soooo good!  We then played our traditional Chinese Proverb game- (like Balderdash) and had Fortune Cookies and oranges.  Good times!

Egg Rolls

2 c. chopped chicken breast.  I fry it in a little oil with garlic salt then chop it up.

1 garlic clove

After chicken is cooked add:

1 c. chopped green onion

1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbl. sugar
31/2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 lb bean sprouts
1/2 c. shredded carrots
1 head thin sliced cabbage
1 egg slightly beaten

Cook until cabbage is softened.  Let mixture cool.  Using egg roll skins- form into rolls following directions on package.  Deep fry.  Makes about 21 Egg Rolls.

Saturday Special

Hope your Saturday is as fun as ours!

Nice shot Seth!

Sharp Shootin'

We spent a couple of hours getting more comfortable with our guns.  

What a great afternoon!

FHE Treat- Deep Dish Cookies

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips- we used mini to spead the love out more!

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray your muffin top pan generously with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In your stand mixer, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
4. Add in your eggs, one at a time and vanilla. Mix on medium until combined.
5. Turn mixer to low and add baking soda, salt and flour.
6. Stir until just combined.
7. Stir in your chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.
8. Press 1/4 cup dough into each cavity in the pan.
   Bake approx 12 minutes until edges are golden.
9. Let cool in pan 11-13 minutes.
10. Gently loosen sides with knife and twist out, or flip pan over onto cooling rack to remove cookies.
11. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes 9-10 deep dish cookies. Serve warm. Top with ice cream. To reheat cookies, place on a microwave safe plate for 15 seconds.

If you don’t have a muffin top pan, you can still make these cookies.  Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 8-9 minutes.

You can also put a Dove chocolate in the middle and have kind of a molten lava effect.  

These were Heavenly!

Mexi Feast

Wow!  The weather has been divine!

We headed down to Alpine for our annual Mexi-Feast and Christmas sibling gift swap!

Every year around this time my mouth starts watering for green chili burros!  

GmaT makes them heavenly!

We got outside and enjoyed the sunshine for a bit.  Then we had to take off all too soon!

2012 is off to a great start!