Wait, Don't Throw Out Those Leftover Cranberries or Leftover Turkey... or Pineapple! #Leftovers

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What to Do With Your Leftover Cranberries - or Pineapple! 

Hahaha!  Nooo, don't throw out your leftover cranberries or pineapple, just yet... you can make a lovely Cranberry Bread, or my new favorite, Cranberry Pineapple Pie.... dang, I don't have pictures of the Pineapple Pie, on account o' I was gonna make it, yesterday, but I accidentally bought FIVE pies... ugh, what was I thinking???  They looked sooooo good in the store! lol!  Now they're all in the fridge... I baked the blueberry pie and the apple pie, (the secret to making a store-bought fruit pie more 'home-made' is to liberally sprinkle the top with sugar before you pop it in the oven...), and had one piece, last night, only because there it was, all uneaten, 'n all, and I had already baked them, so felt obligated to at least have one piece.... and then, this morning, I had one piece of the lemon pie... well, most of it... I think I would like it better frozen... when there's room in the freezer, I'll pop it in there, will be more like an ice cream dessert, and then I won't feel any pressure to eat it... it's funny, everything appeals to us in the store, then by the time we get home, the appeal is gone (odd, I've had some marriages like that, too! hahahahahahaha!  Okay, some dates, too.... hahaha!  Otay, you got me, those jokes are just for me, and, yes, I am laughing pretty hard, sitting here at the computer!! hahahaha! Happier to be Single on the Holiday of Stress, than with a crazy screamer or nutjob... no matter how good their hair is! hahaha! Oh, man... so silly!

Soooo, if you don't want to waste your leftover cranberries (or whole cans of cranberries... or if you see them on a great Boxing Day or After-Christmas Sale, and canny resist stocking up..), and you're not all pie-d out, like me, you can easily make a lovely pie with your cranberries and pineapple...

Cranberry Pineapple Pear Pie... the pears are optional, but pretty! lol!

Use the Easy Schmeasy Pie Crust... low in fat and very good for a low cholesterol diet, or anyone who wants a healthier version of a pie that tastes deeelicious!)Yes, this is the beginning of your Super-Easy Pie Crust! Look ma, no Lard! 

Easy Schmeasy Pie Crust:  This is the easiest pie crust, ever -- make it right in the pie plate, no rolling, just mix and press with your fingers.... and it's excellent for a low cholesterol diet... very low in fat and sugar, so great for diabetics, too... I love it because it's fast and easy (much like myself! An old joke, but a good one! lol!), delicious, and no lard -- ick!! The trick is to mix the milk with the oil -- I just shake it in a jar, or put the milk and oil in a glass, cover with plastic wrap, shake shake shake!  Fun to make with the kids, too!http://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.com/2010/10/easy-schmeasy-pie-crust.html

1 can cranberries, or whatever you have left of your cranberries
1 can crushed pineapple, slightly drained (okay to leave some liquid)
1or 2 tsp of Vanilla (really, I always put in extra Vanilla -- I loove it! lol!)
1 cup sugar

(Oh, if you don't have pineapple, try using a cup of raisins... will taste like Cherry Pie... no kidding! Cranberries + Raisins = Cherry!  Little trick of nature, right there! lol!)

Put in a large microwave bowl, and microwave for about 5 minutes... just to heat it up, melt the sugar, you know...

Stir together:
1 or 2 tbsp Cinnamon (because cinnamon is very good for you... moderates your blood sugar 'n whatnot :)
Dash of Salt
3 tbsp of flour (or corn starch)

Stir the dry ingredients into the cranberry/pineapple mixture, then pour into the pie shell.

If you happen to have pears, (pear halves, but but if you have pear slices, just arrange them neatly in a circle, unless you prefer a more relaxed look! lol!), arrange them in a circle... looks pretty :)

I like a Crumb Topping for pies, partly because it's waaay easier, but also because it's considerably less pie crust, so a healthier pie... the other day, when I was making shortbread, it occurred to me to reserve some of the shortbread dough (I wrap it in 'shortbread logs' in plastic wrap, leave in the fridge for whenever I might have a shortbread shortage! hahaha!  Like I would ever have a shortbread shortage! hahaha! Seems like I make it every other day, these days!) Anyway... take a little of the shortbread dough and add more icing sugar/flour to make it lightly crumbly, then sprinkle that on the pie.  You can do just an inch around the edge, then a section in the middle, or roll out the shortbread dough and cut shapes to place on top of the pie... or you can use my regular Crumb Topping... will have to get the link for you... it's the topping I put on the Peach Pie, which is craaazy delicious...

You technically don't need any pie crust for this pie, since it looks really pretty with the pears arranged around the top, so it's just a matter of personal choice...

Bake at 350 for aboout 45 minutes... the usual.  Let cool... enjoy!




Yum!!  This Cranberry Pineapple Walnut (okay, and chocolate! lol!) Bread was delicious -- I say 'was', because it goes really quickly, is soo yummy!  And healthy, too! 

OR, you could put the leftover cranberries in Cranberry Bread... just like the Banana Bread, only you use Cranberries, instead.  I generally use the whole can of Cranberries, especially if I've found them on sale, somewhere... this is really lovely bread, and you can make it like a coffee cake in a square 8" X 8" pan, or in a 9" X 13" pan (will take very little time to cook in a larger pan), or you can make it in a loaf pan...

Go ahead and throw in the pineapple, if you have it, and some nuts, if you like them.... chocolate chips are great, too, since chocolate cranberry is a great combo, right? (Also, Cranberry/Vodka! lol!)

I'll get the link and put it up for you... :)

Banana Bread Made Easy :) 

http://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.com/2011/12/perfect-banana-bread-every-time-banana.html

Everything you need for delicious Fruit Bread :)

Easy and Delicious Banana Bread
(adapted for Cranberry Bread : )
Stir together in a large bowl:
1 1/2 cups of Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 can Cranberries
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla                                                                                 
1/3 cup melted margarine (melt 30 seconds in the microwave)  
If you have some nuts, raisins, and/or chocolate, toss them in, too... will be delicious! : )

Oh, don't forget to Sprinkle the Cranberry Bread with LOTS of sugar (well, not a craaazy amount of sugar, but a good liberal sprinkling will give any Fruit Bread a nice crispy crust... you'll love it!), to give it a really nice finish.. will be waaay more delicious, and if you are going for more of a 'Coffee Cake', add the Crumb Topping, and that will be absolutely lovely, too : )

Bake at 350 Degrees F. for 15 - 45 minutes, depending on pan size you use (remember to grease the pan, and/or use parchment paper so it won't burn or stick to the pan... : ) 

Creamy Delicious Peach Pie  (the Crumb Topping is on this Peach Pie...!)








Leftover Turkey: Oh, and just in case you still have some turkey in your fridge, have you had it with a yummy Campbell's Mushroom Soup 'Gravy' (just heat up the soup plus a wee bit of milk!), delicious with potatoes (also left over?? lol!), rice or pasta - yummy, one way or another!

And then there's always my favourite, favourite toasted turkey sandwiches! Add in any leftover Stuffing - yum! Simple and delicious!  lol!

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Beautiful Wire Tree Sculptures You Can Make at Home : > #DIY #ArtsAndCrafts #CraftProjects #Crafts

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Green and Blue Wire Tree Sculpture -- see the little Four Leaf Clover??

Hello!!  So here's my favourite thing to make, these days... I just looove making these lovely Wire Tree Sculptures.  They're so pretty, and very therapeutic : ) lol! They're gorgeous around your own house, and they make great gifts, too!

I used to make these with my wonderful Special Ed Students in California, whom I miss very, very much, and they loved making them, too.  I had a lesson plan, all very fancy, for the Tree Sculptures, but I couldn't find it in my files... will have to look through my other computer to see if I can find it for all the teachers out there in 'Netland (the internet! lol!), in case you'd like to try this with your own students.  Children can easily make these trees with a little bit of adult help.  I love the idea of children getting comfortable using real tools.  In the States, you can easily find the wire at Home Depot... I used to find it at Home Depot, back by the bathrooms, in giant rolls, about $20 a roll... was a great price!  Will swing by Home Depot next time I'm in the States, to pick up a serious supply of wire! lol!

My Purple Jewelry Tree

I like to use 20 Gage  Wire, but if you can find 18 gauge wire, all the better, especially if you are planning to use the Wire Tree Sculpture as a Jewelry Tree, which I happen to love! : )

Ah, well, I've slightly over-loaded this little Tree !! I'm very, very fond of shiny jewelry!

You will need:


15 - 10" wire pieces
15 - 15" wire pieces
15 - 20" wire pieces
1   - 24" piece of wire


You can add really long pieces of wire if you want a very tall tree... : )


Any Base you like... small mirrors (get them at the Dollar Store :), small tiles from the hardware store, driftwood, if you happen to live where you could find some (!), a larger rock, or beautiful larger gem stone (I have large pieces of Amethyst and Quartz... would look gorgeous... be creative, and you just need school glue, or a hot glue gun (I use school glue, because I am a teacher! lol!)


Gems or Beads


Silk Plants, Greenery, anything that looks pretty hanging on a Tree Sculpture! : )


Needlenose Pliers (they have a sharp bit at the base for cutting the wire, and use the pliers to shape the wire, especially for doing the small loop at the end of the wires if you're gluing the gems on them... :)


You know what I just remembered?  When I was making these Tree Sculptures with my students, we used to push the tree 'roots' into flower pots filled with gravel, then put pretty tumbled rocks (we got them at Michael's), and we used to decorate the flower pots... lightly cover the whole flower pot with glue, then sprinkle with glitter... the tiny, really fine glitter, was the prettiest.  We also put the trees in vases in different colors, then would match the vase color to the beads and silk plants we would add to them... really, the Tree Sculptures evolved into masterpieces, and amazed everybody... man, do I miss my lovely students!  


This is a great exercise to teach measurement, and the kids love this... and so do their parents if you happen to be making this for gifts or to sell with your class, if they are learning how to start a small business (a great thing that every student should learn before they leave high school, so they'll always have something to fall back on, right??).


Carefully cut the wire pieces.  Set aside 3 groups of 15 pieces. For smaller Tree Sculptures, use 10 pieces in each pile.  


Arrange in a 'clump', like you are putting together a flower arrangement.  Tap the bottom of the wire bunch on the table to make them even.  


Cut one piece of wire about 24". Very carefully, wind the 24" wire around the base of the wire bunch, about 4" up from the bottom.  Wrap this 24" piece of wire as tightly as you can, keeping it tight against the wires.  You can squish the end bits of the wire with your pliers, to make it safe. (This is definitely an adult job... too hard for little fingers :)


If you want to put the loose 'gems' on the tree, it's easier if you turn a small loop at the top of each wire with your pliers before you put the tree into a bundle. (I had to learn that the hard way! lol!)


If you are putting beads on the end of each wire, you can easily bundle the wire, first, then glue them on, later, unless you are using very tiny beads in a pattern, then you can do it either way.  Whatever works for you : )


Carefully pull each of the base of the wires out to form the 'roots'.  I like to bend each one into 'waves... looks more like Tree Roots! 


Then you're going to take your time, and wave each of the wires -- the wire will bend easily to your will... sorry, couldn't resist that last line... it might be the only thing that easily bends to your will! hahahaha!  Not sure why that makes me laugh so much! lol!.  If you are lucky enough to find the giant roll of wire at Home Depot (or any other construction store!), the wire may be cut very smoothly, so it will look like a perfect curve.  If you work really carefully, you can maintain the curve, and this looks amazing, too :)


Just be as creative as you want to be -- these are gorgeous, and you'll be thrilled with your new creation!  

You can add Silk Flowers and hang little ornaments from each wire.

Is this one easier to see?  Hope so!

See the little lucky 4 leaf Clover in the middle of the tree?  Man, I love 4 leaf clovers, and have an odd knack for finding them.. no matter where I am, I look down, and there's a 4 leaf clover!  Must be because I love them soo much! lol! But I just cut a small circle out of the plastic packaging the wire came in... in Canada, I have only found my favorite 20 gage wire in very small rolls, 50 feet, maybe, and they come in a small package, I think in the Tools Aisle, at Home Depot, of course! lol! I love Home Depot!! But I just cut the small circle, and glued the 4 green leaf-shaped gems onto that, and when that had dried, I glued it to the wire ... you just make a little loop at the end of the wire with your needlenose pliers, then put the glue on the back of the plastic or 'gem'.  You can make this a very, very fancy tree by using actual gems... order them through China, you'll get a better deal (!).  I like DHGate, since they are so reliable :)  Have fun with your tree!!

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How to Keep the Weight Off During the Holidays, starting at Halloween and ending at New Years! Yikes! #Diet

Apple Crumble Diet

Omg, there are sooo many delicious things to eat during the holidays... even more than usual, right?  I'm not a big fan of not eating all those lovely things at Christmas... it's fun to eat all that delicious food!  Who doesn't love a wee treat, a wee something special, just for you?? hahaha!  Well, not to worry.  I firmly believe you can have your treats and add one little thing to your daily diet, a simple little dish that you can make in a minute (literally!).  It's my favourite 'Apple Crumble'... I have a new one that I've now been eating for years, instead of my much fancier version of Apple Crumble when I first wanted to lose 35 pounds... when I wanted to lose that weight, after my lovely son was born (okay, two years after my little man was born... man, those extra pounds were soo hard to take off... something about having a baby in your late thirties... makes that weight just want to stay put! lol!).


And who doesn't want a little wine - we'll all age gracefully! lol! ; )
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So, anyway, if you can find a space in your day, each day, to add a bowl of Apple Crumble, you'll not only NOT gain weight during all the holiday eating, the chances are really high you'll lose some weight, too.  And if you want to lose a lot of poundage (like I did! lol!), just add the Apple Crumble a couple of times a day... you'll naturally want to have less other food, because the Apple Crumble is really filling, plus, it'll just make you feel like, Look at me, all healthy, 'n all, takin' good care of my body!" Hahaha!  Having a positive attitude toward the wee treat that is actually making your body healthier, is a great thing, and very good for keeping it going... and if you miss a day, no worries, add it in, tomorrow, or the next day.  Eventually, you'll find you miss it when you don't have your Apple Crumble during the day (or evening, but I find I tend to eat the Apple Crumble in the morning and afternoon... and it's super-easy to bring to work.  Just make it in the morning, pop it in the microwave at work before you sit down for a warm meal : )


Super-Simple Apple Crumble Diet

Ingredients:


Unsweetened Apple Sauce
Oatmeal
Cinnamon


Could it beee any easier??

Sprinkle the apple sauce with the oatmeal, then a little sprinkle of Cinnamon, pop in the microwave for 120 seconds... delicious, and you'll be losing weight, or maintaining your weight through the holiday feasts! :)

Look, I've made Applesauce look pretty!! lol!

Half a bowl of Apple Sauce

Pour the Apple Sauce into any bowl.. I like to use a pretty bowl -- it changes how you feel about whatever you're eating, but I'll use a normal cereal bowl if I'm having the Apple Crumble for lunch, or breakfast  (I think I am more likely to have the Apple Crumble for a mid-morning snack or lunch, sometimes a mid-afternoon snack... just fit it into your daily diet wherever you can, wherever you like it). 

Sprinkle Oatmeal directly on the Apple Sauce, enough to cover it.  I find that if you put on too much oatmeal, it'll be dry, and it's nicer with more Apple Sauce than Oatmeal...

Now Sprinkle with a little Cinnamon.. remember that Cinnamon is fantastic for regulating your Blood Sugar (a Good Thing! lol!), and the oatmeal and apple sauce are great for fibre, and lowering your cholesterol, and the weight loss will lower your Blood Pressure, and you'll look and feel fantastic, too ... they're just really, really good whole foods, and your body will thank you for it! All that in one little bowl of Apple Crumble! : )

Ugh, I couldn't get the pictures in the order I wanted them in... this program kept moving them around... frustrating, but you're a smartie, I'm sure you'll figure it out, no bother! lol!  Good Luck, and Happy Feasting!!  Ailsa xox! : )

Oooh, I had to step up my porridge and apple crumble regimen over the past week (I've dropped 2.5" off my waist in this last week - this works so fast, and is so effective in keeping the weight off) - so I have the porridge for breakfast, and the applesauce/oatmeal/cinnamon for my mid-afternoon snack (seems like that's a bad time for me, when I'd rather have almost anything else that's fancy!! hahaha!  Ah, well.  You can still have anything else you like when you have lots of oatmeal in your diet - oatmeal will just 'carry it all away', if you know what I mean! lol!  Sorry!! I think the oatmeal goes through your system, finds little bits and pieces of fat, carries that away with it, too! 'Get on my back, fat, let's get outta here!!' That's the oatmeal speaking!!  hahaha!  

Oh, and here's an extra little bonus when you make the porridge with salt that is iodized... that's a good source of iodine, which can be tricky to get, but, certainly, if you are on a low-salt diet, skip the slat, or if you are eating your porridge with brown sugar and cinnamon, skip the salt... I happen to love my porridge the Scottish way (reminds me of my Dad every time I have my porridge, because Daddy made the porridge on the weekends - a lovely childhood memory for me!)  So try the whole oatmeal thing - is worth a shot, and is oatmeal is fantastic for bringing down your cholesterol, and when you lose weight, that will bring your blood pressure down, too - see how great oatmeal is?! lol!    https://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.ca/2012/04/scottish-porridge-eat-yer-oatmeal-lose.html

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