Blog - Gluesticks Blog

Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa

December 16, 2013 By Brandy 1 Comment

My husband makes the best hot cocoa. Our kids call it "Santa's favorite".Â And...it is. We like it as much, if not better, than Starbucks. That's saying a lot because I am a huge Starbucks hot cocoa fan! Rich, creamy, full of Ghirardelli chocolate flavor, and super easy too! It only takes 3 ingredients.

I think what makes it so good is that he doesn't use cocoa powder. Just chocolate.

Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa

To make your own you will need:

2 cups whole milk

⅓ c.Â Ghirardelli chocolate chips (OR dark chocolate melting wafers)

whipped cream (optional)

Chocolate chips work perfectly, but I usually buy a lot of the melting wafers forÂ my English toffee around the holidays and like to use them in cocoa too.

Heat milk into a sauce pan until it begins to simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Remove from heat and pour in chocolate chips.

Stir until chocolate has melted completely.

Top with whipped cream and any seasonal spices you'd like. As it cools, the chocolate will start to create a film over the cocoa. If this happens to your pot of hot cocoa, just warm it up again and the chocolate will melt smooth again.

My kids love peppermint cocoa too so I think I need to go buy some Torani syrups. Besides peppermint, what other flavors are worth trying? Mint? Hazelnut? I'd love your flavor combo suggestions!

Meet Toby: the newest member of the family.

December 14, 2013 By Brandy 20 Comments

Meet Toby! He is our 10 week black lab puppy. After being married for almost 12 years and being asked to get a dog, relentlessly by the kids, for the past 8, we are first time dog owners. We were on the hunt for a shelter dog, with little results. We wanted a family friendly dog that would be a good fit for us and this little guy kind of fell into our laps yesterday! Â And for not being a "dog person" he is kind of growing on me.

He was still living with his parents. The last puppy from the litter who was going to go to the owner's sister, but that didn't end up working out. They had already began training him and treated him like he was their own. He is very submissive Â and sweet, and so great with the kids.

Since we are one of the few Americans who haven't owned a dog, I thought I'd skip the crafting today and ask for some info and advice from you fabulous ladies!

Crate:

He is crate trained. We are thinking of having his crate upstairs in the hallway (we have a big landing). Good idea? Bad? Do crates generally go in a main living area?

Toys:

My sister gave me some great suggestions that they use for their mastiff. Any recommendations specifically for labs who chew on everything?

House:

This has been my main hang up with getting a dog. I don't want my house to smell like one. Most of my friends are probably sitting here with their jaw dropped hearing that there is a dog in my home. He is going to be an outdoor/indoor dog. So Â I'm hoping that keeping him brushed will help with the hair.

What products would you recommend for my carpet? He is almost potty trained so I'm looking more for fresheners. Nothing that gives off a cheap air freshener vibe, just something that deodorizes and absorbs. Thoughts?

I'm looking at getting another steam vac. Our other one only lasted a year. I'd love suggestions on those too.

I think that's all for now, but I'm sure I'll be back with more questions! If you have any advice for raising a lab, I'd love to hear it!

30 Minute Microwave Peanut Brittle

December 12, 2013 By Brandy 8 Comments

Growing up, one of my favorite things to receive at Christmas was homemade English toffee from my Aunt. My mom would also make microwave peanut brittle from a recipe she found in aÂ Country Christmas recipe bookÂ in the 90s. We loved it!Â I also enjoy making candy for friends and family during the holiday season. I've shared our toffee and caramel corn with you before so today I want to share our microwave peanut brittle recipe! The exact recipe my mom used is no longer around, but I found one that was just like it (with a few minor adjustments). My mom always used Spanish peanuts, but I couldn't find those so I used unsalted dry roasted.Â Make a batch and bring it to your Thanksgiving gathering!

I would HIGHLY recommend clicking through the link below that I gave credit toÂ and reading the comments about different timing settings for microwaves. My first batch ever scorched, but once I figured out the timing for my wattage of microwave it was fine.

30 Minute Microwave Peanut Brittle

adapted

(original recipe for a 700 watt microwave. My instructions below are for a 1000 watt microwave)

2 c. raw Spanish peanuts (or roasted unsalted peanuts)

1 c. sugar

½ c. light corn syrup

dash of kosher salt

1 T. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

cooking spray

Lightly spray baking sheet cooking spray. Set aside. In large glass bowl, combine peanuts, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir to coat peanuts evenly. Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir. Microwave another 2 minutes. Stir.

Add butter and vanilla. Stir. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes.

Add baking soda. Stir.

Pour mixture out onto baking sheet. Gently smooth into an even layer of peanuts. Let sit for 15 minutes. Break up into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Fill bowl with hot, soapy, water and let sit. This will make it easier to clean. If you are making multiple batches, having another glass bowl is nice.

Makes 1 pound of peanut brittle.

Beaded Charm Bracelets

December 11, 2013 By Brandy 2 Comments

Today I'm sharing another fun gift idea that kids can make (with a little help). The girls made these beaded charm bracelets to give to each other for Christmas. Ruby loved the one she made for Kaylee. Little does she know that Kaylee made one for her too! They were incredibly easy to make.Â Here's a very quick tutorial.

You will need:

beads

Â a bail to glue your charm on (if it doesn't have fitting on it already)

super glue

stretchy cording

sand paper (optional)

I used a bit of sand paper and sanded the back of our charm and the front of the bail. Just to rough it up a bit to make sure it had a nice firm hold. Then I super glued the charm onto the bail and let it dry for a few minutes.

You can turn any little resin bead or cabochonÂ into a charm by adding a bail on the back!

Then we strung it with beads and tied several knots in the cording! Nice and sturdy and stretchy!

If your cording is slippery you can add a dab of super glue on your knot to keep it in place.

I think they turned out darling! The charms and beads and little gift bags came from Wholeport. The bails came in a 3 pk. at Michaels in the jewelry section for a few bucks.

This post contains links to products that I ordered and received in exchange for use in a post on Gluesticks. I picked out each item and each review is 100% my own.

Paracord Bracelet: a gift that kids can make!

December 10, 2013 By Brandy 1 Comment

Make a DIY paracord bracelet! A fun and practical gift that kids can make. Paracord comes in so many bright colors. Mix and match for a custom bracelet. Step by step videos will show you how to make your own!

Dallin has been a busy bee over here! He has been having fun making paracord bracelets to give to family and friends for Christmas. All of our kids are making gifts this year instead of buying them, and I will be sharing our ideas throughout the giving season with you! Rubber band bracelets seem to be all the rage lately. These fads come and go, just like the silly bands. Remember those? I like these paracord bracelets because they are not just a fashion statement, they are actually functional too! A nice little bonus that got Dallin's attention.

Dallin is 10 years old, in Webelos, and has a best friend who is into the same things. They are two peas in a pod as they explore our small town on their bikes. It's a fun age, an age of new independence.

Paracord Survival bracelets are the perfect gift for kids to make (with assistance from mom or dad) because they aren't just a bracelet, they are a tool at the same time. Dallin is all about his gadgets (pocket knife, survival tool, compass, etc.).Â Here are 10 uses for paracord survival bracelets!

I ordered him a big pack of cording and fittings on ebay for a great deal, my husband found a youtube video, and they got started. There are many styles to choose from, but they kept it nice and basic. A one color bracelet and a two color bracelet. These were the best how to videos they found.

DIY Paracord Bracelet

Before long, Dallin was tying them all on his own. He is pretty fast at it too!Â The ease of making these bracelets depends on your child and their skill level. He needed Dad's assistance with setting up the bracelet and adding the fittings, but once Dad got that going, he could make the ties on his own.

Dad helped with burning the edges of the cording.

There are so many fun colors to choose from!

This tiny little one he made for 2 year old, Ruby, is one of my favorites. It's so cute! She has no idea that she could use it as a spare shoe lace, an archery bow, a trap, a tourniquet, or a splint. For her it is a pretty fashion statement, but to a scout it's a pretty awesome survival tool.

Homemade Beauty Products to Make for Pampering & Gifts

December 2, 2013 By Brandy 2 Comments

I love making and receiving homemade beauty products! Everyone loves to be pampered, but we don't always pamper ourselves. Here are a dozen recipes. Many that I have made, personally, and some that I've handpicked to share from other talented ladies online!

Homemade Melt and Pour Chapstick from Gluesticks

Lip gloss is one of the easiest homemade beauty products to make. If you can melt and pour, you can make lip gloss. Like Burt’s Bees? You can make your own version of their peppermint lip gloss yourself for a fraction of the price. Prefer something sweeter? Add your own flavorings and scents to create any variation you want!

Homemade Peppermint Sugar Scrub

Peppermint, oil, and sugar combine for an invigorating sugar scrub to use on hands and feet.

Homemade Whipped Body Butter from Holistic Squid

This whipped body butter looks absolutely dreamy! Spoon into a cute jar for the perfect gift.

Homemade Lotion Bars

Lotion bars are how to cure dry, winter hands. I use this on both my hands and feet to heal cracks and dry skin.

Homemade Poppy Seed Soap Recipes from Gluesticks

Melt and pour soap is so fun to customize! Use any scent you'd like and add fun things like poppy seeds for texture.

Homemade Lip Gloss from Cheeky Kitchen

These lip gloss containers from Cheeky Kitchen are perfectly packaged and come in sweet smelling scents.

Sweet Orange Bath Bombs

This homemade sweet orange bath bomb recipe is made with simple ingredients. Bath bombs are the perfect luxurious gift to make!

Candy Cane Soap from Gluesticks

This candy cane soap smells as good as it looks! Layers of pink and white melt and pour soap come together for this sweet holiday soap.

Crayon Lip Gloss

Here is a fun activity for the kids to make! Coconut oil and crayons combine to create a rainbow of colorful lip gloss.

Easy Homemade Bath Salts from Garden Therapy

Bath salts are one of the easiest homemade beauty products to make and are easy to customize! Package them into a cute jar for a great teacher's gift.

Lemon Mint Sugar Scrub from Gluesticks

Lemon mint sugar scrub works great in the kitchen to get rid of odors on your hands.

Homemade Bath Bombs from Club Chica Circle

These cute bath bombs would be a great gift for so many different occasions. Who doesn't like a pampering tub bath at the end of a long day?

Over 14 Amazing Soup and Roll Recipes for the Winter Months

November 22, 2013 By Brandy 4 Comments

Soup season is upon us so I thought I would share some of our favorite soup and roll {and bread}Â recipes. Perfect for winter, perfect to warm you up. Complete comfort food. Feel free to pin whatever you like! Some pictures take you 2 recipes. A double feature for you! Just click the title beneath each photo to go to the recipe.

Chicken Avocado Soup

Â Easy Homemade Focaccia Bread

Â Chicken Enchilada Soup

English Muffin BreadÂ

Â Taco Soup

Homemade French Bread (Loaves, Rolls, or Mini Loaves)

Lasagna Soup

Pretzel Bites

Â Homemade Noodles Over Potatoes

Â Breadmaker Rolls

Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup and Homemade Breadsticks

Â Pretzel Rolls

Turkey Chili and Cornbread

Chicken Florentine

November 19, 2013 By Brandy 2 Comments

Chicken Florentine has been one of our favorite dinners for years. Even our children love it. Spinach and all. It is made with the simplest healthy ingredients, but is full of flavor. It is also wonderful the next day for lunch. I've made it with fresh spinach as well as frozen and didn't notice a difference in flavor so I usually stick with frozen. It's just easier. This recipe was recently featured in the June issue of All You Magazine as an easy under $10 family dinner! So glad they like it too.

Chicken Florentine

4 chicken breast halves

1( 16 oz.) bag frozen spinach

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

black pepper, to taste

¼ tsp. poultry seasoning

3 T. olive oil, divided

¾ c. white cooking wine

collage of spinach and chicken rolled up with toothpicks

Heat 1 T. oil in a skillet on med-high heat. Add garlic and cook for about a minute. Add spinach, ½ tsp. kosher salt, and pepper. Cook until spinach has heated through. Strain spinach in a colander and press with paper towels to soak up the juices.

Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally. If your pieces are nice and thin you don't need to pound them, but if they are hard to roll up, place in a ziploc bag and flatten with a rolling pin.

Divide your spinach into 8 sections (a few tablespoons each) and spoon into the center of each chicken breast. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.

Heat the rest of the oil (2T) in pan on med-high heat. Add chicken. Sprinkle with remaining salt and poultry seasoning, and pepper to taste. Brown for 2-3 minutes, turn and cook other side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

chicken breasts seared in pan with spinach

measuring cup adding chicken broth to pan

Â Do you like my new measuring cups? They were a gift from Santa last year 🙂

Add wine, cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove lid, turn the heat to HIGH and let simmer until most of the wine has cooked down.

Place chicken on a platter and pour remaining juices over chicken.

Remove toothpicks and serve.

20+ Creative Homemade Advent Calendar Ideas

November 18, 2013 By Brandy 4 Comments

Over 20 creative homemadeÂ advent calendarÂ ideas to help children count down the days until Christmas! From simple paper advents to candy tins, there's something for everyone. And if you are looking for advent ideas that you don't have to make, here are a dozen darling ones that you can order with free shipping!

Homemade Advent Calendar Ideas

Gingerbread Cookie Countdown

Count down the days to Christmas with a Christmas cookie advent! Cut one cookie off every day until Christmas Eve.

Tissue Paper Homemade Advent Calendar

A simple DIY advent calendar made from paper cups and tissue paper. Fill with small erasers, candy or strips of paper with Christmas activity ideas inside. Kids can break open the tissue each day to find the surprise inside!