Homemade Lipstick

I needed some summer colored lipstick so the Teen Queen whipped me up a batch of a color crayon I picked out.  She was babysitting and the purple is the color the little girl picked out to make for her mom 🙂

You can see how we make our lipstick on my facebook page here:  ChasenChanceRanch Lipstick

Snow Ice Cream

A big thank you to Jill at The Prairie Homestead for sharing this wonderful recipe (Snow Ice Cream).  We finally had a chance to make it tonight and it was a huge hit.

The kids happily collected fresh snow that was coming down

We used the 8 cups the recipe called for.  You can cut this in half as it was more than enough for a family of 4

Next we measured and mixed the remaining ingredients (1 cup of cream, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 cup maple syrup).  We added an extra 1/4 cup of syrup and it was just perfect for a nice after dinner dessert.(we used store bought as we are out of our homemade syrup)

We whisked it into the snow mixing a bit longer to make it creamy and smooth.  YUM

Now we have 2 awesome recipes (Molasses on Snow Candy) that we can make on those snowy nights!

Molasses on Snow Candy

This recipe is from the Little House on the Prairie Cookbook.  This is one of my favorite Little House books and we try all different recipes from it.

One of the favorites of the kids is the Molasses candy you make using snow.  Every year they are excited to make their first batch and will make a few throughout the winter.  It’s a simple recipe and fun for the kids.

Here is the batch the tween made.  She likes to make swirly designs where I like to make small round circles perfect for popping in your mouth.

Once you are done you store outside covered so the snow stays frozen and keeps the syrup hard like candy.

I actually really enjoy the flavor of this candy as well.  It’s nice to break off a little piece whenever that sweet tooth hits!!

Molasses on Snow Candy (as taken from the Little House on the Prairie Cookbook)

1 cup of dark molasses

½ cup brown sugar

Snow

Fill 2 cookie sheets or cake pans with snow and leave outside to stay cold

In a large sauce pan combine molasses and brown sugar and bring to a boil stirring frequently

Boil on medium heat approximately 5 minutes (it will boil up which is why you need a large pot)

After 5 minutes drop a tiny drop into a clean glass of cold water

If the drop dissolves boil another 2 minutes (or if you are candy thermometer person heat to 245F)

If the drop stays in a soft ball remove from heat

Bring one pan of snow in and slowly pour syrup onto snow making designs or in circles

Continue until the syrup is gone.

Store in the freezer in the snow or outside covered (we store it in the closed grill with waxed paper on top).

When ready for a piece of candy, peel up only the amount you are going to eat keeping the rest on the snow until ready to eat!!

Antique find art

At the antique shop we visited the other day (read about it here), the tween found this shell box.  It was only $5.00 she explained and was full of tiny shells she just KNEW she needed.  My first thought was…HOARDER.  Ok, I’m sorry but she is.  She just LOVES junk and junk which has lots of extra pieces is even more appealing.  But it is her allowance (they feed the animals in the afternoons while I am at work and clean stalls) and I let her spend it.

Shell box and $1.00 glass pieces

Well to my surprise, she really did NEED that junk.  When I came home from work yesterday she asked me about a shadow box I had purchased that was too small and we never returned it.  I gave it to her along with some glue and this is what she created:

M is for Meghan one of her best friends

She took the shells and complemented them with some pretty glass rocks from our local dollar store.  She then decorated the frame.  She used every little shell in that box.

It is all drying today and she will save it to give to her friend as a Christmas present.

Hmmm….maybe she isn’t just a hoarder after all 🙂

Gardening in Pots

Gardening in Pots

This is yet another gardening in pots list of items that will do well!!  Too good not to share.

I have been a gardener for around 35 years.  Can’t believe I never thought of this until I started seeing it on facebook so much.  Without a greenhouse this is a good option.  I have already filled my pot for my “100 lbs” of potatoes from an earlier post and can roll it in and out of the garage if needed until we are sure it’s spring in Buffalo, NY.  Today it is 72 degrees and tomorrow the high is 37 degrees with a light dusting of snow predicted!! 

I will update on my pot gardening as time goes on!!