Low Cost Christmas Wreath

One of the easiest way to keep costs down is to use things you already own. You would think that would go without saying, but often times people need a reminder to look around and see what they have. This wreath used to have different Barry and ribbons Onnit what they had seen better days. The rest of the reef looks nice still so I removed everything to get down to just a basic green wreath.

From there I decided to check out what kind of Christmas crafting supplies and wrapping supplies and decorations I had leftover from other projects. What I found was some bulbs that I did buy from the Dollar Tree last year. We had used some of the bulbs in the pack to make our own personalized ornaments but did not use them all. The ribbon was left over from Christmas wrapping from years past and worked well to drape it and hot glue it into place. And the boat was one that was left over in a pack of other bows from a different crafting project in years past. So all and all I paid nothing to make this and half a new roof on the porch this season.

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Are you thinking ahead and looking for ideas on how to use your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving?

Just pick up a bag of Shore Lunch Creamy Wild Rice Soup from your grocery store and make according to the instructions (it cooks up in about 20 minutes and only needs water!) and add about 1 Cup of chopped turkey to the mix. That's it.

I have bought this soup several times and sometimes I had leftover chicken. I usually have one of these (or another my this company) in the pantry in case I do have leftover meat I want to add to it. This is NOT a sponsored post or anything, I just think they make a mix that gives you a fresh tasting soup that is of restaurant quality. Try it for yourself.

If you need other ideas, try out my other posts to find other ideas to use up turkey leftovers:

• 10 Ideas from 2012
• 10 Ideas from 2013

Guess I decided not to do a round up in 2014, well, I might have to re-think that for 2015.

Easy Taco Mac - Kid Favorite!!!

Do you have some leftover taco meat?

You can easily use up your leftover taco meat by adding it to your kids favorite box of macaroni and cheese with some salsa. Be sure to use my Clean Eating Taco Seasoning recipe, even if your box macaroni isn't so clean. :)

TACO MAC

1 box of macaroni and cheese (made per package)

1/2 C cooked taco meat

1/2 C salsa

Directions:

Just stir in your leftover taco meat and some salsa in to you cooked macaroni & cheese.

Enjoy!

Coconut Flour Protein Coffee Cake

Coconut Flour Protein Coffee Cake

3/4 C coconut flour
3/4 C oat flour
1/2 C natural apple sauce
1 scoop vanilla protein shake mix
1 T stevia powder
4 eggs
1 1/2 C coffee
2 T coconut oil, melted
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt


Topping
1/2 C pecans, chopped
1/4 C unsweetened coconut
1/4 C old fashioned oatmeal
1/4 C sucanat
1/4 C melted coconut oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
• Combine all cake ingredients in a food processor and process until well mixed
• Spread cake mixture into the greased cake pan
• Mix together all topping ingredients in a bowl, except the coconut oil
• Slowly pour in melted coconut oil and stir together until topping is evenly mixed
• Sprinkle topping on top of cake
• Bake for 40-45 minutes

Overnight Creme Brule French Toast

This is always a family favorite, so much so I even put it my husband's family cook book. If I am making this for more than just our family, I make the full recipe as listed below. If I am making it just for our family of four then I half the recipe and bake it in an 8x8 pan. This is delicious and we often serve a dollop of whip cream on top.

This is a great make-ahead breakfast and you just need to get up in the morning and toss it in the oven. You will impress everyone with how awesome this tastes. I just made this again for Christmas at my parents house.

Creme Brule French Toast

½ cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 loaf of French bread, cut into thick slices
5 eggs
1½ cups half-and-half cream
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of cinnamon

Directions:

• In a sauce pan, melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup until it is a smooth brown syrup
• Pour mixture in a greased 13x9 cake pan and cover entire surface
• Place slices of bread on top of the syrup mixture
• Mix together remaining ingredients 
• Pour egg mixture over the top of the slices making sure to cover the tops off all the slices, it will all soap in to the slices as it rests
• Cover and place in the fridge overnight 
• Bake uncovered at 350 degree for 30 minutes
• Remove from pan and serve immediately
• Top with whipped cream, if desired

Easy to Make Bagel Bird Feeder

This is a fun way to use up bagels that may have gone stale in your fridge. Don't throw them away because no one wants to eat them. Just cover them in peanut butter and press in to some bird seed and hang out (I used leftover yarn) for birds and squirrels to enjoy. They will eat the seeds, peanut butter and the bagel. This is a fun activity to do with a preschool age child or younger.

Slow Cooker Saturday: Ham and Bean Soup

I find that this is a great soup to make with leftover ham. This past Christmas I cubed all the leftover ham we didn't eat sandwiches with so that it would be ready to use in Ham and Bean Soup and Split Pea Soup (coming later!) You won't actually be reading this post until much later because of my post scheduling. Think ahead for your Easter Ham or maybe just a Sunday Ham that you might have leftovers from. Great recipe for clean eating too!

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

 1 1/2 C ham, cubed (add ham bone too if you have one and have room)
2 - 15.5 oz cans of Great Northern Beans
1/2 med. onion, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped *use only 1 tsp if using dried
1 tsp dried basil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 C carrots, sliced or chopped
1 med potato, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 C broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Enjoy!

Make It Monday: Egg Dumplings

Dumpling soup (doesn't matter what else is in it, but usually it is turkey or chicken) is one of the most requested things from my daughter. She loves dumplings just like her mama, maybe it is our German heritage couple with the fact that we live in the Midwest, but we love dumplings. They are quite simple to make, so why not!

Try making Turkey Dumpling Soup with your leftover Christmas Turkey!

Egg Dumplings Recipe
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C sifted flour

Directions:

• Beat egg, salt and milk together
• Stir in flour
• Drop spoonfuls into boiling soup or water for 15 minutes, 30 minutes if cooking soup on low in a slow cooker
• Enjoy.

Friday 4-Part: Quick Lunch Ideas #1

Make your own personal pizzas using English Muffins as the base. These are also great for allowing kids to make their own pizza without having to make pizza dough.

I just used leftover organic veggie pizza sauce as the sauce layer (you could buy pizza sauce, but why not use-up something when you can) and top with you favorite toppings. I used mushrooms, onions and cheese.

You could make this a clean eating recipe by using whole wheat (or homemade clean eating) English Muffins.

Make this a lighter version by using Lite English Muffins.

Make It Monday: Slow Cooker Turkey Pad Thai

I just love using my slow cooker, don't you? You are going to love that this recipe will help you use up some leftover turkey too! (Think post-Thanksgiving!) Plus this is a Clean Eating Recipe too! You could make it gluten-free by using gluten free pasta.

Slow Cooker Turkey Pad Thai Recipe
1/2 C hot water
1/4 C raw sugar
2 T rice vinegar
2 T low sodium soy sauce
1 T chili garlic sauce
1 lime, juiced
2 C leftover turkey, cubed
2 C broccoli slaw, packed
1 C bok choy, chopped and packed
1 C napa cabbage, chopped and packed
1/2 C cilantro packed
1/2 med. onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, chopped
8 oz. whole wheat organic linguine

Directions:

• Combine water, sugar, vinegar, garlic sauce and lime juice in a slow cooker and stir to dissolve sugar
• Stir turkey in to sauce to cover
• Add broccoli slaw, bok choy, cabbage, cilantro, onion, garlic and scallions and stir to mix
• Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours
• Make linguini as per package directions just before serving
• Toss with slow cooker mixture
• Serve and Enjoy!

Thirty Thursday: Be Prepared to Use Up Leftover Almond Bark

Let's say you just finished making the Peanut Butter Balls recipe I shared with you on Monday, but you have leftover almond bark. Well, don't let it go to waste. Use it to make other yummy creations.

I used my leftover almond to make chocolate covered pretzel rods with sprinkles, but you could use make regular chocolate covered pretzels. Or if you want to change it up, regular potato chips covered in chocolate are fantastic. Another idea would be to make a banana popsicle by splitting a banana in half and inserting a popsicle stick on the wide end and then dipping in chocolate. Or how about chocolate covered strawberries, cherries, or blueberries -- they all taste wonderful.

No need to throw away leftover melted chocolate because you had more than you needed for your recipe.

Make It Monday: Decorated Sugar Cone Christmas Trees

They are a simple & tasty activity and can be a little messy. 

All you need are sugar cones (I had 4 leftover from this summer when I made the campfire smores with them.

Just spread green frosting over the sugar cones (actually, this was leftover from my son's John Deere birthday party and I just stuck it in the freezer, this is turning in to a use up project - Haha!)

Then place on sprinkles & candies and you are finished.

Be sure to check out all of my 5 Days of Christmas Tree Crafts:

• Felt and Button Christmas Tree Ornament
• Felt Advent Calendar Christmas Tree
• Pipecleaner and Bead Christmas Tree
• Decorated Sugar Cone Trees
• Measurement and Counting Christmas Tree Activity

Thrifty Thursday: 10 Ideas for Leftover Turkey

Did you make an over-sized turkey this year? 

Or maybe someone sent you home with a bunch of leftover turkey.....

Here are some ideas of what to do with that leftover turkey

• Turkey and Corn Enchiladas

• Grilled Cheese, Pear and Smoked Turkey Sandwich

• Turkey Pumpkin Chili

• Turkey Dumpling Soup

• Turkey Mushroom Tettrazini

• Turkey Pad Thai

• Turkey Springrolls

• Shepard's Pie with Leftover Turkey and Mashed Potatoes

• Four Cheese Turkey Mac & Cheese

• Leftover Turkey & Swiss Panini

Make It Monday: Banana Cake

Banana Cake

1/2 C coconut oil

1 C raw cane sugar

2 C whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 sour milk

1 C mashed ripe bananas

2 eggs

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 C black walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 9x13 cake pan.

Cream coconut oil with sugar. 

Stir in dry ingredients.

Add 1/4 C sour milk and bananas and mix on low until all dry ingredients are dampened.

Add eggs, walnuts (optional), 1/4 C sour milk and extract.

Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Dust with powdered sugar or frost with cream cheese frosting.

Serve & Enjoy!

Thrifty Thursday: Make Homemade Soup (Plus Recipe!)

Homemade soup can be an very economical and healthy way to feed your family. Often you can use-up ingredients from your fridge so as not to waste. Soup is very filling and can help you eat from most of the food groups in just one bowl. Make a big batch and freeze some. Plus this is a great clean eat recipe too!

Crockpot Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup for a Crowd
Feed a crowd or save store some in the freezer

1/2 chicken, cooked, skin removed & cut in to chunks
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 C frozen vegetables (your choice)
6 C chicken broth
pepper, to taste
3/4 C pearled barley

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients except the barley in a 6 QT crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours. 1-2 hours before serving, stir in barley.

Serve & Enjoy!

Make It Monday: Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is a great way to use up old bread or milk. And it is something that kids can help with the process. Having kids put the bread cubes in the pan or sprinkling raisins on top is a great way to get them involved.

Bread Pudding

1 pound (16 oz) of bread (I used old homemade wheat bread)
4 whole eggs, beaten
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 T butter, softened
1 1/2 C raw sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
3 C milk (your preference, cow's milk, rice milk, almond milk, etc.)
1 tsp vanilla extract (do not need to add if you use vanilla flavored milk)
1/2 C raisins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray 13x9 baking pan with non-stick spray.
Tear or cut bread in to 1" sections and place in pan in an even layer.

Mix beaten eggs, butter and 1 1/4 C sugar in a bowl.
Add nutmeg, cinnamon, extracts & milk and whisk until well blended.
Pour milk mixture over the bread.
Sprinkle raisins on top.
Let stand for 10 milk so the bread can absorb the milk mixture.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove foil and sprinkle with 1/4 C sugar.
Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes.
Serve warm & enjoy!

* The butter in the bottom pictured was supposed to be mixed in withe sugar & eggs, but I forgot it. Ooops! So, I added it to the milk mixture and it wasn't able to be mixed as well, but it still turned out great.

#177 Create Paint Chip Art

I wish I could remember where it was that the piece I saw online was that inspired me to create this art piece for my husband for a Christmas present. And since I couldn't remember where I saw it, I had to come up with my own idea of how it should look and how to make it.

Honestly, I thought this would be a simple piece to create but it turned out to be a thorn in my side.

The supplies I used were:

* 9 pieces of paint chip samples

* 16x20 stretched canvas

* blue painter's tape

* leftover glue

* leftover wood stain

* an old rag

* leftover spray laquer

I bought the canvas from Michael's craft store & used a 20% off coupon. The paint chip samples came from Lowe's and I trimmed them square so that there was no words showing and of course these are free in the paint department.

After trimming up the paint chip samples, I glued them to the canvas. The problem was that the paper samples curled up on the sides.I tried 2 different times of gluing them down and putting objects on top to keep them flat. It did not work. Then I used blue painter's tape across all the edges to keep them down. This worked pretty well, but I did have to apply another bit of glue on the very edge and tape down a second time.

After the squares were glued flat to the canvas, I rubbed leftover wood stain over the entire canvas & squares. Then I rubbed some of the stain off the squares so more colored showed through.

Finally, after the stain was dried, I applied 2 coats of spray lacquer (letting them dry in between).

So, this was my attempt at a Christmas gift for my husband and I think it turned out pretty good. I made it for him to display in his home office. It's hard to come up with ideas to make gifts for guys, but he seemed to appreciate this one, as well as the hat I knit for him with the Knifty Knitter.

#147 Homemade Instruments

Well, these were super simple and quick to make. I took a leftover piece of 2x4 from the xylophone project and cut it into 2 pieces that would be small enough for my daughter to put her hands around. I then stapled the sandpaper down on all four sides and wrapped the edges in duct tape so it wouldn't peel up. She was so excited to have sandpaper blocks since she has never had these before and they have some at preschool to play.

The other instrument we made were maracas using empty spice containers. My daughter wanted each one to have a different sound, so one has a few nails in it and then the other had some rocks. My son was able to some shaking and liked them. I wrapped duct tape around the top to make it harder for little hands to get it open.

#135 Rose Petal Tutu

I bought the tulle for $2, I already owned the thread, elastic, ribbon, & flowers. Actually, the flowers you have seen previously on a Christmas present project and they were ones I got from a rummage sale.

To make this tutu I used 2 yards of tulle. I left the tulle folded in half and then folded over the top (unfinished edge) twice to make a waist through which to string the elastic through. The bottom edge was folded. I stitched a seam across the waist, strung elastic though, stitched ends of elastic to make a loop. Next I filled with what flower petals I had (I kinda wish I had more) and then stitched a seam on the inside of the skirt, sealing the to open ends. Then I stitched a ribbon on the back seam, allowing it to be tied around front.

I left the elastic wide enough so it would fit comfortably but have plenty of give for putting over other clothes (as she sometimes like to layer many outfits.)

We are giving her this as an Easter present. Now I just need to finish the other Easter presents for her & her brother.