Today is a hodgepodge of ideas that can’t be organized into one category.  But then, isn’t that how our lives are at this time of the year — scattered and unorganized?  (Well, at least mine is anyway . . .)

Here is a great idea for a stocking stuffer.  Just put sticky-backed Velcro circles on a ping pong or Wiffle ball, add a winter glove, and you’re done!  One pair of gloves gives you two gifts.  Can’t get much cheaper than that!  You might want to make a set to keep on hand (pun intended here, folks) when your grandchildren come to play at your house.  (I can see it now — Spencer, Natalie, and Simon tossing the ball to me while I sit in my rocking chair sipping hot cocoa.)  Click here for specific directions on making them.

(I’m thinking ahead to summer.  Wouldn’t it be fun to have some of these at a family reunion?  At your grandma camp? For a grandchild’s birthday party?  You might even want to have a contest to see who could be the Stickie Ball Champion.)

Will you have a Christmas family get together in the next few days?   Want to have an easy (and cheap) Christmas-y project for grandchildren to do? (Parents can participate, too, if they behave nice.)  You can make a plethora of these Ten Seconds Ornaments. You might want to sing Christmas songs while you’re making them.  Those of us who are craft-challenged shouldn’t have too hard of a time making these!  (The operative word here, folks, is shouldn’t.) You also might want to spend some time poking around the Dollar Store Craft site.  Lots of cheap and easy ideas there.

A game that fits inside an Altoids tin box. A miniature game.  Cute! The Little Game Box can be either a memory game or a treasure hunt game. You can download the labels, game sheets, and directions from this site. An easy last minute gift.  This is another site that you might want to spend some time on.

Now for some edible creativity.  When I saw these Santa and Rudolf pancakes, I instantly wanted to make some. Like, I didn’t want to wait until breakfast.  Nothing wrong with that, is there?  Why not also try your hand at making snowmen pancakes, Christmas tree pancakes, ornament pancakes, or gingermen pancakes?  Be sure to involve your grandchildren in the whole mess process.  What great kitchen fun — and a delight for grandchildren to eat.

Only 8 more days until Christmas!

Every holiday season, my work sponsors a ‘lean Santa’ program.  This is to help employees keep their weight within a 2 pound increase during the holidays by encouraging healthy eating and regular exercise at this time of year.  Do you know how hard it is to not gain weight over the holidays?

So, sometimes (though not really very often) I think that I should make a healthier version of the Cream Cheese Pie that I wrote about yesterday.  If you, too, are trying to be calorie conscious yet not wanting to sacrifice the taste (at least too much), you might be interested in this light version of the recipe.

Light Cream Cheese Pie

8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces Cool Whip Lite
1/4 cup sugar
9 inch pie crust

Cream ingredients together and pour into pie shell.  Chill.  Serve with cherry pie, raspberry, blueberry, or apple pie filling — or drizzle chocolate and caramel ice cream topping on top.

This recipe is even easier to make than the original version.  So, let your grandchildren make this all on their own. They would be proud as punch to be the sole chef in making this pie!

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you know that your children and grandchildren will be coming for a holiday visit?  Food!  At least that’s what I think of right off the bat.  (Playing the Beatle’s Rock Band comes in a close second.)

If you’re a working grandma like me, you may be pinched for time to get all of the grocery shopping and cooking done before they arrive.  But, here’s a novel idea.  When doing your menu planning, be sure to include things that are very easy to make — and then have your grandchildren help you make them.  (Got that Spence, Natalie, and Simon?)  You’ll have bonding moments together and end up with something delightful to eat.

A Cream Cheese Pie is one of those simple to make and decadently rich to eat items but is fun to make with your grandchildren.  Here’s the recipe.

Cream Cheese Pie

1 eight ounce package of cream cheese
1 (fifteen ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup Real Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 nine-inch graham cracker crust pastry shell

toppings such as cherry, raspberry, blueberry, apple pie filling, or chocolate and caramel ice cream topping

In a glass bowl, soften cream cheese in a microwave for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk.  Slowly add lemon juice.  Add vanilla.  Pour in pie shell and chill.

When ready to serve, drizzle the chocolate and caramel ice cream topping over top.  Or, add a dollop of pie filling on individual servings.

Bon appétit!

Christmas is all about food, right?  Good stuff you make to eat when your family comes to visit.  Treats to take to neighbors on a paper plate covered with Seran Wrap and topped with a holiday bow.  Rich, thigh-thickening, ooey-gooey goodies at the office party.

I’ve got a yummy recipe for you to try.  It’s easy peasy to make so it won’t stress you out.  (Well, maybe if you eat all of it all by yourself, you might get a wee bit stressed out when you think of the possible weight gain.)  And, your family will adore them (if you leave them some and if they like chocolate and peanut butter).

This would also be a great recipe to make with your grandchildren.  They will feel like a successful chef when they make this treat.  Making this could become a great Christmas tradition for grandma and grandchildren.

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

1/2 cup butter (can use margarine)
1 3/4 cup powdered confectioner’s sugar
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter (can use margarine)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line an 8×8 inch pan with foil for easy removal.

Melt 1/2 cup butter of low heat.  Remove from heat and stir in powdered confectioner’s sugar.  Add peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs, stirring until creamy.  Spread mixture into pan, patting down evenly.

Using the same pot (makes for easy cleanup!), melt butter using low heat.  Add chocolate chips and stir until they are soft (almost melted).  Be careful because you can cook them too much and the chocolate will go hard and you won’t be able to spread it on top.  (In that case, you’d just have to eat the chocolate yourself to hide the evidence that you screwed up.)

Remove from heat and stir until chocolate is smooth and shiny.  Spread over peanut butter layer.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Cut into bars.

Store peanut butter cup bars in refrigerator.

Happy baking — and eating!