• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 cups sea salt
• 2 cups light olive oil
• Peppermint Essential Oil (20-30 drops)
• 3-4 drops red food coloring (optional)
• 8 half pint jars with lids or 4 pint jars with lids

In a large bowl combine sugar, salt, and olive oil.  Then add enough peppermint oil to suit your preference.  Add a few drops of red food coloring if desired and stir all with a wire whisk.  Spoon mixture into jar and seal with lid.  To use scrub, rub onto moistened feet or hands to exfoliate. Rinse and pat hands or feet dry.

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• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (or citrus essential oil)
• 1 Tablespoon honey (optional for extra moisturizing)
• 1 pint jar  or 2 half pint jars with lids

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients until well mixed.  The recipe should yield about 16 oz of scrub, enough to fill a pint jar, or 2 half pints.  To use apply a Tablespoon of the scrub to moist hands and exfoliate then rinse hands and pat dry with a clean cloth.  May be used as a body scrub however use caution in the shower as the oil will make the surface very slippery.

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Christmas is coming quickly!  So on the 3rd day of Christmas Jar Gifts I give you Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix.  This recipe makes approximately 3 pint sized jars of mix and it only took me a couple of minutes to dump and mix the ingredients together and pour them into a jar.  I’ve adapted Alton Brown’s recipe by adding the peppermint bits and marshmallow bits. I think this is the best hot chocolate mix I’ve ever tasted. Here’s how to get started:

In a large mixing bowl combine:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa (Dutch cocoa is best but I just used regular)
• 2 1/2 cups powdered/ dried milk (I used PEAK whole powdered milk)
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• dash of cayenne pepper

The following ingredients are needed for layering in the jar or can be added upon serving the hot chocolate:

• mini marshmallow bits
• crushed peppermint pieces or Andy’s mint bits

Pour hot chocolate mix into 3 pint or 6 half pint jars.  Approximately 1/4 cup of marshmallow bits and mint pieces can be layered in the jar with the hot chocolate mix.

To make hot chocolate, fill a mug almost half full with hot chocolate mix.  Add hot water to fill mug and stir to combine.

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Do you like the taste of real vanilla extract but hate to pay the price?  Unless you have a relative headed to Mexico or Central America who can bring you back some foreign vanilla, you would probably pay over $20 US dollars for a pint of vanilla extract.  OR you could pick up a cheap bottle of Vodka (6 bucks) and a vanilla bean pod (3 bucks) and make your own vanilla extract for a lot less money.  If you have a pint sized Mason jar, fill it with the Vodka and add the vanilla bean pod.  Put a lid on the jar to seal it, then set it in a dark cabinet and forget about it for 4-6 months.  The longer the jar sets, the darker and more flavorful the vanilla will become.  Then you can adorn the jar and give it as a gift.  Also Vodka will easily take on the flavor of other spices and even herbs (I’ve read this but not tried it yet).  I could have filled another pint jar with the remaining Vodka if I had bought 2 vanilla bean pods back in May instead of 1.  So a quart – 32 oz of home made vanilla would cost me about 12 dollars.  Oh, and save those vanilla beans – they can be used again when you make your next batch!

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I’m excited to be featuring a “12 Days of Christmas” series here on the blog.  In my opinion Mason Jars and Ball Jars are like the crystal of the South.  The honey we purchase comes in these pretty jars that I always save and today the trail mix is stored in the honey jar, adorned with a tulle ribbon and is ready to give as a gift.  Since this mix is a favorite snack of the middle child, he will probably be the recipient.

• 2 cups pecans or walnuts
• 1 12 oz package extra dark chocolate baking chips
• 1 cup Craisins or dried cherries
• 1 quart Mason Jar or other large jar with lid
• ribbon

Mix all nuts, chocolate pieces, and dried fruit in a large mixing bowl. Then pour into jar and screw the lid on.  Adorn jar with your favorite ribbon.  EASY.

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This festive treat is just too easy to make.  All you need is some Cranberry Canada Dry and some good quality vanilla ice cream.  We love Blue Bell’s Home Made Vanilla flavor.  A couple of scoops of ice cream goes into a tall sundea or beverage glass, then the glass gets filled (slowly) with the Cranberry Soda.  And since the high here was over 70 degrees for December 1st, this beverage was quite refreshing.

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I know this post is not a recipe but I wanted to share something simple to make, a repurposing project.  I have such fond memories of spending time with my grandparents in the country when I was a child.  I used to ride into the fields and to the barns in granddaddy’s old green pickup truck, which smelled of hay and tobacco and manure.  My cousins and I enjoyed many afternoons playing in his tobacco barn.  I was thrilled when I inquired if there were any of granddaddy’s tobacco sticks left.  My grandmother, being sentimental, had salvaged a few before the barn was burned down years ago.  And she was happy that I had a little project for them.

This project only needs 5 tobacco sticks and a few screws.  My son adorned this star with clear lights and we hung it on our back porch.  I intend to change this up a bit with seasonal wreaths and flowers throughout the year.

I just LOVE looking at this star while sipping coffee on the back porch at night.  It reminds me of my family patriarch but more importantly, it reminds me of that star which shone so brightly to annouce that a King had been born in Bethlehem over 2 thousand years ago.  Miss you Granddaddy! And thank you Jesus for all you’ve done for us.

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I have not researched this, but Chess Square HAVE to be Southern, don’t they?  This is something I know must be true because I FEEL it deep down in my heart.  If I am wrong, please humor me and let me believe in ignorance, just once.

Here is the basic Chess Square recipe.  It is also called “Gooey Butter Cake” in some cookbooks, but “Chess Square” sounds more appealing, tastier, more Southern Belle right?

Theme:

In large bowl mix together:

• 1 stick real butter- melted
• 1 butter recipe yellow cake mix
• 1 egg

Press this mixture into a 9×13 pan.

Mix together until blended:

• 1 8oz package softened cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 pound powdered sugar

Pour cream cheese mixture over cake mix mixture.  Place in preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cream cheese mixture turns a light golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool before cutting into squares.  Dust lightly with powdered sugar for garnish.

Variations:

Carrot Cake Chess Squares:  (pictured above)

Substitute a Duncan Heinz Deluxe Carrot Cake Mix for the Butter Yellow cake mix.  Save the nut/carrot pouch, adding it to the ingredients in the second layer. I like to make these carrot cake ones for Easter, or when we are craving carrot cake, but don’t have time to bake one from scratch.

Lemon Chess Cake Squares:

Substitute a Lemon Cake Mix for the Butter Yellow cake mix.  Add the juice and zest of 2 lemons to the ingredients in the second layer.

Toffee Chess Cake Squares:

Substitute a German Chocolate Cake Mix for the Butter Yellow cake mix in the first layer.  Add a bag of Heath Toffee Bits to the ingredients in the second layer.  Drizzle caramel sauce over squares for garnish when serving.

Printable Recipe

Chess Squares

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Sometimes a recipe is just too delicious to believe it could be easy to make.  Apple Pie Biscuits is one of those recipes, made with frozen biscuits and canned apple pie filling.  I’m thinking these will be perfect to serve for breakfast during Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday.  Here’s how:

• 12 frozen buttermilk biscuits (not canned)
• 1 can apple pie filling
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 sticks melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• up to 1/4 cup milk or cream

First melt the butter  in a medium sized bowl.  In a separate bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon.  In another bowl add the apple pie filling and vanilla.  Cut up the apple slices into smaller 1″ pieces.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 12″ iron skillet (or a 9×13 dish) with butter.  Then take each frozen biscuit and dip it in melted butter to completely coat it.  Then dip buttered frozen biscuit in the cinnamon/sugar mixture then place in buttered skillet.  Continue dipping biscuits in butter and sugar mixture and arrange them in the iron skillet.  If there is any sugar mixture left, sprinkle it over the top of the biscuits in the skillet.  Next pour the canned apple mixture over the top of the biscuits and spread evenly.  Add nuts if desired.  If there is any melted butter left, pour it over top of apple filling and nuts.  Bake biscuits for 20-25 minutes, or until biscuits have full cooked in the middle.  While biscuits are cooking mix the powdered sugar with  enough milk or cream to make icing.  Pour/spread icing over biscuits as soon as they are removed from oven.

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Although these are made with Gluten Free baking mix, one could easily substitute BISQUIK instead.  Since we have GF eaters in our household, I tried using King Arthur’s GF baking mix instead of Biscuik. These turned out crispy on the outside and perfect inside – not too tough or gooey.  I used my stand mixer for quick and easy prep.  And these passed the kid taste test.  Perfect GF recipe for the upcoming holidays.

• 2 cups King Arthur GF baking mix
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pound sausage (thawed if purchased frozen)
• 1 pound SHARP cheddar cheese shredded (about 4 cups shredded)

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, add the sausage and mix for half a minute to break up the meat.  Add the GF flour, shredded cheddar, and the baking powder. Mix until blended.  Use a 1 oz cookie dough scoop to form 1″ balls.  Place balls about 2″ apart on a greased cookie sheet. I lined my cookie sheet with foil and sprayed the foil with nonstick cooking spray for easy clean up.  Place cookie sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until sausage balls are golden brown.  We like to serve them with mustard for dipping.

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