Pioneering Today-A Homemade Christmas...Jelly Tarts pg. 13 Pumpkin Applesauce Cake and Buttermilk Glaze pg. 14 Pumpkin Roll pg. 17 Quick Dinner Rolls pg. 29 ... or put in fridge for

Pioneering Today-A Homemade Christmas 1

www.melissaknorris.com

http://www.melissaknorris.com/



Pioneering Today

A Homemade Christmas

By

Melissa K. Norris

Copyright 2015 Pioneering Today LLC

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, or recording, without written permission of the author.

While every recipe has been tested in our kitchen and to the best of our knowledge is safe, all

recipes are used at the risk of the consumer. All advice given in the form of recipes, tutorials, and

how to articles is used at the risk of the consumer.

We cannot be responsible for any hazards, loss or damage that may occur as a result of any

recipes, tutorials, or articles used from this book.




Table of Contents

Section One- Homemade Food Goodies and Gifts

Belgian Chocolate Waffles pg. 22

Belgian Gingerbread Waffles pg. 24

Blueberry Thyme Basil Vinegar pg. 27

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls pg. 18

Chocolate Sauce pg. 25

Cranberry Orange Glazed Cookies pg. 10

Cream Cheese Jam Rolls pg. 20

Flaky Pastry Dough pg. 12

French Apple Dump Cake pg. 15

Garlic Herb Oil pg. 26

Garlic Red Pepper Jelly pg. 28

Jelly Tarts pg. 13

Pumpkin Applesauce Cake and Buttermilk Glaze pg. 14

Pumpkin Roll pg. 17

Quick Dinner Rolls pg. 29

Soft Molasses Sugar Cookie pg. 9

White Velvet Sugar Cookies pg. 8

Section Two- Homemade Gift Ideas and Tutorials

Family Cookbook pg. 31

Apple Pie Sugar Scrub pg. 32

No-Sew Lace Headband pg. 33

Crocheted Headband/Ear Warmer with Flower pg. 34

No-Sew Tutu pg. 35

Mason Jar On the Go Cup pg. 37

Cake Stand pg. 38

Customized Tea Towels pg. 39

Alternative Gift Wrapping pg. 40




Section Three- Homemade Decorating Ideas

Evergreen Swag pg. 43

Pinecone Bouquet pg. 45

Burlap Ribbon Pillar Candle pg. 46

Present Ribbon Pillow pg. 46

Burlap Ribbon Ornament pg. 47

Jute Twine Ornament pg. 48

Section 4- Gifts of Yourself

Ideas for special dates with:

Co-workers pg.51

Girls pg. 52

Boys pg. 53

Families pg. 53

Friends pg. 54

Introduction




Do you ever watch all of the advertisements that start rolling in almost before the

end of October for Christmas and want to toss up your hands? Toy catalogs litter

my mailbox and my kid’s anthem becomes, “I want that for Christmas.”

I used to spend hours trying to stretch my budget to include a thoughtful and well

appreciated gift for family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. It seemed

no matter how early I started, or what bargains I found, I was a stressed out mess

by Christmas Day and my pocket book took months to recover from the hit.

When my son was a few years old, I decided that something had to change. We

couldn’t keep up with the pace. I called my mother-in-law and asked her how they

felt about our current Christmas gift status. She revealed they were just as stretched

with the gift giving frenzy as we were.

That year we made some major changes to the way we celebrated Christmas. First

off, we decided not to buy gifts except for immediate family. Only children below

eighteen and still in school would receive store bought gifts.

We quit trying to make all of the parties we were invited to. Instead of running

from family event to family event on Christmas Day, we decided to stay home. We

met with my husband’s family on Christmas Eve for a potluck style supper,

meaning the entire meal wasn’t on one person’s shoulders. Late Christmas

morning we had my parents down for brunch.

The rest of the day is spent lounging in pajamas, or sledding (if there’s snow),

playing with gifts, and relaxing.

These changes made me enjoy the Christmas season again. In the pages of this

book, I’ll share my recipes, decorating, and gift ideas of the homemade variety.

These are the gifts I give to neighbors or adults whom we no longer buy store

bought gifts for, and sometimes they accompany some of the store bought gifts as

well.

I hope they inspire you to start some new traditions, decrease your holiday

spending, cut the running around, and help you focus on the real meaning of

Christmas—celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.




Section One- Homemade Food Goodies

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the food. Although good

food should be enjoyed all year long, there are certain recipes I only make during

the holidays.

Many of the recipes have special meaning to me. I don’t know about you, but

opening up my recipe book is like going through a scrap book. Handwritten script

from my grandmother, the neat loops of my mother’s writing, and the familiar

squiggling of a friend, all tugging my memory back to certain moments in time.

Many people talk about a song taking them back, but for me, I’d say recipes have

the same power.

God gave us our five senses and I’m certainly glad taste is one of them. Have you

ever wondered what the manna from heaven tastes like? As any of God’s gifts are

to us, I’m sure it’s wonderful. When I imagine God creating all of the food for us, I

think how much fun He must have had, knowing how much we’d enjoy the sweet

crisp apples, the spicy bite of garlic, and the savory linger of sage.

To me home-baked food says, “You’re special to me. You mean enough for me to

take the time to prepare this with my own hands.” It reminds me how God takes




the time to craft special things for me and to remember to pass that along to others

in my life. I hope as you bake things this season, you’ll remember how treasured

you are by God.

My kitchen is even busier than usual come the Holidays. I’ve learned over the

years to make certain things up when I’ve got a spare minute. One of the things

you’ll always find in my freezer is pastry and cookie dough. I might not have time

to actually bake a pie, a dozen tarts, or four dozen cookies from scratch to finish,

but most of us can squeeze out the time it makes to whip up the dough. Or the time

it takes to bake something from pre-made, but still homemade, dough.

At Christmas time, I make up a batch of sugar cookie dough and freeze it. Don’t

forget to label the dough. One year I mistook my sugar cookie dough for pastry

dough. Ever had a sugar cookie sausage and broccoli quiche? Take my word for it,

label your dough.

Note: I do this all year long with cookie dough. My husband and I have both

noticed that chocolate chip cookie dough makes a better tasting cookie when the

dough’s been frozen and then baked.

Sugar cookie dough needs to be chilled before rolling it out to cut into cookies.

When I know I can fit in some cookie baking, I place the dough in the fridge that

morning or let it thaw on the counter for a couple of hours.

This is our favorite sugar cookie recipe. I often make up a big batch and divide it

into four parts. We make small batches throughout the season so they’re always

fresh.

Tip: To make any cookie recipe a cookie in a jar for gift giving, simply layer the

dry ingredients in a quart size Mason jar. Wide mouth will make it easier to layer

the ingredients. Write out the liquid ingredients and directions on a recipe card and

attach it to the jar. You can pretty it up with ribbon or twine. Paper cupcake liners

make cute toppers, simply put them upside down over the lid and then screw down

a band on top of them. Or get creative and paint the lid with chalk board paint and

then write with chalk the name of the cookie.




White Velvet Cut-Outs Dough (adapted from Gooseberry Patch Christmas

Cookies Book)

2 cups butter, softened

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup evaporated cane juice or regular sugar

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

4 ½ cups flour

Topping

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Blend butter and cream cheese together. Add sugars, maple syrup, egg yolks, and

vanilla. Slowly add in flour and salt. Portion out dough into four sections. Freeze,

or put in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight, covered. Rollout one portion of

dough on a floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Leave each portion of dough in the

fridge until you’re ready to roll out. It handles best when thoroughly chilled. Cut

into shapes and put on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Let cool.

On a double broiler (or a small pan of water with a glass bowl set over top-not

touching the water) melt semi-sweet chocolate chips. Boil water on lowest possible

setting and as soon as chocolate chips begin to turn glossy, take off heat and stir. If

they’re not completely melted, put back on for a few minutes. If chocolate is




heated too high too fast, it will turn grainy and there’s no saving it. Trust me

on this one, being in a hurry with higher heat is not a good idea.

Put out a piece of waxed paper and dip half of the cookie into chocolate. Place on

waxed paper to set, or drizzle chocolate over cookies for a quick and different

look. If you dip the cookies into chocolate, you can put candy sprinkles on the

chocolate before it hardens. Want a different topping, try chopped nuts or crushed

up candy canes.

Makes approximately 7 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters.

These are my absolute favorite Christmas cookie. They melt in your mouth and

whisper December.

Soft Molasses Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup softened butter

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup evaporate and juice or regular

sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger




1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugars until creamy. Add molasses and

egg, beating until well blended.

In a medium bowl, blend flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; add to

molasses mixture, mix well. Cover and chill.

Form dough into 1 inch balls, roll each in sugar, place 2 inches apart on a cookie

sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Let stand 1 minute before removing.

Makes around 5 dozen. (I tend to get 3 dozen, but they’re so good I like a bigger

cookie)

Want to make these a soft gingerbread rollout cookie? Increase the molasses to ¾

cup and increase the flour to 3 cups.

This next cookie recipe came to me from my aunt. They’re delicious and look so

pretty on the plate with their red bits of cranberry.

Cranberry Cookies with Orange Glaze (adapted from a recipe my Aunt gave

me)

1 cup softened butter

½ cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 ¼ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking soda




1 cup dried cranberries

½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ teaspoon zest of fresh orange peel

Glaze


1 tablespoon melted butter

2 tablespoons orange juice

¼ teaspoon zest of fresh orange peel

In a large bowl mix together butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat until light and

fluffy. Add in flour and baking soda, until combined. Stir in cranberries, chocolate

chips, and zest of orange peel. Shape into a 12 inch bar (like a log) and cover with

plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator until firm. Slice and bake in preheated 350

degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar, melted butter, orange juice, and

zest of fresh orange peel. Pour glaze over cookies and allow to cool.

Option: You can also substitute currants in place of the cranberries.

Freezing dough works well for pastry dough and pie crusts. Be sure to mark

your frozen dough. They can look similar once frozen.

I’ve found by breaking it up this way, I’m able to fit in more baking. Plus, if you

have a last minute school party your child forgot to mention you won’t have to run

to the store. If your dough is already made at home (with the exception of rolled

cookies due to thawing), in the time it would take you to go to the store, you can




have a dozen already baking. I roll my chocolate cookie dough into a log and

simply slice off the rounds for the cookies while it’s still partially frozen.

Pies are easy to bake when the dough is already made. I simply roll it out, dump in

a jar of my home canned pie filling, and bake.

Grandma’s Flaky Pastry

4 cups flour (your choice, I recommend using pastry ground if using wheat)

1 and 3/4 cup butter, lard, or coconut oil

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar (You can use white vinegar, but I prefer apple cider

in baking)

1 egg

1/2 cup cold water

Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter, lard, or coconut oil. Add liquids and stir

until well combined. Chill for 15 minutes. Take out dough and divide into four

equal balls. If baking pies now, lightly flour your surface and roll dough a ¼ of an

inch thick and transfer to pie plate. If freezing, wrap and freeze for later use in

plastic wrap or a freezer bag. When ready to use, thaw overnight in fridge or on the

counter for a couple of hours. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. I always

sprinkle the top of my pie crusts with a dusting of sugar and cinnamon.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/2012/09/26/pioneering-today-how-to-pressure-can-apple-pie-filling/



This pastry dough makes up many variations of pies, quiches, and tarts. One of my

favorite ways to use up all the jams and jellies I canned throughout the summer is

with this tart recipe. These are great for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

Homemade Jelly Tarts

Two pie crusts

Raspberry Jelly (or your favorite jam/jelly on hand)

4 ounces (1/2 package) of softened cream cheese

2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the softened cream cheese and honey.

(You can adjust amount of honey to taste.) Roll out your first chilled pastry dough

to a ¼ inch thickness on a well-floured surface. Use a large heart cookie cutter or a

glass turned upside down. Cut out

your circles of dough. Place a large

tablespoon of jelly in the center of

each dough circle. Spoon a good-sized

teaspoon of sweetened cream cheese

on top.

Roll out your next chilled pastry

dough and cut out tops. Place them on

top of jelly and cream cheese mixture. Use the tines of a fork to press the edges

together. Don’t worry if a little bit of jelly squishes out. Poke holes in the top of

each tart with a fork to let out steam. Sprinkle top with a light dusting of sugar. (If

you like cinnamon, a small amount would be tasty.)

Transfer to an ungreased baking stone or cookie sheet. Bake in 400 degree pre-

heated oven for 15 minutes or until the top of the tarts start to turn golden. Remove

from oven and cool.

Summer and fall months are a blur of canning and preserving the harvest at our

house. Christmas baking allows me to use up some our home canned goods in

treats for my family and to use as gifts. I developed this cake when I was looking

for a way to use up an open jar of applesauce and the last of our pumpkins. While




many people like to use cream cheese frosting on pumpkin cakes, I wanted

something a little bit lighter. This buttermilk glaze leaves the cake so moist it

literally melts in your mouth.

Pumpkin Applesauce Cake and Buttermilk Glaze

4 eggs

1 and ½ cups sugar

¾ cup applesauce

¼ cup coconut oil or melted butter

2 cups cooked pumpkin or 15 ounce

canned pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl mix eggs, sugar, applesauce, oil/butter, and

pumpkin. Beat by hand until light and fluffy (or use an electric mixer). Mix

together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir into pumpkin

mixture until thoroughly combined.

Spread evenly in a 9×13 pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Buttermilk Glaze




1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup buttermilk (Don’t substitute regular milk. If you don’t have buttermilk, add

¼ Tablespoon lemon juice to a cup of milk and allow to sit for a minute.)

¼ cup butter

Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for

5 minutes. Watch carefully; once it reaches a boil it will easily boil over. I turned

my heat down to medium low and allowed to simmer, occasionally stirring.

Remove from heat and add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Poke holes in top of cake

with a toothpick and pour glaze over still warm cake.

This next recipe is a cross between apple pie and apple cake. I came up with this

recipe when it was my turn to bring the snacks for our after church fellowship.

I knew I didn’t have enough time or ingredients to make enough pies, but a cake

will serve more people. Digging through my pantry, I found I had one jar of my

home canned apple pie filling left, and this recipe was born.

French Apple Dump Cake Recipe 1 can apple pie filling- (I used one quart sized jar of my home canned apple pie

filling-recipe and tutorial here)

2 tablespoons butter

2 eggs

3 Tablespoons homemade cake mix

Homemade Cake Mix

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/2012/09/26/pioneering-today-how-to-pressure-can-apple-pie-filling/



1 and 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

3 tablespoons butter

Pour apple pie filling in the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Blend 2 tablespoons butter,

eggs, and 3 tablespoons of homemade white cake mix in blender for 15 seconds.

Pour over top of pie filling. Don’t stir. Sprinkle homemade cake mix on top of egg

and apple pie filling. Toss pecans on top. Chop 3 tablespoons of cold butter and

layer on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve!

And no holiday is complete without my husband’s grandmother’s pumpkin roll.

This makes not only a beautiful presentation, but is a complete gift all on its own.

Her pumpkin roll has been known to have people waiting in line and calling in

requests.

Grandma Lucille’s Pumpkin Roll




3 eggs- beaten for about 5 minutes

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2/3 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin (or canned)

¾ cup flour


½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

Beat 3 eggs for about 5 minutes and

add 1 cup sugar. Add lemon juice

and mashed pumpkin, mix well.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients and bled together, when fully combined, put in a

greased and floured rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with pecans if

you like them. (I’m not a nut fan in baked goods, so I usually omit or chop really

fine) Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Lay out a kitchen tea towel and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Turn out pumpkin

roll onto towel and starting at the short end, roll up. Refrigerate until cool.

Pumpkin Roll Filling


8 ounces cream cheese




½ cup softened butter

1 teaspoon maple syrup or ½ teaspoon lemon extract

Mix until creamy like frosting. Unroll chilled pumpkin roll and spread filling

evenly over the surface. Re-roll and store in the fridge.

Want to bake something nice for your neighbors? I know Christmas Eve Day is

often as busy if not busier than Christmas Day for many folks. I make up two pans

of my chocolate cinnamon rolls and deliver them to neighbors the day before

Christmas Eve. That way they have breakfast already waiting the next morning. If

the rolls aren’t all eaten the night before that is.

One of the beautiful things about yeast breads is the dough can be prepared the

night before and store in the fridge. Pull it out the next morning, allow to come to

room temperature and then bake. Either of these rolls are a wonderful treat for

breakfast. Plus, you can spend the morning with family or in quiet time by yourself

instead of kneading and mixing dough.

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup warm water (120 degrees or lukewarm on your wrist)

1/2 cup warm milk

1 package yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons

1 egg

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 cup flour

Chocolate Caramel Sauce in Pan




3/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Chocolate Cinnamon Filling

1/4 cup softened butter

¾ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Cinnamon to taste

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or to taste

Pour warm water and milk over yeast in a glass, plastic, or wooden bowl. (Never

use metal for bread. It doesn’t hold the heat and will kill your yeast) Let sit for 8 to

10 minutes until foamy. Add egg, butter, and sugar. Stir in salt and flour. Knead

for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Dough should feel smooth, not

sticky. If it’s sticky, keep adding small amounts of flour at a time until smooth.

Cover dough with a tea towel (traps warmth and helps dough to rise) and allow to

rise for an hour in a draft free spot. I always put mine on the top of the fridge or

your oven with just the oven light on works, too.

Layer ingredients for chocolate caramel sauce in your 9×13 pan.

After dough has risen, roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle

approximately 18×14 inches. Spread softened butter over surface of dough.

Sprinkle brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and chocolate chips over the

surface.




Roll up, keeping it tight as you go. (Like

rolling up a sleeping bag) Cut into

approximately 15 pieces, keeping them even

with a sharp knife. I’ve heard some people use

a string, but a knife’s always worked fine for

me. Place cut edge down in pan on top of the

sauce with sides just touching.

Cover with tea towel and allow to rise for one

hour. Or cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge if baking in the morning, allow

to come to room temperature before baking.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 25 minutes, depending on how thick you cut them. I

prefer mine on the doughier side so I pull them out as soon as they’re golden on

top. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes then invert over platter or large plate. Scrape

remaining caramel sauce from pan onto cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!

Jelly/Jam Cream Rolls

1/2 cup warm water (120 degrees or lukewarm on your wrist)

1/2 cup warm milk

1 package yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons

1 egg

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt




3 3/4 cup flour

Filling

2/3 cup jam

8 oz. cream cheese

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Frosting

4 Tablespoons melted butter

1 and ½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons milk

Pour warm water and milk over yeast in a glass, plastic, or wooden bowl. (Never

use metal for bread. It doesn’t hold the heat and will kill your yeast) Let sit for 8 to

10 minutes until foamy. Add egg, butter, and sugar. Stir in salt and flour. Knead

for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly

floured surface. Dough should

feel smooth, not sticky. If it’s

sticky, keep adding small

amounts of flour at a time until

smooth.

Cover dough with a tea towel

(traps warmth and helps dough to

rise) and allow to rise for an hour

in a draft free spot. I always put

mine on the top of the fridge or




your oven with just the oven light on works, too.

After dough has risen, roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle

approximately 18×14 inches.

Cream the sugar, softened cream cheese, and jam together. Spread over rolled out

dough. Tightly roll up dough, just like a cinnamon roll. If some of the filling

squeezes out, just scrape it out and drop it in the bottom of the pan. With a sharp

knife, cut rolls and place in a large pan. You can also use dental floss or thread to

cut the rolls. Put the thread under the roll, bring both ends around and to the top,

cross over, and pull taut, slicing through the roll. Allow to rise for another hour.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Take out and let cool.

Mix frosting ingredients and spread over warm jam rolls.

You might be wondering about having waffles in this book, but let me tell you,

these are no ordinary waffles. These are wonderful for breakfast and also make a

delicious dessert. Serve with homemade jam/jelly, syrup, whip cream, or even ice

cream.

These waffles remind of a funnel cake, except they’re healthy.

Belgian Overnight Chocolate Waffles

1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk

1/4 cup coffee

6 tablespoons soft coconut

oil or melted butter




3 to 4 Tablespoons honey (You can substitute sugar if you don’t have honey)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

1 1/3 to 1/2 cups soft white flour ground on pastry setting or all-purpose flour

(I’ve also used spelt with no problem)

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Optional: 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix milk, yeast, and honey in a glass, wooden, or plastic bowl. Never place yeast

bread in a metal bowl, it doesn’t retain heat and won’t rise properly. New to yeast

breads, check out 8 tips for perfect homemade bread.

Add in all ingredients and mix well. If it looks a little on the runny side, it will

thicken up as it rises. Also, if you used freshly ground wheat flour, the flour

absorbs water as it sits, so don’t make it too thick. If it still seems runny after the

rise, add a touch more flour before cooking. Cover with a tea towel and put in a

warm draft free area for 1 hour. It should double in size and be bubbly. Refrigerate

overnight or cook waffles in waffle maker. Makes 10 regular size waffles.

Topping suggestions: peanut butter, strawberry jam, or make a black forest waffle

with cherry jam, vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/saf-red-instant-yeast-16-ozhttp://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/saf-red-instant-yeast-16-ozhttp://melissaknorris.com/2013/02/20/pioneering-today-8-tips-for-perfect-homemade-bread/



Belgian Overnight Gingerbread Waffles

1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons soft coconut oil or melted butter

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon molasses

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups soft white flour or all-purpose

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Mix milk, yeast, and honey in a glass, wooden, or plastic bowl. Never place yeast

bread in a metal bowl, it doesn’t retain heat and won’t rise properly.




Add in all ingredients and mix well. Cover with a tea towel and put in a warm draft

free area for 1 hour. It should double in size and be bubbly. Refrigerate overnight

or cook waffles in waffle maker. Makes 10 regular size waffles.

The holidays are usually cold around our little homestead, either with soaking rains

or frozen snowflakes dotting the ground. Coming in from feeding the cattle, getting

firewood, or playing outdoors, a hot beverage is always welcome to thaw fingers.

It also pairs nicely when reading or working on Christmas crafts.

This chocolate sauce is perfect for hot cocoa, chocolate milk, or as a topping on ice

cream.

Chocolate Sauce (adapted from old Watkins

Cookbook from the 1930’s)

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch

½ cup sugar

8 tablespoons cocoa powder

3/4 cup boiling water

¼ cup warm milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Blend melted butter with flour. In a medium saucepan over low medium heat add

sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk in boiling water and milk. Let milk get hot and

remove pot from stove. If you let it boil, it may thicken up like pudding, which is




excellent over ice cream, but harder to make chocolate milk. Serve hot or cold. Put

in a glass jar and store in the fridge if you happen to have any left.

Have a grill master or budding chef on your list? Then these are perfect gifts for

those who like to get busy with meat or vegetables and not the sugar and flour. I

hate to say the guys on your list because girls can toss down some mean steaks,

too. Of course, I hope they’re grass fed natural beef, like the cows growing out in

our pasture.

Garlic Herb Oil

¼ cup dried herbs

2 Tablespoons dried garlic granules

2 cups olive oil-or to size of glass container

Try any combination of dried herbs you have on hand. Rosemary pairs nicely as

does basil and thyme.

Heat oil to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your dried herbs and garlic in a clean

glass bottle and pour hot oil over it. Cap, shake and cool.

Note: it is recommended to only use dried herbs and garlic due to the risk of

botulism. Flavored oil may be stored for up to 3 months, then should be tossed out.

For further reading, please reference this article on making infused oil at home and

safety from the extension office https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4385e/

Use this oil on meats, vegetables, and breads.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4385e/



Flavored Vinegars are another one of my favorite salad dressings and marinades.

Blueberry Basil Thyme Vinegar (adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home

Canning)

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups white wine vinegar

1/3 cup basil leaves, crushed

1/4 cup thyme leaves, crushed

Grated zest of 1 lemon or lime

In a large bowl, mash blueberries with a potato

masher into 1 cup of vinegar. Pour into a quart

sized washed Mason jar. Add remaining cup of

vinegar, crushed herbs, and lemon zest. Stir to

combine. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and

stand in a dark, cool place. I used my cupboard.

Stir every 2 to 3 days and allow to seep up to 4

weeks. Taste weekly until you’re happy with it.

When you’re satisfied with the taste, line a

strainer with layers of cheesecloth and place over

a large stainless steel pan. Strain the vinegar.

Don’t squeeze. When it’s all strained, put the pot

on the stove at medium heat until vinegar reaches 180 degrees.

If you want to can this vinegar, ladle the hot vinegar into prepared jars, with a 1/4

inch headspace. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. To store in the

fridge without canning, simply put vinegar in hot jars, let come to room

temperature, and store in the fridge for immediate use.




Garlic Red Pepper Jelly (featured on the cover)

1 cup minced red bell pepper

1/3 cup deveined and minced jalapenos (or pepper of your choice)

5 cloves finely chopped garlic

1 1/3 cups vinegar

2 1/3 cups sugar or 1 ½ cups honey (I use raw organic evaporated cane juice)

1 ½ teaspoons pectin powder (I only use Pomona’s Pectin, read more about how it

works, what it is, and why I love it here.)

2 teaspoons calcium water (comes with box of Pomona’s Pectin)

Wash and rinse jars or sanitize for ten minutes in boiling water. Keep jars hot. But

peppers, garlic, and vinegar in a sauce pan. Add calcium water and stir well.

Measure ½ cup of sugar into a bowl with pectin and combine.

Bring sauce pan contents to a boil. Add pectin-sugar and stir vigorously for 2

minutes. Add remaining sugar and stir until dissolved. Return to a boil and remove

from heat.

Fill warm jars with red pepper garlic jelly within a ¼ inch from the top. Wipe rims

clean and put on lids and bands. Place jars in a hot water bath and process for 10

minutes. Allow to cool on a towel in a draft free area for 24 hours. Check seals and

store in a cool dark place. If any jars have not sealed, put in fridge and use within 3

weeks.

This jelly is wonderful poured over a brick of cream cheese. The homemade wheat

thins make an excellent cracker to serve with it.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/2013/10/23/how-to-make-grape-vanilla-jelly/http://melissaknorris.com/2013/12/18/homemade-crackers-versatile-and-frugal-appetizer/http://melissaknorris.com/2013/12/18/homemade-crackers-versatile-and-frugal-appetizer/



In the midst of holiday baking, it can be easy to forget something. One night, I

realized I didn’t have any bread to serve with dinner. After some searches online

and tweaking, I came up with these no rise dinner rolls. They’re ready from start to

finish in just twenty minutes.

Quick No Rise Herb Dinner Rolls

1 and ½ cups warm water

1 cup warm milk

3 Tablespoons honey

3 Tablespoons yeast

2 Tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil

6 cups flour (I use half whole wheat pastry and half unbleached white flour)

2 teaspoons salt


1 teaspoon mixed herbs (basil, oregano, and thyme are a nice mix)

Stir water, yeast, and honey/sugar together. Leave for 5 minutes until it becomes

frothy on top. Add oil, flour, salt baking powder, and herbs. Mix all ingredients

well. Knead for 6-8 minutes on floured surface. Form half of dough into a loaf.

Form rolls and place on a pizza stone. Bake rolls at 400 degrees for 12-15

minutes. Leave bread to cook for another 5 -10 minutes.




Section Two- Homemade Gift Ideas and Tutorials

When I think about some of my most treasured possessions, it’s never the most

expensive items I own. My favorite gifts have been ones that are homemade or

have a special meaning. My mother gave me my great-great-grandmother’s

cookbook. The retail price inside is a startling one dollar and fifty cents.

But to see my great-great-grandmother’s name scrawled across the inside page in

my great-grandmother’s writing brings a warmth to my heart. The yellowed pages

flip through my fingers and I always pause to read the penciled in notes or the

recipes that have a star by them. Even though I never met this woman, I feel a

connection to her and all the women in my family when I hold her cookbook.

Of all the gifts I received as a child throughout birthdays and Christmases, the one

toy I still own is the doll I received as a toddler. Each year, my mother made Tiny

Baby a dress from the leftover material of whatever she sewed my clothes from.

My dolly and I had matching outfits until I was too old to play with dolls. I still

have all of those dresses and my daughter now plays with both my baby doll and

her wardrobe.

These outfits hold scraps of lace and fabric. They aren’t beautiful by Disney’s

standard, but they’ve outlasted any other store bought item. And I treasure them all

the more because they were from the hand of my mother. It’s not the monetary

value of a gift, but the heart behind it.




If you’re like most of us, short on money and occasionally time, then I know you’ll

find ideas in this chapter to make gifts for your loved ones. I’ve included ideas for

DIY’ers of every type, from no-sew projects to quick-mix toiletries.

As you’re making gifts for your family and friends, I’d encourage you to pray over

the intended recipient. There is no greater blessing than knowing someone is

praying for me. Nor is there any gift that lasts longer than a prayer. Many prayers

I’ve seen answered were prayed long ago, but they still reach across the years,

sometimes even the grave, when God answers them.

During the holiday season, things seem to get hectic, and often times, we end up

forgoing our time with God. I’m guilty of this, but when it happens, I always

notice a difference. My stress builds, things go from bad to worse, until it hits me, I

haven’t spent any time with God today.

After trying to put Bible and prayer time at the end of my day before bed, I’d wind

up falling asleep or not being able to concentrate because I was too tired. I felt God

ask me, “Do you want me to give you my leftover attention and time?”

From then on, I decided that I would move my devotional time to first thing in the

morning. Before I check my email, have breakfast, or get the kids up, I crack open

my Bible and read scripture. When I take the time to fill my mind with His word, it

has a way of affecting my whole day for the better.

I urge you to not let your time with God be one of the things you let go of in the

rush of the holidays or any days. Spend the time with Him. He’s the creator of

time; He’ll make sure you get the important stuff taken care of if you put Him first.

At least, He has for me.

Create Your Family’s Cookbook

As I mentioned at the beginning of this section, family recipes hold a special place

in my heart and my table. Why not make a cookbook of your favorite family

recipes?

Ask all of your relatives for their favorite recipe and any stories surrounding the

dish. Compile all the recipes and arrange them by category. You can copy all of the




recipes onto paper to preserve the handwriting, type them for neatness on the

computer, or write them yourself onto recipe cards.

Find a binder or purchase a special recipe book that has spaces for recipe cards.

You can purchase clear page protectors to protect the pages and make them easy to

wipe off if they get splattered while in use.

Consider making copies for each person in your family who contributed a recipe.

These also make wonderful gifts for new couples starting out, family members

who live far away, or a daughter-in-law to help her feel part of the family and

giving her a chance to learn your side of the family’s heritage.

You could even prepare your favorite recipe from the family cook book and give it

with a copy of the book.

This next idea is an easy an inexpensive homemade gift idea. You’ll find lots of

different recipes on line, but this one is my favorite. You can use herbs and

essential oils to create any scent, taking care to dilute essential oils properly to

avoid burns.

Don’t think of these as just gifts for women, though most women would enjoy one.

These are wonderful for gardeners, as they both scrub off the dirt and soften the

hands. They also work nice for the guys in your life who work in the elements and

have chapped or grease stained hands.

I like to use Mason jars for this gift, but be sure to choose the wide mouth jars. The

narrow ones are hard to get your hand inside to scoop

out the scrub. Jelly jars work great as you can reach

the bottom of the jar with ease. You could pretty up

the jar with ribbon, or for a rustic look, tie a small

spoon with a length of twine.

Homemade Apple Pie Sugar Scrub (measurements

are for a pint sized jar, then divide into smaller jars

for gift giving)

Olive oil




White and brown sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Nutmeg

Fill your jar ¾ of the way full with equal amounts white and brown sugar. Add 1

teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg for pint jars and 2 teaspoons for quart. Pour

olive oil until it covers sugar and spices. Stir until everything is evenly combined.

Put lid on and store by sink or bath.

To use, apply to hands and scrub. Rinse with warm water. (Caution, may cause tub

or shower to become slick)

Skin will feel amazingly soft and moisturized afterwards from the oil. The sugar

acts as an exfoliate.

Here’s a no-sew project and it has a lovely vintage feel to it. Have you guessed that

I love vintage things yet?

No-Sew Lace Headband




All you need is a scrap of lace or ribbon and a pony tail band. No glue, no needle, no thread!

Measure around your head with the lace and leave about two inches extra on each side. Tie one end to the pony tail holder. Pull the knot tight and place back on your head. Tug the pony tail holder taut and line up your lace there. Hold the spot with your thumb and tie to holder there. Don’t tighten the knot yet.

Try your headband on. I had to untie the knot on mine and shorten it. Try on again and if it’s the right length, tighten that last knot in place. You can clip a flower to the side of it if you want, but I love it just like this.

I thought they were so cute I made one for my daughter.

If you do crochet or knit, then I’ve got a cute headband ear warmer pattern for you. I’ve tried knitting, but fail horribly every time. I can’t keep the tension even. I can crochet, so if any of you are successful knitters, I could use some lessons. Feel free to convert this pattern to knitting.

Headband Pattern:

Chain 12

Row 1: Double crochet(dbc) in each chain (11 dbc total) don’t forget to add a chain at the end of each row before you turn.

Row 2 through 30: Repeat first row until headband is desired length. Mine was thirty but I actually have a large head. When I was barrel racing I could never borrow my

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/tyingheadband.jpg



friend’s cowgirl hat, so I made sure not to forget mine. Adjust the number of rows to make a child’s size.

Use a slip stitch all the way across the width of the headband to join the two ends together.

If you’re unsure of the recipients head size, you could sew on a button instead of slip stitching the ends together.

This is the pattern I used for the flower. (at the bottom of the page under Flower Embellishment)

I stitched beads into the center of the flower for extra sparkle. Buttons also look cute or a smaller flower in a contrasting color.

No-Sew Tutu

Want another no-sew project? How about this no-sew tutu for the little and big girls on your list.

You’ll need a pack of headbands that are stretchy and have holes in them. Depending upon the size of the waist, purchase accordingly. They have children and adult size headbands at almost any store in the hair aisle.

Pick your tulle color. I think it’s fun to mix up the colors. My sister made this one for my daughter in our town’s school colors for the homecoming game. A favorite color, school colors, or to match a favorite princess outfit are all great ideas. Or you could go with traditional Christmas colors in red, white, and green.

Measure how long you’d like the tutu to be. My daughter is an average sized 3-year-old and her tutu is 12 inches long.

I saw this tutorial on Pinterest (anyone else hooked?) for easy tulle cutting. Simply cut a piece of cardboard the length you want your tulle to hang. Wrap tulle around cardboard, rubber band it in place and carefully cut along one end (I double the tulle for faster and easier tutu making, so don’t follow her directions and cut both ends.)

Now take your strips of tulle and fold them in half.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://thelongestyear.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/10/crochet_toddler_1.htmlhttp://www.pinterest.com/melissaknorrishttp://treasuresfortots.blogspot.com/2009/10/cut-tulle-for-tutu-using-quick-and-easy.html



Pull the folded end of tulle through the hole. Put the folded end through the bottom loop of the headband. Pull through until you have enough space to push both ends of tulle through.

Continue to pull through and tighten. Make your way all the way around and ta-da! You have a no-sew tutu! If you like it really full, you can add another row of tulle directly above the first row.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/threadingtulle.jpghttp://melissaknorris.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/pullingtullethrough.jpg



Mason Jar On the Go Cup

This next project is for anyone on your list. From a toddler, busy woman on the go, college kid, a thirsty dad, or grandpa who loves his sweet tea… okay, you get my gist.

Some of you have probably seen versions of this floating around, but one of the reasons I love this version, is no keeping track of bands and lids. Plus, the plastic lid won’t rust, as the metal bands will. And there is no rubber gasket to loose.

Choose what size jar you’d like to use. Children would like the pint-sized, but my husband refuses to drink water without at least half a tray of ice-cubes, so for him, I’d go with the quart sized jar. But the beauty of a Mason jar is you can use hot or cold beverages.

Start with a small drill bit and drill into the center of the lid. Increase in size three to four times until your hole fits the size of your straw. Note: it will jump around due to the small dot of plastic in the center of the lid. So it’s pretty much impossible to get it dead center.

Increase to the larger drill bit. I recommend doing several at once to have them ready. Wash and insert your straw. There are both plastic and stainless steel straws available. I made sure I purchased BPA free straws. You can also see a little circle on the end of the straw inside the glass. This keeps it from being pulled out and getting lost.




Place on your Mason jar and you’re ready to wrap and give as a gift. This would be great paired with a jar of the hot cocoa mix, favorite coffee beans, or tea.

Take it a step further and personalize it. I originally looked at glass etching cream, but the price made me reconsider. It was $25 a bottle at our local craft store, plus, it requires some special waste management and wearing masks, according to the package directions.

I could buy one bottle of glass paint for only $2.49 and use it on multiple surfaces, glass, ceramics, fabric, etc. I already had stencils from the fabric painting project. When stenciling on glass, the adhesive stencils work best. I chose a butterfly for my daughter’s glass, but initials or a name would also be fun. My niece is getting married this fall and I’m going to make Mr. and Mrs. versions for the newlyweds.

Homemade Cake Stand

Have a baker on your list? This beautiful cupcake plate is inexpensive and easy to make. I’ve seen many variations with candle sticks, but when my co-worker showed me this version she made at a craft party, I instantly fell in love.

Find a sundae glass and a glass plate. Thrift stores are a great place to look for these items instead of purchasing them new. My co-worker and her friends used E6000 glue. Be sure to follow the directions on the tube as it has a cure time before you put the two pieces together. It creates a super strong bond that will withstand fairly extreme temperatures and washing. Turn the sundae glass upside down and glue the bottom of the glass to the bottom of the plate. Allow it to dry.

Bake up a batch of your favorite cookies and deliver the plate and all for a sweet and pretty gift.




Customized Tea Towels

I firmly believe tea towels should be in every kitchen. They’re perfect for wrapping around a bowl of rising dough, on top of a pie as it cools, a sheet of cookies, to drain yogurt for whey, and as a barrier in the summer time against flies. They’re basically limitless in their duties in the kitchen. And they can double as adorable decoration pieces when they’ve been prettied up.

I love the look of embroidery. As a child, I made several samples, so I know the art (okay I know how to embroider, I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered it as an art form yet). I’ve seen some beautiful vintage pieces of embroidery by women who were true artists. I admire them.

But if you’re like me, pressed for time and maybe talent….then I’ve got the next best thing. Are you ready? Fabric paint and stencils!

The ideas are limitless, but for kitchen towels, I love the way these look. You can purchase flour sack tea towels at just about any store. They’re usually inexpensive. I went to Michael’s and bought Martha Stewart fabric paint, one alphabet stencil, and one decorative stencil. I used a foam dobber brush and for the small intricate stencil, a regular small paint brush.

Wash, dry, and iron your towels. Lay them on a flat surface. Be sure to put something under the fabric as the paint may bleed through. Hot water cleans it up well and a little baking powder makes an excellent scrub, don’t ask me how I know. Mark out your design and lay the stencil firmly on the fabric. I used an old paper plate as a paint pallet, or you could use a real plate, as the paint washes off with soap and water if done before it dries.

Load your paint brush or dobber and dab the excess paint off on the plate. Fill in the stencil on your towel and then remove. Once you’re finished, allow it to dry. Wash off the stencils and paint brushes with warm soapy water and allow to dry.




I chose the colors to match my kitchen and reflect a vintage feel. You can do any color scheme you like, perhaps even a Christmas theme. I decided not to do a Christmas stencil as I wanted to be able to leave these out all year.

A fun gift would be a set of these towels nestled around a fresh loaf of bread or the quick homemade rolls in chapter 1. I can guarantee you’ll want to make a set for yourself. The whole project took me about a half hour so it’s a relatively quick gift to make.

Gift Wrapping Alternatives

While there’s nothing wrong with using traditional gift wrap you purchase at the store, I like to include some homemade alternatives as well. If you have someone who quilts or sews on your list, why not wrap their package with some pretty new fabric? It makes a beautiful presentation, becomes part of their gift, and will get put to good use.

Use the pages from your newspaper. The comic strips are great for kids, teenagers, or anyone who enjoys humor. To make an elegant package, use the black and white print with a bright red ribbon.

Want a more rustic look? Try using butcher paper and tying it with some burlap ribbon or twine.




Looking to wrap something for grandma and grandpa? Have the kids color some pictures or stamp some butcher paper to wrap their gifts.




Section Three- Homemade Decorations

When I was a little girl, I couldn’t wait to decorate the Christmas tree. I would make my mom promise not to decorate it while I was out feeding the cattle with my dad. When I was small, we’d drive along old logging roads searching for a tree. Most times we settled for one close to the road and would traipse through the soggy layer of snow to drag it home.

For some reason, every tree we brought home ended up resembling the droopy, skinny, needles falling off tree from a certain beloved Christmas Show (Yes, the one with a black and white beagle dog).

But just like the little boy in that show, we’d prop it up, hang the ornaments with care, and it’d turned into the most beautiful tree I’d ever seen. It’s amazing at how a little love can redeem something, isn’t it?

It reminds me that Jesus can redeem anything I’ve done and He already did when He died on the cross for my sins. He sacrificed Himself fully knowing every wrong thing I’d do, and He died to save me anyways. True love, pure love, holy love, redeems everything.

I’m one of those crazy persons who starts to decorate for Christmas in November, sometimes even before Thanksgiving. I like to enjoy all my decorations for the entire season.

I love the sparkle of Christmas. The way lights twinkle on the tree, the welcoming cheery ornaments, and red bows holding secret gifts.




I enjoy planning the perfect gifts for my husband and kids. Throughout the year, I try to remember the little things they mention, and then secretly stash them away for their Christmas gift.

Often, I imagine God feels this same anticipation when He’s planning a gift for us. There are many times when I’ve prayed for something and it seems like God isn’t answering. My kids may ask for certain gifts well before they’re ready for the item, and as a good parent, I hold off until I know they can appreciate and handle the gift.

When they’re finally ready, I think I’m more excited to see their reaction than if I was receiving the gift. I believe that’s how God is with us. He knows when we’re ready for something, and often times, His “no” is a “wait”.

While you decorate your home for Christmas, I pray that you’ll spend time with God and making sure your heart is ready for His gifts.

Evergreen Swag

Like warm cookies and a smile greet guests inside your home, I like to add an evergreen swag to the front door to welcome them pulling in the drive.

We have an abundance of trees on our acreage, but if you don’t, it only takes about four small branches, so I’m sure if you asked a neighbor, they wouldn’t mind a bit. I actually trimmed one branch that was beginning to stick too far out in the driveway.

I recommend choosing cedar or pine. Hemlock looks lacy and intricate, but it drops its needles fast. Cedar drapes so prettily and smells like Christmas, so that was my choice, but if you wanted different textures you could combine pine and some sprigs of holly.

Gather your branches. I cut part of branches, varying in lengths. Then lay them out.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cedar-boughs.jpg



Lay your largest branch down first then layer the others on top until it looks good to you. Next, using twine or wire, (I had twine on hand from tying up the raspberries), tie the tops of the branches together, making sure to leave a loop for hanging your swag.

Tie your branches together

Now, attach a bow to the top, hiding your twine or wire. You can hot glue pinecones or ornaments to your swag for added glitz. I used a few red berries picks and just twisted the end of the pick onto the branch. Put your wreath hangar on your door and hang up your masterpiece.

The boughs will last for at least a month or two outside in the cooler temps.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tying-cedar-boughs.jpghttp://melissaknorris.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cedar-swag.jpg



Pinecone Bouquet

This decorating item can be done with either plain or glittered pinecones. My dear friend and fellow author, Amanda Dykes, shared this picture and I instantly fell in love with the simplicity and beauty of it. She has a flair for decorating and I know you’ll be inspired by her website, both visually and the beautiful message she shares of God’s love.

She was kind enough to allow me to include it in this book for you.

Supplies needed:

Pinecones

Ribbon

Hot glue gun

Glue sticks

Take your ribbon and fold it in half, creating a large loop. Tie a bow at the top, leaving the large loop hanging down to attach your pinecones to. Using the hot glue gun, glue your pinecones onto the ribbon, and allow glue to cool. Decide where you’d like to hang your pretty bouquet and display it.

Amanda chose an empty picture frame to highlight hers. You could hang it inside a wreath or all by itself. Or spray paint the pinecones white. You could also incorporate some Christmas ornaments with the pinecones if you wanted. So many possibilities with this fun project.

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://www.amandadykes.com/



Ribbon Present Pillow

Want to make your throw pillows Christmassy without buying a bunch of new ones? Take a wide piece of ribbon and wrap it around the pillow like you would a present. Now it looks like a Christmas present.

Burlap Ribbon Pillar Candle

A simple and elegant way to update candles is to wrap a piece of burlap, lace, and ribbon around them. Place several together to make a centerpiece or tuck one into an area for a bit of Christmas cheer.

Take a strand of clear Christmas lights and wrap them around some bare twigs. It’s a rustic look that charms any corner. Look for branches that have unusual twists to them or especially knobby swells. Curling willow branches make a lovely twig bouquet if you have access. Try it with the sparkle branches for a spectacular frosty display indoors.

I have a set of antique Christmas balls that I don’t like to put on our tree for fear they’ll get knocked off and broken. I place them in a clear footed bowl with a strand of beads and lights. They make a pretty center piece on the kitchen table or mantel. If you have a mantel, know I’m a teensy bit jealous. I hope to have one someday. In the meantime, decorate it for me.

I love rustic ornaments and these next two are some of my absolute favorites. They’re gorgeous on the tree, a table top, or even attached to a gift.




Burlap Ribbon Ornament

2 to 3 feet of burlap ribbon

Embroidery thread

Needle

Small Bell

Decorative ribbon or berry pieces

Jute twine

Hot glue gun

Cut you burlap ribbon to a 2 or 3 foot length, the longer will make a larger ornament. Take a piece of embroidery thread and thread it with about 3 strands of the embroidery thread to make a strong thread. Starting at one end of the burlap, pull the thread through in the middle of the ribbon. Tape the end of the thread in place. Weave the thread through the burlap about every inch. The closer together your weaving the more gathering you’ll have for a more “curly” ribbon piece. Once you’ve reached the end, untape the thread from the starting point and pull to gather the burlap around the thread creating a ribbon. Tie the two end pieces together in a circle.

With the jute twine make a loop large enough to fit over the end of a branch. Hot glue it in the middle of a ruffle. With a piece of thread, sew the jingle bell right beneath the jute twine. Next, add whatever ribbon or other decorations you want. I cut off some twigs from a fake berry bush, but you could use pinecones or anything else you desire.




Jute Twine Ornament

Foam ball

Jute Twine

Hot glue gun

Ribbon

Jingle Bell

Thread

Needle

Hot glue the piece of jute twine to the top of the ball.

Then wrap jute twine around ball until the entire surface is covered with jute twine. It will create an egg shape when you’re done. When the entire ball is covered, make a loop




with twine, and glue it into place creating a loop to hang it.

Next, thread the jingle bell and sew on at the base of the loop. Glue ribbon or other embellishments on as desired.




Section Four-Gifts of Yourself

I hope you’ve found inspiration in these pages for some homemade gifts, baking, and decorating, but most importantly, I hope you’ve found inspiration to grow closer to God.

This time of year we see so many references to Santa Clause. I’m not going to get into whether or not your children should be allowed to believe in him or not, that’s for you to decide, but there’s one cue I believe all Christians should follow from the St. Nick’s traditions.

I think everyone should write Jesus a letter this Christmas.

About five years ago, I came upon a hard truth. I didn’t really believe God could deliver people from alcoholism and addictions. I knew the stories in the Bible and I knew that I believed in God, I just didn’t believe He did those kinds of things, or at least, not anymore. He lived in the pages of the Bible; His miracles were parting the Red Sea with Moses, not in today’s world.

At least, that’s what I thought deep down.

And this scared me. Because if I didn’t really believe God was the God today that He was in the Bible days, then how could He save me? If His promises weren’t true today, then what did I believe in?

I made a decision to believe that He was the God He said He was, that He is I am, not I was. I decided that I’d quit limiting Him with my small faith and see what He could do.

And oh, my friend, how He has shown me what He can do when I step out of the driver’s seat. He is the God He promises.

He may not work in my timing, or how I think He will, but He always shows up. When I put my faith to the test, walked out on the edge and said God, meet me here, He did. He’s delivered lifelong addicts when I thought they’d go to the grave chained to their addictions.




He’s shown me when I give my gifts to Him and trust Him to know what’s best for me, that I’ll go places I never imagined. I never thought I’d have a website, podcast, or books teaching people the skills I grew up learning or sharing my faith in this manner. I wanted to write fiction books. He knew He had more in His plans for me.

I never thought I’d sit with women in my neighborhood studying His word in a Bible study. But He knew the places He’d bring each of us to reach that point.

And I know this is just the beginning of where He’s going to take my faith as long as I trust Him and don’t limit Him with my doubts and insecurities. Thankfully, He’s big enough to work through them when I start to regress.

So I pray that you’ll pick up a pen and write Him a letter from your heart. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you in areas you never thought He could reach. Give Him a spiritual wish list, areas you want to see yourself grow in Him, to reveal areas He wants to work on in you. Even young children can do this. I hope your entire family writes Jesus a letter.

You don’t have to read your letters out loud, they can remain between you and Jesus, or you may decide to share. It’s up to you. I recommend saving your letter, so every Christmas you can pull it out and see the way’s Jesus has met you over the following year.

If you create one new tradition this year, let it be writing Jesus a letter.

There are a few other traditions I’d like to have you think about and that is the gift of your time. If there is one thing we seem to be short on in this society, it’s time.

But I believe there is no gift more precious than time spent with your loved ones. Instead of a present, consider a gift of time.

My co-workers and I used to purchase gifts for each other. But after a few years, this started to become more of a chore than something we enjoyed. So collectively, we decided to forget the gifts and instead, go out for an afternoon and evening of shopping (window shopping is fun when the stores are all decorated) and dinner.

There’s no rush to get back anywhere, no schedule. Sometimes we go from store to store, sometimes we only make one. We spend a leisurely dinner and enjoy one another’s company. The money we would have spent on gifts, we spend on our own meal. It’s one of my favorite days of the year.

Consider this with your loved ones and family. For children, why not plan a special afternoon or evening. If you want to or can spend money, look for tickets to




something you can experience together. It might be a special concert, play, or admission to somewhere, this will depend on their age and where you live.

To stay home, consider a dinner and movie night. Plan everyone’s favorite dishes and ask them to help prepare them as a group. You could do build your own tacos, nachos, baked potatoes, or pizza. I have several pizza recipes including Pesto Veggie Pizza and my White Sauce Garlic Chicken Pizza. For dessert, consider a build your own sundae or banana splits.

For the movie, you could have several different toppings and seasonings for the popcorn. Here’s a great healthy and natural recipe for a nacho flavored popcorn seasoning from A Whole New Mom. One of my favorites is nutritional yeast, sea salt, and a dash of garlic powder. Want a sweet version? Sprinkle some cinnamon, sugar, and salt.

One of our favorite things to do is take an evening and drive around looking at the Christmas lights. Fill up some mugs or thermos with the homemade hot chocolate and a baggie of cookies from Chapter 1.

Have a family on your list? Consider a board game to implement a family game night. Try to choose a game that all ages can master and enjoy. This is a great way to implement time together without the television or other electronics.

If you have a young or teenage girl, why not consider an at-home spa date? Use the sugar scrub recipe and fill either the bath tub or small pans with water. Soak and scrub your feet with the sugar scrub. Line up some fun colors of nail polish and paint one another’s toes. My daughter and I love the nail stickers you can purchase in a sheet with small decals. It makes your nails look like you came straight from the salon without the price.

Gifts of time to a harried mother of young children are something to consider. Offer to babysit her children for a few hours to give her some time by herself. Or perhaps deliver dinner to her on a weeknight. Perhaps plan a coffee date at your home and serve homemade mochas or hot chocolate with the mixes from chapter one. Spend some time in fellowship.

Is there someone elderly or who isn’t able to get out very much? Why not bake them something special and spend the afternoon with them? This would be much more appreciated than a gift dropped off at the door. Plan some of this for after the holidays. Both you and the recipients will enjoy having something to look forward to after the glitter from Christmas is wiped away.

Have a boy on your list? What about sponsoring a survivor man day? The two of you (or more, depending upon the number of boys on your list) can scout out the terrain for

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/2013/08/28/pioneering-today-basil-lambsquarters-pesto/http://melissaknorris.com/2013/08/28/pioneering-today-basil-lambsquarters-pesto/http://melissaknorris.com/2012/03/14/pioneering-today-homemade-chicken-alfredo-pizza/http://wholenewmom.com/recipes/dorito-flavored-popcorn-dairy-free/http://wholenewmom.com/recipes/dorito-flavored-popcorn-dairy-free/



the best spot to make a camp from the supplies available. With supervision and age appropriateness, have them try and build a fire without matches or lighters, using only survival gear, such as flint or rubbing sticks together. Cook supper outside over an open fire or in a Dutch oven. Here’s my guide to cooking over an open fire with a Dutch oven and my chicken vegetable Dutch oven recipe.

Do you have a special skill? Most of us are gifted in one area or another. Consider offering to teach someone where you are gifted. Perhaps give them guitar lessons, quilting, baking, canning, gardening, organizing, tech skills, photography, home décor, wood working, any area where you possess a skill is a gift to someone who doesn’t know how to do what you do.

If you’re married, consider planning a night for just you and your spouse. Cook their favorite foods and make a deal to leave the cell phones, computers, and television in the other room. Take the time to talk and enjoy one another’s company. Get out the good dinnerware and light some candles. You don’t have to go out to reconnect.

I hope you take these ideas and run with them. I’d love to hear about the special time you plan for your loved ones. Please share them with me on my Facebook page so others can be inspired as well.

I wish you a Merry Christmas!!

About the Author

Nice to meet you!

I’m Melissa, a follower of Jesus, lover of getting my hands dirty in the garden, playing with flour and sugar, and putting words on the page.

Return to Simple

If you love old-fashioned living and think we need to get back to the simple way of life, then this my friend, is the

http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/2012/06/06/pioneering-today-dutch-oven-cooking-over-an-open-fire/http://melissaknorris.com/2012/06/13/pioneering-today-dutch-oven-chicken-vegetable-bake-recipe/http://www.facebook.com/melissaknorris



place for you. We’ll talk about how our great-grandparents lived and how to capture that in our modern lives.

The Pioneering Today Podcast is where food is homegrown, Mason jars line our pantries, meals are made from scratch, and the soul is nourished.

Newest Book!

The Made-From-Scratch Life: Simple Ways to Create a Natural Home

Do you long for simpler days? Do you wish you had the time to offer your family home-grown meals? Does your heart cry for a quiet place in this fast-paced world?

Is your answer yes? Me, too! Find out more here.
http://www.melissaknorris.com/http://melissaknorris.com/podcast-2/http://melissaknorris.com/books/

Documents

Pioneering Today-A Homemade Christmas...Jelly Tarts pg. 13 Pumpkin Applesauce Cake and Buttermilk Glaze pg. 14 Pumpkin Roll pg. 17 Quick Dinner Rolls pg. 29 ... or put in fridge for