MamaBlogga

I have no idea where this recipe came from, but it’s a great new twist on “crisped rice desserts” (because I’ll bet the term “Rice Krispie Treats” is trademarked. . . . Oh crap.).

Anyway, it was a recipe that my mother had us make, oh, probably 10+ years ago, back when we did crafts/treatmaking each night in December. This was one of the first treats we made.

Ingredients
Marshmallows (big ones, not teeny ones)
Caramels (unwrapped)
Crisped rice cereal

Directions
Melt the caramels in a saucepan (or, if you want to use the microwave, a bowl will do). Pour the crisped rice cereal into a shallow dish or bowl. Place a sheet of waxed paper next to that bowl. Once the caramels are good and melty (don’t you just love the precision of this recipe?), dip one end of the marshmallow first into the caramels, then into the crisped rice cereal, then place it on the
waxed paper to cool. Repeat until you run out of something.

I don’t have any pictures of these, but at right is a picture from a similar (but much more involved) recipe from AllRecipes.com. The picture has added food dye to the caramel.

I also think these would be good if, after dipping in the crisped rice cereal, you dipped them in chocolate. Or before. Or instead of the caramel. Chocolate…..

Part of Scribbit’s Winter Bazaar and

I can’t remember where I first saw the idea for this natural air freshener, but it’s easy and, I think, Christmas-y: perfect for late fall and early winter. Best of all, it’s fairly easy, if you have the materials.

Materials:
Cookie sheet
Aluminum foil
Pinecones, rinsed

Put the aluminum foil on the cookie sheet, then put the pinecones on the cookie sheet (yes, in that order ).

Put the cookie sheet into the oven and set it on 200 degrees (or ‘warm’). Bake them for 30-45 minutes: piney goodness.

The pinecones also open up and may drop their seeds: pine nuts!

And they’re ready for crafts. And who doesn’t love pine cone crafts? (Okay, okay, you can put your hands down.)

Part of the Scribbit Winter Bazaar and Works-for-Me Wednesday!

updated 8 September 2011

Don’t miss the ultimate list of family costumes!

I was almost six months pregnant with Hayden when Halloween rolled around. I was completely stumped for a good costume, and we had a party to go to. After looking on dozens of message boards and lots and lots of web searches, I assembled the granddaddy of all lists of pregnancy-related costumes.

I realize that not everyone is looking for a couple/pregnancy costume, so the list starts off with “stand alone” costumes that highlight your “baby bump.” Next is couple costumes, although there is some overlap between the two. Most of the costumes were fairly self explanatory, but I elucidated a bit for a few. Please note that I’m not saying that I think these ideas are good/creative/funny; they’re just everything I found. Also note that any links in the list are affiliate links; I get a small percentage of any purchase made after clicking on the links. Not all linked costumes are “maternity” costumes, but they may still fit.

Stand Alone

• 8 Ball (you could even be magic, if you feel so inclined)
• alien creature coming out of your belly
• angel
• baker
• Baker’s Wife (“Into the Woods”)
• Barney
• big baby
• Belly Dancer
• Big Bird
• Bowling Ball
• bumblebee
• angel
• bump in the road (wear all black, use sticky-backed felt strips to create road markings. Stick some cars on your belly)

• bun in the oven baker or Bun In The (actual) Oven
• Clown
• Cow
• devil
• Ducky
• Fairy/fairy godmother
• fishbowl
• Grape bunch
• gumball machine
• gypsy
• Hillbilly Bride
• Hula Girl
• Kangaroo
• M&M
• man with a belly
• marshmallow (Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, anyone?)
• Marshmallow Peep?
• “Midnight Priestess”
• Mike Wazowski (“Monsters, Inc.”)
• Minnie (accessory kit)/Mickey Mouse
• the Moon
• Mother Earth/Mother Nature
• “Mummy”
• Pillsbury doughboy
• Pirate
• Pregnant Bride
• pregnant hippie
• pregnant nun
• nurse
• pregnant schoolgirl
• Pumpkin/jack o’lantern—paint your shirt (or if it’s warm and you’re a bit of an exhibitionist, paint your belly)
• Raggedy Ann/Rag Doll
• Scarecrow
• skeleton with baby skeleton on your belly
• Sneetch (star-belly or plain-belly)
• trashy lady/man
• Violet Beauregard Blueberry (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”)
• Watermelon
• Winnie the Pooh
• witch

Couple Costumes

• “Mummy” and “Daddy”
• Bowling Ball and Pin or bowler
• Bun In The (actual) Oven & baker
• Cow and Milkman
• Hilbilly Bride and Hillbilly Groom
• Humpty Dumpty & the King
• M&Ms
• Minnie and Mickey Mouse
• Man and Lady Pirate
• Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head
• angel and devil
• Pregnant devil and devil
• pregnant hippies
• pregnant nun and devil
• pregnant nun and Priest
• Raggedy Ann/Rag Doll and Raggedy Andy
• Rosemary and the devil(“Rosemary’s Baby”)
• Sneetches (star-bellies, plain-bellies, or mix’n'match)
• trashy couple
• Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum

There were a few things on my list that were “topical” (read: “dated”). Can you tell what year this was?

• Britney Spears and Kevin Federline
• Padmé and Anakin Skywalker (or Darth Vader) (“Star Wars”)
• Shrek & Fiona
• Sidney Bristow and Michael Vaughn (“Alias”)

My favorite idea wasn’t really related to pregnancy, but adorable: Sesame Street Martians (see for awesome instructions instructible and their family song if you’ve forgotten it .) I told my husband it’d be cute to put “Yip, yip, YOU!” on his back and “Yip, yip, ME!” on my back and “Yip, yip, BABY!” on my belly. Ryan laughed at me.

Our choice? That’s us at the top of the post. The day of the party, I got some pipe cleaners and headbands and made myself a halo and Ryan a set of sparkly red “horns.” He wore his red boots and his shirt with flames on it; I wore a flowy white shirt and skirt. It ended up being so flowy that almost no one could tell I was pregnant. Oh well.

Personally, I don’t really ‘get,’ the whole pregnant nun thing. I’m not offended by it; it’s just not very funny to me.

I am SUPER excited about our costumes this year, though—no pregnancy necessary.

Scribbit’s first Winter Bazaar starts today! Each Wednesday this month, participants can post Hallowe’en tips and tricks tricks and treats for a chance to win fun prizes—kids’ costumes! (Yes, apparently Hallowe’en is a winter holiday in Alaska. You know, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and Labor Day. )

I wracked my brain for what I could write about, and then I remembered I’d compiled this list a while back (i.e. when I was pregnant) and finally have the chance to post it!

The bazaar will continue next month with a different theme and prize, and until the snow melts in Alaska.