Year: 2011

Mulled Wine

  1. Add the following to a large saucepan: 2 bottles of pinot noir, 200ml brandy, 300g sugar, 5 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 teaspoons of allspice and 1 star anise.
  2. Then slice an orange and a lemon and add to the ingredients in the pan. Bring slowly to simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  3. Serve and enjoy. You can substitute the brandy for Cointreau if you want a more intense orange flavour. via

Reindeer Cookies

  • 1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
  • 1 container (16 oz.) prepared chocolate frosting
  • 48 pretzel twists pieces for antlers
  • 48 NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
  • 48 NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
  • 24 red gumdrops or cinnamon candies for nose

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Press each square of dough into a triangle shape about ½-inch thick. Place on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Upon removal from oven, carefully shape triangle with edge of knife to reshape. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

FROST cookies with chocolate frosting. Press two pretzels on top of frosting for antlers. Place two white morsels upside down on each cookie as eyes. Adhere mini morsel pupils to white morsels with frosting. Use gumdrops for noses. via

Scented Heat Rice Pack

Insert a funnel into the top of a clean cotton tube sock.
 
Pour 2 pounds of uncooked long-grain rice through the funnel into the sock.

Remove the funnel, and add 5 drops of lavender essential oil directly on top of the rice in the sock.
 
Tie a knot in the end of the tube sock to close it.
 
Microwave your scented rice heat pack for one to three minutes on high. VIA

Household Uses for Tennis Balls

1. Erase scuff marks. With a utility knife, cut an X in a tennis ball and slip it over the end of an old broom handle. Rub the ball over scuff marks on your wood floors; they’ll come right off.

2. Protect a padlock. Cut a slit in a tennis ball with a utility knife and slip it over an outdoor padlock to prevent water from getting into it and freezing.

3. Remove a broken lightbulb. The bulb broke off in the socket? No problem. Carefully clear away any shards of broken glass, then gently push a tennis ball against the light socket and twist it to remove the bulb’s embedded stem.

4. Cushion the blow. Cut an X in a tennis ball and slip it over the head of a hammer so you don’t ding up walls, wood, or other fragile materials while you’re pounding away.

5. Install a parking guide. Hang a tennis ball from a string from the ceiling of your garage so that the ball touches the top left corner of the windshield when your car is properly parked. Now you’ll know how far to pull in each time you come home.

6. Open a jar. Cut a tennis ball in half. Use the open end to grip and unscrew tight lids.

7. Make a hitch cover. Make a long slit in a tennis ball with a utility knife. Slide the ball over the hitch of your trailer to keep it from scratching other cars (and protect it from getting damaged).

8. Collect change for tolls. Cut a slit in a tennis ball and stash spare change inside. Keep the ball in your car so you don’t have to grope for your wallet when you’re at the tollbooth.

9. Keep a door open. Who needs a doorstop? Wedge a tennis ball between the door and the doorjamb in­stead.

10. Get a better grip. Hold a tennis ball in each hand. Squeeze and release repeatedly to strengthen your hands and arms for using tools. VIA