Tips for Treasure Hunts

I'm told I'm putting together a scavenger hunt.  But I think it will be a treasure hunt instead.  They are more fun cause it's not just a race but a race with TREASURE at the end.  Plus you don't end up with a bunch of odd scavenged things to surreptitiously throw out.  Be prepared --  it takes a bit of time to put together a treasure hunt (as opposed to throwing together a scavenger list).  The easiest way is to start backward -- at the treasure.  You've got to stick with the ability-level of the treasure hunters; you'll know you've got a problem if they don't understand your clues and just start blindly searching (then it's hint-time). On the other hand, it's not so much fun if the clues are too obvious.  I like to place the clues physically far apart (front yard then back yard then garage etc) -- then even if the clues are too easy, at least it takes them a while to get to the next.  Make sure the treasure is worth it and that it covers all the age ranges involved.  Cheap, shiny plastic bangles and plastic bugs plus wrapped candy all work great and are exciting to find.  Shiny! Bugs! Candy!  What could be better!

Chocolate Truffles - expensive yet easy to make and oh so good

Truffles are one of those delicacies that sound expensive and tricky to make.  They certainly can be expensive but they're hardly tricky to make.  Sort of embarrassingly easy is more like it; as in two ingredients.  But two IMPORTANT ingredients:  really good chocolate (meaning it tastes wonderful straight from the bag) and heavy cream (not skim milk with extra butter or half and half).  You can use really expensive chocolate but I find Hersheys Extra Dark chocolate chips work fine.  They are also my fav for chocolate chip cookies.  Anyway, zap 8 ounces choc chips in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir a little and do it again.  Add 1/2 c heavy cream.  Zap once or twice again for 30 sec till it all feels warm.  Stir and stir till it's smooth; you can zap again if needed -- but this can burn even in the microwave so watch that it's not already hot.  It's best to let it sit a few minutes and melt on its own than overdo the zapping.  When it's finally all homogenized, lightly cover and place in the fridge about an hour till cool.  Then scoop out little pieces (like half the size of a golf ball -- these are rich) and roll into balls.  Once they're all balls, roll in confectioner's sugar, cocoa, toasted or plain coconut, jimmies, etc.  They will be sticky, thus why you need to harden up the outside with something dry.  They are best eaten at room temp but store in the fridge or even freeze.  Scrumptious.

Etsy Finds -- Now this is different...

Sort of a cool seahorse done with a metallic slant.  I like the little curly kews on the tail.  Nice use of...something (what is that?) making the nose.  Looks like it might bite, though.  Or at least light up.

Essential Oils You May Never Have Heard Of: Palmarosa

According to one essential oil vendor, "Palmarosa has a soft, lemony-fresh green scent with hints of geranium and rose".  Not sure I'd describe as such but it does pack a nice punch for problem -- or any -- skin.  It is supposed to helpful for dry skin conditions and act as an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal.  It's been used for a wide variety of skin infections, including acne.

VERY fun (or at least funny) kid's activity -- Finnish Disco Lessons

Dancing for the non-self conscious can be very fun.  And learning a new dance is only fun if you do not care if you look like an incompetent fool.  So what better way to learn (or re-learn) disco than by some people who look odder than you and speak a language that sounds odder than your own.  Check this out and then get on your own white polyester double knit duds and show some kids how to really hit the dance floor. 

Soup for a winter night...

Soup is a very forgiving food:  you can go a little low or high in measurements, drop one ingredient and add another, and it still can come out tasting fine.  Some guidelines for a nice potato soup:  Saute 1/2 to 1 whole onion with garlic till all is transparent. Chop 3 - 6 medium sized potatoes ("medium" as opposed to huge 6" baking potatoes) and saute for a minute or so.  If you like beans (a can of black or white or red kidney) or want to add a low fat protein source, add them to the saute to give them a little flavor.  You can also add lots of other "firm" vegetables at this point:  carrots, celery, sweet potato etc. Cover all with water and simmer till soft, 20-30 minutes.  You can bouillon, wine, worchestershire sauce, and/or soy sauce till it's to your taste.  Tomato paste is good, various herbs are good (basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram).  When the potatoes et al are soft, you can add any leftover cooked vegetables (peas, corn, green beans, broccoli).  At this point the soup is "done" and ready to eat but it's nice to add cheese.  Plain old American melts easily and is the cheapest; parmesan adds a nice flavor.  If you've got some hard stuff that needs to be tossed out, you can chop that up and add it.  And finally, if you don't have a nice bread, croutons or crackers work almost as well to round it out into something hot and good that you can call "Dinner".

Etsy Find: Horsehair baskets sized for a small fairy

One of those "How in the world do they make it" type of items. Or, "Who in the world has the patience or eyesight" type of items.  Incredibly cool, incredibly small.  Teeny tiny handwoven baskets.  You'd only find on etsy...

Essential Oils 102 - Rosemary

The name "Rosemary" sounds like the scent should be floral but it's scent is very pine-esque.   It's one of those herbs that's been popular for approximately forever.  At one point it was believed that placing a sprig of rosemary under a pillow before sleep would repel nightmares and if placed outside the home would repel witches.  Good info to know.  It's  a member of the mint family and native to the Mediterranean.  The shrub has spiky leaves that are more like short, fat pine needles.  It's wonderful in cooking and is the flavor that makes foccacia so good.  The plant is considered easy to grow -- but mine managed to die this winter. Rosemary has been said to improve memory and as such has been used as a symbol for remembrance for centuries. Rosemary essential oil is said to have an overall mental and physical invigorating effect -- plus it wards off witches.

Quick and easy Valentine cards to make

use any paper but of course pink construction paper is historically considered the finest.  Fold a strip of, hmm, say, red paper and cut hearts.  Use cut outs to decorate and left over cut out paper to decorate some more.  Doilies are always a nice touch.  But the nicest touch is hand-writing your Valentine's wish...

Just in time for Valentine's Day -- DIY Peppermint Patties

Want to give something homemade and sweet and good and easy?  Do-It-Yourself Peppermint Patties are great.

Mix ½ block (8−ounce) cream cheese, 1/2 t peppermint extract, and 4-1/2c confectioners' sugar.  Dump on to counter and knead a bit; sprinkle counter with more confectioner’s sugar if too sticky. Break off golf ball-sized pieces, round them then flatten.  Place discs on wax paper-lined sheets and let air dry; after an hour, flip over to dry other side.  Melt 1-1/2c chocolate chips (can mix milk and semi sweet chocolates) -- zap one minute, stir, zap 30 seconds more, stir, etc till melted – can burn so watch.  Dip each disc into the melted chocolate.  Fridge to harden then dip other side.  You could get creative and make a giant heart or just make a giant pattie.  Makes about 24.

the birth of a baker...

I figured out how to make icing when I was five.  I remember climbing onto the kitchen counter so I could reach the cabinet where the box of powdered sugar was stored.  Add water and you've got icing!  Still amazes me the things you can make.  I love bread making and canning and making cookies and soups ad infinitum.  And I love making soap.  I love figuring out what mix of oils and scents would be interesting.  And finding out what those oils and essential oils are supposed to be good for -- nice lather, moisturizing, hard bar, etc or acts as an astringent, is cooling, warming, etc.  And then after all of that fun research, you get to wash with it!  Almost as satisfying as eating powdered sugar icing.

Etsy Find: wiresNpliers

Halloween may be long gone but I thought this was the coolest necklace - handmade with tiny spider webs!   I can't imagine how patient you'd have to be to put this together; between making the webs and bending the wire I think I'd go nuts.  But what fun it would be to wear!

Essential Oils 101 - Lavender

Per Wikipedia, an essential oil is:  "...a concentrated liquid from plants. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant."   Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes. 
According to whoever you listen to, lavender can do everything from cure athlete's foot to disinfect your garbage can; it can get rid of a hangover and ease panic attacks. In 17th century London, it was suggested that a bunch of lavender be tied around the wrist to protect one from the Great Plague.  Not bad for a little purple flower.  Whether you expect it to cure what ails you or not, you CAN expect it to smell great:  always clean and fresh, not cloying, not terribly floral.  Makes as nice a soap now as it did years ago.  And anti-plague lavender wrist bands are never out of style...

Kid's Art Craft -- Penguins from recycled bottles and bottle caps

Need a kid's activity? Want one that's winter-related using recycled stuff from around the house?  Family Fun magazine has some usable stuff; here's a good one:  http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/penguin-lawn-decoration-802301/ 

You take 2-litre and smaller empty soda bottles, splash black paint INSIDE and shake it up (always fun to shake), let it dry more or less, then add some sand to make them stand up, and finally decorate as penguins.  Ours did NOT come out as perfect as the magazine's (big surprise) mostly because of the flaking white tummy paint.  I'm told that if we had sanded the outside first the white paint would have adhered.  Regardless, they are perfectly imperfect.  I especially love the wobbly eye on the little one.  We used construction paper for the feet, beaks, and wings (as opposed to the more expensive foam stuff the magazine used).  The hats are bottle tops from a liquid laundry detergent container.  The scarves are cut pieces of fleece from old scarves.  The result is a fun piece of winter.

one thing that everybody here agrees with is that Reeses peanut butter cups are pretty much perfect.  Amazingly enough, you can make a pretty good approximation at home pretty cheaply and easily.  You can use whatever peanut butter you've got -- doesn't matter if it's the cheapest store brand or low fat or natural etc.  But you do need a full cup (which is sort of messy to measure but life is full of messy necessities).  You also need one cup of margarine but it can be butter or Smart Balance or some combination and you can skimp and go for 3/4 cup in a pinch.  So far, a pretty forgiving recipe, eh?  Anyway, melt the butter in the microwave and then stir in the peanut butter.  Smash one pack (not the whole box, just one pack within the box) of graham crackers -- don't open the cellophane, just pound it with your fist till it's pretty much all crumbles (but be careful not to REALLY pound it or the cellophane will burst and you'll have graham cracker crumbs all over the floor)(not that that's ever happened to me).  You can use the low fat or regular graham crackers but not the cinnamon (unless you love the taste combo of cinnamon and peanut butter).  One pack is eight full crackers or about 1 cup of crumbs.  Mix the crumbs with the peanut butter-butter mixture and then add in a one pound box of confectioners sugar (about 3-3/4 cups).  It's really thick at this point but you can mix it with a big spoon (or well-washed hands if no one is looking).  When it's pretty well mixed, dump it into a well-greased 13 x 9 glass baking pan.  You can use metal but I always think it tastes a little "tinny" -- the peanut butter lying on the metal picks up a metallic taste.  You can line a metal pan with wax paper to get around that.  Then press all the peanut butter pretty evenly all over the pan.  Now, melt one bag (12 oz) chocolate chips.  A mix of half milk chocolate and half regular semi-sweet is best but not always in the cabinet. Melt for one minute in the microwave then stir and put in again till soft (but beware:  it will burn if you zap it too long).  Pour melted chocolate over peanut butter and put in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up so you can score the chocolate before it's hard as a rock.  If you forget and the chocolate totally hardens, it will crack on you when you try to cut it.  Not good when you're trying to cut even pieces so no one can steal the biggest.  And that's my dissertation on homemade Reeses peanut butter cups.