Peanut Butter Muffins

I love peanut butter!!!!!  This is a great muffin for breakfast, just spread a little butter and jam on the muffin.  This is not a sweet muffin!

Making the Muffins

2 cups flour

1/2 firmly packed brown sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped peanut

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter tins or line with paper.  This recipe makes 16 muffins.  These also make adorable mini muffins. 

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, beat the peanut butter until smooth and gradually add the milk.  Beat in the melted butter and eggs.  Stir in the peanuts and add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins.  Bake muffins for 15 minutes or until tooth pick inserted into top of muffin comes out clean.

Printable Candy Bar Wrappers "Teachers Pet"

School is just about out!!!!  YAY!!!  My two daughters were stressing last week about what to give their kids teachers now that school is coming to a close.  Of course I think CANDY and CANDY BARS!!!!  Who wouldn't love to get a candy bar?  It was so easy to download these free candy bar wrappers HERE at Parties and Patterns.  It took just seconds to download, print, cut and attach to a candy bar. 

These candy bar wrappers fit a large Hershey size bar

(3 1/2"x7).  There are fifteen different wrappers to choose from. Wrap the candy bars in a cellophane bag and tie with a big ribbon and you are set to go.

To print the candy bar wrappers below, left right on the image and then right click. Save the image to your computer. 

               NOTE:  It is important that you left click first to get a high res image! 

I recommend inserting the image into a word document or power point program.  Print on copy paper.  

These wrappers wrap around a large 4.25 oz. (3 ½”x7”) candy bar such as Hershey’s Milk Chocolate.

Birthday Activity "The Present"

If you have a large present that can't be wrapped this is a fun activity to prolong the present opening experience and get some laughs along the way.

This year we implemented "The Present" with my son-in-law's birthday and it brought a lot of laughs.  Wrap a token present that gives a hint of the actual gift.  In this case we wrapped a grill brush but the actual present was a BBQ.  Wrap the present multiple times in graduating boxes or several layers. On each present is taped an actitivy that has to be done before the next layer can be unwrapped.

The packet is free and includes sixteen different activities. All you have to do is download the packet, choose your activities, copy and start wrapping your present.  Have fun making these ideas your own! 

Download this pdf birthday activity packet 

HERE at Parties and Patterns.

                                     

"Stuff 8 marshmellows in your mouth and sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb"

 

 

"Eat five soda crackers and whistle"

'

Do fifteen push-ups.  (Kids on the back are optional.)

"The Present"

Lazy Pecan Toffee

Putting the Toffee Together:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
40-48 soda crackers (depends on how big your cookie sheet is)
2 cups chocolate chips
1-2 cups pecans, chopped

Boil the butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes.  Arrange the soda crackers on a cookie sheet lined up against each other, but not overlapping.  Spread the butter and brown sugar mixture over the top of the crackers. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.  Take out of oven and immediately cover with  chocolate chips.  Let chocolate chips melt and spread evenly. Sprinkle the pecans on top of the chocolate and put in fridge until chocolate sets.  Cut into pieces.

Everyone loves these and they are so easy.  Just don't tell anyone you used soda crackers.

chili

We are close to the end of May.  It has been raining outside for the past week and is supposed to rain into next week.  There are 18 new inches of snow in the mountains.  I am making some chili and sitting by the fire!!!!

Putting The Chili Together:

1 lb hamburger   (I also like to use left over roast beef.)
2 cans black beans
1 can chili beans
1 can  tomatoes with chilies
1 can jalopeno  hot  chili
1 can thick chili
1 large can tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
1 cup water (add more if you want thinner chili)
1 tbsp. chili powder (or to taste)
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
Hot pepper flakes (optional and to taste)

Fry hamburger or shred left-over roast beef. Put meat in a big pot and  add the remaining ingredients.  Heat through.  Serve with sour cream, cheese and chips.

Quillow Patterns - "Princess"

Another quillow  has been born!  My little grand daughters have been begging me for a "Princess" quillow and I couldn't disappoint.  Now I only need to make four more  of these "Princess" quillows to make everyone happy.  

You can download the pdf quillow pattern HERE at Parties and Patterns.

Printable Birthday Coupons

In our family we are big on coupons.  We give coupons for everything.  We give coupons out at Easter, Christmas, birthdays, you name it.  It has become a popular family tradition.  

We would like to share this tradition with you.  This packet includes printable birthday coupons that you download from your computer, print and wrap with a token gift.  We have included ideas for token gifts to go along with the coupons, plus there are some blank coupons for you to personalize.  You can download the free printable birthday coupons HERE at

Parties and Patterns.

Of course there is always a twist to our birthday celebrations.  Not only do we have fun coupons, but then we hide the gifts.  Along with hiding the gifts, but we play the hot and cold game.  While the person is looking for their gifts we shout HOT if they are getting close to a gift.  If they are far away from the gift we whisper COLD.  You get the idea.  You may think we do this for kids only, but no.  It is so much more fun with adults and brings out the kid in all of us.  Below are pictures of my daughter searching for her gifts on her 30th birthday. Enjoy!!!!

In An Emergency!

"In An Emergency"  is fun  to give as a present for graduation.   To make this gift just print off the page style you want, attach the money and put it in a frame. I just use cheap document frames.  I give this gift every year to the graduating seniors and they love it.  There are seven page styles to choose from and you can download the pages for free HERE at Parties and Patterns.  This is also a great birthday gift, house warming gift, wedding gift or retirement gift.

Instructions:

To print the images below, left click on the image, then right click on the image  and then  save the image  to your computer. 

NOTE:  It is important that you left click first to get a high res image.
    
Insert the images into a word document or power point.   Print on card stock paper.

What You Will Need for this gift:

One document size frame  (You can be as fancy as you like, but through experience I find the  frame is usually dumped and the money is valued.

                 Moral: buy a cheap frame.) 

Copy of  “In An Emergency “ 

Two bills (Can be any two bills, does not have to be twenty’s.)  

Putting the Gift Together:

1.  Go to the bank and pick up some cash.

2.  Pick up a document sized frame at the dollar store. 

4.  Tape money to the copied page.

5.  Put the money page inside the frame.

6.  Deliver and be prepared to put a big smile on someone's face.