Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes Pt 2

Christmas is a time of joy, love, and of course, delicious treats. And what better way to spread holiday cheer than with freshly baked cookies? In part 2 of our easy Christmas cookie recipes, we have even more delectable options for you to try. From classic ginger cookies to popcorn cookies, these recipes are sure to impress your family and friends.

Cherry Snowballs - If you are looking for a festive cookie to add to your holiday dessert spread or a delicious treat to enjoy year-round, Cherry Snowballs are the perfect choice. With their soft, buttery texture and bursts of cherry flavor, these cookies are sure to become a household favorite. So, gather your ingredients and get baking – your taste buds will thank you!

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Big Soft Ginger Cookies - With just a few simple ingredients and some basic kitchen tools, you can have a batch of these Big Soft Ginger Cookies ready to share with your loved ones in no time. They are perfect for a cozy night in, a holiday party, or as a homemade gift for friends and family. So go ahead and give this recipe a try, and get ready to fall in love with the irresistible flavors and textures of these Big Soft Ginger Cookies.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Basic Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies - Chocolate pinwheel cookies are a classic and delicious treat that is loved by many. These delightful cookies are made with a simple buttery dough and a rich chocolate filling, resulting in a perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Snowy Mountain Cookies - These Snowy Mountain Cookies are the perfect treat to enjoy with a warm cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace, or to share with friends and family at a holiday gathering. So why not whip up a batch of these delicious cookies and bring a taste of the snowy mountains right into your home?

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Flourless Peanut Butter Thumbprints - Flourless Peanut Butter Thumbprints are a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that is perfect for anyone with a gluten-free or grain-free diet. These cookies are made with just a few simple ingredients, but pack a ton of flavor and texture.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Triple Nut Snowballs - These Triple Nut Snowballs are a great addition to any holiday cookie platter and are perfect for gift-giving. They also make a great treat to enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa or coffee on a cold winter day. So why not give this recipe a try and add these delicious and nutritious cookies to your holiday baking repertoire. Your taste buds and your loved ones will thank you.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Nuts-About-You Cookie Sticks - Not only are these Nuts-About-You Cookie Sticks delicious, but they also make for a beautiful presentation. The long, slender shape of the cookies makes them ideal for serving at parties or potlucks. You can arrange them in a jar or tin, tie them up with a pretty ribbon, and give them as a gift to your loved ones.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Coconut Cranberry Yummies - Coconut Cranberry Yummies are the perfect blend of sweet, tart, and chewy in one delicious treat. This recipe combines the tropical flavor of coconut with the tangy burst of cranberries to create a mouthwatering dessert that will leave you wanting more.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Lemon Pudding Cookies - Lemon Pudding Cookies are a delicious and refreshing twist on the classic cookie recipe. These cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with tangy lemon flavor. The best part about these cookies is that they are incredibly easy to make, requiring only a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Popcorn Cookies - Looking for a fun and unique twist on a classic cookie recipe? Look no further than Popcorn Cookies! These delicious treats are the perfect combination of sweet and salty, with a crunchy texture that will have you coming back for more.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

Which one of these recipes are you going to make? 

Keep it sassy & Merry Christmas,

Kelly

from the Sassy Silver Sisters

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog! We really appreciate it. We believe that our blog is a great way to share valuable information, such as tips, tricks, and advice, to help our readers improve their lives. We strive to create content that is interesting, informative, and entertaining so that our readers can always find something valuable to read. We do our best to provide content that is timely and relevant, so our readers can stay up to date with the latest trends. We also aim to provide content that is unique and engaging, so our readers can learn something new and be inspired. We hope that our blog provides you with the necessary information and resources to make your life easier and more enjoyable. Thank you again for taking the time to read our blog!

FTC DISCLAIMER:  This page informs you of our disclosure statement regarding the advertisements we use and disclosure of our Service and the choices we have associated with it. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third-party ad network or affiliates. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements. The owner(s) of this website is not compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites, and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this website are purely the owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This website does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

Fall for Crock Pot Apple Cider

Hot apple cider is one of the most delicious and comforting drinks you can have during the cold winter months. It's a beloved beverage that can be enjoyed by everyone, from kids to adults. The tartness of the apples combined with the warmth of the spices creates an irresistible flavor. The smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves that wafts through the air as the cider is simmering is sure to warm up any cold day. The best part about making hot apple cider is that it's so easy to make. All you need are a few simple ingredients and about 15 minutes of your time. 

INGREDIENTS

• 64 oz apple cider
• 1 Tb. brown sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1.5 tsp whole cloves
• sliced orange
• 1/2 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a crockpot.
2. Set on LOW for 3-4 hours
3. Strain out the spices, if desired.
4. Serve with fresh cinnamon sticks, and sliced apple and orange slices.

Watch our video ⮟

Do you like apple cider? Do you happen to make hot apple cider? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Keep it sassy,

Kelly

🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏

FTC DISCLAIMER:  This page informs you of our disclosure statement regarding the advertisements we use and disclosure of our Service and the choices we have associated with it. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third-party ad network or affiliates. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements. The owner(s) of this website is not compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites, and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this website are purely the owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This website does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

Asparagus Facts and Recipes

***UPDATED 4/27/24***

Asparagus is now in season in Virginia. I happen to like asparagus, how about you? My preference is to grill it on our gas grill with some olive oil and salt/pepper. Oh so good!

Here are some fun facts about asparagus. 

1. Asparagus has been cultivated for 2,500 years and for almost 150 years in the United States.
2. It takes three years from seed to harvest.
3. California is among the top 3 states in asparagus production. Other states that produce bunches of asparagus include Washington and Michigan, while others produce very small quantities.
4. Sea salt was the asparagus farmer’s original herbicide.
5. White asparagus and green asparagus come from the same plant. Green asparagus gets its color from sunlight. When the plant breaks through the ground, the sun hits it, turning it green. For white asparagus, sunlight is prevented from touching the plant by piling dirt on top of the stalks so the asparagus matures underground. Once the tip breaks through the surface, the stalk is cut with a special knife beneath the ground.
6. Asparagus treats bee stings and toothaches. According to the Greeks and Romans 2,500 years ago, that is. Green vegetables are always an excellent choice for oral health but the jury is still out on that one.
7. Asparagus makes your urine stink but only some people can actually smell it. Genetic differences occur in olfactory receptors that lead some people to be able to smell these odorous compounds released in urine. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid. When the vegetable is digested, this chemical is broken down into a group of related sulfur-containing and ammonia compounds.
8. Asparagus will reproduce for up to 20 consecutive years! Asparagus is a perennial and will continue to produce yearly but patience is key. It takes about 3 years to grow asparagus before you can harvest it.
9. Asparagus is a vegetable that is high in nutrients. Asparagus has many health benefits as it is high in fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E, K, and chromium. Whether you're monitoring your sugar levels, asparagus is good news. It is abundant in the amino acid asparagine, which acts as a natural diuretic, and higher urinating allows the body to get rid of extra salts while also releasing fluid.
10. Asparagus can be found in three colors: green, white, and purple.

Did you know these facts about asparagus? It’s amazing how we take our vegetables for granted. 

Now, how about some recipes.

Asparagus Ham Dinner

Click here for the recipe.

Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Shortbread Coins

CREDIT: © DAVID MALOSH

Click here for the recipe.

Asparagus-and-Zucchini Frittata

CREDIT: © JOHN KERNICK

Click here for the recipe.

Savory Waffles with Asparagus, Gruyere, and Onion

Click here for the recipe.

Lemon Asparagus Risotto

Click here for the recipe.

Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes

Click here for the recipe.

Creamy Chicken & Asparagus Pasta

CREDIT: FRED HARDY

Click here for the recipe.

Panko Roasted Asparagus

CREDIT: ANDY LYONS

Click here for the recipe.

Spring Green Smoothies

CREDIT: JASON DONNELLY

Click here for the recipe.

Cheesy garlic roasted asparagus

Credit Cafe Delites

Click here for the recipe.

We hope you enjoyed the fun facts and asparagus recipes. Do you like to make dishes with asparagus? Please share and comment below.

Stay Sassy,

Kelly

😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog! We really appreciate it. We believe that our blog is a great way to share valuable information, such as tips, tricks, and advice, to help our readers improve their lives. We strive to create content that is interesting, informative, and entertaining so that our readers can always find something valuable to read. We do our best to provide content that is timely and relevant, so our readers can stay up to date with the latest trends. We also aim to provide content that is unique and engaging, so our readers can learn something new and be inspired. We hope that our blog provides you with the necessary information and resources to make your life easier and more enjoyable. Thank you again for taking the time to read our blog!

FTC DISCLAIMER:  This page informs you of our disclosure statement regarding the advertisements we use and disclosure of our Service and the choices we have associated with it. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third-party ad network or affiliates. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements. The owner(s) of this website is not compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites, and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this website are purely the owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This website does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

TerraShield for those Pesky Summertime Bugs

***UPDATED 4/29/23***

Make TerraShield your traveling companion whenever you head into the great outdoors. Formulated with woody and flowery essential oils like Cedarwood, Arborvitae, Ylang Ylang, and Lemon Eucalyptus, the oil blend creates an aroma that’s wholesome and comforting.

TerraShield is perfect for the whole family! Diffuse it at your next outdoor event to create an inviting atmosphere for those you love. The TerraShield Outdoor Blend is now offered in a 30 ml spray bottle. TerraShield Spray will give you all of the benefits of doTERRA TerraShield oil while adding in the convenience of a spray lid and top, allowing you to access its benefits quicker and easier. The shape of the container also makes it a great fit for a pocket or bag and can be easily carried and stored for on-the-go use.

☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ 

doTERRA products are fantastic and I'm here to share with you another amazing oil.

Summer is upon us.  Hot, sticky, bug-infested summer.  I personally don’t spend a lot of time outdoors. If the heat doesn’t get to me, the bugs do.  I don’t like putting poison on me to keep the bugs away either.

When I joined doTerra, I found they have an oil blend to help me keep the bugs away.  It’s called TerraShield.  You can apply TerraShield on your legs, arms, and neck before going outdoors. You can also diffuse TerraShield.  It comes 15mL bottle or in a 30mL spray.

The ingredients are Fractionated Coconut Oil, Ylang YlangFlower, Tamanu Seed, Nootka Wood, Cedarwood Wood, Catnip Plant, Lemon Eucalyptus Leaf, Litsea Fruit, Vanilla Bean Absolute, Arborvitae Wood.

For the DIY people out there, I would recommend buying the oil blend and making your own spray.  If you want to buy both then you would already have the spray bottle to reuse. I am sure you can find many recipes online.  doTerra advocates are great at sharing recipes for making all kinds of products for your home.  Here is just one recipe you can use to make more TerraShield spray when you run out.

Homemade Bug Spray using doTerra Terrashield Oil

Ingredients:

• One 8-ounce spray bottler 

• 1/2 c, boiled or distilled water

• 1/2 c. witch hazel

• 30 drops of the Terrashield blend

Here are some links for these doTerra items:

Terrashield Blend & Terrashield Spray Oil

I hope everyone enjoys their summer.

Have you ever used Terrashield? If so, please share in the comments your thoughts about the product.

If you have any questions about doTerra products,  contact me Rhonda Byler, I am always happy to share. 

~ Rhonda

🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕🎕

Thank you for reading our blog post. If you haven't already subscribed to receive our weekly blog post and Recipe of the Week, just click the SUBSCRIBE button on the right of the page and you will be the first to find out what's going on in our sassy brains. 😜

The Recipe of the Week is a bonus for our subscribers and goes out via email mid-week.

So, don't miss out, and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

FTC DISCLAIMER:  This page informs you of our disclosure statement regarding the advertisements we use and disclosure of our Service and the choices we have associated with it. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third-party ad network or affiliates. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements. The owner(s) of this website is not compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites, and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this website are purely the owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This website does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

De-skunking Our Dog and Home

***UPDATED 9/2/23***

Recently my dog had an encounter with a skunk. YES, a skunk. He went out for his 5 a.m. morning pee break and came back in before we knew he was sprayed by a skunk and headed directly to our grandson's room, luckily our grandson wasn't in there and rubbed his face all over his bed. Not knowing that my husband was dealing with this, he decided to wake me up after he had already given him his first bath. We bathed him 3 times that morning and took him to the groomers mid-afternoon. 

For the second bath, I did a little research on what to bathe him in and found a homemade solution from The Prairie Homestead, which worked a bit but didn't do the trick that I would have liked.

Here's the recipe if you are interested in DIY:

• 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide (this is the kind you find in the first aid section of your average grocery store. It’s very cheap.)
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1-2 drops of liquid dish soap (optional)
• 2-3 drops of lemon essential oil (optional–but adds extra deodorizing power)
• Rubber Gloves (optional, but highly recommended…)
• Bucket

Make sure you wear gloves! Mix together the peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap. Stir well and then quickly apply to the dry dog, being careful not to splash any in his eyes. Thoroughly work the solution in his coat. It should cover and permeate as much of the hair as possible.

Allow the dog to “soak” for around 5 minutes.

A chemical reaction is occurring which actually neutralizes the odor. This is why you must use it before the peroxide and soda are finished with their reaction. It can not be made ahead of time and stored.

After the waiting period, thoroughly rinse the dog with water.

For the third bath, I took a trip to PetSmart and found this product Nature's Miracle® Skunk Odor Remover. It did take more of the smell away from the dog and it worked rather well on clothing and our carpets. This particular bottle has a lavender scent. Follow the instructions on the bottle.

I put this in a spray bottle and sprayed the house with it and it did help temporarily. I added it to my shampooer and shampooed my rugs. I do believe that helps a lot.

I also found a DIY to try and neutralize the smell in the house from Simply Earth using essential oils and a diffuser. It makes the home smell wonderful. I didn't have the Lemon Eucalyptus or the Blood Orange essential oil so I substituted it with Lemon, Eucalyptus, and a Citrus blend.

Defeat the Reek Diffuser Blend Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 drop of Clove Essential Oil
• 1 drop of Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil
• 2 drops of Blood Orange Essential Oil

Instructions

• Add essential oils to the diffuser and diffuse in an open room.
  
• To make a masterblend of this recipe use a 5 mL bottle from your Big Bonus Box and add 25 drops of Clove Essential Oil, 25 drops of Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil, and 50 Blood Orange Essential Oil. Shake to mix and label. 

We can still smell the skunk on his face after a week but the house smells so much better now. 

Another thing to consider when opening windows, make sure you don't open the windows that are near the spray spot. We found out the hard way and we couldn't figure out why it kept smelling like a skunk in our bedroom and determined the skunk sprayed our dog near our bedroom window. Live and learn! :)

I hope and pray you never encounter a skunk but if you or your pet get sprayed just maybe these tips will help you on your journey to de-skunking :)

If you have helpful tips on this subject, we would be glad to hear from you. Please comment!

Stay safe and healthy,

     Kelly

The Sassy Silver Sisters

Cathy, Rhonda & Kelly

😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃

Thank you for reading our blog post. If you haven't already subscribed to receive our weekly blog post and Recipe of the Week, just click the SUBSCRIBE button on the right of the page and you will be the first to find out what's going on in our sassy brains. 😜

The Recipe of the Week is a bonus for our subscribers and goes out via email mid-week.

So, don't miss out, and SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

FTC DISCLAIMER:  This page informs you of our disclosure statement regarding the advertisements we use and disclosure of our Service and the choices we have associated with it. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third-party ad network or affiliates. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements. The owner(s) of this website is not compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites, and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this website are purely the owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This website does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.