Valentines Day Tic-Tac-Toe

Materials List:

  • Clay – Hot Pink
  • Clay – Red Hot Red
  • Clay – Violet
  • Clay – White
  • Oven (for adult use only)

Instructions:

  1. Teardrop – Start with a ball of clay and then taper it on one end with your fingers.
  2. Coil – Roll a lump of clay until it’s long and skinny.
  3. Create Shapes: Ball – Take a lump of clay and roll it in your palms until its smooth.
  4. Roll a lump of clay until it’s long and skinny.
  5. Cut off 1/4 of the White and set it aside for later. Shape the rest of the White into a large smooth ball.

  6. Flatten the White ball into a disk about 3″ wide. Smooth out any bumps with your finger.
  7. Roll Hot Pink into a long skinny coil. Flatten the coil as you press it into place on top of the White disk making the criss-cross pattern you need to play Tic Tac Toe. Press some more of the Hot Pink coil around the outside of the White disk.
  8. Take eight tiny pinches of Red Hot Red and shape them into teardrops. Flatten these into heart shapes on the game board by pressing two teardrops side by side with the points down.
  9. Make 5 balls with Red Hot Red and 5 balls with Violet. The balls should be as wide as a dime. Flatten the balls into playing pieces. Use White to decorate the Red Hot Red pieces with X’s. Put a tiny White ball in the center of each Violet piece to make O’s.
  10. Adults only- Bake all the pieces and the game board in the oven at 275 °F for 15 minutes. Don’t handle any of the pieces until they are completely cool.

 

 

Valentines Day Heart

~  Wooden heart plaque
~  4″ paper doily
~  foam glitter sticker hearts
~  pom poms – pink
~  acrylic paint, Engine Red
~  Ribbon of choice
~  Paintbrush
~  Craft glue
~  Glue stick
~  Paper towels
~  Paper plate
Instructions
step 1 – Paint plaque red and let dry.
step 2 – Glue doily to center of plaque.
step 3 – Remove backing from sticker heart and place in center of doily.
step 4 – Glue pink pom poms around outer edge of doily as shown.
step 5 – Add loop of ribbon for hanger. Secure to backside of piaque with glue. Let dry.

6 Things You Can Freeze

1. EGGS Lightly beaten eggs, beaten yolks, or whites can be frozen, but not an egg in its shell. Store in lidded ice cube trays. (One egg fills two cubes.)
2. COOKED RICE Spread cooled rice on a lined baking sheet Rub with a small amount of vegetable oil so grains separate. Freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag.
3. GINGER ROOT Wrap peeled ginger in plastic, then put in freezer bag. Ginger grates well while still frozen.
4. CHEESE Cut hard (Parmesan, pecorino) and semi-hard cheeses (cheddar, Swiss) into ix4-inch blocks, wrap in plastic, then put in a freezer bag. Grate hard cheeses while frozen; thaw others in the refrigerator.
5. BUTTER or MARGARINE Store in a freezer bag, in its original packaging, for up to six months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Dont freeze whipped butter.
6. NUTS Store in airtight container or freezer bag for up to six weeks. Use right from the freezer for recipes—no need to thaw.

 

 

Olive Oil

OLIVE OILS ARE PIVOTAL TO THIS DIET – Good olive oils are as complex and varied as wine, yet buying the healthiest kinds is easy. Jadah Elizabeth is keen on cold-pressed extra virgin oil olive because it contains the most phenols, the source of much of its healthfulness. Exceptional olive oils have flavors and aromas that are far beyond those of the bland jugs at the supermarket. They can taste of such things as pepper, citrus, grass (really, its good), and almond.

Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil is especially good for drizzling over vegetables and pasta noodles, orfor dipping bread. Virgin olive oil is next best, and is fine for sauteeing. “Light” olive oil refers strictly to color and mild taste. It is not reduced-calorie.
Light, heat, and air will spoil your stash, given enough time. Keep oils in an airtight bottle, in a cool cabinet, away from sunlight for up to a year. Even the best olive oils come in a wide range of prices, so experiment until you find a few brands you like at a reasonable price.

 

Backyard Garland

After dessert, share your holiday bounty with some outdoor friends. Using a needle and thread, string popcorn and dried fruit to hang as an edible garland in the backyard. Then sit back and watch the feasting. The birds, squirrels, and other creatures soon will be as stuffed as you. Extra time? Create a few more garlands for indoors using craft materials, and get a jump start on decorating.