Margaret, Author at Spindles Designs by Mary and Mags

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

November 28, 2014 by Margaret 2 Comments

I have become a big fan of spinach. It doesn’t add a lot of extra flavor and gives me my leafy greens without always having to eat a salad. Soup is well loved in our house. We make a big pot almost every week, especially in the cooler weather. This

” Chicken and Wild Rice Soup”

recipe has a lot of spinach in it and the wild rice gives it just a little nutty flavor.

12 cups water

12 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp thyme

1/4 cup dried onion

1 cup diced celery

2 cups chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 cup wild rice blend

1/2 cup potato flakes

4 cups spinach, loosely chopped

In a large pot or dutch oven combine water, bouillon, thyme, onions, and celery. Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Add chicken and potato flakes, bring back to a boil. Stir in spinach and cook for 2 minutes.

It is very tasty and filling. A meal in a bowl. YUM!!!

Mary Ellen

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Last Minute Thanksgiving Favors: Pretzel Turkey’s and Cornucopia Cones

November 26, 2014 by Margaret Leave a Comment

Last Minute Ideas

Do you need an easy, cute Thanksgiving favor for your guests?

Do you need something to entertain busy youngsters?

Do you just want to make something fun?

I was in charge of the favor this year. So the kids and I got on Pinterest and started searching.

We decided on Pretzel Turkey’s and Cornucopia Cones.

They looked easy enough so we went to work.

Things you will need:

Candy eyes
Yellow or Orange M&M’s
Candy corns
Round pretzels
Chocolate Kisses or Rolos

We found a cute little video on how to make Turkey Preztels. Everything was going great until….

Disaster.

The chocolate did not melt… it crumbled. It was baked and tasted a little burnt.

The instructions on the video said to put chocolate on pretzel and place in the oven…

350 degrees for 5 min.

I thought it sounded too hot.

And it was.

Now to be fair… it could just be my oven. I had been baking so the oven was already warn and I think it is dying. It is not the most reliable when it comes to times and temperatures.

We didn’t give up however. Back to Pinterest I went to compare temperatures for softening chocolate.

Times were all different but…

I thought 200 degrees for 3 minutes was a good place to start.

It was perfect.

hint: do in small batches unless you have a couple of helpers. If you have too many turkeys to build the chocolate will set before you are finished adding the candy.

On to our Cornucopia Cones.

Things you will need:

Sugar or Waffle cones

Candy

I followed Paper Turtle instructions, using steam. It worked great! You can see in my picture…It took me a few times to get the shape I wanted.

Fill with you favorite fall candy and decorate your table.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Margaret

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I’m Bored Jar

November 24, 2014 by Margaret 13 Comments

“Mom, I’m bored.”

Has anyone heard this yet this week? I’ve been hearing it for two weeks now, thus was born the

I’m Bored Jar

We are not just on Thanksgiving break at my house. We go to year round school, which means we have most of November off. I really do love this schedule, it gives my little guy a nice break. This year however it snowed early (yuk!) and our outside time was cut really short.

I need something to help me bust through the boredom of snowy days. We love movies and are completely content being couch potatoes, but really this only lasts one day. Good thing too!

I can give my little ones ideas of what they can do… but they get bored with mom too.

So we made a game. And Mom got to paint!!!

I started with an old peanut butter jar.

Spray painted it white. Thank you weather for cooperating.

I cut stars from label paper and stuck them all around the jar.

Using a natural sponge, I painted 2 colors of blue all over the jar. Then pealed off the star stickers.

Added a little ribbon and my jar is finished. Now you’re probably thinking “Margaret, its Thanksgiving not 4th of July.” I know but, Americana is how my Family Room is decorated so Red, White and Blue work all year round for us.

Now for the I’m Bored game. It is a very simple game. I wrote down a bunch of activities… not all fun… on craft sticks and away we go. I placed them in the jar and when the kids get bored or just want to play the game. We draw out a craft stick and….

let the fun begin.

Or not like I said not all the activities are fun there are some chores and school work activities.

Enjoy!

Margaret

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Turkey Tetrazinni

November 19, 2014 by Margaret 4 Comments

I make Tetrazzini through out the year but it is another great way to use your Turkey Day left overs?

Turkey Tetrazzini

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup whipping cream

7 ounces spaghetti

2 cups cubed cooked turkey

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour and seasonings. Cook, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth and cream. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 min. Stir in spaghetti and turkey Pour into square baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 30 min.

Enjoy!
Margaret

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Thanksgiving M&M Turkey Favors

November 17, 2014 by Margaret 6 Comments

Cute, easy craft for your Thanksgiving table. #turkeyfavors

I fell in love with these crazy looking turkeys when I saw them on Pinterest. I had to make them.

Gobble! Gobble!

We took the entire family and Thanksgiving to Great-Grandma’s house last year. My assignment was to create something fun for the table. I picked these Turkey favors. My kids had a blast helping me twist a cute pipe cleaner.

Jenn at Clean and Scentsible has a great tutorial on how to twist your pipe cleaner. She found circle netting for her turkeys. I wasn’t so lucky. I used brown mess netting cut into 12″ squares. I also closed these little beauties with a regular garbage bag twisty tie (I wanted to be able to get at them quickly).

I filled my little gobblers with regular M&M’s, Peanut M&M’s, and Peanut Butter M&M’s, because that’s what I like, but really any candy would work.

My original plan was to fill them with Fall colored M&M’s, but I couldn’t find any the week of Thanksgiving. So, if you ever plan on making these stock up on Fall colored M&M’s at Halloween.

Enjoy!

Margaret

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