Motherly Law

The List: Conversation Hearts 4 Facebook & Twitter Peeps

Who hasn't grabbed a handful of Conversation Hearts and enjoyed reading each little stamped-on saying before popping the sugary candy into his or her mouth? I dare say not many. And yet, the taste is not for everyone; these little candies are loved by some and passed over by others. But even still, it wouldn't be Valentine's Day without them. I think that's something we can all agree on.

The Sweetheart Conversation Heart's are made by NECCO {New England Confectionary Co.} They have been producing them since 1866! Talk about tradition. I, for one, had no idea that these brightly colored sassy and sweet hearts had been around that long.

And they really haven't changed much in all those years. Conversation Hearts are about the only thing that the childhoods of a great-grandparent and his or her great-grandchildren have in common.

These candies are made of "90% sugar, a dash of corn syrup, gelatin, gums, and artificial colors and flavorings," according to the NECCO site. For a short time, the hearts were made with natural colors and flavors, but the taste and consistency were changed and sales dropped dramatically. So, they announced in October of 2011 that they would go back to artificial colors and flavors.

These petite hearts are made from late February to early January, producing 100,000 pounds of candy each day. That adds up to 8 billion little stamped candies, which are sold out in just 6 weeks of the year. Pretty amazing, isn't it? A true American icon.

In the early 1990s, NECCO began adding new sayings to the hearts. So, I thought it would be fun to come up with a list of conversation heart sayings that apply to Twitter and Facebook. Here's what I came up with {and a few from DH}.

1. #VDay
2. I like UR Status
3. B My Tweetie Bird
4. Wanna DM?
5. <3 U!
6. RU on Twitter?
7. #LoveSucks
8. #LoveRocks
9. Tweet Me
10. #SweetTweet
11. Wanna MeetNTweet?
12. Can I be on UR Timeline?
13. Poke Me {Per my DH; in his defense it is a FB feature}
14. Like Me!
15. I Follow Back

What are your favorite sayings? Got any good ones for #SM {social media, that is}. Over and out...

Anna

EpiPen Access in Schools: Anaphylactic Emergencies and Common Sense

Food Allergies

While my boys don't have any food allergies that I'm aware of, as a mom, I can understand the fear and anxiety that a parent of a child with food allergies must feel when his or her child is in the care of anyone else. I would imagine going to any public location could be dangerous, especially for those with severe allergies to commonly consumed foods like nuts, eggs and dairy products.

The worry of not knowing if a peanut butter and jelly sandwich had been eaten by the former occupant of a picnic table at the park; if the birthday party your child is attending is serving milk to all the kids; or if all the kids in your child's classroom are aware of the severity of the allergy and the dire consequences if the particular food comes in contact with your child could be all-consuming I would imagine. I would think it would be enough to make a parent obsessed with making sure everyone is aware of these allergies.

A food allergy is not to be taken lightly. A child with a severe food allergy could die very quickly if the allergen has any kind of contact with the child and the child does not have immediate access to epinephrine. This very sad truth has recently been in the news.

Ammaria's Tragic Death

Ammaria Johnson, age 7, died at school on her first day back to school in January after the winter break when a classmate, unaware of her allergy, gave Ammaria a peanut to eat while the girls were out on the playground. Shortly thereafter, after noticing hives and having trouble breathing, Ammaria sought help.

The school clinic didn't have an EpiPen on file for Ammaria. An EpiPen, or an Epinephrine auto-injector, quickly and easily is injected into a person suffering from an anaphylactic emergency, thereby reversing the reaction and saving a life. Instead, Ammaria went into cardiac arrest and died before Epinephrine could be administered to her.

EpiPens

EpiPens are by prescription only. Many kids with allergies keep a prescribed EpiPen with their names on them in the nurse's office at school for such emergencies. However, studies have shown that anaphylactic emergencies at school often occur with no prior knowledge of such an allergy.

However, if a child and/or staff member without a prescribed EpiPen on file with the school nurse's office goes into anaphylactic shock, even if there is an EpiPen available for another child, school personnel cannot administer that life-saving medication due to legal issues. More than likely, there was an EpiPen in the very school clinic where Ammaria died.

This and other such tragedies are too much too bear. When there is a life-saving solution available at one's fingertips, one should have access to it. There should be no "red tape" or threat of lawsuit, criminal prosecution or loss of license stopping anyone from administering this life-giving serum.

School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act

Last November, a bill that would cut through this red tape and give those in need of an EpiPen at school access regardless of whether there was one on file for that particular child was introduced in the U.S. Senate (S. 1884). And in December, this bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives (HR. 3627). It has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act would allow for schools to maintain a stock of EpiPens and administer such injections, just as they do bandages. The stock of EpiPens would not be prescribed to any particular students, but would instead be at the ready for any child and/or staff who experienced an anaphylactic emergency while at school.

This bill does allow for protection of school personnel from liability in administering such emergency injection. However, it's worth noting that if epinephrine is administered without need, a child would merely experience light-headedness, rapid heart rate and nausea, which would last only 15 minutes or so. Epinephrine is dangerous only to children with congenital heart conditions, which should be noted in school records. On the flip side, a child in need of epinephrine can die without it.

The Scoop

While this act is too late to save Ammaria, it could be instrumental in preventing many other deaths in similar circumstances. Ammaria is certainly not the first child to die at school due to anaphylactic shock, and she won't be the last if this common sense bill doesn't become law.

The saddest part of this story is that Ammaria's death was preventable, but we have become too restrained by the threat of punitive actions if protocol is not followed precisely. When a child's life is in danger, all protocol should go out the window.

If you feel strongly about this bill, please email your U.S. senators and representatives. This is a nonpartisan issue we can all support. Over and out...

Anna

The Lockout: Averting Catastrophe with an Emergency Kit & Some Chocolate

The Locked Door

Yesterday in my haste to get out the door with Darling 2 to pick up Darling 1 from school, I grabbed the garage door opener, left from a side door, locked it behind me and walk/ran the two blocks to the school. I needn't have rushed. The dismissal procedure was changed on Monday and then tweaked on Tuesday. What they failed to tell the parents is that the students are now leaving the building later too.

Darling 2 and I stood waiting and waiting until finally Darling 1 emerged from the school doors. We headed back home with plans of a snack and playing and a little Mommy time on the computer. As I hit the button on the garage door opener, I got a sinking feeling. I realized I had locked the door leading from the garage to the house when Darling 2 and I had come home earlier.

I tried the locked door anyway...and all the other doors too, but to no avail. I didn't have any keys for my house or my car. I did have my cell phone. I thought we'll just call Will. He'll come to our rescue.

Left Out in the Cold

Nope. I realized he had several meetings scheduled for the afternoon. That didn't stop me from calling and calling and calling, texting and tweeting him, hoping to catch him in between meeting. But there was no answer; I had the times of his meetings mixed up. The whole time I was trying to contact him his phone was in his computer bag with the ringer off.

Fortunately, it was nice weather and we had access to the outdoor toys in the garage. The boys happily played for the first hour of lockout. Then, the sun started falling lower and it started getting colder. Darling 2 and I hadn't even worn coats to pick up Darling 1. So, we retreated into the car in the garage. The boys rummaged through CDs and maps in the glove box, went through our first aid kit, tried on a few Band-Aids and pretended to drive. Then, we all three sat in the back bench, reclined as far as it would go and read from our stash of books that I keep in the car to occupy the boys.

Chocolate to the Rescue

By then, it has been an hour and a half, the boys were getting hungry. We went through Darling 1's lunch box and backpack and found a package of uneaten granola bars. Then, we hit the jackpot.

We found a large dark chocolate bar that had been accidently left in the car earlier. I had bought a stack of large chocolate bars for my Norwex Launch Party on Sunday. I thought I had smuggled them in without Darling 2 seeing them, but one had been left behind in the car.

Ah, the little bit of dark chocolate that we split lifted our spirits and helped to sustain us until we could be "rescued." And then, finally, after 2 hours of lockout, Will did come to save us {mostly from each other}.

An Emergency Kit

This little "disaster" made me think about resources available to me in a real emergency. As noted, I have a small and mostly forgotten about first aid kit in the car. I also have a tackle box in the linen closet with various bandages, ointments, etc. but that's about it.

I have to admit that I have considered stockpiling water, canned foods, packs of tuna, toilet paper, medicine, dog and cat food and the like in case of a true catastrophic event. My brain is paranoid enough for me to imagine the kind of apocalypse that would necessitate such supplies, but my space and pocket book are limited enough to prevent me from actually putting together such a kit.

The List

With that said, I do think it's a good idea to be prepared for anything, especially with the past year of "killer" weather. Floods, hurricanes, tornados, super power storms or even man created emergencies/calamities. So, maybe you don't have to stock 300 cans of green peas and 120 gallons of water and 45 rolls of toilet paper, but a kit with basics isn't a bad idea.

Several government sites suggest that kits include:

1. Prescription medicines and basic over the counter meds, as well as bandages, disinfectants and other first aid necessities;
2. Water {1 gallon per person per day}
3. Flashlight with extra, new batteries;
4. Blanket/sleeping bag per person;
5. Extra water and pet food for pets;
6. Formula, baby food, diapers, etc if there is an infant in your home;
7. Change of clothes for each person {change out for seasons and sizes};
8. Matches in a water proof container;
9. Wrench/pliers for turning off utilities;
10. Battery operated radio/weather radio with extra, new batteries;
11. Toilet paper, baby wipes, trash bags;
12. Non-perishable foods, enough for three days;
13. Local Maps;
14. Dust masks for each person, duct tape, a whistle and utility knife;
15. Cash
16. Important docs like passports, licenses/I.D., birth certificates, etc.;
17. Books, small toys, games, etc. to keep your child(ren) occupied; and
18. In an actual emergency, have keys, cell phone and chargers at the ready.

Resources

Ready.gov has a list of sensible basic items necessary in the event of a threat or disaster. The CDC has a great article and list on its blog about which items to store at the ready and about making an emergency plan for your family to follow if a catastrophe should strike. If you are in need of a good travel first aid kit, check out this article from the USA Today TravelTips page.

The Scoop

Personally, I would also add Laptop/Tablet and cord and Chocolate {1 or 2 bars per person per day} to the above list, but that's just me. Let's hope that such a kit is never needed, but if it is then we would all be grateful for being paranoid/prepared enough to have put it together. Or perhaps you all have this kind of kit in your basements already? Maybe we're the only ones completely unprepared for a calamity. Over and out...

Anna

Too Dangerous to Consume? Hazards of Doing the Dew & Having Some Wip at the Reddi

Considering Junk Food

At this time of year, the start of one year before us and the food-laden holidays and past year behind us, many of us take stock of our diet and exercise routines. We all know which foods we should be filling our diets with, but why is it that ALL seriously delicious, crave-worthy foods are terrible for us? It seems like a really cruel joke.

Although I think that on the whole I eat pretty well, I am often snared by the chocolate traps and can fall very far down in the ooey, gooey, rich chocolate pit {which I don't necessary think of as bad thing}. At least chocolate does have a number of redeeming qualities, which I have mentioned to you before.

However, there are other foods sitting on grocery store shelves looking very innocent, indeed; that are actually deadly {to a mouse} or could be used illegally. How could these corrosive, dangerous items be legal to sell? These junk foods are actually quite often consumed. It might surprise you when you find out what I'm talking about.

Last week, I happened upon two stories regarding food items and the law. Each story is completely different from the other, but both are interesting.

Whipped Topping No Laughing Matter

In the first instance, last week in St. Cloud, MN, a 23 year-old male was arrested driving while impaired from a hazardous substance after he crashed his car into a pole. What was this substance? Well, inside the vehicle were numerous cans of whipped topping.

My first reaction was "what, you can sniff whipped topping?" How crazy is that? Well, as it turns out whipped topping is included on the list of dangerous inhalants.

While the whipped topping contains mostly fat and sweeteners {and no cream}, it also contains nitrous oxide gas. You may be more familiar with its other name, "laughing gas." Yep, that's right; nitrous oxide is the same stuff your dentist might administer to you as an anesthetic. This gas aids in the dispensing of the whipped topping and whipping it at the same time.

There are actually a number of household items that are can be inhaled. Some you are quite aware of, but others may surprise you. They are categorized as gases (nitrous oxide, propane tank gas, chloroform, whipped topping, gases from a refrigerator, etc.) aerosols (contained in spray bottles, such as hair spray, vegetable oil sprays, spray paint, etc.), nitrites (often contained in cleaning products, leather cleaners and scented air fresheners; butyl, amyl and cyclohexyl) and volatile solvents (Often found at home, in schools and in the work place, including glues, paint thinner, degreasers, felt-tipped markers, etc).

Not many consumables on that list. Did you take a good look at other items in the same category as the whipped topping? I bet you'll think twice the next time you spray whipped topping on your pie? But seriously, would you really want to eat this product again?

Do the Dew or Maybe Not

The second story involves a lawsuit. A man alleges he found a mouse in his Mountain Dew. He says he sent the mouse remains he found in his Dew to the folks at PepsiCo for analysis and they destroyed the mouse. The lawyers for PepsiCo came back with an argument that isn't quite what you might expect.

They say that if a mouse had indeed ended up in a Mountain Dew container, the soda would have dissolved the mouse into a jelly-like substance before the consumer ever opened the container; approximately 15 months after bottling. Hmmm. Well, that makes me want to drink this pop.

Let's ponder that for a minute. I'm not talking about a cleaning substance or poison or toxic substance that could dissolve a mouse. I am talking about a consumable; a beverage. OK, so it looks like toxic waste and tastes a bit like what I would imagine Windex might taste like, but still many people do "Do the Dew" quite often.

So, here's the skinny: Mountain Dew contains citric acid that is corrosive enough to destroy teeth and bones in a matter of months {if soaked in the liquid}, as noted by several studies. While citrus fruit juices have more citric acid and the rate of decay of teeth and/or bones would be the same; at least there is vitamin C in the fruit juices. So, will Mountain Dew kill you? Well, it's not going to dissolve your teeth and bones; unless you soak in it for a couple of weeks; and it's not known to be corrosive on your "innards". For the record, I'm not taking any chances.

The Scoop

At the risk of sounding like a food snob, I don't consume these particular foods, and I have to admit I'm really glad I don't'. So, there you have it; a few interesting legal issues involving foods under inconsumable circumstances. Over and out...

Anna

New Beginnings: State Laws Taking Effect January 1, 2012

Happy New Year

January 1^st....the start of a new year, a day a big sales at retail giants, the first day of a new diet for many and the day a number of new state laws take effect. January is definitely the month of new beginnings and that rings true for many laws too.

While I haven't surveyed every state, I did take a look at some of the new state laws from around the country. I have highlighted the new laws {or absence of pertinent new laws} that have just taken effect that concern parents, kids and/or families.

While you may think this is unimportant information, take a look; there may be a few that concern you and your family. With almost 40,000 new laws going into effect on January 1, 2012, there must be something that affects you or someone you know.

A Few New State Laws

Minnesota

No news laws that pertain to families. {Let it be noted that it was quite an argumentative year in MN.}

Texas

College students attending school in Texas to get a meningitis vaccine. This law is applicable to all state universities, community colleges and junior colleges. TX is the first state mandate this. The students must have had this vaccine within the last 5 years.

Texas homeowners will be protected from aggressive homeowner associations that try to foreclose on homes based on late dues, fees and fines.

New York

Hookahs, water pipes, and shisha (a product made of primarily tobacco and smoked) shall not be sold to minors.

A new law will strengthen DEC's authority to ban products that contain mercury.

Middle class tax cuts will reduce tax rates on middle to their lowest levels in more than 50 years About 4.4 million middle class taxpayers will receive a total of  $690 million in personal income tax relief.

California

Open carrying of guns is banned;

Children under 8 and those who are too small to wear regular seat belts must use a child safety seat or booster seat.

Florida

The federal government will no longer have a hand in control the Florida school meal programs This will allow the state of Florida to use more Florida-grown fresh fruit and vegetables on school menus.

Illinois

Hotels are now required to be equipped with at least one smoke detector within 15 feet of every room that is used for sleeping purposes. (HB 1398/ PA-97-0447)

Allows local school boards to, if federal grants are available, opt in to a full-year pilot plan if a school is on academic watch status for more than 2 years. Schools that opt in must increase their school calendar by 35 days, and requires students attend a minimum of 215 days. This pilot program affects only schools in Sen. James Meeks' district.

Requires criminal background information on an employee that has been obtained by a school district within the last year to be shared, upon request, with any other school district.

Changes legislation to reflect the current criminal penalty for making a false report of child abuse to DCFS, and updates the required posted warning to reflect that a false report is a Class 4 felony violation.

Allows people in divorce situations to use life insurance as a security for child support and maintenance obligations.

Requires all employees of licensed child care facilities who care for newborns and infants to complete training every 3 years on sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and on the safe sleep recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Requires adult passengers in the back seat of a vehicle to wear a seat belt, and also requires those 18 and younger riding in a taxi cab for school-related purposes to wear a seat belt.

Colorado

Coaches must not allow players as young as 11 to continue playing a sport if a head injury is suspected. In order to return to play, the athletics will be required to have medical clearance. Furthermore, coaches in public and private schools and even volunteer coaches of Little League and Pop Warner football are required to take a free annual online training to learn the symptoms to recognize a concussion.

Delaware

Same-sex couples can now enter into a civil union or domestic partnerships, which give them the same state rights and obligations of those who are married.

The Scoop

Does your state have any new laws worth checking out? I'll be touching base regarding distracted driving issues in this New Year on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Over and out...

Anna

Twas the Night Before Christmas: Motherly Law Style

Twas the night before Christmas,

When all thro' the house,

Not a creature was stirring,

Except for the Mom;

The stockings were hung

By the chimney with care,

Full to the brim with Angry Bird pencil toppers, Pez dispensers, chocolate, Squinkies and socks;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of superheroes and pirates danced in their heads,

And Dad in his fleece had just started to snore—

When out on the lawn

There arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my work to see what was the matter.

Away to window I flew like a flash,

Peeked out of the blinds

And checked the triple locked door.

The moon shining down on the brown grass below

Gave no reflection at all;

When, what to my squinting eyes, peering into the darkness, should come into sight

But 8 plastic yard reindeer attached to a broken down sleigh,

With a little, middle-aged driver, so wobbly and slow,

I knew in a moment he must be drunk.

More rapid than eagles these reindeer were not.

And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:

"Now! Jack {Daniels}, now! Jim {Beam}, now! Jose {Quervo}, and Crown,

On! Bailey{'s}, on! Bud {weiser}, on! Malibu and Captain {Morgan}"

"To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves before a wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle...really, what does this line have to do with Christmas?

Regardless, up to the house-top those coursers did not try;

With a tired old sleigh and a tipsy St. Nick, those plastic reindeer didn't move an inch.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the window pane

The tapping and rapping and prying and tugging and struggling of that drunk Santa.

As I stood against a wall in the shadows, and reached for my Smartphone from the pocket of my flannel pajamas,

That fake Santa opened the window and climbed in with much difficulty:

He was dress'd all in synthetics,

from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnish'd

With chili cheese fries and root beer {say it like a Minnesotan and root rhymes with foot, kind of};

An empty bag he had flung over his back,

And he reminded me of...well, the Grinch

Just opening his {empty} sack:

His eyes – oh, how bleary!

His dimples very un-merry and really more like scowls,

Now, his cheeks were like roses

And his nose like a cherry {because of the liquor};

His droll little mouth was

Drawn down in a frown.

And the beard of his chin

Was as red as the nose on a clown;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth

And the smoke was thick and stinky,

Messing up my freshly cleaned house.

He had a broad face, and a

Big round belly

That bumped into my treasures and trinkets as he tread across my floor;

He was chubby and plump,

A right sad old elf,

And I dialed 911 when I saw him

In spite of my staring

A droop of his hand and nod of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but

Went straight to sleep.

As he sank into my couch in his filthy old suit,

He turned on his side and began to saw logs.

Giving a nod {to the police} as they arrived at my home,

Out he was dragged before

He could awaken and make haste out the door to escape.

Once revived by fresh air, he sprung into action,

To his team {of plastic reindeer} gave a whistle,

But alas, to no avail, those old yard decorations gave no heed,

And away the cops took him, as fast as they'd descended upon

My humble abode,

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight-

Merry Christmas to you, and I'm not the real Claus, just an imposter.

Well, I'll have you know that fake Santa was booked, jailed and bailed,

Then charged, put on trial and convicted

Of the theft of 8 plastic yard reindeer and one antique miniature sleigh,

Disorderly conduct {based on his action at the bar prior to the theft of holiday decor},

And breaking and entering of a residence,

For which he received quite generous sentence in exchange for the promise

That that red-bearded elf would never play Santa again.

And, the red and white Santa Claus suit?

He swears it came in the mail,

Addressed to K. Kringle at his address penned beneath.

He donned it for a lark, but liked its affect

And wore it out for the night of pre-Christmas delight.

Alas, his folly got bold and he landed in prison, abject.

Over and out....Happy Christmas Eve!

Anna

Aunt Vera’s Popcorn Cake: Virtual Cookie Exchange Pt VI

Over the River and Through the Plains, the Grandparents Make Their Way to MN

My parents are making their way through rain, ice and snow that covers the high plains today and is threatening our holiday plans with them. They are coming here for Christmas for the first time. The Darling Boys are ecstatic, as is the Darling Dog, and DH and I are pretty excited too.

I am praying this storm clears and that my parents arrive at MSP today so that we can see them as long as possible. As it is, our time together is jam packed with errands, activities and events.

A large number of the items on our list involve shopping for food, making delicious dishes and eating amazing food. Both my mom and my dad are quite talented in the kitchen. So, we will be cooking and baking and eating a lot in the coming week.

This recipe comes from my mom, Terry. I haven't had this treat in many years, but it was a childhood favorite. I'm not sure I even knew the history of this cake until now. Here's my mom's story:

Popcorn Cake Recipe

My Aunt Vera first made this cake for us at Christmas time when I was a child. Then we carried through with this tradition in our immediate family every year as I was growing up. When I went away to college, my mother would mail this to me. It was a wonderful surprise and a great delight to the girls in my dorm!

My family always colored the marshmallow/butter mixture either red or green. Of course, this can be made at Halloween with orange coloring and other holidays with appropriate colors. For some reason, we always just associated it with Christmas.

The following recipe uses spiced gumdrops, but I know that younger generations prefer to substitute this with M & M's which is delicious too! I intend to make this with my grandsons during the holiday!! I think they will love it, but, of course, with M & M's!

18 cups popped popcorn            

1 ½ cups spiced gumdrops        

1 cup lightly salted cocktail peanuts    

½ cup butter

1 (10.5 ounce) pkg. miniature marshmallows

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Butter one 10 inch tube or bundt pan
2. Toss the popcorn with the gumdrops (or M & M's) and peanuts
3. Melt the marshmallows with the butter. Color this with red or green food coloring if desired. Pour over the popcorn mixture and mix well. Press the mixture in the prepared pan. Butter hands before pressing firmly into pan.
4. Let rest until firm (maybe 3 or 4 hours) and remove from pan by loosening from edges and inverting onto plate or platter.

 

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Terry

This is a really good and really easy treat to make. It can also be made into balls. Enjoy! One more recipe to come on Thursday. Over and out...

 

Anna

Party Like It’s 1995: Virtual Cookie Exchange Pt V

The Gathering Place

When I was in college I was one of the first in my circle of friends/Alpha Phi Sorority Sisters to make it off campus into my own tiny apartment. The summer after my freshman year I moved into an efficiency apartment because I have really never been cut out to live in close quarters with anyone other than my husband. During my sophomore year that little apartment became the gathering space for my friends and sorority sisters.

We made big pots of pasta and had spaghetti dinners; we had pre-party parties; we had TV watch parties; we had birthday parties; and we had Christmas parties. The photo is from one such Christmas party. It was 1995, and we certainly dressed the part. My closest friends and I baked cookies and breads and made dips and worked tirelessly on our little holiday party menu; we even had an annual ornament exchange. And aren't we cute?

Recipes

One recipe that was always a big hit at the highly coveted by-invitation-only Christmas soiree were the Ginger Crème {or Soft Ginger} Cookies served with a Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball. Even {many} years after college, friends still request the recipe.

Since Elle shared her Soft Ginger Cookie recipe a few weeks ago for the Virtual Cookie Exchange, I have made and shared those cookies twice now. They are so easy and delicious and would go very well with the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Spread. I used to make another recipe, but these are even better. So, I thought I would share this recipe with you all.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

12 oz cream cheese, softened

¾ cup semisweet chocolate mini-chips

½ cup powdered sugar

1.5 teaspoons cinnamon

 

Combine all ingredients until blended. Form into ball or put into loaf pan or other shaped form. Cover and chill for 5 hours or until ready to serve. To serve, press additional mini chocolate chips into cheese ball. Spread onto ginger cookies.

Crazy for Chips

Additionally, one of the good friends and sorority sisters from college, who happens to be pictured above, submitted links to two of her favorite go-to cookie recipes for the Cookie Exchange. We had to give the Chocolate Chip Overload Cookies a try and they are quite good cookies! You are going to love 'em. Here's what Julie says about these:

I found these two cookie recipes on Evil Shenanigans and every time I make them I get rave reviews.  I make them for lots of things. The Chocolate Overload makes 5 dozen.  So, if you have to feed a lot or give away a lot, this is the one.  I love this website.  I have tried many of her recipes and they are really good.  

Chocolate Chip Overload Cookies

Double Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Julie H.

I've got two more recipes coming next week. But later today, I've got a Soapbox post. So, stay tuned. Over and out...

Anna

 

 

 

 

 

Melt In Your Mouth Goodies: Virtual Cookie Exchange Pt IV

These cookies look like they took lots of time and care to make them, but really they aren't too complicated. This recipe comes from my friend Heidi. I was introduced to them long ago when we were both living in the Siouxland tri-state area; we lived in IA and Heidi and her husband, Steve, lived across the river in SD. I have never seen or tasted cookies like these anywhere else, and believe me, I have seen and tasted a great many cookies in my life. As Heidi says, these really do melt in your mouth. You're going to want to try these:

 

Muir-Larson-Kupel Cookies

 

Every year we make a variety of cookies but there are two that we absolutely make every year.  We call them Muir-Larson-Kupel recipes because they come from my mom, my Grandmother and my aunt. 

 

Cream Wafers
 
1 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups flour
granulated sugar
 
Mix butter, cream, flour.  Chill for 1 hour.
Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured surface.  Cut into 1 & 1/2 inch rounds.  Transfer to waxed paper heavily sprinkled with sugar.
Turn to coat both sides.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Prick in 4 places with fork. Bake until slightly puffy (375 degrees for 7-9 minutes).
Put 2 cooled cookies together with frosting (recipe below).  Or, I like to use Magnolia Bakery frosting, too!
 
Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
6-8 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup milk
2 t. vanilla
Beat butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, milk and vanilla 3-5 minutes.  Gradually add 1 cup at a time of remaining powdered sugar.  Add food coloring
if desired (we use red and green at Christmas).

These cookies will literally melt in your mouth!  Use the leftover frosting on graham crackers and put in the fridge for a special treat for the kids!
 

 

Chocolate Cereal Balls
 
1 cup white karo syrup
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup sugar
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 t. vanilla
12 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
12 oz. pkg. milk chocolate chips
 
Combine sugar and syrup and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla and cereal.
Shape into balls and cool in the refrigerator.
Melt chips together and roll cereal balls into mixture.  Place on waxed paper.  Chill until chocolate is set.

Heidi Larson-David

 

The List: The Social Media Addict’s Christmas List

You might be a Social Media Junkie if you have any of these items in your or on your Wish List. If you don't understand what these gifts are or why anyone would want them, you aren't a key Social Media Player {sorry to break it to you}. Either way, if you or someone on your Christmas List is Social Media Consumed then you're going to want to check out this List. If for nothing else, it's worth a chuckle. I, for one, think these items are Fabulously Social Media Geeky Chic, which is the look I'm going for these days!

Check out these ultra cool finds: 

1. "Follow Me" Tights by tattoo socks. These cool tights come in several shades and lengths and each with the familiar tweeting bird and "Follow Me" request are good for a laugh and probably a few follows on Twitter too. The other tights on this site are really cute too {in case you haven't been bitten by the Social Media Bug}, but my heart belongs to Twitter.
2. Twitter Handle & Hashtag Jewelry by Survival of the Hippest and Blend Creations *See Discount Code Below. Find necklaces in several styles at these links. I like the SATC "Carrie" style the best, but it all depends on your style. Use @ plus handle or # plus handle, word or phrase at both sites. Hmmmm....let's see simply @MotherlyLaw or @Motherlylaw <3 @Will_OpenDoorSM, perhaps or maybe #PhoneDownEyesUp...
3. QR Code or Emoticon Cufflinks by Blend Creations. So debonair; so dashing; something every #SM gent should have. To me, the QR Code links offer a more sophisticated look. These tiny barcodes are actually encoded with a secret message of your choosing too. *See Discount Code Below
4. Social Media Icon Throw Pillows by Craftsquatch. I love these colorful decorative pillows. Whether outfitting your office, game room, bedroom or play room I would think that every Social Media Addict would have a room for these soft icons.
5. MiFi from Novatel Wireless. This handy gadget allows you to have a wireless internet connection anywhere you happen to be. In fact, you can connect up to 5 wireless enabled devices at one time, including cameras, computers, music players, game players, etc. It's small; it's safe; it's great for travel; working remotely, etc.
6. Tec Touch Gloves found at Dick's Sporting Goods and other locations. For those of us in the colder regions of the planet, these warm gloves allow for tweeting, phoning, texting, game playing and any other touch screen application necessary for smartphones and/or tablets. The special "pods" on the thumb and index finger of these gloves allow for easy operation of touch screen technology without taking glove off. Nice!
7. EatTweet, a Twitter Cookbook (in photo above) available locally at Kitchen in the Market or at eat-tweet.com. All recipes are in the form of tweets; that is, 140 characters or less and were originally tweeted out by the cookbook author, Maureen Evans who goes by @cookbook on Twitter. Very cool and a bit challenging; one must be careful not to get lost in the translation.

What's on your list?

*UPDATE: This just in...Blend Creations is offering Motherly Law readers 15% off orders of $50+ until 12/31. Use the promo code: MotherlyLaw (not case-sensitive); Crazy Cool!

I just had to get this posted even though I ran out of time on Sunday, cuz I like this stuff, but I will be posting a Recipe from my #VirtualCookieRecipeExchange later today. Over and out...

Anna