Praying for Peace

Today I keep staring at my children and wondering how the dear people in Newtown, Connecticut are feeling--how are they dealing with their hurt during this holiday season. And I'm asking myself how I can answer the question that my 9yo asked me, "Why would someone do that?"
It is all so senseless and tragic and because I don't have words to explain away the hurt, I've encouraged my family to pray.
This image is being passed around the web to honor those women and children who died.

Cincinnati Chili

Kate here again with another recipe. This dish goes together quickly and then simmers for an hour. This recipe comes to me from my brother-in-law, Paul. He served his mission in Kentucky and Ohio and brought back this recipe. It quickly became a family favorite. My daughter requested it for her birthday dinner this year. So let's get started.

First, you'll need1 ½ lbs. ground beef.

Next, throw in one chopped onion and one minced garlic clove and brown together.

Then you'll need 3 15-ounce cans tomato sauce, 1 T. vinegar, and 1 T. Worcestershire sauce. Pour those ingredients into the pan with the browned ground beef, onion, and garlic.

Next you'll add a slew of spices:

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. red pepper

1 tsp coca

1 T. chili powder

Stir everything together and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour.

Serve over angel hair pasta. Garnish with grated cheese and oyster crackers if desired. Enjoy!

Cincinnati Chili

1 ½ lbs. ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. red pepper

1 tsp coca

1 T. chili powder

1 T. vinegar

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

3 15-ounce cans tomato sauce

Brown ground beef with chopped onion and minced garlic. Add all other ingredients. Turn stove on high or medium high. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Serve on top of angel hair spaghetti. Garnish with grated cheese and oyster crackers if desired.

Kate is the author of The Guy Next Door and can be found at KatrinaPalmer.com or on FB at KatePalmerAuthor.

Christmas Gift Card Holder

Hi Mashed Potatoes and Crafts friends!

Kristie here today from Kristie Kreates.

It's the first Wednesday of the month, so I'm here with a tutorial.

Today I'm going to show you how to make a cute

Christmas Gift Card Holder.

Just about everyone gives someone a gift card at Christmas,

so why not give it in style?!?!

And this holder can be done with whatever paper you want,

so it can be made for a birthday, a thank you gift or anything you like.

Now let's get started.

To start you will need a piece of card stock measuring

7" x 4 3/4"

Along the 7" side you will score at 1/2" and 3 3/4"

Trim off the corners as shown above.

With a circle punch, punch a half circle in one of the 3" sides.

This will be the top back of the envelope.



Add strong adhesive, I like double sided tape, to the side and bottom of the envelope.  Fold the 1/2" area to the inside of the card, remove the backing of the double sided tape and stick together making an envelope.

Round all corners.

Now you have your envelope.

You will now need a coordination piece of paper or card stock

measuring 4 1/2" x 3".

Round all corners and wrap ribbon, embroidery floss or baker's twine around this piece and tie in a bow.  

You can use whatever you'd like.



This piece will be adhered to the front of the envelope.

Now you will need a piece of the coordinating paper that measures

6" x 2 3/4"





Score this piece at 1 1/2" and 2 1/2"



Now fold it to look like this.

Using which ever adhesive you like, adhere

the bottom flaps together like above.



Using a very narrow bit of adhesive along the sides of the flap

adhere it to make a small pocket where you will place your gift card.

Just be sure you adhere only along the edges, so the gift card will fit.

Then adhere this to a piece of card stock that measures

3" x 4 1/4"

This makes the insert that will be inside the envelope.

Now you have a beautiful gift card holder

that anyone would love to receive.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial

and will make some of these gift card holders

for the holidays, or whenever you may be giving a gift card.

Just use your imagination and creativity

to create something wonderful to give a loved one.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think, or

if you have a question, feel free to ask

and I will get back to you asap.

I'd love to hear how your holder turned out.

I'd also love it if you'd stop by my blog

Kristie Kreates

and see what else I've been creating lately.

 

Have a wonderful Christmas

and I will "see" you in the new year

with some more creative fun.