Marshalls, Target & Ikea

My daughter-in-law just made a statement that made me realize that I am seriously in love  my family is seriously in love with a few stores. She said her Mom asked her where I got a gift I had bought my adorable granddaughter.  She told her Mom, "Probably Marshalls or Target."  I hadn't realized till then that whenever someone asks me where I bought something (translation:  Where did you get that, cause I love it!), my answer is usually, "Marshalls or Target."  Are there other stores I love? Definitely!  I love Ikea but the nearest one is hours and hours away.  Does that stop me from shopping there - no but I only go about 3 or 4 times a year.  This is a pic of my hallway.  Don't you just looovve the Ikea low profile shoe cabinets.  I also love that there is a small space to add a little holiday décor.
 

Gotta love those Target antlers.  I used them for my fall décor and I still can't get enough of them, so I kept them up for Christmas.  The reindeer and silver star is also from Target in the ornament section.  The cranberry garland is from Marshalls. 

I Need Minions > Get Out Of My House Continued

I bet you're wondering who's Fred and what does that have to do with getting things out of my house?  Maybe I want Fred out of my house!  No, not really.  






I've been on a "GO" roll.  Things I've "GOed" out of my house:

• Cranberries 
• Candy Canes
• Pumpkin - Had big dreams of using this at Christmas - but as usual my "I Want To Do" list was bigger than the actual number of hours in the day.  Anybody else have that problem?

Now for the results:
*Cranberries:  I made Pioneer Woman's wonderful Pork Loin with homemade cranberry sauce.  First time I've ever cooked cranberries myself. Yup, that's right I'm a cranberry cooking virgin!  I blame that on my Mama because she always makes cranberries and gives me some of hers.
*Candy Canes:  Like everyone else in America I made heart suckers.
*Pumpkin:  I made dog treats for all my kids' dogs.

Fred

Everyone (except us) has dogs (all are rescued dogs.)  I wanted to make dog treats for Christmas but I ran out of time so those dog treats are now Valentine Treats.  These treats were made with pumpkin because it supposedly is good for a dog's digestion, and rice flour because some dogs are allergic to wheat.  Okay, that is someone else's blog saying that - not me.  These dogs come over to my house, eat stuff off the floor and sometimes I look outside and one of them will be eating something that they have found.  I'm pretty sure I don't want to know what that something might be.  I do want to be a good Grandma to these dogs so I made them healthy treats.  

Cleo’s Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups brown rice flour 
1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin to smooth. Stir in dry milk, sea salt, and dried parsley (if using, optional). Add brown rice flour gradually, combining with spatula or hands to form a stiff, dry dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface (can use the brown rice flour) and if dough is still rough, briefly knead and press to combine.

Roll dough between 1/4 – 1/2″ – depending on your dog’s chew preferences, ask first – and use biscuit or other shape cutter to punch shapes, gathering and re-rolling scraps as you go. Place shapes on cookie sheet, no greasing or paper necessary. If desired, press fork pattern on biscuits before baking, a quick up-and-down movement with fork, lightly pressing down halfway through dough. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn biscuits over, then bake additional 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on rack.

Note:  I added more pumpkin so I could work in all the flour.  I also used white rice flour instead of the brown as that was what I had. The recipe came from Simmer Till Done.


I just realized that I make sugary, white flour treats for my Grandkids all the time.  Guess who got all those heart suckers?  Does that make me a bad Grandma?


-Laurie