Homemade Holiday Candies

 The holidays are near and that means it is time to start thinking about gifts to buy and treats to make. This year why not save a little money and give a gift from the heart with these homemade holiday candy recipes? These are decadent, delicious and easy to recreate at home in your own kitchen. Make a few varieties and package them in a pretty container for a great gift.

This collection has something wonderful for everyone! From cheesecake balls that are dreamy to simple dipped marshmallows that always delight and even a candy for the coffee lovers. 

While you are here you can't forget to visit some of my favorite bark recipes.

Everyone loves this celebration bark.  Fruity Pebbles bark is a perfect no bake candy option for cereal lovers.

Cheesecake Balls by Rich and Delish

These cheesecake balls are so creamy and dreamy! You are sure to love this recipe for homemade candy.

Dark Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows by Saporito Kitchen

This recipe is simple and delicious! Let the kids help with this one.

Homemade Snickers by The Short Order Cook

This homemade snickers bar recipe is perfect to make and freeze for later. Make these ahead of time for a homemade gift from the heart.

Honey Lollipops by The Monday Box

Homemade honey lollipops are perfect for sucking or stirring tea with! These would be great sticking stuffers.

Saltine Toffee by Spend with Pennies

Toffee made with saltines is a perfect treat to make and share.

Strawberry Hard Candy by In the Kitch

These hard candies are perfect for holidays. They are so fruity and flavorful!

Disneyland Copycat Churro Toffee  by In Fine Taste

No need to plan a trip to Disney to get your churro toffee fix. This is a perfect at home dupe!

Homemade Torrone Italian Nut Nougat by xoxo Bella

This homemade Italian candy would be so nice to share with your friends and neighbors this year.

Cookie Dough Truffles by Fantabulosity

These truffles are just the thing to serve to anyone who loves cookie dough flavor!

Rocky Road by Flavor the Moments

Homemade rocky road has never been easier than it is with this tasty recipe!

Peanut Butter Balls by Bitz n Giggles

If you love peanut butter flavor then you will want to make these delicious little treats this year!

Homemade Payday Bars by Sweet Peas Kitchen

This recipe is a perfect copycat for homemade, fresh payday candy bars!

Angel Candy by DIY and Fun

You are sure to love the layers of this candy! It is so tasty!

Turtles by The Cagle Diaries

Simple and delicious are always a good idea! This recipe for homemade turtles is sure to be a favorite!

Vegan Twix by Spabettie

If you are a fan of twix bars, you will want to make these for a sweet, homemade holiday candy to share.

Dalgona Coffee Candy by Corrie Cooks

Coffee fans would love to get a tub of these instant pot candies for the holidays!

Find more homemade candy recipes here

Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cones

Boozy Butter Creams

Festive Cranberry Cocktail Recipes

 The holiday season is near, and if you are gathering with friends to exchange gifts, or hosting a party, you are going to want to pin this list of festive cranberry cocktails for later. This list has some of the best options to help you ring in the holidays in style.

If you have been visiting me for a while, you know I love a good cocktail. This year I would love to include more cranberries into my happy hour, so I started visiting with some of my favorite bloggers to find the best recipes. I know you will find a few items you love on this list.

Cranberry Sage Cocktail by Salted Plains

Perfect Cranberry Cosmo by xoxo Bella

Cranberry Sangria by Flavor the Moments

Blushin Russian by The Good Hearted Woman

Frozen Cranberry Mimosa by Stephanie’s Way

Winter White Cosmos by Aleka’s Get Together

Cranberry Pear Mimosas by Entirely Elizabeth

Sorcerer's Stone Cocktail by Cooking with Curls

Cranberry Orange Margarita by Emily Fabulous

Cranberry Orange Daiquiris by Small Town Woman

Cranberry Moscow Mules by Our Crafty Cocktails

Mezcal Cranberry Cocktails by Gastronom Blog

Sparkling Cranberry Champagne Cocktails by Homebody Eats

Blackberry Cranberry Moscow Mules by The Forked Spoon

Cranberry Margaritas by A Splash of Taste

Don't these drinks sound perfect for the holiday season? Which would you like to make first? Don't forget to click over to view the full recipes and save them to your cocktail board.

While you are here you can find some of my favorite drink recipes here:

Wild Blueberry Gin Fizzers

Boozy Freezer Pops

Cherry Orange Soda Syrup

Fulfilling Hobby Ideas

 It's never too late to try something new. If you are someone that wishes to pursue a new hobby, you need ideas and inspiration. Hence, if you are often bored and stuck for ideas to help fulfill your time, you have come to the right place. 

This post will share fulfilling new hobby ideas that will purpose to your life.

Photo by Steve Johnson: https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-paintbrush-near-paint-pallet-1047540/

Writing a blog

For those that love to write and want to pass their time in a fulfilling way, writing a blog is a great option.

It is a way for you to get creative and share your ideas with the world.

For instance, you might want to write about Female Sith Lords and give knowledge to those that are interested in the same topic. You can write about anything you wish to when it comes to blogging, as long as it is sensitive. 

Reading 

Reading is a great time passer and a great way to further educate yourself on new topics. You could read anything including lifestyle, history, sporting, or entertainment books, and start to discover new things.

The great thing about reading is that you can take it anywhere with you. You can take it on holiday, to the park, to bed, or laying down on the floor. Wherever you like to relax, you can take your book or piece of reading material and pass the time away while learning new things.

Singing

If singing is one of your passions, why not turn it into your fulfilling hobby?

Whether you wish to sing professionally or not, you could join a singing club or stay at home to pass your time and practice your skills. Singing is one of the most fulfilling hobby ideas if you love to be creative and perform. Don't allow your confidence to hold you back as after a few singing practices, you might become someone that could turn this hobby into a career.

Dancing

Another creative hobby idea, that is fulfilling and can successfully pass your time is dancing. You can dance for fun or dance professionally, Whatever suits you, you should pursue.

You could dance at home with your family in the kitchen or practice dancing professionally at a dance club. It is a great way to release your energy, be creative and find a hobby that fulfills your creative desires.

Partake in sports activities that you enjoy

Whether you are someone that enjoys sports or being competitive, partaking in sports activities is a great way to fulfill your time.

You could play squash with your family, join a local football team, or start swimming.

There are so many sports activities that you could partake in to fulfill your time and pursue a new hobby. If you are not a sporty person but wish to be, the best thing to do is trial and error. Trying out sports activities to figure out whether or not you like them is the only way you are going to find a sport that you love and can fill your time with.

Pursue arts and crafts

If you have someone that loves creating things then why not consider pursuing arts and crafts activities as a way to fulfill your time?

There are so many arts and crafts activities that you can choose from to pursue a new fulfilling hobby from drawing, painting, and creating new products.

You can join a local art club, practice drawing at home, or take your painting utensils outside to pursue this arts and crafts hobby wherever you feel most relaxed and inspired.

Meditation

Meditation is a great mindful practice that can help you become a more focused, present, and kind human. Meditation goes hand in hand with improving your mental health, which is why it's such a great hobby to pursue as often as possible.

You can practice meditation for one minute, 10 minutes, or 20 minutes every day to maintain a sense of presence and focus in your life.

Meditate outside, meditate in your bed, or meditate wherever you feel you're most comfortable to ensure that you practice it as often as possible.

Using this guide you can ensure to find a new fulfilling hobby idea that would ensure to help you pass your time and find more purpose in your life when you have nothing to do. You might even find that this new hobby becomes a passion of yours, which you could turn into a regular activity or even your new career.

What Should I Do With All My Seasonal Leftovers?

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Well, eat them, of course! That said, it can be hard to know what to do with small elements of your leftovers if they’re all placed in little tubs and have no real purpose in a much larger recipe. Moreover, some ingredients can last longer than others in the refrigerator, and on top of this, you may or may not have had a traditional seasonal meal or set of meals over the festive period.

For this reason, understanding what to do with your seasonal leftovers can be a hard task. But don’t worry, in this post, we’ll discuss a few measures you can use to decide exactly that. Without further ado, please consider the following advice:

Make The Best Sandwiches Possible

You can make the best sandwiches with any leftover meats and vegetables from your holiday meals. There are countless alternatives for transforming your leftovers into mouthwatering sandwiches, whether you choose traditional options like turkey with cranberry sauce or more original combinations like ham and pineapple. Stuffing, roasted vegetables, and other softer foods can be delicious in between a fresh baguette purchased from a local barkery, so don’t think you have to slop everything into two small pieces of bread. 

Add your preferred sauces and toppings after layering your remaining components and you’ll really take it up a notch. Have fun, experiment, and use up those leftovers. For a crispy and tasty variation, you may also try grilling your sandwiches in a skillet. Sandwiches are a tasty and practical way to use up your leftover Christmas ingredients, and work no matter if they’re hot or cold.

Delicious Stuffed Pepper Soup

You can make a fantastic stuffed pepper soup with any leftover ground beef and vegetables from your holiday meal. Simply brown some onions and peppers in a pot, add the remaining vegetables and ground beef, and then toss in some broth and canned tomatoes. Alternatively, you can follow this stuffed pepper soup recipe which is utterly delicious and a real treat to both enjoy alone or share with the family. This way you can use up all of those smaller veggies you may have had beforehand and aren’t sure what to do with.

Make A Delectable Casserole

Making a nice casserole is a wonderful way to use up your leftover holiday supplies. You can make a filling and savory casserole that will feed a crowd out of any leftover vegetables, ham, or turkey. Turkey and broccoli casserole, ham and cheese quiche, and sweet potato and black bean casserole are all delicious and you’ll be asking for seconds in no time. Just arrange your unused ingredients in a baking dish, top with cheese or a creamy sauce, and bake the casserole until it is hot and bubbling. The good thing is that casseroles tend to improve in the refrigerator, so ironically you’ll have leftovers, but leftovers that are enjoyable and simple to eat this time around, as you’ve combined them into one delicious meal.

With this advice, you’re sure to turn all of your seasonal leftovers into an amazing meal we’ll be jealous of.

Top Tips For Booking A Trip To America on a Budget

 A lot of us take pleasure in and have a real passion for travelling, but it is also true that it can grow rather expensive. The following are some suggestions that will assist you in organising a holiday that will not only be exciting and unforgettable, but will also be kind to your purse.

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1. Set A Budget

Establishing a financial plan is going to be the first step that you will want to do. You will have a much better understanding of how to make certain that you are able to include the most important components of your holiday without going over your budget if you determine a precise number early on in the planning process. You can accomplish this in a few different ways, and which one you choose will depend on your personal preferences. The first method, which is also the simplest, is to simply establish a rigid maximum limit for the amount. It is likely that shorter excursions with only one location will benefit the most from this option. It is the method that is both the quickest and the least complicated. On the other hand, it may restrict your choices in the event that unexpected developments arise at the very last minute.

2. Consider what your perfect vacation looks like

Once you have decided how much money you are going to spend on your trip, the next step is to determine what it is you want most out of your time away from home. This is crucial because it will make it much simpler for you to prioritise the components of the holiday that are most important to you and to determine which aspects of the holiday can be compromised. When it comes time to plan your perfect holiday, one thing you will not want to forget to take into consideration is anything that can be a "deal-breaker." Camping, for instance, might be an excellent way to cut down on the costs associated with lodging. However, if you are not the type of person who enjoys sleeping under the stars, you should probably look at other areas of your holiday that can help you save money. Be truthful with yourself in this area, but also be willing to make concessions on certain matters of lesser significance.

3. Formulate your plans

Tours are a practical and time-saving approach to ensure that you experience the greatest aspects of your trip; yet, they may also be quite expensive. You should know that making a reservation for a tour is a possibility for you for a number of different reasons. In certain locations, the presence of an expert tour guide is either obligatory or strongly recommended for reasons relating to public safety. In addition to this, they will be able to provide you with detailed information regarding your destination, and reserving a tour will make the process of making travel arrangements much more streamlined. However, if you are ready to put in some extra work in the form of study and planning, venturing out on your own in many different locations can not only save you money but also provide a one-of-a-kind, customised experience.

4. Get off the beaten track

It is not uncommon for some of the most popular tourist destinations to be busy and expensive all at the same time. Even if it might not be a terrible idea to include some well-known activities on your schedule, you should not be scared to venture to other sites that are not as well known - car rental orlando airport will make things much easier. When compared to more popular tourist destinations, many of these "hidden gems" will offer significantly lower prices or even be free of charge.

Five Ways That Busy Parents Can Unwind

 

Things always tend to get a bit stressful during the winter, don’t they? It is tough enough to make sure that your kids are getting everything that they need and that everyone is staying happy and healthy without making sure that you are looking after yourself as well. Every parent is more than familiar with feeling like their self-care is getting pushed to the bottom of the list, and every parent knows that this is part of the deal. But if you are not taking care of yourself, then you are going to struggle to take care of everyone else.

It is especially important to make self-care a priority during the winter with the short days, the bad weather and the added stress of seasonal viruses. If you are someone who finds it tough to unwind and look for ways that you can relax, here are a few easy tips to help you carve out that time.

Find Some Time That’s Just For You

This is always easier said than done when you are running a whole household, but the first and most important thing to take care of if you need to unwind is to make time for some you-time. It’s not always easy to find a whole day or a whole weekend, particularly after the holiday season when it’s back to work with a vengeance. So, think about where you could make a little time every day. Is there a half hour or even a twenty-minute slot where you could step outside of all the rest of the stress that you are dealing with? Think about going for a walk or a cup of coffee, something that is just yours and yours alone.

Try Getting Into Gaming

One of the best ways to unwind is to find an activity that is completely removed from your everyday stresses. This is why so many of us enjoy chilling out in front of the TV watching shows that are about people doing unbelievable things in far-flung destinations. But one of the problems with this is that it is all too easy to find ways for your normal distractions to creep back in, like checking social media or your work messages. Have you considered trying playing videogames to relax? It is something that requires your total concentration, and it’s fun! If you are not sure where to start, it will be worth reading some site and game reviews before you dive in. If you’re looking to try online gambling and play slots games, check out Online Casino Review. They have detailed reviews of all the best online slots and more.

Embrace A New Hobby

Everyone has that one thing that they would like to be better at if they only had more time. For some people it’s painting, for others it’s learning a new language, for others it’s getting into cooking properly for the first time. There is a lot to be said for picking up new skills, and one of the more important bonuses is that it is something that you enjoy which is for you and you alone. Learning something new can be a struggle if you are not enjoying it, so think about what you have always wanted to try and then give it a go. If you find it too difficult or if it is not as fun as you had hoped, you can always try something else! 

Make Time For Your Friends

One of the first things that can fly out of the window when you are overworked and overstressed is time with your friends. Everyone knows the pang of having to rearrange an evening with your favorite people for the millionth time and wondering how many months it is going to be before you can get it in the calendar again. As we head into the new year, this should be a resolution that we all try to make. Remember that there is something truly nourishing about spending time with the people who know you the best, and if you have been looking for ways to unwind, this could be the best option.

Treat Yourself When You Can

With the rising cost of living around the world, everyone is worrying about how much money they are spending, and everyone is looking for ways that they can cut down on non-essentials. It is important to remember that self-care is not something that you can afford to cut out of your life. No one is saying that you need to go for a spa weekend every other weekend (although it is worth thinking about every so often). But the little treats that make you feel like you are giving yourself something that you really wanted, whether it’s a new piece of clothing or a spontaneous meal out at a restaurant, are important.

Holiday Gift Ideas

The holidays are near and I have gathered up some of my favorite products of the year to share with you. This list has some fun gift ideas that you will want to grab for the people on your shopping list.

Samples were provided for consideration.

Fuzzy Glow in the Dark Blankets

These blankets are awesome for kids! Give them a warm and cozy blanket with a cute design that does double duty. It glows in the dark to act as a one of a kind night light that kids will love to sleep with every night. Get these for about $30.

Kitty Light

My youngest needs a night light to feel secure, but the old fashioned kind that plug into a wall don't seem to do the trick. This light makes for such a cute and friendly night light option for her that she can move around if needed. Get these for $20.

Nautilus Puzzles

These puzzles have a nostalgic feel and are super fun to put together. I love giving these as a family gift that everyone can work on together. Get an assortment of designs starting at about $16.

12 Days of Ice Cream

This is the tastiest way to count down to the holidays! Give flavors like the best cookies and cream we have ever tried, chocolate chunk and salted caramel brownie to name a few for a gift that keeps on giving. Order  for $130.

Forever 60's 

This collection from Time Life makes a great gift because it offers a complete trip down memory lane featuring some of the best hits from the 1960's! Find music by The Beach Boys, The Guess Who, Elvis Presley, Sonny and Cher and More! This collection features 155 songs. Order it for $150.

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame

This 17 dvd set is like having the greatest concert of all times at your fingertips with performances by The Boss, Tina Turner, Paul Simon, BB King and More! Order this for a music lover for $220.

 

Chef Woo Noodles

These plant based noodles are so tasty! Available in flavors like roasted chicken, braised beef, and thai lemongrass. This would be a great gift idea for college students who are sure to appreciate the flavor and convenience. 

Body Comp Scale 

Give the gift of great health with this incredibly smart scale by Withings. It offers a snapshot of your BMI, vascular age and more. This is the best gift for a health conscious loved one this holiday season. It combines tech and a healthy lifestyle for a great gift Get this for $209.

Morphee

If you want to give a unique and meaningful gift that will keep giving long after Chrsitmas has passed, then, get a Morphee. It combines mediation and relaxation sessions for a deep sleep experience that is unbeatable. This is under $100 and worth every penny.

Sleep

This sleep tracking mat is such a good gift idea. Everyone can use a good night sleep and this mat tracks heart rate and snoring so you can have a smarter sleep experience. Order for under $130 for a gift that anyone can use an enjoy.

Andy Robot

This code and play robot is an awesome gift for kids. It combines fun and learning for a toy that they will keep coming back to! Get this for $50 for curious kids.

Intro to Gears 

This set offers kids an easy way to learn about gears and how they work. This is a great stem kit for kids that love to learn and want to have some hands on fun that challenges them. Get it for $40.

Magformers

This basic set is a great gift for kids of all ages because these are so much fun to play with! Get this set for about $25 for a gift that will have kids completely intrigued!

Which of these gifts would you like to receive this year? Be sure to check back as I will be updating this post all month long. 

Happy Holidays!