Patriotic Suncatcher Kids Craft For Fourth Of July & Memorial Day

Patriotic Suncatcher Kids Craft For Fourth Of July & Memorial Day

Kids can make a flag inspired Patriotic Suncatcher Craft for the Fourth of July (or Memorial Day and how about Flag Day too) that glows…

Kids can make a flag inspired Patriotic Suncatcher Craft for the Fourth of July (or Memorial Day and how about Flag Day too) that glows like fireworks when put in the sun. They turn out so enchanting, you will almost want to salute!

When my kids were done with their red, white, and blue craft they immediately wanted them hung on the window so the tissue paper would “glow”.  They were excited and I was too because their craft’s turned out perfect because each one was unique and made by my two kiddos. The other reason I was excited was because there was no mess to clean up except for a few scraps of tissue paper. I thought to myself, “Why don’t we do more Contact Paper Crafts because that was seriously so easy!

SUPPLIES:

  • Red and blue Tissue Paper-affiliate link
  • Craft paper
  • Clear Contact Paper
  • White craft paper
  • White Paper Stars (I used 3 different sizes of  Star Paper Punches-affiliate link)
  • Ruler
  • Pen

 

DIRECTIONS:

To make the frame use the ruler to draw a line around the outside of the craft paper. Carefully cut the inside out.

Use the inside of the paper as a template. Leave extra space and trace around the template onto the contact paper.

Cut out the contact paper, peel off the backing, and stick it to the back of the frame. Use tape to secure the contact paper to the frame.

Have child decorate the contact paper with the paper stars.

Have child tear pieces of tissue paper and stick them to the contact paper. Little Tiger made big chunky pieces of tissue paper and Little Dragon made little tiny pieces. Once the kids are satisfied the craft is done and ready to be hung up. (Isn’t is nice that you don’t have to wait for it to dry!?!)

 

Thanks for crafting with us today. If you enjoyed this free printable and craft please pin & share it with others! Love, Katie & the Kiddos

 

 

Craft Stick Basket

Craft Stick Basket

Craft sticks have never looked so good! Here’s how to make this playful Easter basket:

Materials:

– Large craft sticks

– Screw hole punch

– Hot glue

– Top of a round take-out container (ours was about a 4” circle)

– White acrylic paint

– Craft brush

– Burlap or another fabric scrap (for the inside)

– ½ burlap ribbon

 

Steps:

  1. Make a template craft stick where you put a hole about ½” down from the top in the center. Using your ‘template’ mark 18 (or more!) craft sticks with where you need to make the hole and punch it out.
  2. Paint each craft stick white and let them dry.
  3. Hot glue the bottom of a craft stick (without the hole) to the round and hot glue the rest of the craft sticks until the entire plastic base is covered.
  4. Cut a piece of burlap or fabric and attach it to the inside of the basket with a few dots of hot glue to make a nicer finish.
  5. Finish the basket with a strip of burlap ribbon on the bottom of the basket. Attach the bow with a few dots of hot glue and trim it to fit.
Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington

Although we do not know where this well-known dish came from, we do know that it is a holiday showpiece that is not for the faint of heart. Brush the seared tenderloin with mustard to give it an extra layer of complexity. Feel free to use your preferred brand; we favor spicy mustards like dijon or spicy brown mustard.

If you’ve made the decision to prepare Beef Wellington for a dinner party or holiday meal, you’re in for a treat. We’ve broken down this dish step by step so you can serve this holiday centerpiece with all the flavor and no stress, despite the dish’s intimidating appearance. If you’re looking for a stunning dish that will almost certainly make your guests believe you’re an expert cook, try this one. This traditional dish is a no-brainer. Have guests who are vegetarian? Make our adorable mini beet Wellingtons to delight your guests.

First, what exactly is Beef Wellington?

The traditional British dish known as beef Wellington is said to have been created in the 1800s following the Duke of Wellington’s victory at Waterloo. In the middle of the 19th century, the celebratory dish became a classic and became a fancy dish at dinner parties and holidays. Traditionally, the dish consists of beef wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven, surrounded by pâté, mushrooms, and some kind of ham.

The Meat

We’ll start with the tenderloin, which is one of the best cuts of beef ever! Although beef tenderloin is extraordinarily delicious, it is not the most flavorful cut of beef available due to the lack of bones and marbling. As a result, we sear the meat first and season it generously (roughly 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound). The Wellington’s overall flavor is significantly enhanced by browning the meat on all sides, including the ends.

The Mushrooms

Also known as the duxelle, are a super savory combination of mushrooms, shallots, and thyme. This combination takes beef tenderloin to a whole new level of umami, as if it already had enough. A word of caution: On this one, you really want to cook out as much moisture as possible, so don’t try to speed up the cooking process. When baking the Wellington, the mushrooms will continue to lose moisture, which could result in a soggy bottom.

The Prosciutto

In relation to soggy bottoms and how to avoid them, meet your new best friend: prosciutto! Prosciutto gives your tenderloin a little extra protection. In addition to providing a barrier against moisture, it enhances the already delicious meaty flavor. You can easily wrap your tenderloin evenly and evenly spread your duxelle by shingling a layer of prosciutto onto a layer of plastic wrap.

The Pastry

While some people prefer to make their own puff pastry for their Beef Wellington, we have discovered that store-bought puff pastry is not only much more convenient but also extremely delicious in this recipe.

Who made it? Please share your feedback in the box below!

 

Ingredients

  • 1 (2 lb.) center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 lb. mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • Leaves from 1 thyme sprig
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 12 thin slices prosciutto
  • all-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 14 oz. frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Flaky salt, for sprinkling

 

Directions

Step 1

Using kitchen twine, tie tenderloin in 4 places. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Over high heat, coat bottom of a heavy skillet with olive oil. Once pan is nearly smoking, sear tenderloin until well-browned on all sides, including the ends, about 2 minutes per side (12 minutes total). Transfer to a plate. When cool enough to handle, snip off twine and coat all sides with mustard. Let cool in fridge.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make duxelles: In a food processor, pulse mushrooms, shallots, and thyme until finely chopped.

Step 4

To skillet, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add mushroom mixture and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then let cool in fridge.

Step 5

Place plastic wrap down on a work surface, overlapping so that it’s twice the length and width of the tenderloin. Shingle the prosciutto on the plastic wrap into a rectangle that’s big enough to cover the whole tenderloin. Spread the duxelles evenly and thinly over the prosciutto.

Step 6

Season tenderloin, then place it at the bottom of the prosciutto. Roll meat into prosciutto-mushroom mixture, using plastic wrap to roll tightly. Tuck ends of prosciutto as you roll, then twist ends of plastic wrap tightly into a log and transfer to fridge to chill (this helps it maintain its shape).

Step 7

Heat oven to 425°. Lightly flour your work surface, then spread out puff pastry and roll it into a rectangle that will cover the tenderloin (just a little bigger than the prosciutto rectangle you just made!). Remove tenderloin from plastic wrap and place on bottom of puff pastry. Brush the other three edges of the pastry with egg wash, then tightly roll beef into pastry.

Step 8

Once the log is fully covered in puff pastry, trim any extra pastry, then crimp edges with a fork to seal well. Wrap roll in plastic wrap to get a really tight cylinder, then chill for 20 minutes.

Step 9

Remove plastic wrap, then transfer roll to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Step 10

Bake until pastry is golden and the center registers 120°F for medium-rare, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Cute Easy Carrot Treat Cone Free Printable For Easter

Cute Easy Carrot Treat Cone Free Printable For Easter

Who is ready for a straightforward Easter gift idea this year? Because it makes such a cute gift idea, I can’t wait to show you today’s free printable carrot treat cone. Additionally, it is affordable! For Easter gifts this year, simply print, assemble, and fill these carrot treat cones with treats. Get your printer set up, get a bag of Robin Eggs or Mighty Malt Eggs (my favorite), and start working on this adorable carrot cone treat for a gift today.

The Easter bunny isn’t the only one who likes carrots — your guests will too (well these carrot-shaped treat cones, anyway)!

 

Materials Needed To Make A Carrot Treat Cone:

  • carrot template
  • coffee filters
  • orange paper
  • double stick tape
  • green craft paint
  • twine
  • a clothespin
  • a wire hanger
  • paper towel and scissors

 

Steps:

  1. Mix a few drops of green craft paint with water until it reaches the consistency of milk. Soak coffee filters in the paint mixture until fully saturated (you can do this several simultaneously).
  2. Squeeze out excess paint and lay the filters flat to dry on paper towels or hang them from a hanger with a clip or clothespin. Download our template and trace it onto orange paper.
  3. Cut out and roll the template into a cone shape, adhering the sides with double stick tape. Cut out the center of the painted coffee filters.
  4. Attach the remaining paper to the inside edge of the cone with double-stick tape. Fill the “carrot” cone with small treats and tie twine around the top to close.

 

That’s it, buddy. I promised you that making a carrot treat cone would be easy, didn’t I? If you want, you can give these as Easter treats to friends, neighbors, family, and even strangers. I hope this free printable is useful to you. Also, happy Easter to you!

 

Classic Roast Chicken

Classic Roast Chicken

Are you afraid of a whole chicken? Be not so! Because it bakes on top of vegetables, you won’t have to worry about making any Easter side dishes. It’s surprisingly simple to make.

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 1/2-lb.) chicken
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, cut into large pieces
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
  • 1/2 lb. baby potatoes, quartered
  • 1 head garlic, halved
  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. melted butter
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme

 

Directions

Step 1

Pat chicken dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Tie legs together and tuck wing tips under the body of the chicken. (If you have time, let rest in fridge for 1 hour, or up to overnight.)

Step 2

Preheat oven to 425°. Fill a 9″-x-13″ baking dish with onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, and garlic and toss together with oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Place chicken on top. Brush chicken all over with melted butter and stuff cavity with lemon and most of the thyme, reserving a couple sprigs for garnish.

Step 3

Roast until juices run clear and a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the thigh reads 165°, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Tent chicken with foil and let rest 15 to 20 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and carve.

Step 4

Serve chicken with roasted vegetables.

 

Paint Pen Eggs

Paint Pen Eggs

It’s fun and simple to decorate Easter eggs with paint pens. Paint pens can be used to decorate Easter eggs in a variety of ways. Following the supply list and step-by-step instructions, we have provided some delightful paint pen Easter egg decorating ideas.

When we made these, I wish we had more than 18 Easter eggs to decorate with paint pens because we had more ideas than eggs. We tried our best to demonstrate each paint pen Easter egg decorating idea with at least one example, but we had more ideas than eggs–lol!!

We had so much fun coming up with imaginative paint pen Easter egg decorating ideas that my husband, daughter, and I raced to get the last eggs to decorate! Natural brown eggs can even be colored with paint pens! Please take a look at the painted brown Easter eggs that we made.

Here’s a quick, easy, and mess-free egg idea. In addition, you just need white eggs (hard-bubbled or extinguished liked) and fine paint pens.

FLOWERS: Create flower patterns on the eggs, starting with dots. Expand on them to make more of a petal shape.

LEAVES: Make a vine pattern by drawing lines vertically from the top to the bottom of the egg. Add a leaf shape to the ‘vine.’ Let everything dry completely.

SWIRLS: For the abstract swirl pattern, create a swirl and add dots in between and around it. Make sure everything is dry before displaying!