RECIPES - Marshmallow Ice cream Cones

Simple home made marshmallow, you can spread this into a slice tray and make it into squares or spoon into little ice cream cones to make marshmallow "icecreams."
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 1 hour
Serves: 16

Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp gelatine
- 1/4 cup cold water (65ml)
- 2 cups (440g) sugar
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 tsp vanilla

1.Soak the gelatine in the cold water then heat over a low heat till dissolved.
2.Meanwhile, stir the sugar into the boiling water till dissolved, then add the gelatine mix and the vanilla.
3.Beat the mixture with electric beaters on high till it is thick and can stand in peaks by itself - about 10 mins.
4.Spoon into small ice cream cones and sprinkle top with hundreds and thousands or coconut. Refrigerate till set
5.OR... Line a greased slice tray with toasted coconut and spread the marshmallow evenly into the tray. Spread more coconut on the top. Refrigerate till set -about an hour - then cut into squares.

RECIPES - Home made Ice cream

Milk can become homemade ice cream in five minutes by using a bag! This homemade, creamy treat is a summertime delight for kids and adults alike.

What you'll need:
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup milk or half & half
- 2 tsp instant dessert
- 6 Tbsp rock salt
- 1 medium plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
- 1 large or extra large plastic food storage bag
- Ice cubes

How to make it:
1. Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
2. Put milk, instant dessert, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
3. Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
4. Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
5. Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

Tips:
A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the proportions more that that - a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself is heavy.

KIDS PARTY - Ice cream Theme

Great party theme that can be used from toddlers all the way up to teenagers.

Invitations:
Cut out ice cream cones and different flavor scoops from cardstock and glue them together to make a cone, add a red pompom on top as a cherry if you wish. On the back write "I Scream you scream, (childs name) screams for ice cream! Please help us celebrate at the (surname)'s Ice Cream Parlour (your address time date etc.)".

Games / Activities:
*Ice cream scoop races. Each child has a ice cream cone and plastic ball or painted styrofoam ball, and has to race without their 'icecream' (ball) falling off, if it does the child has to go back to the start.
*Pin the cherry on the ice cream sundae, make a big ice cream sundae out of paper and the kids take turns to pin red circles (cherries) on the top.
*Make home made ice cream (recipe on my blog, or use your own)

Party Food:
-Cake made to look like an ice cream. Bake 1 rectangle and 1 or 2 circle cakes. Cut the rectangle to look like the cone then stack the circles on top and decorate.
-Ice cream sundaes, each kid can use their own home made ice cream. Make sure you buy extra ice cream in case some kids don't turn out. Toppings can include chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, whipped cream, mini M&M's, crushed oreos, rainbow sprinkles, cherries, chopped nuts etc..
-Marshmallow ice cream cones (recipe on my blog).
-Muffins iced to look like ice creams with a cherry on top.
-Ice cream sodas, a scoop of ice cream in a cup topped with lemonade.

Party Favors:
-Make cones out of card then fill with lollies. Secure a balloon on the top as the ice cream scoop, to hold the lollies in.
-Ice cream cone shaped lip gloss, erasers, lollies etc.
-You could also include a certificate to a nearby ice cream store.

KNITTING - Barbie Doll Shrug

Pattern for Barbie or any other 11 inch fashion dolls.
This easy shrug knits up in no time. It's sized a bit large to make it easier for little hands to get in on and off. Use any fingering weight yarn; shown here is left over sock yarn which is perfect!

Size:
Before sewing, 9" wide x 1¾" long

Gauge:
29 sts and 34 rows=4" in St st

Materials:
Fingering weight yarn
Size 3 US (3.25 mm) needles

Barbie Doll Shrug Knitting Pattern

Instructions
CO 66 sts.
Row 1 (RS): p1, k1, p1, k18 (sleeve), (p1, k1) 12 times (body), k18, p1, k1, p1 (sleeve)
Row 2: p1, k1, p19, (k1, p1) 12 times, p19, k1, p1
Row 3: Rep Row 1
Rows 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12: p1, k1, p to last 2 sts, k1, p1
Rows 5, 7, 9, and 11: p1, k1, p1, k to last 3 sts, p1, k1, p1
Piece should meas 1½" from beg.
Row 13: Rep Row 1
Row 14: Rep Row 2
Row 15: Rep Row 1
BO.
Sew CO edge to BO edge of sleeves, leaving body sts open.

©Barbara Breiter.

KNITTING - Baby Ugg Boots

These baby booties are adorable and so easy to knit. Every baby needs a pair of Ugg Boots!

Size:
0-6 months

Materials:
Light worsted weight yarn in main color and contrasting color
Size 8 US (5 mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge:
21 sts and 28 rows = 4" (10 cm)

Instructions
Bootie is knit all in one piece with a seam along the back of the leg and down the middle of the sole of the foot. The sole is knit in garter stitch (knit every row); the rest of the bootie is knit in Stockinette stitch (knit RS, purl WS).

Sole
With main color, CO 22 sts. Knit one row.
Row 1 (RS): k1, yo, k9, yo, k2, yo, k9, yo, k1
Row 2 and all subsequent WS Rows: knit all stitches, but knit the yarn over twisted, i.e. into the back loop of the yarn over
Row 3: k2, yo, k9, yo, k2, yo, k2, yo, k9, yo, k2
Row 5: k3, yo, k9, yo, k7, yo, k9, yo, k3
Row 7: k4, yo, k9, yo, k5, yo, k4, yo, k9, yo, k4
Row 9: k5, yo, k9, yo, k6, yo, k6, yo, k9, yo, k5
After Row 10, continue in St st for 8 more rows.

Instep
Row 1: k26, ssk, turn work (ignore the remaining stitches on the needle for now)
Row 2: sl1, p7, p2tog, turn work (again ignore any remaining stitches)
Row 3: sl1, k7, ssk, turn
Row 4: sl1, p7, p2tog, turn
Rows 5-12: Rep Rows 3 and 4 four more times.
Row 13: sl1, k7, ssk, knit to end of row, turn
Row 14: p19, p2tog, p to end of row
Work 2 " (5 cm) of stockinette across all sts.
Change to contrasting color and knit 2 rows (garter stitch).
BO knit wise.

Finishing
Sew back seam using mattress stitch.
With contrasting color, make a fake stitch line down the "side seams" and across the instep to imitate Ugg Boots.

©Jennifer Gontier. Visit her blog HipKnitIzed: Knitting On The Edge

KNITTING - Baby Slippers

These slippers are newborn size, but can easily be made bigger by knitting the even section of the sole longer and picking up more stitches along the sides of the sole.

Size 1 US (2.25 mm) double pointed needles or 2 16" circulars
You may use straight needles to begin the pattern

Gauge:
30 sts= 4 inches in garter st

Instructions
Sole:
Note that the sole is knit in garter stitch, knitting back and forth.
Cast on 7 stitches.
Knit 2 rows.
Repeat the following 2 rows until you have 15 stitches.
Row 1: K1, knit into front and back of next st, knit till 3 stitches are left, knit into front and back of next st, k2
Row 2: Knit

Knit even in garter stitch until the whole sole from the cast on edge measures 2½".

Repeat the next 2 rows until you have 5 sts left.
Row 1: K1, k2tog, knit until 3 sts are left, k2tog, k1
Row 2: Knit

Do not BO. Keep these 5 sts on your needle, and with that same needle pick up 28 sts to the center of the toe. Take your second needle and pick up 29 sts from the center of the toe to right before the 5 original sts, and knit 2 sts from the first needle to the second. You will now have 31 sts on each needle. The beginning of the round will be at the heel. Attach marker to show location of heel.

The rest of the slipper is knit in the round, in garter stitch (purl one round, knit 1 round).

Round 1 and all odd rounds: Purl
Round 2: K25, k2tog, k8, SSK, k25
Round 4: K24, k2tog, k8, SSK, k24
Round 6: K23, k2tog, k8, SSK, k23
Round 8: K22, k2tog, k8, SSK, k22
Round 10: K21, [k2tog] 3 times, [SSK] 3 times, k21
Round 12: K18, [k2tog] 3 times, [SSK] 3 times, k18
Round 14: K15, [k2tog] 3 times, [SSK] 3 times, k15
Round 15: Purl

BO loosely knitwise.
Weave in ends, make a second identical slipper, and find a lucky baby to give the slippers to!

RECIPES - Disappearing Zucchini Muffins

Do you find it hard to get enough veges into your kids? or just looking for a healthy, guilt free alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth?
Then this recipe is for you...

Prep time: 30 minutes, Servings: approx 12

* 1-1/2 c. shredded zucchini (about 2 small)
* 2 c. whole-grain pancake or biscuit mix
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon allspice
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 c. brown sugar
* 1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
* 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
* powdered sugar (enough to dust the muffins)

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
2. Wrap grated zucchini in a couple of paper towels and squeeze to remove water.
3. In a large bowl, mix whole-grain pancake mix (or biscuit mix) with spices.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, and lemon juice.
5. Fold the egg-sugar mixture and shredded zucchini into the pancake-spice mixture; do not over mix.
6. Line a 12-cup muffin tin, fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with batter.
7. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden.Remove muffins from tin and cool on a wire rack.
8. Sprinkle muffins with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Note: You don't have to peel the zucchini before shredding it for this recipe. It won't affect the taste and the peel will provide some extra fiber.