Last Minute DIY Christmas Gifts

Ugh, I've been sick for weeks!! You know what that means? A lot less time to prepare gifts for friends and family! Also, lots less blogging. Luckily, the doc gave me some great drugs and I'm starting to feel better, whew.

Over the past several years especially, I've been leaning toward homemade Christmas gifts rather than purchased items. In my family, we always called it 'Make It or Bake It'. Some of the best gifts I've ever received have been handmade. They really come from the heart, and it shows.

I love giving out gifts to everyone, my neighbors and friends and family. Here are a couple suggestions if you're struggling with homemade gift ideas this year, and if you're as behind as me!

1. Homemade Taco Seasoning - This is one of my newest passions, mixing my own seasonings. Those packets in the grocery store? They can contain all kinds of weird stuff that I don't want in my body. Make a batch for your neighbors, and attach a set of directions, they'll love it!

2. We Whisk You A Merry Christmas - This is fantastic for teachers and neighbors. And I admit I totally got this idea from Pinterest. Fill a kitchen whisk with goodies, seal with plastic wrap and a bow, then attach a cute little card. Done!

3. Brown Sugar Scrub - Boy, do I love a homemade sugar scrub! This one smells like cookies, totally irresistible.

4. Naughty to Nice Chocolate Chip Cookies - Speaking of cookies, these are fab-u-lous! Despite being ill the past few weeks, I still made a double batch of these cookies, sick or not. They are that good peeps. In fact, this is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. Make a batch, wrap up those cookies, and start distributing to your neighbors and friends! I gave a bag out just this morning.

5. The Happy Jar! - This is, by far, the most popular post I've ever written. It might not be so good as a last minute gift, but it's still worth mentioning. You could always make mani version of this if you're short on time. Who doesn't love happy thoughts and inspiration right at their fingertips??

6. Homemade Caramel Sauce - You probably have all the ingredients for this easy sauce right in your fridge already! This takes no time to come together, and makes a great gift. And yes, I totally gave out a bunch of these this year too! Include a gift tag with my Quickie Apple Pie recipe, and you've got a hit. 

That's it for now folks! I'm planning to create more fun gifts throughout the year, so we'll add to this list next next Christmas. One last idea for you....

Attach a simple ornament to your gift bag for a little extra fun! You can find small packages of basic ornaments at the Dollar Tree that are perfect for this. Or, if you're in Europe and visiting the Christmas markets, seek out the small wooden ornaments that are so popular here.

Until next time, my friends.... Merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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DIY Taco Seasoning

Have you ever looked at the back of a taco seasoning packet? Like, specifically at the ingredient list? It isn't pretty, my friends.

The ingredients list varies greatly depending on what brand you choose. The one on the left (above) is Old El Paso brand, and the one on the right is McCormick's. As you can see, they are very different. This is why it's so important to read your labels. Or, just make your own!

The Hubs and I are slowly eliminating processed foods from our life. Yes, I do most of the work, but the Hubs is on board. I want to know what is in my food. I don't want artificial flavors or chemicals or any other crazy ingredients. It is very hard to change your whole life overnight. So instead, we pick one thing and change that. After we've mastered one new thing, we add another.

This week it was taco seasoning. Death to pre-packaged seasoning mixes!

The ingredients 

This might look like a lot of ingredients, but it's all spices you probably have in your cabinet anyway. I tested this by asking my pal Michelle, and she had everything except the cornstarch. Honestly, the cornstarch is used only as a thickening agent so you can do without if necessary.

The directions for this are so easy, even the Hubs can do it! You just mix all your spices together, and viola! Instant taco seasoning. We use 2 tablespoons of chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 ½ teaspoons paprika, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, ½ teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon coriander, a pinch of cayenne pepper (more if you like things spicier), and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.

When you make your taco beef, add 5 tablespoons of this seasoning mix for every pound of meat, along with ¾ cup of water. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the water is gone. Just like the kind you buy at the store!

This recipe makes enough for 2lbs of ground beef. The Hubs and I like leftovers, so I always use a whole batch. OR, I double (sometimes triple!) the recipe, and I keep it tightly sealed in an empty spice container. Then I don't have to make it every time we want tacos, I just grab it out of the cabinet.

Give it a try yourselves, peeps. Change up the mix, adding more of what you like or less of what you don't. And let me know how it goes for you.

Until next time, happy cooking!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Follow me on Facebook @ OurArmyLifeAccordingToTheWife

or on Pinterest, my newest obsession @ ArmyLifeFromTheWife

Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

The Standard Form:

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 ½ teaspoons paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon coriander

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store tightly covered in an empty spice jar.  5 tablespoons of seasoning is used for each pound of ground beef. Brown your meat, drain the fat, and then add the 5 tablespoons of seasoning along with ¾ cup of water. Stir to combine. Allow to simmer until sauce thickens and clings to meat. Add more seasoning for a spicier dish, and less for a milder dish.

Taco Crack

Yes, you read that right. I said taco crack. Ask anyone who has eaten this dip, and they will tell you:

It's highly addicting.

Like crack.

Hence the name.

Taco Crack 

I'm not sure where this recipe originated from, but I've been making it since high school, so it's been around a while. No cracks (haha) about how old I am, ok?

This past weekend, I made the Crack for a get together at my pal Tiffany's house. Since it was taco night there (actually, there's a special name for the tacos they served, but I can't remember!), this dip was a great starter. Not only simple to make, but it travels fairly easy, and everyone loves it.

If you've got ten minutes, then you have time to make this dip. Let me show you how easy it is:

The ingredients

To start, you need 2 packages of cream cheese, 16 oz of sour cream, and 2 packages of taco seasoning. If you make your own seasoning, feel free to use that instead. Someday I'll be that cool, but I'm not quite there yet.

*Note: This recipe makes enough to fill a 9x13 pan. If you'd like a smaller version, cut the ingredients in half and use an 8x8 pan instead 

Using a hand-mixer, blend together the sour cream and cream cheese, ensuring there are no lumps. Once smooth, add the taco seasoning and mix well. It should look a little something like this:

The blending takes approximately three minutes.

Then, simply spread the mix into your 9x13 pan. At this point, you can cover and let the dip rest in your refrigerator until it's time to eat. This is what I usually do, but it's not necessary.

When you're ready to eat, sprinkle with shredded lettuce, then grated cheddar cheese, and top with diced tomatoes. This take another two minutes, maybe three if you're slow.

If you want to be extra special, you could also add some chopped cilantro.

And...

You're done! Grab some tortilla chips and dive into the Crack. But be warned: you may eat the whole pan yourself. So no fair crying to me if you put on a couple pounds, ok? I just provide the recipe.

As always, the standard recipe is below. Do you have any easy dips that you'd like to share? Email me if you're interested, I'd love to see you as a guest blogger for ArmyLife!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

Follow me on Facebook @ OurArmyLifeAccordingToTheWife

or on Pinterest, my newest obsession @ ArmyLifeFromTheWife

Email me: armylifefromthewife@gmail.com

The Standard Form:

Taco Crack

Ingredients:

16 oz. sour cream

2 (8 oz each) packages of cream cheese

2 packages taco seasoning

1.5 cups (approximately) shredded lettuce 

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

10 oz cheddar cheese, grated

Chopped cilantro (optional)

Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:

Combine the sour cream, cream cheese, and taco seasoning with a hand-mixer. Spread the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 dish. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Top with the shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, and diced tomatoes. Top with chopped cilantro if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.