Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider Drink

Hi! I’m Melissa from No. 2 Pencil and I’m excited to be sharing one of our family traditions with you today! When the weather turns colder, one of my favorite things to make for a family gathering is slow cooker apple cider. This year, I thought it would be fun to mix it up and make caramel apple cider. It was a huge hit and the perfect treat on a crisp fall day.

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider Ingredients

• 12 cups of apple juice – I bought a gallon and had a little leftover
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 cup of good quality jarred caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling
• Whipped cream

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider Directions:

• Heat apple juice and cinnamon sticks in the slow cooker for about 4 hours on high.
• Let the cinnamon sticks soften and uncurl.
• Before serving, stir in 1/2 cup of caramel sauce and serve in heat proof cups. Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel.

Recipe notes:

• I use a 5 quart slow cooker
• When the apple juice is very hot, the caramel may start to separate. That’s ok, just give it a stir and it is perfect again.

I adore Melissa and her blog — Number 2 Pencil.

She has a fabulous, refreshing style and she makes the most delicious recipes!!

Here are a few of my favorite projects from Melissa:

Peanut Marshmallow Treats

Haunted Gingerbread House

Googly Eyes Halloween Wreath

Be sure to stop by No. 2 Pencil and say hi — you will love it!!

More Delicious Fall Recipes:

Crockpot Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake

Want an easy dessert to make for fall? Whip up this easy Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake which only takes 5 minutes to prep and then cooks in your crockpot and makes your home smell so good!

Game Day Recipe – Warm Crockpot 7-Layer Dip!

7-layer dip in your crock pot — all of the tasty layers of tomatoes, peppers, enchilada sauce, spicy sour cream, black beans, cheese and green onions blend together to make the MOST wonderful dip! Top crisp tortilla chips with the dip and garnish with fresh pico, black olives and green onions!

30 Chicken Recipes to Make in Your Crockpot

Easy chicken recipes to make in your crockpot this fall. From Mexican, Chinese, Indian, or casseroles, you will find chicken recipes your family will love!

Have a Wonderful Day!!

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Hello Tatertots & Jello readers! It’s Kristin from Yellow Bliss Road back again with an adorable free printable for Valentine’s Day!

Free LOVE Valentine’s Day Glitter Gold Banner

It just doesn’t seem possible that Valentine’s Day is just a few weeks away. Seems like just a few days ago I was taking down my Christmas decor…well, to be fair that actually was just a few days ago. Anyway, I wanted to add a little bit of festive color to my decor this year and I have a cute coordinating freebie just for you!

Just Print and Cut Out

I have been loving the digital gold glitter (all the sparkle, none of the mess!) so I decided to glam up my Valentine’s printables. It’s really easy to put together your banner. First of course you’ll have to decide which parts to use. There are four letters to spell out “LOVE” plus two decorative accents that you can use in place of the “O” or on the ends of the banner to some charm. Then print out the pages (there are three all together) and cut out the pieces. I recommend printing on cardstock, and for the best and brightest color, have your banner printed at a copy store. Use ribbon or string to tie the banner together, or just use a little hot glue or even double sided tape to attach the string to the banner.

You can download the printable banner at the end of this post.

This beautiful red, white and gold set would be perfect to decorate for a family breakfast, or for a little cupcake party. Or if you like, just use the pieces to decorate your home for the holiday. The digital set includes two additional banners, party invitations, cupcake toppers, gift tags, water bottle labels, straw flags, frameable signs and coordinating papers. See the whole set in the Yellow Bliss Road Digital Designs shop. Hurry, it’s on sale until February 3!

Before you go, don’t forget to grab your free printable LOVE Valentine’s Day banner!!

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Thanks Kristin!!  That banner is so sweet and perfect for decorating your mantel! I love it! Kristin always shares amazing ideas. Here are a few I know you’ll love:

She always has amazing recipes too! Why not try these Red Velvet Cake Mix Bars for a Valentine’s Day treat!

More Valentines Day DIY Projects

5-Minute Waffle Cone and Flower Centerpiece Idea

Turn ice cream cones into the cutest centerpiece for Valentine’s Day, Galentines or Spring!

17 Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts to Make

17 Farmhouse and Cottage Valentine’s Day ideas. Fast and beautiful ways to bring the spirit of Valentine’s Day into your home. 

xoxo

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Free Printable Happy Easter Banner!!

A big thanks to Kristin from Yellow Bliss Road for this cute banner!

With Easter on its way, I have created some fun Easters printables to help you jazz up your Easter celebrations this year.

Free Printable Happy Easter Banner with Glitter

have been obsessed with glitter recently, which my friends will tell you is rather odd because I kind of hate glitter – it’s messy. But this kind of glitter – the printable kind – is kind of awesome.

Pretty, right?

And completely mess-free. That’s my kind of glitter!

Print Out a Printable Happy Easter Banner

If you’d like to print this banner for yourself, you can click on the link below to download it.

Just cut out the pieces and tie them together. You could also tape or hot glue to a ribbon or string. Then just hang it up.

Love the colors in this printable banner? I’ve got some fun accessories to compliment it!

Easter Egg Hunt Printables

“Hop” on over to Yellow Bliss Road to grab some free printable straw flags, cupcake/snack toppers and an Easter Egg hunt sign!

*please keep in mind that all of my free printables are for personal use only, and are not to sold or redistributed. Thanks!

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Thanks Kristin! I just love that banner. Printable glitter sounds like the perfect kind of glitter to me! I love all of her accessories she created too. She has tons of adorable ideas on her blog! Here are a few of her recent projects that I love:

She has lots of one pot recipes on her blog, and this Easy One Pan Spaghetti and Meatballs looks so yummy!!

Spring Chalkboard Easter Printable

Her Spring Mantel and Chalkboard Easter Printable are such a perfect combo! I love the bright flowers with the chalkboard print!

Last Day of School Printable Signs

Can you believe the last day of school is right around the corner? Well, these Free Last Day Printables would be perfect for documenting the last day of school!!

More Spring Printables!

Free Cottage Spring Printable Signs

Rise and Shine Pancake Party Free Printables and Lemon Ricotta Pancake Recipe

Have a Beautiful Day!

xoxo

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Free Printable Patriotic Banner

Hi there! I’m Kristin back again from Yellow Bliss Road with some patriotic printables for the 4th of July! I love the 4th of July. Barbecues, friends, fireworks, what’s not to love?? It’s hard to believe that it will be here in just a little over a month, and we will be smack in the middle of summer already! It’s that time of year when people start thinking about adding a little patriotic color to their homes so I’ve designed a fun free printable patriotic banner for you.

Two Versions of Patriotic Banner – Red and Blue

There are two versions of the banner, one with red lettering and one with blue. Or you can mix it up and do a red and blue combo. There are also some pattered flags that you can add to either side of the banner.

Printable Banners Make Instant Party Decor

The banner would be a fun way to add some color to your 4th of July barbecue, or just to add some Americana to your mantel.

How to Print This Patriotic Banner

To put the banner together, you’ll want to start by printing the banner on cardstock. If you want the most vibrant colors, I’d recommend having it printed at a copy shop like Office Depot. It’s usually around fifty cents a page. Cut the flags out that you want to use and attach them together with twine by punching holes in the corners and stringing the twine through. You could also ties the corners together with some pretty ribbon.

Coordinating Patriotic Printables

You can also find some coordinating printables at Yellow Bliss Road today. I’ve got Free Printable 4th of July Trivia Cards and Printable Envelopes that double as utensil holders!

These would be super fun for a neighborhood party or for stumping your kids!

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Thanks Kristin! What a darling banner! I just love it! Kristin has tons of fabulous ideas on her blog. Here are a few I know you’ll love:

Grab her free Last Day of School Printables to remember how much your kids have changed this year!

And her Crockpot Chicken Tacos look like the perfect easy meal idea!

And if you’re planning a disneyland trip this summer, check out her Disneyland Hacks post!

Make sure to follow Yellow Bliss Road and

More Patriotic Printables

USA Nautical Free Printables

Free Patriotic Treat Tags

Ombre Fourth of July Free Printable Sign and Centerpiece Idea

xoxo

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Hi Tatertots & Jello friends! Kimberly from A Night Owl back again, sharing a fun and easy holiday craft! One of my favorite things about the Fall holiday season is candy corn! Don’t you just love it? When the stores line their shelves with the sweet and colorful candy, fun to eat but even more fun to craft with don’t you think? And today we’re showing how you can do both in style with these Candy Corn Treat Jars!

How to Paint a Candy Corn Treat Jar

I love to have jars of candy corn around the house during this time of year. Not only are they fun sweet treats, but I just love how the colors can add to both your Halloween and Fall decor! And these sweet little jars will help you do just that. So let’s chat about how easy they are to make so you can run out and make your very own jars too! I picked up my jars at the dollar store, aren’t they perfect? You don’t need anything expensive to get started… Supplies:

• Glass jars with lids
• White spray paint
• Orange acrylic paint
• Yellow acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Sand paper (optional)
• Painter’s tape (optional)

Directions:

Paint Your Jar White

First you’re going to want to seal your jar shut with the lid so no paint gets inside, then spray paint the entire outside of your jar with white spray paint. Several thin coats work the best, making sure the jar is dry between each coat.

Paint the Bottom of the Jar Yellow

Once you’re happy with coverage and the jar is completely dry (best to let dry overnight), paint the bottom third (or so) of your jar with the yellow acrylic paint. You can use painter’s tape here if you’d like for completely perfect lines, but I chose to free hand.

Paint the Middle of the Jar Orange

Once that layer is dry, paint the middle third (or so) of your jar with the orange acrylic paint. Again, you can use painter’s tape here as well if you prefer.

Dry Overnight

Once your paint layers are complete let the jars dry completely and cure, again best to let this stand overnight.

Sand the Jars a Little to “Rough” up the Lids and Edges

Once they are dry, if you’d like, you can take a little sand paper to them to “rough” up the lids and edges. I love the look of distressed jars so I did just that!

Make Them for Teacher, Neighbor or Birthday Gifts This Fall!

And the result is are some ridiculously cute Candy Corn Treat Jars! Don’t you just love them? I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out, they will be gracing my Fall and Halloween decor this season for sure!

If you’re a big fan of candy corn like I am, be sure you check out our collection of Candy Corn Crafts and Candy Corn Treats on A Night Owl! And I’m sure this isn’t the last you’ll see of our candy corn obsession…join in the fun! And let us know if you try your hand at these cute little Candy Corn Treat Jars!

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Thanks Kimberly! How cute are those jars? I love how inexpensive and easy they are too. Kimberly always has great ideas on her blog. Here a few that I love:

Her Easy Fall Hydrangea Wreath is so beautiful for fall. I love it.

And, I totally love the idea for this DIY Apple Chalkboard. How cute would that be for a teacher gift, or just a fun fall decoration?

And, she always shares the yummiest recipes. I’m dying over these Easy Caramel Apple Nachos. YUM!

I really am so lucky to have Kimberly as one of my awesome contributors. She has such fun, inspiring ideas.

Make sure to visit A Night Owl and

xoxo

The post Paint Candy Corn Treat Jars – an Inexpensive Fall Gift Idea appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

DIY New Years Eve Photo Party Backdrop

Supplies:

• Gold cardstock
• Gold glitter
• Cutting machine or willing children and scissors
• Mod Podge and brush or spray adhesive
• Twine or fishing line
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Removable hooks
• Cafe curtain rod (or any cheap rod you can find)

Now here is where having an electronic cutting or die cut machine comes in handy. You are going to need about 100 or so similarly sized stars. If you don’t have a machine you can create a star template on cardboard and use it to trace and hand cut out the stars on gold cardstock. This would be a great activity for children, too!

With about 12 or so stars give them a nice coat of adhesive and a liberal sprinkle of gold glitter. This will help dimension to the backdrop and give it a little extra pizzazz in your photos.

Next, cut your twine or fishing line (or even ribbon) to about 4 foot lengths. Lay your twine down on the ground and eyeball the placement of about 12 stars evenly down the length of the twine, making one or 2 of the glitter stars mixed in. Carefully, attach the stars to the twine/line/ribbon with a dab of hot glue. I find it is always best to use a low temp hot glue gun when gluing paper – it dries quicker and it greatly lessen the burn chances.

Now you’re ready for the fun part, follow the directions on the back of your removable hooks and hang your curtain rod. Since I was doing a children’s photo backdrop I hung mine about 6 inches taller than my oldest daughter. Once your curtain rod is hanging, tie your strands of stars to the curtain rod.

Now get ready for the fun to ensue. There is something about glittery stars and random props that bring the silly out in my kids and I absolutely cherish these silly photos. And when you’re done photographing all the children at the party just move your hooks up to adult and height and let the grown ups get in on the silly action!

I hope that you’ve had a wonderful holiday season and you are ready to kiss 2014 goodbye so we can start looking forward to all the wonderful things 2015 has in store for everyone!

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Thanks Stacy! I love it! Such an easy and pretty idea for New Years or birthday parties! Stacy has all kinds of awesome ideas on her blog. Here are a few I think you’ll like:

If you’re looking for another pretty idea for NYE, check out her DIY Gold Confetti Champagne Flutes!

And, I love this DIY Stripes and Glitter Mason Jar. The glitter is perfect and you can leave this out all winter long!

And, I had to sneak in this cute Valentine’s Day idea. These cute Valentine’s Day Tags are perfect for your class parties!

 Visit She’s Kinda Crafty and

Follow the HAPPY Holidays Event at Tatertots & Jello

all through the holidays with awesome tutorials, recipes, decorating ideas and more from some amazing blogs!

xoxo

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One of the very first times I ate dinner at my mother in law’s house she served this salad and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since. With an easy homemade dressing, and thinly sliced apples and bacon, you can’t really go wrong. I made it recently for a family gathering, and everyone was asking for the recipe. So, I thought I’d share it with you today!

Here’s my recipe for this delicious Cranberry Apple Bacon Salad:

Salad Ingredients:

• One head green leaf lettuce and/or spinach leaves
• 5-6 Strips of bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup of feta cheese
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup craisins
• 1/2 apple, thinly sliced

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

To make the dressing, take the oil and chopped red onion and blend in the mixer until onion is finely chopped. Next add sugar, mustard, salt and red wine vinegar to the blender and pulse to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate dressing until you’re ready to add to your salad. Layer all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss until combined. Add dressing to lightly coat salad right before serving.

That’s it! Pretty easy, and you’ll have everyone asking you for the recipe. Thanks for having me today, Jen!

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Thanks Meredith! That look so delicious and the apples are perfect for fall! You might also want to check out these posts from Perfection Pending

How to Make Perfect Rolls from Scratch

Why Sometimes I Let My Kids Quit

And her Spiced Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup looks perfect for fall!

 Make sure to follow Perfection Pending and

xoxo

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This week is full of plenty of mouthwatering recipes, with my Churro Waffles with Dulce de Leche Topping rounding the week off next Saturday!

Check out all of this week’s amazing recipes after the break:

Your hostesses for this week are:

Please welcome our special guest host Jen from Tatertots & Jello

Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad found on Thirty Handmade Days

This Pasta Salad is not only delicious but it comes together so quickly. It’s a new favorite.

Pesto Chicken Pinwheels found on The 36th Avenue

Flaky pastry, juicy chicken, fresh pesto, sun dried tomatoes, and feta cheese are rolled together to create a snack to delight your taste buds.

Perfect for Monday Night FOOTBALL!

Costa Vida Grilled Chicken Tacos found on Your Homebased Mom

These copycat Costa Vida grilled chicken tacos pack a punch in the flavor department!

They are so easy to make at home.

Lasagna Bake with Penne Pasta at The Idea Room

This Lasagna Bake Pasta is a simple recipe you can make in 30 minutes or less.

Curry Chicken on The 36th Avenue

The curry sauce is so good and perfect to serve with white rice.

Make sure to save this recipe for later… You are going to love it!

Slow Cooker BBQ Sandwiches by Somewhat Simple

If your roast is frozen, you could cook it in the crock pot overnight!

Churro Waffles with Dulce de Leche Topping found on Tatertots and Jello

Breakfast for dinner… My favorite!

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies found on Skip to My Lou

These rich gooey brown sugar blondies are over the top with the addition of mini Reese’s peanut butter cups.

If you have any suggestions on recipes you’d like to see or ways we can make this meal plan even better, please let us know in the comments section below.

We will see you next week for another delicious week’s worth of meals!

And if you missed our other weekly menu plans, click HERE.

The post Weekly Meal Plan — Week 47 (Guest Hosting!) appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

In our house, we’ve been struggling with night time fears for a while. With three kids 10 and under, someone always seems to be waking up in the middle of the night scared. And, since I’m not a big fan of sharing my bed, and I’m not a big fan of sharing a twin bed with my kids, I needed some solutions for helping my kids conquer their night time fears.

While it’s important to teach kids to self-soothe when they’re babies, it’s just as important to help kids conquer their night time fears independently and fall back to sleep even when they might be a little scared. I reached out to my Facebook readers for some ideas and these ideas are great for little and big kids that will help them conquer their night time fears and go back to sleep on their own.

Help them discover exactly what they are afraid of – There is a long list of things that children can be afraid of at night, and many of those things are just age appropriate fears they have to work through. Try to get to the root of the problem. Is there a scary shadow in their room, or a noise they are hearing every night outside? If you can help them discover exactly what they are afraid of, it will give you ideas for how you can help.

Monster spray – My boys, who are younger would probably go for this, but I’m not sure my ten year old would. Simply take a spray bottle and fill it with water and some essential oil (like lavender that has a calming scent) and keep it by your kid’s bed at night. Tell them they can spray it to keep the monsters away, or spray it when you’re putting them to bed to calm fears.

Fairy lights or Christmas lights – Night lights are great, but I think sometimes kids who are overly anxious might need a little more in their room. Hang some white lights above their bed for some extra comfort at night.

Let them sleep with music on – My oldest is a big fan of this one. Think about letting them listen to spiritual music, or instrumental music as they fall asleep, or keep a radio by their bed that has a timer that they can switch on in the middle of the night if they get scared.

Keep a flashlight close – Sometimes kids just need some extra reassurance that the shadows in their room aren’t really that scary. Let them sleep with a flashlight in their bed to shine on that silly shadow that is keeping them awake.

Hang a dream catcher – For kids who suffer from bad dreams, this is a great idea. Teach them about the idea behind a dream catcher, and buy a small one that they can keep beside their bed. When they wake up, reassure them that the dream catcher is working.

Buy a fairy door – A friend of mine suggested this idea, and I love it. Purchase a fairy door for the bedroom wall and let your child know that the fairy comes out at night to protect them and watch over them in their sleep.

Pray with them – Teaching a child that he or she can pray is a great way to calm fears. Remind them that they don’t have to get out of bed to say a prayer in their heart and have Jesus keep them safe.

Get them a special stuffed animal or something of yours to sleep with- For the child with new fears, let them pick out a new stuffed animal that will help keep them safe, and something they can squeeze at night when they are scared. Involve your child in picking it out. You could also let your child sleep in a t-shirt of yours, or have a picture of you near their bed as a comfort.

Try a white noise machine – We have a small house, and it’s easy to hear lots of different noises at night. Get a white noise machine that will help drown out any noises that might be keeping your child awake, or waking him up at night.

Good reading material – For my daughter, who loves to read at night, we like to keep spiritual reading material next to her bed for the nights that she can’t fall back asleep when she wakes up scared. Watch what your kid reads right before bed too, because even age appropriate books might have things that are scaring them. Keep a little reading lamp, or light next to their bed with a book, or kid magazine that they can look at and distract themselves at night.

Teach them that they are in control – My son is highly anxious at night, and a few things that have worked for him are teaching him to take control of his own thoughts. I have also taught him deep breathing exercises to calm himself down, and we also had him choose his own “happy place” (which happens to be playing video games) that he can think of when he’s worrying or trying to fall asleep.

If you liked this post, you might like these, too:

30+ Toys, Activities and Random Objects to Entertain Your Toddler

You might like this post about realizing that our kids are the ones making lots of mistakes, and sometimes it’s not our fault at all.

You might also like this post about helping support a friend or loved one with anxiety or depression.

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Thanks Meredith! Those are some great ideas. I remember that stage well when my kids were younger. Make sure to follow Meredith and visit Perfection Pending

xoxo

The post 12 Ways to Help Your Child Conquer Night Time Fears appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

I have a really BIG collection of Halloween fabrics and I’m always looking for more ways to use up my stash. I was rummaging through the scraps last week and got the idea to use some of them to make this Halloween Banner.

Want to make one too? It’s really easy and there is only ONE seam you have to sew, and you could skip that if you wanted to.

Here’s what you need:

18″ x 24″ piece of white canvas or twill or home decor fabric

Scraps of Halloween fabric

Piece of paper backed fusible web

20″ dowel rod

1/4″ Steam a Seam

Ribbon

Iron

“Trick or Treat” Template – download for free on my site

Spider Buttons

Print out the template and trace the letters onto a piece of paper backed fusible web. Yes they are backwards on purpose.

Trace the “T” 3 times and the “R” 3 times (so you have the correct letters to spell TRICK OR TREAT)

Cut out letters loosley and press onto the wrong side of your fabric scraps

Cut out again this time precisely.

Measure the center of the 18″ side of your 18″ x 24″ piece of fabric. Mark it.

Measure down 18″ on each 24″ side of fabric. Mark each spot.

Draw a line from the 18″ mark to the center of the fabric. Do the same for the other side of the fabric.

Cut fabric along these lines so that you have the banner shape.

Fold under the raw edges of all sides except the top 3/8″ and press. Use a piece of steam a seam to hold the hem in place.

On the top of the banner fold down 1″ and stitch along the raw edge a straight line- this will make the pocket to hold the dowel rod.

Lay the cut letters out where you’d like them. Peel off the paper backing and iron in place.

Embellish with spider buttons as you like!

Now you’ve got a cute banner that you can hang on your front door, above your fire place mantle or on your wall. Enjoy!!

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Thanks Melissa! What a cute banner! I love it. Melissa has tons of adorable ideas on her blog. Here are a few I know you’ll love:

These DIY Halloween Treat Bags are so perfect for a party!

And, I just love these Floating Witch Hat Luminaries!

And this Printable Autumn Bucket List is just darling to display in your home!

Visit Polka Dot Chair and

xoxo

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