Easy & Homemade Spiced Apple Cider

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a college student in a dorm should be in want of the comforts of home. One of these comforts, at least for me, is spiced apple cider in the fall. It is something that my Grandmother taught me to make when I was younger and something that I have missed very much since going to college. Luckily for me, I am living in an apartment-style building this year and have easy access to the stove. (Which is fantastic because being unable to cook last year was killing me.) The cool are is certainly starting to settle in which makes it a fantastic time to enjoy a nice cup of spiced apple cider! Luckily for you, this delicious beverage couldn't be simpler to make!

Ingredients:

1 gallon Apple Cider (I bought mine at Walmart, but if you live near an apple house, even better!)

1 box of Red Hots

 (Yep. That's it.)

Equipment:

1 large pot

1 stirring spoon

1 funnel

1 set of measuring cups

Instructions:

1. Place your pot on the stove and pour in your apple cider. If your pot is too full and is at risk of bubbling over, ladle out a few cups of cider and store them in a separate container.
2. Heat the stove eye to a just-below-medium setting. Making great cider takes time. You don't want the stove eye so hot that your cider burns!
3. With your measuring cups, add Red Hots for desired taste. This is all up to you. I added a little less than 1/2 a cup for cider with a little more of a kick. If you want spiced cider with a bite, add more. If you want a more subdued flavor, add less.
4. Let the mixture sit on the stove for around 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Depending on your stove, this may take more or less time. You'll know it's done when the cider is red, all Red Hots are melted, it lets off a little steam, and your kitchen smells delicious!
5. Turn eye off and let the cider cool a bit before you enjoy!

Warm and sweet spiced cider in a Bahamas mug!
Thinking warm thoughts!

 Once cider has cooled, it can be returned to its original container and stored in the fridge. Spiced cider is yummy warm of even cold! Be sure to drop 3 or 4 Red Hots in the cup before you microwave your cider if you are choosing to do so. Some of the good, spiced taste can get lost if you don't.

It's so yummy that there wasn't much left to store!

And there you have it! With few ingredients and very little effort, you can make a fall favorite in the comfort of your own home!

Enjoy some awesome apple cider and stay warm! Be sure to follow me for more tasty recipes!

Chalk Boards on the Cheap

Most people have a love or hate relationship with chalk; there's hardly any middle ground there! I for one love chalk boards and if you are reading this you probably do too! I can honestly say that this is one of the most fun crafts from beginning to end I have done so far. (It's nice and cost-friendly too! ;D )
 

It looks mighty fine if I say so myself ;)

 

 

Here's what you'll be needing:

• A metal tray of any sort
• Fine grit sand paper
• Spray paint primer
• One trash bag
• Tape
• Chalk board paint
• Acrylic paint
• Sponge paint brushes
• A towel
• Chalk
• Mod Podge (if desired) 

 

Step One: Selecting a Tray

It's important to get a tray you like. It should be the right size and it should have a design you like. It's not necessary, however, to drop a lot of dough on your tray. (In fact, it's a bit absurd!) I suggest going to your local thrift store, Goodwill, or recycle store. You can find some awesome steals, and you won't be breaking the bank. I got BOTH of these beauties at my local thrift store for a whopping combined total of $1.56!

 

Step Two: Sand it down

 

Go over your tray lightly with some fine grit sand paper. This gives the slick metal a bit of a textured surface for the primer to hold on to. When I was done sanding, my trays looked a little like this.

 

Step Three: Prime it!

 

This step was a bit taxing in the hot summer sun! Take your trash bag outside and tape it to the ground securely so that it wont flop over on your drying trays in the wind. Set your trays on the bag and spray both sides with primer. Only spray one side at a time and be sure to spray a nice even coat on both sides. Let the tray dry well before bringing it inside.

 

 

Step Four: Paint it up!

 

(This is what the trays looked like after priming!) Paint the decorated edging any color you desire with your sponge brush and let it dry well. I recommend using at least two coats. Now paint a coat of chalk board paint on the flat part of the tray. Wait 30 minutes, then paint it with another coat in the opposite direction. (You can also paint over the colored part with Mod Podge to give it a more polished look. I hadn't in these pictures, but I will be going back and doing so!)

 

Step 5: Make it chalk-ready

Wait 24 hours between steps four and 5. Now talk a piece of chalk and dust the chalk board painted part of the board with chalk. Now carefully wash it with soap and water and dry.

 

Congratulations! You've just made an incredibly useful chalk board out of a cheap tray and it's totally awesome (name that musical!) You can now display it with a picture frame holder, plate holder, or even attach ribbon to the back and make it a hanging board.  Be sure to share this with your friends, pin it, and comment!





Quick and Easy Care Packages

A Fast Guide to Spreading the Love Without Filling the Suitcase

         My sweet boyfriend will soon be hopping on a plane and heading to Belize for a week-long mission trip with his church. It's become a bit of a tradition in our relationship for me to give him a care package when he is headed off on a long trip. It wouldn't be very practical to send him a box of cookies and a pack of playing cards on this trip, however, so I had to get a little more creative. This is what I came up with: a practical, functional, and heartfelt care package!

Items in this package:

• A Nalgene brand water bottle (Nalgene bottles are extremely durable, seal well, and are quite portable.)
• A caribeaner (good for hooking the bottle to a backpack or belt loop)
• A splash guard (you're going in for a sip of water on a hot day and... BAM! It gets all over your face! But not with a splash guard. These are a MUST!)
• Lifesavers
• Sour Patch Kids
• Stickers
• Bug Bands
• Itch Relief Stick
• Bug Spray
• Band Aids
• A breakfast bar
• Gum
• Small letters in an envelope

Other ideas:

• Small tubes of sunscreen
• Lip balm
• Hairbands
• Small bouncy balls or other small toys
• A picture
• Wet wipes or portable hand sanitizer

1: Select Your Items Carefully
     
       Whenever you are making anything some one is going to take on a plane be sure to not only pick small things that will be space efficient, but also to pick things that the TSA will approve of. Be sure to read up on regulations before you make your purchases. I packed everything in this package inside the Nalgene and saved him tons of space! I cut the sticker sheets into smaller sticker strips so they would all fit inside a small envelope. I also made my letters smaller than usual so they would all fit inside the same envelope. Speaking of letters...

2: Make It Meaningful

    Even the most essential items can have more impact when you select them with the person in mind. Take the bandages in this particular package for example: Despicable Me minion bandages.
Alex loves the Despicable Me series and especially the quirky minions. I also got him Monsters University (another series we both love) and Spiderman stickers not only for his enjoyment, but also to give to kids while in Belize.

3: Functional Can Still Be Personal

    People I know who have been on this trip before say that Belize is full of mosquitoes and Alex is very bite-prone! (Seriously, it's been a bad summer for bug bites.) With this in mind, I got a pocket-sized container of bug spray for him and Bug Bands. Bug Bands supposedly repel bugs for up to 120 hours so I got him a regular one and a glow in the dark one for night time. We will see if they actually work but... with the inevitable in mind... I also got him a pocket-sized Benadryl anti-itch stick. IMPORTANT! If you are putting these things in a water bottle, I suggest putting them in not one, but two plastic baggies just to be on the safe side! (The baggies may also come in handy later, you never know!)

4: FOOD!

    I tried to pick small, portable things that wouldn't melt. You can pick anything that fits with receiver's fancy. I think food is pretty much a must in any care package. After all, nothing says, "I'm thinking about you while you're gone" quite like candy! Just try to pick things that will travel well. If it won't melt, spoil, or crumble to pieces, it's probably a good choice. Not sure if it's good enough? Try putting it in your back pocket and walking around for a day with it there... just kidding!

5: If at First You Don't Succeed...

    You may have to try several times to get a good, space-efficient fit. Don't get frustrated, it's worth a few tries! Once the project is finished, you'll be proud of the lovely care package you've assembled! Here's what I ended up with...

Viola! I think it's

a masterpiece!

 

Who would've thought it was so easy?! Do you have any great for care package items? Be sure to comment!