Appetizers with 5 Ingredients or Less

Every year we host a New Year's Eve party so I'm always looking for quick and easy appetizer recipes. 

My favorite recipes are ones that require the least amount of ingredients.   Here are a few recipes that I love to make or plan to make with no more than 5 ingredients - my kind of cooking!

Buffalo Chicken Dip  - I throw all the ingredients in the crock pot and make it that way.  Way easier!

Deep Dish Pizza Dip by Phenomenon - I've heard this is AMAZING!

 Cream Cheese Sausage Balls by Bo's Bowl - always a huge hit at any party and they can be prepared ahead of time and frozen.

 Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls by Plain Chicken - this just looks delicious!!

Cheesy Bean Dip by Real Mom Kitchen- anything with cheese has to be delicious!

Avocado Cucumber Stackers by KC in the Kitchen - a healthy snack!

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp by Home Savvy A to Z

and BBQ Chicken Bites by Add a Pinch - These are delicious so I can't wait to try the BBQ shrimp.

Apple Brie Turnovers by Lisa's Dinnertime Dish  - I love brie so I can't wait to try this.

Sweet & Tangy Meatballs by Table for Two - You can't go wrong with this easy appetizer recipe!

What is your favorite appetizer?

Shine on Friday {with a giveaway hosted by Practically Functional}

Welcome to Shine on Friday!

First of all, I want to thank you for linking up to last week's party.  We had over 800 links which means you all helped us raise over $800 for the Western Connecticut United Way Sandy Hook Fund.

This week's party is sponsored by the lovely Jessi from Practically Functional

Jessi is giving away a pair of handmade hand warmers.  The winner will be able to choose shape and fabric.

Use Rafflecopter to enter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now it's your time to SHINE!

 
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Show off your fabulous creations with us and be inspired by what others have created!

• Please link up crafts, recipes, home decor, etc.
• I would love for you to follow me and my lovely co-host One Artsy Mama
• Grab a button and post it on your blog to help spread the word
• Have fun and visit other links. Remember we all love comments:)
  

Let's Mingle

It's Time to Mingle!  

Hosted by Blue Skies Ahead,  Happy Go Lucky, I Heart Crafty Things, and Keeping Up With Kristi.

Each week we will choose one blog at random to spotlight at the next week's blog hop.

This week's guest host is: oh so nifty

  There are no rules to this blog hop.  Just link up your blog's main page.  Then have fun reading new blogs and making new blog friends.  We would love for you to follow the hostesses in the first four spots and our guest host in the fifth spot.

Please leave a comment so we know to follow you back.   Grab our button if you want to share our blog hop with others. There will be a new list every Thursday, so be sure to come back every week.

<center> <a href="http://happy-go-lucky-harvey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Happy Go Lucky" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P94LdgHGnKc/T8bcIoC1CTI/AAAAAAAACpo/qqTJcuX3RWw/s200/Mingle+With+Us+button.jpg" /></a></center>

We hope you have fun and thanks for joining us!  We are so excited to find new blogs, share great ideas, and inspire each other!

Caravan Digital Downloads Giveaway

Merry Christmas Eve!

I have a special treat for you all today.

My friend Melissa shared an awesome shop with me this past week and I just had to share it with all of you.

Caravan has the cutest printables - wall art, calendars, menu planners, toys, stationary, and MORE!  

And, you get the printables right away.

I'm loving these chalk prints:

And these Olliblocks

 Oh my goodness - so many fabulous items!  I really love them all!!

Caravan for a Cause

I love finding shops that donate for a cause! 

 Caravan has this fabulous "Hold On" print.

Caravan’s “Hold On” print is a special print with ALL funds going directly to children based charities.  From now until the end of January, all profits for this print will be donated to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. 

You get this awesome printable and your $5 will be donated to a great cause!!  How awesome is that?  I just ordered one for myself to hang in our guest room.

And guess what?  I get to give away a $25 shop credit to Caravan Digital Prints
You can also use the code happygolucky20 to get 20% off your order this week.

Use Rafflecopter to enter this giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shine on Friday {A Link Party with a Cause}

Welcome back to the party!

First I want to share the most viewed link from last week's party was:

Tiered Christmas Platter shared by Phaedra's Adventure

And now for the party:

This week, Amy and I are doing something a little different. I know many of you are as heartbroken as we are over the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy in Newtown, CT.  We have teamed up with a few other bloggers for this week's link party with a cause.

For this special party, for every link you add, $1 will be donated to the Western Connecticut United Way. 

We all thank you for supporting the party and the cause. Because of how widely hosted this weekend's party is, links you add here will be immediately visible on several blogs!  The details are below including who is donating, and what you should link today. Thanks for coming by!

Let's Mingle - It's a Blog Hop!

  It's Time to Mingle!  

Hosted by Blue Skies Ahead,  Happy Go Lucky, I Heart Crafty Things, and Keeping Up With Kristi.

Each week we will choose one blog at random to spotlight at the next week's blog hop.

This week's guest host is: Mom on the Run x2

  There are no rules to this blog hop.  Just link up your blog's main page.  Then have fun reading new blogs and making new blog friends.  We would love for you to follow the hostesses in the first four spots and our guest host in the fifth spot.

Please leave a comment so we know to follow you back.   Grab our button if you want to share our blog hop with others. There will be a new list every Thursday, so be sure to come back every week.

<center> <a href="http://happy-go-lucky-harvey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Happy Go Lucky" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P94LdgHGnKc/T8bcIoC1CTI/AAAAAAAACpo/qqTJcuX3RWw/s200/Mingle+With+Us+button.jpg" /></a></center>

We hope you have fun and thanks for joining us!  We are so excited to find new blogs, share great ideas, and inspire each other!

Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I have to start by saying these cookies are AMAZING!

First of all, who doesn't love a soft chocolate chip cookie?  And then add peanut butter - what's not to love?

I first came across the soft chocolate chip cookie recipe and was surprised to see that it called for a box of vanilla pudding (I guess you can tell that I'm not a baker).  And since I was making the cookies for a Christmas party, I thought it would be fun to add some red and green Peanut Butter M&M's.

If you love peanut butter and chocolate as much as we do, then you will love these cookies!

Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter softened
• 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounce)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 bag of chocolate chips
• 3/4 bag of Peanut Butter M&M's (I would have had a whole bag if the hubby hadn't gotten to them first)

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Mix flour and baking soda in a small bowl.
3.  Cream together butter, brown sugar and white sugar.  Add pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla.
4.  Gradually add the flour mixture.
5.  Add chocolate chips and M&M's.  Mix together.
6.  Spoon onto cookie sheet.
7.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

The hardest party was not eating too many before I needed to go to the Christmas party.

I officially have a new favorite cookie recipe!  What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

Create and Share - Christmas Sweets & Treats

Welcome back to another week of Create & Share! 

We want to see all your fun and delicious Christmas treats.

 How yummy do these look?

1. Christmas Tree Waffles by Rutherford Family Happenings,  2. Reese's Cup Reindeer by Hungry Happenings, 3. Easy Christmas Cupcakes by Something Swanky, 4. Santa Hats by A Little Loveliness,  5. Holiday Pretzel Treats by Spoonful, 6. Christmas Caramel Popcorn by Baked Perfection, 7.  Ornament Cake Balls by A Step in the Journey, 8.  Christmas Wreath Cookies by Cheerios and Lattes,  9.  Elf Munch by Crazy for Crust, 10.  Santa Grams, 11. Colorful Swirl Cookies by Our Italian Kitchen, 12.  Peppermint Crunch Popcorn Pops by Mom on Timeout,     Now, we want to be inspired by you!!   Share all your Christmas treats with us.

A Day of Silence

Reindeer Handprint Ornament

How many of your ornament on your tree are personalized?

I think pretty much every ornament on our tree is personalized in some way which makes decorating the tree so much fun for us.

One of my favorite ornaments is the Santa Handprint Ornament from last year.  Connor was amazed to see how much his hand has grown in just one year.

And now this year we made a Reindeer Handprint Ornament.

Want to make one too?  It's pretty easy!

All you need is white clay, brown paint, a red pom pom, brown sharpie, one googly eye, and ribbon

Step 1:  I rolled out the white clay and then pressed Connor's hand in it.  I used a knife to cut around the handprint.  Then I baked it in the oven.  Don't forget to poke the hole for the ribbon before baking.

Step 2:  I painted the inside of the handprint brown.  Once the paint dried I outlined the handprint with a brown sharpie and colored in the hooves.

Step 3:  I glued on the eye and nose and used double sided tape to attach pipe cleaner antlers to the back.

Step 4:  I traced the handprint onto the felt, cut it out and glued it to the back to give it a more finished look. 

Step 5:  Thread the ribbon through the hole and hang on your Christmas tree.

I love how the reindeer and Santa look next to each other on the tree.  The Santa is still my favorite but it so fun to see how Connor's hand has grown.  I'm going to have to come up with another handprint ornament for next year's tree.

What is your favorite ornament on your tree this year?