MomAdvice - Part 42

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe

November 5th, 2019

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe from MomAdvice.com

With just 3-ingredients, you can have fall-off-the-bone ribs in minutes using your pressure cooker.

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I remember feeling the same way when I got mine and now that I’ve been enjoying it for the last few months, I can honestly say that it has saved us a bundle on dining out thanks to its speedy cooking.

In fact, it has helped me feel more confident taking on dishes that I normally would never try, whether it is because of time constraints or complete intimidation, allowing for a lot more variety in our rather tired menu plan that had I had been executing month after month.

Of all the dishes that we have made in our pressure cooker, I must say that the biggest hit has been these easy 3-ingredient ribs that you can make in your Instant Pot.

That’s right, you can cook pork ribs right in your Instant Pot.

Can you believe it?

Ribs are something I have often thought of adding to our menu plan, but I just didn’t think they could ever taste as good as what we would get out in restaurants especially on a busy weeknight.

I must say though, these ribs are BETTER than many restaurants we have been to and are fall-off-the-bone tender every single time.

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs from MomAdvice.com

I have done a rack of Baby Back Ribs in my 6-quart Instant Pot and I have even been able to fit up to two racks in this size cooker without any trouble, although it is a much tighter squeeze than a single rack.

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe

First, remove the membrane (or the silverskin, as the fancy folks like to call it!) from the meat.

Here are a few answers to some frequently asked questions about cooking ribs in your pressure cooker.

How do I Remove the Membrane From Pork Ribs?

Haven’t done this before?

Well, I hadn’t either.

I actually had NO IDEA that you were supposed to do this.

At some point, I will go back and fix the error of my ways, on these images, but for now you can imagine the pork without this on it.

Looking for a tutorial on this?

You weren’t the only one!

Here is a great tutorial to help you learn how to do this, easily and safely.

How Can I Fit a Rack of Pork Ribs in My Instant Pot?

Cut your ribs into thirds so you can fit them in comfortably.

Add a cup of beef broth in your cooker and put your steaming rack inside (that little rack that came with your cooker!).

Can I Fit Two Racks of Pork Ribs in My Instant Pot?

I have only attempted this one time and had no issues adding two racks of ribs in my pressure cooker. Some people say you can fit three racks of ribs in the Instant Pot, but I find two is challenging enough.

Were you good at Tetris?

Maybe you can pull it off!

How Do I Spice Up Pressure Cooked Ribs?

Season your ribs generously with salt and pepper and place these on top of the steaming rack.

Want to add another layer of flavor to these to spice them up even more? Consider adding your favorite spice rub. You can find a lot of fun dry rubs here.

Of course that would be four ingredients (one more than showcased here!)

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Lock that baby up, press the meat button on the front of the pressure cooker, and adjust the timer to 30 minutes of high pressure.

If you don’t have a Meat button on your pressure cooker, just cook ribs on HIGH Manual Pressure.

While the ribs are cooking, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, pour in your favorite barbecue sauce for brushing.

This barbecue sauce is always a Clark favorite from the supermarket, but I’d love to hear if you think there are any others we should try!

After the Instant Pot beeps, do a quick release on that valve on the top.

Don’t know what a quick release is?

No problem!

This just means that you are going to move your valve from Sealed to Venting and allow all that steam to come out quickly instead of letting it release pressure on its own.

It is going to REALLY steam so make sure you are prepared for that and keep it away from your cabinets, face, and hands.

Also don’t scream because you will want to the first time.

It’s terrifying.

Ain't Nobody Got Time For That

Almost all the recipes I do usually say to do this Quick Release pressure cook method, rather than a natural release.

The big difference between natural and quick release?

Natural Release is when you sit around just waiting and letting that pressure to come down on its own which can take up to 25 minutes!

Ain’t nobody got time for that.

We already had to wait for the pressure to build, people, we can’t sit around waiting for the pressure in this gadget to subside.

We are BUSY!

After the pressure has released, remove the lid and carefully take out those ribs with a pair of tongs and place them on your lined cookie sheet.

Starting with the back of the rib, brush them each generously with sauce.

Turn on your broiler on your oven and slide the ribs in for 3-4 minutes, watching them carefully so they don’t burn.

Flip them over, and repeat with the other side of the ribs.

Finish by cutting them into sections and serving with additional barbecue sauce.

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe from MomAdvice.com

HELLO, HEAVEN! These are SUCH A HIT at our house and I’m guessing they will be a hit at yours too.

Keep in mind, if you are new to the Instant Pot cult (totally a thing!), that it takes awhile for these to come to pressure so give yourself a 20-25 minute allowance before that stated 30-minute cooking time I’m sharing.

We have loved these so much that they have become the new birthday request and we even took a couple of racks of these and my Instant Pot on vacation so we could enjoy this yummy treat while we were renting our beach house on break.

I now make it a regular habit to keep my eyes peeled in our grocery flier for any sales on racks of ribs to keep stocked in our freezer.

I hope to share many more recipes in the upcoming weeks with you! If you are on the hunt for great cookbooks to make the most of your Instant Pot this one, this one, and this one are all excellent books for a newbie Instant Pot cult member (totally a thing- I’m serious!).

I can’t wait to hear what you think of these 3-ingredient Instant Pot Ribs!

Be sure to SCROLL DOWN for more Instant Pot recipes. I have you covered!!

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe from MomAdvice.com

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs

Recipe Type: Instant Pot

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4-6 servings

These ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and can be prepared with your favorite barbecue sauce. These are just one (of many) reasons to get an Instant Pot.

Ingredients

1 or 2 racks of pork baby back ribs
1 cup beef broth
Barbecue Sauce

Instructions

Cut the racks of ribs into thirds and season generously with salt and pepper. (Note- if you prefer to add a rub on your ribs, this is where you would do that!)
Pour beef broth in the bottom of the pot, place the steaming rack inside, and put the seasoned ribs on top.
Lock the lid, select the Meat function, and set timer for 30 minutes.
Quick release your valve after the timer beeps and remove the ribs from the cooker. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet (prepared with cooking spray) and brush on your barbecue sauce on the back side of the ribs.
Broil the ribs for 3-4 minutes (watching carefully to prevent charring), flip the ribs over and brush the other side with barbecue sauce. Broil that side again for 3-4 minutes. Place on platter and serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

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This post contains affiliate links!

Looking for more Instant Pot meal ideas? Check these posts out!

best instant pot wings recipe

the best instant pot risotto recipe (step-by-step)

instant pot indian vegetable rice

instant pot korean street tacos

instant pot shredded chicken (for meal prep)

What is your favorite thing to create in your Instant Pot?

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe from MomAdvice.com

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Tags: How to Make Ribs in Instant Pot, Instant Pot Recipes, Instant Pot Ribs, Pressure Cooker Ribs
Posted in Kid Eats, Main Dishes | No Comments »

Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

November 5th, 2019

Salted Caramel Mocha Latte Recipe from MomAdvice.com

I love to create a coffee shop experience at home. That’s why I created this EASY Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Recipe so you can brew your copycat Starbucks coffee recipe at home. This is one of our most popular recipes on the site and, once you try it, I know you will see why!

My favorite drink at Starbucks is their Salted Caramel Mocha Latte.

One sip of this delicious goodness had me daydreaming about how I could replicate this delicious salty caramel goodness at home.

Coffee drinking is, after all, one of my favorite hobbies, but a girl has to do it on a budget.

A DIY version of this Salted Caramel Mocha Latte was definitely in order.

Salted Caramel Mocha Latte Recipe from MomAdvice.com

I am no stranger to the sweet and salty combination.

My Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies may have made me a celebrity in very tiny circles of friends.

I am also no stranger to replicating Starbucks treats. My homemade pumpkin spice latte has been shared (and enjoyed) thousands of times, by our readers.

These two things, that I am most proud of, had to come together for this fun treat.

Salted Caramel Mocha Latte Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Lattes are an easy creation to make at home. Each fall and winter, I put my French Press to work by creating the strong brewed coffee needed for a delicious latte at home.

In the summer, my cold brewed coffees are made with this little gadget and over the years it has paid for itself over and over again.

One rainy day, I decided to replicate my new favorite Starbucks treat.

I sipped lattes, tested combinations, whipped, brewed, drizzled, sipped, whipped, brewed, drizzled, and sipped.

As I tried to hold my camera steady to take pictures of my coffee glory, I realized I had a horrible case of the shakes.

I also realized I may have overdone it with the sipping part of things.

When I came to get my children at their bus stop still wearing my pajamas (complete with rubber boots), bearing crazy caffeinated eyes, and shaky hands… I had to wonder what the bus driver thought of this crazy woman who hadn’t even brushed her hair that day.

Hey, it is better than the times I come with crazy eyes and spray paint all over me- hahaha!

In the end, I think it was all worth it though.

I hope you will think so too.

Save your $5 and make this little treat at home whenever you want.

Just take my advice and try to do it in moderation.

Trying to save calories?

Skip the toppings and just enjoy a skinny salted caramel latte at home.

How to Make a Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Latte at Home

What Supplies Do I Need to Make a Salted Caramel Mocha Latte at Home?

The tools I would recommend are an immersion blender (or small individual blender for drinks or a simple whisk), a saucepan, and a french press or espresso pot (depending on how strong you like to make it).

How Can I Make a Salted Caramel Mocha Latte At Home if I Have a Keurig?

I don’t, personally, have a Keurig, but two of my amazing readers shared their tricks to get that coffee shop taste at home with your Keurig.

Lora said, “Try one of the dark, strong coffee K-Cups they offer! Jet fuel is one. They do make some nice strong ones you just have to look!”

What a great idea! Take a peek at some of the k-cup options for a diy latte at home.

Another reader, Kim, shared this super smart idea to brew coffee with a completely different type of k-cup.

Kim said, “If you buy the iced coffee blends for Keurig (I have Nantucket Iced Coffee) and just brew it like a normal cup (not over ice) – it is super strong and works great for these type recipes!”

Another fantastic suggestion! You can shop for iced coffee k-cup options here.

What Ingredient Could I Purchase if I Wanted to Drink an Exact Copycat Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Latte At Home?

My readers are always so generous with their commentary and we had a couple of replies, from Starbucks employees to set the recipe straight. In the Starbucks version, the Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Latte doesn’t actually have…well, caramel.

They actually use a toffee nut syrup instead.

That is what gives it that rich buttery flavor that makes it such a fun treat.

Does Starbucks Sell the Toffee Nut Syrup?

Did you know that you can purchase coffee syrups directly from your local Starbucks.

With seasonal drinks in high demand, if you are thinking about buying a syrup, contact a manager to see if they can order you a bottle. When they place their order, they can tack on an extra bottle just for you.

Just replace the two tablespoons of caramel syrup with two tablespoons of the toffee nut syrup (or less- experiment with this one!!).

What Type of Salt Does Starbucks Use in Their Salted Caramel Mocha Lattes?

Starbucks uses a blend of turbinado sugar and smoked sea salt. I visited a lot of boards to see if I could figure out the exact combo. Just mix together 2/3 turbinado cane sugar and 1/3 smoked sea salt.

Mix them together in a shaker for your future lattes!

Why Does This Recipe Have Kosher Salt and Caramel Sauce Instead?

Here’s the honest truth…because that is what was accessible to me.

I always have kosher salt in my house and caramel sauce is an easy addition from the supermarket.

MomAdvice is all about good living for less so I try to keep this in mind with our readers.

If you prefer a fancier experience, you now know how to level up!!

If you want to keep it accessible, cheap, or live in an area where fancy salts and coffee additions aren’t accessible…then this recipe is for you!

Salted Caramel Mocha Latte Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

Recipe Type: Drink

Author: Amy Allen Clark

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 1

An easy DIY Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Latte you can enjoy and create at home.

Ingredients

1 cup milk, steamed
1 cup very strong coffee (4 tablespoons coffee grounds to 1 cup of hot water, prepared in a French Press)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons caramel coffee syrup (I bought mine at our local superstore in the coffee aisle or you can pick them up at your wholesale club for cheap. I accidentally bought sugar-free and it worked like a charm. Feel free to use either variety and adjust to your taste)
Whipped cream
Caramel Sauce
1/8 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Instructions

Prepare your hot water in a kettle. Add four tablespoons of your favorite coffee grounds to your French Press. Pour 1 cup of hot water over them and allow the coffee to steep for four minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
In a pot, heat up one cup of milk until it is steaming. Froth the milk with a wire whisk or an immersion blender until it is nice and foamy.
In your coffee cup, mix together the prepared coffee, cocoa powder, sugar, and caramel coffee syrup until the sugar and cocoa powder are dissolved and there are no lumps. Pour the milk foam over the top of the coffee/mocha mixture and stir to incorporate. Top with whipped cream, a generous drizzle of caramel sauce, and your pinch of salt.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Looking for more great drink recipes? Here are a few others we think you will love this fall!

homemade pumpkin spice latte

how to make a peppermint mocha

homemade vanilla chai mix recipe (an easy diy for the pantry!)

how to make a gingerbread latte

how to cold brew coffee at home

Amy’s Famous Hot Cocoa Mix

peppermint cocoa recipe

homemade peppermint marshmallows

chocolate coffee spoons (perfect for upping that mocha taste with a chocolate sauce!!)

Do you have any suggestions to improve on this DIY Salted Caramel Mocha Latte?

Be sure to leave them in the comments below!

Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Latte Recipe from MomAdvice.com

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Tags: Coffee Drinks, DIY Caramel Mocha, DIY Mochas, DIY Salted Caramel Mocha, DIY Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha, Recipes
Posted in Drinks, Frugal | 107 Comments »

Ultimate Make-Ahead Gravy (With VIDEO)

November 5th, 2019

Did you know that is possible to make your gravy recipe early and freeze it for the holidays. This gravy hack can be done by using turkey (or chicken) wings for your base. You won’t believe how delicious this recipe!

I’m back with another make-ahead recipe for Thanksgiving Day today.

This week I am sharing a fantastic Make-Ahead Gravy recipe that you can have waiting in your freezer for the big day.

I am excited about this recipe because it provides, yet again, one more dish that you can create to make your day as stress-free as possible.

Ultimate Make-Ahead Gravy Recipe from MomAdvice.com

To begin this recipe and create the base, without the turkey, you can use chicken or turkey wings and add onions that you roast in your oven to make those magical drippings that you need to create the base of this gravy recipe.

I was not able to locate turkey wings at our market so I substituted with the always available chicken wings.

Don’t be surprised if your kitchen already smells like Thanksgiving with just the base of this recipe!

Be sure to scrap those delicious pan drippings up from your dutch oven or roasting pan. These stuck on bits are what make your dressing so rich and flavorful. They also add a rich golden brown hue to your gravy.

Add chopped carrots, celery, fresh herbs, turkey or chicken stock, and a little poultry seasoning, salt, and ground pepper. All these additions really help to round out the flavorings in this make-ahead dish.

Allow this to simmer, stirring occasionally, for one-and-a-half hours. Add the flour mixture to the gravy to thicken. After straining, you can whisk in the flour and cook whisking constantly.

When reheating, simply warm in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed. I like to put mine in saucepan over medium high heat.

There you have it, an easy make-ahead gravy that makes eight cups of delicious gravy for the big day!

Note: This should yield approximately five cups of gravy!

Ultimate Make-Ahead Gravy Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Make-Ahead Gravy

Recipe Type: Side

Author: Adapted Slightly from AllRecipes

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 30 mins

Total time: 3 hours

Serves: 15-20

Don’t panic about the gravy this year! Try this easy make-ahead gravy recipe that makes eight cups of gravy for your Thanksgiving feast.

Ingredients

6 turkey or chicken wings
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
2 tablespooons olive oil
1 cup water
2 quarts chicken broth, divided
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1-2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme (leave on the stem and add to the pot)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange a single layer of turkey or chicken wings in a large roasting pan. Scatter the onions over the top of the wings. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 1-1/4 hours or until wings are browned.
Place browned wings and onions in a 5 quart stockpot. Add water to roasting pan and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the the water from the pan into the stockpot. Stir in 6 cups broth, carrot, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper (to taste). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.
Remove wings from the pot and place on a cutting board. When the wings are cool, pull off the skin and meat. Discard the skin and save the meat for another use. Strain contents of stockpot through a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the vegetables and skim the fat off the liquid. Bring the contents of the pot to a gentle boil.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour into the remaining 2 cups chicken broth until smooth. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the simmering turkey broth; simmer 3-4 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve immediately or pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Looking for more Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Dishes? Here are a few of my favorites!

make ahead cranberry sauce

make-ahead green bean casserole make-ahead mashed potatoes

make-ahead bacon, apple, and cornbread gluten-free stuffing

how to decorate store-bought pies for the big day

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This post contains affiliate links.

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Tags: Easy Gravy Recipe, Freezer Gravy Recipe, Make Ahead Gravy, Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes, Ultimate Turkey Gravy Recipe
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, Sides | 7 Comments »

How to Knit a Scarf for Fall (FREE Scarf and Cowl Knitting Patterns)

November 4th, 2019

Are you looking for a few quick knitting projects? Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite free knitting patterns to make a quick easy cowl, an infinity scarf, and more. From super bulky knitted cowls to pretty ruffled scarves, I have 7 great patterns for you today!

I was madly in love with scarf knitting when I first began to knit.

Knitted scarves are a fabulous way to learn pattern, try stitches you have never tried before, and can be an elegant (and frugal) gift to give when the holiday season rolls around.

I have spent many days learning the techniques of different stitch patterns that now, many of these feel like an old friend. The first stitch pattern I mastered was, of course, garter stitch. After that, I knitted a seed stitch and worked my way out to a more complex lace cowl.

Have you always wanted to learn to knit a scarf? This is a great time to start thinking about asking for knitting classes for Christmas.

I love doing courses through Skillshare because their memberships are super affordable.

Want to try out a Skillshare membership? Here is a coupon for two months of free classes to get you started!

I love to knit scarves and I want to share with you 7 fun patterns to add to your knitting projects. Each of these is uniquely special and the patterns are free!

It may not feel like scarf season just yet, but for knitters, it is time to start our engines for holiday knitting.

Each year I try to knit a scarf for our teachers, friends, and family.

I already have my eyes on a few new patterns to try for this year, but wanted to share with you a few of my favorite scarves I have done in years past and how to package them for gift-giving this year.

Are you my friend on Ravelry?

If not, I would love to be friends! My username is momadvice on there. I am always looking for new friends to knit with and share project ideas!

How to Knit a Scarf for Fall (FREE Scarf and Cowl Knitting Patterns)

(don’t forget to download the Rakuten app to get cash back on all of your craft purchases)

How to Knit a Ruffled Lace Scarf from MomAdvice.com

I knitted three of these ruffled scarves last year and all of them turned out so pretty!

These ruffled scarves are definitely a statement piece, meant to add a punch of femininity to your winter coat!

I made one in this light gray for a friend, one in a charcoal gray for my sister, and one in ivory for my mom. I am determined to knit one of these in a fun jewel tone this year for myself.

How to Knit a Ruffled Lace Scarf from MomAdvice.com

Beautifully Ruffled Lace Scarves

Pattern:

Ruffle Lace Scarf by Suzie Blackman

Needle Size:

US 10 Needles (40″ circular needles)

Yarn:

Caron Simply Soft in Heather Gray (or a thin worsted weight yarn)

What You Should Know About This Ruffled Lace Scarf Pattern:

If you want a scarf that is wildly impressive, can be created with a single ball of yarn, and looks like a million bucks than this scarf would be the perfect gift to give this holiday season.

It is a very mindless knit, but is an INSANE amount of stitches, especially in the last two rows (over one thousand stitches!).

The beauty of this scarf though is that you only need to know how to knit, purl, and yarn over to create it.

The twisting is created by knitting the scarf lengthwise, rather than width-wise and through the series of yarn overs.

As pictures above show, you can see that it is really hard to see your stitches, let alone if it is actually going to twist.

The good news is, as you cast off, you will see that scarf naturally twists, making that beautiful ruffled twist.

This one is definitely a statement piece and is also a statement of your absolute love for whoever you might make it for!

I followed the pattern that is linked above, but added four more rows to give the scarf a fuller appearance. I repeated rows 11-14 two times before I started rows 15-16. I am really glad I did and love the lush fullness of this scarf.

How to Knit a Gorgeous Gathered Scarf Pattern from MomAdvice.com

Gorgeous Gathered Scarves

Pattern:

Gathered Scarf by Maryse Roudier

Needle Size:

US 4 & US 7

Yarn:

Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Lime

What You Should Know About This Gathered Scarf Pattern:

I knitted two of these beautiful scarves in a soft lime green and in ivory for my sister and one for a friend as holiday gifts and they both wore them often with their winter coats.

This was the first time I attempted anything that ruffled or gathered, and thought it would be a fun pattern for someone who just wants to start trying a pattern with some texture in it.

This pattern is so easy for a beginner and was a gift that was loved by both of them.

You actually use two different needle sizes to create the gathered effect on these scarves which added beautiful detail and a bit of ruffling to the scarves.

I loved that the cotton is so stretchy and soft.

I would definitely recommend this pattern especially to a beginner who is looking to add a little variation to the traditional scarf!

How to Knit the Merci Scarf Pattern for Men from MomAdvice.com

Merci Scarf

Pattern:

Merci Scarf by Susan Rainey

Needle Size:

US 8 Needles (I used size US 9 needles, which created a little bit wider scarf, but you could use the US 8’s that are recommended)

Yarn:

Premier Yarns Serenity Chunky Weight in Molten Lava (2.5 skeins)

How to Knit the Merci Scarf Pattern for Men from MomAdvice.com

What You Should Know About This Merci Pattern:

This scarf is so simple and fast to whip up that it would make the perfect gift to give to any man in your life. The super bulky yarn and simple stitch pattern make it one of those scarves that is easy to have on the knitting needles.

This pattern is one that you can complete while watching your favorite shows on television and is almost impossible to get off track.

This yarn was also perfect for creating a really warm scarf, perfect for our Midwest winters.

I would recommend this scarf pattern for a beginning knitter or for a last minute gift for someone special in your life!

I made these for my husband and brother and they both wore them every day.

It made me so proud to see my knits were loved by them and to know they were wrapped in something that I made just for them.

How to Knit An Anthropologie Inspired Scarflet from MomAdvice.com

Anthropologie-Inspired Scarflets

Pattern:

Anthro-Inspired Scarflet (available as a free Ravelry download with your free Ravelry membership) by Kim Seio & Lydia Flowers (optional, for embellishment) or cute buttons.

Needle Size:

US 8 Needles (straight) for both the flowers and the scarflet

Yarn:

Premier Yarns Chunky Weight in Pristine (scarf) & Yarn Bee Boucle Traditions in Black (for the first scarf) & Premier Yarns Chunky Weight in Brown with simple ivory button threaded with pink embroidery thread (for the second scarf)

How to Knit An Anthropologie Inspired Scarflet from MomAdvice.com

What You Should Know About This Anthropologie-Inspired Scarflet Pattern:

I followed the sizing and increases that ilikecookies(another Ravelry member) had shared in her pattern.

She said, “Increased until 30 stitches, worked 15 rows even until ribbed section and knit 15 rows of ribbing to make a slightly larger scarflet.”

I added a black Lydia Flower (size small) with a red button center to finish it or colorful buttons with contrasting embroidery thread to finish!

Next time I make this, I will have to write on the label though that these were scarfs.

The teachers thought they might be hats…which I guess you could do too!

Regardless, I got such wonderful compliments and tried to make each of them unique with flower embellishments or different unique buttons and colored embroidery threads on each one.

Want to take your gift to the next level? Invest in a personalized stamp that lets the recipient know that their gift was handmade.

How to Knit a Dolce Neck Cozy Pattern

Dolce Neck Cozy

Pattern:

Dolce Neck Cozy by Fiddle Knits Designs

Needle Size:

US 9 Needles (straight)

Yarn:

Bamboospun Natural Bamboo Yarn (purchased at Hobby Lobby)

How to Knit a Dolce Neck Cozy Pattern

What You Should Know About This Dolce Neck Cozy Pattern:

This was one of my first projects when I learned to knit and would be a perfect project for a newbie knitter.

At the time I had no idea how to do buttonholes or how to knit with two strands of yarn so this was what I was able to do with my limited knitting knowledge.

I completed the Dulce #2 (Browns) Pattern. This took almost all 148 yards, but I knitted loosely so I would not have to make the buttonhole.

I opted for one button instead of two and chose a black wooden button to bring the cowl together.

This would be a great pattern to take on a trip because it has only one row of real pattern and alternates only between two rows one of purling and one of pattern.

It has a herringbone type of look to it and looks far more complicated than it is.

Thanks to the large needles, it is an easy cowl pattern to whip up.

I made this in bamboo which was so soft, it felt just like a blanket.

This is a great project for instant gratification!

It is a wonderful pattern for a newbie knitter in understanding yarn overs.

How to Knit the Rainy Day Scarf Pattern from MomAdvice.com

Rainy Day Scarf

Pattern:

Rainy Day Scarf by Beth Collins

Needle Size:

US 9 Needles (straight)

Yarn:

Bernat Cottontots in Strawberry

How to Knit the Rainy Day Scarf Pattern

What You Should Know About This Rainy Day Scarf Pattern

I remember being so darn proud of these scarves because these were my first scarves that I had ever knitted and gave as gifts to our kids teachers.

This is a great pattern because it is easy and straightforward for a beginning knitter because you only need to know how to do the purl and knit stitches.

This scarf was packaged with my homemade cocoa mix and vanilla chai mix in a green and lovely way… in those old Crystal Light containers.

Isn’t that a great upcycle?

I used some holiday gift wrap to cover them and tied a gift tag with some raffia around the drink mix containers.

These are ideal, particularly for teacher gifts, because I don’t have to worry that my children will break the jars in route to school.

Waterproof and airtight, it keeps the drink mix nice and safe. With a handmade or store-bought scarf, it makes a perfectly cozy gift to give.

How to Package a Knitted Scarf from MomAdvice.com

How to Package Up Your Handmade Scarves for Gift-Giving

For a sweet and simple gift idea, tuck a small denominator gift card in the pocket where the scarf slides in or tie it with a little ribbon or yarn to your handmade item.

I made a stack of these for our teacher gifts last year and each one had a $5 Starbucks gift card tucked into the pocket that was created in the scarflet.

I also finish all of my knitted gifts with fun homemade gift tags.

I used my Cricut to create the rounded rectangle template. I made these simple tags out of ivory card stock or you can just buy a package of tags to add to your handmade gifts.

As a holiday treat to myself last Christmas, I bought myself a personalized stamp and, I have to say, it really added that professional touch to my gifts!

They have one for knitters and one for crocheters too.

Happy knitting, friends!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This post contains affiliate links.

Looking for more great knitted gift ideas? Here are a few of my favorites!

how to make knitted wine bottle hats and scarves for hostess gifts

how to knit a big fat hygge blanket (DIY Chunky Knit Blanket)

how to make a knitted leaf centerpiece with branches & scrap yarn

how to knit sweater coffee cozies for gifts

Have you knitted any of the scarves we featured today? I’d love to hear about your knitting projects!

7 Easy Scarves and Cowls to Knit from MomAdvice.com

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Tags: Crafting, Easy Beginner Knitted Scarf Pattern Ideas, Gifts, How to Knit a Ruffled Scarf, Scarf Patterns for Fall
Posted in DIY, Gifts, Holidays, Knitting | 31 Comments »

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe

November 4th, 2019

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookie recipe can be made into beautiful sugar cookie rolls with just a few simple ingredients. This easy freezer recipe for gluten-free cookies is such a great item to keep stocked for the perfect hostess gift or for a friend in need. Tied with ribbon, you have the perfect gift for any occasion!

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Do you ever have a really hard time with a recipe and then later wonder if it had ever been tested?

That was the case with this project from start to finish.

These cookies were supposed to be simple and straightforward, but the recipe ended up being written completely wrong.

Thankfully for you, I spent a whole day figuring out what went wrong with this one and how we can fix it so that you can have an awesome baking day!

Please read this post carefully, I am offering you a load of tips for a successful baking day!

Are M&M’s Gluten-Free?

Let’s begin with the question, are M&M’s gluten-free?

The answer is that most M&M’s are gluten-free.

In fact, most of the varieties they typically carry, other than their pretzel variety, are gluten-free.

What I found with the Red Velvet M&M’s though are that they are gluten-free, but in high times of production, like Halloween & Valentine’s Day, Mars uses alternative facilities to make its candy and some of those may introduce cross-contamination risks.

These Red Velvet M&M’s are ones that could have been cross-contaminated.

If this is of high concern, look for the plain M&M’s, preferably mini-M&M’s to help your dough hold up better.

It is always important to read your labels carefully and know that Mars Chocolate always promises to call out any wheat, barley, and rye ingredients by name, as well as any cross-contamination risks on their labels.

I recommend this information page for finding which candies are safe to eat.

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Tips for a Successful Dough

As, I am a big fan of the Betty Crocker cake mixes, I used this mix to create my cookies.

As you can see when I mixed the ingredients together, this dough is very crumbly.

To help make this dough really hold and stick together, add 3-4 teaspoons of water to the dough, until it really comes together. This will help when slicing your sugar cookie rolls.

The recipe that was written did not add this to the dough and so when I sliced them, the cookie dough crumbled. I had to add my water later and chill them again for another three hours.

Once I sliced with the liquid addition, the dough held much better.

If you need these cookies to be dairy-free as well as gluten-free, please read the notes in the recipe on how you can create these without the butter.

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Tips for a Successful Sugar Cookie Log

One more thing, I learned while creating this cookies is that it is better to make your sugar cookie roll WITHOUT the M&M’s in it and then add them to your cookies after so you can get beautifully clean slices.

Trying to cut through these Red Velvet M&M’s was a real challenge so I would encourage adding them after or just doing these cookies as a drop cookie.

To do a sugar cookie roll, as pictured above with M&M’s, seek the mini varieties.

Again, read the packaging carefully to insure that they are safe for eating.

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe from MomAdvice.com

Wrap your sugar cookie roll in wax paper and chill for three hours or more.

Once you are ready to bake off your cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and then slice them and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or a well-greased cookie sheet.

I prefer parchment paper squares (like these), both for the ease of clean-up and how beautifully these cookies will set up.

Allow these to cool and then transfer.

These cookies are very delicate in texture so you will want to give them plenty of time to set up.

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe from MomAdvice.com

What Do They Taste Like?

These cookies are so delicious that you will NEVER know that they are gluten-free.

The dough is so flavorful and the healthy dose of vanilla in the batter makes these taste like a cookie dough that you truly slaved over.

The addition of the candies adds that yummy chocolate flavor that I think every good cookie should have.

With these helpful tips, I hope you will have a successful baking day and hope that this easy treat idea will help as you plan your own holiday treats this year!

Can I Freeze These?

Cookies can be frozen!

It is recommended that you wrap them in aluminum foil or in a resealable plastic bag for up to one month.

Let the cookies thaw on the kitchen counters overnight before serving.

What Other Ways Can I Spice Up These Cookies?

If you can’t have chocolate, there are many other ways you can spice these easy cookies up.

Add Sprinkles– Lightly beat one egg white and brush the tops of your cookies with it, then sprinkle with gluten-free sugar sprinkles.

Add Zest– Add 1 teaspoon of grated lemon, orange, or key lime zest

Switch Your Extract– Try a different extract in your dough like almond or butter

Make It Spicy– Add a pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, or dust the tops with the egg white & a cinnamon & sugar combo.

Check out the recipe below! Love this project? Here are a few other gift ideas I think you will like!

diy vanilla chai mix

diy orange sugar scrub

diy knitted wine hats & scarves

diy mojito bath salts

diy grilling seasoning mixes

knitted coffee cozies

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Cookies

Author: Amy Clark

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 8 mins

Total time: 23 mins

Serves: 3 dozen

Cake mix cookies that can be gluten-free and dairy-free for a fun treat to share for any holiday.

Ingredients

1 package (15 ounces) yellow gluten-free cake mix
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter- if dairy-free replace with vegetable shortening, MELTED
1 large egg
3-4 teaspoons warm water, just until you see your dough pull together
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup M&M’s or read the post for other ways to spice up these cookies

Instructions

Place the cake mix, butter (or vegetable shortening), egg, water, and vanilla in your mixing bowl and beat on low speed until well-combined.
Using a spatula fold in the M&M’s (if mini-sized) or reserve to press these into each cookie after they have been cut (if large-sized)
Place the cookie dough on a sheet of wax paper and then press with your hands to form a long,approximately 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Tightly roll the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least three hours or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets well or cover these in parchment paper.
Unwrap the dough and transfer to a cutting board and slice them in 1/4-3/8″ slices.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges,7-10 minutes.
Let the cookies fully cool before transferring.

Have you ever made gluten-free cake mix sugar cookies? Do you have any tips for beginning gluten-free bakers on ways to increase success with cake mix cookies?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This post contains affiliate links.

Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies Recipe from MomAdvice.com

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Tags: Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Cake Mix Cookies, Gluten Free MMs, Gluten-Free Cake Mix Cookies, Gluten-Free Slice And Bake Cookies, Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe, Gluten-Free Valentines Day Cookies
Posted in Celebrations, Desserts, Kid Eats, My Work | 2 Comments »

The Hidden Secrets to Perfect Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

November 4th, 2019

Do you know the hidden secrets to the perfect cut-out sugar cookies? Put your stand mixer to work and blend up this incredible sugar cookie dough. You will learn how to make rolling and cutting sugar cookies easier. These tricks yield cookies that stay soft- bookmark this perfect cut-out cookie recipe today!

I love, love, love to cook.

Baking bread, whipping up fancy dinners, making stacks of gourmet waffles…those are my favorite thing to do!

Baking cookies?

Total fail.

I don’t know what it is, but making great cookies is not something I am good at.

To be honest, I just don’t think I have the patience for it.

More than that, I haven’t had the time.

I rely on bar cookies, quick breads, and other easy snacks to get us by.

Of all of the fails, cut-out sugar cookies have been the biggest fail for me.

They are misshapen, taste like cardboard, and are far too time-consuming.

I tried so many recipes with the same results and had determined that cut-out cookies were just NOT my thing.

I decided this year though that I would find a good recipe that would look nice and yield a tasty result.

Where do I turn when I don’t have time to run a full-fledged test kitchen out of my home?

My America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

Don’t they have such great recipes?

The recipe was entirely unique and promised fantastic results.

Crisp cookies, full flavor, and step-by-step tutorials that would be worth eating and sharing.

The Hidden Secrets to Perfect Cut-Out Sugar Cookies from MomAdvice.com

The Hidden Secrets to Perfect Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Trick #1: Use a Superfine Sugar

The first step towards a great sugar cookie was to use superfine sugar.

According to the cookbook, superfine sugar gives the cookies a finer crumb and crisper texture.

What is Superfine Sugar?

Superfine sugar s simply granulated sugar that’s been ground more finely. It’s often called for in recipes where a faster dissolving granule is needed.

This ingredient can be purchased at your local grocery store over by the other sugar options.

Don’t want to buy superfine sugar for one recipe?

Yeah, me either!

How Can I Make My Own Superfine Sugar?

Instead of purchasing a specialty sugar, process one cup of your granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.

Once the sugar is to a fine consistency (approximately 30 seconds), you can measure out 3/4 cup for your recipe.

Easy enough!

You know me, I chose the cheaper option for this recipe and put my blender to work.

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

Trick #2: The “Reverse Mixing Method

The second step to their perfect cookie was a “reverse” mixing method.

In traditional recipes, we would cream the room temperature butter and sugar together. They took a reverse mixing method approach instead.

With this method, you mix together all of the dry ingredients first and then add butter tablespoon by tablespoon.

The dough mixture is finished with cream cheese, another unusual addition to a cut-out sugar cookie recipe. This ingredient really pulls everything together and makes the dough workable. Once it has pulled together, finish with a little vanilla extract for flavor!

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

The dough looked like this. It looked crumbly and not very wet. You were instructed to pull the dough together with your hands and form it into a ball. I wasn’t too sure how this was going to work out. It just did not seem sticky enough to me.

The dough looked like this. It looked crumbly and not very wet.

You were instructed to pull the dough together with your hands and form it into a ball.

I wasn’t too sure how this was going to work out. It just did not seem sticky enough to me.

After a couple of minutes of kneading, this is what my dough looked like. I don’t think my dough has ever looked this good.

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

Trick #3: Chill Your Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Dough

Have you ever had a sugar cookie that looks misshapen?

Chances are that the cook didn’t chill the dough. This look step helps these cut-out cookies to turn out great.

Divide the dough and place them in your refrigerator to chill. It is recommended to flatten them into two 4″ disks, and leave them there for 20-30 minutes.

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

While the dough is chilling, you can tidy up the kitchen and then get everything else ready to go.

Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper and lay out your cookie cutters.

Next, tear off two additional sheets of parchment paper per dough disk to roll out your cookie dough.

That’s right, no floured counters which will save on clean-up time!

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

Tip #4: Roll Your Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Dough Between Two Sheets of Parchment Paper

Put your disk between the parchment paper and roll the dough out.

I secured one set of corners between me and the counter to hold the paper in place.

Tip #5: After You Roll Out Your Sugar Cookie Dough, chill it AGAIN!

Now pop the dough back in the refrigerator for ten more minutes or until the dough is firm for cutting.

I know waiting for the dough to chill again feels like a waste of time.

Trust me, you will be glad you did it.

This will yield a cookie with sharp edges and that hold their shape.

I promise that this will be worth the wait.

At this point, I was already patting myself on the back.

Aren’t you glad you weren’t in the kitchen with me for this annoying moment?

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

The cookies cut out beautifully and were firm enough that I could easily transfer them over to the parchment paper.

How crazy that we won’t be losing snowman feet and arms or the poor wings off of our bird cookies!

I bet you are glad you never saw my past cookies (*ahem*)!

Put your cookie sheets in the oven and watch them through the glass.

Be sure to continue, annoyingly, patting yourself on the back.

Tip #6: Rotate Your Cookie Sheets For Even Heating

Instead of letting one rack stay doughy and one rack get burnt, they have you rotate the cookie sheets halfway through.

What a novel idea!

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

These are my cookies after baking!

I KNOW!

Keep in mind, these cookies remain a pale color so don’t worry that they haven’t cooked long enough. Ten minutes is just the amount of time you need for these cookies to

They didn’t look done to me, but they were so don’t overcook them.

I had one batch that got out in the nick of time after I added two minutes to the cooking time.

They will harden up for you without any additional cooking.

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

Tip #7: Ice Your Cookies With America’s Test Kitchen Royal Icing (OR NOT)

They recommend decorating with a royal icing glaze.

I am not a fan of how those royal icing recipes turn out.

I stick to a traditional frosting recipe that requires a little more time to harden, but has a thicker tasting frosting.

What If I Want the America’s Test Kitchen Royal Icing Recipe?

Blend together 2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 ounce cream cheese, softened, and food coloring to make the America’s Test Kitchen Glaze.

Since our cookie sheets were lined with parchment paper, I reused these sheets for decorating.

This caught any runaway sprinkles or the sprinkle dumping that seems to occur every year (see above for examples).

The cookies looked good, but the real question is did they taste good? I asked our very official taste-testing and decorating crew to give me their honest opinions.

Sometimes a picture is all you need! They were perfect, not crumbly, sturdy, but not thick, tangy, but buttery. Basically, perfection!

The cookies looked good, but the real question is did they taste good? I asked our very official taste-testing and decorating crew to give me their honest opinions.

Hidden Secrets to the Perfect Sugar Cookie from MomAdvice.com

Sometimes a picture is all you need! They were perfect, not crumbly, sturdy, but not thick, tangy, but buttery. Basically, perfection!

The Hidden Secrets to Perfect Cu-Out Sugar Cookies from MomAdvice.com

The Perfect Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

Recipe Type: Desserts

Author: Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: approximately 3 dozen

Do you know the hidden secrets to the perfect cut-out sugar cookies? Put your stand mixer to work and blend up this incredible sugar cookie dough. You will learn how to make rolling and cutting sugar cookies easier. These tricks yield cookies that stay soft- bookmark this perfect cut-out cookie recipe today!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup superfine sugar (purchased or diy this flour with my instructions above)
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces & softened
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Rolling pin, cookie cutters, and sprinkles
Sugar Cookie Frosting:
1/2 cup shortening
4 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring

Instructions

Whisk the flour, sugar, & salt together in a large bowl.
Beat the butter pieces (into the flour mixture) one piece at a time. I suggest using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, and beating until the mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes.
Beat in the cream cheese & vanilla until he dough just begins to form large clumps, about thirty seconds.
Knead the dough in the large bowl by hand a few times until it forms a large, cohesive mass.
Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, divide it in half, and apt into a two four inch disks.
Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20 to 30 minutes.
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375.
Work with one disk at a time, roll out the dough to a 1/8″ thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.
Slide the rolled dough and parchment onto a baking sheet & refrigerate again until firm.
Working with one sheet of cookie dough at a time, cut out shapes using your cookie cutters.
Next, lay them on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 1″ apart.
Bake the cookies until light golden brown, about ten minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Be sure to allow them to cool completely (approximately 30 minutes)
When cooled, the cookies can be decorated as desired.
For frosting: In a large bowl, cream together confectioners sugar and shortening until smooth.
Gradually mix in milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about five minutes.
Color with food coloring if desired.

I would highly recommend adding this cookbook to your holiday wish list. That same recipe can be adapted for many different types of cookies! It has definitely earned its keep on my bookshelf.

Do you have a favorite holiday cookie recipe? Please share your recipes or links here!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This post contains affiliate links.

Love this post? Here are a few other baking tutorials that might help you in the kitchen!

easy gluten-free homemade pumpkin bread

gluten-free cake mix sugar cookies (great for freezing!)

mini cannoli bites (pair with the Annie film for a fun family night idea!)

3-ingredient star cakes

chocolate chiffon cake with peppermint frosting

The Hidden Secrets to Perfect Cut-Out Sugar Cookies from MomAdvice.com

Happy baking!

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Tags: Holidays, How to Get Crisp Cut-Out Cookies, Perfect Cut Out Sugar Cookies, Recipes, Tips for Better Cut Out Cookies
Posted in Desserts, Holidays, Kids Crafts | 29 Comments »

Unique Gifts For the Man Who Has Everything

November 3rd, 2019

You don’t need a lot of cash to snag these unique gifts for men. These gift ideas start at just $25 and I can guarantee that there is something for every man on your gift list. Use this list of our favorites when shopping for a man in your life.

I look forward to sharing a MomAdvice Gift Guide with you every holiday season. This year, I am dividing our gift guides into sections (men, women, kids, and more!) AND into budgets so that you can find the perfect gift for a special guy in your life.

I am SO excited to share these unique gifts with you and can’t wait to hear what you think of today’s selections.

Just as a reminder, if you are on a budget, I DO recommend that you sign up with Rakuten to do your shopping. This service will give you cash back on all your qualifying purchases.

If you want to read more about this shopping app, head here for an in-depth review of what Rakuten offers.

If you just want $25 and plan to get shopping, this should automatically deposit $25 in your account for your purchases(sorry- new customers only!).

Am I the only one that struggles to buy gifts for the men in my life? Today’s gift ideas for men are for your shopping…butttt for me too.

I had so much fun putting together the coolest gifts for the men in your life. Just as a reminder, MomAdvice participate in various affiliate marketing programs and anything purchased through our links (to retailer sites), will give us a small commision. This money is used to offset our site expenses and we are very grateful!

Are you ready to discovers some unique AND personal gifts for a man in your life?

Here are my gift suggestions for the man who has EVERYTHING!

Unique Gifts for Men Under $25

NOTE: You can click on the images to head directly to the source! Happy shopping!

Unique Gift Ideas for Men Under $25

birthstone guitar picks

Chillsner

RFID Card Case (my father-in-law loves this!)

Magnetic Wristband

Beanie With Built in Bluetooth Speakers

25 Outlaws Game (great if they love poker)

The Cut Buddy Tool

Marathon Pint Glasses

Bluetooth Sleeping Eye Mask

Wooden Headphone Stand

The Right Tool

Hands-Free Task Light

Survival Kit

Brisket & Meat Trimmer

Wireless Bluetooth Car Diagnostic Scanner

Bedside Essentials Pocket

Insulated Freezable Pint Mugs

Mind Your Business Workbook

Personalized Golf Ball Markers

Razor Set

5-in-1 Fire Starter Kit

Ping Pong Grandmaster T-Shirt

Rechargeable Headlamp

Anker Wireless Charger

Bike Repair Kit

Best Winter Work Gloves

Automotive Cup Holder Organizer

Laptop Cooling Pad

Recursion by Blake Crouch (a favorite of my hubby’s)

I Think You’re Wrong But I’m Listening (another fave of his!)

Warm Socks

Keysmart Compact Key Holder

Unique Gifts for Men Under $30

Have a little more to spend? Here are my unique gifts for the man who has everything under $30!!

Shiatsu Massager (one of my personal faves!)

Freedom of Speech Game

Gaming Mouse

Waterproof Laptop Backpack

eTape Electronic Tape Measure

Thompson Tees (these really work!)

Laptop Notebook Stand

50 States Travel Journal

Beard Bib

Tie Bar

Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook (I gave away SO many of these this year- big hit!)

Esky Key Finder

Wireless Wi-Fi Range Extender

NPR Nerd Shirt

Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker

Drill Brush For Car

Unique Gifts for Men Under $50 from MomAdvice.com

Looking for some creative gift ideas for men that are under $50? I have a feeling you will love this gathering!

the office clue game

stay cool joggers (these are my husband’s favorite)

Desktop Charging Station

Echo Dot Clock

Pocket Projector

Dynamic Fleece Joggers (several colors)

Runner’s Light Gloves (these were a big winner with my hubby)

Vinyl Record Dividers

Philips Norelco OneBlade

10-in-1 Pillow (I can’t rave enough about this)

Heated Ice Scraper

Sherpa Henley

Blue Snowball Microphone

book of the month club gift certificate (starting at 3 months- this is my favorite thing every dang month!)

Unique Gifts for Men Under $100 from MomAdvice.com

Hey, big spender! Just kidding! If you are anything like my family, we prefer to buy one REALLY awesome gift instead of many smaller gifts. I hope you love these smart gift choices!

23 and Me Kit (my kids are begging to do this and have a results reveal party on NYE)

UGG Ascot Lined Slippers (my husband loves his! already have a pair? get a pair of insoles for his stocking!)

Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Auto Detailing Handheld Steamer

Heated Steering Wheel

Wood Watch

Weekender Duffle Bag

Rainfoil Packable Jacket

Stitch Fix For Men (the cost depends on what you keep, but the styling fee is waived if you buy one item!! my husband LOVED this)

Wi-Fi Bookshelf Speaker

kindle paperwhite (linking to all the options, depending on your budget! I would also suggest checking here!!)

Would you rather DIY a unique gift? Here are a few posts that can help you make an incredible gift!

mix up some grill seasoning mixes

make a jigsaw puzzle mat and pair it with a good puzzle (we LOVED this one and this one this year)

9 unique gift ideas if your spouse has chronic pain

find out what their favorite childhood books were and give them as gifts (this was such a HUGE hit!)

PHEW! I hope that this inspires your gift-giving this year! Let me know if you got anything and what you thought!

Honest truth: I am always thankful to be a part of ANYONE’S holiday!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This post contains affiliate links from RewardStyle. Thank you for supporting our website through your purchases.

Unique Gift Ideas for the Man Who Has Everything from MomAdvice.com

Tags: Gifts For Men Under $100, Gifts for Men Under $25, Gifts For Men Under $50, Unique Gift Ideas for Men
Posted in Celebrations, Gifts, Holidays | No Comments »

Small-Budget Crushes 11.01.19

November 1st, 2019

Don’t forget to download the Rakuten app before making any purchases on today’s list. You can find all the current coupons AND get cash back on all your purchases! Learn more about it over here!

ew, david mug

extra soft cozy sweater (so many gorgeous colors)

red tassel earrings

faux leather leggings (so many colors, great reviews, great price!!)

plaid poncho

blouson sleeve sweater (so many gorgeous prints & colors)

thankful leopard print shirt

ruffled flannel shirt

bookish print

winter slipper socks

waffle plush throw (so many beautiful colors)

classic trench coat

funnel neck pullover

personal library kit (what a fun gift idea!!)

going west boots (so many fun prints and colors)

rose apothecary shirt

Keep on window shopping by visiting all of my Small-Budget Crushes. This post contains affiliate links!

Posted in Small-Budget Crushes | No Comments »

Amy’s Notebook 11.01.19

November 1st, 2019

source

Sign me up for a bowl of this Instant Pot Beef Stew.

Speaking of the Instant Pot, I could go for making a pot of this too.

Are you always short a stovetop burner for the holidays? Check out this smart hack to make the most of your current stovetop.

How to avoid the productivity trap.

A simple trick to make your bathroom look bigger. Why didn’t I think of this?

Are you a little Dolly obsessed like me? Check out this gathering of shows about Dolly Parton. Pretty excited to listen to that podcast.

How to recover (gracefully) from a nightmare day.

This is a love story that I can get behind.

I’m just obsessed with this show and this article explains why.

source

This creamy chicken noodle soup looks like a recipe I need to try for my next Soup Sunday.

Move over melatonin, there is a better mineral recommendation.

All of this made me so happy this month.

Totally bookmarking this list of the most helpful apps to download for my phone.

This sheet pan meal looks divine.

How fun is this idea for an autumn porch gathering.

15 things you could do instead of comparing yourself to others. Boy, do I need to work on that one!

Do you deal with intrusive thoughts? This post is so helpful.

Sign up for my newsletter to get more great reads!

I hope you enjoyed our notebook, a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, thrifty ways to spruce up your home, and thoughtful reads. Nothing brings me more joy than to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

Please note, there are affiliate links in this post- thank you! xoxo

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October Happy List

October 30th, 2019

MomAdvice Book Club 2020

Hello, friends! Do you see me peeking out at you behind this mountain of books?

This year I’ve got SO many big plans for the MomAdvice Book Club. Right now, I am diligently working to pick the best books for our 2020 year of reading together.

Unfortunately, that means that the reviews on here will be a bit thinner the next couple of months.

I REALLY want to surprise you with my selections this year.

I guess December’s reviews are going to be in one packed month as I reveal the 12 selections for our chats.

Not only are we doing this (!!!), but we are planning a fun project around each book. From printables, to craft ideas, to cooking the dishes (inspired by the stories)…it’s going to be AH-MAZING.

I’m teaming up with my amazing artist pal, M.J., to REALLY deliver on some beauty for your home and life.

Did I mention that I’m already dreaming up our next reading retreat.

Seriously, if you haven’t joined my FREE club, what are you waiting for?

I love sharing good books with you all. With almost 3,000 members, this community is booming!

If you are just on the hunt for Kindle book deals, be sure to sign up for my daily deals book newsletter. This is different than the weekly happy list and only contains the curated book deals for the day.

IMPORTANT REMINDER!! If you have Amazon Prime, be sure to get your FREE OCTOBER BOOK. This month’s selections expires on October 31st.

One of my favorite things to do is guest spot on podcasts. This week, you can catch me on, The Couch Podcast! Mary asked me to join her to chat about All-Things-Halloween!

We are dissecting our favorite Halloween sitcom episodes, my favorite spooky book, and my must-see list of Halloween movies. I think this episode should really get you in the mood for the season.

If that isn’t enough, Mary also wrote a great post on 8 Halloween sitcom episodes that she has loved.

I loved this one so much, she is going to be sharing one for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Just think of all the fun we can be watching while we get ready for the holidays!

Have you been missing the 3 little things list each week? Just so you know, this feature didn’t go away…it just moved over to my newsletters each week.

Sign up is super quick over here.

I promise to never spam you.

Life is too short to spend time deleting worthless emails, amiright?

Today I wanted to share what you might have missed this past month in one big giant happy list!!

October Happy List Fun and Reviews

The Perfect Fall Sweater

Are you on the hunt for the most perfect fall sweater?

I can’t recommend this one enough.

The cut is forgiving, the weight of the yarn is not too heavy, and it pairs so well with everything in my wardrobe.

I ended up snagging this in blue, but had to place a second order for the other colors. You won’t regret this purchase- I promise! (true to size)

The Politician

Are there any other Gleeks in the house?

I watch, pretty much, anything that Ryan Murphy comes up with so I was THRILLED to see that he had developed a new series for Netflix with Ben Platt.

If you aren’t familiar with him, this piece opened my eyes to his discipline and talent.

If Wes Anderson & Ryan Murphy had a baby together, I believe that baby would be this new series.

Platt’s character is set on winning the presidency of his high school election. He believes this win will propel his fate to win the U.S. presidency and secure his spot at an elite college.

He never expects he will go up against the guy he loves though. In a doubly cruel twist of fate, his running mate commits suicide.

If you think that secures his win though, you are wrong.

The story is reflective, rewinding eighteen months, and how that relationship evolved.

The sets, costume, and quirky writing are everything I’ve been missing on television and I am HERE FOR IT! (watch the trailer here)

Whoa Wait Walmart Magazine

Do you follow my friends over at Whoa Wait Walmart? Bethany & Amanda have this incredible account where they find and share all their cool finds at Walmart. It’s an Instagram account that I, honestly, get excited to see each day.

I promise, I’m not saying that just because they are my pals.

Want to know what’s more exciting than that though?

They came out with their VERY OWN MAGAZINE!

You can find it on the magazine stands of your Walmart store and it is filled with those fun finds that I’ve come to love, paired with incredible lifestyle pieces.

This magazine also contains a pretty cool high tech element.

If you like something, you can scan the QR code to order the item or find it in your stores. I have a feeling that this is just the start of other brands launching similar publications for their customers.

I was so honored that they sent me a copy and can’t wait to head to my store to replicate their finds!

Be sure to grab your copy ASAP!!

New to Us House Exterior before

after

Our House Is Getting a Makeover

We have done all we can (for now) on the interior of our home so this has been an exciting month as we work on the exterior.

Built in the 1960’s, our little tri-level has been a bit of an exterior challenge to modernize it. The house had aluminum siding and we discovered that aluminum is very easy to paint and it weathers really well too.

A boring beige throughout, we switched it up with Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal, a popular gray exterior choice these days.

I am soooo happy how it turned out and it, truly, feels like we have brand new siding with the fresh coat.

Now we start the process of figuring out new details like a much-needed lamp post, house numbers, and exterior light fixtures.

I stumbled upon this Etsy seller who makes BEAUTIFUL cedar shutters, for a fraction of the prices I was looking at, and I couldn’t be more excited to get rid of our weathered shutters that were hanging on the front. I also am a big fan of supporting crafters so it feels like a purchase win-win to me!

I can’t wait to share our results after we finish the last details. With paint alone, I feel like I have a brand new-to-me house.

Want to see what else we have done to our little house? Here is our biggest renovation, here is what we did to our storage shed, here’s how I cozied up our office, and here is a holiday home tour (if you are interested in that stuff!).

Every dang day, I love my little house more.

Trim Saved Me $79 This Year

As I’m working through our Passive Income series, I’ve been doing a deep dive into money-saving apps and new strategies for passive revenue.

It is how I discovered this service called Trim and how we just saved a bundle on our internet bill.

I will probably dedicate a post to this, at some point, but I had to share it with you now because I want you to save money too.

Trim is, basically, a bot service that negotiates rates, on your behalf, to lower your payments. You give them permission to act on your behalf and see if they can secure your family savings.

Our Comcast internet bill was $80 a month.

Trim sent me a text that they were able to get a fee refund (of $2.32) and they also applied a promotion for $9.95 off for 12 months.

That is a savings of $119.40 over the course of the year.

What’s in it for Trim? Well, they take 33% of the savings they get on the bill. We will be charged $40.17, but we still end up saving $79 for the year.

Right now they are plugging away at our Verizon bill.

They also were able to flag a few things that were monthly charges that we may not want to continue spending money on.

They even send them your cancellation requests for you so you don’t have to add it to your to-do list.

If you have a lot of personal debt, it also can negotiate credit card rates.

The app is free, but they also offer a premium service where you can pay $9.99 per month to work with a financial coach. I decided to purchase the premium so I could tell you if it is worth it.

For the most part, reviews are pretty positive, especially from the personal finance community.

Personally, we haven’t had any hiccup with the changes.

In fact, Comcast sent us a video to understand anything that changed on our bill after the negotiation.

My husband thought that was a bit of an overkill, but I didn’t hate it.

I will keep you posted on this experiment, but here is a link if you are interested in trying it now. (check out the service here)

Thrive Tape

One item I go through A LOT of, in our house, is KT Tape. Weekly, my awesome husband tapes my shoulder blades and neck in place and it GREATLY decreases my pain throughout the day.

Not only have we become experts at taping techniques that work, but we also can speak to the longevity of the tape.

Thrive Tape is a new product that launched and they were looking for people to give them some honest feedback on what they brought to the world of tape.

When I shared that I’d love to give it a spin, they sent me some to try for my pain. The condition I have is lesser known so I was blown away that they had a dedicated page just for EDS’ers.

Here are the pros and cons with this new product.

PROS:

The tape is not divided into precut strips and has a paper back that reminded us of gift wrap, with simple graphing lines for measuring and cutting evenly.

I did find it more durable than its competitor. KT Tape has a threaded quality to it and this tape doesn’t have the threading that can come loose on the edges.

The tape feels like it holds my body in place more because of the sturdier nature of the tape. It feels almost like I have a brace on, without the bulkiness.

The design is attractive and not medical looking.

The adhesive is not irritating. Since I have mast cell activation disorder, adhesive is a tricky terrain.

CONS:

Currently, it is only available in black. I do prefer a nude tone to my tape because it doesn’t attract as much attention and blends better with my clothing.

The tape is not as stretchy. That’s not to say it is a bad thing, but the give on it is less.

The corners are not rounded on the tape so you do have to cut those. Rounded corners tend to catch less on clothing so I prefer the tape corners rounded. If you have hand issues, it could be a little more challenging with scissors.

That’s my honest opinion. I can see myself purchasing this because it seems to have more longevity than the tape I currently use. Since I find it more supportive, I think it can benefit people like me.

I don’t really understand why tape works so well, but the best way I can describe it is that it feels like someone is putting a supportive hand on the areas that hurt.

Taping is always one of the first tips I share with chronic pain sufferers because it has become such an important part of my routine.

If you want to try it, they are giving MomAdvice readers a 20% off coupon. The coupon code is THRIVEMOM. Just use that when you go to checkout and it should take a discount off your order. No pressure, but if you use tape regularly, I think it is something to check out! (check the tape out here)

Disclosure: I received two rolls of tape to try out and give my feedback with you.

The Peach Fuzz Remover Of My Dreams

Have you ever seen these little razors the beauty bloggers recommend for getting rid of peach fuzz?

I have no idea how people on the internet can convince me to take a blade to my face, but that’s where I seem to be getting beauty advice these days.

Seriously, I decided to give it a go and made tiny cuts all over my face that bled.

My sensitive skin was so angry that I had to take a break from a lot of face products until the wounds healed.

In hindsight, thin skin that’s prone to scarring probably isn’t the best type of skin for razoring your face.

I ordered this little gadget though and it is the BEST THING EVER for peach fuzz on your face.

I have had no irritation with it and no severe facial wounds. It takes off the hair, but does not pull/hurt/stab you to death and that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.

I can’t recommend this enough for taming the fuzz. I’m so impressed!

ALDI’s Pumpkin Spice Coffee

If you are looking for a little fall in a cup, you have got to snag some of ALDI’s Pumpkin Spice Coffee.

It is my new favorite coffee and I think it will be yours too.

This coffee smells heavenly, has just the right amount of spice, and has been a wonderful way to wake up.

If you are still on the coffee pod game and thinking about switching to drip, this has been an incredible greener alternative for us.

I am linking to Bed, Bath, & Beyond because that’s where I now buy all my kitchen appliances because of their great return policies.

As silly as it may sound, we do keep a folder of receipts for all of our small appliances because you never know when one will quit on you and if you still might be able to return it or if the warranty is still active.

I’m Off to the Races to Pick the 2020 MomAdvice Book Club Selections

Did you catch my Instagram picture this week? I reserved 20 books, that I think have MomAdvice Book Club potential, to start making next year’s selections.

While there has been joy in reading along with everyone (and not pre-reading everything for you), I am excited to make a little space to fully screen these.

Instead of choosing brand new books and buzz books (that always seem to lack the buzz), I’m going through best-of lists, from prior years, to make our picks.

I wish I could tell you more, but half the fun is in the surprise. Not only are the books going to be amazing, we have another amazing bookish surprise to go along with next year’s selections.

As I’m awaiting the announcements, I have three friends that have agreed to be my “beta testers,” and read the books so I can get some good feedback before I share them with you.

If you don’t see me chatting as much, now you know why!

I know this is a crowd that can get behind a good day of reading though.

My New Obsession With Weighted Blankets

Have you ever slept with a weighted blanket? Corala Blanket reached out to me to see if I would like to try one out for our family.

Personally, I have always been curious if they could help my pain and insomnia at night.

I was also really intrigued that it came with a spring/summer and fall/winter duvet cover that could be switched up for the seasons (and WASHED). I took them up on their offer and I have had such good sleep since I started using this in my nighttime routine.

Not only is this blanket beautifully sewn, but it really does help me to settle down at night.

Why would a weighted blanket help with chronic pain?

Well, it provides deep pressure that helps calm down your nervous system.

This article really helps explain who weighted blankets are good for as well as why this helps with pain relief.

I also quickly realized what a great thing it is to curl up with at night. I never realized how busy I am and the pressure of this has me being still for the first time.

It, honestly, felt really weird.

As a busy mom, I don’t do a lot of sitting and the weight of this kept my body quiet…with a book, of course!

Honestly, I can’t rave enough about how beautifully this is made and how beneficial it already is to me!

PSST….My husband was slow to jump on the ol’ weighted blanket train, but last night he gave in and slept the best he has in a lonnnggg time. I think I have converted him this week to that weighted blanket life. – Shop This Blanket

I Invested In Myself

If you keep up with MomAdvice online, you may have already heard this one. I still have to tell you how proud I am to have started my own retirement account.

I have been a small business owner for sixteen years and have never put money away for my own retirement. I didn’t really know what my options were and never made time to get the answers I needed.

This series has PUSHED me really hard to come up with practical ways to save.

It was through that research that I found the perfect spot for investing in myself and I’m so excited to see YOU investing in YOURSELF.

It is worth reading my article (linked above), even if you are all set with retirement.

The company I used also has smart ways you can create buckets for what you want to save for.

Dreaming of a great trip?

Want to own your own business?

Have kids (like, whoa, expensive)?

You can set up accounts like that and more.

Put it on automatic and you don’t even have to think about one more thing.- Here is $20 to get you started!

An Intriguing Documentary Series

Are you looking for a fresh documentary series to sink your teeth into?

Unnatural Selection is an absolute must see.

With so many breakthroughs with genetics, it is no surprise that the laws are far behind on where they need to be on this topic.

There are so many incredibly amazing things that can be done, but it is also a Wild West with people taking their own genetics in their hands.

This one brought out strong opinions and a great discussion. It is balanced and thought-provoking.- See the trailer

Top Ten Most Purchased Items in October

Prison Mike Air Freshener (best stocking stuffer ever)
Jumbo Wooden Knitting Needles (you guys must be whipping up my big fat hygge blanket this month!!)
Flannel Fabrics (and you must be making blanket scarves)
Support Your Local Library Shirt
Bookshelf Bullet Journal Printables
Shaker Stitch Sweater
Buffalo Plaid Earrings
Rib Trim Longline Cardigan
Faux Leather Leggings (so much cheaper than the Spanx version!)
Grove Awake Essential Oil (MY FAVE!)

Top Ten Amazon Purchases in October

I hope you enjoyed this month’s round-up of October fun. I hope my month of happy brings a month of happy to you too! If this post doesn’t convince you my newsletter is fun, I’ve got nothing. Sign up over here to get this fun weekly in your inbox.

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things!

Tags: Corola Blanket Review, Thrive Tape Review, Trim Real User Review, Whoa Wait Walmart Magazine Review
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