Snaps (also spelled schnapps) seems like an antiquated drink to a lot of people, but to those of Scandinavian descent, it’s an essential part of dinners and celebrations. Andreas Viestad, in his indispensable book Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking with Andreas Viestad, points out that “Today snaps is one of the most important aspects of the Swedish gastronomic tradition”. Norwegians and Danes have been throwing back snaps with equal ardor for centuries as well.

Making your own is so easy, you’ll kick yourself for not making your own before now – or worse, buying pre-bottled stuff at the store. You’ll want to start with a decent quality bottle of grain vodka. A lot of people go with bottom shelf vodka for making drinks like this, but I recommend going a couple shelves up – not necessarily top shelf ($50-75 is way too much money to spend here) but get something good with a clean, neutral flavor. I actually discovered a Norwegian-produced vodka called Christiana and I just couldn’t pass it up, and it was only about $25.00. Other favorites include North Shore Distillery vodka (very nice as it’s a local product, produced just up the lake from us in Lake Bluff, IL – and they also make a good aquavit) at about $25.00, Tito’s Handmade Vodka out of Texas for about $15.00 and a semi-local vodka at about $25.00 from Traverse City, Michigan called Grand Traverse.

The basic premise to making snaps is to infuse vodka with flavor and/or color. To do this, you steep it for at least two weeks. You should gently shake the vodka daily, in order to distribute the color and flavor evenly. Taste a small sip every few days to gauge how well it’s coming along. When the snaps has the depth and flavor you desire, strain it through cheesecloth and rebottle. If you’re giving the snaps as a gift, add some of the fresh ingredients back to the bottle for a decorative element (a nice touch, since certain ingredients like lemon peel or dill will look pretty ratty after a long infusion).

An easy starter snaps is the one I’m making on my first try – cinnamon and cardamom. All you need are two sticks of good cinnamon and a couple cardamom pods. Lightly crush the cardamom with your palm and toss them with the cinnamon into your vodka. Mine has been steeping for about a week now, and it already has a lovely brown-cinnamon color and a spicy, smoky aroma and taste. It will be a great after-dinner drink for Thanksgiving. This one likely also won’t need straining or fresh ingredients for looks since cinnamon and cardamom are pretty hardy and won’t dissolve in the vodka.

A couple of other good infusions that Viestad recommends in his book (where I also got the cinnamon cardamom idea) are a dill snaps using fresh dill (I’d think you could also used dill seeds as well), ginger snaps using a 1 ½ inch piece of fresh ginger, and snaps with lemongrass and star anise, which calls for 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass, 2 star anise pods, and 4 black peppercorns.

Oh, and while I’m at it, get Kitchen of Light for more than just the snaps recipes – it’s a well-loved cookbook in our house (not that we’re partial as Norwegian-Americans) with tasty recipes for every day and special occasions.

Last year, we got less than a dozen Christmas cards in the mail, and I have to say, I’m always bad about sending them out myself. But Christmas cards are a nice tradition – they’re a personal way of reminding someone you’re thinking about them and sending good wishes and cheer. In this age of Facebook greetings, e-cards and voicemail, the more personal act of writing something by hand and taking the trouble to drop it in a mailbox it is meaningful and welcome.

You can make the act even more significant by creating your own Christmas cards. It’s no more time consuming than going all the way to the store and waiting in line forever to buy an impersonal box of mass-produced cards.

Gingerbread man cookies say Christmas, and fashioning Gingerbread man Christmas cards is easy and fun. You only need a few supplies you likely already have around the house –

- Large gingerbread man cookie cutter

- Brown card stock

- Scissors

- Pencil

- White paint pen

- Glue pen

- White glitter

Making the cards is easy. Trace around the cookie cutter onto the brown card stock – you should be able to fit 2-3 shapes onto each sheet. Cut out each gingerbread man – make as many as you need.

Next you’ll want to decorate the gingerbread men – using the white paint pen, draw on a face, buttons down the middle, cuffs at the wrists and ankles, etc. Straight clean lines and dots are the best. Once the paint pen dries, trace over the paint with the glue pen and sprinkle white glitter over the glue, shaking off the excess.

After the glitter has dried, write your holiday greetings on the back side of the card. The cards will fit into a standard greeting card envelope. Continue the hand made tradition by making your own envelopes as well – it’s easy to trace an envelope template onto light-weight card stock. You can find free downloadable templates online – just choose one you like.  Assemble the envelopes by folding at the seams and gluing them together with the glue pen. Get some Christmasy stamps and you’re all set – and don’t forget to mail your cards during the first week of December so your friends and family can enjoy your handiwork!

Everyone remembers making paper snowflakes in elementary school in December. You’d be sitting at your desk a week before winter vacation with a stack of white typing paper and safety scissors, cutting out an endless supply of white paper snowflakes. Each one was different and unique. When everyone had made enough, the teacher would tape them to the windows and on the sides of the blackboard, and the classroom was decorated.

Sometimes, reliving those childhood memories makes a holiday complete. Why not make some of those snowflakes and dress them up with a little glitter? And making them out of sturdy cardboard means you can use your snowflakes for years.

- White cardboard or heavy poster board

- Scrap paper

- Pencil

- Scissors

- X-Acto knife

- White glue

- Paintbrush

- White glitter

Making sturdier snowflakes is a two-part process. Take a piece of scrap paper, and fold it six or eight times. Using the scissors, cut designs in the paper to make your snowflake shape. Unfold it and flatten it out. This will be you template. Place your snowflake template onto the cardboard and trace around it with the pencil. Also trace around the interior openings. Use the scissors to cut around the exterior of the snowflake. Then use the X-Acto knife to cut out the interior shapes.

Once you have your cardboard snowflakes, glittering them is simple. Coat one side in white glue, then hold it over a sheet of scrap paper and shake glitter onto it until the first side is completely coated, then set it aside to dry. After an hour or so when the first side is completely dry, glitter the second side.

You can make large snowflakes to hang in the windows from finishing line, or small ones to attach to gifts with ribbon. You can even make a snowflake “chandelier” in the same way you can make a pine cone one – Hang a wire wreath form (or even a pine wreath, depending upon the look you’re going for) from a light fixture or above a table with a little wire (a small hook in the ceiling will support the minimal weight). Then hang the snowflakes from the form with fishing line at various heights.

Wintertime is all about the snow and the sparkle. I love the simplicity of bringing the outdoors in, and “snow” dusted pinecones are an easy way to do it. All you need are some larger pinecones, white glue, a small paintbrush and some chunky, sparkly white glitter (it’s got to be large glitter – fine glitter doesn’t have the same snowy effect). Paint just the tips of the pinecones, and sprinkle on the glitter. Shake off the excess and let them dry. It’s that easy!

Uses around the house for these glittered pinecones are endless – pile them in an apple basket or put them into a clear glass vase or apothecary jar. You can wire them to a pine wreath or hang them in the Christmas tree. You can string them from the windows with fishing line. You can use them to embellish gifts by gluing them to a length of ribbon. You can hang them on the door in a bunch, attached to a wide velvet ribbon.

You can even make a pine cone “chandelier” – Hang a wire wreath form (or even a pine wreath, depending upon the look you’re going for) from a light fixture or above a table with a little wire (a small hook in the ceiling will support the minimal weight). Then hang the pinecones from the form with fishing line at various heights.

We’ll be carving pumpkins, making treats, donning costumes and enjoying the festivities at AF – hope everyone has a spooky fun and safe Halloween!

Herbal blends are a great staple to have on hand in the kitchen – they’re a quick way to add a desired flavor element to soups, stews, roasts, etc. But they can be incredibly expensive at the supermarket – small jar of herbes de provence can cost eight or nine dollars! That’s ridiculous, especially when you can use it up in 5-6 dinners.

It’s much more cost effective and sensible to mix your own. By buying herbs in bulk, you can get exactly the quantity you need without paying excess dollars for packaging. It’s better for the environment too. Instead of throwing out spice jars (especially those nice, yet pricey glass McCormick bottles) save them for your own custom creations. You can also store your bulk mixes in pint Mason jars.

Another benefit to making your own herb mixes is the fact that you can customize them. If you favor lavender in your herbes de  provence, add a little more. Or if you don’t like the taste (or lack thereof, in some opinions) of dried parsley, leave it out of your bouquet garni mix and throw in some fresh when you’re cooking. You can also double or triple the proportions in the guidelines below so you have plenty on hand, or to give away as gifts.

Herbes de Provence

Makes about 2 cups

¼ dried marjoram

¼ cup dried oregano

¼ cup dried savory

½ cup dried rosemary

½ cup dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried lavender (I favor lavender, so I add 4 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons dried fennel seeds (optional)

Bouquet Garni

Makes about 1 cup

¼ cup dried parsley (you can omit this and use fresh when cooking instead)

2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried marjoram

2 tablespoons dried lovage

Note – when cooking, you’ll want to add a bay leaf when using this mix, to complete the bouquet garni flavor.

Italian Seasoning

Makes about 1 ½ cups

½ cup dried oregano

½ cup dried basil

¼ cup dried parsley (you can omit this and use fresh when cooking instead)

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons dried sage

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Chili is one of my favorite things to eat when the weather turns cold. It’s warm and filling and makes a great dinner when paired with a nice ale and a great companion. There are a million different recipes for chili out there, but my husband hit on a winning combination when he came up with this one – Bacon & Whiskey Chili. It cooks up in about 30 minutes, so it makes a great weeknight meal (and if you’re lucky, you’ll have a little bit leftover for lunch the next day). And what’s better than bacon and whiskey?

- 1 pound ground beef

- 1 onion, diced

- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

- 1 can diced tomatoes

- 2 cans ‘chili beans’ (or 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of pinto beans)

- 1 sweet pepper, finely diced (optional)

- 2 cups chicken stock

- 1 healthy shot of whiskey (Plus one for the cooks! Toast your awesome cooking skills!)

- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

- 3 tablespoons cumin

- 1 tablespoon oregano

- 1 tablespoon thyme

- 2 tablespoons fried garlic (you could also use fresh, but the fried is really nice here)

- 2 teaspoons paprika

- 1 teaspoon dry mustard

- 1 teaspoon chili powder

1. Sauté the bacon and onion together until the onion is just translucent. If using the sweet pepper, add it now.

2. Add the beef, and cook until the meat is browned.

3. Add the tomatoes, beans and chicken stock, and bring to a simmer.

4. Add all of the spices, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

5. Add the brown sugar and whiskey, and simmer another 5-10 minutes.

If you like noodles with your chili (sacrilegious to some, essential to others), a small noodle like elbow macaroni or ditalini is best. Or you could serve Mason Jar Biscuits or cornbread with it. To drink, you can’t go wrong with beer – nut brown ale or bock are both tasty, but of course – if you like something lighter or darker, go with your taste.

A corkboard in the kitchen is great for keeping track of recipes, coupons, shopping lists and the like. But a plain corkboard is boring, so why not dress it up a bit? Wine or beer labels are great for  papering a corkboard, and can show off your favorites.

The supplies are simple – you’ll need a small corkboard, spray adhesive (or rubber cement), clear contact paper, and of course, wine or beer bottles with labels you like. To remove the labels, all you need is a pot of boiling water.

The first step is removing the labels from the bottles. Once the water is at a boil, hold the bottle over the steam until the paper starts to loosen up. Carefully peel a corner away – if you meet resistance, hold it in the steam a bit longer. Sometimes the labels on wine bottles will come away in layers – this is fine, as long you’re gentle as you pull it away. Since the labels will be damp as you remove them, lay them out to dry. If they wrinkle up as they dry, place them under a stack of books for a little while (only once they’re completely dry) to flatten them back out.

Once you have enough labels to cover your board, assembly is easy. Spray the back of the label with spray adhesive (or coat with a thin layer of rubber cement), and position it on the board. Repeat with all of the labels until the board is completely covered. To protect your labels from spills and splatters, you’ll cover the board with a piece of clear contact paper. Cut it to size and affix it to the board, carefully smoothing it to prevent any wrinkles or air bubbles.

Add some nice thumbtacks and you’re all set! You’ve got a functional message board to keep track of everything you need in the kitchen, plus a piece of art that looks good even when there’s nothing on it.

 Tiny orbs of fire give warmth to the short, chilly days of autumn. You can create lovely little spheres of light by making your own miniature candles out of two charming containers you either have around the house or can pick up on the cheap at the thrift store – cordial glasses and egg cups.

The tools and process are simple. You’ll need cordial glasses or egg cups, microwavable soy wax flakes, candle putty, and either waxed, tabbed tea light or votive wicks (depending on the depth of your cups). You’ll also need a rimmed baking sheet, scrap paper, a microwavable bowl and a tablespoon. If you’d like scented or colored candles, you’ll also need candle scent and/or color tabs. The wax and supplies shouldn’t cost you more than $15.00.

First, you’ll prepare your cups by affixing the wicks. Take a small bead of candle putty and use it to attach the wick into the bottom of the cup. Set the cups on a rimmed baking sheet lined with scrap paper to contain any spills. For a dozen cups, you’ll need about two cups of wax flakes. Measure the flakes into the microwavable bowl, and heat in 30 second increments, stirring between heating, until the wax is liquefied. If you’re using candle scent or coloring, stir it in.

Working quickly, fill each cup to just below the rim using the tablespoon. Once all the cups are filled, let them sit on the tray until they are just set up, about an hour. Then move them to a cool dry spot to cure for 24 hours. Once they’re cured, you can light them.

These candles are great to give as hostess gifts, stocking stuffers or even just to make for yourself. Once the candles burn down, put in a new wick and refill them again and again.

I’m always looking for new uses for wine corks – cork boards, trivets, wall art, plant tags – all great uses for excess corks. I especially like the cork plant tags, as I’m always looking for ways to recycle and reuse in the garden. So I got to thinking the other day as I was musing over my baby bay tree. It’s currently living in a lovely mid-sized red glazed pot, but it’s recently put out another shoot – basically, it’s sprouted a whole new tree from the root, so I’ll have to divide it soon into it’s own pot. And the parent bay is getting big anyway, so it’ll be time in late winter to pot it up into a substantially larger permanent home – it’s a tree, after all. But large pots take a lot of soil, and all that soil makes them heavy. And there’s always the concern of good drainage. I typically use pea gravel or pottery shards for a drainage layer in my pots, but those are heavy mediums. Maybe wine corks would do the trick… and they do! Tumbled into a one- or two-inch layer into the bottom of a large pot, they give good drainage and are relatively light weight. And when you’ve exhausted the decorative, artsy ways to use corks, this is a great way to reuse the extras.