You see (and smell) bags of cinnamon scented pinecones at the store in the Fall or Winter.  I'm always tempted to buy a bag, but they're actually pretty pricey for what you're getting.   So, I decided to make some at home myself instead. 

CINNAMON SCENTED PINECONES

as many pinecones as you want to use (I had 5 big ones left from some craft that I had made ~ I bought them at either Michael's or JoAnn's ~ but you can certainly gather your own!  )

​a bottle of cinnamon essential oil (best) or cinnamon extract (at the grocery store, and easier to find than the essential oil)

ground cinnamon

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​If you gathered your own pinecones, you definitely want to be sure you aren't bringing any unwanted "guests" into your house, so prepare them by putting them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for about an hour on the middle rack of your oven at 200 degrees F. This will cause tightly-closed pinecones to open up as well as kill bugs and/or bacteria that may have hitched a ride on them to your home. Let the pinecones cool completely. 

​Put the pinecones into a large zip-top baggie.   Drizzle cinnamon oil or extract over them (I used about 1/4 of the little bottle for 5 big pinecones).  Then sprinkle some ground cinnamon over them all.   Tightly seal the bag shut and shake gently (to coat all the pinecones).

​Let them stay in the sealed bag for at least an hour (or even better overnight).  Then take them out and use for decorations.  (If they need a "touch up" later {or even next year}; just spray them with a combination of distilled or purified water and more cinnamon oil/extract)

We go to EL DORADO ROYALE CASITAS for a 5-6 day vacation twice a year.  We've been on cruises and all over the world, but this is the only place we want to vacation now!

​Big luxury rooms, with an over-sized Jacuzzi tub in each room ~ gorgeous bathroom area with large indoor + outdoor shower and lots of closet space.  The "mini" bar consists of 4 full-sized bottles (whatever you want), plus bottles of wine and champagne.  Customize the mini-fridge with whatever cans/bottles you want (plus chips & candy bars) ~ and a coffee bar in-room.... If that's not enough, you can order room service 24/7!

​Personal concierge and pool butler to get whatever you possibly need, plus attentive bartenders in the swim-up bars.  There's even a pillow menu and choice of aromatherapy scents for nightly turn-down service! 

​About 14 restaurants to choose from, and many bars (remember, this is all-inclusive too!) .... movie rentals (free) to watch in your room ~ plus any outdoor activity that you could possibly want, and a nightclub on site too.  Biking, snorkeling, rifle range, cigar rolling, Tequila tasting, horseback riding, dance & cooking classes, greenhouse tour and more are on-site ~ Swim with Dolphins, deep sea fishing, scuba diving, moonlight dinner cruise, zip-line, parasailing and much more can be booked on site too.

​The resort is about 30 miles south of Cancun (just north of Playa del Carmen), and completely self-contained (they have their own water infiltration plant and huge greenhouse to grow all the veggies).   The EL DORADO ROYALE area has 3-story buildings with swim-up rooms on the bottom floor (I highly recommend those, if  you choose Royale).  The El Dorado Royale area is less expensive than the El Dorado Royale Casitas and the crowd tends to be a little younger (20s-30s).  ... We now go to El Dorado Royale CASITAS, which are grouped sections of about 38 casitas each.  There's a common pool for each casitas area, with a swim-up bar and a small outdoor restaurant for lunch.  You definitely want the higher 30, 31 or 32 areas, with the ultimate pampering and either an infinity pool or swim-up pool for each suite.

​The rates vary a great deal, depending on the season or whether there's a sale going on.  "Members" get a better rate.... but if you tell them that CINDY HANDY referred you, then you will get our RUBY member rates & all the perks (win-win situation to do that since you'll get more for your money, and they will give me a credit towards our next trip), including 20-minute couples massage and Candlelight Dinner on the Beach. 

​WEDDING CHAPEL on-site, but also beach weddings too ~ or just RENEW your VOWS there! .... Be sure to tell them if you're celebrating an anniversary or birthday within 30 days of your visit for even more benefits!  

​Search: EXOTIC TRAVELERS ~or~ KARISMA HOTELS ~or~ EL DORADO ROYALE (and Casitas).   There's a button here for the link to the members page, so you can see the difference in rates for members and regular guests.  And, be sure to keep checking the rates as they will vary as much as $300/night during the year! ****** NOTE:  If you have kids, there are also family vacations at other Exotic locales.  The link to El Dorado Royale should also allow you to view any of the other locations ~ and my RUBY membership is applicable to any and all Exotic locations. 

We were going on vacation for 6 days, and I wanted to keep my basil plant alive while we were gone.  It was over 90 in North Texas during that time, but my basil was still healthy and alive when we got home!

​I filled an empty gallon water jug with water and put the lid on.  Then poked about 5-6 slits in the sloping top of the jug around the lid (with a sharp knife ~ wiggle it a little when it's in there, so the slits are slightly open).   Turn the jug upside-down (lid down) in your pot (mine was propped against a little solar light, to keep it straight).  

​The water should gradually seep out of the slits while you're gone.  The jug collapses into itself as the water depletes. 

I can make just about anything in the kitchen, but for years a perfect hard-boiled egg was my downfall!  It was a family joke that I would NOT bring the deviled eggs to holiday and family dinners.  I tried an egg thingie that goes in the water, and timing them ~ nothing worked until I discovered this SUPER EASY way ~ now, all my eggs peel perfectly and are nice and yellow inside.

​I put the eggs into a saucepan, covered with water and a generous dash or 2 of salt.  (Just as a side-note: if your eggs crack in the water, you can add about 1 tsp. vinegar to the water and, if they crack, the egg will stay inside the shell and not seep out.)  Bring the water to a continuous boil (not just a couple of bubbles, but bubbles over the whole pan).
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Then, cover the pan and remove it from the heat.  Let the eggs sit for 10-15 minutes or so.   I'll then pour out the still-hot water and replace it with cool water (to cool the eggs while I peel them).

​Peel them by gently pushing them around on the inside of the sink ~ until the shell is all crackled and soft.  Peel them under cool running water (gently push off part of the shell and let the water get underneath it).

To change up the flavor in an ordinary cake mix, substitute an equal of amount of any carbonated SODA that you want for the other liquid called for on the box!  ... Then, if you have leftover soda, you can mix that with some canned vanilla or chocolate frosting to use as a drizzle glaze on top.

Suggestions:

chocolate cake:  Dr. Pepper, coke, orange soda, root beer
​yellow cake: lemon-lime soda, orange soda
​white cake: root beer, lemon-lime, orange, grape

If you keep a package of sugar ice cream cones in your pantry, there are many ways to dress up your cookies, cakes and cupcakes for various seasons and occasions.  Just keep some tubes of decorator icing too (certain colors go on sale after the appropriate holiday).