by jphilo | Feb 3, 2016 | Recipes
We went to see the grandkids last weekend and had a blast, as usual. We spent part of our time making scented play dough in an effort to beat the winter blues. Here’s the recioe, just In case you’re looking for something to wile away the long winter days that keep kids cooped up inside. This recipe first appeared on Gravel Road about a year ago…just before my grandson and I made our first batch together.
The recipe also makes a big batch, so we put half the ingredients in one saucepan and the other half in another. Then we added a package of Koolaid to each pan and cooked one panful and then the other. Last weekend, we made yellow, green, purple, and orange, enjoying ourselves immensely.
Scented Play Dough
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 packages unsweetened Koolaid
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
Directions:
Mix the dry ingredients together in a sauce pan. Then add the oil.
Add the water, about a quarter cup at a time, whisking as you go. Keep whisking until all the lumps are gone.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan frequently…
….until the dough stops sticking to the side of the pan.
Let the first half-batch cool while you make the second. Then, turn the first batch onto the counter and knead a few times. Once the second batch cools, do the same thing again.
It is very, very important to play with the dough as soon as it’s cool enough. You don’t want to miss the sensation of warm, juicy-smelling dough squeezing through your fingers, do you?
by jphilo | Dec 16, 2015 | Recipes
Over the weekend, I made cinnamon-applesauce ornaments with my three-year-old grandson. I had every intention of taking pictures of the completed ornaments and blogging about the revised recipe we created.
However, the excitement and energy of the sweetest three-year-old in the universe drove away every thought of picture-taking and writing down our recipe. Which meant moving on to Plan B: linking to the original recipe for cinnamon-applesauce ornaments (which we doubled) and sharing a few tips to make your ornament creation extravaganza a success.
- Absolutely do roll the dough out between layers of plastic wrap. Otherwise, the dough will stick to the rolling pin. Don’t ask how I know this.
- If you use a straw to poke holes in the ornaments, clean the straw off every few holes. Otherwise, the straw gets sticky and doesn’t make a clean cut. You could also snip off the end of the straw or use a new straw every so often.
- Position the straw to poke holes at least an inch below the top of the ornament. If you don’t, the dough will crack and the ornament will be ruined.
by jphilo | Feb 18, 2015 | Recipes
We are heading out to visit our kids and grandkids this weekend. My grandson is so into play dough these days, his mom can barely keep it in stock. I offered to find a recipe and make some, and she suggested the grand and I make it together during our visit. So last Saturday I made a practice batch–it’s been a long time since my kids and I made it–and it worked!
The original recipe didn’t call for the Koolaid, but it’s an easy way to add color and scent to make it even more fun for kids. The recipe also makes a big batch, so I put half the ingredients in one saucepan and the other half in another. Then I added a package of Koolaid to each pan and cooked one panful and then the other. Next weekend, the grand and I will make blue and orange (his favorite color) dough before getting our hands dirty until we both need naps.
Scented Play Dough
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 packages unsweetened Koolaid
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
Directions:
Mix the dry ingredients together in a sauce pan. Then add the oil.
Add the water, about a quarter cup at a time, whisking as you go.
Keep whisking until all the lumps are gone.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan frequently…
….until the dough stops sticking to the side of the pan.
Let the first half-batch cool while you make the second. Then, turn the first batch onto the counter and knead a few times. Once the second batch cools, do the same thing again.
Store each color of dough in separate containers.
Add the water, about a quarter cup at a time, whisking as you go. Keep whisking until all the lumps are gone.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan frequently…
….until the dough stops sticking to the side of the pan.
Let the first half-batch cool while you make the second. Then, turn the first batch onto the counter and knead a few times. Once the second batch cools, do the same thing again.
