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Dec 13

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE

Dec 13

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast.

Each time I’ve sat down to post another one of these Christmas Breakfast Series posts I think, this one’s my favorite. Then, I write the next one and think the same thing. What it comes down to is that I love breakfast! I do have a special place in my stomach heart for crepes though. If you like crepes, you’ll love todays recipe for ham, egg and asparagus crepes with hollandaise sauce. It’a a pretty awesome combo, if I do say so myself.

I recall my parents making crepes at him a few times, but really my love of crepes comes from my favorite childhood restaurant-Daniels. So, here’s the quick side story: my parents liked to eat at nice restaurants from time to time and took me to Daniels for the first time when I was about 10 years old. Big mistake. I requested going to Daniels for my birthday every year after that until I went to college. On one of those occasions, I ordered these lobster and spinach crepes with hollandaise. It was official-I was in love with crepes.

Ok, I know you’re saying, Lauren get on with the recipe so I can enjoy crepes too. Crepes-coming up!

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast.  There’s a picture for you to drool over while you’re cooking

If you’ve never made crepes before, be prepared to spend a little time. They’re not hard to make, just a little time consuming. You may want to make these a few days ahead and freeze or refrigerate them to save time on Christmas morning.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast.

Crepes are made with very simple ingredients; flour, salt, milk, eggs and milk. Maybe that’s what makes them so tasty.

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I used to mix the batter for the crepes with a whisk, but I always had tiny lumps. It didn’t affect the taste or texture, but they didn’t look as pretty. The blender is the key to making a smooth batter. So, take all your crepe batter ingredients and put them in the blender and blend on medium-low for about 10-15 seconds or until smooth. untitled-design-5

Set a small frying pan over medium-low heat and add a little bit of butter. No, I didn’t measure it, ’cause it’s just a little, but if I had to guess, it was probably about 1/4 teaspoon. Let it melt and swirl it around the pan.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast.

Grab yourself a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Fill it a scant 1/4 cup, so probably about 3 tablespoons. Next comes the only tricky part about making crepes. Take your pan off the heat and hold it up. Then, pour your batter in the middle all at once and swirl it around the pan to form a thin, even layer.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast. When it gets little tiny bubbles like this, it’s time to flip it, which happens around the 1 1/2 to 2 minute mark. Using a spatula, carefully lift the edges all the way around and then flip the crepe. Cook it for 30 seconds more on the other side. Once it’s done, place it on a foil-lined plate and continue with the rest of the batter.

*Note: the cooking time for the crepes depends on your stovetop. My gas burner cooks it much faster (probably about 30 seconds each side) than my current electric glass cooktop. This is not the kind of recipe where yo can walk away while it’s cooking.

If you’re making these ahead of time, wait till they cool and then wrap the crepes in plastic wrap and place in a gallon zip top bag. You can refrigerate them or freeze them until needed, as long as they lay flat.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast.

While the last of the crepes are cooking, line a baking sheet with foil. Wash and trim the woody ends off a bunch of asparagus. No, I mean, like a bunch. I’m not being vague;) Drizzle the asparagus with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and lightly salt and pepper it. Pop it in under the broiler for 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Yum.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast.

For the ham, I bought a ham steak. However, leftover ham or even lunchmeat ham would work here. Whichever ham you buy, cut it into small cubes and let it hang out for a minute while you make the hollandaise and scramble some eggs.

(picture of hollandaise)

Have you had hollandaise sauce before? If not, you haven’t lived-promise. It’s a creamy, lemony-butter sauce that is good on pretty much everything. I doubled this recipe from Allrecipes.com to make my hollandaise. It turned out great, but I would add that if you’re using an electric stove, use medium heat not low or else you’ll be waiting all day for this baby to thicken.

Finally, scramble 1-2 eggs per person. I ate two crepes and 1 egg was enough.

Then comes the fun part-you grab a crepe, put two pieces of asparagus in first, then add the ham and the eggs. Roll it up and drizzle with hollandaise sauce. Serve immediately. This is the kind of breakfast that gets cold fast, so you want everyone at the table when you serve it.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE. Perfect for an elegant and tasty Christmas morning breakfast.

Mmmm. So good. The lemony-butter flavor of the hollandaise is the perfect compliment to the fresh, crisp taste of the asparagus and the richness of the eggs and ham.

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CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY FOUR-HAM, EGG & ASPARAGUS CREPES WITH HOLLANDAISE
Author: Lauren Manning
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  1 hour 20 mins
Total time:  1 hour 30 mins
 
Ingredients
  • CREPE BATTER
  • 4 eggs
  • 1⅓ c milk
  • 2 T melted butter
  • 1 c flour
  • ½ t salt
  • 1½ lb ham, cubed
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • ½ T olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ¼ c cold water
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • ½ c cold butter, cubed
  • ¼ t dry mustard
  • Dash cayenne pepper
  • salt to taste
Instructions
  1. CREPE BATTER
  2. Make the crepe batter ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate made crepes.
  3. Add all crepe ingredients to blender and blender on low for 10-15 seconds or until smooth.
  4. Heat small frying pan over medium-low heat and add a dab of butter until melted.
  5. Using a scant ¼ c batter, lift pan off heat, pour in batter and swirl until it covers the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.
  6. Cook for 1-2 min or until small bubbles appear. Flip and cook 30 seconds more.
  7. Once crepes are cool, wrap in plastic, put in zip top bag and then refrigerate or freeze until use.
  8. Preheat oven to broil.
  9. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  10. Wash and trim asparagus and place on tray. Then drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Broil on high for 10 min, turning halfway through cook time.
  12. HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
  13. Fill small pot halfway with water and place on medium heat.
  14. Set small metal mixing bowl on top of pot and whisk together egg yolks, water, lemon juice, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper.
  15. Add butter cubes and whisk continually until butter is melted and mixture thickens (about 5-7 minutes) Don't be alarmed if the mixture looks like it's separating at first. Just keep whisking.
  16. Cube ham and set aside.
  17. Scramble eggs according to your preference.
  18. TO ASSEMBLE CREPES:
  19. Lay crepe on plate, place two asparagus spears on bottom.
  20. Top with ham and eggs.
  21. Fold both sides of the crepe up toward the middle.
  22. Drizzle with desired amount of hollandaise.
  23. Serves 5-6
3.5.3226

Enjoy! Also, don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the last recipe in the Christmas Breakfast Series.

Merry Christmas!

Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Breakfast, Holiday, Recipes Tagged: asparagus, christmas, crepes

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Dec 10

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP

Dec 10

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP. Melt in your mouth good.

Day three. I’m kind of loving making all these breakfast recipes, because I get to eat them. My kids have been pretty happy about it too 😉 Todays recipe is probably the most requested birthday breakfast by my kids and Mr. Maven-Puffy oven pancakes with buttermilk syrup. Yum and yum. One of the things I love so much about these pancakes is how impressive they look right when you take them out of the oven. Wanna see? Ok, let’s get rolling.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP. Melt in your mouth good.

The cast of 5 ingredients: eggs, milk, flour, sugar and butter. A match made in heaven. Just wait till you taste it.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP. Melt in your mouth good.

Throw them all in a bowl and whisk them good. (This is usually how my recipe cards are worded) But really though, melt the butter in the 9×13 pan in the preheating oven first. Then, whisk all the ingredients together and add melted butter and whisk some more. Easy peasy.

Pour the batter into a 9×13 pan (with lightly greased sides) and bake at 400F for 22 minutes, or until they look like this:

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP. Melt in your mouth good.

Cool, right? I think they’re fun to bake and fun to eat. Oh, but it gets better…

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP. Melt in your mouth good.

While those yummy eggy pancakes are baking, you’re going to be making this liquid gold to top them off. Buttermilk syrup. If you haven’t had it before, you probably won’t like me very much after you try it. This will be because you won’t be able to stop drinking eating it. I know because I’ve experienced the draw of the syrup. My friend Alisa gave me this recipe years ago and I love, love, love it.

It’s super-simple to make. You put all the ingredients in the pot and cook it over medium-high heat with continual stirring for 15 min. The syrup will become all bubbly and caramel-y looking when it’s almost done.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP. Melt in your mouth good.

Serve the pancakes and syrup right away. They’re good cold actually, but they’re puffier when they’re hot out of the oven. If you want to be really naughty, serve these babies with sausages. In my opinion, puffy oven pancakes with buttermilk syrup and sausage is the perfect way to start (or end) Christmas morning.

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CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY THREE-PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP
Author: Lauren Manning
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time:  5 mins
Cook time:  22 mins
Total time:  27 mins
 
Ingredients
  • PUFFY OVEN PANCAKES
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 c flour
  • 1 c milk
  • ¼ c butter
  • ¼ c sugar
  • BUTTERMILK SYRUP
  • ½ c buttermilk (or milk with 1 T lemon juice)
  • ½ c butter
  • ½ t baking soda
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1 T corn syrup
  • 1 t vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly spray sides of 9x13 pan.
  2. Put ¼ c butter in 9x13 pan and set in oven until butter is melted.
  3. In medium size mixing bowl, beat flour, eggs, milk and sugar together until well mixed (there may be a few small flour lumps and this is ok. However, feel free to sift the flour first if you want)
  4. Pour melted butter from pan into batter and mix well. Pour back in greased pan.
  5. Bake 22 minutes or until all puffy.
  6. While pancakes are baking, put all syrup ingredients, except vanilla, in a 2 quart saucepan over med-high heat.
  7. Stir constantly until mixture is a caramel color and thickened and bubbly (about 10-15 min)
  8. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.
  9. Serve syrup over pancakes.
  10. Serves 4-6 people.
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Enjoy! Also, make sure you come back tomorrow for day four of my Christmas breakfast series.

(*Note: The links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little kickback if you buy something through that link. No cost to you, but it does help me to be able to continue creating awesome posts)

Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Breakfast, Holiday, Recipes Tagged: christmas, pancakes, syrup

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Dec 07

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS

Dec 07

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas morning breakfast.

Day two of my Christmas Breakfast Series is the most amazing, fluffy cloud biscuits. I’ve been using this recipe for about 20-ish years now and every time I have to restrain myself from eating too many. When we were first married, I’d often buy Pillsbury Grands Biscuits in the can when I had coupons for them. Honestly, I enjoyed them then…Until I started making these and realized I had been missing out. Now I won’t touch Pillsbury rolls with a ten foot pole. (sorry, Pillsbury)

These fluffy cloud biscuits are easy to make, have real ingredients and taste incredible straight from the oven to your plate (if they make it that long). I’ve served them with stews, soups, as egg muffins and best of all, for breakfast with scrambled eggs and fruit. They’re a huge hit with anyone I serve them to, especially my own family.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas breakfast. Find it here.

You’re going to start with the basics: flour, a little sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix it all up and then you’re going to add what makes these fluffy cloud biscuits taste like heaven. You see it in the picture, don’t you?! Butter, of course. Butter makes everything better. No, really. It does. Promise.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas breakfast. Find it here.

You’re going to take those two sticks of yummy butter and cut them into your flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter if you have one (I need a new one. I like the look of this one), but if not, two butter knives work well too. It should look like this when you’re done. Crumbly with butter/flour balls the size of peas. Yes, that’s the technical term, if you were wondering.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas morning breakfast.

Add the milk into the flour/butter mixture and mix well. Form dough into a ball. Flatten it out into a 1/2″ thick circle on a lightly floured surface. Use a biscuit cutter if you have one. I don’t, so I use a cup that has about a 3-4″ diameter opening and flip it upside down.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas breakfast. Find it here.

I usually get about 14 biscuits out of this dough. This time I got 15, which is 1 more than normal. Not sure why because I’ve made this recipe a gazillion times-but hey, I’m not complaining. An extra biscuit to eat!

Now, try not to eat the dough. It doesn’t taste as good as it looks before its baked. Unless you’re a raw dough eater…which I’m not. Unless it’s cookie dough and my safety-conscious husband isn’t looking 😉

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas breakfast.

Golden-baked goodness at 400F for 20 min. That’s all it takes. My kids were practically drooling while I was taking pictures of these babies. They kept asking me when they could eat one. I think they had three each.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas breakfast.

This is making me hungry just writing this post and it’s 10 o’clock at night so you better bet I’m not eating right now. Look at all of those fluffy cloud biscuits just begging to be slathered with butter and honey. Yum-a-licious!CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas breakfast.

Fluffy, buttery layers

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CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS
Author: Lauren Manning
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  20 mins
Total time:  35 mins
 
Ingredients
  • 4 c flour
  • 2 T baking powder
  • 2 t sugar
  • 1 c butter
  • 1 t salt
  • 1¾ c milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Mix 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together with a fork.
  3. Cut butter into dry mixture until it resembles pea size crumbles.
  4. Add remaining 2 cups of flour and mix.
  5. Add milk and stir well. (It's ok if it's a little lumpy)
  6. Form dough into a ball and turn out on lightly floured surface.
  7. Gently roll or press dough into ½" thick circle and cut out biscuits with cup of 3-4" diameter or biscuit cutter.
  8. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20 min or until golden.
  9. Serve with butter and honey or jam.
3.5.3226

These fluffy cloud biscuits served with fruit and scrambled eggs would make the perfect Christmas morning breakfast.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY TWO-FLUFFY CLOUD BISCUITS. Look no further for the perfect Christmas breakfast.

Are you enjoying this Christmas Breakfast Series? If you’d like to read more series posts like this in the future, please let me know. Oh, and don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the next Christmas breakfast idea.

Enjoy!

(*Note: The links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little kickback if you buy something through that link. No cost to you, but it does help me to be able to continue creating awesome posts)

Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Breakfast, Holiday, Recipes Tagged: butter, christmas

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Dec 06

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES-DAY ONE: CARAMEL-APPLE FRENCH TOAST

Dec 06

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST SERIES: DAY ONE-CARAMEL-APPLE FRENCH TOAST WITH VANILLA-WHIPPED CREAM. To die for. Look no further for Christmas morning breakfast.

One of the things that makes Christmas special (or any holiday, really) is the food we eat. We look forward to the tastes and smells of the season and associate them with wonderful memories. Christmas breakfast is a pretty big deal. I bet most of you out there either have a standby dish that your family raves about or you spend hours scouring Pinterest for the perfect Christmasy breakfast to serve. Well, I want to help you save time because I know especially at Christmas, time is so valuable. So, I’ve created a series just for you titled: Christmas Breakfast Series. (catchy title, isn’t it?) For the next 5 days, I’ll be posting a delicious, new Christmas breakfast recipe each day. Beginning with…caramel-apple french toast with vanilla whipped cream. Heaven.

We have a tradition in our house that while we open our stockings on Christmas morning, we enjoy an oven-toasted croissant with strawberry jam, berries and hot chocolate. Frequently though, we end up having breakfast #2 at about 10 o’clock and this caramel-apple french toast is one of our all-time favorites. Are you ready for this? I don’t know if you are, because people are going to be hounding you for this recipe. It’s ok, go ahead and share on Pinterest, Facebook or email the link to a friend. I love it when you share!

Christmas Breakfast Series-Day One: Caramel-Apple French Toast with Vanilla-Whipped Cream. This post is part of a 5 day series.

The first thing you need to know before you start making this is that it needs to soak overnight in the fridge. So, plan ahead!

Ok..on to the good part. You start with a caramel-y concoction of brown sugar, butter and water, which you may have to restrain yourself from eating straight from the pot. (Don’t do it. You’ll burn your mouth. Just trust me) Then you lay the apples on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Christmas Breakfast Series-Day One: Caramel-Apple French Toast with Vanilla-Whipped Cream. This post is part of a 5 day series.

Next, you place the bread on top of the apples. Whisk up the eggy mixture together and pour it evenly over the bread and sprinkle with nutmeg. Then, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, you’ll bake it for about 45 minutes and it will come out all toasty and brown on the top and bubbly and caramel-y on the bottom. Whip up your cream with your mixer (I love my KitchenAid) and serve. Then wait. For the oohs and the ahhs.

Christmas Breakfast Series-Day One: Caramel-Apple French Toast with Vanilla-Whipped Cream. This post is part of a 5 day series.

Seeing this picture kind of makes me wanna run up stairs and have more. But, I won’t. Well, maybe. At least not right this second.

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CARAMEL-APPLE FRENCH TOAST WITH VANILLA-WHIPPED CREAM
Author: Lauren Manning
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cook time:  45 mins
Total time:  45 mins
 
Ingredients
  • FRENCH TOAST
  • ¼ c butter
  • 1¼ c brown sugar
  • 1 T water
  • 3 medium granny smith apples
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 7-8 slices of bread, cut into ½" slices
  • 1½ c milk
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 t vanilla
  • Dash of nutmeg
  • VANILLA-WHIPPED CREAM
  • ½ c heavy whipping cream
  • 1½ t vanilla
  • ¼ c powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Combine butter, brown sugar and water in small pot and cook over medium until bubbly. Stirring often.
  2. Pour into 9x13" pan and let cool 10 min.
  3. Peel, core and slice apples into ¼" slices and arrange on top of caramel sauce, so the apples are just touching.
  4. Sprinkle apples with cinnamon.
  5. Slightly overlap bread on top of apples.
  6. Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour over bread evenly.
  7. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cover with plastic wrap.
  8. Refrigerate overnight.
  9. Preheat oven to 350F, remove plastic wrap and bake, uncovered for 45 min.
  10. During the last 10 min of baking, pour cream into mixer and beat until fluffy and whipped.
  11. Add vanilla and sugar to whipping cream and beat for 20 seconds more.
  12. Serve upside-down so the apples are on top and add a dollop of vanilla-whipped cream.
  13. Serves 6-8
3.5.3226

Christmas Breakfast Series: Day One-Caramel-Apple French Toast with Vanilla-Whipped Cream.

I know this is going to become one of your favorites. I can’t wait for you to try it. Let me know how it turns out for you and make sure to come back tomorrow for the next installment of my Christmas breakfast series.

Enjoy!

(*Note: The links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little kickback if you buy something through that link. No cost to you, but it does help me to be able to continue creating awesome posts)

Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Breakfast, Holiday, Recipes Tagged: apples, breakfast, christmas

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Apr 23

10 REASONS WHY SUNDAY IS THE BEST DAY OF THE WEEK

Apr 23

Sunday is my favorite day of the week and it should be yours too. In this post, I explain my top 10 reasons why.

Being Mormon, Sundays are pretty important to me. I regard them as other Christians do, as the “Sabbath Day”. Therefore, I treat Sundays differently than the other days of the week. I don’t do the normal things I would do on any other given day, such as: clean, run errands, shop, etc. Instead, I try to focus solely on Jesus Christ and doing good things. My Sundays are filled with family time, researching my ancestors and relaxing. Each week, as Sunday comes closer, I’m excited to spend a day with those I love and doing things I love to do. There’s no better feeling than doing things that are important to you that also bring you joy.

Sunday is my favorite day of the week and it should be yours too! Here are my top ten reasons why...

Here are my top ten reasons why Sunday is the best day of the week for me and can be for you too.

10 REASONS WHY SUNDAY IS THE BEST DAY OF THE WEEK

I DON’T HAVE TO GET UP AT 6AM.

I’m not a morning person, but I’m not a crazy-long sleeper either. Just give me till 7 or 7:30 and I’m happy. Sunday is the one day all week that I have the luxury of sleeping in, just a little. I’m typically more productive when I arise early, but on Sunday, it’s not about productivity for me. It’s about people.

OUR FAMILY SPENDS THE WHOLE DAY TOGETHER.

I love, love, being with my kids and my husband and we make wonderful memories together just talking, snuggling or playing games. My husband has a very busy schedule and so we don’t have the opportunity to do this for more than 45 min here and there during the week. Sundays are cherished times when we can be a family without rushing or interruption.

Sunday is my favorite day of the week and it should be yours too. Here are my top 10 reasons why.

I DON’T HAVE TO DO LAUNDRY.

I know there are worse things, but laundry always seems NEVER-ENDING! It’s nice to not have to do laundry just one day during the week. Everyone has their things. I guess laundry is mine!

MY KIDS HAVE TIME TO PLAY.

Mr. Maven and I are careful not to over-schedule our kids with activities and outings. They really only have one extracurricular activity each in which they participate. Despite this, it seems as though our evenings fly by. The next thing I know, it’s bedtime and the kids haven’t played much together. On Sundays, they always seem to play together so happily; creating and pretending.

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Here are my top 10 reasons why it should be yours too.

I MAKE SIMPLE MEALS WITH MINIMAL CLEAN-UP.

Less work=more relaxing. I love to cook. It’s my passion! I grew up as I’m sure many of you did, with Sunday dinner being a special meal. As a new wife, I started out in the same tradition. However, over time I realized that while I enjoyed eating the special meal, I didn’t enjoy spending most of my day in the kitchen. I’d rather be spending time with my family. Now, I plan a crock pot meal or I make something simple like nachos. Fancy? Nope! Yet, this small change simplifies my life and allows me the time with my family that I love.

NO PRESSURE TO GET THINGS DONE AROUND THE HOUSE.

Sunday is the one day each week when I can relax and enjoy the things I love. I can read, nap or whatever and not feel guilty about the many projects staring me in the face! (Yes, I have a crazy-good guilt complex, but I’m working on it) We’re currently renovating our home and it’s hard work making things pretty and functional. Our projects seem to be never-ending, which is why we need Sunday to take a break so we can come back with gusto on Monday.

IT’S A CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Our family often uses our time on Sundays as an opportunity to call, FaceTime, email or visit those we love. It’s easy to lose track of precious time during the week when our schedules as moms and wives (among other things) are so demanding. Sundays are a great day to touch base with loved ones and plan your next visit.

TOTAL REJUVENATION FOR THE BODY AND SPIRIT.

I feel uplifted from the positive, encouraging messages at church and I rest my body from all the craziness it normally endures. Sometimes I’ll take a quick nap, but most of the time just sitting and relaxing does the trick. This enables me to start my week with a clear mind, energetic body and a happy, go-getter attitude that often carries me through my week, no matter how difficult. I’m not a high-energy person, so I really need this down-time to give my body a needed rest. I also enjoy doing a crossword with my son, making goals, or searching for my ancestors on https://www.familysearch.org.

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Here are my top 10 reasons why it should be your favorite too.

Look what my week did to me!

I HAVE TIME TO WRITE IN MY JOURNAL

I know that one day, my words, thoughts and experiences will be treasures for my children. It’s important to me to record them. I’ve found that during the week, I’m either too tired when I have the chance to write or I forget to write altogether. Sunday is the perfect quiet time to gather my thoughts and put them down on paper. Do you have a journal?

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Here are 10 reasons why it should be your favorite too.

TREAT DAY!

We always make a special treat on Sunday to enjoy together and my children love to help me in the kitchen. It’s a special time together! Many times, at my daughter’s request, we share our treats with our neighbors. Plus, it’s an added bonus that we almost always end up with extras that we can pop in the freezer for a future sweet-tooth craving, or last-minute guests.

I have a challenge for you…are you ready? For the next month, join me in treating your Sundays as no-work days. Focus on the things that are important to you and that make you happy. Maybe there’s a relationship you’ve been neglecting that needs some attention. Perhaps you have a talent you’ve not attended to for a while. Spend some time thinking about what brings you joy and then make a plan to follow through with it.

I know that you’ll have more energy and joy for your responsibilities throughout the week because you’ll be rested and happy. You may even have the best week yet!

I’d love to know if you try out my little experiment and what the results are.  I can’t wait to hear from you!

xo Lauren

Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Faith, Family Tagged: rest, Sunday

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Apr 03

WHOLE WHEAT BANANA-BERRY COCONUT MUFFINS

Apr 03

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Once in a while, when I’m awake before my early-rising kids on a Saturday, I’ll get ambitious and make muffins. Banana muffins are always a favorite, but these whole wheat banana-berry coconut muffins are quickly rising above plain banana, chocolate chip and others.

Not only are they delicious, moist and full of flavor, they’re also healthy! That makes them five stars in my book. It also means you can eat two or three, right? Oh wait…I guess that voids the healthy factor!

The other thing I love about this recipe is that you can easily sub out ingredients, depending on what you have on hand. Try any kind of berry, using a different variety of milk or omit coconut if it’s not your favorite. I love coconut, so that’s not a problem here!

Preheat your oven to 400F and line 12 muffins cups.

Let’s start out with all the “normal” dry muffin ingredients:

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Go ahead and whisk them all together in a large bowl.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Next, the more fun ingredients in my opinion. The stuff that makes these muffins taste amazing!

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Whisk together the coconut oil, egg, coconut milk and banana until smooth.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Mix the wet into the dry and stir until just moistened. It’s important not to over-mix your batter in any recipe that uses leavening such as: bread, cake, muffins, etc. If you do, they end up rather heavy without the desired fluffiness.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Now, we’re going to add the berries.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

I used these Sprouts organic mixed berries and they tasted great, but I didn’t love that the berries were so large and I had to chop them. Costco’s frozen mixed berries work much better because they’re already kind of broken up.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Oh, and a note about mixing in the berries. My berries sat in the bowl on the counter for 30 minutes while I took photos for this post. As a result, they thawed a little and made my batter quite pink. Not a big deal, but if you prefer to keep the berries to themselves (so to speak), keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them.

Use 3 TBSP ice cream or cookie scoop to put the batter into the muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full. If you don’t have a scoop, you can use a spoon it’s ok. But, I love my scoop! Less mess and all your muffins come out the same size (this way no one can complain that their brother or sister has the bigger one 😉 ). I bought my scoop on amazon.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Pop them in your preheated oven.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Bake them for 16-18 min I would check them at 16 minutes. They’re done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

Let them cool and try not to eat them all before your family wakes up! You’re going to love these! They’re perfect for a Mother’s day brunch, an after-school snack or when family comes into town.

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WHOLE WHEAT BANANA-BERRY COCONUT MUFFINS
Author: (heavily adapted from allrecipes.com)
Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  18 mins
Total time:  33 mins
Serves: 12-14
 
You're going to fall in love with these moist and delicious muffins! They would be perfect for Mother's Day.
Ingredients
  • Dry Ingredients:
  • 1½ c whole wheat flour
  • ¾ c sugar
  • ½ t salt
  • 2 t baking powder
  • ¼ c shredded coconut
  • Wet Ingredients:
  • ⅓ c melted, slightly cooled, coconut oil
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ c coconut milk (fat content doesn't matter here)
  • ½ c mashed very ripe banana
  • 2 c chopped frozen mixed berries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
  2. In large bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together all dry ingredients.
  3. In medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients EXCEPT the berries.
  4. Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until moistened.
  5. Lightly stir in mixed berries.
  6. Using 3 T ice cream/cookie scoop, scoop batter into each muffin cup; about ⅔ full.
  7. Bake in preheated oven 16-18 min, or until golden and toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Allow to cool slightly and serve.
3.5.3229

 

Whole Wheat Banana-Berry Coconut Muffins. www.onehavenmaven.com

 

 

 

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Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Breakfast Tagged: berries, muffins, Summer

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Mar 09

9 ESSENTIAL THINGS TO DO BEFORE SELLING YOUR HOUSE

Mar 09

9 Essential things to do before selling your house. www.onehavenmaven.com

During the Spring of 2016, my life was consumed by getting our home ready to sell. I was purging, cleaning, mudding, sanding, painting and more. I was basically a contractor :). As I reached the deadline by which we needed put our house on the market, I was exhausted! (This house project stuff stuff isn’t for wimps! It’s hard work) Looking back on this experience caused me to realize there were a whole lotta things I would’ve done differently. Here are my top 9 tips you need to know and implement before selling your house (and things I wish I’d known when I started):

1. START EARLY

 

Start house projects early when planning to sell your house

All those projects I’d been procrastinating from completing quickly became overwhelming. Don’t wait until a few months before selling your house to cross them off the list.  Start as soon as you know you’re moving…Even better, start now!

2. MAKE A LIST

Divide your to-do list into three categories: must be done, should get done and would be nice if they were done. This will help you decide what items are most important; things that a potential buyer would notice and be pleased with or turned off by.

3. PURGE

Grab yourself two boxes or bags; one labelled-Donate and the other- Trash. Go through each room and decide what you can part with. Be ruthless! Do you really need five winter coats? Seven black skirts? Keep one or two and get rid of the others. Purging will make it easier to see what needs to be done, and make your packing a million times easier. Less to pack=less work. Plus, who wants to move into a new house with a bunch of junk?

4. GET HELP

Call in all the favors from your family, friends, neighbors, church acquaintances, whatever. Trust me, you need it. There will be more to do than you think there is. Keep in mind that if you have a family with kids, you also need to be able to keep up with the normal things like laundry, cooking, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask! Most people are happy to help and will be glad you felt comfortable enough to ask.

Have a real estate agent that you trust, do a walk through and let you know what they think you need to fix up. Pick their brain as to what really matters when it comes to your project list. We were going to replace all of our carpet because it was old and there were some traffic patterns that couldn’t be removed with cleaning. However, when we had our agent walk through, she advised against it because the new owners would probably replace the carpet anyways and she didn’t think it was as bad as we thought. Professional advice is golden and can save you money!

6. PAINT

Painting your house

This applies especially if you have rooms that are painted in a bold color or are outdated. I’m not saying you have to go completely neutral, like builders beige. Booorrring. Light to mid-tone blues, greens, grays and tans tend to be favorable to most. In our case, some of our rooms were painted by the previous owner in flat paint. Who does that? Even the slightest bump on the wall leaves a mark and can’t be cleaned off very well. Needless to say, we repainted these rooms. Oh, and if you do paint…please, please, learn from my mistake and buy more painting supplies than you think you need. I can’t even tell you how much money I spent on roller pads, paint brushes, frog tape and so on. I could saved myself time and money if I’d purchased the 8 pack of tape, the 3 pack of rollers, etc. You’ll probably use the leftover supplies at the new house.

7. PACK UP SOME OF YOUR THINGS

I know you’re going to pack, you’re moving! But I mean, pack up some of your things now that you don’t need until after you move. This helps your house look more spacious and less cluttered, which will be more visually appealing to your potential buyer. You want your home to look lived in and not like a museum, but if you have every closet, cupboard and drawer full of your things then the buyers are going to have a difficult time imagining how they can fit their things in those spaces. For example, I packed up my summer clothes, because I knew it wouldn’t be warm enough to wear them before we moved.

This next tip is the most important-don’t skip it!

8. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

You have a lot of work to do. You’ll be dead on your feet pretty fast if you don’t get enough sleep, drink lots of water, eat right and take your vitamins. Also, pace yourself and take breaks. You need to give your body a breather to recharge a few times a day. For your emotional health, make sure to do something that you enjoy so you don’t burn out. Get out of the house and go sit in the park, walk your dog or grab an ice cream with a friend. I think you’ll find when you return, you’ll be able to face your remaining projects with more energy and a fresh perspective. During all the house-selling prep, I took a break and went to the hot springs with my Mom. We relaxed in a 104F pool and boy, did I feel refreshed afterwards.

Though it was very challenging, getting ready to sell our house was a good experience for me. I’ve learned that I can do some things I never imagined I was capable of-like painting my ceiling on a 15 foot ladder (I have a fear of heights), or getting really good at caulking!

I hope you learned some things from my experience that will help you and wish you good luck in finding your dream home and selling your current one!

Do you have some great tips for selling your house that I haven’t mentioned? Share in the comments below! I’d love to hear them and bet there are others out there that would too!

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Posted by Lauren 1 Comment
Filed Under: DIY Tagged: house, listing your house, moving, packing, preparing to move, selling, selling your house

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Mar 01

TEACHING KIDS ABOUT MONEY: SPENDING, SAVING, BUDGETING

Mar 01

TEACHING KIDS ABOUT MONEY. www.onehavenmaven.com

Teaching kids about money, specifically, how to wisely spend and budget money can be one of the most challenging tasks. Until they reach a certain age, kids don’t have a good grasp on impulse control and they want to spend their money on everything they see.  Let’s be honest and say that a lot of adults have this same problem! 😉 I believe that a big part of the problem is that most kids don’t have much experience with money. They may get $20 from Grandma at Christmas, but that’s about it. Our kids need to have the opportunity to practice with money in order to learn those good spending and saving habits. After all, it’s much easier to develop good habits while in their youth when the costs of their mistakes are low.

I realize there isn’t a one-size-fits-all method when it comes to kids, so I’m going to share a few different ways to help your kids earn money. Then I’ll explain how to teach your kids to wisely spend, budget and save the money they earn.

TEACHING OPPORTUNITY #1: CHORE VALUES

Teaching Kids About Money: Spending, Saving, Budgeting. (with FREE printable chore value list!)

(This list above is similar to something I came up with for our kids a few years ago. If you like the values assigned, go ahead and download this list for free!)

Create a list of all the possible chores that could be done around your home and assign a monetary value to each. Then, place this list somewhere visible, so your children can choose how much money they’d like to earn. If there’s something they want to buy, instead of slapping the charge on your credit card, tell them to choose from the chore value list. Then, then can buy the item with their own money. By doing this, the child has to weigh out whether the time they’d have to spend doing chores is equal to the value of the toy they desire.

This approach was something my parents implemented in our home when I was growing up. If a friend called and wanted me to go to a movie with them, my parents didn’t just hand over a $20. I had to work for it. Sometimes, I had to complete everything on the list just to get enough cash.

Disclaimer: I think that kids should be expected to help around the home or have “chores” without expecting anything in return, except our gratitude. This chore value list is above and beyond their regular duties.

TEACHING OPPORTUNITY #2: ALLOWANCE

How to teach your kids about money. www.onehavenmaven.com

When our oldest child was about ten years old, Mr. Maven and I decided to change our tactics and give our children an allowance. They receive a monthly allowance, based on their grade in school, which allows them the opportunity to learn how to prudently spend, save and budget their money. This allowance is not tied to any chores or responsibilities. However, we have deducted funds from the monthly total when they’ve broken things, lost things or wasted food carelessly. The reason we chose not to relate their allowance to their chores has to do with what I said above. Everyone contributes to mess, dirt and wear and tear on the home and as such, should all be responsible for fixing, cleaning and generally taking care of it. No one is going to pay you to make your bed and brush your teeth when you’re an adult 😉

From this allowance, we encourage our children to give 10% in tithing (part of our beliefs: https://www.mormon.org), to save at least 10% (in their bank account or piggy bank) and then they may spend the rest how they please. As a result, our kids have purchased their own iPods, Fitbit and many other toys. In addition, they’ve opened savings accounts and college accounts with some of their money.

Over the past almost four years, they’ve really gotten the hang of saving up for things they truly want and forgoing things of lesser value. They’ve also had the opportunity to give through tithing and buying things for others. I will say that our nine year-old still has an issue with the money burning a hole through her pocket, but she’s become a lot more generous. Almost every month, she buys things with the purpose of sharing them with us or her school friends.

TEACHING OPPORTUNITY #3: JOB

Now, I know some of you will say, “Lauren, you’re crazy! My daughter’s only 8. She can’t get a job!”. Well-you’re wrong! Sorry 😉 This picture above is my oldest daughter in 2015. I responded to an email that a distant neighbor sent out to our “pet network” looking for a dog-walker/sitter. Although my daughter was only 10 at the time, she’s a huge animal lover and had been involved in training and walking our lab and a service dog. I didn’t know if my neighbor would go for it, but surprise! My daughter had a summer job, two summers in a row. She was able to save up for her own iPod.

Have your child can use his or her creative little eight year-old mind and skills to earn money. Is s/he a great crafter or knitter? Help him or her sell things on Etsy. Does s/he love to play around in the kitchen? Set up a lemonade or hot chocolate stand. Help him or her sell unused toys or games on eBay or Craigslist. Have your son or daughter petition neighbors to rake leaves, mow lawns, shovel snow, help with gardening or other household chores. Maybe he or she could walk dogs or pet-sit. The options here are endless.

My kids have gone around the neighborhood on occasion, looking for such opportunities. Just last summer, my daughters made popsicles and little chocolate bars to sell and our neighbors bought them out! We also have a community newsletter where my daughters babysitting and petsitting services are advertised for free.

TEACHING KIDS ABOUT MONEY: THE STEPS

Once you’ve established what works for you and your children, make it a habit. You may discover that having a chore list with assigned monetary values is a win-win. Or maybe, you want your children to learn to find creative ways to earn money. You know your kids best, so make it work for your family.

When your child acquires money through a job, doing chores or allowance (or some other way), sit down with them and talk to them about what their plans are with that money. How much are they going to spend? Are they going to save any? Is there something big they’ve been wanting that they should save up for? After you’ve heard them out, I would suggest providing some strong parental guidance 😉

STEP 1: HELP YOUR CHILD OPEN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT

Being able to save and not blow through your money is a practiced, learned habit-not a talent. There are always things your child is going to want to buy, but teaching them the importance of saving with serve them for life. Saving money will teach them patience and perseverance; traits that are often lacking in our instant society.

Our kids have two accounts; a regular savings for big ticket items like a phone and a college savings account that earns a little interest. When we give them their allowance, we encourage them to put 10% into each account (or more if they desire). The 10% rule is nothing new. I remember my parents teaching me this same thing when I was young. It’s a great starting point. If your kids are doing great at 10%, suggest they try 20% to achieve their goal even quicker.

STEP 2: BUDGETING

I don’t know about your kids, but at least one of mine seems to want everything on the planet. If someone else has it, this kid wants it! Sitting down with your child and helping them budget for the things they want is essential to helping them understand how to use their money wisely. It’s a great time to teach the important differences between needs and wants.

Grab your computer or phone, open up a note and have them type the list of things they really want to buy. I try to ask them questions about the items such as: what will you use it for? How long do you think it will last? Is it worth your money? Are you still going to want it in 6 months? Asking questions forces your son or daughter to examine their true reasons for wanting the item. In many instances, upon answering my questions, my child will decide it’s not really a worthy purchase after all.

Once they’ve chosen their goal, figure out with them how long it will take to earn enough money to purchase the item they desire.

STEP 3: SPENDING

(This may seem like a no-brainer, but helping guide your child’s spending habits is super important! Real life example: every single time one child in particular receives money, they spend it in one exciting trip to the Dollar Tree. And every single time, this child is incredibly sad later in the month when they don’t have the money they need to buy ____ item they see at Walmart, etc.)

Ultimately, the choice is up to your child, unless it’s something you just don’t allow in your house. (We have a rule about our kids only buying one sugary item per month with the allowance we give them.) However, you can still ask them the same questions I suggested in the budgeting section. Do you need it? Is it good quality? Are you going to actually use/wear it? Allowing children to spend their own money gives them the opportunity to learn about return policies, quantity or quality and even helps them improve their math skills.

RECAP:

  1. Allow your kids the opportunity to practice earning money (chores, allowance, job using their talents)
  2. Open a savings account for your child/ren; encourage them to save
  3. Help them budget for things they want by calculating the time it will take to earn enough to purchase
  4. Ask thought-provoking questions to encourage wise spending

I’m not a finance expert, but in my “mom-fessional advice”, I’d say that now is the most important time for you to start teaching kids about money. If they’re in first grade or higher, then they’re old enough to understand the basic concepts. Teach them how to properly budget, save and spend their money so that they can develop good lifelong money habits.  Your kids will enjoy the opportunity to have a little money to spend and you’ll love being able to say “no” to the million little things they want at the grocery store without feeling even a little bit guilty.

What are your techniques for teaching your kids about money? Are there some I haven’t included here? Let me know if the comments!

xo Lauren

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Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Family, Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged: allowance, bank accounts, budgeting, chores, habits, kids, kids and money, money, money habits, saving, spending, teaching kids about money

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Dec 08

THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS FOR THE HARD-TO-BUY-FOR HUSBAND

Dec 08

Here's a collection of some of the best Christmas gift ideas for the hard-to-buy-for husband.

Okay, raise your hand if your husband is hard to buy for. Yeah, I thought so. You’re right there with me, aren’t you? Your husband doesn’t have a lot of hobbies, has everything he needs or everything he wants is like, $500. I hear you! Mr. Maven tends to buy his own gifts throughout the year. If he sees something he really wants or needs, he buys it. He’s not breaking the bank or anything, but let’s just say Amazon loves us! 😉 So, today I’ve rounded up the best Christmas gift ideas for the hard-to-buy-for husband or man in your life.

1. THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

A collection of the best Christmas gift ideas for hard-to-buy-for Husbands

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

 If you’re not familiar with thedatingdivas.com, you’re missing out! They have some of the best ideas to keep the fun and excitement in your marriage. Two years ago, I clicked on their 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN and knew I’d hit the jackpot in terms of hubby gifts. I used the awesome printables that they provide free of charge to go with this gift, but used my own ideas in terms of the actual gifts themselves. It was a huge hit with Mr. Maven. He looked forward to getting a little something each day. (I’m doing this again this year-shhhh)

2. A MASSAGE

Having a hard time shopping for your hubby's Christmas gifts? Look no further. Here are some of my best Christmas gift ideas for hard-to-buy-for husbands.

Who doesn’t love a massage? It’s a whole hour of pure relaxation and there’s no talking required. This is a win-win for most men. Plus, it’s a great way to show your appreciation for all the hard work he does each day to provide for you and your family. Amazon offers Spafinder gift cards that you can load with whatever amount you choose and can be used at 25,000 spas.  Or, to make buying a massage more economical, I highly recommend Groupon. In the summer, I was able to buy two hour-long massages for $40. That’s less than the price of one.

3. _________ OF THE MONTH CLUB

 

Looking for the perfect gift for your hard-to-buy-for husband this season? Look no further.

Mr. Maven LOVES cheese. I mean, like, he could eat it breakfast, lunch and dinner and not be sick of it-ever! I like it too-we’re kind of a cheesy household 😉 So, last year in my quest for creativity and something my Honey might actually enjoy, I thought of the cliche “cheese of the month club”. This could work for any food or interest your husband has. Maybe he likes soda, books or jerky. However, instead of buying an over-priced membership from some late night informercial (did that pop-up in anyone’s head?), create the gift certificate yourself by using a free online template. Customize it to whatever it is that your husband loves and your budget can accommodate. This was probably Mr. Maven’s favorite gift of all time!

4. CAR DETAILING GIFT CERTIFICATE

Looking for the perfect gift for your hard-to-buy-for husband this season? Look no further.

If your guy has an old clunker and doesn’t care about his car, then maybe this one isn’t for you. On the other hand, if your guy baby’s his car, names it and talks to it like it’s a person…well, then, you’ve hit the jackpot of ideas with this one. (not that Mr.Maven does this 😉 Most detailing places have Christmas deals going on right now, so it’s a great time to buy a gift certificate. I don’t know about you, but my poor car often gets neglected inside because the only time I think about cleaning it is…when I’m inside!

5. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

Looking for the perfect gift for your hard-to-buy-for husband this season? Look no further.

Even if your man isn’t a reader, this one can still make a great gift. Because he may not be a reader, but I bet you $5 he reads in the bathroom. Oh yes, we all do it, and hey, why not give him something new to read each month? A magazine subscription will give him something to look forward to while he does his “business”. Besides, I bet he’s sick of all the Real Simple and BHG articles by now anyways. (you know you have a few of those in the bathroom).

6. WEEKEND GETAWAY

Looking for the perfect gift for your hard-to-buy-for husband this season? Look no further.

The best gift to give you husband is time with you. Isn’t that really what he loves the most and the reason he married you in the first place? He loves you and loves spending time together. A weekend getaway is the perfect fit. You don’t have to go at Christmas time. In fact, it would be cheaper to plan the getaway for an off-season month, which will vary depending on where you’re going. Check out a quiet bed and breakfast in the country, or maybe a swanky hotel in the city if that’s more his speed. Whichever you choose, make sure to check places like Groupon for great deals. Or an even better alternative is to find a friend who has a cabin or vacation home and is willing to lend it to you cheaply (or free) during those less-busy months.

7. FOOD

Looking for the perfect gift for your hard-to-buy-for husband this season? Look no further.

You know the saying-the way to a man’s heart…FOOD! Maybe it’s a gift card for his favorite restaurant or a homemade gift basket full of all of his favorite snack foods. Whichever way you go, you can’t lose with this gift. Now, Mr. Maven is not a foodie. I mean, he enjoys really good food, but he’ll also eat anything that’s put in front of him. That being said, he loves hot sauce and candy (and cheese, as you already found out). He would be super-stoked to get a basket full of that. Be creative with this one. Put a gift card in the middle of the homemade gift basket. Or put all of his favorite foods inside a hat of his favorite sports team or in a new bag for work.

8. AN EXPERIENCE

Looking for the perfect gift for your hard-to-buy-for husband this season? Look no further.

I don’t know about you, but one of the things that I dislike about exchanging gifts at Christmas is all the clutter that is left. An experience gift is a ideal way to combat that problem. There isn’t “stuff” to deal with if you give this kind of gift. Plus, the experience gifts are often the gifts we remember the most. So, maybe your husband loves to golf, ski, workout or enjoys the theater. Give him a round of golf, a pass to the gym or tickets to a local theater. Gear the experience to your budget and again, get creative. If you know someone who can get you a discount on that gym pass, then go for it. The best part about this sort of gift is that you may get to enjoy his gift with him.

9. LOVE COUPONS

Looking for the perfect gift for your hard-to-buy-for husband this season? Look no further.

I’ve done this before and let me tell you, it was well-received! Now, before you start thinking these coupons have to be bedroom-inspired, let me tell you they aren’t (although, they could be if you wanted). These will all be coupons from you to him, so think simple: a foot-rub, watching his movie choice instead of yours, making his favorite dinner, taking out the trash for him or breakfast in bed. The possibilities are endless with this one. These are “love coupons” so they will be different for everyone and will be customized to how your husband feels loved. This is the perfect gift if your budget is tight and even if it isn’t, he’ll love it.

10. AMAZON GIFT CARD


Best gift for a husband who’s hard to buy for?  The one he can pick out himself! Amazon gift cards are great because Amazon has just about everything, free shipping on many items and easy returns.

I hope you liked my gift ideas for the hard-to-buy-for husband and they help if you’re having trouble picking out the perfect gift for your husband this Christmas. I’ve tried most of them and have been met with lots of smiles and snuggles. I promise I wouldn’t tell you to give something that backfired for me. That said, I’m pretty confident that whatever you choose for him he’s going to love because it’s from you.

Good luck shopping, ladies! If you choose one of these ideas, please let me know how it turns out and shoot me a picture if you take one.

Merry Christmas!

(*Note: The links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little kickback if you buy something through that link. No cost to you, but it does help me to be able to continue creating awesome posts)

Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Gifts

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Dec 06

HOW TO HAVE A CHRIST-CENTERED CHRISTMAS

Dec 06

If you're looking to focus more on the Savior this Christmas, then this post is for you!
Merry Christmas! I get so filled with excitement and happiness around this time of year.  For our family, the reason its such a joy-inducing season is not just because we have the chance to spend a lot of time together, but because we’re focused on HIM. Our kids are now 12, 11 and 8, but when they were toddler age we realized that we really wanted to place less emphasis on Santa and have a more Christ-centered Christmas.

Santa is fun and we enjoy that tradition. We still put out cookies and milk for Santa. He still brings a special gift for each of our children and fills their stockings. However, Christ was the first gift we were ever given and the one we should be the most excited about. Together, Mr. Maven and I brainstormed ways we could help our kids (and us) spend more time thinking about the gifts that Jesus Christ has given us and how we can share those gifts with others.

White Stocking

Here are some easy ideas for how to have a Christ-centered Christmas this year.This particular tradition began a few years after we decided to have a more Christ-centered Christmas, but it starts the earliest in the season, so I’m listing it first. A friend gave me a little white felt stocking to hang on the tree for Jesus. We decided to use that stocking for more than just decoration. Instead, each year on December 1st begins our month of giving. Strips of paper and pens sit under our Christmas tree. Each time one of us does something kind as the Savior would, we anonymously write it down on a strip of paper, fold it up and put it in the stocking. Our goal is to fill the stocking with good deeds by December 24th. On Christmas day, we read all of the ways we showed Christ-like love and kindness that month. It’s a continual reminder of who we are as God’s children and the kindness and love shown to us by God and his Son.

Sibling Gift Exchange

How to Have a Christ-Centered ChristmasFor children, Christmas is often all about presents and what gifts they’ll be receiving. We really wanted our kids to understand that Christmas is about giving and not getting. So each December, we take our kids to a local thrift store and let them pick out a gift for their siblings. At first, we were paying for the gifts, but now they use their allowance to choose something small, but meaningful for their brother or sister. They look forward to sneaking through the store, trying to make sure the others don’t see what they’re choosing. Often, they choose things like games, puzzles, books or yarn. Then on Christmas morning, Mr. Maven has them give the gifts they’ve chosen to their siblings first before they open their own gifts, so they can experience the joy that comes from giving. This is my favorite! Is it sappy that I’m getting teary just thinking about this moment?

Act Out the Nativity

Easy ideas for having a Christ-centered ChristmasNow, I realize this isn’t something unique to us. I know a lot of Christian families do this. It’s always kind of hectic getting all of the “costumes” together after our special Christmas Eve dinner (more about this in a future post). I put costumes in quotes because they consist of bathrobes and sheets and whatever usually the dog is the donkey 😉 So, we read the christmas story as found in Luke 2 and act out the birth of the Savior…and have a few laughs along the way.

Watch the Nativity

Here are some easy ideas for how to have a Christ-centered Christmas this year.Before we open any gifts at all or read the good deeds from the white stocking, we set the mood for the day. Our church put out a short video years ago called The Nativity which re-enacts the journey to Bethlehem and the birth of the Savior. We gather around and watch this video. The first time we did this, all of our children (including our dog) sat and watched intently and reverently as the joyful event unfolded on the screen. If you want the spirit of God to be in your home on Christmas morning, watch this seven and a half minute video. After the video, we’re lead to the next item on the list.

Opening the Gift

We have a Little People Nativity set that we bought years ago and though my kids are getting older, they still insist we put it out every year. I wrap up the baby Jesus from this set and place Him in the tree. After watching The Nativity on Christmas morning, we open the baby Jesus and put Him in the manger. A simple, but effective reminder that He was the first and most important gift.

Birthday Cake for Jesus

Looking for ways to focus more on the Savior this Christmas? Look no further. This post has simple ways to accomplish this very thing.

After a nice Christmas dinner, the kids help me make a birthday cake for the Savior. We usually don’t have time to make it fancy, but it’s always yummy. We serve it as a regular birthday cake, complete with candles and the “Happy Birthday” song. The kids blow out the candles together and then enjoy tasting their treat.

These simple little additions to our Christmas season have helped us to grow closer together as a family and build our faith. They help remind us that the colorful, wrapped packages, plates of goodies and decorations are lovely and fun, but what matters most is finding peace and happiness through celebrating His birth and living like Him.

My hope for you is that you can feel that peace and joy this Christmas season and enjoy every wonderful, memory-making moment with your family.

How to Have a Christ-centered Christmas

Is there something special that you do to focus on the Savior at this time of year? Please share! I’d love to hear about it.

(*Note: The links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little kickback if you buy something through that link. No cost to you, but it does help me to be able to continue creating awesome posts)

Posted by Lauren Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Faith, Holiday Traditions Tagged: christmas, family, Jesus

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I’m Lauren, the wife, mother of three and homemaker behind One Haven Maven. I love dark chocolate, old movies and all things pretty! Stick around for a while and enjoy mouth-watering recipes, ideas to help you strengthen your family and discover some easy ways to make your house a home.
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