DIY Paper Stars

Need a super easy last minute Christmas decoration? Look no further -- these paper stars are perfect for adding some pretty holiday cheer. Plus, they're incredibly easy to make! All you need is paper, scissors, and some double sided tape/hot glue. 

And there are so many different ways you can use them! They look lovely hanging from the mantle over the fireplace, like I did. Or you could hang them from doorways, or even string them together to make a star garland to hang. Or wrap around the tree!

(PS - The snowflakes were made from kits from the Paper Source. I seriously have to refrain myself from buying the entire store every time I go there. Because I totally would, if I could.)

And if you use really little squares, you can make some adorable paper star ornaments for the Christmas tree! I'm totally make more of these little guys.

Now, I took the lazy route and used double-sided tape for adhering everything. Using the tape works well for creating each half of the star, but when you put the two halves together, I would recommend using hot glue. The double-sided tape doesn't work super well.

Ready to make some stars? Here's a link to the tutorial! Now go make yourself some hot chocolate and get crafty!

Cranberry Apple Crisp

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! Snowflakes are gently falling outside (okay, it's more like a barrage of snowflakes right now). The tree is up and decorated. Little lights and paper stars are hanging from the mantel. And I've been baking up a storm! The food is definitely one of my favorite things about the holidays; there is nothing better than curling up with a warm mug of hot chocolate and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies while the wind whistles outside. And I felt that this weather definitely called for some cranberry apple crisp -- so warm and delicious, perfect for a snowy day.

I've been really into cranberries lately. I bought a bag of fresh cranberries from Trader Joe's the other day and in addition to making this crisp, I also made some banana cranberry oat bread. So. Good. And I still have some cranberries left! I think I see some cranberry compote in my future. Yum.

This crisp is so insanely delicious and so very easy to make. You really can't go wrong with crisps. Just chop up with fruit, toss in some sugar, top with some more sugar and oats. It pretty much always works out. Except if you nix the sugar. There was this one time that I tried to make an uber-healthy blueberry crisp and I used a recipe from a no-sugar/low-carb/gluten-free/vegan/ultra-healthy cookbook. Um, just no. I would not recommend making a crisp without sugar. It's just all kinds of wrong.

Anyway, this cranberry apple crisp is gluten, dairy and soy free, and it's all kinds of delicious. Plus, it makes your home smell all warm and cozy, just like the holidays. Win win.

CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP
gluten free / dairy free / soy free

YOU WILL NEED
3 good sized apples (I used a combination of Granny Smith and Gala), peeled and diced
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon honey
1/3 cup gluten free quick cooking oats (I use Bob's Red Mill brand)
1/3 cup all purpose gluten-free flour (again, I like to use Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (either light or dark)
1/4 cup Earth Balance soy-free spread
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
a pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly toast the chopped walnuts on a dry skillet for a couple of minutes (pecans would also be delicious). Set aside. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with either the Earth Balance soy-free spread or soy-free vegetable shortening. In a large bowl, mix together the apples, cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Using the same bowl, combine the oats, flour, and brown sugar. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, mix in the Earth Balance spread until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the lightly toasted walnuts and add a pinch of sea salt to the mixture. Spread the topping over the cranberry apple mixture. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Your house will smell delicious!

*To make this dish vegan-friendly, simply omit the honey. I like to add just a touch more sweetness; you could add in a little agave nectar, or just completely skip over that step.

Seconds, please.