Crazy Crafty Cousins

Claire's lamp

2011-02-06T10:30:00.002-07:00

Finally got Claire's lamp done. It would have been done a long time ago but when I bought the crystal accent's it got lost in our move and I was hoping it would re appear so I wouldn't have to buy more. But sadly it never showed up.

BEFORE

AFTER

I spray painted the lamp shade, wasn't sure how it would turn out or if it would. But I like it, and I like that you can still see some of the pink when the lamp is on. Then I just hot glued the trim to the underside of the shade and it was done!

These have a light pink tint (the other one I had bought was a dark pink crystal)

I'm happy with it and it only cost me about $5.00

This picture is hanging in her room also. She loves wearing my high heels, so one day I thought I would try taking her picture in them. So I am not a professional and trying to get a picture of your 3 year old daughters feet and have it look good was hard. But I think I finally got one. Did some adjusting in photoshop then had it printed at Costco. I love looking at it and most of the time people think I purchased the picture from the store. Nope, that's my little Claire's feet in my high heels.

Laundry Room Complete... okay ALMOST complete

2011-02-05T18:14:00.008-07:00

My laundry room is mostly done! A special thanks to my hubby's friend for helping us hang my (steal of a deal) cabinets, because the studs were in some random places on the back wall. I was going to buy some curtains to close off this area but I love walking by it right now, so those will have to wait. I bought some door pulls at Hobby Lobby (still not sure if I love the 4 doors not being the same, but we'll see) $1.50 each!

There will be a shelf that will go across the top of the cabinets and over to the right wall, but that will have to happen hopefully next weekend.
I lined the inside with gray and white polka dot fabric and found some yellow and gray totes on clearance at Lowe's which now hold some tools.
I found this at Goodwill last week and spray painted in white, it now holds my laundry soap. (I love opening that cabinet it smells so good!)
So here's my BEFORE shot
AFTER
I still have a few plans for some decor and a little more storage but I was just so excited to get the cabinets up that I had to share.

more project updates

2011-01-22T23:36:00.002-07:00

And here is the mirror I got for $12.00

BEFOREI just used some black craft paint and some small brushes to get down inside all the grooves (there was a lot!) I hung it on the wall above my little table then decided the table top needed to be black too so I painted it black (then later realized it was to bulky for the entry way) So I swapped it out for a thin black bookshelf.

And here it is today!

AFTER

update on projects...

2011-01-22T23:21:00.003-07:00

Remember this table from a previous post? Well here it is finished. Sorry it took so long. I love the pop of color in the room, and I was tired of painting everything black. I just used spray paint and I will fill in the name tomorrow if I still have the can.

Laundry room Re-do

2011-01-22T16:24:00.004-07:00

My laundry "closet" is horrible and needs some love. I have big plans and hope to be able to accomplish it soon.The wire shelf is so not working for me and when we first moved in the right bi- fold door was broken so I removed it so soon the left one will be coming down
I finally visited my local Habitat for Humanity store in hopes of finding some cabinets to hang up on that back wall. And I scored! I got these two cabinets for $16.00 total. (regular price was $32.00 EACH!)
I will clean, paint, add new hardware, organize, and hang up a new curtains in place of the broken doors
And here's a quick mock up that I did on photoshop (don't judge please) Wall color- gray, then accented with white, some black and yellow. Wish me luck!

Wall decor for boys

2011-01-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

I found this darling idea here.

As soon as I saw it, I knew my boys would love it.

It ended up being the gift that the boys made for each other.

My 4 year old painted this canvas black and sprayed it with white paint to make the stars.

I printed out the images and cut them out. Then I mod podge-ed them on and sprayed it with a final clear coat of spay paint.

My 2 year old loves it!

Buzz! Buzz! That's what I hear every time he looks at it.

I did the same thing on this one. But I used some red, yellow and white paint to make the laser coming out of the Death Star.

A perfect gift for a Star Wars fan.
And so easy to make.

Pillowcases and a blanket

2011-01-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

I made pillowcases for my boys this Christmas.

They both sleep with their soft blankets laid out on top of their pillows.

So I made them super soft pillow cases!

They LOVE them!

And I made a Buzz Lightyear blanket for my youngest.

(the oldest already has a Mickey Mouse blanket)

Luggage tags and camera straps

2011-01-02T08:00:00.001-07:00

A few more christmas gifts from this past year...

Luggage tags for one of my sisters. She is going to India in a month.

And she will be there for 4 whole weeks!

I wanted to make sure she knew that she HAS to come back home!

So I put a little note in her luggage tags.

Camera straps.

I should have taken a picture with them on the camera... oops!

What to do with your old jeans? Aprons!

2011-01-01T08:39:00.002-07:00

I had some old jeans lying around, (let's be honest, who doesn't have old jeans lying around?) so I decided to make myself an apron.

Yes, I made it in the middle of making Christmas gifts for everyone else.

Very selfish, I know. Oh well.

So easy to make. One pair of jeans will make 2 aprons. Each leg makes one apron.

I folded and ironed material to make my edging. But if you found some cute wide ribbon, it would be even easier to put your edging on.

I think I will be making more of these soon.

I made this half apron for my sister.

She owns a bakery and hopefully she can get some use out of it.

While I was making my apron, my son wanted one too.

So I tried to make it look manly. It's longer than a normal apron would be and it has boy print around the edges. He loves it. (even if he won't look at the camera)

Happy New Year everyone!!

Halloween ideas

2010-12-31T08:29:00.001-07:00

A few more Halloween ideas for you...

Our fun pumpkins this year. A star cruiser... from Buzz Lightyear. And the Death Star... from Star Wars.

We made 'ghosts in the graveyard' for dessert. (pudding/cool whip mix with crushed oreos and 'tombstones' for decorations) Google it... you'll find several recipes to choose from.

The kids love it!

We also do this every year... but I don't have a picture.

We buy dry ice from the grocery store (get there early... it sells out fast)

and put it in colored water (or just water).

The boys love playing with the 'fog' that comes off of it.

They call it secret potion.

We also use the dry ice to make homemade rootbeer.

Yummy!

Halloween Bags

2010-12-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm either a tad late for Halloween 2010,

or I'm really early for Halloween 2011... you pick.

I made this fun halloween treat bags this year.

The boys loved taking them trick or treating with them.

They were a lot of fun to make and pretty simple.

I just found a simple bag tutorial online and then added my picture cut outs on the front.

Display your child's schoolwork

2010-12-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

I have been taking pictures of my recent projects... but they haven't been making it on here yet. Over the next few days, hopefully I'll get some of them posted.

I was quickly getting a mound of papers from my son's preschool class. He was so proud of them, I had to display them.

So I put them up in his room with a simple wire, a few nails and some clothes line clips.

I plan to take digital pictures of my favorite pieces. Then I can toss the actual paperwork and always have the artwork in my digital files.

Less clutter for the New Year!

A couple projects

2010-11-15T21:16:00.005-07:00

I've been working on some fun projects this Fall. Here are a couple. I'm sorry I don't have step by step pictures. I'll link you to the sites where I got the ideas from. They'll have any pictures you may want to guide you along. But, neither were very hard. I got the basic idea from the websites and created my own little crafts.

#1: Pumpkin blocks inspired by this blog

I got 2x6's, had them cut to my desired lengths (the big pumpkin was two 6 inch blocks, two 8 inch blocks, and one 10 inch block for the middle)
I found some scrap wood and cute it for my pumpkin stem
Sand blocks
Paint blocks
Cut paper to fit the sides of the blocks. Modge podge them onto the wood.
Sand the edges of the paper to create a smooth finish to the wood.
Modge podge over the paper to create a nice finished look.
Stack your blocks and add any embellishments you want (I added some twine to the stem).

I think they turned our very cute! I'm currently working on Christmas trees using the same idea.

And, just because Halloween is past doesn't mean you can't still make some. Mine are still out as Fall decor. Some cute brown papers could be really cute for the Fall too!

#2: Acorn Wreath, inspired by this blog

Gather Acorns
Wash them and bake for about 15 mins @350
Hot glue acorns around a straw wreath (I made two wreaths and discovered that it's much faster to glue the acorns starting on the face of the wreath and going around in a big circle instead of across the wreath from the center to the outside in lines--does that even make sense?)
Spray paint acorns whatever color you want--I plan to change the color throughout the year.
Add a ribbon to hang!

I love how mine turned out! The picture doesn't do a great job of showing it off! It was a fun, easy, quick, super cheap project and I love seeing it hang on my front door!

New chairs (project #1)

2010-11-14T16:41:00.003-07:00

Here's my first completed project. Our dining room chairs were covered in a white fabric (not the ideal color with a 3 year old in your house)
My mom and I found some fabric on clearance at Jo Ann's, and decided to recover them. It was a pretty easy project, just needed to unscrew the back then staple gun the new fabric on and screw it back together and it's done.

Projects... Projects... PROJECTS!!

2010-11-14T13:13:00.006-07:00

We have just moved into a new house (that's why there has been a lack of posts from me) This move was CRAZY but we are so glad to be in our own home. Here's some picture's of some things I have been working on in the house, these are all before pictures.

This is half of a bi-fold door that was on our laundry room and it broke off so I have a new plan for it, you can see what color it is going to be since I forgot to take a picture before I started painting. (this was just started yesterday so it may be a while for the final product)
This table was found on my way to work one morning last week, someone had put it out for trash! So I put it in the back of my car! All it needs is a good sanding, tighten the screws and some new paint!
Crazy good deal for this mirror at Lowe's, Regular price $59.88, we got it on clearance for $12.47, it was the floor model so it needed a good cleaning
This was my find at Goodwill a few months ago. It was $12.00... good price, but even better as I walked around the store I heard that all furniture items were now 50% off! What!! I took her home for $6.00 . She needed A LOT of sanding
Lamp at Goodwill for $3.00
A footstool that my mom had got at a garage sale
And finally my white dining room chairs needed an uplift.
Hopefully I will be back soon with some finished products!

Pumpkin Cake

2010-10-29T19:14:00.005-06:00

Pumpkin Cake (Tastes like a Pumpkin Pie)

1 Box Spice Cake Mix
1 - 1 1/2 Cup Pumpkin (depending on how "pumpkin" you want it)
1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/3 Cup Oil
3 Eggs
1 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Apple Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour

Mix all ingredients together and follow the back of the box for cooking times. Can be made into any shape.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 Stick Butter, softened
3 Cups Powered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Oh how I love Halloween decorations!

2010-09-21T08:39:00.001-06:00

My newest Halloween decoration...

A little vinyl on a picture frame. So easy!

Happy decorating everyone!

Star Wars cookies

2010-09-20T12:49:00.001-06:00

My husband and my son love Star Wars! They watch the movies all the time. They even build a fort and call it 'yoda's house' so they can watch the movie in there.

When I saw these cookie cutters... I just had to buy them.

Yup, they are well worth it!

Noodle Fun!

2010-09-20T12:39:00.000-06:00

The other day my son wanted to play with glue.

So I pulled out some dry noodles... and we played with glue!

We even got out the water colors and added some color to our creations.

Fun and cheap! Gotta love it.

Fall wreath

2010-09-09T08:36:00.000-06:00

Fall is my favorite season... hands down. I just wish it lasted longer!

A few years ago, I made this wreath. It was SO easy!

I bought a wreath from a local craft store, along with a strand or two of fall leaves.

Wrapped the leaves all around the wreath, added a bow and there was my festive wreath.

I added auburn lights to my wreath.

(wrap the lights first and then the leaves)

I love plugging it in at night. The glow is fabulous!

Movies while running?

2010-09-08T08:34:00.000-06:00

And in case you wanted to watch a movie while running on the treadmill...

I made a holder for that too.

I haven't tested this one out yet... so we'll see if it holds up while running.

Off subject... I'm a terrible runner. Any tips for me?

iPod case for treadmill...

2010-09-07T11:28:00.000-06:00

My husband and I have started running on a treadmill... which is great.

The problem comes when we put the treadmill in our unfinished part of the basement... no TV.

So we listen to the iPod... but where to put it?

I made this iPod holder for it. Velcro on the back, so it holds nice and tight.

I had to make a hole at the bottom, so the earphones can disconnect, if we happen to get our arm caught in the wire.

I tried it today... works great!

Father's Day gift idea

2010-09-02T13:59:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I'm just a few months late at posting this idea. But everyone takes the summer off, right?

Thanks for putting up with us... if you're still out there. ;)

My boys had a great time making this art piece for Father's Day this past year.

(I have seen this idea on another blog... but can't remember where... so sorry that I don't have that reference for you)

I had my 4 year old paint the blue background one day. I just told him that we were painting and set him up with the right colors. (last year he ended up telling Daddy what the present was before Father's day... I learned my lesson) Then I put it up to dry and let him continue to paint on paper.

A few days later I did their hand prints. A one year old makes it REALLY difficult to get a decent handprint from. Thus, his looks like he has 6 fingers. Oh well. Then I put it up to dry for a few more days.

I took it down to add the finishing touches.

Then I let the boys help me wrap it right before we gave it to Daddy.

Test

2010-08-27T08:49:00.000-06:00

This is just a test post. Please ignore...
We'll be back soon. We seem to have taken an unscheduled summer vacation. ;)

Travel Games

2010-06-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Summer is coming and that means... vacation time!

I made these travel games for my son to use on our last vacation... they worked great! (and he's only 3)

Print out each page - provide a colored pencil (you don't want melted crayons in your car) and have your child cross off each picture as they find them along the road.

Hopefully it will give you a few minutes of peace this summer.

Enjoy!

Transportation

Along the Road

Jedi Robe

2010-05-28T08:10:00.001-06:00

My son loves those hooded bath towels. And he loves Star Wars.

So I made him a 'Jedi Robe'.... and he LOVES that too!

(I apologize for the sideways picture, Blogger and I are not getting along today)

I found pictures of an Imperial Walker, the Death Star and R2D2 (at my son's request)...

cut them out of a cheap white fleece blanket from IKEA that was being ignored in my home and sewed them on the towel.

The hood is a hand towel - cut in half and then sewn on.

Here is my son trying his best to ignore the camera.

He really does love his Jedi Robe. He wears it even when it's not bath time.

I wonder what type of robe I'll make next... fire fighter? dinosaur? pirate? astronaut?

The possibilities are endless. Give it a try. Your kids will LOVE it!

High Chair Straps

2010-05-27T13:10:00.000-06:00

My mom has this darling high chair. But it has no straps.

When ever we go over there, we've just used a belt to keep the kiddos strapped in.

The problem with that is they slide out the bottom.

So I found a solution...

I measured the high chair and cut out the material to fit over the top.

Then I sewed two really long strips of material that would come from behind the chair, go under my baby's bum, up between his legs and tie in the back.

(Did that make sense? I can draw a diagram if anyone is interested.)

It works perfect! When it's dirty, throw it in the wash.

Dumpster Diggin'

2010-05-08T15:44:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago I pulled into our parking area and saw something on top of the trash, I walked closer and saw this beauty... isn't she lovely? OK well I knew she COULD be lovely. When my hubby got home from work I asked him to go grab it for me. He wasn't fond of the idea but he did it anyway (THANKS JAY!) It wasn't like he had to go digging for it- the trash was full and it was sitting on top. It needed a good cleaning and a little sanding and a fresh coat of paint and she would be beautiful.

I turned her into a plant stand for my porch. I don't have anymore room in my small apartment for more furniture. The drawers were a little crooked and it's a little wobbly, and I didn't feel like fixing it up perfectly. This will do just fine! The drawers now hold my gardening items and a few outside toys for my daughter- PERFECTION! And only cost me $3.00 for a can of spray paint (Krylon, Celery).

Denim!

2010-05-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

I have a super crafty friend, Carolyn. She made all of these bags/purses out of old jeans.

Aren't they darling?! LOVE them!

They inspired me to create something out of my old denim...

So I started cutting. (I"m not big on patterns... I tried to make a pattern,

but it wasn't working... so I just started creating)

I decided on a cute pirate lining. My boys love it!

And now I have a new diaper bag!

I should have taken more pictures... but it's hard to photograph the inside of a bag.

There are pockets on both of the outside panels. Pockets on the inside.

A zipper pouch in the middle - as a dividing section of the bag.

And I sewed in elastic loops to hold sippy cups or bottles.

It was fun to create something new out of something that would

usually be thrown out or sent off to the local DI.

Thanks for the inspiration Carolyn!

Sunshine Award!

2010-05-06T09:29:00.003-06:00

We are so honored to receive the Sunshine Award from Oh my heck this is so cute!

Melinda has such a darling, classy blog. You've GOT to check it out!

Rules for the Sunshine Award Recipients:

1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
2. Pass the award on to 12 other bloggers.
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Link back to the person from whom you received this award.

The Crazy Crafty Cousins would like to pass the Sunshine Award on to:

Epicurean Style:

We love her style! And doesn't this chicken look so tasty?!

The Sisters Dish:

There are too many yummy recipes on this site... jump over there and try one out!

Simply Modern Mom:

How creative is that?! Love it!

Mmm... Cafe:

Ok, so dang cute! My boys would love these!

Can't wait to try them out! YUM!

It's a Daisy Day! :

Oh my weakness... homemade tortillas.

I'm drooling.

See Me Visit Teach:

Such fun and easy crafts!

Krissie's Kitchen:

I'm a sucker for a yummy Chicken Salad recipe... add pasta into the mix, and I'm sold!

Sisters' Stuff:

Don't you just LOVE this idea?! Can't wait to try it out!

Babes in Disneyland:

This blog just makes you happy!

And it makes me want to start planning my next trip to

The Happiest Place on Earth!

Thanks again for the Sunshine award!

Please jump over and check out these blogs! You'll be amazed and inspired!

Leave a comment, become a follower... everyone needs a little love!

Just a shout out

2010-05-03T16:53:00.003-06:00

This isn't anything crafty, but I'd like to send a shout out to my cousin, Jodi who told me about this product from Trader Joes (you think I would have known about it since my hubby works there, oh well) This stuff is awesome and a better alternative to plain rice as a side dish. And it is still way easy to prepare. My 3 year old asked for seconds the first time I made it.Click--> to read some reviews about this product Harvest Grains Blend has couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa

I made it as a side dish to grilled chicken one night- delish! So if you live by a Trader Joe's go and pick up a bag. I know it's less than $3.00 a bag.

Breakfast Casserole in a crock pot

2010-05-02T10:39:00.000-06:00

Great for early breakfast when you have guests and want to sleep in a little...

Ingredients:
1 doz eggs
1 cup milk
1 bag (32 oz bag) frozen hash brown potatoes
1 lb bacon, cooked crisp - or Ham (other meat will work as well)
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 1/2 cup cheese - shredded (cheddar, jack, or both)
salt and pepper
garlic powder

Directions:
1. Spray inside of crock pot with nonstick spray.
2. Layer potato, bacon, onion, cheese 1/3 of each 3 times.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk and seasonings.
4. Pour egg mixture over the ingredients in the crockpot.
5. Cook on low 10 - 12 hours, until eggs are set and thoroughly cooked.

Suggestions:It needed a little extra kick, next time might add some green chilies or salsa)

**Made great Breakfast Burritos the next day!
(sorry no, no pictures - forgot about it until everything was all put away)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

2010-05-02T10:21:00.001-06:00

(this is the best recipe I've found - I've made a few tweeks that I think made them even better)

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oatmeal
2 cups chocolate chips (I use 1 cup semi or milk chips and 1 cup white chips)
1/2 cups cinnamon chips (adds extra kick of flavor)
option - add 1/2 cup walnuts (my personal favorite)

350 degrees Fahrenheit

Mix sugars and butter together. Soften the butter before hand. (You can microwave the butter but it just doesn't work out as well). Add eggs and vanilla, mix. Mix in flour, salt and baking soda. Mix in the oatmeal. Stir in chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, and optional nuts.
The finished dough won't look like your typical non-oatmeal dough since there's less flour in it. Bake for 10-15 minutes. - Original recipe states to take the cookies out before they look totally done (usually around 12 min), leave them on the sheet for 3 to 5 minutes then remove to flat surface to cool.
Enjoy!

Finished!

2010-04-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

It's done! Whew!
The boys LOVE it... so the mission is accomplished! ;)

I learned a few things...
#1 - when making a volcano, don't make a rounded top - it will look like an ice cream scoop. Make a flat or indented top.
#2 - when adding velcro to your pieces, have the prickly side be sewn onto the fort itself. Leaving the soft side to be sewn onto the pieces that can be removed. (this way the pieces won't stick together when your child takes them off and leaves them in piles around the house... it also snags the felt... ugh!)
#3 - 3 year olds don't care how perfect your treasure map is or how beautifully it is sewn on. They just want to play! So relax... and have fun with it!

I had a great time making this. I hope to make another one.
Hopefully you'll make one too. You're kids will LOVE it!

The finished walls

2010-04-14T08:00:00.002-06:00

These are the walls, as I finished them... (all but the map on top)

The mail bag has already gotten a lot of use. ;)

I'll sew the walls on to the top piece first and then sew up the sides.

Final pictures coming soon...

Getting closer

2010-04-12T08:11:00.000-06:00

Here are a few of my playhouse walls, before they are sewn together.

The cave entrance - with a light & mailbox.

This will be the treasure chest - with the sun as a window.

Still need to cut out the treasure chest and coins.

This ship - with a hole for the cannons.

The fishing wall... I still need to get the fishing nets cut out.

It's coming along.

Are you making one? How is it coming?

Pirate Playhouse update

2010-04-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I have cut out some of my felt pieces.

This is how I decided to do it...

I printed off clipart from Google Images and used that as my template.

When I didn't have clipart, I drew right onto my butcher paper - so it would be the exact size that I'll be cutting it to be. Or I would put the clipart under the butcher paper and trace it on that way.

(I took a picture of my butcher paper - but I drew in pencil, and you can't see it)

This is what my 'treasure chest' side looks like with the plam tree, sun and part of the treasure chest cut out.

Hopefully that gives you some ideas on how to create your own templates.

Follow us!

2010-04-08T08:00:00.006-06:00

When the Cousins started this blog just over 2 years ago... (Gasp! Has it really been 2 years?) We didn't think that anyone, besides ourselves, would look at our crazy blog.

We would get so excited over each hit on our stat counter and each new state that the hits came from!

Then each new country that the hits came from!

Apparently some people do find our crazy crafts interesting. We have over 70 Followers... who knew?!

If you enjoy our crazy blog, Follow Us!!

(click on the "Follow" button on the sidebar)
Or leave us a comment.
Let us know that you're out there.
What state or country are you in?

Thanks for Following!

Anniversary Paprika Chicken and Anniversary Pasta

2010-04-07T08:00:00.003-06:00

This post is from Alisa... I'm just posting it for her. ;)

Someone else already posted an "Anniversary Chicken", but this is an "Anniversary Paprika Chicken" recipe we tried last night and really liked it!!

(Picture and recipe from here.)

Anniversary Paprika Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. italian bread crumbs
1 1/2 cubes (3/4 cup) melted butter
Paprika (I forgot to put the paprika in, but we still really liked it!)

Combine parmesan cheese with breadcrumbs. Dip chicken breast in melted butter. Roll in crumb mixture until completely coated. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes at 375 degrees. Do NOT overcook!

And it tasted so good with Anniversary Pasta!! (recipe can be found here.)

Anniversary Pasta

1 pkg bow tie pasta
1/2 c. (1 cube) butter - the real stuff
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 pint heavy cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
10-15 spears asparagus, blanched
1/2 c. bacon, crumbled
1/4 c. toasted pinenuts (or to taste)
Parsley, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Boil bow tie pasta in salted water until al dente. Do NOT overcook.

In wok or heavy skillet, melt butter. Ad minced garlic and saute a minute or so.

Add parmesan cheese and bouillon cube(s). When the bouillon cube is dissolved, slowly stir in heavy cream, salt and pepper.

Add cooked pasta to cream sauce and toss until pasta is well covered.

Add blanched asparagus. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, toasted pinenuts, parsley and parmesan cheese. Toss together. Serve immediately.

Breakfast on the go...

2010-04-06T08:55:00.000-06:00

Breakfast can be a crazy time. In my house, sometimes it gets skipped all together (for the adults).

So, I thought I would share a trick that we've learned.

Last Saturday morning I made breakfast burritos for the family. While I was at it, I made 5 extra.

I wrapped them in a paper towel, then in a layer of foil, placed them in a freezer bag and

put them in the freezer.

When you want to eat one, remove from freezer, remove layer of foil (leave the paper towel) and

microwave for about 2 minutes.

There you go! A ready made breakfast.

I usually put scrambled eggs, sausage, onions and maybe a green pepper in my burritos...

but add whatever makes you happy!

I am SO excited!

2010-04-05T09:04:00.000-06:00

... for a box!

Well, not really the box. But what is inside the box.

Felt. Lots of felt.

I can't wait to get started on my son's Pirate Fort!

You know the kind, you slip them over top of a card table.

First, I drew up some rough 'plans'. (sorry for the crinkled paper)

I wanted this fort to be interactive.

So at the cave entrance, there will be a mail box for letters to be delivered.

(and I'll make a mail bag so my son can be the mail carrier if he wants)

On the pirate ship side, there will be holes for cannon balls to be shot from.

(and a bag sewn on the inside to store the cannon balls)

On the treasure chest side, I will make the sun into a window.

I will put velcro on the coins so they can be counted.

My last side will have different colored fish that have velcro on them.

I will have the same colored nets sewn on to the side.

We will be able to practice our colors with the fish.

The treasure map will be on the top of the table.

I had so much fun designing my fort... I just kept going.

Here are the ideas that I came up with.

Hopefully someone can find them useful...

An astronaut fort.

A spaceship on onside - with the door. (I originally thought a window too - but there just isn't enough room)

Collecting moon rocks on one side, a picture of the earth on another side and a 'dress the astronaut' side with velcro on the back of each article of clothing.

A garden- with a basket to collect the vegetables.

An ice cream parlor - with a build your own ice cream cone in velcro.

A castle - with a sword in the stone.

An In-N-Out drive thru window - with velcro food.

A grocery store - with food to collect in a basket.

A doggy door.

A fireplace for the inside.

A cash register inside - for the In-N-Out drive thru window.

So after you design your fort/playhouse on paper, you need to label each item with a color. Then you'll know how much of each color to order. I ordered mine from Farbric.com - but any store would be great.

I also ordered clear thread - so I don't have to change the bobbin all of the time. ;)

I then drew my 'plans' onto butcher paper - cut to the same size as my fort.

When my material came, I just started to cut up the butcher paper to be my templates.

(I'll take pictures of the whole process so it will make sense)

Want to build a fort/play house? Join me!

Fun, easy activity for kids

2010-04-03T10:48:00.021-06:00

My son and I made this with a some pipe cleaners a few eyes.

It's a bunny and a turtle... I case you're wondering. ;)

Cheap entertainment... that's what it's all about some days!

Easter Countdown

2010-04-02T16:46:00.002-06:00

A little late for this Easter... but maybe you can do this next year.

My son loves holiday countdowns.
I did a Google Images search and found some Easter Eggs to color.
We cut them out and taped them together.
So easy!

S-P-R-I-N-G

2010-04-01T17:51:00.006-06:00

I had a lot of fun working on this project and plan on doing more for other holidays.

go to a hardware store, have some wood blocks cut, sand edges
stain your wood blocks
choose background paper for each block
mod podge paper on to individual blocks
sand the edges again so the paper smoothly blends in to the wood
cut out letters and mod podge on (i used my cricut, but you can buy lettering at a craft store)
embellish as you please!

Easter tulips

2010-03-30T21:22:00.004-06:00

I found this idea from here. I thought it was really cute and easy and I knew I couldn't kill these flowers oh and I had all the supplies at my house.

I found some matching spring scrapbook paper in my stash, traced the template and cut out the flowers. Glued them on to my skewers (I wrapped mine with floral tape) I bought these metal baskets last year from Tai Pan, so I stuck some styrofoam in the bottom and arranged my tulips. I had planned on putting some green Easter grass inside but can't find where I put it- so that will be added later.

Oh look who found a home finally, my Easter mickey antenna ball!
(our cars antenna is too big so I try and find different places to put them) I think he'll stay here for a while

Now I'm off to find the green grass- I hate when the Easter bunny shops early!!!

Minnie t-shirts

2010-03-30T20:49:00.005-06:00

We just returned from a family trip to Disneyland. We LOVE Disney (a lot)! My nieces hadn't been in a few years so I thought I would do something special for them and my daughter to wear to the park. It was so simple, and they got a ton of compliments (and a TON cheaper than buying shirts in the park)

I found some coordinating fabrics (thanks to Walmart), cut a mickey head shape out of each fabric then ironed it on to some wonder under (fusible fabric). Then ironed them on to the t-shirts. Made a simple bow and hand stitched them on to the shirts and added a button in the middle. I think each shirt might have cost me $6.00 each to make!!

Look how HAPPY and CUTE they are wearing their shirts!

Simple wall decor

2010-03-10T10:04:00.003-07:00

I saw this idea months ago, on several blogs.
I decided it was perfect for one of my many empty walls.

I found a font that I liked, printed the letter H as my template, cut the fabric and done!
So easy.

P.S. As a side note... the blog will probably be a 'work in progress' for some time. It's proving to be very difficult to work through the html code while juggling the kiddos.
Someday it will be done... someday. ;)

Pardon our dust

2010-03-04T11:11:00.001-07:00

You're probably noticed that we are 'under construction' here at the Crazy Crafty Cousins. It will take us a few days to get everything looking just right. So please bare with us. ;)

C-A-K-E-S

2010-02-26T18:49:00.005-07:00

I was going through pictures on my computer and saw a lot of cakes I have made that never made it on here. Here's some cakes I have made in the past year.

The most recent were these football cupcakes we had for Super Bowl Sunday, I found the picks at the Target dollar section and knew I had to have them and these cupcakes were perfect.

My nieces 1st birthday cake, a VERY easy butterfly cake. With Valentine m&m's, upside down Hershey kisses, and twizzler antenna's
This next one is a picture of Claire's 2ND birthday cake from her birthday party in California
(bought from Albertsons) So I took the pieces home and made it for her actual birthday 2 weeks later and it turned out like.... this.....

My nieces 8TH birthday cake, my favorite part were these candles. I saw them in a magazine a few months ago (can't remember which one, sorry) The 'recipe' says to use the froot loop straws which come in different colors, but we could not find them anywhere. So we settled for golden oreo straws. And gum drops shaped to be the flame. Then frosting drips for the candle wax.

My sister's wedding cake. The top cake was my first homemade fondant experiment. It turned out well until the very end where it ripped in 2 places, so I used 2 bands of the brown ribbon to cover it up.

Basketball cupcakes because my husband is a March Madness freak!!

And this one was such an easy and fun idea. It was for my cousin Josh's wedding, his then fiance told me about the idea and I loved it. I love the top view!

And here's the final product with 200 cupcakes!!

Kalua Pig

2010-02-16T08:55:00.005-07:00

This recipe is my sister, Jodi's.
It is FABULOUS! (and super easy!) And it's my husband's favorite!
So tender and moist... you're gonna love it!

Kalua Pig

1 Boneless Pork Roast

Stab roast with large fork or knife, making holes all over the roast.

Rub:
1 1/2 t. liquid smoke
2 1/4 t. sea salt

Rub all over roast. Wrap roast in 3 layers of foil. Do NOT wrap the roasts tightly like you would a baked potato. DO wrap it more tented like you would a foil dinner. Make sure the foil is sealed tightly at the edges.

Place roast in a crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the eat is cooked all the way.

When the roast is done, empty the roast and all the drippings into the crock pot, removing the aluminum foil. Shred the meat and add 1/2 c. of water.

Leave the meat in the crock pot on a 'warm' setting until it is time to serve.

Serve over rice.

Fire Truck Birthday Party

2010-02-16T08:49:00.004-07:00

My baby just turned 1. (where does the time go?!)
We had a fire truck themed party.

I made this banner in Photoshop, printed it out on card stock,
strung it together with thread, and taped it onto candy sucker sticks.
I love how it turned out!

The cupcake toppers were created in Photoshop, printed on card stock and taped onto candy sucker sticks. So easy and a perfect way to dress up a cupcake.

Quick Valentine Craft

2010-01-23T10:04:00.002-07:00

This craft came from Martha Stewart...

So easy and you probably have the paper already!
Heart template can be found here.

Children's Song Book

2010-01-15T16:43:00.004-07:00

I made 2 books for my son today.

The first one is a combination Quiet Book & Song Book...

The cover page just has his name on it with velcro letters that he can take off and put back on.

I only have 2 songs in this book so far... I'll add to it later.
I altered clipart that I found, laminated everything and stuck some velcro on it.

The other song in the book is a song that he is learning in Primary this month.
(This is a great flip chart for the song as well)

The next book that I made is just for songs that he will be
learning throughout the year in Primary.I found the pages here and here.
Then I shrunk them in Photoshop so they would fit two on a page.
Laminated them, cut them and bound them with ribbon.
So easy!

Super Easy Scarf

2010-01-15T16:35:00.004-07:00

I'm posting this one for my Crafty Mom...

She bought this blanket from IKEA.
It has a cute decorative edge and was only $3.49.

Cut the blanket length wise into about 5-6 inch strips.
Then cut a slit into one side of it like this:

Then you can put it around your neck and slide one end through the slit and voila! a fun scarf!
She was able to get several scarfs out of the $3.49 blanket...
no sewing involved!

Love it!
So creative Mom!

My Crafty Frames!

2010-01-15T16:26:00.002-07:00

Tada they are done!

Here is the grouping I finally decided on, hung up on my wall. I am so not good at mathmatics and trying to get this perfectly straight. (that's my moms job, but we just moved away from her so I had to do this on my own) So I just measured the middle three over the center of our bed and the rest I just went for it and hoped it would look ok when I took a step back to look at it. It's not perfect but I am pleased.

My 2 year old thinks it all looks straight, so I am going with her opinion!! Here's the whole wall with my sconces (bought on clearance years ago from Michaels) and my IKEA candles with a newly tied ribbon around it to tie in the accent color- green.
I think I LOVE it!

Chocolate covered caramel pretzels

2010-01-12T20:51:00.005-07:00

These are easy and yummy to make. I made them for Christmas but they can be adjusted to any holiday.

You'll need:

pretzel rods

melting chocolate

caramel

sprinkles

I use that brick of caramel you can find at most baking supply stores. Wet your hands and take a piece and roll it into a 'snake' then wrap it around the pretzel rod like shown.

Melt your chocolate (in microwave or on the stove) and dip your pretzel. I also use a spoon to help cover the entire pretzel.
Lay on some foil or waxed paper and add your sprinkles, let dry

I actually went and bought the pretzel bags and tied them with a ribbon to give to some friends.

Enjoy!

It really is a tasty treat.

Crafty frames... hopefully

2010-01-12T20:28:00.003-07:00

I have had the same things hanging over my bed for the past 5 years, so I think it's time for a change. With this beautiful stack of black and white papers (given to me by my mom) and these $7.00 worth of frames I picked up at DI, I really hope it turns out.

(The image in my head is so pretty!) Look for another post hopefully by Friday.... keep your fingers crossed

Sneaky treats!

2010-01-10T18:00:00.008-07:00

I have a son who is a super picky eater. The only vegtable he will eat is raw carrots. I found this recipe from the book Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfield -
knowing that he likes Chocolate - I decided to give it a try.
It was a HUGE success!!

Chocolate Fondue

1 T. trans-fat-free margarine spread (I just used butter)

1/2 c. Avacado Puree

1/4 c. Carrot Puree

1 c. confectioners' sugar

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Sliced fruits, whole berries, or cherries for dipping

Melt the margarine over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the avacado and carrot purees, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and whisk well until smooth. Serve warm, with fruit.

**A trick I learned while experimenting with sneaky nutrition is that for things like "carrot puree" I just use a jar of carrot baby food - it saves a lot of time.

Baby shower invite idea

2010-01-10T17:53:00.005-07:00

I received this cute baby shower inviation today in the mail.

It says:

Willow is about to POP!

So POP on over and help her get ready to welcome her new baby boy!

Just blow up this balloon, use the pin to POP it,

and find your invitation inside!

I thought it was a really fun idea. My boys were really excited to blow up the balloon and pop it to find the inviation.

Latest project- COMPLETE!

2009-12-29T19:00:00.007-07:00

So I finished it sooner than I thought and I really like it! Although my camera had a hard time capturing it right. I just painted it black but I took 3 pictures and one turned out brown looking, the next turned out grey and the final one turned out light black!

the drawers are painted black to unlike the picture that look like they are grey. I had to go buy 2 more knobs since I forgot there was 4 for the top 2 drawers. So for about $25.00 I have a new entertainment center, where I was looking online for a new one I wanted and was going to spend $200!!! I just need to drill a hole in the back for all the electronic wires.
I bought these door knobs probably 7+ years ago and finally found a good place to use them. (we are a Disney family so I am way excited to finally have them out of the junk drawer)

P.S. If I ever fall ownership to a power saw I would love to cut out the inside of the doors and staple fabric up instead--- well also if I ever decide on a color scheme for my living room. I can dream about that one!

My latest project

2009-12-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

I have seen so many blogs with people finding great deals at Good Will or yard sales. So before we moved I passed by a yard sale and saw this beauty out of the corner of my eye, and I thought to myself if it's still there when I get back I'm gonna get it. Well as you can see it was and I got it for $15.00. It was a changing table but my Uncle cut off the top for me (you can see the lighter outline on top of where the boards were)

And it was also missing a leg in the back, so he created one for me.
(thanks so much)

Since Christmas is over I can get working on this- hopefully I will be posting the finished product soon. It's on my porch waiting to be sanded and painted. It's not going to be perfect but I will have a new entertainment center for only $15.00 (+ a few bucks for spray paint)

Homemade Kitchen Playset

2009-11-16T14:26:00.005-07:00

My son loves to play with the toy kitchen set every time we walk through IKEA.
But let's face it, he's not going to play with it enough to justify the cost of actually buying him one. So I made him one today.

I took an old moving box and taped it up. Covered it with white butcher paper (doesn't have to be covered with anything... it is pretend after all)
I drew 2 stove burners and 2 knobs on one side of it.

On another side, I drew an oven door, with a knob and a window.
(with yellow for the lighted window...
to which my 3 year old says, "Mom, I can't see through your window"
... pretend dear, pretend)

I flipped the box over one more time and cut out a rectangle to place a small pan into. This is his pretend sink.

He loves it! And it was made in about 30 minutes.

I'm sure it won't last long... but sure beats forking over the cash during the holidays for a toy that he'll ignore in a day or two. ;)

IKEA recall solution

2009-11-16T14:16:00.003-07:00

If you had IKEA Roman Shades hanging in your house (like I did), you were probably very sad to see this recall.

I love my Roman Shades. So, I created a solution for them.

First, I removed all of the dangerous strings and ropes from the shade. (so it was just a big piece of fabric hanging from my window) Then, I stitched several loops of ribbon to the back of the shades. I put 2 on each side of mine. The top 2 loops are shorter than the bottom 2. So it will hang more like a Roman Shade is suppose to. Then I attached buttons on the front side to make it look nice.

Next I screwed 2 hooks into the wall. Now the loops can hang up on the hooks. It isn't quite as easy to use as a true Roman Shade... but I didn't have to buy a new window treatment!

Halloween costume

2009-10-29T10:02:00.006-06:00

We never do family themed Halloween costumes. In fact, we usually just dress the boys up. But this year my 3 year old wanted to be a pirate. So bought him a costume from Old Navy.
It is darling. He loves it and wants to wear it everywhere.
Then he wanted Daddy to be a pirate too... and it just spiraled from there.

So what to do for the 9 month old??

Yes, he's my little treasure map!

With brown pants - he's good to go!
Love easy costumes.

Now the task of making my pirate costume less skanky... I bought it at Target, but have to make some serious alterations. Hopefully I'll post pictures of the finished product soon.

Baby crafts!

2009-10-28T08:33:00.003-06:00

Here are the remaining baby crafts...

A car seat cover.
Love, love, LOVE mine... so I had to make one for my sister in-law.
The BEST feature is that it opens in the front. That way you can peak on your sleeping darling, without giving them a big gust of cold air.
And during flu season, having a car seat cover is a MUST - keep those babies protected.

This isn't a very good picture... but it's a Pee Pee Tepee!
I've never used one, but have wished that I had several times. ;)
Those baby boys sure do like to spray.

I also made some burp cloths... but apparently never took a picture of them.

Love baby crafts!

a yummy fall dinner

2009-10-27T21:31:00.003-06:00

Tonight we had a really yummy fall dinner....soup and muffins! I would highly recommend both!

Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder:
(This is what I order every time I go to Mimi's)

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter(1/2 a stick)
6 tablespoons chopped onion
3/4 cup diced celery
2 1/2 cups hot water
2 cups cubed potatoes (1/2 inch pieces)
3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 dash white pepper, or black
3 tablespoons flour
1 quart half and half cream

Directions

Melt butter in large saucepan. Once melted add celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes (not til brown, just til soft).
Add water, potatoes, corn, sugar, salt and pepper, making sure water covers everything, adding more if not covered completely. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, usually about 30 minutes.
Whisk flour into 1 cup of the half and half and then stir into soup.
Add remaining half and half and simmer until soup is thickened to a creamy consistency (usually about 15 minutes).
Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if wanted. If the chowder is too thick, add some milk, if it is too thin, simmer for 5-10 minutes more.

Pumpkin Crumb Muffins:
(by my sister in law, Camie)

1 2/3 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 C. Libby's solid pack pumpkin
1/4 C. undiluted evaporated milk
1/3 C. shortening
1 C. packed light brown sugar
1 egg

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in large bowl. In small bowl combine pumpkin and evaporated milk. Cream shortening and sugar in large mixer bowl. Add egg, beat until fluffy. Alternately add flour and pumpkin mixtures to shortening mixture; beat well after each addition. Fill muffin tins (greased) or paper lined cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle Streusel topping over muffins.

Streusel Topping:
Combine 2 Tbs. flour, 2 Tbs. granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 1 Tbs. butter until mixture is crumbly.

Bake in preheated 350 oven for 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Baby Crafts

2009-10-13T10:47:00.005-06:00

I've been a sewing maniac these days. I am not very good at it... but I'm addicted. Here are a few things that I've recently created.

Stroller blanket

Super easy. Sew 2 pieces of fabric, right sides together, with some ribbon sticking out about 1/3 of the way down (so the blanket can fold over onto the baby's lap)... leave an opening so you can pull the blanket right side out. Turn it right side out. Sew up that opening. Sew velcro onto your ribbon... and DONE!

Here is my 8 month old modeling it for me. ;)

Bottle/Sippy Cup strap

For the tutorial, go HERE.
I would use light colored ribbon next time. (or dark thread, dark velcro, and dark shelf material)
But I used what I had this time, and it works great.

We are getting ready for a trip to Disneyland... can you tell?

p.s. I have several other baby related sewing projects to show you. But they are for my cute sister in-law and her baby shower isn't until next week. So you'll have to wait, because I don't want to ruin the surprise. ;)

Spooky Tree

2009-10-12T09:49:00.003-06:00

I have seen many of these "spooky trees" lately and thought I would try making my own. It was so much fun being creative again, and thanks to Hobble Creek Canyon for providing these twisted and creepy looking branches. Here's my finished tree. After I found a pot to put the branches in, I put some big rocks in the bottom to stabilize it then added dried black beans on top to hold the branches in place. I spray painted the branches black then added some silver spray glitter on top of that.
I found these wooden signs at Roberts crafts that were not painted (they cost $.54!!) So I picked up some Halloween "thickers" because I knew I couldn't paint the words on as cute as these letters looked.

I took some ribbon and just tied them on to random places and added some dollar store spiders (they were rings that I just cut the ring off and glued them straight to the branches)

I also found these skulls at the dollar store too. And a cute ribbon to your pot and you are done!

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

2009-10-11T15:59:00.001-06:00

This is a Rachael Ray recipe. You can find it HERE.
It's yummy, easy and very Autumn.
I substituted the White Wine with Chicken Broth and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
Next time I think I will use noodles with more texture... maybe Fusilli, Radiatore or Rotini.

Zucchini Turkey wraps

2009-10-09T15:18:00.006-06:00

1 lb ground turkey (optional ground turkey)
salt and pepper
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 cups grated zucchini
salt and pepper
2/3 cup salsa
1 t. prepared yellow mustard
1/2 t. dried basil
1 c. cooked brown rice
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese
tortilla chips, tortillas, lettuce leaves, etc.

Brown the meat and season it with some salt and pepper. Put the cooked meat aside and let any fat drain off.
Add oil into frying pan and let heat up on medium high heat. Add onions & garlic let cook for 1 minute. Add celery, & carrots and let these cook for a few minutes until they start to get tender. Add grated zucchini and season vegetables with some salt and pepper. Continue cooking the vegetables until they are soft and tender.
Add the salsa, mustard, and dried basil into the saucepan and mix together. Add the browned meat and brown rice and heat through. Top with cheese.

Can be made into tacos, nachos, or wrapped in lettuce leaves. Yummy and healthy too!

* The first time I made this I chopped the veggies really small with a hand chopper and put the salsa in the food processor so there was no chunks of food that the picky eaters in the family would see. It worked and everyone ate it!

** Another great idea for Fall is to put your dish inside a hollowed out pumpkin... Find a pumpkin with a flat side so it wont wobble around the table. Cut the pumpkin in half long ways above the stem and then I lined the inside of the pumpkin with waxed paper. I was trying to look for a tall oblong shaped pumpkin but this one had the perfect flat side to it.

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

2009-10-09T15:08:00.005-06:00

- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans (15 ounces *each*) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder - 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions: In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

* Yield: *10 servings
Submitted by Wendy

Rain Gutter Book Shelves

2009-09-11T13:37:00.003-06:00

Hi Girls,
I found this through a friend's blog. I think it's the coolest idea! I definitely would've used these in my classroom, had I known, but I love them in a child's bedroom as well. I think it's great for kids to be able to see the front covers of books, instead of just the binding, to help get their attention and pull them in to great books! These book shelves are a great way to do this! Check out the tutorial and other great ideas here.

Alisa

Soups!

2009-09-11T10:14:00.003-06:00

We had our Family Girl's Night Out last night. Our numbers were few... but we had yummy soups to enjoy and lots of laughs.
(I apologize for the horrid pictures... we were more concerned about eating than taking good pictures)
Here are the recipes:

Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 can chicken broth
8 oz. tortellini
1 can tomato soup
1/2 tub of chive & onion cream cheese

Boil tortellini in chicken broth until tender. In a separate bowl, using about 1/4 cup of the hot chicken broth, combine with cream cheese. Whisk until melted. Add tomato soup to tortellini. Pour melted cream cheese and broth back into soup. Stir all together.
Makes about 4 servings
**I recommend doubling the recipe to use the whole tub of cream cheese.

White Chicken Chili (Weight Watchers)

3 chicken breasts

1 lg. onion

1 can chicken broth

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. red pepper (we used a seasoned pepper)

Cook in a crock pot 4-5 hours. Shred or dice up chicken. Then Add...

2 cans great northern beans (white)

1 can shoe peg corn, drained

3 T. lime juice

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Cover and cook on low for an additional 20 minutes. Makes 8 servings

- The lime juice is an important part of this recipe, do NOT leave it out.

Potato Soup

5 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups (2-inch) cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potato
3 cups (2-inch) chopped cauliflower florets
1 cup fat-free milk (1%)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 can corn (optional)
2 cups chicken (optional)
3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (drained)

Combine broth, potato, and cauliflower in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until potato is tender. Cool 10 minutes; stir in milk. Place one-third of potato mixture in a blender; process until smooth (or hand blender in pot). Pour pureed potato mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining potato mixture.

Return pureed potato mixture to pan; stir in chicken, pepper, salt, and corn. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon just before serving.

Chew on your pencil!

2009-09-02T15:58:00.005-06:00

When I saw this in a magazine I knew I had to try it our for my Back to School Dinner. Here's the link to how you make it.

(FYI- We are not bologna eaters in my house so I used a hotdog we had left over from the night before, I just cut off the skin so it was about the right size to fit on top of the cheese stick)

Honey Mustard Pork and Nectarine Kabobs

2009-08-30T22:15:00.003-06:00

Mmmmmm....we tried this new recipe tonight and really liked it! We will be making it again. And, even better, it's quite easy!

Ingredients

10 wooden or metal skewers
3 tablespoons honey mustard
3 tablespoons O Organics(TM) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds boned country-style pork ribs or pork shoulder (also called butt), rinsed, patted dry, fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
4 large nectarines, pitted, each cut into 6 wedges
1/4 cup mild-flavored honey

Directions

If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes before using. In a large bowl, mix honey mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add pork and mix to coat. Cover and let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes (chill if longer). While the pork marinates, pit nectarines, and slice each into 6 wedges.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct, medium-high heat (the charcoal or gas flame should be directly under the cooking area, and you can hold your hand just above grill level only 3 to 4 seconds; see www.safeway.com for complete instructions). While grill heats, thread cubes of pork and nectarine wedges onto skewers, alternating between meat and fruit. Discard any remaining marinade.
Lay skewers on grill (close lid if using gas) and cook, turning occasionally, until pork is browned on all sides and almost no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 10 minutes. Brush kebabs generously with honey and cook until pork is golden brown, about 1 minute longer.

**A few side notes: I also added a little bit of honey to the marinade (maybe 1 Tbl...maybe less?) We didn't kabob them, we just grilled the meat and peaches (we put the peaches on tin foil so they wouldn't fall through the grill cracks) right on the grill. We had some fresh peaches that we had frozen, so we used those instead of nectarines and really liked it! Because they were previously frozen they were a little mushier than I would've liked. When I do this again I will use fresh, non frozen, peaches, grill them halved so they can really get grilled, lines and all, and then slice them when I'm ready to serve. Also, we loved them marinade enough that we would make the meat even without the peaches if we didn't have them. I think you could also use a pork tenderloin and slice it. We had this with rice and veggies! Really good!

Crock Pot Lasagna

2009-08-27T13:00:00.004-06:00

This recipe is fabulous for hot days when you don't want to turn the oven on or for a Sunday dinner, it will be ready right when you get home from church!

(Original recipe and picture from here.)

Slower Cooker Lasagna
1 pound lean ground beef, cooked and drained
32 ounce jar of your favorite red pasta sauce
16 ounces cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1/2 box (4.5 ounces) no boil lasagna noodles, gently broken in half if needed.
2 cloves garlic, minced*
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano*
1/4 teaspoon dried basil*
1/2 cup onion, finely minced
2 cups (8 ounces) Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, to taste
Olive oil or cooking spray, as needed

Grease the inside of your slow cooker with olive oil or cooking spray.
Combine beef, sauce, spices, garlic and onion in a medium-sized bowl and mix well.
Combine cheese, except for Parmesan, in a separate medium-sized bowl.
In the slow cooker, start with the beef mixture (about a fifth depending on the size of your cooker). Top with a layer of no boil noodles, then crumble on a thin layer of the cheese mixture (about a fifth). Repeat layers, ending with the beef layer on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

*If your pasta sauce has already been flavored with herbs and garlic you may omit these ingredients if desired.

Tropical Cheesecake Trifle

2009-08-27T12:55:00.004-06:00

This one is easy, yummy and light. Enjoy!
(Note... as I'm re-reading the recipe, I realize that I completely forgot to add in my pineapple! Oops! But it tasted great just the same.)

(picture and original recipe from here)

Tropical Cheesecake Trifle

1 pkg. (10.75 oz.) frozen prepared pound cake, thawed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 tub (24.2 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling

2 cups cut-up fresh pineapple (1 inch pieces)

2 bananas, sliced

2 kiwi, peeled, chopped

1/4 cup seedless strawberry jam, warmed

1/4 cup BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted (optional)

LAYER half of the cake cubes in bottom of large straight-sided serving bowl. Top with half of the cheesecake filling and fruit. Repeat layers.
DRIZZLE with jam; sprinkle with coconut.
SERVE immediately. Or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store any leftovers in refrigerator.

Banana Cake

2009-08-20T14:26:00.004-06:00

Yum! Is all I can say about this, Oh and it's an easy recipe!

Banana Cake

1 box yellow cake (follow directions on back)

2-3 RIPE mashed bananas

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cap full banana extract

Can be baked in any pan, I used a bunt pan for a pretty presentation. Then the top decided to stay in the pan so it didn't come up pretty but we glued it back together with a yummy cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp.vanilla

A dash of banana extract

(I didn't want a thick layer of frosting on this so I added some milk to thin it to the consistency I needed)

Old Navy Weekly Coupons

2009-08-11T13:51:00.002-06:00

It's time for Back to School shopping and everyone could use a few good coupons.

Old Navy Weekly has some fabulous coupons available each Thursday. You have to click around on the website to find the coupons. Here is an example of this past week's coupons.
Thrifty Northwest Mom always has the latest on the coupons, how to find them and other ways to get them.

There are some really amazing coupons available.... $75 off a purchase of $100 or more. (yes, you read that correctly!) $50 off a purchase of $100 or more. (I was lucky enough to get this coupon last week!) The big coupons go fast.

My advice... go to the site right now. Click around and see what you can find, get a feel for the site. Then go here and see where the coupons are all hidden. They are hidden in similar places each week. Now you're ready for this week's coupons!

Happy Hunting! (Remember to go there on THURSDAY!)

Chicken Marsala

2009-08-10T19:51:00.005-06:00

This is Chicken Marsala from Olive Garden, one of my favorites at the restaurant! I went to their recipe website and found it under "Main Dishes". I noticed that many of the recipes are pretty simple to make, including this one. We made it tonight and it was SO good!

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1/2 cup flour
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Dried oregano to taste
4 Tbsp oil
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine **(I used chicken broth instead of Marsala wine and it worked great!)

Procedures

POUND chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap until about 1/4" thickness. **(I just put the chicken into a gallon size ziploc and pounded it with my hand. It doesn't take long and I think it makes a big difference in the recipe)
COMBINE flour, salt, pepper and oregano in a mixing bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess.
HEAT oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts on medium heat for about 2 minutes on the first side, until lightly browned. Turn breasts over to cook other side, then add mushrooms to skillet. Cook breasts about 2 more minutes, until both sides are lightly browned. Continue to stir mushrooms. Add Marsala wine around chicken pieces.
COVER and simmer for about 15 minutes.
TRANSFER to serving plate.

S'mores

2009-08-10T14:42:00.004-06:00

We had a family birthday party over the weekend and this is what I made:

You can find the original recipe here. I used a brownie mix - it turned out great. These are really rich - so 1 square is about all you can eat. But they are yummy!

S'more Bars

Crust:
14 whole graham cracker boards, crushed (2-1/4 cups crumbs)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted

Brownie:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
3 eggs
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:
1 jar (7.5 ounces) marshmallow cream (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup mini chocolate kisses
3 whole graham cracker boards, broken up

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. Crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and melted butter in a small bowl until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; press crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan, pressing the crumbs evenly into the corners and along the sides of the pan. Refrigerate the crust until chilled and set.
3. Brownie: Combine the bittersweet chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe glass bowl or glass measuring cup. Heat chocolate mixture in a microwave oven on high until the chocolate and butter are melted, about 1 minute. Stir the chocolate mixture until smooth.
4. With a hand-held electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Reduce the speed to medium. While continuing to beat, gradually add the melted chocolate-butter mixture to the egg mixture; beat until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally.
5. Stir the flour and salt into the egg mixture. Then stir in the vanilla until smooth. Scrape the brownie mixture into the crust-lined baking pan; smooth the top level with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake in 350° F oven for 30 minutes or until the top is smooth and the center is set when gently pressed with fingertip.
7. Topping: While the brownie layer is baking, whisk together the marshmallow cream and the milk in a small bowl until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
8. Pour the marshmallow topping mixture over the brownie layer in the pan. Spread or tilt the pan to level the topping and cover the brownie layer completely.
9. Sprinkle the mini chocolate kisses evenly over the marshmallow topping. Then scatter the crumbled graham crackers all over the top.
10. Bake in 350° F oven for 3 minutes or until the chocolate kisses are glossy and the marshmallow topping is set. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Bathroom Decor

2009-08-10T14:34:00.002-06:00

My husband and I were looking for a picture to go in our guest bathroom. But really, what goes well in a bathroom??
We found this picture in our files, that we had taken at an old Ghost Town in California. We played with it in photoshop...

I think it's appropriate and still looks nice.

Shoulder Bag

2009-08-04T11:22:00.003-06:00

I have NEVER sewn before. (Ok, to be honest I did sew 2 straight lines when I was about 12 years old)
I recently was given an old sewing machine. I have been wanting a church bag, but haven't been able to find exactly what I want in a store. I need it to be pretty big, to accommodate 3 ringer binders, toys, keys, burp cloths, etc. I came across this tutorial. With a few minor changes, it is just what I was looking for! (my bag is a lot bigger than the one she made and I put in 2 pockets)
I went online, watched a YouTube video on how to thread the machine (and wind the bobbin) and I started on my bag.

I LOVE it! I am so ridiculously proud of myself as well. ;) I show it to everyone. It's not perfect, but it is fabulous for me.
If I can make this bag (having never used a sewing machine or a pattern) then you can too!
Give it a try, it's super easy!

I'm Bored

2009-07-29T14:50:00.003-06:00

I found this fabulous website... here. It has some great ideas for keeping your kids entertained this summer. I made this "I'm Bored" can for a friend. It was really easy to make and turned out pretty cute.

If your child is bored, they can 'take a chance' with the I'm Bored can. Sometimes they will pull out something fun... make cookies with mom, play with sidewalk chalk, take a walk, etc... and sometimes they will pull out something not so fun... dust 3 rooms, vacuum 1 room, do 1 chore (mom's choice).

I just printed the pages out on scrapbook paper, cut them up, and put them in the can. So easy and so fun!

Kit Kats

2009-07-26T19:10:00.005-06:00

My son is turning 3 tomorrow. He is not a big fan of cakes.
So what to make him for the special day?
He LOVES candy... especially Kit Kats.
I saw this creation online, on several sites, it is PERFECT for my son...

2 - 8 inch round cakes, frosted.
Press the Kit Kats into the side,
fill the 'bucket' with your favorite candy,
tie a ribbon... and you're done!!
My son will be on such a sugar high from the candy -
he'll ignore the cake completely.

He saw the cake today and said, 'Oh, a bucket for my candy!' :)

Hamburgers or Hot Dogs anyone?

2009-07-22T23:48:00.005-06:00

When I saw these on Bakerella's site I knew I had to try and make them, and what better time to do that then for the 4th of July. Then I found the idea for the hot dogs on {this} site. They were both so fun to make, I only wish I had the brains to come up with the idea!
*One thing I found that just by cutting the cupcake in half made for a really tall burger so I cut the middle out of the cupcake so it wouldn't be so giant and an easier way to transport. And I bought a tube of red frosting then split up the can and colored half green and half yellow... red is just such a hard color to make in frosting.

The hot dogs were so fun to make! My sister loves the circus peanuts and I hate them but they were the perfect thing for the bun.
I cut up some green gummy bears for the relish. And I had a tub of caramel from a baking supply store that I put in the microwave for a few seconds and it was very easy to roll it into hotdog shapes

Then just for fun I made red white and blue cupcakes that the hotdogs were then placed on top.

Again I wish my brain would allow me to be this creative, but I did have a great time re-creating these cupcakes!!

Hawaiian Haystacks

2009-07-21T19:21:00.004-06:00

We had this for dinner tonight and I was reminded of how much I like it!! It tastes good and is super easy!

Sauce:
(I'm sure there are many variations, but this is what I did)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth (I didn't quite use the whole can because it was getting too runny)
1 big can of canned chicken
(I have a co-worker who also adds cream cheese. I didn't tonight, but it's very good!)

Toppings:

cheese
pineapple
coconut
green pepper
peas
tomatoes
celery
chinese noodles
green onions
whatever else you want!

Put sauce and toppings over rice!

Songs and Nursery Rhymes

2009-07-01T15:18:00.006-06:00

I bought a laminator a few weeks ago... and I've been putting it to good use!

I printed off different songs and nursery rhymes, colored them and laminated them.
My son LOVES to pull them out and sing.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

(the clouds and sun are velcro-ed on and the spider is on a piece of yarn that he can pull up or down the water spout ;)

Hickory Dickory Dock

On the back I put the words... so Daddy (or anyone) can sing along as well.

The Wheels on the Bus

They are all kept in folders in a file box. My son can open the box and pull them out whenever he wants to play.

I also have:
3 Little Pigs
5 Little Monkeys
5 Little Pumpkins
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
Little Miss Muffet
Humpty Dumpty

I can't find the website where i found the nursery rhymes.
Do a Google search and you'll find something.

They are a little bit of work, but if you laminate them you'll have them for years to come!

Summer fun

2009-07-01T14:12:00.004-06:00

I saw this fun activity on Let's Explore.

I put the toys in a bowl one layer at a time, let that freeze and did another layer. This way the toys didn't all float to the top.

My son loves it! He looks like a little archeologist trying to dig for artifacts.

And the best part is... it works great for a toddler's attention span. They can play for a few minutes... get bored... put it in the freezer... pull it out later!

We've played with it outside on the lawn... and inside on the table when it got too hot outside.

Hours of enjoyment! Try it.

Toddler Friendly Fireworks

2009-06-30T09:07:00.004-06:00

We made these fireworks last night for family night. My son loved them!

I found the idea in my Parents magazine.
(my camera is broken... so this is a scanned image from the magazine)

Supplies:
Red, White and Blue chenille stems
Scissors
Craft glue
Red, silver and blue glitter
Thick sponge (or box)

Gather chenille stems and cut them in half. You'll need about 5-6 whole stems to make one.
Dip the ends (about a half inch) into the glue. Then dip the ends into the glitter.
Lay on a thick sponge or box to dry. (so the ends aren't touching)
Once dry, gather all stems together, except one. Take the extra stem and twist it around the others. Bend and flare out the arms to resemble a firework.

You can tie a string to it or just hold it without the string.

I used glue that already has glitter in it... saved a step in the process.

Fun and easy for the whole family! And for dessert, we made brownies and used a cookie cutter to shape them into stars. Very festive!

Colors

2009-06-25T16:15:00.003-06:00

Several times each week, my 2 (almost 3) year old and I have been reviewing our Colors.
I usually have a few things of that color for him to tape on a piece of paper and hang on the fridge. We then add a scoop of that color to our ice cream cone. Then he gets to find objects of that color and take pictures of them.

This is our Orange day...

We'll do shapes, numbers and the alphabet eventually.

You can find free preschool activities and print outs here and here.
Enjoy!

Calorie over load... and completely worth it!

2009-06-25T14:02:00.004-06:00

I made this fabulous breakfast for my husband and father in-law today.
So, so yummy...

(picture from this website.)

French Toast - with Kneader's Chunky Cinnamon bread

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 slices bread

Beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt with wire whisk until smooth.
Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat or to 375. (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.) Grease griddle with butter if necessary.
Dip bread into egg mixture. Place on griddle. Cook about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
(recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook)

Top your french toast with Buttermilk Syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

2 cubes butter (not margarine)
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 T. light Karo Syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter. Then add sugar, buttermilk and Karo Syrup. Boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Take off heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. This will cause the syrup to foam, make sure to allow room in your saucepan for this.
(recipe came from my cousin's ward cookbook)

Add sliced strawberries and a touch of whipped cream...
ummm... sugar overload!
ENJOY!

Anniversary Chicken

2009-06-18T12:04:00.002-06:00

This is a popular dish that we serve at the church office building, very yummy!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup teriyaki basting sauce
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 green onions, chopped (scallions)
1/2 (3 ounce) can bacon bits, or fresh crisp bacon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 º In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, and saute 4 to 5 minutes each side, until lightly browned.
Place browned chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush with teriyaki sauce, then spoon on salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, green onions and bacon bits.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and serve.
(I let the chicken cook for about 15 minutes before I add the cheese on)

More Father's Day ideas

2009-06-18T11:36:00.008-06:00

So here's what I did for Father's Day this year.... shhhh don't tell Jason!

You can make an easy Father's Day picture- well wasn't so easy with a 2 year old but it will do. I found the idea on Tip Junkie But can't find the exact link right now. So I made up one for her Grandpa also.
A few weeks ago while in a store my husband spotted a jar filled with lemon drops and was so tempted to buy it, just for the lemon drops. But it was $20.00, had a cute big bow around it but for $20.00!! So I decided to make up my own for him. Got a jar from DI for $1.00 took some ribbon and tied a "tie" around it and added in some lemon drops... for about $5.00 I got to be creative and he'll get to enjoy his lemon drops!

Pulled pork and Broiled Broccoli

2009-06-18T10:30:00.003-06:00

Easy dinner idea:
I take the boneless pork ribs and put them in the crock pot for about 1-2 hours on high with some olive oil and salt and pepper. Then drain the fat and add in Lawry's Garlic and Herb marinade and let sit on low for about 4 hours. Then take 2 forks and pull apart- serve over rice.
Broiled Broccoli
Clean and cut broccoli into spears, put on a cookie sheet pan and toss in olive oil and salt and pepper. Put under broiler for 7-10 minutes or until broccoli starts to get toasty. (this last time I made it and added lemon pepper, it was so tasty)

Father's Day Tie

2009-06-16T14:46:00.003-06:00

I found this fabulous idea on Make and Takes...

This is what my 2 year old will be giving to his Daddy for Father's Day!
I let the 2 year old stuff the 'snake'... and he had so much fun doing it.... he told his Daddy as soon as he saw him! (there goes that surprise.)

Super Yummy Pizza!

2009-06-16T13:32:00.004-06:00

I found the BEST pizza dough recipe!
You can find the original recipe HERE. (as well as a much better picture!)
My picture is blurry, but I didn't realize that until the pizza had been eaten... oh well.

The dough is super easy to make and it turned out fabulous!
I even tried her BBQ Pork pizza... Mmmmmmmmm!!
You've just got to try this one!

5-Minute Pizza Dough Recipe

2 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup hot water (120-130°, use a candy thermometer for accuracy if you're not sure)
1 Tbsp. Rapid Rise or Bread Machine yeast
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 500°. Mix dry ingredients together. Add hot water and olive oil. Mix for five minutes (I use my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook, but you could do this by hand, too). Let rest 10 minutes. Press dough on pizza pan, pizza stone, or jelly-roll pan. Bake at 500° for 3 minutes. Take out of the oven and cover with toppings. Return to the oven and bake 8-10 minutes more. Makes one large pizza (16-18 inches).

BBQ Pork Pizza Recipe

15-Minute Pizza Dough recipe
1 tub Lloyd's Hickory BBQ Pork (or similar prepared BBQ meat)
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped

While your dough is resting, caramelize your onions. Place sliced onion in a frying pan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Your onions are ready when they become tender and a little sticky.
Heat your meat according to the package directions. After baking your dough for 3 minutes, cover the crust with the BBQ meat.
Cover the meat with mozzarella cheese. Using a fork, separate onions and spread over pizza. Sprinkle on cilantro.
Return to the 500° oven for 8-10 minutes. EAT!

Coupons!

2009-05-26T11:06:00.003-06:00

I've become a fan of coupon shopping!

I don't subscribe to a newspaper, so I've never thought much about clipping coupons. (and it sounded like a pain, quite honestly) But we've been trying to watch our budget more these days, so I thought I'd look into it. No one has ever explained to me (in detail) how to get great deals using coupons... so I'm experimenting. Here is my attempt to pass on my success stories. ;)

I started by collecting online coupons. Coupons.com is a great place to go. They have new coupons every week or so. I printed those off and started my collection. I gathered them for a few weeks and then sat down to the computer. I looked at the online ads to see which store had the best deals. I decided that Albertson's was my best choice. (If you really want to get into it, you can go to several stores to get the BEST deals... but my two kids aren't ready for that kind of shopping yet)

While I was looking at the ads, I wrote down what items I would use in my house. Then I compared that to my list of coupons to see if I could use the sale along with a coupon.

My original total was $90.
I paid $50 after my discounts.
And I have a $10 mail in rebate.
So my total really is $40.
Not too shabby for my first time.

Here are some examples of what I purchased:

Kraft BBQ sauce
$1.50, on sale for $1.00, used a $1.00 off coupon = FREE

Wheat Thins
$2.45, on sale for $1.47, used a $1.00 off coupon = $.47

Triscuits
$2.45, on sale for $1.47, used a $1.00 off coupon = $.47

Colgate Toothpaste
$2.65, on sale for $1.00

Ceasar Salad
Buy One Get One Free

Oscar Mayer Beef Franks
Buy One Get One Freee, used a $1.00 off coupon as well

There are also things referred to as 'beer coupons'. I've learned that beer companies give out coupons or rebates for items that you'd normally purchase along with your beer. (Since I'm not a beer drinker, this was all new to me) Here is an example of my 'beer coupon'...

While at Albertson's, I saw a display advertising a particular brand of beer in the meat section. There was a rebate on that display for $10 with the purchase of $10 worth of any seafood or steak product. So I purchased $10.05 worth of yummy steaks and I will be getting $10.00 back in the mail. $.05 for steaks, can't beat that!

I've read online that these 'beer coupons' are usually for free groceries, sometimes cooler boxes, or bbq supplies. They can sometimes be found inside of your local gas stations. So keep your eye out for them.

If you haven't tried coupon shopping... give it a try! I was so surprised at how easy it was and how much money I saved.

Collect your coupons, wait for those items to go on sale... and be amazed at how much you save! Good luck!!

Here are some other fabulous websites that have helped me: Common Sense with Money, Pinching Your Pennies, and Slick Deals.

Spring Cupcakes

2009-04-08T12:01:00.006-06:00

Megan was asked to learn how to make these adorable cupcakes and teach them to our YWs last night. They are just too cute to eat!

Ingredients:

Cake Mix & ingredients on the box

Frosting

Large Marshmellows

Mint Leaf candies (find at Longs Drug)

Spring colored Sugars (regular consistency not large)

Gumdrops (find at Longs Drug)

Nonpareils (small little balls sold in cake decorating areas)

White sugar

Easter grass & small candies for decorations

1. Bake, cool and frost your cupcakes.

2. Take a large marshmellow and cut into 5 slices with sissors squishing it slightly as you cut so it looks like a petal.

3. Dip the cut sticky side of the marshmellow into the sugar leaving a white rim around each petal.

4. Take a mint leaf and slice it with a knife into 4 leafs. Dip the leafs that have been cut and do not have any sugars on it into regular white sugar.

5. Take a gum drop and slice off the very top to make it flat. Dip the sticky top just cut into the nonpareils.

6. Assembly your flower starting with the marshmellow leafs arranging 5 petals overlapping into a flower. Add two mint leaves carefully under the petals as you go or after. Add the gumdrop to the center and you are done!

Note: The marshmellows do harden so you might want to keep wrapped with cellophane and plan to deliver to a friend soon thereafter if they are a gift. Doiley's are a nice touch to hide the plate you are using.

Chicken Pasta Primavera

2009-04-08T11:11:00.002-06:00

This recipe is light and refreshing. Give it a try!

Chicken Pasta Primavera

2 cups cut-up fresh vegetables (green peppers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Grilled Chicken Breast Strips

4 oz. linguine, cooked, drained (about 2 cups)

3 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK and stir vegetables in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat 5 min. or until crisp-tender.

ADD chicken and linguine; cook an additional 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

STIR in the cheese.

1 & 1/3 cup = 350 calories

Recipe and picture can be found on the Kraft website here.