foodandrecipes

One of the greatest things about blogging is being inspired by other bloggers. I will not wax poetic about how much I love food blogging and social media (which I’m prone to doing), I will simply share with you the recipes and posts that really caught my eye this week. 1) I’m sort of on

Ah, romance.  These cookies were inspired by some of the most famous romances in history. Lucy & Ricky....obviously. Danny & Sandy...as a young girl, I was fairly certain I would don a leather outfit and high heels & sing "You're the One that I Want" at a carnival with my true love. {It hasn't happened. YET.} Homer & Marge...unconditional love if I've ever seen it. Ken & Barbie...have you SEEN Toy Story 3? Jim & Pam...I've only seen a few seasons of The Office on cable, but Jim & Pam are SO DARN SWEET!  Oh, I just love them. Carrie & Big...don't tell me if they break up in the movies.  I prefer my Carrie/Big memories right where they ended for me, with the last TV show. Gomez & Morticia...they just might be my all-time favorite TV romance.  Go back and watch The Addams Family again.  They make me smile EVERY time! ♥ I asked Mr. E if he could name some famous couples.  His first response? "Charles and Diana."  My (yelled) reply, "CHARLES AND DIANA?!?"  He looked at me like I was the crazy one.  After he explained himself for a minute, it occurred to me.  "Do you mean William and Kate?!?"  Him: "Yes."  Men. No true love list would be complete without Rhett & Scarlett.  Every time I read Gone with the Wind, I hope they'll run across the yard at Tara and into each other's arms.  It never happens.  Darn it. I had a few more on my list (Elvis & Priscilla, Fred & Wilma, Han & Leia, PW & MM, Roy & Dale) but as is always the case with "writing" on cookies, I had several mistakes.  Even on the "good ones,"  my handwriting is not as cute as it was in my head. :) These are as simple as an outline and fill with royal icing...

• I used AmeriColor Super Black for the outline and writing,
• #3 tip for the outline, #1 tip for the writing,
• hearts: soft pink, deep pink mixed with electric pink, and super red (all AmeriColor)
• to avoid bleeding, I let the flooded hearts sit for a few hours before adding the names

Easy, peasy. Actually, I liked the way they looked plain, too.  Simple black outline.  Love it every time.

On Fridays we like to offer up something fun for the weekend. Often it’s a baked treat like week before last’s Chocolate Muffins with White Chocolate and Dried Cherries or a fun drink like last Friday’s Puerto Rican Egg Nog. Today we’re featuring a cocktail–French Gimlet. Just three ingredients–St. Germain, gin, and lime juice. If

We are storytellers by nature.

Whether that’s because we’re southern, or just simply human – in my family, stories fill our days and nights.  Some of our stories are funny, some are sad, some are serious and some (if told by Monkey) are highly embellished and exaggerated.

Stories are a way of keeping people alive in our hearts.

Stories are a way of preserving memories, passing along history and a way of bringing us closer together.

I encourage my kids to share their stories, to write them down, to draw them, record them, to save them…

 

My children spend hours lost in paper and crayons – putting their stories down on paper and presenting them to us like the priceless treasures they are

This year, for Nathan’s birthday – my kids wanted to do something special for him.  Using their individual gifts – they wanted to create books that could travel with him, go to work with him and remind him every time he saw them of how much they love him.

Princess is an amazing artist and storyteller, so she grabbed her art supplies and made Nathan a book.

Monkey’s gift?  He’s a natural born storyteller – he is animated and funny and has a gift for words, as everyone whose ever been around him for more than 10 minutes can tell you .  At 5, he’s not quite able to write as well as Princess and he didn’t want to just draw Daddy a book.  I assured him that we’d come up with some way to use his gift to make Daddy the best present ever.

Last week, while at HEB, I found it – A Hallmark Recordable Storybook.  The moment I saw it, I knew it was what Monkey had to give Nathan.

As soon as Monkey saw it, he agreed immediately and ran to his room to read it:

How did we know it was meant to be? Take a look at the pictures of this Dad and Me storybook.

I had to share this video with y’all.  Last night after Monkey fell asleep, I pried the book out of his hands and recorded a few pages out of the book.  I love his voice, his imagination, the way he sees his Dad. 

I love that my kids wanted to give Nathan memories this year.  I love that stories, memories and heart are so important to my kids.

Happy Birthday to the love of my life.  I can’t wait to share these with you, to watch their eyes light up as they tell you about each of their gifts and how they created them just for you.

Here’s to the memories and a million more stories.

Happy Birthday.  I love you.

 

 

 

This post was written as a part of my work with  Hallmark  and their “Life Is a Special Occasion” campaign.  This is not a paid review of the Hallmark Recordable Storybook – I bought that all on my own.  The opinions, photographs, ideas and children are 100% mine.

We are wrapping up Valentine’s Week today with some absolutely ADORABLE Valentine’s Day Subway Art Printables and a Party for you to share your ideas too! All this week myself, Gina, Amy, and Kellie have shared our Valentine’s Day ideas with you.

In case you missed any of the Valentine’s Week ideas, here’s a little re-cap for you…

• Pink Lemonade Pie
• Valentine Mantel
• Valentine Envelopes
• Valentine’s Mug

And don’t forget! Each blog has an AWESOME giveaway for you to enter too!

Today, we have a special little something for you! A VERY special Thank You to Charlotte from The Paper Cupcake for designing the Valentine’s Day Subway Art! If you haven’t been over to her Etsy Shop lately, you MUST go! She has the best party printables ever!

Oh YES! Isn’t it the cutest ever? AND there are two sizes for you to chose from…Charlotte is AWESOME like that!

So here’s what you need to do…

Click HERE to download the Valentine’s Day Subway Art in 8×10 size

Click HERE to download the Valentine’s Day Subway Art in 11×14 size

The link will open to a PDF file and simply print and use to decorate with or even give as a gift!

THEN, head on over to The Paper Cupcake Facebook page and tell Charlotte how awesome she is…I’m sure she will love to hear from you!

Now, it’s your turn to add your Valentine’s Day Ideas to the Party, simply click on the little blue button where it says “add your link” and your posts will show up on ALL 4 blogs – The Shabby Creek Cottage, The Idea Room, Nest of Posies and right here! How cool is that?

Oh and don’t forget…we are pinning your ideas too!

Today’s blogger spotlight is the wonderful Cassie from Bake Your Day. Cassie’s blog is new-ish to me, but I’m so glad that I discovered her! She is such a friendly and supportive blogger, and I’m happy to consider her one of my online friends!

I live in Kansas City with my husband Paul and our cat Emma.  I love people, I love life, and I love living life well. I especially love living well through food. I believe that food is nostalgic, it is comforting, it brings people together, and it builds community.  I aim to create meals and desserts that are simple, yet elegant and recipes that use accessible, affordable ingredients.  I love sharing my life and how my life is connected to others through food.

 

What inspired you to first start writing your blog? I had been following blogs for a long time. I had wanted to start a blog and honestly the thing that kept me from starting one was that I couldn’t come up with a name that I liked. Bake Your Day came about out of my husband’s creativity and I loved the play on words. What kinds of posts are your favorite to write? What do your readers seem to like the most? Reader favorites have to be desserts, particularly cookies. And I love them too so I love that my readers love cookie posts. I love to write posts that have a great story to share along with the food. I love relating my food to my life. Do you plan a weekly menu? If so, what inspires your menu? Yes I do. I shop weekly and I plan meals around what nights we will be home, what foods are on sale, what we like and what needs to go on the blog. It’s sort of a chaotic planning process but it works for me! What is your favorite kind of food to make? Cookies are definitely my favorite thing to bake. For meals though, I love making classic dishes like risotto, homemade mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and pasta dishes. (...) Read the rest of Blogger Spotlight | Bake Your Day (600 words)

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© Deborah Harroun for Taste and Tell, 2012. | Permalink | No comment |

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Let’s end this week on a high note!

Strawberry frosting!!!!

I could seriously eat this stuff by the spoonfuls.

It’s so fresh and sweet…just like the strawberries that it’s made of.

 

I have to make a little shout out to my grandmother, Moms, who is retiring today! Woohoo! Party at Moms’ house….I’ll bring the strawberry frosting!

 

Strawberry Frosting

from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup frozen whole strawberries, thawed
• 1 cup unsalted butter, almost to room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How-T0

1. Using your Blendtec Twister jar or a food processor, pureé the strawberries.
2. In a large bowl (or your stand mixer), beat the butter until creamy and fluffy.
3. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar.
4. Beat in the vanilla extract and the strawberry pureé.

Servings: Frosts 1 dozen cupcakes, or fills and frosts one 6″ two layer cake.

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ENJOY! is a subscription gift program.  It’s a mystery gift delivered right to your door. Like a wine of the month club… only better!

Every three months I pair up with a different cool, quirky company and hand-select a unique little gift package for you.  It could be a cool kitchen item.  It could be something for you to carry in your purse.  It could be a little something for your vanity.   Whatever it is, it’s a new and exciting thing that arrives in your mailbox every three months.  …We’re not talking freebies or samples… we’re talking full-on awesome gifts!

It’s easy!  Every three months, you get a gift!

What was the last ENJOY! gift?

For the last round of gifting I worked with a Los Angeles company called Poketo.

Poketo creates “art for the everyday”.  They work with artists and turn their work into awesome everyday things like wallets, stationary, calendars, plates, and these awesome clay chain necklaces that I’m obsessed with.  With Poketo we gifted cool wallets and arty calendars.  Surprise gift success!

Read on… sign up! (I’m bossy.)

What is the next Enjoy! gift?

Don’t be silly!  That’s a surprise!  I can’t tell you!

But… let me give you a hint… because I’m totally SO bad at keeping secrets.

The next Enjoy! gift is a few treats that you’ll get down with in the kitchen.  I love them and I hope you do too!

What if I don’t like my Enjoy! gift?

I try hard to select fun, useful gift that I think everyone can enjoy.  I choose things that I love, and I want you to love them as well.  I won’t ever send you peanuts or booze… not everyone is into that sort of thing.  Beyond that, it’s a surprise gift!  A surprise treat to yourself!  If you don’t like your subscription gift, please feel free to regift the heck out of it.  We’re unable to accommodate returns or refunds.  It’s a surprise!  If you don’t like surprises… and not everyone does… Enjoy! may not be the program for you.

Ps.  I really do think you’ll like it though…

When will I receive my next Enjoy! gifts?

Great question!  International and domestic Enjoy! gifts will be shipped  the last week of February.  Domestic gifts will arrive within one week after shipment.  International gifts will arrive within two weeks to a month after shipment.

Already a Subscriber?

If you’re already a subscriber, you don’t have to do a thing!  You’re all set!  An automatic payment will post to your account and you’ll receive your gift in early March.

If you need to amend your subscription status, or change your mailing address, please login to Paypal to make any adjustments.

Want to be a Subscriber?

I’m bonkers excited about the next round of gifting!  Enjoy! has been a super unique way to put the things that I love in your hands.

ENJOY! subscription slots filled up so fast last round! We’ve buffed up the program and we’re ready for more!

If you’d like to sign up for Enjoy!, now is your time!

ENJOY! subscriptions are $25 domestic and $30 international.  Price includes gift and shipping, and are charged every three months for as long as you’re a subscriber.  Each gift is worth more than the cost of subscription… so it’s a deal and a treat all in one.  I love it and I want you to love it too.  Think of it as that little treat that helps keep you sane.

 

US shipping.

International shipping.

payment through paypal or credit card

thank you for the photos Tracy.

 

I think it’s pretty fair to say that when most of us think of making chocolate chip cookies, we look on the yellow Nestle bag for the Toll House Cookie recipe.

Recently my friend Kim had a chocolate chip cookie fail!  She asked me “What happened? What did I do wrong“  I made a few suggestions off the top of my head, but it got me thinking.  I wanted to search for the BEST, no fail, Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

Surely the Nestle Toll House recipe is the best known, but did you know there is a science to all that flour, sugar, eggs and chocolate?  That’s why some times your cookie may come out perfect and the next time they don’t.  Or wonder about flat cookies vs fluffy cookies?

In my search for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, it appears that The New York Times had the same question I did a few years ago, and set out on a quest for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe!  It’s a great read if you have ever wondered why you have cookie making “issues”.

I also discovered, that I must be one of the only bloggers that had not heard about this recipe! HA!  Amanda, Julie, Maria, Jamie and a whole slew of others have written about it, while I had my head in a hole!  So I’m asking…no BEGGING you……don’t ignore this post as “just another chocolate chip cookie recipe”!

If I can help just ONE person discover it, my job will be done!  Seriously, my search is over this IS the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.  This is not a recipe you want to adapt, and you want to follow the directions precisely the first time.  Trust me on this, I followed it to a “t” because I wanted to see if it really lived up to it’s name!

A little planning and patience is needed with this recipe . You will need cake and bread flour and a minimum of 24 hours to chill…..but SO worth it!

The size of this cookie plays a big roll as well. 

The instructions say to form the dough into a ball a little larger than a golf ball, suggesting 3.5 ounces (I used a cookie scoop and my kitchen scale and made mine 3.15 ounces)

I wanted to show you how big these look in my hand! lol  Do me a favor, try it!! you will LOVE the look on their faces when you bake them a big chocolatey perfectly chewy cookie.

Their larger size allows for three distinct textures. “First there’s the crunchy outside inch or so,” he said. A nibble revealed a crackle to the bite and a distinct flavor of butter and caramel. “Then there’s the center, which is soft.” A bull’s-eye the size of a half-dollar yielded easily.

“But the real magic,” he added, “is the one-and-a-half-inch ring between them where the two textures and all the flavors mix.” ~ Maury Rubin, City Bakery, on West 18th Street, NY

Don’t be the last person to try these!  I promise you! THIS is The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (don’t change a thing!) 

 

I’m Lovin’……Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Now it’s your turn! Please remember to link back to http://TidyMom.net

Let us know what you’re lovin’ this week!

Share your recipes, crafts, diy’s, photography, printables, products..anything you are loving!

If you have something to share with us on your blog, add your link below.

*Don’t forget to come back over the weekend for the I’m Lovin’ It Wrap Up post……where I feature a few of the great links!!

 

 

What is I’m Lovin’ It Fridays? get all the info, how to’s trouble shoot and button here

 

Pin It

I think it’s pretty fair to say that when most of us think of making chocolate chip cookies, we look on the yellow Nestle bag for the Toll House Cookie recipe.

Recently my friend Kim had a chocolate chip cookie fail!  She asked me “What happened? What did I do wrong“  I made a few suggestions off the top of my head, but it got me thinking.  I wanted to search for the BEST, no fail, Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

Surely the Nestle Toll House recipe is the best known, but did you know there is a science to all that flour, sugar, eggs and chocolate?  That’s why some times your cookie may come out perfect and the next time they don’t.  Or wonder about flat cookies vs fluffy cookies?

In my search for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe, it appears that The New York Times had the same question I did a few years ago, and set out on a quest for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe!  It’s a great read if you have ever wondered why you have cookie making “issues”.

I also discovered, that I must be one of the only bloggers that had not heard about this recipe! HA!  Amanda, Julie, Maria, Jamie and a whole slew of others have written about it, while I had my head in a hole!  So I’m asking…no BEGGING you……don’t ignore this post as “just another chocolate chip cookie recipe”!

If I can help just ONE person discover it, my job will be done!  Seriously, my search is over this IS the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.  This is not a recipe you want to adapt, and you want to follow the directions precisely the first time.  Trust me on this, I followed it to a “t” because I wanted to see if it really lived up to it’s name!

A little planning and patience is needed with this recipe . You will need cake and bread flour and a minimum of 24 hours to chill…..but SO worth it!

The size of this cookie plays a big roll as well. 

The instructions say to form the dough into a ball a little larger than a golf ball, suggesting 3.5 ounces (I used a cookie scoop and my kitchen scale and made mine 3.15 ounces)

I wanted to show you how big these look in my hand! lol  Do me a favor, try it!! you will LOVE the look on their faces when you bake them a big chocolatey perfectly chewy cookie.

“Their larger size allows for three distinct textures. First there’s the crunchy outside inch or so. A nibble revealed a crackle to the bite and a distinct flavor of butter and caramel. Then there’s the center, which is soft. A bull’s-eye the size of a half-dollar yielded easily.

But the real magic is the one-and-a-half-inch ring between them where the two textures and all the flavors mix.” ~ Maury Rubin, City Bakery, on West 18th Street, NY

Don’t be the last person to try these!  I promise you! THIS is The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (don’t change a thing!) 

 

I’m Lovin’……Chocolate Chip Cookies

get button code

Now it’s your turn! Please remember to link back to http://TidyMom.net

Let us know what you’re lovin’ this week!

Share your recipes, crafts, diy’s, photography, printables, products..anything you are loving!

If you have something to share with us on your blog, add your link below.

*Don’t forget to come back over the weekend for the I’m Lovin’ It Wrap Up post……where I feature a few of the great links!!

 

 

What is I’m Lovin’ It Fridays? get all the info, how to’s trouble shoot and button here

"Now this is how oxtails should taste," my father declared after taking a bite of these glazed oxtails. I couldn't agree more. We have a thing for oxtails in our family. Oxtail stew was a favorite winter dish my mom prepared when we were growing up. If you are unfamiliar with oxtails, they are tails of steers, typically sold cut into segments. Most of what you buy is bone, and the meat is well exercised and fatty, so oxtail preparations lend themselves to slow cooking. Much like short-ribs, but in my opinion, even better. Think of the best pulled pork imaginable, but with beef. In this recipe the oxtails are first browned, then slow cooked with red wine and stock. Then the segments are removed so you can strip the meat off of them and the liquid is reduced to a glaze. It's actually pretty easy to make, most of the cooking time is hands-off while the oxtails are simmering.

Continue reading "Glazed Oxtails" »

We have been having so much fun this week, sharing our Valentine’s Day ideas! A yummy dessert, a Valentine Mantel, cute Valentine envelopes and today Amy shared a Valentine mug with a cute chalkboard heart on it.

For many years, I have been putting together Love Buckets for our boys. It’s one of those family traditions that you can never be too old for. I’ve shared our Love Buckets the last couple years, in fact exactly one year ago today I shared the small plastic Love Buckets that I put together.

But this year, I decided to get a little more crafty with these metal buckets.

I just love all the chalkboard inspiration, so I decided to use the directions for making chalkboard labels and give it a shot. Here are the supplies you will need…

Love Bucket Supplies:

• Bucket – any kind will do, we found this one at Big R Tractor Supply, it was under $4
• Chalkboard Paint – found in most paint departments, I used a 40% coupon and bought this at Hobby Lobby
• Labels – you can use any size or shape, I wanted an oval shape on the bucket, so we found Avery Shipping Labels that came in a full sheet, at Walmart

How to Make Chalkboard Labels:

1. Place label on cardboard, and spray with chalkboard paint – be sure you take it outside, just like with any spray paint
2. You will need 3-4 coats, letting it dry in between each coat
3. Then let the sheet dry overnight

1. Draw your shape on the back of the labels – we used a cookie cutter to make a paper template. Cut it out.
2. Attach label to bucket
3. Add words or symbols with chalk – I used the same trick I used on the Winter Mantel Chalkboard
4. Add a heart for the gift tag – I had some extra hearts left from the Valentine’s Day Garland, so I glued together 3 sizes and tied it on with twine

Now it’s time to fill the Love Bucket…

You can of course use anything you like to fill the bucket. I typically buy things for the boys that they “love”, like their favorite candy, books, magazines, toys etc. etc. This Love Bucket is filled with gifts for a girlfriend; some fun Valentine stickers, a magazine, Valentine socks, candy and a pretty necklace. I bought everything at Walmart and spent about $13, but you could certainly spend less.

The other great thing about the buckets is that you can use this idea to create endless organizing and craft projects. I’m seeing a fun project in the future for our office.

Tomorrow it’s YOUR turn to share! Link up your Valentine recipes, crafts, decorating, pretty much any love filled idea you have to the Valentine Party and it will show up on ALL four blogs at the same time! Pretty cool huh?

AND you won’t want to miss the FREE Valentine Printable from The Paper Cupcake! You are going to FLIP out over it!! I also created a Pinterest Board for Valentine’s Week, and will be pinning your awesome ideas! So follow along and gather some ideas!

All week myself and 4 other amazing gals have been celebrating Valentine’s Day and to kick it off on Monday, I shared Pink Lemonade Pie. Along with the recipe is a giveaway to the AWESOME Paper Cupcake Etsy Shop. Since many of my readers receive the Giveaway Newsletter, I wanted to be sure you didn’t miss the giveaway.

And the other Valentine’s Week bloggers are hosting giveaways too…

• Nest of Posies at The Idea Room
• The Shabby Creek Cottage tablerunner at The Nest of Posies
• Valentine Banner at The Shabby Creek Cottage

The Paper Cupcake Etsy Shop is FULL of ADORABLE printables! So don’t miss out!

Head on over and enter the giveaway for $25 credit to the Paper Cupcake Etsy Shop!

Note: Comments are closed on this post. You will need to enter on the giveaway page.

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I have a 25 year white tub surround that has accumulated a darkened tint due to left over scum even after cleaning it often enough for this very busy mom and full time art teacher.  What is fast and quick and odorless, green, effective, etc. Seems that I am also very good at damaging our home, as I tend to be impulsive when it comes to cleaning.

Help me please, thanks.

Signed,

Grimy in Gridley

Heather says:

 Before I explain how to clean a tub surround, I thought I’d explain exactly what a tub surround is for those who may be unsure. In some bathrooms the shower and tub are one unit. The walls that extend upward from the tub toward the ceiling are known as the surround and can be made from different material including tile and acrylic. The joints are often sealed with caulk or in the case of tile, grout (which also needs to be sealed). Over the years caulk, if it becomes moldy, will need to be replaced. Our bathroom has poor ventilation and consequently I have spent more time than I care to admit scraping and re-caulking our shower. If I had been consulted, I would demand that in shower pans all ledges should have a steep enough angle to prevent puddling. Unfortunately no one thought to ask and I spend time wiping ledges and replacing caulk.

I contacted “Grimy” and asked about her particular surround. Her tub surround is acrylic which means if she ever  used harsh chemical cleansers over the years, it’s quite possible that the acrylic surface was chemically etched or scratched.

Dirt and grime accumulates in these tiny scratches and is then sealed- in by soap scum and minerals which are hard to scrub away and just leave a dirty look.

Bar Keepers Friend is one of my favorite cleaning products in these situations. As you requested, it is environmentally friendly. Now because it is an acid, you will want to wear gloves or at the very least not get it on your hands or in your eyes. Keep in mind that vinegar or lemon juice wouldn’t be pleasant in your eyes, either. Oxalic acid is only a bit stronger than either of these and as BKF it arrives in a much more convenient form.

Since cleaning a tub surround involves removing accumulated grime on a vertical surface I would suggest the liquid version of the product. The powder version of BKF will work, but it will be a little more annoying to apply.

To clean the tub surround, apply the the liquid BKF to the shower walls and allow it to sit for a few minutes, to give the oxalic acid time to work on the soap scum. Then use a damp sponge or rag to wipe the walls clean and follow with a thorough rinse.

If you’re using the powder version of BKF wipe the walls with a damp rag, sprinkle BKF on the rag and apply to the walls. Again, give it time to work before removing. The point isn’t to use BKF as an abrasive cleaner, but rather to take advantage of the acidic nature of the product.

It may take a second application, since as you’ve noted, this grime has taken a long time to accumulate, it’s not going to come off easily.

To keep the clean look of your scrubbed tub surround, you can apply a protective coating of wax, yep just like you’d use on your car. Whatever you do, do NOT wax the floor of your tub. Can you say broken hip? I knew you could. To keep it environmentally friendly, use a carnuba wax.

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

Click here to leave a comment on How to Clean a Grimy Bathtub and Surround . We'd love to hear your say.

This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

December food is abundant, rich, opulent. And then winter sets in. After all the stuffings and roasts, sweet potatoes and cranberries, January food should be warm and cozy but with a little edge. Which was exactly the kind of dish I was looking for when we invited friends over for a buffet supper a few

Pin It   I am here with another delicious recipe inspired by the wonderful 2012 Flavor Forecast from McCormick. (If you missed the first time I talked about this, check it out – along with a recipe for delicious Coconut Ginger Muffins – here. I am really loving all of these trends and flavor combinations from McCormick. (...) Read the rest of Korean BBQ Chicken Tacos with Asian Pear and Jicama Slaw (349 words)

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Every year on a Sunday in late January or early February Americans gather in groups large and small to declare an unofficial holiday, for a televised event that has become a bigger spectacle than the game it’s self…….. Super Bowl!

Some enjoy this match of “winner takes all” for the game, while others enjoy it for the pageantry………but most everyone enjoys it for the food! Making Super Bowl Sunday an event, even for those who are not football fans {hand in the air}!

Whether we have a house full of guests, or just me and my husband, we plan lots of food! Usually “easy to eat while sitting on the couch” food.

I have a few favorites we make every year

5 Favorite Game Day recipes

 

Mini Ham Sandwiches:

These hot little sandwiches score big every year! I don’t know why I never think to make them any other time.

 

 

 

Beer Cheese Dip

You don’t have to be a beer drinker to love this cheese dip! Great with pretzels, crackers, and chips!

 

 

 

Buffalo Chicken Dip:

Enjoy buffalo hot wings? Then you NEED this dip! Best served hot with tortilla chips.

 

 

 

Homemade Pizza Rolls:

The easiest way to eat pizza! Use refrigerated pizza crust top with your favorite cheese and meat, roll, slice, bake and dip in pizza sauce. You’ll never eat it by the slice again!

 

 

 

Ranch and Dill Oyster Crackers

Oyster crackers seasoned with packaged ranch salad dressing mix and dill weed are an easy-to-make and easy-to-eat snack!

 

 

Super Bowl planning tips

What I love about planning for a Super Bowl party is how laid back everything is. No need for fancy plates, linens or food! No time to cook? Get pizza and wings delivered, pick up a veggie tray, chips and dips, nuts, some Tyson Anytizers for a perfectly easy way to make sure that your party comes off without a hitch!

Need more super bowl party food ideas? Check out the Super Bowl Eats folder on Pinterest!

Tell me what tips you have for hosting a successful party for friends and family for the Big Game and be entered to win a 42” LG flat Screen TV!

Tyson Any’tizers are a great snack that satisfies your kids on game day or any day!

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I’m getting a pedicure today!

My first one since getting pregnant (I always just do my own toes…save the monies!) since I’m sad to say that I’m not longer able to contort into a position to paint all of my beautiful little toes (Yes, I have the tiniest toe nails ever. So weird.).

To celebrate, how about some of these gorgeously glazed, crunchy and sweet whole wheat pecan pie bars?

Just be sure that you boil the sugar mixture for the full 3 minutes. My pregnancy brain of mine didn’t remember this and only boiled it for about 30 seconds. Hence, the more runny and gooey whole wheat pecan pie bars.

It’s fine by me, though! They are fabulous either way!

 

Whole Wheat Pecan Pie Bars

adapted from Once Upon a Chef

Ingredients

   crust

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

   topping

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 cups coursely chopped pecans

How-To

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cover a 8″ x 8″ pan with non stick foil and spray with cooking spray.
3. In your blender or food processor, combine the flour, corn starch, and powdered sugar. Blend until combined.
4. Add in the butter, blend until it combines.
5. Push the crust into the prepared pan.
6. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, until very light brown.
8. While the crust is cooling, prepare the topping.
9. In a sauce pan, over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
10. Allow to come to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.
11. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans.
12. Remove from heat.
13. Pour the topping on the crust.
14. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and bubbling.
15. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
16. Cut into squares and serve!

We continue our Valentine’s Week today! Along with these awesome gals, Gina from The Shabby Creek Cottage, Kellie at Nest of Posies, Amy at The Idea Room, and Charlotte from The Paper Cupcake, each day will be fun filled with Valentine’s Day ideas and a special giveaway each day.

To start off the week, I shared a perfect dessert for your Valentine, Pink Lemonade Pie. Then yesterday, Gina shared her Valentine Mantel. And of course, giveaways on both days too!

Today it’s all about crafts! Kellie made some darling Valentine Envelopes! I think I might just dust off my sewing machine to make a few!  Oh and don’t miss out on the giveaway from The Shabby Creek Cottage Etsy Shop!

I have made several Heart Garlands over the last couple years, one using a cookie cutter and sewing it to a ribbon {sorry about the pictures, I’ve come a long way},then another one using a paper quilling technique, but I this one is definitely my favorite!

These kitchen cabinets were in need of a little pick-me-up after the holidays, so I gathered all my Valentine sprinkles, a few extra decorations and pulled it all together.

The hearts are cut from Lifestyle Crafts die cuts. They have a super cute Valentine selection with lots to choose from. You may remember the snowflakes, paper lanterns and most recently the cupcake wrappers I also made with their die cuts!

I just love these hearts, they come in a couple different styles, I used the nesting eyelet die cut.

To make the Heart Garland, you will need…

• Scrapbook paper
• Heart die cuts
• Glue stick
• Twine or ribbon
• Mini clothes pins or another way to hang them

Directions:

1. Cut out hearts in different sizes
2. Fold heart in half, right sides together
3. Spread glue along the folded edge and add to larger size heart
4. Measure and add twine to the area you are hanging the garland
5. Add hearts with mini clothes pins or you could hang them with thread or fishing line

The rest of the cabinet has some fun little Valentine decorations I thought you might also like.

I’m ready to decorate lots of cupcakes and cookies for Valentine’s Day with the jars full of sprinkles. In the upper left photo, you can see Valentine cupcake liners in a clear tall jar, and scattered throughout are some vintage Valentine cards that I’ve had for years. On the bottom shelf, I filled a red heart shaped basket with cookie cutters, and added a Scentsy candle warmer too. Watch for a giveaway next week for one of these cuties!

And then I couldn’t stop at the cabinet, I just had to add some hearts to my ladder that hangs above the kitchen sink.

Let’s take a closer look…it’s kind of hard to see with the window behind it. We took down the curtain in preparation for the Kitchen Remodel…remember, it’s on our Home Goals list?

Cuteness!! The hearts just make me smile! The letter “L” was left from Christmas decorating, and I simply changed the little chalkboard tags to read “Be Mine.”

We wrap up our Valentine Week tomorrow with Amy from The Idea Room, she will be sharing a fun Valentine gift idea, and of course a giveaway. I will be back with Love Buckets too!

On Friday, it’s YOUR turn to share! Link up your Valentine recipes, crafts, decorating, pretty much any love filled idea you have to the Valentine Party and it will show up on ALL four blogs at the same time! Pretty cool huh?

AND you won’t want to miss the Valentine Printable from The Paper Cupcake! She sent it to me a little bit ago and you are going to FLIP out over it!!

I also created a Pinterest Board for Valentine’s Week, and will be pinning your awesome ideas! So follow along and gather some ideas!

Photo credit – Positively Splendid

Interested in these cool products from Lifestyle Crafts? Head on over and be sure to use Promo Code…HOOSIER to receive 20% off your order!

And don’t forget to enter their giveaway…it’s HUGE!

Yup…that’s some pretty cool stuff! Learn all about the giveaway!

Disclosure: I received some products to try from Lifestyle Crafts and as always, the opinions are my own.