Angry Birds!!!

I know very few people who do not like the Angry Birds!  So many of my students tell me all about Angry Birds and could easily beat me in a game!!  A week or so ago I was asked about doing an Angry Birds cake for a child's birthday.  They needed a small cake that the child could tear into, and a sheet cake for everyone else.  So....after looking up lots of pictures....here is what I came up with:

I was rather excited about how the cake turned out!  I really debated about making the sheet cake more 3-D and building little walls and such...but this cake had to travel a couple hours after  I got it to my customer...so, maybe I will do another cake that is more 3-D... 

S'mores...

So, I don't know about you, but I love S'mores....they always make me think of Girl Scout camp.  A bunch of us girls and a few of our moms (including my wonderful Mom) went on a camping trip.  We had a little cabin with a kitchen and a lot of sleeping bags!  Our cabin was right beside a little creek and there was a fire pit behind the cabin.  One evening we made S'mores and they were wonderful!  There are so many other times I have made S'mores also, but this memory was always a fond one! 

While S'mores are delicious, they are not always easy to fix...I hate to fire up the grill for one S'more!  :)  My mother use to make a S'more's snack mix with Golden Grahams, Marshmallows, and Chocolate Chips...but recently I ran across a recipe for a Rice Krispie treat type S'more!  So, I tried it!! 

DELICIOUS!

 

 

I couldn't resist sampling the warm gooey goodness as I was making these!!

 

 

You need:

5 Tb butter

1 bag mini marshmallows

1 (12 oz) box of Golden Grahams

1 bag chocolate chips (chilled in freezer)

splash of vanilla (optional)

13x9 cake pan (sprayed with cooking spray)

 

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add marshmallows.  When they are almost melted you can add the vanilla if you would like to.  Then add the Golden Grahams and Chocolate Chips.  Pour into a pan to set up, cut and enjoy!

 

I probably would use a larger pan than I used this time....they were a little thick for my personal preferences.  However, they were wonderful!!

 

Enjoy!

 

Taco Soup...

Today I made the first soup of the season...and it was wonderful!!!  Tonight was a perfect night for a bowl of soup!  We had a great morning at church, then came home relaxed, put soup on the stove, and then this evening we sat down to eat that soup and watch some football!!

This is a recipe that I use Deer meat for, but it can be made with hamburger or ground turkey, or without meat!  I must give recipe credit to my Mother-in-law.  She gave this to me after I found out it was one of my husband's favorites.  I have also heard of people adding cabbage, but...I don't.  It can be made within 30 minutes and lasts my family (myself and my amazing husband) about a week - one night of dinner and then lunches a couple/few days each.

Taco Soup:
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
2 cans whole kernel corn
1large can crushed tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning **I use homemade Taco Seasoning
1 package ranch seasoning
1 lb ground meat (browned)

Combine all ingredients (don't drain the beans, just open the can and dump) in pot and heat through!  Serve with corn chips and shredded cheese!  Although it can be made quickly, if I have time, I like to put it on low heat and let it cook slowly through the evening....makes the house smell delicious!!

Deer Calzones...

First of all, these can be made with any type meat you choose...but at our house...deer is preferred!

I start with browned (scrambled) deer meat.  I add pizza sauce and seasonings to it and let it simmer.  Then I use a pizza crust mix (the kind you just add hot water too) and mix it up as the directions say.    I usually get about three calzones out of one pizza crust.  After the crust is ready, I separate it into three sections.  Take one section and roll it out...

 

I brush the inside of the calzone with a little bit of EVOO, then spoon in the deer meat mixture.  I also sprinkle the deer meat with cheese and top with Turkey Pepperoni.

 

Fold over the top of the calzone (be careful not to poke a hole in the crust like I did on one of the ones below!), and I seal it with a fork.  If you are overly picky about how it looks you can take a knife and trim off the ragged edges after you have sealed it.

 

 

Then I make a mixture of EVOO, Parmesan cheese, and oregano.  The consistency needs to be a little more runny than a paste.

 

Lightly brush the mixture over the tops of the calzones.

 

 

Place in the oven and bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes, or until crust is a golden brown.

 

 

ENJOY!!

 

Newsprint Manicure...

So, last night I decided to try giving myself a manicure!  I have never been an excellent nail painter...especially when I have to use my left hand to paint my right! :)  However, I wanted to try the newsprint on fingernails idea.  I did not have an off white color as they show in the Pinterest picture.  So, I chose a shade of hot pink....I figured the black newsprint would still stand out against such a bright color.  I first tried applying the rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball...but that did not work.  So, I poured some rubbing alcohol in a small bowl and soaked each nail one at a time for about 5 seconds.  Immediately after taking my nail out of the alcohol I pressed a small piece of newspaper against it.  I did learn that if you press to hard  it will dent your existing nail polish! :)  However, it worked!!  I now have typing on my fingernails!  I want to get an off while polish and try the road map next!!

The picture isn't that great, but you can at least tell that the newsprint did show up! It does look better and more clear in person! :)

Planning Ahead...

I finally realized I would be more likely to get my projects started and completed if I would plan ahead what projects I wanted to do each week!:)  So, here is a preview of some ideas I am hoping to try this week....I may not get to all of them, but I hope to get most of them finished!!  IF you have any ideas or suggestions...let me know!!

 

I have a gazillion hair ties and a plethora of yarn...so... :)

 

I got a Hobby Lobby gift card that I need to use....I was waiting for the stamping sets to go on sale, but have not seem them go on sale yet...so that 40% coupon will come in handy!!

My sweet husband is a tick magnet...so, we will hopefully find out if this works!!

I have a ton of newspapers (saving to make a pinata) so this should be easy....

I have already started this one and I will be posting about how it worked and if it did work...

Pumpkin Brownies...

This weekend I was blessed to spend time with second family (my husband's family)!  We always have a great time when we are able to get together!!  While we were together I decided to try one of my old Weight Watchers recipes on the fam.  You will need:

A regular size can of pumpkin

A chocolate Cake Mix (The Dark Chocolate is best)

Cocoa powder (optional)

**After making this and sampling it...I would recommend a Duncan Hines Double Chocolate Cake Mix, or adding cocoa....the pilsbury traditional did not completely cover the taste of pumpkin, and didn't bake as well**

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Mix together the can of pumpkin and the cake mix (as well as the cocoa powder if you choose to use some).  **I'm sure some chocolate chips would be wonderful in the mix, but I do not know what that would do to the Weight Watcher's Points.... **

Spray a 9x11 baking pan and spread the batter evenly in the pan.  

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until baked through.  You can top with Fat Free Cool Whip if you like!  

The fun of these brownies is that you cannot taste the pumpkin!  If you do not have a dark chocolate cake mix you will probably want to add a little cocoa powder just to be sure though!  If you cut the pan of brownies into 16 pieces each piece will be only 1 Weight Watcher's Point (on the old system...I'm not sure about the new...).  Of course, I usually cut my pan into smaller pieces, so less than 1 point for a brownie!!!  =)

The nieces and nephew seemed to like them today and the students in my classes for the past few years have liked them as well....until they found out pumpkin was in them!! :)

Where do all the finished crafts go?

I have some very exciting news!!  A couple months ago I stopped by a little store in Cross Plains, TN called Cottontown Bears and Gifts.  It is a cute little store filled with all kinds of neat products.  While I was there, I casually asked the lady working the counter (who actually is the owner) if she ever sold products on commission from local crafters.  She said that she actually did sell a few things and for me to check back in a month or so. 

So, today, I went by her store again, carrying a tote bag full of dishrags, hair bows and scarves! She was very exciting about the products I had made and was also very excited to sell them in her store.  I left some dish rags there with her and have some scarves to make over the weekend!  How exciting! Simply Sweet by Cori products have made it to a store!!!  Of course, if you see any products you would like at Simply Sweet by Cori you can order them directly from me!

Money Saving Lunches!

So, while I do not have children (yet), I do spend my days at work surrounded by them!  I also pack a lunch most days.  I am all about convenience when packing my lunch, but I am also all about doing things myself if it will save me money.  So, I decided to make my own pudding cups, and make them fun! :)  All you need is a family size box of pudding (I used store brand - it was great!), milk, and those cute little bitty Glad bowls.  Mix your pudding, pour in the bowls (I got seven bowls from the family size box, and embellish as you choose.  The thing is, this took less than 5 minutes, even with the embellishments!  I spend less than $1 on the box of pudding, had the milk and sprinkles on hand, and now I had a pudding cup for each day of the week (all in re-usable, dishwasher safe containers).  If I bought pudding cups, I would only get six...and I would pay more!