L.O.V.E

 I know it's really late for Valentines day, but this next prodject I did so I can still use it after V-day. I made the colors to match my bedroom so I can just move it into a different room.

 The flower I did on my "O" is used with the exact ribbon I used for my walls, so that way it matches my room pretty much exactly.

They're are so many ways you can decorate these. That's what makes them much fun is you can personalize it to match any room in your home...

Peanut Butter Blossoms

I actually saw this recipe on the back of the Hershey Kiss package I got for Valentines day gave it and try and wow SO GOOD!

Hershey's Kisses Peanut butter Blossoms

48 Hershey's Kisses brand milk chocolate

1/2 C shortening

3/4 C Reeses creamy Peanut butter

1/3 C granulated sugar

1/3 C packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

granulated sugar

Directions

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. 

2 Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. 

3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

4 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. 

About 4 dozen cookies

Zebra cake

Making a cake with zebra stripes inside!

I saw this on pintrest and couldn't resist I just had to try it. My camera has been acting up so I didn't get pictures for a tutorial but you can click here for the tutorial I used. It is very simple. (which is always a bonus)
All you need is 2 duncan hines cake mixes I used devils food chocolate and french vanilla

I gotta tell you this is one of the most moist, delicious cakes I have ever made the flavors really complemented each other. I topped it with my favorite frosting recipe from 

our best bites and it made it even better!

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (whole milk is best, but I use non-fat when it’s all I have and it’s actually fine)
1/2 C real butter (I prefer salted, but you can use also unsalted and add salt to taste)
1/2 C sugar (that’s granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat.
Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring with a rubber spatula, until you can start to see the bottom of the pan.   Continue to cook until mixture has the consistency of pudding.

Put  mixture in the fridge and let it cool completely, it’s fine if it stays in there long enough to get chilly, you just don’t want it warm at all. As it’s cooling, feel free to stir it occasionally to speed up the process and keep it from forming a crust on top.

It an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You’ll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer if you have one, instead of the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat to combine and then scrape down the sides. Mixture will separate and look messy, keep beating!  Continue beating until mixture comes together and is light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes, but time varies.  Take a sample of frosting between your fingers; frosting is done when light and fluffy and sugar granules are dissolved.

Hey Pumpkin!

Lets talk pumpkin pie

Can't say I have ever been to big of a fan, I don't like the texture or biting into it and getting a mouth full of spices

until.... I found this recipe.

I have been learning to do pies and pie crusts in school the last few days and I gotta say it has been challenging but a lot of fun. I made this pumpkin pie the other day and decided to try it and OH my heck it was so good!
 (coming from someone how really doesn't like pumpkin pie)

I decided to try it at home

I just used a frozen pie crust because I had one that needed to be used but I will do a post in the future on home made pie crust but for now here is what you need.

Cornstarch, white sugar, light brown sugar, kosher salt, eggs (separated) pumpkin, evaporated milk, 

whole milk (I used 2%) and cinnamon

This recipe is simple, be sure to separate your eggs and set the whites aside (you will use them)

mix cornstarch, both sugars and salt, add egg yolks until well blended.

Add your pumpkin and beat until well blended (if you have a mixer use the paddle attachment)

Then you add the evaporated and whole milk. Beat on medium speed until all ingredients are blended.

Here is what makes this recipe, now you take your egg whites in a separate bowl and beat in mixer until stiff peaks form

You then whisk the egg whites into the pumpkin mixture until fully combined

Pour into unbaked pie shell and sprinkle each with cinnamon.

Bake 350 for 15 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake 30-45 minutes longer

Or until a tooth pick comes out clean

And there you have it pumpkin pie at its best.

Your pie might be jiggle slightly in the center when done so as long as the tooth pick comes out clean your fine

Here is the full recipe

PUMPKIN PIE (makes 2)

Ingredients:

2 TBSP cornstarch

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 C light brown sugar

2 eggs separated

14 oz pumpkin puree

12 oz evaporated milk

1/2 C whole milk (2 % works too)

1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven 350

Mix cornstarch, both sugars and salt, add egg yolks until well blended.

Add your pumpkin and beat until well blended (if you have a mixer use the paddle attachment)

You then add the evaporated and whole milk. Beat on medium speed until all ingredients are blended.

Take your egg whites in a separate bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form

Whisk the egg whites into the pumpkin mixture until fully combined

Pour into unbaked pie shell and sprinkle each with cinnamon.

Bake 350 for 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake 30-45 minutes longer

Or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Happy Valentines day!

Sorry we have been having trouble with our posting but there will just be some late valentines projects coming up.

Here is a last minute Valentine gift! I did this for my Hubby and he loved it.
I made this Candy bar love poster just a cute simple idea for Valentines.

The picture isn't to good so here is what it says,

To "Mr. Goodbar", When we first met it was such a  "SHOCKER"! I thought, "OH YEAH"! What a stud! We were "mint" to be together! You always make me "laffy taffy"& you're such a "sweet tart" With you it feels like "payday" and I have "100 grand" Our love is like a "Symphony" and that's "good n plenty" for me! I love it when you "whatchamacallit" it sends me to "milky way" & really "satisfies" (snickers) me! I love you "hubba bubba" tonight you're gonna "skor"!

My hubby was sweet I am a very simple girl and he went with flowers (tulips my favorite) and chocolates, what can I say I am a sucker for the simple things..

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE! 

What I'm Lovin!

I'm sure these have been up for a while but I love them! Check out this site
  Handmade Ryan Gosling

Just something I'm liking this month now I am going to go watch I hate valentines day

Such a cute Valentine's show!

Valentines Day Kickoff

With Valentines day just next week I am starting to get tired of all the things you see on tv about what are you getting and what romantic thing your man will do for you. Thats all great really (I do look forward to it) but I think it puts a little pressure the guys.... what about the day to day things?

I am the ultimate hopeless romantic, all ways have been always will be. I love romantic novels and my favorite movie will for ever be Dirty Dancing. For as long as I can remember I have been reading love stories and watching cutsie movies. I used to day dream about the "perfect" man that I saw in movies like the notebook and dirty dancing 

   

When my hubby and I got married I wanted that but then began to realize love or romance I should say isn't always a scene from your favorite movie, okay so it never really is but then I began to notice love to me is simple.

It is this full length mirror he bought me for my birthday when I was almost 8 months pregnant I couldn't see anything past my belly button. He bought me this mirror and a cute outfit so I could see it all at once. 

Love is after a stressful day (pregnant or not) I love to jump in the bubble bath and I love it even more when 

he brings me some extreame moose tracks ice cream knowing its exactly what I need bubble bath and ice cream oh so wonderful

Love is Blue Jeans and a Rosary by kid rock its our song you might think its crazy because its  a rock song but it was our wedding song and we dance to it all the time.

And last but not least love is those slobbery open mouth baby kisses that your not sure where they are trying to kiss you but its okay because it makes them smile and you both end up covered in slobber any way.

For me love isn't that hard to see in fact its very very simple.

So to kick off Valentines we will be posting a few things and ideas we have done or will do for valentines.

ENJOY! 

He went fishing & I stayed home

At school the other day we learned how to pan fry trout, pretty cool yes. Of course that gave my cute hubby an excuse to go ice fishing and bring home dinner.

Normally we just grill them in foil but this time I decided to pan fry them, basically you want to get rid of the back bone the head and the tail so it will lie flat (it can be pretty tricky) or if you buy them in the store just buy the filet its a lot easier.

I found this recipe and it turned out so good I didn't even have time to take pictures before it was gone.

The only thing I did differently is not use as much oil.

With trout to see if it's done you test by touch not temperature, when you test the touch you want the meat to spring back and be slightly firm. If its mushy it needs longer.

Pan fried trout.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 lemons, juiced and 1 lemon, zested and reserved
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 4 (10 to 12-ounce) trout, boned, belly flap removed, rinsed and patted dry, heads and tails left on
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

In a wide flat dish, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, zest of 1 lemon and salt, to taste.

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and the juice of 1 lemon. Brush both sides of the trout with mustard mixture. Coat the fish on both sides with the seasoned bread crumbs and press firmly to adhere the crumbs to the fish.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Coat a large skillet with about 1/4 to 1/2-inch of olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Add the fish to the pan, skin side down, and cook the fish 2/3's of the way, about 6 to 7 minutes. Carefully turn the fish over and cook the other side until the fish is brown and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan and drain on paper towels. You will probably need to work in batches to do 4 fish. After the first batch is done and dried on paper towels reserve it on a rack in a warm oven.

When all the fish has been fried, remove the oil and any brown bits from the pan. Add the butter and remaining lemon juice and swirl to combine as the butter melts. Season with salt, to taste, and reduce by about half. Transfer the fish to a serving platter, drizzle with the butter lemon sauce and serve.

What a fishtale!

more places to put junk!

I like most girls have alot of stuff! when it comes to makeup and girly things I have a huge collection of junk, but precious junk to me. In my litttle appartment all I got for storage in my bathroom is one cupboard under the sink with holds a few towels. After thinking of some ideas I finally came up with a solution. I found this toliet shelf at my local Ross, I have also seen some at Wal-mart. It was a great price, for thirty dollars I got this a towel rack for my door, and a toliet paper holder that matches. I'm very happy with my purchase, and hope this helps someone like it has for me.