Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

For the cake I cheated and used a box mix. If you choose to make it from scratch your basic white cake recipe should work.

I recommend preparing the filling the day before so it has a chance to set up in the refrigerator.

For the filling:

1 16oz package frozen strawberries

1 1/2 cans of strawberry nectar (look for the Jumex brand)

1 1/2 cups sugar

Cornstarch/cold water mixture to thicken

In a medium saucepan add all of your ingredients together except the cornstarch/cold water mixture.

On medium heat, stirring often, bring your strawberries to a boil.

Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 1/4 cup of cold water and mix together. Immediately, slowly pour it into your boiling strawberry mixture while stirring. Let the mixture boil for about 5 more minutes while stirring often. If the mixture looks thin still add more cornstarch/coldwater to thicken. It should be about the consistency of gravy while warm.

Set it aside to cool. Once it is cool pour it in your blender or food processor, puree the mixture and pour it into a container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator overnight.

The mixture should thicken once it is cold. 

To fill your cupcakes:

I like to core the cupcakes with a large icing tip. Use the wide opening end and press it down in to the middle of the cupcake and twist. You can also use a spoon to scoop some cake out of the cupcake. 

Using a spoon, fill the cupcake centers. 

For the frosting:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

8 oz cream cheese softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 stick unsalted butter softened

2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

You will need two bowls. Either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. 

In one bowl, pour the entire container of whipping cream. Starting with the slowest speed start whipping the cream. Gradually speed up your mixer and continue to mix until the whipping cream thickens and forms peaks, about 5 minutes. Set aside. 

In the other bowl cream together butter and cream cheese. Once the mixture is smooth add your vanilla and powdered sugar (a little at a time until it reaches a frosting consistancy). Once you have that mixed slowly mix in your whipped cream one large spoonful at a time.

Now you're ready to frost your cupcakes!!

 This works best if you pipe it on to your cupcakes using a large icing tip.

You can add sugar sprinkles or even fresh strawberry slices to garnish. 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

ENJOY!

I'm so sorry, it's been forever.

It has been a while since I've blogged anything. I've been busy and also had a lack of inspiration and was a little discouraged about blogging. I submitted my last post to be featured and it was turned down. No big deal really but it did put me out of the mood to blog. I've done quite a few things lately that are blog worthy and I intend to share them soon. Just wanted everyone to know I am still here. :)
-N

You know you've reached the toddler stage when...

It's all sleeping, cuddles and sweet little coos..... until they become a toddler. At that point some parents regret saying I can't wait for you to walk, talk...etc.
Here are a few signs you have entered the "oh so joyous" toddler stage in your child's life.

Cheerios.... everywhere.
How is it that you can give your child a handful of cheerios on their highchair tray and end up finding them in your bed, under the couch, in the toilet, in your purse...... should I keep going?

Hand prints.
Not just hand prints, but you will find crusty, greasy, randomly colored hand prints on every surface at your knee level.

Diapers... with a missing child.
Your heart will sink. Your stomach will turn. You will start frantically searching for your child, once located you will then tear your house apart searching every corner and small place your child can fit to ensure they didn't leave a present with their diaper lacking little ass.

Toys.
You will pick up every single toy they own, 5 times a day for over a year. If you lose a toy... you can guarantee that will be the one they want.... the only one they want.

Suddenly every thing belongs to them.
If you have it, they want it. Everything from the food you're eating to the cell phone in your hand, it is theirs and they want it.... relentlessly.

All of your stuff is MIA.
If they can get a hold of it you can guarantee that they will take it. See above. This is a good time to start getting in the habit of putting the toilet seat down. Just sayin'.

Tantrums.
Take something away. Tantrum.
Give them something they don't want. Tantrum.
Put them down/pick them up. Tantrum.
Leave/enter the room. Tantrum.
Change their diaper. Tantrum.
Look at them. Tantrum.

Escape artists.
No matter how hard you try to keep them in one spot, they manage to find a way out. They fit in the oddest places. Did I mention they also throw a tantrum when they get stuck?

No.
Today's word is No. And tomorrow's and the day after that's.... everything is no. This tends to also happen with the word "mine".

If they can, they will.
There is nothing more important at this point than child proofing everything. If they can get into it, they will and they will pull everything out that they can.

Say no to naps.
Everything in their world is so interesting. If they nap, they may miss something. Fighting sleep is in their job description. Good luck getting anything done.

Monkey see, monkey do.
Now is the time to watch what you say and do. They will listen and repeat you. They will watch you and do what you do. Don't say or do anything in front of them that you wouldn't say or do in front of a huge crowd of people. You'll regret it.

They are the biggest helpers.
Not. Forget folding laundry. Steal the folded towel and run is the funnest game ever. Loading the dishwasher takes more effort than just washing the dishes by hand. It consists of placing your child on the opposite side of the room and running back to the dishwasher to load a few dishes before they are back crawling into it.

They want it and they want it now.
If you don't have Netflix or a DVR... you need to. There is nothing like the meltdown that results from the show they want to watch not being on at. that. very. moment.

Last but certainly not least...

If they get a boo-boo.
They will want their mommy and all her hugs and kisses. They may make your life hell, but they are just testing their independence. Enjoy these years, they don't last long but once they are gone make sure you look back and laugh at all the moments that made you want to pull your hair out.

Crayon Lipstick... Who Knew!?

Lately I've seen shares and pins about a nifty trick you can do with crayons. I decided why not, who knew you could mix two simple things to make something that normally you would spend at least five dollars on. I'm talkin' lipstick. 

Yes, lipstick... and yes, I mentioned crayons above.

I'm not going to lie, I don't know how the quality of a homemade alternative measures up to the high end brands of lipstick available because I'm more of a 'chapstick with no color' type of gal. However, if you're not a big lipstick user and you want something funky, fun and inexpensive to try out, you are in the right place.

My step-daughter and I had a blast doing this together. She was absolutely thrilled when I told her that we would be making homemade lipstick. This is a great project for younger girls (with adult assistance). It is an inexpensive way to let your daughters experiment with make up and it costs you hardly anything. I stock pile coconut oil and we have an endless supply of crayons, so this was a no-brainer! Also it is great for your lips, coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer!

Let's cover some basics first. Crayons are made with paraffin wax and non-toxic color pigments.

In other words, you, your children and anyone else interested in trying this out are safe, even if you ate a spoonful (which I wouldn't recommend) you would probably live to see another day. 

If you need further proof there are many, MANY, resources on the Web that you can utilize just to be sure.

Aside from an assortment of your favorite hues of crayons, you're going to need coconut oil, popsicle sticks, small glass dishes, a '1 teaspoon' measuring spoon, paper towels or an old dish towel, a shallow frying pan and some sort of container to put your finished product in.

I found that old Scentsy wax containers or weekly pill organizers work well. You can also purchase the appropriate containers at beauty supply stores or craft stores.

To get started, you will want to fill your shallow frying pan with about an inch of water and place it on the stove over low heat, put your small glass dishes inside of it to create a double boiler.
Use your measuring spoon to measure 1 teaspoon of coconut oil into your glass dishes and let it melt. While it is melting choose your colors and peel the paper off the crayon. Break the crayon so you have a portion that is about 2/3 of the entire crayon.

Once the coconut oil is melted, place your 2/3 section of crayon in the glass dish with the coconut oil, using the popsicle stick gently stir together the crayon and oil until it is fully melted.

Carefully remove your glass dishes from the double boiler and let them cool for about 30 seconds before pouring them into the container.

Once you have your lipstick poured, you need to use paper towels or an old dish cloth to wipe out the excess lipstick from your glass container so you can use it to make another color. 

Your lipstick will take about 20 minutes to fully cool and set up into a more solid state, if you want to speed this process up you can carefully place the container in the freezer.

Get creative; try crazy colors, mix colors and have fun!

Mwah!

Hunny Dos Husbands Do That Are Taken For Granted

There are those few tasks that our husbands do that we don't really think too much about. I found myself thinking about all of the things that my husband does that makes my life easier and it occurred to me how much it would suck if I didn't have him around to do those things. Here's why.

Taking Out The Trash
I do this every now and then but he mostly does this. It doesn't really bug me to take out the trash but I'll happily avoid hauling stinky trash out to the dumpster especially in cold weather if he's willing to.

Changing Light Bulbs
This is a pain in the ass, especially if your short. I'm glad he does this because I would probably break the light cover by dropping it.

Cleaning Ceiling Fans
While we are talking about daunting task that involve having your arms above your head, I hate cleaning ceiling fan blades. It's just not something I particularly enjoy doing. Plus the dust is a pain to get off.

Shampooing Carpets
I love having clean carpets. If I could, I would just not have carpets but as long as I'm not the one who has to fill the water tank, slowly work my way across the floor foot by foot and dump gross, brown water down the drain; having to deal with carpet really isn't all that bad.... I guess.

Cleaning the Dryer Vent Hose
Basically, the dryer is large and heavy. Plus, hauling the shop vac downstairs and then having to reattach the dryer hose after cleaning it. Count me out.

Moving Furniture
Well, this is simple. I help him but I definitely couldn't do this myself. This is probably a pain for him because I'm indecisive and change my mind at least two times before the furniture is where I want it.

Picking Up Dog Poop
Just...ew.

Mowing the Lawn
I have allergies. I would be miserable for days if I were to go out and mow the lawn.

Changing the Oil in the Vehicles
Now, I could if I had to but I'd much rather him do it. Plus, I'm sure that crawling under a vehicle and getting greasy does something for his testosterone. It's a guy thing.

Cooking Dinner
This is usually my domain but every now and then he offers to cook. It might not be a five course, restaurant chef inspired meal but if it means I don't have to cook, I will sure as hell enjoy it like it is.

Going to Work
I'm not saying my job is any more or any less stressful, demanding and tiring as his, however he brings home the bacon, He is what makes this family stay afloat. I just take the pressure off at home for him. And I get to be my own boss.

Cleaning Under the Stove and Refrigerator
Once again. It's easier for him to move these things, with his big strong arms and all! With all of the upkeep and daily cleaning tasks I already do, these bi-yearly tasks don't much appeal to me.

Killing Spiders
Ok, go ahead and laugh. Yes, I squirm like a worm when I see a creepy crawly. My husband is no more of a fan of the eight legged freak than I am but he's my hero because despite his hatred for spiders he always shows up with a shoe and paper towel.

Dishes
I mention this because I would clean toilets over doing dishes; even with the snazzy new dishwasher I have. It's just one of those things that I really should appreciate more because he does it because he knows I don't enjoy it.

Rubbing my Back
Let me say that it is far and few between when it comes to talking my guy out of a back rub, but when I can convince him it sure does feel good. I really shouldn't take them for granted because I can't chance that they will get more sporadic.

Organizing Clutter
Everyone has it. It's usually on a desk or a counter. You know, that lovely collection of mail, shit the school sends home, and random items that belong elsewhere in your house that have some how ended up in your catch all spot. That is my kitchen counter. It drives me absolutely bat shit to see it. Even more to have to go through it. That's why I am glad my husband takes on the task of sorting through the piles of nonsense.

Fixing Things
From installing a new garbage disposal to "my keurig won't work again!!", to cleaning out the disgusting collection of loogies and matted hair from the drains. I should have no reason to complain because he always manages to get this done!

I know there are times when I am in that mood and it seems like my husband doesn't do much to help me out around the house. I'm clearly wrong. I clearly need to take a step back and realize how much he does and how grateful I am that I don't have to do it!

What are some things your husband or significant other does that makes your life easier! 

Comment Below!

You're Doing Just Fine

In today's society there are so many different paths to take when it comes to choosing how to parent. You have breastfeeders to bottle feeders, vaccers and anti-vaccers, non organic and organic, attachment parenting to traditional parenting .... the list can go on forever. When you really think about it the pressure is on, at least for me. I think 'am I really doing the right thing' on a daily basis.

I see articles daily on why vaccines are harming your kids and I wonder 'should I have chose not to vaccinate?'
I have a lazy day and feed my kids Spaghetti-os out of a can instead of cooking a healthy meal, 'did I just take a year off of their life?'
I raised my voice, 'did I cause years of unforseen emotional damage?'

Something occurs to me daily and reminds me that the choices I have made will effect my child's life for as long as they live.
When you really think about it. It's stressful.
You see other moms (or dads) and you question yourself or wonder why you can't be more like them. You become your own worst critic and you look into those little eyes and wonder if you're giving them your best.
Take a deep breath.
I'm here to tell you that you are doing just fine.
There are no rights or wrongs in parenting. You do what you feel is best for you child(ren) and that's really all that matters. You can research statistics and read about other parents experiences until your eyes bleed but nothing will be better for your children than what your gut tells you is right.
Don't feel the need to compete for the sake of keeping up with the Jones'. Don't follow the trends just because that's what everyone is doing. Don't feel bad when you don't always give 100% of your effort to your kids. They have a parent who loves them and that's truly all that they need.
Don't worry about it if every now and then you treat them with a happy meal instead of a wholesome dinner. Don't criticize yourself for losing your shit in front of your kids when you have had all you can take.
You are the best parent you can be, regardless of how you choose to do it and that's something you should be proud of.
 

Christmas Handprint Tree on Canvas

It's crunch time.

Thanksgiving has came and passed and now it's time for all things Christmas. I have garland and wreaths, lights and ornaments but nothing makes the holiday special like a personalized creation made by none other than your children that gets to be displayed all month long. I compiled a few Pinterest project ideas and came up with my own. With five kids this was the perfect project!

I bought a decent sized canvas at my local craft store (Joann's)

I have a whole bunch of acrylic craft paint so I used that. If you don't have that on hand, you can always find it at your local craft store as well as Walmart.

I also have an assortment of paint brushes on hand. 

I started by painting the background with blue, silver, white and sparkling blue craft paint. I made it look like a night sky with snow on the ground. Fairly simple. 

If you aren't as artistically inclined as I am, don't sweat it. It's will still look great!

Next you need to paint a brown stump.

It worked out really well with my five kids.

My oldest did the first layer of the Christmas Tree with 5 hand prints. I just used a paint brush and painted his hand and guided him as to where to put his hands on the canvas. Make sure the fingers are pointed down.

The second layer of four hand prints belong to my step-daughter, same process. Three hand prints; my step-son, Two hand prints; my youngest step-daughter, and then one right on top, which belongs to my 13 month old. 

If you don't have 5 kids to work with you can still do this project, no problem. Just keep with the pattern of 5 hand prints on the bottom and work your way up to 1 hand print on top and don't forget to point the fingertips down.

I used a round sponge brush for the ornaments, but you can always have the kids use their finger prints.

I painted little gold squares on top of each ornament to make them look realistic. 

I painted a gold star on top, of course, and made it look shiny with a few simple lines coming off of the points. 

I also painted each of my kids' names on the layer of hand prints that belongs to them.

Lastly, with silver paint I put a few twinkle stars in the night sky and did my best to paint Merry Christmas with a little holly leaf and berries on the bottom. 

You don't have to follow my design to a T. It is merely for inspiration.

Get creative! Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the moment with your children.

You will have a Christmas decoration to treasure forever that comes with a great story!

Below I have compiled a general list of items you may need to complete this project.

large white canvas

assorted sizes of paint brushes

acrylic craft paint:

blue, white, silver, sparkling blue (paint with glitter works too), green, gold, yellow, orange, purple, red, teal, brown

&

little hands :)

Handprint Turkeys

When I have the opportunity I like to do a holiday craft with all of my kids. In the past we have made salt dough ornaments, valentine's, and bunnies with cotton balls to name a few. In the spirit of Thanksgiving we did hand print turkeys and wrote what we are thankful for on the back. They turned out so cute and we have a print of their hands to treasure forever. Here is a picture of our project and what you will need if you want to do this yourself!

What we used:

White card stock paper

Acrylic craft paints 

Paint brushes

Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors

White glue

Scissors

Pen, pencil or marker

&

Most importantly.... little hands! 

I use an ice try for my paint. It works great!

Using a separate paint brush for each color quickly paint the palm and thumb brown, then each individual finger green, red, orange and yellow.

Place hand print on card stock, slide fingers back and forth a little and let it dry.

Paint orange legs and a beak.

Paint a red gobbler

Paint brown feather lines on the red, green, yellow and orange finger prints.

Paint a white eyeball with a black spot.

Let the masterpiece dry!

Cut out your turkey and on the back write what you are thankful for. Glue on the stick. Whalah!

Here is a painting template below.

The secret to Restaurant Style Fry Sauce

You might be thinking, "really, fry sauce?" Yes really! A lot of people think fry sauce consists of a mixture of just Mayo and Ketchup. True, however, there is more to it than just those two ingredients. It just doesn't taste right; you know, like you get at a restaurant.....

Well, fortunately I have a few restaurants under my belt and I know the trick.

1/2 cup of mayo

1/3 cup of ketchup

1/8 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of pepper

1/4 tsp of onion powder

This will make a little less than a cup of fry sauce.

Feel free to double the recipe for a larger amount. 

Salt and Pepper are just for a bold flavor, the onion powder is the true trick in making this taste like restaurant style fry sauce.

If you want to go real daring add a few drops of your favorite hot sauce to give it a kick! 

My Little Pony Party

October is my favorite month. However, this year my feels weren't hurt at all to welcome November. Aside from celebrating my daughter's 1st birthday (and planning it), I was somehow talked into making a damn near identical version of the Pennywise Clown costume from the movie "It" by Stephen King for my brother. My sewing machine and I are friends off..... at least until the new year. (Will post about the costume in an additional post)

~

My Daughter Turned 1!! 

I loved how the My Little Pony party turned out. It was adorable! Here are a few ideas if you are thinking of having a MLP party of your own!

With the growing popularity of My Little Pony you can find themed party supplies at pretty much any party supply store. I found a lot of mine at Zurchers. To save money I found a few themed decorations and bought plain coordinating color plates, silverware, napkins and cups. Also, I found a lot of the colorful baskets I used at Dollar Tree.

Rarity's Treasures

I chose to do party favors; for boys and girls it seemed a little more versatile. If you're having a party for school aged children with your guests being girls, in the show Rarity is a fashion designer a great idea would be to buy or make tutus where the colors coordinate with the 6 main ponies on the show. Use felt fabric to cut out "Cutie Marks" and fabric glue to attach them to the tutus. 

Rainbow Dash's Tasty Treats

Simple. Use candy that has various colors of the rainbow. M&Ms, Skittles, Rainbow Twizzlers, lollipops. .. etc. 

Twilight Sparkle's Sparkling Punch

Self explanatory.

1 Liter of 7-up

1 Quart Grape Juice

Pineapple Juice for tartness add as much or as little as you would like. The more you add the more tangy your punch will be. 

Fluttershy's Animal Crackers

This was the hardest for me to figure out. I settled on animal crackers because this pony is the keeper of the animals. 

Pinkie Pie's Cotton Candy & Cupcakes

Obviously she is a party planner.

The cupcakes have blue cotton candy frosting and white frosting piped for clouds and a candy rainbow stuck into them.

The cotton candy was bought in packages at my local Dollar Tree store. 

Applejack's Cider & Pony Snacks

I bought Apple Cider at Walmart and filled a relish tray with celery, carrots and grape tomatoes with ranch and apple slices with caramel.

Behind that are BLT Pinwheels.

8 Oz Cream Cheese softened

1 cup Mayo

About 10 slices of Bacon chopped in to pieces

Shredded Lettuce

Fresh Diced Tomatos

Tortillas

Mix all ingredients together and spread onto tortillas. Roll tortillas and slice them in 1 inch slices. Put on serving tray.

Lastly, for a party game I did a quick Etsy search and found "Pin the Tail in the Pony" perfect! Here is that link:

Pony Game

Hope this has inspired your next MLP party! 

Happy Celebrating!

{DrUnKeN} Caramel Apple and Broken Glass Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

CUPCAKES

~

2 1/2 C. applesauce

1/2 C. sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 C. oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 C. Apple Crown (sub apple juice)

(this is a fairly new addition to the Crown family, best of luck finding it)

Mix all wet ingredients and set aside.

Mix together:

2 C. flour

1 tsp ginger

2 tsp apple pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

  

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together until smooth.

Pour into cupcake liners and bake for 18-20 minutes at 350°

FROSTING

~

2 sticks of salted butter (softened)

2 8oz packs of cream cheese (softened)

2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp caramel vodka (sub caramel flavoring)

green food color

caramel syrup

With a mixer blend butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar a little at a time until it is all blended. Add the vodka and mix again. Lastly add a few drops of food coloring (I prefer the Wilton gel food colors) until it reaches your desired shade.

Pipe onto cupcakes and drizzle with caramel syrup. You can leave them plain or add decorative accents as a personal preference. 

Broken Glass Cupcakes

"GLASS" CANDY

~

(do this first)

Medium saucepan

Candy thermometer

3 1/2 C. sugar

2 C. water

1 C. corn syrup

1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar

Large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients in saucepan, cook over medium heat stirring often until temperature reaches 290° or "soft crack". This will take some time. 

Once it reaches temperature, slowly pour out onto greased baking sheet, spread with spatula and set aside to let it cool.

CUPCAKES

~

For this recipe I used a boxed Red Velvet cake mix. 

You will also need:

1 tsp Cake Vodka for each cupcake.

Follow directions on cake mix for making cupcakes. Once you remove them from the oven pour 1 tsp of Cake Vodka over each cupcake.

(skip the vodka if you want non-alcoholic)

ICING

~

1/4 C. Bailey's 

1/4 C. Rum Chata

Powdered Sugar

In a bowl mix both liquors together and add small amounts of powdered sugar until it reaches a consistency that you can drizzle. 

 (If you want non-alcoholic, substitute 1/2 C. milk and 2 tsp vanilla)

Drizzle over cupcakes. 

Break your "glass"

Cover your candy with plastic wrap, hit with a hammer in various places until it is cracked into pieces that will fit your cupcakes well. 

Lift with a knife and stab into the cupcakes.

"BLOOD" DRIZZLE

~

1/2 C. corn syrup 

red food coloring

In a bowl mix together corn syrup and red food coloring. Add enough food coloring until it looks like blood and then drizzle over your glass and cupcakes. 

Enjoy!

10 more days.

Today is October 8th. Last year on this date, ten more days to me felt like a lifetime. Ten more days from this date last year was when we met our little girl. All, 6 lbs 3 oz and 18 1/4 inches of her. At 11:30 that morning I will never forget the tears in my husband's eyes. I will never forget the little hand that wrapped around my finger when really she was wrapping me around hers. It all feels like yesterday.

Today, ten more days could be 365 days away and part of me still wouldn't want them to pass. As with most parents, a first birthday is a bittersweet moment. I feel like I am taking it rather hard compared to most. 

I've been running around like a mad woman, putting in overtime on pinterest, and planning every last detail of her 1st birthday so it will be memorable....for me. Not for her, she won't remember it. It may not seem like I am reluctant to celebrate the big #1, but I am. 

It seems like with every passing day she learns something new, says something new or does something she didn't do the day before. I love it and I am so proud of her. She's smart and has one hell of a personality. However, I wish I could freeze those moments in time. I'm not ready for the cold, hard truth that no matter what I do, day by day this precious little life is growing up.

After she was born my husband and I decided she would be our last. For good reason. We have 5 all together and that is more than enough. I have my boy, 3 wonderful step kids and now I have my own little girl and that completes us. Knowing that she is the last makes this so much harder. Parents do it everyday but I find myself thinking "this is the last time I will ever experience this moment as a Mother". It may not seem like a big deal, but when my daughter is graduating HS, those little moments leading up to that day will mean the world to me. They always will.

Having my daughter has taught me the importance of never taking the small day to day things in life for granted because a cute little smile or gesture may not seem like much but I know that as she gets older those moments will become far and few between. As she gets older and more independent, she will need me less. She will choose time with friends over time with me. She will want me to go away instead of reaching for me to pick her up... and it all starts with turning one. That moment that hits you like a rock that time doesn't stop just because you want to live in the moment.

It will come and pass just like every day does. I will get through it and realize that for another year there is so much more to learn and experience.

On October 8th, 2015 this will probably be a little easier. I won't dread counting down ten more days. I won't feel like the ticking of the clock is slowly taking away my baby.

So for the next ten days I will put on my big girl panties and face the inevitable. This is the last 1st birthday I will celebrate as a Mother.

Caramel Apple Pecan Cups

This is what Fall is all about. 

The rich aroma of crisp apples and cinnamon combined with the welcomed warmth of the oven that magically transforms simple ingredients into a delicious treat.

I love fall. The sights, scents, the cool breeze and of course the endless list of things you can do with pumpkins and apples.

Here is a treat that I came up with today that is sure to hit the spot if you're looking for a sweet treat on a cool fall evening.

*Sweet Dough*

1 stick unsalted butter at room temp

1 cup sugar

1/2 Tsp baking powder

1/4 Tsp salt

2 cups flour

3/4 cup milk

In your stand mixer beat together butter and sugar until it's smooth. Mix in salt, baking powder and flour. Mix in milk on medium speed until the dough is smooth. Set aside.

*side note- the sweet dough recipe above is the Kuga dough recipe, if you are making Kuga with it, set aside about 1/3 cup of the dry dough mixture before you add the milk to serve as the crumble topping on the traditional Kuga.

*Apple Filling*

5 medium size Granny Smith apples

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 Tsp apple pie spice or cinnamon

2 Tsp flour

Peel and dice apples.

Toss with a small amount of lemon juice to prevent browning.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it's melted add brown sugar. Stir constantly until bubbling. Remove from heat and add pecans, apples, apple pie spice and the flour to thicken. Stir together until completely mixed.

You can either spread your dough out on to a shallow baking sheet or use a muffin pan like I did. 

Either line the muffin pan with cupcake liners or generously spray with cooking spray. (Cupcake liners are easier.)

Spoon in dough and press it into a cup with your fingers. (You may need to grease your fingers because the dough tends to be sticky.)

It should look like this: 

Fill your dough cups with the apple mixture, be careful not to over fill because the dough will puff up when it's baked. 

You may have leftover dough and filling. The recipe makes a bit more than what is needed to make a muffin pan full.

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes until slightly golden around the edges.

Enjoy!

Delicious Shredded Beef

So, I know in a post a while back I had mentioned that you would see a future blog post about simple, healthy school lunches but to my surprise my son has, more often than not, chose to eat hot lunch at school. When he does want me to pack a lunch for him he usually requests Rev Wraps, you know those protein packed, prepackaged meat and cheese wraps you buy in the cooler section at your grocery store. I have no problem with these, although I find them a bit dry.
Anyway, without school lunches to blog about I've decided to share a yummy shredded beef recipe with you that I've recently made for my family on two occasions now. First time I used the shredded beef in enchiladas and the second we wrapped the meat in tortillas with cheese and sour cream. Either way it was great.

What you need:

1 rump roast

2 cans beef broth

2 small cans of diced green chilies

1/2 white onion

McCormick Mexican Fiesta Marinade

1 small can of red enchilada sauce

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a crock pot and cook on low for 8-12 hours. 

Shred beef and put it back into crock pot for 1 hour. 

Use for tacos, burritos or enchiladas.  

*The meat will be in a lot of broth. Before you use it make sure to drain the broth off of the meat so it doesn't make your tortilla soggy*

This meat is extremely flavor packed and smells delicious while it is cooking! 

My favorite way to eat it is simply wrapped in a tortilla with pepper jack cheese. 

Let me know how it turns out for you! 

**Update**

I've found its hard to find the McCormick marinade all the time so in place you can use

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp lime juice or juice from 1 fresh lime

The flavor of those combined ingredients won't be much different. 

-N

Cheeseburger Rotini

This is my version of Cheeseburger Macaroni. I wanted to play it up so I used Rotini. It's a fairly quick meal that can be prepared ahead of time for a busy week night. This is one of my favorite go to meals when I want a tasty, filling dinner that doesn't require much effort on my part.

Need:

1 lb hamburger

1 box of noodles (I used Rotini)

1 jar of cheddar cheese sauce (I used Ragu)

1 can diced tomatoes in tomato juice

1/2 C. Dill relish (optional)

2 tbsp ketchup (optional)

2 tbsp mustard (optional)

1 tsp season salt

1/2 C. Shredded cheddar

Brown hamburger over med/high heat.

Boil pasta per directions on box.

Drain diced tomatoes. 

Reduce heat once hamburger is browned.

Mix together tomatoes, relish, mustard, ketchup and season salt in a separate bowl.

(Keep in mind you can leave out those ingredients if you don't like them but it's much better with them.) 

Once hamburger is browned add the mixture to the hamburger and stir.

Add cheese sauce to hamburger and stir. 

Drain noodles. 

Mix together hamburger and noodles and put into a greased, oven safe baking dish. 

Top with shredded cheddar.

Put in oven on 350° for 15 minutes.

Enjoy.

Teaching your children values... are we doing it right?

Let's talk about kids.
There is no wrong or right way to raise your kids. If there were a specific way I'm sure 99.9% of us would most definitely fail. However, as parents we can all agree that our children need to be happy, healthy and loved. It varies, though, how parents keep their kids happy, healthy and loved. It takes a lot to raise children. Time, patience, tolerance and of course money. Money though, where should parents draw the line when it comes to the financial side of nurturing your children? Obviously children have necessities that require you to spend money on them but how do you differentiate the needs and the wants. If you have children I know you're familiar with the "I want, I want, I want". It seems you can't take your kids to the store without buying something they want or turning on their favorite cartoon without them seeing a commercial for a toy they just can't live without, but for you where do you put your foot down? Do you leave the grocery store with the name brand box of cereal that costed $3 more than the generic brand you usually buy just to avoid the tantrum that would result in not letting your child have the cereal with the cheap-o toy in it? I've been there, I've caved..... and I also haven't. I don't believe in giving your kids everything they want. I strongly stand behind telling your kids "no" because life isn't going to hand your kids their every desire on a silver platter and as their parents I believe it's your job to teach them that.
That brings me to another tough life lesson I think children should be taught early on. Life is not fair and you have to work for what you want.
In my household, sharing a toy, snack or anything that one child may have that the other does not is completely optional and up to my children. My husband and I agree that it teaches a horrible lesson. Granted "sharing is caring" but sharing also teaches your kids that they should be entitled to everything everyone else has. Which is great, but we all know life doesn't work that way. Once the lovely life of being an adolescent is over our children will have to work and earn the things they want.
That brings me back to buying your kids everything they ask for. I'm not saying you can't treat your kids or spoil them every now and then, but don't be THAT parent. You know, the parent that doesn't "believe" in saying "no" to their children. I'm sorry, but all you're doing is creating a spoiled rotten, ungrateful brat. People who think they are entitled to everything without putting an ounce of effort into obtaining it is about one of my biggest pet peeves.  

I want all of our children to understand the value of a dollar and that you don't just happen upon money, but you have to work hard, put in effort and sometimes have to put others before something you want before you can have what you desire. I want all of my children to appreciate what we do for them and be grateful for what they have. 

Teach your children the value of things, not only the dollar amount but the effort required to achieve it. Teach your kids that just because someone has something they want doesn't mean they are entitled to it. Teach your children the sacrifices you make to give them what they have. Teach your children to appreciate you and the objects in their life. Teach them to be a grateful person.

You will truly be rewarded with something priceless when your children grow to be self sufficient, responsible adults because of the decisions you made. 

Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole is great in its original form but every now and then I like to put a twist on my recipes. I made this as a side for my homemade version of shake and bake chicken. Instead of cream of mushroom I used cream of chicken to compliment my main dish.

What you will need:

1 bag frozen green beans

1 can cream of chicken 

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can of French's Cheddar French Fried Onions (FFO)

Preheat your oven to 350°

In a bowl mix together your green beans, cream of chicken, cheese and 1/4 can of FFO.

Spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray and evenly spread out your green bean mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and then top with as much as you would like of the remaining FFO and bake for 10 more minutes. 

Enjoy!

Cake and a toddler meal hack!

Today I spent some time in my kitchen. Almost all day actually. My husband's birthday is coming up and we have a sick Camaro SS so I used it as inspiration for his cake. I'm not going to give a step by step for this or anything but I wanted to show it off. It's no masterpiece but it's also one of the few I've used fondant on.

Happy Birthday (a few days early) to my amazing husband!! 

Also, since I spent all day in the kitchen we had spaghetti for dinner because it's simple. Well, we had some leftovers so instead of letting them sit in the fridge for days I decided on a different use for the sauce and noodles. My baby loves noodles with any type of sauce on them and it's usually my go to meal for her. I put the leftovers in my mini food processor and did a rough chop so it would be ready to warm and serve and portioned it in baggies to freeze!

Don't forgt to label and date! 

We call them "saucy noodles"! :)

This could be done with almost any food you make for dinner that your baby/toddler eats. Just make sure the ingredients freeze well. 

Also, my preferred method for thawing is to place the baggie under running hot water until it's warm enough to serve! Safer than using the microwave! 

Do I have to eat this?!

Getting through breakfast is a breeze, throw a bowl of sugary cereal, pancakes, waffles or bacon in front of my bunch and they go to town. Lunch is usually pretty uneventful with hot dogs, mac'n'cheese or a corn dog waiting to fill them up... but then there is dinner, the meal I actually put time and effort in to. The last daunting task of the day before I can finally relax.

Don't get me wrong, I love to cook and from what I hear I am pretty darn good at it too. I try my hardest to be creative and to stay clear of cooking meals out of a box. I spend a good couple of hours a week making a meal plan and a grocery list and we aren't even going to talk about the shopping trip it requires. Ugh! Point being, I work my ass off to make dinner!

I try to plan well rounded meals, a meat or protein,  a veggie, maybe a dairy item or a grain and some sort of fruit to follow up. I don't make meals with crazy, unheard of ingredients and for the sake of all I avoid things like liver and onions all together. So it's not like I'm cooking disgusting meals. My kids would beg to differ though.

They are incredibly picky and I can usually count on at least one of them to complain about some or all of the contents of their plate. It ranges from "what are these red things?" all the way to "I'm not eating this, it's gross!!" It's frustrating and down right pisses me off. We try to stress to the kids that eating healthy will help them grow, etc... but it never works. We have resorted to making them a permanent fixture at the table until their plate is at least nearly clean. It's always "can I be full?" ("I don't know, ask your stomach" is my favorite response to that one, hehe) or "how many more bites?!"  Some nights I fear they might end up sleeping at the dinner table. It doesn't end there though, an hour later (whether they ate their food or not) they all want a snack. Nope! I've considered putting the repeat offenders on a strict ham sandwich diet for dinner regardless of what I cook for everyone else. Trust me. The first night I cook something they really want to eat, that sandwich won't be their saving grace anymore. Tough.

It's gotten to the point where I seriously question why I put the effort in to make a decent dinner. The only thing stopping me from being a Hamburger Helper type of gal is that I appreciate decent food containing ingredients that I can pronounce and I am fairly certain the whole "meal in a box" type of dinner probably isn't exactly packed full of the nutrients a growing child needs.

So unfortunately for my kiddos, it looks like they are going to have to take a few extra bites of their meat loaf and choke down their vegetables. Hopefully one day my persistence will pay off and I will have a group of kids with a diverse pallet. Until then they are going to eat their broccoli!
-N