Hubby B-day Art Project

Today is My hubby's birthday, but we will celebrating on Thursday with his family over for dinner!  

In honor of his birthday we did a fun art project/present!!  I went to Tar-jay and picked up some finger paint, painters tape, and foam poster board!  When I got home, I got the boys de-clothed and sunscreened up, taped up poster board.  The finger paint said it was washable, but why risk it on such a nice day!  I squeezed some paint into several coffee filters, and told the boys to cover the board in paint.  

Things started a little slow, but soon enough both hands on each boy were covered and spreading paint!  When they were done, paint was well spread on them and the board!  

Once the boys were done, I removed the tape, and the result.....                                                                Love it,

Voss I Spy Bottles

My husband kids are driving from Minnesota to Florida, in about 2 months for a Disney Cruise (affectionately known as the Mickey Boat, in our home!).  Yep, I know we just might be CRAZY!  Since this will be a long car ride with toddlers, I have been busy looking for car friendly, yet entertaining activities for them! 

To do this I turned to a little addiction of mine...you guessed it Pinterest!  I found the Homemade I Spy Bottles.  From the research Voss Water Bottles seem to be the best bottle for this.  It is glass, not plastic, which has both good and bad qualities.  Any who...

Directions to make I Spy:

1.  Drink water from bottle

2.  Wet and scrap laser printing from bottle (I used a little adhesive remover and a metal scrapper with a razor blade attatched)

3.  Wash, clean, and dry water bottle

4.  Find little trinkets to place in bottle (I used erasers, buttons, sequins, beads, and other random items)

5.  Place trinkets and rice in bottle

6.  Shake up

7.  Glu top on with Gorilla Glue

Menu Plan 7/29/12

Welcome me hearties!!  Glad to see you all.  How was the weekend?  

This is my late nights week at work, so Tuesday and Wednesday the kiddos go to the grandparents!  Also my hubby's birthday is 7/31, but due to work we will celebrate on 8/3 with his fam!   Since I am not 100% sure what I am making, and my hubby might try and figure out what his celebratory meal is...I won't be posting a Thursday meal!  Sorry kinda a slacker this week, I guess!

Leave me a comment if you'd like!!  Remember to follow me,if you like what you see, thanks!!

Monday: 

Stromboli 

Green beans

Applesauce

Tuesday & Wednesday: 

The kids will eat at the grandparents since I work late!

Thursday: 

Hmm I'm not telling...yet!! Tee hee hee

Friday:

Homemade pizza!  Side salad & fruit

Saturday:

BLT's 

Chips

Fruit

Sunday:  

Sour Cream Noodle bake alla Pioneer Woman http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/sour-cream-noodle-bake/

Hmm just noticed, I am really Italian heavy this week, oh well gotta love Italian!!

What's on your menu?

go to www.orgjunkie.com for more menu planning ideas

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchilatas

This recipe uses the rest of the cans of corn, chickpeas and black beans, as well as extra marinated chicken from the salad earlier this week (http://eatingfoodismybusiness.blogspot.com/2012/07/bbq-chicken-chopped-salad.html). 

It was a little on the spicy side!  

Recipe:

5 flour tortillas

3 chicken breasts shredded or chopped

Corn, chickpea, black bean mix

1 can tomatoes and green chili  drained

1 block cream cheese, softened

2 cups shredded cheese 

Roasted red pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 

1.  Mix tomatoes and cream cheese and 1/2 of cheese

2.  Place heaping cream cheese on tortilla, chicken, and veggie mix on tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in pan

3.  Repeat 4 times

4.  Spread remaining cream cheese mixture and than cheese on top

5.  Garnish with red pepper

6.  Bake for 20 minutes

7.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Strawberry Ganche

• Strawberry Cupcakes
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely chopped strawberries

Directions:

1.  Mix dry ingrients, mix wet ingrients, combine together

2.  Heat oven to 350 degrees

3.  Spray muffin tins (makes 24 full muffins)

4.  Fill 3/4 full

5.  Bake 24 mins

Strawberry Chocolate Ganche 

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 3/4 cup strawberries fine chopped, than puréed 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 bag bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  In a double boiler, mix sugar cream and puréed strawberries.

2.  Bring to a boil

3.   Take of heat and pour in chocolate chips, mix until well combined

4.  Refrigerate, wait 1.5 hours to frost

5.  Enjoy

 I had a bunch is strawberries from a recent shopping trip that were going to go bad in another day or so, I had to find something to bake...

I don't love dark chocolate, but with the sweetness of strawberries and sugar...umm umm good!  

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Wow...another fun summer salad.  This one turned out as good as any restaurant chopped salad I've had.  

 I went to the dollar store and while I was there I found the new Kraft Sizzling Salads kits.  It called out to me to buy it, so I did.  I figured you can't go wrong for a buck!  

I was going to add homemade tortilla strips, but I got too busy and decided to add nuts for extra crunch instead.  

The kiddos ate the salad without the lettuce and nuts, and I was surprised to find that they liked chick peas!

Recipe:

2 heads Romaine lettuce

3 chicken breasts

1/4 bag of steam in bag corn

1/2 can of black beans, rinsed

1/2 can of chickpeas, rinsed

1 tomato

1 handful cashews

1.  Cook chicken according to directions 

on cooking sauce.

2.  Chop up washed lettuce

3.  Add tomato, corn, chickpeas, black beans

4.  Dress salad with dressing and toss

5.  Divide into four servings and top with

 some nuts and chicken!!

6.  Enjoy

Super Summer Salad

Summer Salads are the best, and this salad didn't disappoint!

I used a summer blend of lettuce.  Then added mangos, strawberries, pineapples, and candied pecans!  I used Kraft's Mango Chiptole Dressing.

This dressing is Ah-Maze-ing.  Cub Foods in Mn the other week had Kraft dressings on sale for a buck, and I picked up this flavor, and I am soooo happy I did.  This salad is going to make several repeat performances before summer is up!  

What is your favorite summer salads?

Hot Chocolate Donuts

Hot chocolate Donuts
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup hot chocolate powder mix
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Chocolate Ganche
• 2/3 cup cream
• 1/2 bag chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons karo syrup

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.  Spray muffin tin

3.  Mix all donut ingredients together

 4.  Fill muffin tin or donut pan 2/3 full

5.  Bake 10-12 mins

6.  Heat cream in double boiler, once hot pour over chocolate.

7.  Stir until combined add karo and stir.

8.  Dip donuts into Ganche, add sprinkles if desired!!

9.  Enjoy

Today's a rainy day here in the Twin Cities!   love the rain, but it is making me long for the fall.  So I decided to make a fall inspired dish.  The result, these donuts.  I can't wait for my little ones to get home today and try them!  I am sure they will be loved, especially with the Mickey sprinkles!!

This will be a great weekend item all fall and winter.  

Wonton Egg Bake!!

Good Morning!  I woke up early and I decided to make these babies, as I didn't get a chance to make them last week.  

Recipe:

9 eggs

1/4 cup half and half

Green pepper

Roasted red pepper

Carrots

1 cup cheese

24 wonton wraps

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt/pepper to taste 

9 slices bacon cooked

Makes 24 wonton egg bakes

1. Preheat oven to 350

2.  Spray 2 muffin tins 

3.  Place one wonton wrap in each tin and push down

4.  Crack 9 eggs and whisk in large bowl

5.  Dice roasted red pepper, green pepper, carrots and add to eggs, whisk 

6.  Add garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, cheese and whisk 

7.  Place small amount of bacon in each wonton wrap

8.  Add egg mixture to wrap ( fill 2/3 full)

9.  Put in oven and cook for  30-35 mins

These are delightful, crunchy, and light!  Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday 7/23/12

Welcome me hearties (yep, tapping into my inner pirate!). Glad to see you all.  How was the weekend?  Cilantro has exploded in my garden so you'll see a lot of cilantro this week!!  Leave me a comment if you'd like!!  Remember to follow me,if you like what you see, thanks!!

Monday: 

Leftovers!  The kids will likely have Sammies or Mac n chz!

Tuesday:

empanadas with cilantro lime rice.  

Wednesday: 

Lime chicken salad, (I am using romaine lettuce from my garden, black beans, corn, roasted red pepper,  making tortilla strips, and tomato), with cilantro dressing found here  http://pinchofyum.com/creamy-cilantro-dressing

Thursday: 

Sweet and Spir chicken and rice.  I am going to try this recipe here http://madeitateitlovedit.blogspot.com/2012/03/sweet-and-sour-chicken.html

Friday:

Hamburgers, fries, applesauce!

Saturday:

Dinner out with friends!!

Sunday:  

Cream cheese chicken enchiladas with fresh corn and avocado salad.  Recipes found here http://cassiecraves.blogspot.com/2010/07/cream-cheese-enchiladas.html  and here http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fresh-corn-avocado-salad-10000001906286

What's on your menu?

go to www.orgjunkie.com for more menu planning ideas

Turkey Pot Sticker Burger with Spicy Asian Slaw

I found this recipe on Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com/2011/08/30/pot-sticker-burgers-with-spicy-asian-slaw/and thought it was a have to try.  I love me some pot stickers, and frankly who doesn't.  

I ran into a couple problems,  not unusual for me...which I will cover in the recipe info.  I also made a couple tweaks to her recipe which you will see below.  

For sides I had made a carrot purée for lunch that was perfect for this dish.  I also roasted up some red peppers and cut some mangos and opened a can of pineapple, and made them into a little flower.  

Turkey Pot Sticker Burgers:

1 tube  ground turkey breast roughly 1 pound

1 egg (large)

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 green onions, sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon ginger powder

1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix

Spicy Asian Slaw: (not really that spicy)

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon Peanut oil

3 green onions sliced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more)

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ginger powder

1 green onion, sliced

Rest of the cole slaw bag

Pineapple juice from can of Pineapples used as side

Directions

Mix all the burger components together.  Shape into 4 patties.  Cook burgers until no longer pink.  I choose to do via grilling.  If you choose to do this know that these burgers are very moist and you should put down tin foil first.  Whoops for me, live and learn...from me in this instance.

Mix all Ingredients from soy sauce through onions, once well incorporated add slaw and mix again.  

Ta da dinner is done.  Serve and enjoy!

toddler train bento lunch

I made my little guys today this train bento lunch.  They loved
it!   It consisted of a train pb&j, homemade carrot purée, animal crackers, fruit, a popcorn from smoke stack.  They ate it like rock stars.  Apparently trains increase food intake, I wonder what dinosaurs would do?  Also interesting, if you use strawberries as mountain scenery...they taste "bet -ter"!  

This little experiment in food presentation was a success!

Have you ever made any Benito's, any suggestions!

my must see tv

Do you watch Master Chef?  No? Well quit living under a rock, and tune in!  I love it.  My favorite contestant is Christine. She is an awesomely, amazing woman!  She is blind and turns out meals that are more beautiful and tasty than her follow competitors.  

MasterChef is on Monday and Tuesday on Fox, check your local programming for times!

What is your favorite tv show?

Cake Pop Experiment #1

My first cake pops!?

I made Milk Chocolate cake, and added Creme de Menthe Syrup (not the liquor, so it is non alcoholic). I coated the cake pops with white chocolate  candy chips, and used mint flavored green candy chips for decorations (and Dino jimmies for the boys!!)

I used my new cake pop maker!  The donuts I made last week were shaped a little better, but both taste yummers! 

I am having a lot of trouble finding cake pop recipes for the cake maker, so I will probably have Buy a book!! Oh poor me..hee hee!

Next time I want to try A  S'MORES  Cake Pop recipe!  Yum!!

menu plan 7/16/12

Hello and welcome to my site!! I am new to the blogging world!! Please feel free to follow me or come back frequently if you like what you see!! Any advise, comments are encouraged! Thanks!

Monday:

Applesauce BBQ chicken http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Applesauce-Barbecue-Chicken

Zucchini bread

Corn

Tuesday and Wednesday:

I work late so my husband's parent will make dinner one day and my parents the next at their respective houses! Yes I know, I have the best family ever!! I work late every other Tuesday and Wednesday and they always watch the boys!

Thursday:

Pot sticker burgers with spicy Asian slaw http://iowagirleats.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6005374

Pineapples

Friday:

Homemade Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza (dough recipe from my site)

Salad

Yogurt with fruit blueberries

Saturday:

Muffin tin sausage, bacon, egg, and cheese in an open wonton. (I just created this recipe, pictures and recipes to follow)

Fruit salad

Banana bread

Sunday:

Grilled chicken and zucchini in a lasagna roll up (I just created this recipe as well, pictures and recipe to follow)

Peaches

Green salad

What's on your menu?

Www.orgjunkie.comhas more menu planning!

Grilled Cheeseburger Wraps!!

Yumm...Nuff said about that!

Everyone LOVED this guy!!  It was a little hard for the toddlers to keep all the ingredients in the wrap, but they like things deconstructed anyways.  They were EASY PEASY LEMON SQUEEZY to make as well. 

Recipe:

1 pound hamburger 

1/4 head of lettuce

1 tomato

Mayo

Ketchup

Shredded cheese

4 tortillas (burrito sized)

Any other burger topping you would like!

1.  Grill hamburger (don't forget to salt and pepper the meat)

2.  Rinse hamburger meat

3.  Heat up George Forman Grill

4.  Layout wrap flat

5.  Add mayo and ketchup down center of wrap

6.  Top with hamburger, cheese, tomato, lettuce

7.  Roll up 

8. Place into grill

9.  Heat until golden brownand cheese is melted

10. Repeat until each family member has one!

Try it, you will like it!

Enjoy!!

donut holes!

I went to Target the other day to part take in some alone time, and of course shopping!  I quickly found the seasonal section.  Everything was on sale.  In by the other "makers" was the Bella Cake Pop and Donut Hole Maker the signs all around said 50 percent off!! I took the box to the nearby price scanner, the shelf price was 19.99,  the scanner said 19.99.  Hmmm, I picked up the courteous phone, an associate came!  She looked at the shelf, and scanned the box, her scanner came up 19.99, she said they are in the wrong location.  My heart sank.  But she said I will give it to you at that price and remove the rest.  Score!  Thanks target!  Once again you come through!  I brought my maker to the cashier, got it for 9.99 and smiled happily!!

Now to making...today's activity, donut  holes!

I used the baked chocolate donut recipe I recently blogged about!  

They turned out GREAT!

Next adventure...cake pops!

these little piggies...

Last year at the Great Minnesotan get together (officially known as the Minnesota State Fair), I bought some nail polish pens.  I watched the demo and was hooked.  Mined you being the only girl in the house, my husband didn't watch the demo and thought that I was an idiot for spending some of our alloted State Fair funds on such a product.  Didn't he understand it has lifetime replacements and $2 gets me a new pen!!  Who out there is thinking, this ones a sucker??  Hmmm??  You might be right, but I love those little pens and I don't summer toe designs with them.  

Look at my most recent creation....

Products:

Essie in turquoise & Caicos

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails xtreme wear in Disco Ball

Migi Nail Art in white and pink

What do you think?   What are you go to nail colors??

energized...

I have been working out for roughy 3 weeks now.  I actually feel like I am energized.  That's right, I feel like I have energy.    When I go for walks, I want to run, WHAT did I just say that?? Yep, I did!!  For me to have energy is Spectacular.  I work full time, I have two toddlers (who only go to daycare part time), and I a wife, a fantastic on if I don't say so myself, and at the end of the day I have energy!    My walk/running mate is loving the extra attention!  You should see his tail go.  

Is he the cutest or what?!!?  

For those wondering he is part Grey Hound, and part German Shepard! He is just waiting for his next walk....daydreaming about it!!