Lisas Recipe Cards

White Chicken Chili

2011-03-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Even living in Las Vegas today, I am chilled to the bone. We are under a wind advisory today so that means the only time I am leaving my house is to pick up my daughter from school. On a day like today, hot soup comes to my mind for dinner and I thought I better hurry up and share this one because our chilly days are coming to an end.

My sister in law passed this recipe along to me and I couldn't wait to try it. One of the reasons I was so excited about it - the whole dish is made in the crock pot. I made some slight modifications to the original recipe as to pass my family's inspection - they can all be picky eaters if I let them. The main changes were not to the ingredients themselves, but how I used them. I took the onion and green chilies and blended them into a puree before adding to the chili. This helped me to save the yummy flavors, but to avoid comments like, "Yuck, what is the green thing? I don't like it!" I also topped with shredded cheese and crushed chips. Who can object to cheese and chips?

So if you are experiencing some cold and windy weather today, make sure to get this recipe started. I am sure it will warm your family up.

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Veggie Pizza

2011-02-22T16:43:00.000-08:00

My hubby had a pot luck at work this past weekend. He told me that everyone was to bring an entree because they didn't want to be eating a bunch of side dishes and salads for lunch. WHAT? To me that is what a pot luck is suppose to be, not a table full of entrees. You need to have some kind of variety - RIGHT?!?!

I thought that it would be nice to have some sort of veggie dish amongst all the entrees so I tried to convince my hubby that my Veggie Pizza was in fact really an entree. He didn't buy my story, but he needed a dish to bring and needed me to make it. He came home with an empty platter and with several requests for the recipe. Not too surprising, because this recipe is a winner.

I have one simple tip to add that will make your serving platter look awesome and all you have to do is switch some steps around. After you have spread the cream cheese mixture over the crescent, cut pizza into small squares. Then add the veggies. This way you will get every veggie on every square making your pizza bites look more uniform and inviting to eat.

Want to add this recipe to your collection?
Just click to enlarge, right click and "save picture as." Open newly saved file, then print.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-12-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

I love having soup on a cold chilly night. And even though it was only around 40 degrees last night, I was chilled to the bone. Remember that I live in Vegas and my blood is really thin, or at least that is my excuse anyways. Back to the recipe, I have had this recipe for a long time and has been a one that I can simply throw together. However, yesterday I made it even simpler by using my crock pot. I love it when I find yet another way to make my crock pot do all the work for me - YEAH for CROCK POTS!!! Speaking of crock pots, did any of you get one at Walmart on Black Friday for only $9.00? I did!!!

This soup is a must try!!! I hope that it can bring you some comfort on a cold and chilly night where ever you may live.

Want to add this recipe to your collection?

Just click to enlarge, right click and "save picture as." Open newly saved file, then print.

Remember to check out my new blog My Computer Is My Canvas Too. I have a fun GIVE AWAY going on right now that ends on Saturday. Don't miss it!!!

Also - my AMAZING blogging sister has put together a Christmas Advent Blog. If you want to be inspired by the true meaning of Christmas, be sure to stop by. As I type, I am listening to the beautiful Christmas music she provides on her site.

I linked up at

Tasty Tuesday

My New Etsy Shop & Blog

2010-11-19T19:31:00.000-08:00

I just launched my new Etsy shop and blog tonight - My Computer Is My Canvas Too. YEAH!!! I have teamed up with Colette, my sister and creator of My Computer Is My Canvas. She makes and sales DIY printables in her Etsy shop. My Etsy shop gives people the option to CUSTOMIZE her products. I am hoping to add some of my own original work soon, but for now I will just stick to the personalization side of things.

To help get the word out about my new Etsy shop, I am hosting a give away. My blogging friends and family now have the opportunity to win the above file personalized with your family's name. Me and the kids made ours today and we had a blast putting them together. So you all have 3 ways to enter

Go to my post HERE and leave a comment. Tell me what your favorite Christmas song is.
Become a follower of my blog. After you have become a follower, let me know in the comment section HERE.
Become a follower on my Facebook Page. Again, after you have become a follower, let me know in the comment section of my post HERE.

Don't worry I will still be sharing and posting my recipes here. I have lots to share :)

Roasted Asparagus

2010-11-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

Here is another great idea for a Thanksgiving dinner - roasted asparagus. When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner I like to keep my dishes simple. And I don't think you can get any easier than this dish.

No recipe is really needed. Just a few simple steps to a great tasting side dish. First rinse off all the asparagus stalks, then snap off the tough woody bottoms. To do this just bend the stalk to find the natural breaking point. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper - to taste. Place on a sheet pan in a single layer. Cook for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Voila, you are done and can now focus on more important things, like the turkey.

I linked up at the following linky parties - Skip To My Lou

Jalapeno Lime Poppers

2010-11-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

The first time I ever tired stuffed Jalapenos was on Thanksgiving. At the time my family was living in Texas with no family around. Fortunately for us a nice family from our church invited us over for dinner. She served a very traditionally Thanksgiving Dinner (which I was thankful for) except for these Jalapeno Poppers. After just one taste I was hooked and ate about well more than my share. I loved them so much, I have made them every year for Thanksgiving Dinner. I have added a small little twist to her recipe by adding lime to the cream cheese. It just added another little kick that your guest won't be excepting. So if you want to add some spice to your Thanksgiving Dinner this year, be sure to make these.

BTW - The Pioneer Women has a very similar recipe, it may be where my friend got her recipe, with a step by step tutorial HERE on how to assemble. Just remember to add the lime zest:)

Want to add this recipe to your collection?

Just click to enlarge, right click and "save picture as." Open newly saved file, then print.

I Linked up at the following Linky Parties: Skip To My Lou, Tatertots and Jello, The Grocery Cart Challenge

Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-10-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

Do you need one more way to help celebrate Halloween around your house? Since Halloween in on Sunday this year and my kids won't be rushing off to school, I am planning to make pumpkin shaped pancakes. They are super simple to make and my kids are going to LOVE them. Here is what you need . . .

Pancake mix

Green Food Coloring

Orange Food Coloring (1drop red to 2 drops yellow)

1 Squeeze Bottle

Medium Cookie Scoop

Prepare the pancake mix according to the directions on the box. Then divide the batter into one small batch for the green and the remaining for the orange. I put the green batter in a squeeze bottle to help me create the stem easier. I also added a tiny bit of extra water to the green batter so it would squeeze out of the bottle better. I used my medium cookie scoop to make the pumpkins. Scoop the orange batter onto the griddle first, then go back and squeeze out the stem. That's it - a fun and easy breakfast for Halloween morning.

Happy Haunting this weekend!!!

I linked up at the following linky parties:

Tatertots and Jello

My Halloween Dinner Plans

2010-10-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to make a fun Halloween dinner for my kids, but haven't in the past because I felt like my kids were too young to enjoy my efforts. BUT not this year. I have had so much fun blog hopping, trying to pull together my perfect Halloween dinner.

The main course - Chili from the can. Even with as much as I love to cook, sometimes I just prefer to take the simple route. Chili is one of those dinners that if I open a can a heat, I will get no complaints from my family. However, if I tried a homemade version, I would surely get comments about the onions or peppers or probally about the whole dish in general. So I have learned to avoid wasted time and food and go with the safe bet.

I will also be serving Mummy Dogs from Our Best Bites as part the main course. I love a good ole hotdog and they pair perfecty with chili. My kids are going to go crazy for these.

To make sure I get a little fruit in them, I thought that these Monster Jaws from Our Best Bites would work out perfectly. Of course I will be serving my Pumpkin Dip right along side of them.

Trying to add to my healthy choices, I will make these Cheesy Fingers from Our Best Bites. I might try to "paint" the almond slivers with red food coloring.

There are a lot of different drink options on the Internet, but I wanted to keep this one a simple. Here is what I came up with. Sparkling Brew with floating Eyes. For the 'Eyes" I cut a slit in the side of a green grape and placed a 1/2 craisin inside. Then placed all grapes in the freezer. Color Sprite with red and yellow food coloring. When it is time to eat, place 6-10 "eyes" in the bottom of the cup and pour the sprite. Use black licorice as a straw.

AND for dessert - Dirt Cups from Who Left the Lights On. I might be a little crazy to serve a dessert at a Halloween dinner (like my kids are going to need the extra sugar), but I couldn't leave these off the menu.

I am heading to the dollar store later this week to buy some cute and cheap table decorations. I can't wait for this dinner and hope that it goes well. Do you have any fun Halloween dinner idea? I would love to hear them - so leave me a comment. Happy Haunting!!!

Pumpkin Dip

2010-10-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

My friend Rachel e-mailed me this recipe this week. She was so cute to think of me. She had posted on Facebook about Pumpkin Cheesecake and my reply was, "Send some my way." She immediately sent me this recipe because she thought it would be right up my alley. We she was kind of right. Although I do love pumpkin recipes, it is my hubby who is the huge pumpkin fan in the family, (which kind of shocks me still to this day) so I knew I needed to make this recipe for him. I was heading to the grocery store the next day so I added all the ingredients to my list. The verdict - YUMMY!!! We all loved it. We had fun going through the fridge and pantry trying to find different foods to dip. Our favorites were apples, Oreos, pretzels and marshmallows.

As always, I have created a recipe card for you to download and print. Enjoy!!!

Want to add this recipe to your collection?
Just click to enlarge, right click and "save picture as." Open newly saved file, then print.

I linked up at the following Linky Parties: Skip to My Lou

Homemade Oreos and a FREEBIE

2010-10-18T06:24:00.001-07:00

I love Double Stuffed Oreos - and YES they have to be double stuffed for me to enjoy. However, I love homemade Oreos even more. This recipe comes from my Grandma Peterson. I can remember every time she came to visit she would bring these Oreos. You had to snatch one up fast or they would be gone.

After I was married, I asked one of my cousins for the recipe and was shocked at how easy they were to make. Grandma Peterson had me fooled. I thought that she slaved all day in the kitchen to make these beauties. Well, don't fear because these Oreos are fast, easy and fail proof to make.

HINT - to make the perfect size Oreo, you will need to use a 1" cookie scoop to make your dough balls.

HINT #2 - Here is how I make the dough - use a fork to cut the shortening into the cake mix. "Cutting in" means incorporating shortening into the dry mixture. After the shortening is cut in, the cake mix will have formed tiny little balls. You should not see any white from the shortening when you are done. Crack your eggs into a separate bowl and beat. Then add the the cake mixture and stir in with the same fork. The dough with be stiff but that is the way it is supposed to be.

So do you need an excuse to make these cookies - well I have one for you.

Go HERE to print this"You've Been Boo'ed" FREE PRINTABLE! Not familiar with this Halloween tradition. You've Been Boo'ed is a fun neighborhood activity. You makes some yummy treats (like Homemade Oreos - Halloween Style), print this cute poem and attach it to the goodies (that maybe wrapped like this - hint hint).

Then you pick two neighborhood homes, drop off the goodies at their door, ring the doorbell and RUN!!! Then sit back at watch how fast the "You've Been Boo'ed" poems start appearing on everyone's doors. This is a fun tradition that my neighborhood did growing up that has been fun to carry on with my family.

A special THANKS to My Computer is My Canvas for putting together the printable for this post!

I linked up at the following linky parties:

Skip To My Lou, The Creative Girl, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Tatertots and Jello

Halloween Suckers

2010-10-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

While I was busy making my Halloween Pops on Sunday, I thought I would take my mess to the next level and make Halloween Suckers. These suckers are super easy to make and have a big wow factor. And as an added bonus, they are made with one of my favorite ingredients - ALMOND BARK.

So here is what you will need. . .

White Almond Bark - divided
Orange Food Coloring (1 drop red/2 drops yellow)
Green Food Coloring (1 drop blue/1 drop yellow)
Sucker Sticks
Small Cookie Sheet
Wax Paper
Chocolate Chips
Mini Chocolate Chips

Now here is how you do it . . .

Melt white almond bark in microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Make sure to melt and color all bark before starting. Then, line your small cookie sheet with wax paper. Place sucker sticks on the pan with a good amount of space in between them (about 5-6 suckers per pan). Now I make these suckers free form and I think that is what makes them so awesome. Make sure to start your drizzle over the sucker stick first then start creating the rest of your shape. (Take a look at my picture for some guidelines.) Time for the faces! This is the time to let your kids help. As soon as the suckers are done, place in the freezer for about 10 minutes to set. Peel suckers off the wax paper and start again.

When you are all done, wrap and finish off with some curly ribbon. These are the suckers I made for my little girls Halloween party last year. The kids (and MOMS) went bonkers over them. HMMMM, I wonder where I can take these suckers this year?

I linked up at the following parties: Tatertots and Jello

Halloween Pops

2010-10-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

My kids and I had fun yesterday afternoon creating some Halloween Pops. I used the basic ideas from this post HERE to create them. These would be great for a bake sale, harvest festival or your kids Halloween party. Here is what you will need to recreate these festive pops

FRANKENSTEIN POPS

Large Marshmallows
Sucker Sticks
White Almond Bark - tinted green
Crushed Oreo Cookie Crumbs (remove white cream) - HAIR
Pretzels - BOLTS
mini Chocolate Chips - EYES
Orange Pumpkin Sprinkles & Chocolate Jimmies - NOSE & MOUTH
(look for them at the Target Dollar Spot)

PUMPKIN POPS

Large Marshmallows
Sucker Sticks
White Almond Bark - tinted orange
Mini Chocolate Chips - FACE
Green Mini M&M's - Pumpkin STEM

GHOST POPS

Large Marshmallows
Sucker Sticks
White Almond Bark
Mini Chocolate Chips - EYES
Brown Mini M&M's - MOUTH

I hope that you all have a great time making these fun Halloween treats. Remember to store them in an air tight container to preserve the freshness.

I participated in the following Linky Parties:

Made By You Monday. Just Something I Whipped Up, Beadlam and Beauty, Delicious Dishes, Get your Craft On, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Simply Sweet Home, The Shabby Nest

Honey Mustard Sauce

2010-10-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

My honey mustard sauce only has 3 ingredients, but sometimes the simplest things in life taste the best. This sauce goes good with chicken, fries and even works as a salad dressing. But if you want to taste it in its glory stage, then pour it over the top of my Aussie Chicken. Man - this sauce puts that chicken over the top!!! As always, I have made a printable recipe card for you all to print. Thanks for stopping by!

Want to add this recipe to your collection?

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Aussie Chicken

2010-10-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

So I haven't dropped off the face of the bloggersphere. I just got back from a nice, relaxing cruise to Mexico with my hubby. We were celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary and my BIG 30th birthday!!! Yeah for me!!! So now that I am somewhat back to reality, my laundry is finally done after 2 days and I almost have my sea legs back, I am ready to give you all a new recipe to try.

I found this recipe for Aussie Chicken about 1 year ago on a recipe swap blog. I printed the recipe immediately and lost the link to credit the author. SORRY!!! This recipe is based off a menu item from Outback Steakhouse. The first time I made it for dinner, I blew my hubby away. Now, keep in mind that he is a very PICKY eater so when he can't stop talking about dinner, then I know I have hit a home run. My little girl loves it because it has bacon in it. Her favorite food is bacon and can smell it the moment it hits the skillet.

I have made it almost every week since then. It is so easy and comes together so fast. Please make sure to add this recipe to your menu this week, then come back here and let me know what you think. ENJOY!!!

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Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-09-16T05:47:00.000-07:00

I needed to make some chocolate cupcakes for my cookie dough frosting. When I found that I didn't have a box mix, I didn't panic or run to the store. I turned to my favorite foodie blogs for some help. I ended up picking THIS RECIPE mainly because I had all the ingredients and I am starting to love any dessert with sour cream in it. It was a GREAT pick and pushed my cookie dough frosting over the top. They came out of the oven so moist and yummy!!! As always, I have a recipe card for download and have included the changes I have made from the original recipe (I increased the chocolate and vanilla for my taste). EnJoY!!!

Want to add this recipe to your collection?

Just click to enlarge, right click and "save picture as." Open newly saved file, then print.

Cookie Dough Truffles

2010-09-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

I have had some requests on how to make the Cookie Dough Truffles I talked about in my last post. They are really easy to make, but they do take some time to make. I like to make these on a day when I am home doing laundry or on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I am just chillin with my family.

First things first - make this awesome cookie dough recipe. This recipe is by far the easiest recipe I have found to make that does not include eggs. AND remember that because this cookie dough is eggless, it means it is safe to eat and makes it perfect for gifts and bake sales.

Then make dough balls using a Cookie Scoop. This will help you make uniform dough balls. Place the dough balls on a small cookie sheet, lined with parchment or wax paper, and place in the freezer for a few hours.

Now it is time to coat the balls. I like to use chocolate bark because it melts easy and drys fast. (You can find chocolate bark in the baking isle in any major grocery chain.)

The easiest and fastest way to melt the bark is to do so in the microwave and in a coffee mug. Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals - stirring each time until your chocolate silky smooth. The mug gives a deep dipping well without using a ton of bark. Plus when I am done with my dipping, I cover the mug with tin foil and save for my next use.

Now it is time to dip the dough balls. Dip the bottom and place back on the cold cookie sheet (lined with parchment or wax paper). Stick dough balls back in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Time to dip the tops. After the whole ball is coated, shake off all the excess bark and place back on the cookie sheet. When you are finished dipping the tops, DO NOT place back into the freezer or you will get condensation on your truffles. (Yup - I learned the hard way - as you can see.) When the bark has completely hardened, you can start decorating.

I don't have any fancy cake decorating tools so I use a Ziploc bag and scissors. I like to use white chocolate bark to decorate my cookie dough truffles. Melt the white chocolate as mentioned above and let cool for a few minutes. Then place melted bark into the Ziploc bag. Cut off a tiny corner and you have just made a piping bag. My little girl likes the swirl effect and my little dude likes the lines. Be creative and have fun with this part.

That's it - you have just made Cooke Dough Truffles that will make you a baking rock star.

Remember that this cookie dough is also great when it is used as a frosting like I did here.

I participated in the following linkie parties:

Skip To My Lou, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, The Creative Girl Blog Party, It's A Blog Party, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Beauty and Bedlam, Seven Thirty Three, Night Owl Crafting, Tatter Tots and Jello

Cookie Dough Frosting - SAFE TO EAT

2010-09-13T06:02:00.000-07:00

I LOVE eating raw cookie dough, I mean who doesn't. I have to admit that eating the cookie dough might be the only reason I make cookies. I also have no problem eating the raw dough with eggs. I have been indulging since I was a tween and have never had a problem because of the raw egg.

Just recently my sister and I had a conversation about cookie dough and all the endless dessert possibilities we could do with it. However, we were both worried about serving raw cookie dough (with eggs) to others. So we started our search for an eggless dough. The first one we tried - huge failure. Then we came across this raw cookie dough recipe - winner winner chicken dinner!!! I have been experimenting with it ever since.

First I tried and succeed in making cookie dough truffles. I made them for a family friend as a thank you. She called me before I even made it home and just to raved about them. I think that she even referred to me as Paula Deen. NICE!!! Next I made them for the Young Women of my church and of course they devoured them in seconds. Trust me so will you!!

But my latest venture with raw cookie dough - FROSTING! Yup, I used it as frosting on top of some chocolate cupcakes. HEAVENLY is all I can say. If you want to make an impressive dessert that hasn't been done before, then make these babies. Words are hard to come by right now, because all I can think about is the remaining cupcake sitting in my fridge right now. I WANT IT SO BAD!!!! Just do me a huge favor and try it. You will not be disappointed and you will become the rock star of the party that you bring them to - trust me!!!

I participated in the following linkie parties at:

Skip to My Lou, CRAFT, Craft-O-Maniac, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Cupcake Tuesday, Delicious Dishes, Tasty Tuesday Dishes, It's A Blog Party, Today's Creative Blog, 733, Someday Crafts, Blue Cricket Design, Home is Where My Sotry Begins, The Shabby Nest, Frou Frou Design, Finger Prints on the Fridge

Tomato Sandwiches

2010-09-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my parents were in town to help celebrate my Little Dude's birthday. Not only did they come bearing gifts for him, they came with a bowl full of garden fresh tomatoes just for me. I LOVE garden fresh tomatoes and they have turned me into some what of a tomato snob. Unless they are fresh from the vine, I pass (with the exception of grape tomatoes - I can eat those all year round). I haven't always been a tomato fan, but I can remember the day I became one.

My mom was eating her usually summer breakfast, a tomato sandwich, and my mouth began to water. With a little hesitation, I asked for a bite. I have been hooked ever since. So what is a tomato sandwich? It is a really good piece of toast (with butter of course), sliced garden fresh tomatoes (they have to be fresh), salt and a lot of pepper. That's it and you have an amazingly good sandwich that will have your mouth will begging for more. Yup, I can't just stop at one. My family only eats these sandwiches throughout the harvest season and when the last tomato is pick the last sandwich is made with tears in our eyes.

So if you are lucky enough to have a garden and some garden fresh tomatoes, then give these simple sandwiches a try.

Mario Bro Week - Wrap Up

2010-09-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

I had a great week showing you all things Mario. I wanted to wrap up this week with a few more ideas to help you throw a successful Mario Party. So I thought I would share all the links that helped me out along the way.

Link HERE to find great deals on party supplies - like plates, party favors, decorations and more. It was so nice to have the supplies shipped to me instead of me running all over town to find them.

Link HERE, HERE or HERE for more party game ideas.

AND finally, link HERE for a fun online tutorial on how to make a Yoshi Egg Throw that my little guy went crazy over. It may make a big mess, but just like my hubby said, "just clean it up when the party's over."

Mario Bros - The Cake

2010-09-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

The cake always sets the tone for the party so I knew I had a big job ahead of me. I did a Google search and found some amazing Mario Cakes. This is the one my little dude picked and I was up for the challenge. I couldn't wait to get started and to tell you the truth it was so much easier than I anticipated. It was so much fun to watch as the cake came together with each step.

So here is what I did to make this amazing cake. First you will need to bake two 9" cakes and 4 cupcakes. While the cakes were baking and cooling, I went ahead and started prepping for the decorating fun.

You will need a sturdy board to put your cake on. I bought a 14 x 14 box, cut off the top and bottom flaps, taped the four sides together with duct tape (what I used on my Mystery Box Pinata), and then cover with tin foil.

Then I got my frostings ready. I cheated a little and bought some of the frostings for convenience. For the rest of the frosting I used the following recipe

1 cube Butter (room Temp)
1 T Vanilla
1 bag Powdered Sugar
Milk

Add butter, vanilla and powdered sugar to a large bowl. Add milk slowly (in small amounts) and mix until the frosting comes together in a spreadable form. You'll need to be the judge of the consistency.

If this is too much, then just buy a few cans of the white frosting. You will need a small amount of blue for the eyes, white for a thin base layer and peach for the skin color (1 drop red: 3 drops yellow).

Then it is time to put the base of the cake together. I have to say sorry in advanced for the lack of pictures in this part of the tutorial. I was too excited and forgot to take the pics. So anyways, place one of the circle cakes slightly lower than center. HINT - put a dollop of frosting down to help it stick in place. Then take the second circle cake and cut a moon shape out of the top -this will be come the hat. They will be slightly uneven where the hat and head meet - just fill with extra frosting to even it out. Now take 3 cupcakes and cut into moon shapes and cut in half to fit the height of the cake - these will become the ears and chin. Then take the last cupcake and cut it in half for the nose.

Frost the whole cake with a thin layer of white frosting. This is called a crumb layer. It helps to keep the crumbs out of the final layers. After this layer is complete, put your cake in the fridge for about 20 minutes to let the frosting set. Then frost the remaining cake (except the hat area) with the peach color frosting. Now it is time to add the details to make this cake come alive.

Now I don't have all the fancy tools needed to frost a cake so I like to improvise. When I need to use a piping bag, I use a Ziploc bag. Put your frosting in a Ziploc bag, twist the top closed, squeeze frosting to the corner and snip off a small piece. Easy Peasy

I just went with the flow when it came to decorating and just followed the picture for HERE as my guide. Hint - I used the star tip on the red frosting can to add dimension to the hat.

And all my hard, but fun, work paid off on my little dude's birthday. I find this picture priceless and it shows me why I did what I did to make his day a SPECIAL DAY.

I linked up at the following linky parties:

Skip To My Lou, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, C.R.A.F.T, Tools Are For Women Too, Balancing Bedlam and Beauty, It's A Blog Party, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Today's Creative Blog, Santa's Gift Shoppe, Sugar and Spice, Someday Crafts, Night Owl Crafting, Tattertots and Jello, Shabby Nest

Mario Bros - Cookie Cutter Cake Ball Stars

2010-09-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks ago when I was making my plans for the Mario Mushroom balls, I thought, "I wonder if you could make a cake ball with cookie cutters." So I used half of my cake ball recipe for the mushrooms and decided to give it a shot and found that it was so easy. Here's is what you do - prepare a small cookie sheet (that can fit in your freezer) by laying a piece of wax paper on it. Then plop on the cake dough.

Flatten out the cake dough with your hands - make it a think layer. Then stick the cookie sheet into the freezer for at least a few hours to freeze the cake dough. HINT - I left mine in the freezer over night.

Now it is time to start cutting out your shapes. Since I was trying to create the Mario Star, I used a small star shaped cookie cutter. Cut fast and place shapes on a similarly prepared cookie sheet and return to the freezer. As with sugar cookie dough, gather all unused cake dough and repeat the above process. I did the freezing, cutting and reflattening throughout the day until all my cake dough had been used. HINT - the smaller the cookie cutter shape the better. I tried a large egg shape and it didn't work so well.

I left the cutouts in the freezer over night before I started dipping them in chocolate bark. (If the cutouts are not frozen, their shape will start to bend and make the next step difficult.) I melted white chocolate bark in a coffee mug and colored it yellow after it was melted. Then I dipped half the star in the melted bark and placed it back on the cookie sheet. After I had half dipped all the stars, back to the freezer they went for 30 minutes or so.

Then it was time to dip the tops. Make sure to shake off the excess chocolate bark from the top and bottom to help keep the cookie cutter shape. Aren't these stars looking so CUTE!!!! After the tops are dipped, let the cookie cutter shapes sit at room temp to allow the chocolate bark to cool and harden. If you stick them directly back into the freezer, condensation will occur on your masterpieces and you don't want that after all your hard work. Yup - I learned the hard way!!!

One final step that made this Mario Stars shine was adding the eyes. Simple straight lines do the trick. I used store bought black icing in a tube for this step - the easiest step of all if you ask me. YEAH!!! Now you have custom Mario Stars for your Mario party.

As a side note - It seems like these little guys took a lot of work with all the freezing over night steps, but that is not the case. Just start them a few days earlier than needed and work on them for a few minutes here and there. Overall I spent no more than 90 minutes on them over a few days and the results were totally worth it for me.

Mario Bros - Mushroom Cake Pops

2010-09-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

I took some inspiration from Bakerella's Cup Cake Pops for these cute little guys. She has a great step by step tutorial on how to make her cup cake pops. Just head on over there to she how she does it. Then I made a few changes to the dipping and decorating and voila - Mushroom Balls.

Here are my simple changes 1) Dip the bottom in white chocolate bark - let dry. 2) Color white chocolate bark red (or any other Mario Mushroom color) and dip the top - let dry. 3) Melt white chocolate bark and put in a sandwich size Ziploc bag. 4) Cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the Ziploc and make circles on the red mushroom top. 5) Using black icing (mine was store bought), make two small lines for the eyes.

There you have it - WAY CUTE Mushroom Cake Balls to accent any Mario party. Be sure to check back tomorrow for another creative idea using cake balls.

Mario Bros - Mystery Pinata

2010-08-31T06:08:00.000-07:00

One of my little dude's favorite things about Mario is the mystery boxes because they hold all the powers. His favorite powers are Ice Power, Fire Power and Flyer Power. So I thought it would be fun to make a Mystery Box Pinata.

Quick side note about Pinatas before we start - Pinatas with strings are for pulling open a trap door on the bottom and the plain (no string kind) are for hitting with a bat. Any who here are the supplies you'll need . . .

1 - 12 x 12 box
6 - 12 x 12 paper
Paper for pinata design (like the question mark)
Curling Ribbon
Coordinating Duct Tape
Glue Stick/Double Sided Tape

STEP 1
Tape the 12 x 12 box together - top and bottom. Then tape and glue your 12 x 12 paper to each side. HINT - I put the double sided tape on the outer edges and used the glue for the middle.

STEP 2
Use the duct tape to finish off the sides. I taped off the top and bottom first and then moved on to the side for a more uniform look.

STEP 3
Cut a hole in the bottom using a serrated knife, use the duct tape to finish off the edges. This helps to protect the paper from peeling and ripping around the cut area. Then cut 2 small slits in the top of the box. Thread a long piece of ribbon through the slits and tight in a strong knot. I ended up taping over my knot to help secure it even more. This will become what holds the pinata up. HINT - I used a paper clip to help me get the ribbon threaded through the slits on top.

STEP 4
Now it is time to start decorating your sides. Because I decided on the Mystery Box, my side decor was easy peasy. All I needed was a question mark and 4 small squares for the corners. I have a Cricut Personal Cutting Machineat home so that is what I used to cut out my design.

STEP 5
It is time to fill up your pinata with all your candy and prizes. Be mindful of the weight and try not to over fill. Now take your curling ribbon and cut into long strips. I cut mine 3 feet long. Then start taping the ribbon onto the trap door to secure it closed. I taped one ribbon on the trap door, then the next one on the box and repeated this pattern the length of the trap door. I also taped some random ribbons on the bottom as decoys. HINT - Curl your ribbon ends by running your finger and ribbon along the side of your scissors.

That's it - you have just made your own Mystery Box Pinata for your Mario Bros Birthday Party. You can take this same concept and customize it to any party theme. Be sure to check back tomorrow to see how I turned the Mario Mushroom into a tasty treat!!!

Mario Bros Birthday Party Week

2010-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

My little dude turned 4 last week. His birthday was the talk of the house for weeks and after many disappointing "today is not the day" comments, we made a countdown chain. Poor little dude had a chain as tall as his door. Not only did he have a long wait, he had a hard time deciding on his theme. It went from baseball to soccer to baseball again and then one day it came to him - Mario. My insides turned to mush. How on earth was I too pull together a Mario Theme party.

I finally pulled my thoughts together and started my Google search for "Mario Bros Birthday Ideas." Not very helpful, but I was able to pull a few good ideas together (off my Google search) and came up with a few of my own.

The rest of the week, I am going to highlight what I did to pull together my little dude's party. I am so excited to share and hope to see you back here tomorrow for Pinata Making 101 - Mario Style.

Avocado Ranch

2010-08-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this Avocado Ranch is really a recipe. In my opinion it is more of a cooking method. The concept here can be used a thousand different ways, but today I chose to share Avocado Ranch because it was the sauce on my over cooked burger the other day at Chili's. I'm just saying that my burger could have been a little more pink, but at least the sauce made a good enough impression on me as to want to recreate it at home. Anyways to make this dressing, smash up 1 avocado and mix with 2 cups of ranch. That's it - so easy peasy lemon squeezy!!!

Now the most important ingredient is not the Avocado, it is the "homemade ranch." I grew up on this ranch dressing and have a hard time eating the pre-made stuff out of the bottle. The "homemade ranch" is simply mayo, milk and a packet of ranch mix from Hidden Valley (or something similar). Now I use the quotations because my sweet hubby says it is not "homemade" because I am not using the fresh herbs and such, but he prefers the stuff in the bottle so I shouldn't be surprised.

So if you want to add so goodness to a boring ole salad, first try the "homemade ranch" then add the avocado and your salad will become a happy salad.
'

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken

2010-08-23T05:57:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, my hubby and I went on one awesome trip to Boston with my brother in law and his wife. Now because I am a huge foodie, I did my research on the restaurants in the area before we left. I did not want to waste any meals at a restaurant we have here in Vegas. I thought that my list of restaurants was good, but my brother in law out did me in research and he picked the jack pot with Giacomo's. As we were walking into the restaurant, my heart skipped a beat as I saw a sign with Rachael Ray. She had visited Giacomo's on one of her $40 a Day episodes. HOLY SMOKED!!! I could not wait to sit down and scour over the menu. As this was a special treat I made everyone order a different dish so I could sample 4 dishes instead of 1. I know I was a little bossy, but we are taking about top notch food here. All of the dishes were exceptional, but again my brother in law seemed to out pick me. His dish was by far the best on the table. In fact it was so good, I came home a recreated it into Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken. Every time we eat it, we are taken back to Boston. I hope that you all enjoy this dish as much as me and my family do.

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Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Pops

2010-08-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

The other the day, my kids wanted to get the pink marshmallows at the grocery store. As I put them in the cart, the lights went off in my head. I was so excited to come home and get started on my new idea - Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pops. Yum!!!! They kind of remind me of the creation I get at Cold Stone Creamery - strawberry ice cream, strawberries and graham cracker crumbs, SOOOOO GOOD and so are these pops. Give them a try today!

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S'more Pops - A How To

2010-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to talk about S'More Pops today. I recruited my two special helpers to show us all how easy it is to make these awesome little treats.

When we are talking about S'More Pops we must talk about a key ingredient. I would like you to meet chocolate bark (it also come in while chocolate). In my opinion this chocolate is awesome as it allows me to dip, dunk and smoother many different kinds of treats with no fuss. You can find chocolate bark in the baking isle in any major grocery chain. I personally like the Kroger brand the best. OK now that we have all been introduced lets move on . . .

Step 1 - We need to melt the chocolate bark. The easiest and fast way is to do so in the microwave. I like to melt the bark in a coffee mug. Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals - stirring each time until your chocolate silky smooth. The mug gives a deep dipping well without using a ton of bark. Plus when I am done with my dipping, I cover the mug with tin foil and save for my next use.

Step 2 - Stick your sucker sticks into the middle of the large marshmallows. Easy Peasy!!! You can use mini Popsicle sticks, but I don't like them as much. One reason, they don't look as cute.

Step 3 - Dip the marshmallow pop into the melted chocolate. Make sure you don't dip too far. You want to keep the bottom of the pop chocolateless (is that even a word)?!?!

Step 4 - Hold the pop like so and twist. This step is the most important step. You need to make sure to twirl all the excess chocolate off the marshmallow. If you don't the chocolate with drip and take the graham cracker crumbs with it. If you want a thick coat of chocolate, dip and dry multiple times.

Step 5 - Now that all the excess chocolate has been twisted off, it is time to dip in the graham cracker crumbs - top first please.

Step 6 - Then roll the sides in the crumbs. After you are done, tap the pop gently on the side to shake off any loose crumbs. You are almost done just one step left, don't worry it is the easiest step of all.

Step 7 - Now we need to place the newly made pop in a secure up right position. I told you it was easy. The best way to do this is to buy a block of floral foam and cover it with tin foil. Then just jam the Popsicle stick into the foam and let it set for 10 minutes to let the chocolate firm up. Store the pops in an air tight container until you are ready to enjoy.

There you have it - now wasn't that that easy peasy lemon squeezey!!!

Brocolli Grape Salad

2010-08-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

This recipe has been in my family for years and for most of those years I turned my nose to it. Probably the years that my brother questioned if my taste buds worked properly as I fussed and complained about most foods. Thankfully my taste buds kicked back in gear and I am a good little eater. Any who - back to the salad. This is one of the best salads I have had to date and it is a nice change from the traditional lettuce salad. The combination of all the ingredients work and when you pre-wash your grapes, the salad is a snap to put together. My hubby, who hates broccoli, LOVES this salad and requests it once a week. In fact there is some in my fridge as we speak and I am hoping to finish it off before him.

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I linked up at the following Linky Parties

Mady by You Monday: Skip to My Lou, Market Yourself Monday: Sumos Sweet Stuff, Craft O Maniac Monday, Tools Are For Women Too, Beauty and Bedland, Delicious Dishes: It's A Blog Party, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Today's Creative Blog, Sugar and Spice: 733, Someday Crafts, Whos Got Talent, Blue Cricket Design, Tatertots and Jello

Stick a Fork In It!

2010-08-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

When it comes to juicing a lemon, there are a lot of ways or tools to help you get the job done. Me, I like to keep it simple, stick a fork in it then twist and squeeze. It works every time.

Lemon Pasta

2010-08-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

I have had my eye on a few different Lemon Pasta recipes the last couple of months. They all had similar ingredients and similar cooking methods so it was kind of hard to know which one to try. However, last week while I was folding laundry and watching Food Network, (one of my favorite things to do - watch Food Network that is) I saw Paula Deen make THIS RECIPE and by her reaction to the taste and the fact that she used Lemon Pepper Seasoning (my new favorite ingredient), I knew this was the Lemon Pasta recipe I had to try.

I held my breathe while my hubby took his first bite (like I always do when I try a new recipe) and waited for his reaction. He got a huge smile on his face and said, "Man this is good." I felt the same and my kids didn't fuss one bit about the flavor. I served it along side some fried chicken cutlets. So GOOD and so easy to make. I hope that you all try this recipe soon!!!

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I joined the following Linky Parties:

Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Creative Girl, Under the Table Dreaming, http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/08/sundae-scoop-w-kinley-lane.html, Made By You Monday @ Skip To My Lou, Market Yourself Monday @ Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Making the World Cuter, Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design, Whos Got Talent @ Night Owl Crafting, Sugar and Spice @ 733, Whatever Goes @ Someday Crafts, Hookin Up with Hep @ House of Hepworths, Get Your Craft On @ Life as Lori, Friendly Friday @ The Creative Girl, Fabulous Fridays, Feature Yourself @ Fingerprints On the Fridge, Fabulous Friday Finds @ Frou Frou Decor, Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where My Story Begins, Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

Watermelon Lemonade

2010-08-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

I love watermelon. To me it is what makes summer so refreshing. However, I have a small family and a hubby that can do with watermelon so for me to buy a huge one seems like a waste. I usually just get my watermelon fix at a BBQ.

Well, while I was shopping this weekend I came across a 3 lb watermelon. It looked small and easy enough for me and my kids to eat so I purchased it. YUM!!! However this morning when I took a look at how much we still had left, I knew that I needed a recipe that called for a lot of watermelon. The only thing that came to mind was Watermelon Lemonade. DOUBLE YUM!!! It was so refreshing - make sure you try it today!!!

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I linked up at the following parties . . .

Tasty Tuesday Parade @ Beauty and Bedlam, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed With Grace, Delishious Dishes @ It's A Blog Party, Tip Me Tuesday @ Tip Junkie, Tuesday Tag Alone Blog Hop @ Santas Work Shoppe, Get Your Graft On @ Today's Creative Blog, Sugar and Spice @ 733, Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts, Who's Got Talent @ Night Owl Crafting, Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design, Get Your Craft On @ Life as Lori, http://www.somewhatsimple.com/2010/08/strut-your-stuff-with-plaid.html, Hookin Up With HOH, http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/2010/08/show-off-your-stuff-party-41.html, http://toolsareforwomentoo.blogspot.com/2010/08/link-party-just-because-i-love-it-3.html, Feature Yourself Friday, Fabulous Friday Finds, Home and Family Friday, Friday Favorites, New Friend Friday, Frugal Friday, http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/08/weekend-wrap-up-party-and-great.html

Teriyaki Burgers

2010-06-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

A few years ago my hubby and I moved to Fort Worth TX for a job (side note - we now live in Las Vegas). On the day of our big move, we saved the barbecue to be packed up last. Well, as most moves seem to go, we ran out of space and we had to leave our barbecue behind. Just recently we replaced our barbecue and I am wondering why it took us so long. I am loving the fact that I can cook pretty much anything I want and not heat up my house in the process. That is a big deal here in Vegas as we are pushing 110 degrees around here.

A day last week, I was perusing the foodie blog scene looking for a new recipe I could use on my barbecue and this is what I found - Teriyaki Burger. Man is this burger GOOD. The fresh ginger gave this burger the most unique taste and the grilled pineapple was the perfect accent. My hubby had to work late that night and he came home to a cold burger. It didn't matter because he still devoured it. He said, "I can't imagine what this tastes like fresh off the grill if it is this good cold." As always, I modified the recipe to my family's likings and have the recipe ready for you to download today. Enjoy!!!

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Raspberry Sauce

2010-06-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

I had a hankering for a good raspberry sauce tonight to go on my pancakes. I found the recipe HERE and made a few changes to the original recipe. It was a huge hit with my daughter who was practically licking it off her plate. It was so good that I broke out the ice cream during dinner, drizzled the raspberry sauce on top and passed around the bowl for everyone to take a bite. I do have a crazy side every once in a while. I hope that you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do!!!

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S'More Pops

2010-06-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of making s'more, but can pass on eating them. TOO messy and sticky for me and my kids. AND living in Las Vegas, we don't get too may opportunities to start a camp fire and roast marshmallows. I am sure if I left all the ingredients out in the sun today they would roast in no time without the fire.

Anyways, my sister passed this recipe idea along to me and I am sure glad she did. This is a great recipe to make with the kids. I am the chocolate dipper, and my kids are the graham cracker rollers. These pops are great to take to parties and easy to eat. Just pop one in your mouth.

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I participated in

Tasty Tuesday @ BBB, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table,
It's a Blog Party: Delicious Dishes, Home and Family Friday, Toodler Awesome: Friendly Friday Follow, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Sugar & Spice @ 733, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, The Creative Girl, Friday Favorites @ Simply Sweet Home, Round Table, Favorite Things Friday, Weekend Wrap Up @ Tatertots and Jello, GCC Recipe Swap, Santa's Gift Shoppe

Washed Grapes

2010-06-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

I was tired of throwing away food that had gone bad before I used it up and grapes were at the top of the list. I have found that when I come home from the store and washed my grapes, my family eats them all. Yeah, no more wasted food. I don't know why washing them ahead of time prevented this from happening, but what ever works right! Here is what I do . . .

Take grapes off the vines
Wash them in a colander with cold water
Set the grapes out to dry on a clean dish towel
When the grapes are dry, store in a resealable bag with a dry paper towel

Blender Wheat Pancakes

2010-06-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

We love to eat pancakes at my house. So much in fact, that we have pancake night once a week. So when I saw this recipe HERE, I knew I wanted to try it to give us a little variation in flavor. My hubby's says he can really taste the wheat flavor, I don't notice it because they are some yummy and as for my kids, they will goggle up any pancake as long as it looks like Mikey Mouse.

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Cucumber Sandwiches

2010-06-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

This recipe is at the top of my favorites list so I thought it would be great recipe to start of with. I first tried this sandwich at my Mother's Day Tea Party thrown by my daughter's preschool teacher. I will admit that I ate 5 that day, but I was not the only who ate more than her fair share that day. Since then, I have made them for parties, BBQ's and pretty much anything in between. Thank you Miss Erika for sharing this most delectable sandwich with me, my life now seems complete!!!

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Just So Scrappy

2010-06-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

I have to take the time to thank Just So Scrappy for allowing me to use her digital kits A Pinch of This adn Fright Night for my blog design and recipe cards. She is such a talented digi artist and needs to be credited here for all her great work.