Archive for April, 2012
Oatmeal Cookie Cocktail
Birthday cakes are out! Birthday drinks are in! This is my husbands go-to drink for every celebration, especially his birthday, which is today!
Ingredients
2oz Goldshlager
2oz Baileys Irish Cream
2oz Butterscotch Schnapps
Directions
In an old fashioned glass (or any type of glassware) pour all ingredients over ice, stir and enjoy!
No Egg Jiffy Cornbread Muffins
Today I had to make a side dish for my husband to take to a potluck… We narrowed it down to cornbread, but when I started to make them I realized I used the last egg for breakfast! Of course I could have asked a neighbor for eggs, but I decided to try them without the eggs… So, if you don’t want to use eggs here is a yummy substitute! I will never use eggs with Jiffy cornbread again!
Ingredients:
2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread muffin mix
1 Cup cream style corn
2/3 Cup milk
1 Cup shredded cheese (the sharpest cheddar cheese you can find)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the Jiffy mix, cream style corn, and milk in a bowl. Let the mix rest while you shred the cheese, it is very important that the mix rests. Fold the cheese in. Makes about 20 muffins. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
Pancake Dots for Baby
These were so easy and fun to make, but the best part was that Joaquin, my 1yr old loved them!
Here’s what you need:
Pancake mix
Cooking spray
Container with small tip for pancake mix (I used a craft decorating bottle from Michael’s, but a zip lock bag may work).
Funnel to put pancake mix in container
Fork
Here’s the How To:
Make your favorite pancake mix. Using the funnel put the pancake mix in your container. Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Spray cooking spray on skillet and use the small tip container to squeeze little dots of pancake mix on the skillet. They don’t need more than a minute on each side. The easiest way to flip them is to use a fork. I lightly put one prong of the fork on the wet side and flipped over the dot (I tried the spatula, but it was too bulky).
Let them cool and then serve to your baby. If you need breakfast on the run this is perfect.
Put the dots in a baggy or container and serve on the go!
Flip Flop Hanger
I saw this idea on Pinterest a couple days ago and couldn’t wait to try it out. My husband has kept all his dry cleaning hangers so I didn’t have to buy anything for this craft… PERFECT!
Here’s what you need:
Wire hangers
Wire cutter
Needle nose pliers
Ribbon for decorating
Here’s how to do it:
Clip the hangers with wire cutters on each side of the bottom so you remove the bottom part of the hanger. Using the pliers curl up each end of the hanger. Using your hands squeeze the hanger in. Top with a ribbon and hang your flip flops on it. On the Pinterest post they took a step further and spray painted the hangers all the same color… Maybe if I wasn’t watching the baby I would have done that, but it just didn’t fit in the schedule today.
Easy French Fries
After yoga yesterday I had a bad craving for french fries. I knew I would feel so guilty if I went through the drive through after the gym so I just drove home. As I pulled up I had a great idea – Why don’t I JUST MAKE my own fries! Guilt free, and yummy!
Ingredients:
3-4 Potatoes
(any kind and all the same size)
1-2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut your potatoes in long strips making sure they are all the same thickness. That is so they will cook evenly. Toss them in the EVOO and place on a rimmed baking sheet. I recommend that you don’t salt them until after they are done cooking, the salt will slow the cooking time down. Bake for 15 minutes. DO NOT touch your potatoes until their 15 minutes are up. Walk away, shave your legs, do the dishes, whatever you do, DON’T touch them. After 15 minutes of cooking remove them from the oven salt and pepper to your taste, but make sure you let them sit for a couple of minutes to cool and then you can serve (or eat) them. If you don’t let them cool before you try to remove them they will stick to the pan a little.
Spinach and Eggs in a Mug for You and the Baby
My 11 month old son prefers eggs above any other food. I was feeling guilty about giving him eggs for breakfast everyday until I realized I can sneak vegetables in the eggs! I love making eggs in a mug because they are so easy to cut into bite size pieces (as you see in the picture) and they really do taste good. If you decide to make this for yourself you can add some meat and cheese to the mug and have it alone, or put it between an English Muffin – now that’s what I call breakfast!
Ingredients:
1 or 2 Large Eggs
5- 7 Spinach Leaves (or any other vegetable you like with your eggs)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Begin by putting the spinach inside the mug. Drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil onto the spinach and microwave for 30 seconds. Crack the egg, or eggs, into your mug and mix well with a fork (note that the spinach likes to clump up so make sure you mix it up well into the eggs).
Microwave the mug for 30 more seconds. Depending on the mug you use you may have to microwave an additional 30 seconds. My mug only requires 15 more seconds for one egg. Continue microwaving in short increments (10-15 seconds) until you figure out how long your mug takes to cook the eggs. When the eggs are finished cooking salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
**Note to whoever does the dishes in your house – you may want to immediately soak your mug in water, the eggs can be tough to clean out.**
Fun and Easy Deviled Eggs
This year I hosted an Easter Potluck Party for some of my friends and other athletes at my school who weren’t able to be with family during the Easter holiday. I decided to make deviled eggs because it has always been a tradition in my family to have these at Easter! They are so easy and super quick too! Here is a step by step of how I make Deviled Eggs.
Here’s What You Need:
Eggs
(using 5 day old eggs will help with peeling)
Mayonaise
Mustard
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper
Paprika
Step 1:
Using a large pot place a layer of eggs on the bottom and cover with with water. Bring your water to a boil. Boil for 1 minute and then turn off the heat (leaving the pot on the burner). Put the lid on and leave the eggs in for at least 10-12 minutes.
Step 2:
Place the eggs gently in ICE COLD water until they are cooled (This will prevent the yolk from getting that ugly grey color and will make peeling MUCH easier).
Step 3:
After the eggs are cooled, begin to peel them. A trick my sister taught me to make peeling easier is to gently bang the bottom (the less pointed side) on the counter and it makes the peeling 10x easier. Rinse and dry your eggs before moving to step 4.
Step 4:
After you’ve peeled all your eggs cut the eggs in half (long ways) and put the cooked yolk in a bowl and set aside your cut eggs in a serving dish. (You can find pretty serving dishes at the Dollar Tree for just $1.00).
Step 5:
In your bowl mix the cooked egg yolk with mayo, mustard, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Add the ingredients to your taste and to how thick you like your filling. Some people love mayo and others hate it. For 1 dozen whole eggs I always add about half a small mayo jar, a couple long squeeze of mustard, a couple dashes of garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Always start with less and then taste and add as you go. Mix all of your ingredients until the filling is smooth (a whisk or fork really helps).
Step 6:
Fill a large zip lock bag with your yolk and mayo mixture, close the bag and cut one corner so you have a homemade pastry bag. You could use a pastry bag, but as a college student I have to be creative sometimes. You can find pastry bags at any craft store. Once you fill your bag of choice squeeze the mixture into each halved egg (About 1 Tbsp each). After each egg is filled I sprinkle some paprika on top.
Step 7:
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Easter Dinner Menu
I started planning our Easter menu about 2 weeks before Easter Sunday. I knew I needed it to be simple because we were having brunch with family friends and I wasn’t going to start cooking until 2pm. Here is our menu, and I must say it was DELICIOUS! It only took me about 2 to 2 1/2 hours to prepare and cook this menu.
All our recipes are from Martha Stewart and you can find the links to each recipe below.
Dinner:
Steamed Aspargus with Easy Hollandaise Sauce
Dessert:
Brownie & Martha Stewart’s Carrot Orange Cake Layered Cake
Use any brownie recipe and layer 2 brownie layers then 2 carrot orange cake layers. We used buttercream frosting, but a cream chesse frosting would be yummy too!
Easy Message Board
This is one of the easiest crafts I’ve ever made! I actually made it on the couch while my son played on the floor! All you need are 3 items and you’ll have yourself a message board for little love notes or dinner menus!
Here is what you need:
1 frame, any size, from anywhere!
Duct tape (or any very sticky tape)
Piece of fabric about 1/2 inch bigger than your frame (try not to use anything too graphic, it will take away from what you write on the board.
Here is how you make it:
Place your fabric under the back board to the frame (if your frame doesnt have a hard enough back board, or you cant wrap fabric around it, use a piece of thin card board cut the size of your frame) Using the duct tape, tape one side of the fabric to the back of the frame that will be on the outside (see picture). Pull the opposite side tight and tape.
After you have 2 opposite sides taped, fold over each corner like you’re wrapping a gift and tape (see picture).
Once all the sides are taped make sure it is all tight (adjust if needed). Clean the glass before you put the back on. If you used cardboard just secure the frame like normal. If you taped onto the backboard use the duct tape to secure (in photo above). I didn’t want to attach a hook so I cut a hole where the hook on the frame was (I think whatever you choose to do is fine).
Now you have a wonderful message board! You can make one for each child and put it on their door, or write this weeks dinner menu in the kitchen! Whatever you choose I know it will be lovely, and best of all it was super easy!!!
annalyselucero
deboraharguelles
