Monthly Archives: December 2011

Sweet Treats From Pinterest

The good part about Pinterest? So many delicious recipes to try!

The bad part about Pinterest? I’ve gained 100 pounds.

Here are some sweet treats that I have made thanks to the Big P:

No Bake Butterfinger Cheesecake from Bakers Royale

I usually bake my cheesecakes but I was excited to try a no bake recipe. In this version you use a gelatin to make the cheesecake set. I must not have prepared the gelatin correctly because there were thick jello like clumps in there! My lovely dinner guests, Mauranda and Amy wouldn’t utter a bad word about it but my dear honest children asked, “Mom, why does this cheesecake have bubbles in it?” So it was ruined for me but I’ll definitely try it again because the flavors are to die for!

Butterfinger Blondies from Six Sisters’ Stuff

These are just divine! Very rich, so cut them small! I didn’t even get to take a picture of them.

Cinnamon Roll Cake from Cookin’ Up North

I’ve made this twice now. And still haven’t managed a picture of it. That is proof of its deliciousness! Super easy to make too.

Apple Pie Bites from Cookin’ Up North

Quick and easy. Kids loved them. Serve warm with a bowl of ice cream. Repeat.

Chubby Hubby Bars from Cookies and Cups

WOWZA. Go ahead and make these and then die. And then eat one with a bowl of ice cream and die again.

Try these recipes. You won’t regret it!

Have you tried any great recipes from Pinterest lately?

That’s Not What I Meant!

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So the boys were arguing in the back seat of the van. I hear Charlie yell:

“DO IT OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!”

Me: Charlie, that doesn’t sound like something we should say to each other.

Charlie: Mom, I meant suffer the consequences of GOODNESS! Like, if you don’t do what I say, I’m going to put a lot of goodness on you!

Sure. That is definitely what he meant.

Christmas Comfort in a Cup

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This post is sponsored by Tempur-Pedic, the brand millions of owners trust to deliver their best night’s sleep every night. Enjoy our Buy 2, get 1 free pillow offer now and give the gift of custom comfort to someone you love.
I love the word comfy. My middle son, Chase, pronounces it “comfty”. How adorable is that? We love to cuddle and get comfty together quite often around here.

Comfy to me is watching a movie in some stretchy pants, a cup of flavored coffee, snuggled under a fluffy blanket. Christmas time offers so many great moments to be comfy and it is absolutely one of my favorite things to do in the month of December. Make it a Christmas movie and an eggnog latte and this girl is HAPPY.

Here are some of my favorite “Comfort in a Cup” recipes!

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate:

This is the super easy fast version. I saw a ton of recipes on Pinterest with steamed milk and espresso and yadda yadda but I’m too lazy for all that business.

Here’s how I made it:
Cup of prepared coffee
Caramel sauce (about a tablespoon or two)
Packet of hot chocolate mix
Pinch of sea salt
Milk or creamer (make it caramel creamer to take it up a notch!)
Whipped cream
Extra caramel sauce to drizzle and sea salt to sprinkle on top

Mix together the coffee, hot cocoa mix, creamer or milk, caramel and sea salt. Top with whip cream and then drizzle with extra caramel sauce and sprinkle extra sea salt on top.

It’s that mixture of sweet with a hint of salty that I just can not get enough of!

Homemade Coffee Creamers

Photo courtesy of Deliciously Organic

This is something I have been wanting to do for some time now. I am totally addicted to flavored coffee creamers but not a big fan of all the junk that’s in them. Here are some amazing flavors made by Deliciously Organic. Flavored coffee creamer in a hot cuppa joe is comfort all the way for me!

Hot Buttered Rum

Well I tried to show you this one as a video but my laptop decided that the file was corrupted and I couldn’t redo it because I drank it all. Here is a screen shot from the video. See that smile? Hot Buttered Rum.

So. Here is the recipe. You’ll have to wait a little longer to see me get merry on video. Sorry. Or You’re Welcome. Whichever. Did I mention all the Hot Buttered Rum I drank?

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups softened vanilla ice cream
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon

Each Serving:
1/2 cup boiling water
1 to 3 Tbsp rum

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the ice cream, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and store in the freezer.

For each serving, place 1/2 cup butter mixture in a mug; add boiling water and stir to dissolve. Stir in rum.

The butter mixture can be prepared ahead of time and kept stored in the freezer. Then whenever you are ready for a cup of happy, scoop it out and mix with some hot water! Easy and delicious way to warm up on a cold night!

*Original recipe from Taste of Home Magazine

The only thing that can possibly make these drinks more comforting is the people you are sharing them with. (YES. You have to share.) Enjoy every warm and snuggly moment.

Go ahead, get comfty. And have a really wonderful Christmas!

Follow #clevercomforts on Twitter for more comforting Holiday inspiration!

Comfort is the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday gift list, so be sure to take advantage of Tempur-Pedic’s Buy 2, get 1 free pillow offer! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.
*All of this was my idea. These are my own thoughts. Hot Buttered Rum. The End.

Recipe: Homemade French Bread Loaves

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This is a quick and easy way to make french loaves from scratch. I promise, you’ll never buy them at the store again!

Homemade French Bread Loaves

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 1/2 – 5 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the salt, sugar and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.

Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into 12 inch long loaves.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

With a sharp knife, make four shallow slashes across the top of each loaf. Brush with softened butter.

I like to sprinkle mine with garlic powder, a tiny bit of salt and some Italian seasoning.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

This post linked to:
Southern Fairytale’s Mouthwatering Monday
Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

A Lesson On Kindness…Charlie Style

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At my boys’ school, there is a big focus on kindness. In an effort to ward off the bullying problem that so many schools deal with and because they have a holistic approach to teaching kids. It’s about more than just academics. They really want to teach the kids how to be good people. (Which, hello, I LOVE!)

I love backing up what they are learning at school at home. That is one reason why I love volunteering in their classrooms. I go home and use the same language as their teachers and they look at me like, “Man, you know about that too!” It’s great.

My boys are really kind at school. I have heard from all of their teachers that they are pleasant and never mean. Always thoughtful. Well that’s just fan-freakin-tastic because at home they go at it like professional boxers.

Kindness? What is that? Apparently it doesn’t apply to brothers.

So I am super duper pulling the kindness card and trying to teach kindness is to be shown to EVERYONE, yes, even your brothers.

On the way to school, they boys were arguing in the back seat. (Wow, that’s different.)

Me: Excuse me, but where is the kindness?

Charlie: It’s in God’s Word!

(THIS KID)

Me: Well it needs to be in your heart and in your words.

This precious child then belts out a very loud rendition of Barney:

I LOVE YOU! YOU LOVE ME! WE’RE A HAPPY FAMILY!

And then the other two boys join in:

WITH A GREAT BIG HUG AND A KISS FROM ME TO YOU! WON’T YOU SAY YOU LOOOOOVE MEEEEE TOOOOOOO!

What in the world am I going to do with these children.

Will I Really Miss This?

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I have heard mothers of babies and young children ask this question before. I have asked it myself so. many. times.

Will I really miss this?

When you are smack dab in the middle of the hardest mothering moments you wonder.

Women who’s children have grown up tell us this. We will miss this. They swear on it. And we wonder.

HOW?

How will I miss the sleepless nights and the spit up stained wardrobe and the endless poopy diapers.

HOW?

How will I miss spending hours pretending to enjoy playing race cars (AGAIN) and singing the Barney song (AGAIN) and asking if anyone needs to go potty (AGAIN).

HOW?

Well, I’m here to tell you how. They grow up. And you face a whole new era of parenting.

One full of teaching your grown child about bullying, about strangers, about not trusting everyone who smiles at you. You teach them about consequences and disappointment and they learn that there are bad people out there. Really bad people.

You spend your days sheltering them from the harshness of this world while trying ever so hard to not be overprotective while they learn life’s injustices. You sit back and let them feel the pain of it. Because you have to. In just a few years, you won’t be there to protect them anymore. So you let the world start creeping in. Slowly. Because soon, so soon, someone other than you will hold their hand and whisper in their ear.

And you hope and pray those people will love them as much as you do. That the world will love them and value them as much as you do. Which is hard. Because you know it just might not.

One day I will miss even these days. These days of soccer practice and game night and Star Wars marathon weekends.

One day soon I will wonder if they are safe. Hope they come home by curfew. Pray to God they are in the “good crowd”. I will…gulp…give them the keys to the car.

One day I will miss this. I know it’s true. Even when there isn’t enough coffee in the world for that 8 am Saturday morning soccer game in the rain.

I will miss this. And you will too.

Festive Holiday Dessert Party Ideas!

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Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There’s no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com

You guys know that one of my favorite things to do is bake desserts! With the Holidays here I thought it would be fun to show you some of my favorite go-to desserts.

If I’m planning a Christmas party, I forget about ham and potatoes and all that business. I go straight to the best part of the meal. Desserts! There is nothing more fun than throwing a dessert party with friends. And Christmas is the perfect time to do it!

All of these ideas I am showing you are treats that you can grab and eat. No utensils needed! All you need are some plates and mugs and you are ready for a great dessert party with friends!

Here are a few of my favorites and also some new ones that I found on Pinterest that I want to try!

Eggnog Spritz Cookies with Rum Glaze

I am an eggnog die-hard. Put some rum in it and oh baby, you are talking my language! I have been making these cookies for a few years now and I love how easy they are compared to how beautiful and tasty they are! A cookie press makes them look professionally made!

Homemade Sea Salt Caramels

This is a new favorite that I am really excited about! I think they would be so cute in a jar on a holiday dessert table! Perfect for a take home gift for your guests as well.

Oreo Truffles

This is one of those desserts where everyone raves about it and asks for the recipe. Prepare yourself by making up some recipe cards in advance! (Another great take home gift idea!)

Pecan Tassies

My Mom has made these since I was a little girl and it’s just not Christmas without them! They are like miniatures pecan pies and perfect for a dessert night!

Santa Hat Brownies

I mean, how cute are these?! I haven’t made any yet so I do not have a picture to share but check them out! I think the kids will love these! These would be super quick and easy with a box of Duncan Hines Brownie Mix!

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

Cheesecake Factory Photo

I found this on Pinterest from The Cheesecake Factory. If anyone has a recipe for a copycat, let me know!! Look at how beautiful it is! I think it would be fun to make them as cupcakes for a buffet dessert party.

Hot Cocoa Peppermint Marshmallows
These would be super cute with a cup of hot cocoa to go along with all of these amazing desserts!

Fudge Rum Balls

Photo From Duncan Hines

I found these on the Duncan Hines website and OMG. Yes, please!

And, well, let’s be honest…anything from their Christmas Recipes list is looking pretty good!

Can you say, “Dessert overload?” Not that there is such a thing.

All of these desserts would look absolutely beautiful spread out on a holiday buffet table. Spread some lights, greenery and shiny ornaments all around the table and you have a gorgeous and delicious party in a flash!

What are you go-to desserts to serve over the Holidays? Do you have any “Desserts With Friends” party ideas? I’d love to hear them!

Remember to check out Duncan Hines’ website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

All opinions are my own. As always!

Homespun Expressions Etsy Giveaway!

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WINNER UPDATE! Congratulations to Amy from The Blessed Mom! Email me which candle wrap you want Amy!

And for the rest of ya, if you order a candle wrap from Homespun Expressions this week, shipping is on me!

Merry Christmas!

*Winner chosen using random.org.

I got a box in the mail the other day from my Mom. It contained this:

It’s an adorable candle wrap that she sells in her Etsy shop. I just love it! What a fun way to decorate a plain glass candle jar. AND she can monogram them to make them unique and personalized! My living room is blue and brown and snowmen are my favorite!

This is a perfect Christmas gift! I mean look at how cute this one is! They range from $7-$9. So great!

My mom being the sweet person she is offered to give one of her candle wraps to one of you! How much do we love Momma?!

Check out her Etsy shop Homespun Expressions and tell me which one you love and maybe you’ll win it!

One entry per person, please! Winner will be announced on Monday, December 5th!

Thanks Mom!

Delicious Sea Salt Treats From Pinterest!

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I’ve been in a sea salt phase lately. If it’s got the phrase “sea salt” in it, I want to eat it or drink it! So when I saw these next two recipes on Pinterest, of course I made them! And they were DELICIOUS.

DELICIOUS!!

First I started out wanting to make these Salted Caramel Brownie Bites with Salted Caramel Buttercream:

These were SO good. The recipe (by www.bakeitinacake.com) calls for making them in mini muffin pans. PSH. I made these babies regular muffin size! But then I found out why she made them so small. WOW, these are RICH! Get yourself a glass of milk!

The recipe calls for a certain salted caramel (that’s the delightful gooey stuff in the center of the brownie) that I can’t get so I decided to make my own. I found this recipe for Homemade Salted Caramels by Fearless Homemaker. It was relatively simple to make although it does take quite a bit of patience!

But what you get when you are done is the most wonderful little treat!

I used some of them to put in the brownies and wrapped the rest in wax paper as little candies and gave them to my boys’ teachers for a Thanksgiving “I’m thankful for you!” treat.

Both of these recipes are time consuming but so worth it. Just posting these pictures makes me want to make some more!

What’s your favorite Salted Caramel treat?!