Ok I am behind again. But at least years haven't passed. :) Three little boys and being pregnant with a little miss and trying to build our first and only house, well, it keeps one hopping. I have blog posts started but not finished and with trying my hand at my Etsy shop and doing paint parties I have been a bit busy. All that being said I stumbled upon a post about some great Bed time Books. Now my boys have loved "Goodnight Moon" and I haven't minded reading it over and over at all but I know some books they love are long or drive me a bit crazy. They are very into trains at the moment. So this is a nice list of some books that I have already enjoyed and some I want to add to my list.
You can check the books out here and also while on the topic of books don't forget about a great opportunity to build a free library for your little one. Check out the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. I posted about it in this blog post a bit ago.
Enjoy the books and the rest of your week!
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Monday, April 25, 2016
Meal Prepping
Happy Monday yall!! Ok I know we all have those days/weeks we feel like we are running and still not catching up. Well that has been me for the past well probably like 3 weeks and now I have started "nesting" and decided to pull my tiny house apart to "clean" it. Yep so not the best idea but it will be worth it when (if) I finish. No, I will get it done! (determined).
So this week is super busy with doctor appointments, sugar test, bank/house stuff, ball practice, our first ball game (and this mommy hasn't gotten ball socks or his team shirt yet, yeah can you say behind) and just regular house/family stuff thrown in there. Oh yeah and my cleaning mess that is all over the place and I was planning on having a yard sale. Geez tired just thinking about it at the moment.
So with everything going on planning a meal is not something I really want to think about or have time for. It would be so easy to just run through a drive thru a few nights but well that gets expensive, isn't very yummy or very healthy, so dinner planning is a must.
To help make it easier on us all here is some meal prepping help from Autumn, author of 21 day fix.
Hopefully it will help you and me! Meal prepping with Autumn
Have a great Monday and I promise to get back with my tutorials on my crafts and I have a few heart felt baby posts I want to share but it has been crazy busy here so trying to stay connected with short quick posts. But I will make some time soon!
Andrea
So this week is super busy with doctor appointments, sugar test, bank/house stuff, ball practice, our first ball game (and this mommy hasn't gotten ball socks or his team shirt yet, yeah can you say behind) and just regular house/family stuff thrown in there. Oh yeah and my cleaning mess that is all over the place and I was planning on having a yard sale. Geez tired just thinking about it at the moment.
So with everything going on planning a meal is not something I really want to think about or have time for. It would be so easy to just run through a drive thru a few nights but well that gets expensive, isn't very yummy or very healthy, so dinner planning is a must.
To help make it easier on us all here is some meal prepping help from Autumn, author of 21 day fix.
Hopefully it will help you and me! Meal prepping with Autumn
Here is a week of non cooking meal prepping also. no cook prep
Have a great Monday and I promise to get back with my tutorials on my crafts and I have a few heart felt baby posts I want to share but it has been crazy busy here so trying to stay connected with short quick posts. But I will make some time soon!
Andrea
Friday, April 22, 2016
Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Ok here is a quickie for you! It has been a super busy day but I saw these and shared them in my Spring Revive group on facebook and thought yall might like the recipe too. I have not made these yet but I have made no bake chocolate shakeology cookies and they are fantastic! A cookie that is healthy for you, sure can't complain about that.
Here you go Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Recipe (click "recipe" for the recipe)
Have a great Friday!!
Andrea
Here you go Carrot Cake Energy Balls
Recipe (click "recipe" for the recipe)
There is also a video you can watch to see them made and nutritional info. Enjoy and let me know if you make them.
Also if you have any questions about any of the programs let me know. You can email me at
polkadotsandpincushions@gmail.com and check out my website at www.beachbodycoach.com/andreat81
Have a great Friday!!
Andrea
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Etsy Shop!!
Well I finally did it yall! I finally made an Etsy Shop! Ok so some of you are probably not very impressed but if you knew me you so would be. See I have LOTS of ideas but well then I get to worrying about everything and I will talk myself out of them or with 3 little boys I get side tracked.
I have wanted to open an Etsy shop for about 4 years. I was sewing a lot and making the cutest little things and well someone needed to buy them, of course. But I was a chicken. I was scared to take the plunge and Etsy was new so I did not trust it yet and well I was just nervous. So instead I would go to one little craft fair each year and take my goodies there. Problem was, the event was always outside and it was cold and well I didn't know much to help make myself successful.
I was more concerned that no one felt pressured or that I was too expensive so I was a terrible sales man. I would speak to someone at my table and answer a few questions but end it with "but don't feel pressured to buy anything." (I actually still really do that way too much but gosh I want people to know I am trying to be helpful but not pushing, so don't want anyone to ever feel like I am being pushy.) And my prices were always way lower than everyone else that was selling the same thing and then I would still feel guilty if it was someone I knew and feel I should make it cheaper. I have learned that being polite with prices is not the best way either. People think something is wrong with your product. Example- I was making adorable little dresses and I only charged around $12-15 for each one. (didn't want to rip anyone off to make a profit so I only asked a little more than the material I had in each piece- never thought to consider my time and energy) Well I would have people come look at mine and ask the price and then go look somewhere else and pay double for the same item. It blew my mind. I mean really who does that!? I am all about a good deal. Well this happened several times and I had a friend tell me it was because they were too cheap. (Really can anything ever be too cheap! Not in my opinion) I also had the lady at the fabric counter tell me the same thing when I was buying material one day. She worked events and said low prices were not the best, people that your product was cheap then. Well it still baffled me. I mean look at my quality was always the same or sometimes better. But it is a lesson I have learned is true so I am trying to do better with my pricing and taking my time and effort into consideration.
Well my sewing days have kinda fallen to the side but I have been making cute wooden things and just got a Cricut to work with vinyl. (So excited!!) Well we are getting ready to finally build a house and I want to help out some with the bills so I decided to bite the bullet, pull the trigger, jump off the bridge, (sorry but it really was dramatic for me), take the plunge and open *gasp* my Etsy shop.
Ok after all that drama it should be this big wonderful thing right! With like 50+ items right! Well nope, try more like 5 items (hey I just started) and not a whole lot of frill and flare. I did however design me a little graphic to go with my shop name today and I am working on making a banner. But as little and insignificant as it is I am super excited about it. Not sure if it will get any traffic but hey going to give it a go.
So if you are inclined stop by and take a peek at my little shop. I am hoping to fill it up soon and I will be sharing all about it here. **Yay!** I know you are excited ;)
My Blessed Mess Gifts
And let me know what you think about it. Seriously I am sure I really need some good advice. Thanks and happy Thursday!!
Andrea
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Free Children's Books
Ok here is a quickie but goodie for you! I have got to share about a great opportunity to build your child's library for free. Yep you read that right FREE.
Dolly Parton graciously hosts and Imagination Library. You can check the site to see if there is one available in your area and then register your child.
Each child will receive a new book every month until they reach 5 years old. A new book each month for each child. The books come in the mail and my boys love getting "their own mail" each month.
As a former teacher I have a great love for books and this is a wonderful opportunity for children every where.
Here is the website to check out the Imagination Library.
Dolly Parton graciously hosts and Imagination Library. You can check the site to see if there is one available in your area and then register your child.
Each child will receive a new book every month until they reach 5 years old. A new book each month for each child. The books come in the mail and my boys love getting "their own mail" each month.
As a former teacher I have a great love for books and this is a wonderful opportunity for children every where.
Here is the website to check out the Imagination Library.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Some things I am up to
Ok today has to be a quickie because it is a BUSY weekend filled with birthdays and parties. I did want to give you a little teaser of what I have been up to craft wise.
Next week I will be sharing more about some wooden cutouts I have been working on.
I was riding down the road from dinner one night when these popped in my head and my wonderful hubby helped turn my idea into reality. So happy with them. Of course one is going on my door or wall and the rest will make it to my Etsy shop. (coming soon)
Next week I will be sharing more about some wooden cutouts I have been working on.
And then these lovelies! Ahh just so pleased with them.
I was riding down the road from dinner one night when these popped in my head and my wonderful hubby helped turn my idea into reality. So happy with them. Of course one is going on my door or wall and the rest will make it to my Etsy shop. (coming soon)
Here is some handprint crafting I did with my boys. Love these duckies and they look great in the bathroom.
Here is a piece my hubby made that I will give some details about. I just love handmade furniture and if he can think it up he can build it. Blessed girl!
I made some cheap and easy monogramed decorations for my cleaned off TV cabinet. They are not perfect but I am perfectly happy with them.
And last not but not least I now have finally trying my hand with some vinyl. So excited and pleased with how they have come out. One is for my father in laws birthday and the others will make it to Etsy.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
4 years have passed but Hi! Let me reintroduce myself!
Well Hi there! Is there anyone there? If so thanks for being patient with me or welcome because you must be new. So lets see, I have been a little slack in my blogging, like 4 years slack to be exact. Life happened and well time for blogging somehow went right out the window. We had some wonderful blessings during those 4 years and some terrible trying times also. I will try to catch you up a bit just so I feel like I can reintroduce myself to those that have stuck around and those that are just stopping by for the first time. (I know I like to have a little back ground info on the blogs I follow, I like to connect with people).
Ok so I was a mommy of 2 in 2012 and now I am a mommy of 3 with a surprise on the way. I have 3 little boys- Conner turning 7 tomorrow, Gavin just turned 4 in January, and Holden just turned 2 in February. We are not awaiting a new surprise bundle of joy that is actually due on my birthday, July 29th. We have stayed team green till this point but maybe caving in soon. (more on that in a future post)
I have been married to my sweet hubby for 13, almost 14 years. We have had rough moments with early miscarriages, house issues, and life but it has always made us stronger. He is as unromantic as they come and I could eat up romance novels. (well before I had children now I only read children's stories, there is no time for mommy to read adult books) We are a bit different but go together perfectly and seem to balance each other out. He loves to hunt, fish, and build things. I keep him busy with crafts, projects, and my next "big idea".
I am a stay at home mommy but try to help with the finances when and where I can (this is where the "big ideas" come in). I am crafty and do it for the love of it but am learning how to make a living with it some too. I used to teach Kindergarten and then 1st grade. I taught for 5 years and then after 3 miscarriages we were blessed with our 1st baby and I started staying home. After my second little man was born I started blogging and stumbled upon Paparazzi Accessories. I had never sold anything in my life but after my hubby gave the go ahead I jumped in. It really was fun and helped build my confidence going to events and hosting parties. (If you are interested in checking it out you can visit my website here. All pieces are $5, you can't beat that!) After my 3rd little guy came I was feeling a bit out of shape and decided to give T 25 a chance to get back into fitness. During that time we had a horrible family battle over land (a really long story) and moved very quickly when my baby was only 2 months old. We stayed about 8 months with my parents and I was desperate to get out and help more financially. Well we were enjoying shakeology and I decided to take the leap and start coaching with Beach Body. I really signed up more to just get the discount on my shakes but it was amazing how many people were interested, felt connected, and needed the support as much as I did. Never thought I would be a fitness coach but I fell in love with it. Piyo was my go to program and while I had never done pilates or yoga, I loved it! A few months later my hubby finally jumped on the wagon with me. He was over weight, high blood pressure, and had terrible eating habits. I got him started on 21 Day Fix and he lost 28 pounds in the first 21 days. I was so proud and he was hooked. Blood pressure lowered and just so much healthier. So I have enjoyed my beach body job for almost 2 years now. If you would like more info on coaching, programs, have questions or just need support please let me know. I run free groups every month so it is not just about selling a program. If you would like to check my site out you can click, healthy. I am now thinking about subbing until this little one comes and starting an Etsy shop. (I always and planning and thinking of how I can help financially, we have a house payment coming up and debt makes me nervous.)
Along with all the babies and new jobs/hobbies I have going on, we are finally making ground on building a house. Our house story is a long and messy one and has been about 6 years in the making. But Praise God we are finally getting there. Just waiting on the bank and then we can start. I am actually getting so impatient. I know if I can wait 6 years, that 30 days should not be too much to ask but ahh it is killing me.
So that is a quick idea of what I have been up to. You can expect to find plenty of house stuff, crafts, recipes, kids stories, fitness, encouraging scriptures, rants, raves, tips, trick, and well just about anything else on this blog. I hope you come back to visit. I do have some serious/emotional things to share soon and I guess that is what got me to pick the old blog back up. Being a stay at home mommy leaves me longing for company and adult interaction, so hopeful to make some new friends.
Oh and I almost forgot. You can find me on facebook at My Blessed Mess. I have lots of recipes, tips, exercises, crafts, and funny things on there for you to check out. Have a wonderful day and I hope you come back!
Andrea
Ok so I was a mommy of 2 in 2012 and now I am a mommy of 3 with a surprise on the way. I have 3 little boys- Conner turning 7 tomorrow, Gavin just turned 4 in January, and Holden just turned 2 in February. We are not awaiting a new surprise bundle of joy that is actually due on my birthday, July 29th. We have stayed team green till this point but maybe caving in soon. (more on that in a future post)
I have been married to my sweet hubby for 13, almost 14 years. We have had rough moments with early miscarriages, house issues, and life but it has always made us stronger. He is as unromantic as they come and I could eat up romance novels. (well before I had children now I only read children's stories, there is no time for mommy to read adult books) We are a bit different but go together perfectly and seem to balance each other out. He loves to hunt, fish, and build things. I keep him busy with crafts, projects, and my next "big idea".
I am a stay at home mommy but try to help with the finances when and where I can (this is where the "big ideas" come in). I am crafty and do it for the love of it but am learning how to make a living with it some too. I used to teach Kindergarten and then 1st grade. I taught for 5 years and then after 3 miscarriages we were blessed with our 1st baby and I started staying home. After my second little man was born I started blogging and stumbled upon Paparazzi Accessories. I had never sold anything in my life but after my hubby gave the go ahead I jumped in. It really was fun and helped build my confidence going to events and hosting parties. (If you are interested in checking it out you can visit my website here. All pieces are $5, you can't beat that!) After my 3rd little guy came I was feeling a bit out of shape and decided to give T 25 a chance to get back into fitness. During that time we had a horrible family battle over land (a really long story) and moved very quickly when my baby was only 2 months old. We stayed about 8 months with my parents and I was desperate to get out and help more financially. Well we were enjoying shakeology and I decided to take the leap and start coaching with Beach Body. I really signed up more to just get the discount on my shakes but it was amazing how many people were interested, felt connected, and needed the support as much as I did. Never thought I would be a fitness coach but I fell in love with it. Piyo was my go to program and while I had never done pilates or yoga, I loved it! A few months later my hubby finally jumped on the wagon with me. He was over weight, high blood pressure, and had terrible eating habits. I got him started on 21 Day Fix and he lost 28 pounds in the first 21 days. I was so proud and he was hooked. Blood pressure lowered and just so much healthier. So I have enjoyed my beach body job for almost 2 years now. If you would like more info on coaching, programs, have questions or just need support please let me know. I run free groups every month so it is not just about selling a program. If you would like to check my site out you can click, healthy. I am now thinking about subbing until this little one comes and starting an Etsy shop. (I always and planning and thinking of how I can help financially, we have a house payment coming up and debt makes me nervous.)
Along with all the babies and new jobs/hobbies I have going on, we are finally making ground on building a house. Our house story is a long and messy one and has been about 6 years in the making. But Praise God we are finally getting there. Just waiting on the bank and then we can start. I am actually getting so impatient. I know if I can wait 6 years, that 30 days should not be too much to ask but ahh it is killing me.
So that is a quick idea of what I have been up to. You can expect to find plenty of house stuff, crafts, recipes, kids stories, fitness, encouraging scriptures, rants, raves, tips, trick, and well just about anything else on this blog. I hope you come back to visit. I do have some serious/emotional things to share soon and I guess that is what got me to pick the old blog back up. Being a stay at home mommy leaves me longing for company and adult interaction, so hopeful to make some new friends.
Oh and I almost forgot. You can find me on facebook at My Blessed Mess. I have lots of recipes, tips, exercises, crafts, and funny things on there for you to check out. Have a wonderful day and I hope you come back!
Andrea
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Paparazzi Winner
Last week I started my 1st ever give away and today is the day to pick the winner. I posted the contest here on my blog and also here on my facebook page, Polka Dots and Pincushions.
I only had a few enter this time but I am thankful for everyone that took the time to participate. Hopefully as time goes by I will have more people interested in my contests. Three answered on Facebook and I had one blog follower answer on here. Not a great turn out but it made the chances of winning even better for those that entered. :)
The trivia question was: What carol contains the line "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing."
And the answer is "O Come All ye Faithful."
Now for the winner.....drum roll......the winner is......Tiffany Caison! Tiffany is a follower on facebook and entered the contest last Tuesday. Tiffany's favorite item from my collection was actually a fleece scarf I made for a little girl. She has a daughter and I am guessing it will be for her.
Congrats Tiffany, I will mail you present off in time for you to enjoy it for Christmas.
Thanks again for those that participated and if you are interested in some affordable $5 gifts for Christmas check out my facebook page, Polka Dots and Pincushions, to order today.
I only had a few enter this time but I am thankful for everyone that took the time to participate. Hopefully as time goes by I will have more people interested in my contests. Three answered on Facebook and I had one blog follower answer on here. Not a great turn out but it made the chances of winning even better for those that entered. :)
The trivia question was: What carol contains the line "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing."
And the answer is "O Come All ye Faithful."
Now for the winner.....drum roll......the winner is......Tiffany Caison! Tiffany is a follower on facebook and entered the contest last Tuesday. Tiffany's favorite item from my collection was actually a fleece scarf I made for a little girl. She has a daughter and I am guessing it will be for her.
Congrats Tiffany, I will mail you present off in time for you to enjoy it for Christmas.
Thanks again for those that participated and if you are interested in some affordable $5 gifts for Christmas check out my facebook page, Polka Dots and Pincushions, to order today.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Christmas Give Away!
I have not been around the blogging world long but I know that everyone loves give aways and that there are a lot going on right now. (I know because I have entered several :) fingers crossed.)
I want to share in the giving mood so I am trying my hand at my first ever give away. Yay right!! Ok to enter is super easy and blog readers will even have more chances to win. Double yay!
Do you want to know what your prize will be? This is the good part, you get to pick! Go to my face book page Polka Dots and Pincushions, here is the link. And check out my albums listed with Paparazzi Jewelry. There are headbands, hair clips, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings. Take a quick look (or long) and pick out your favorite item. Then share it on your face book page and comment on the answer to the trivia question : What carol contains the line, "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing"?
Ok your 2nd way to enter is to follow my blog and then answer the same trivia question: What carol contains the line, "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing"?
Post your answer in a comment and let me know you are a follower. Also let me know which item you would like to win.
I am going to leave the contest up all week and will pick the winner next Monday, December 10th.
I am so excited but so nervous this is my first contest/give away. :) Anyway I wish you lots of luck.
Here are a few of the items that are up for grabs. Hopefully if this give away goes well, I can do some more before Christmas, maybe one a week.
Good luck and have a great week!
I want to share in the giving mood so I am trying my hand at my first ever give away. Yay right!! Ok to enter is super easy and blog readers will even have more chances to win. Double yay!
Do you want to know what your prize will be? This is the good part, you get to pick! Go to my face book page Polka Dots and Pincushions, here is the link. And check out my albums listed with Paparazzi Jewelry. There are headbands, hair clips, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings. Take a quick look (or long) and pick out your favorite item. Then share it on your face book page and comment on the answer to the trivia question : What carol contains the line, "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing"?
Ok your 2nd way to enter is to follow my blog and then answer the same trivia question: What carol contains the line, "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing"?
Post your answer in a comment and let me know you are a follower. Also let me know which item you would like to win.
I am going to leave the contest up all week and will pick the winner next Monday, December 10th.
I am so excited but so nervous this is my first contest/give away. :) Anyway I wish you lots of luck.
Here are a few of the items that are up for grabs. Hopefully if this give away goes well, I can do some more before Christmas, maybe one a week.
Good luck and have a great week!
Hashbrown Casserole
I had a ton of cooking to do for the Holidays and we always have my husband's family reunion the Sunday after Thanksgiving so there was even more cooking to be done. Neil has a cousin that always looks for something different and has always complimented my new recipes. While that is wonderful it always adds the pressure on to impress him with something new and something delicious.
Well this year was busier than normal with and unexpected passing in the family and I got sick as a dog Thanksgiving night. I did not feel good, did not feel like cooking, and definitely did not feel like trying something new. So I made some reliable recipes and then stumbled upon and new recipe while I was looking for something easy to do with hash brown potatoes. The blog, Never Trust a Skinny Cook had a recipe for "crack potatoes."
They looked good and easy so that made them perfect to try and they did turn out great, but again I modified the recipe. I saw some comments that they were great and then a few that said they were too salty and had too much ranch. So I decided to cut back some of the ingredients and they turned out great!
*original recipe can be found here. And again apologizes for only 1 picture. I was sick and did not think about it till the casserole was almost gone.
Ok here is what you need:
*Bag of shredded hash brown potatoes (I used fresh not frozen but I am sure it would work either way)
*16 oz container of sour cream
*1 pk of ranch dip mix
*1 small container of plain Greek yogurt
*2 packs of real bacon bits (toasted up/ you could use regular bacon and crumble it but I felt bad and was going for easy and fast)
*2 cups of shredded sharp cheese (save a little to the side to top with or add extra)
*Pre heat the oven too 400
Now mix the sour cream, ranch mix, yogurt, cheese, and bacon bits together in a large bowl. Then stir in the hash browns and mix well. Now spread into a casserole dish. I did not have a 13x9 so I used a disposable tin pan that was 11.5 x 9 or something like that, but I think either size would work fine. Sprinkle the left over cheese or extra on top and then cover with tin foil. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes and then remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to give it and nice little crust and browning.
Now enjoy! Well let it cool a bit or you will burn your tongue. :)
It was so good and everyone was pleased with it.
Well this year was busier than normal with and unexpected passing in the family and I got sick as a dog Thanksgiving night. I did not feel good, did not feel like cooking, and definitely did not feel like trying something new. So I made some reliable recipes and then stumbled upon and new recipe while I was looking for something easy to do with hash brown potatoes. The blog, Never Trust a Skinny Cook had a recipe for "crack potatoes."
They looked good and easy so that made them perfect to try and they did turn out great, but again I modified the recipe. I saw some comments that they were great and then a few that said they were too salty and had too much ranch. So I decided to cut back some of the ingredients and they turned out great!
*original recipe can be found here. And again apologizes for only 1 picture. I was sick and did not think about it till the casserole was almost gone.
Ok here is what you need:
*Bag of shredded hash brown potatoes (I used fresh not frozen but I am sure it would work either way)
*16 oz container of sour cream
*1 pk of ranch dip mix
*1 small container of plain Greek yogurt
*2 packs of real bacon bits (toasted up/ you could use regular bacon and crumble it but I felt bad and was going for easy and fast)
*2 cups of shredded sharp cheese (save a little to the side to top with or add extra)
*Pre heat the oven too 400
Now mix the sour cream, ranch mix, yogurt, cheese, and bacon bits together in a large bowl. Then stir in the hash browns and mix well. Now spread into a casserole dish. I did not have a 13x9 so I used a disposable tin pan that was 11.5 x 9 or something like that, but I think either size would work fine. Sprinkle the left over cheese or extra on top and then cover with tin foil. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes and then remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to give it and nice little crust and browning.
Now enjoy! Well let it cool a bit or you will burn your tongue. :)
It was so good and everyone was pleased with it.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Strawberry Banana Pudding
I know it has been a while but I am finally back and have some great recipes to share in the next few posts. Today I wanted to share my take on Paula Deen's Not Yo Mommas Banana Pudding.
You can find the orginal recipe here. (Also sorry but I was sick and busy so I only took a few pictures, like 2, sorry.)
*Disclaimer* If I haven't said it before or if this is your first time stopping by I am not a follow the recipe kind of girl. I will follow the basics of it but always change it up and add to or take away. I also am not a measurer. I like to eye ball most of the things I add. With that said, I will try my best to get you a close measurement but cooking is all about trying new things and blending new things together and well just having fun. So have fun if you think it will work try it, the worst that can happen is it will be inedible. :)
A friend at church made the original recipe and I tried it one night. It was good but super sweet. I could only eat a little of it but I liked it and well I wanted to make it for an upcoming dinner. I knew the basic recipe was good but I needed to cut some of the sweetness out.
I decided some strawberries would add some tang and that if I made my own whipped cream it would not be as sweet. I also used less sweetened condensed milk and added some Greek yogurt. I also used less pudding.
Not huge changes but it made a difference and what came about was great! So here is my recipe.
Ingredients:
-2 boxes Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies
-2 cups of milk
-1 box 3.5oz of instant French vanilla pudding
-4 to 5 ripe bananas
-small bag of frozen sliced strawberries (thawed) (make sure no sugar has been added) *you can also use fresh I just didn't have any at the time
-8oz of cream chz (softened)
-small can of sweetened condensed milk (around 14 oz but you will use a little less)
-12 oz of heavy whipping cream (you can use cool whip if you want for ease I did once when I had no cream and it was still ok I just used less than the 12 oz)
-small container of plain greek yogurt (I used Oikos 5.3oz size and I actually ran out of the plain and used the strawberry this last time and it worked)
Ok line the bottom of a 13x9 pan with one bag of the chessman cookies. Next top with sliced bananas and then add a layer of sliced strawberries on top.
Then in a small bowl mix the milk and the pudding on medium for 2 minutes and set aside. Now mix the cream chz with the condensed milk. I used most of the can I just did not scrape the sides but most had come out. (sorry again that I can not be more specific) Blend it till it is nice and smooth then add in the yogurt and stir well. Now whip the heavy cream in another bowl on high until peaks appear. Mix the bowl of pudding with the cream chz mixture and then fold in the whipped cream.
Now pour the mixture over the cookies, bananas, and strawberries. You will have more filling than you need (even the original leaves you with extra) so you can save it to use as a dip for fruit or cookies or make another small dessert, but you would need more cookies, bananas, and strawberries. Now top it with the other bag of cookies and allow it to chill in the refrigerator.
Pretty and delicious!
You can find the orginal recipe here. (Also sorry but I was sick and busy so I only took a few pictures, like 2, sorry.)
*Disclaimer* If I haven't said it before or if this is your first time stopping by I am not a follow the recipe kind of girl. I will follow the basics of it but always change it up and add to or take away. I also am not a measurer. I like to eye ball most of the things I add. With that said, I will try my best to get you a close measurement but cooking is all about trying new things and blending new things together and well just having fun. So have fun if you think it will work try it, the worst that can happen is it will be inedible. :)
A friend at church made the original recipe and I tried it one night. It was good but super sweet. I could only eat a little of it but I liked it and well I wanted to make it for an upcoming dinner. I knew the basic recipe was good but I needed to cut some of the sweetness out.
I decided some strawberries would add some tang and that if I made my own whipped cream it would not be as sweet. I also used less sweetened condensed milk and added some Greek yogurt. I also used less pudding.
Not huge changes but it made a difference and what came about was great! So here is my recipe.
Ingredients:
-2 boxes Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies
-2 cups of milk
-1 box 3.5oz of instant French vanilla pudding
-4 to 5 ripe bananas
-small bag of frozen sliced strawberries (thawed) (make sure no sugar has been added) *you can also use fresh I just didn't have any at the time
-8oz of cream chz (softened)
-small can of sweetened condensed milk (around 14 oz but you will use a little less)
-12 oz of heavy whipping cream (you can use cool whip if you want for ease I did once when I had no cream and it was still ok I just used less than the 12 oz)
-small container of plain greek yogurt (I used Oikos 5.3oz size and I actually ran out of the plain and used the strawberry this last time and it worked)
Ok line the bottom of a 13x9 pan with one bag of the chessman cookies. Next top with sliced bananas and then add a layer of sliced strawberries on top.
Then in a small bowl mix the milk and the pudding on medium for 2 minutes and set aside. Now mix the cream chz with the condensed milk. I used most of the can I just did not scrape the sides but most had come out. (sorry again that I can not be more specific) Blend it till it is nice and smooth then add in the yogurt and stir well. Now whip the heavy cream in another bowl on high until peaks appear. Mix the bowl of pudding with the cream chz mixture and then fold in the whipped cream.
Now pour the mixture over the cookies, bananas, and strawberries. You will have more filling than you need (even the original leaves you with extra) so you can save it to use as a dip for fruit or cookies or make another small dessert, but you would need more cookies, bananas, and strawberries. Now top it with the other bag of cookies and allow it to chill in the refrigerator.
Pretty and delicious!
Linking to some of these great parties!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween
Fall is officially here and today is Halloween. I love the fall. Love it!! Love the colors, the weather, the smells, the food, and the holidays. I just love the way it makes you feel. But with this fall I have been super super busy. I have had the kiddos costumes planned for months and since they were not difficult I have put them off. Well I put them off till this morning, yeah just a tad bit late. Well I managed to finish my big guys without any problem and will have 10 minute tute for you later this week but I did not get my littlest man's finished. In all honestly I could have made it in time but it turned out a bit small so I was going to have to cut a slit up the back and add snaps and well it just wasn't worth it. But I will tell you all about my busy day later, right now I just wanted to share the cuteness of my kiddos. My oldest wanted to be a Builder (Bob the Builder) Here is a pic of him in his tool belt but without his hat.
And my baby is one of the cutest pumpkins out there. Well in my opinion at least.
Aren't they sweet together?
Here is the whole crew. My hubby was not much for dressing up this year but I tried to have some Halloween spirit with my shirt.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Dreaming of Ham / PreThanksgiving
I am so not ready for the Holidays yet. Time is flying by way too quickly. I can not believe this week will be Halloween. AHHH!! Five million times ahhh because I have so much/want to do. With all of that said I am however very very ready for the food that comes with the approaching holidays. So much so that I have been dreaming about it.
And the thing I am most dreaming of .... Ham. Not just any ham not deli ham, *ick* but real ham. Pink ham! Well at least that's what I have always called it. You only get "pink ham" on holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter to be exact. You know the ham I am talking about that has that wonderfully rosy color is super delicious and oh so bad for you. :) I think it is technically called a smoked ham but I grew up calling it pink ham and still do. (I learned the hard way the 1st year I tried to buy one from the store and the butcher thought I was crazy and had no idea what I was talking about. Funny story but completely off topic. Maybe I will share at another time.)
Anyway back to the ham. I have been thinking about that ham for days and I told myself I only had a bit longer to wait and well then I decided why wait. I wanted ham and I could have it. Totally fine to have ham on a non holiday, except when I start meal planning I tend to get carried away a bit.
At first I just wanted a nice meal of ham, potatoes, and cabbage. Well then it grew into that I had some carrots and those would be good too with the potatoes. Next I noticed some great looking raspberries at the store and decided I would make some lemon raspberry mousse squares for dessert since I already had the Nilla wafers. (If you would like the recipe it is here.)
Nice meal but not totally satisfied. While washing dishes I thought how great some devilled eggs would be. I mean who doesn't want devilled eggs with pink ham.
Now I had been cooking and washing dishes most of the day, due to making baby food, so I thought that I should spread the wealth a bit. It would be Sunday after all and I did not want to be in the kitchen all morning before church. So now my little dinner has turned into a Pre Thanksgiving meal. :)
I called my parents and they are bringing some tea and some kale. My brother is bringing the deviled eggs and I am providing the rest. Only thing missing is some pumpkin but I am trying to be good. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
What is one of your favorite meals?
*Update* Sorry no pictures. We devoured it.
And the thing I am most dreaming of .... Ham. Not just any ham not deli ham, *ick* but real ham. Pink ham! Well at least that's what I have always called it. You only get "pink ham" on holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter to be exact. You know the ham I am talking about that has that wonderfully rosy color is super delicious and oh so bad for you. :) I think it is technically called a smoked ham but I grew up calling it pink ham and still do. (I learned the hard way the 1st year I tried to buy one from the store and the butcher thought I was crazy and had no idea what I was talking about. Funny story but completely off topic. Maybe I will share at another time.)
Anyway back to the ham. I have been thinking about that ham for days and I told myself I only had a bit longer to wait and well then I decided why wait. I wanted ham and I could have it. Totally fine to have ham on a non holiday, except when I start meal planning I tend to get carried away a bit.
At first I just wanted a nice meal of ham, potatoes, and cabbage. Well then it grew into that I had some carrots and those would be good too with the potatoes. Next I noticed some great looking raspberries at the store and decided I would make some lemon raspberry mousse squares for dessert since I already had the Nilla wafers. (If you would like the recipe it is here.)
Nice meal but not totally satisfied. While washing dishes I thought how great some devilled eggs would be. I mean who doesn't want devilled eggs with pink ham.
Now I had been cooking and washing dishes most of the day, due to making baby food, so I thought that I should spread the wealth a bit. It would be Sunday after all and I did not want to be in the kitchen all morning before church. So now my little dinner has turned into a Pre Thanksgiving meal. :)
I called my parents and they are bringing some tea and some kale. My brother is bringing the deviled eggs and I am providing the rest. Only thing missing is some pumpkin but I am trying to be good. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
What is one of your favorite meals?
*Update* Sorry no pictures. We devoured it.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Bob the Builder
I have been meaning to post this for months but kept forgetting and lost the blog so here we go. For my little guys 3rd birthday he wanted Bob the Builder. Well Bob was super popular a few years ago but now he is hard to find. Went over several different ideas for what he wanted - sheet cake that had a road made out of graham crackers in the shape of a 3 with machines digging dirt (crushed oreos) and toy figures of some of the machines and Bob, dump truck cake, and a cake shaped like Bob. Well I could not find any little figures and Conner wanted Bob not just the machines.
I am by no means a pro when it comes to decorating cakes but I do enjoy playing around with it. I finally decided to make a Bob out of round cake pans like I did my owl. (You can see that post here) I cooked my cake using two round 9 in pans and then drew out a pattern for my pieces. If you need a better idea about how to use pans to create a templete and pattern check the owl post I mentioned earlier.
After the cake cooked I let it cool for a while and long while so that it would not fall to pieces when I cut it. Also a good idea to add some pudding to the mix to help it be firmer. While the cake was cooling I made my icing. I have a huge sweet tooth but I do not love buttercream icing, it is just too sweet to me. I like to buy the Wilton whipped icing and make it myself. (You can get it from Walmart or Micheals) It is not near as sweet or as firm as buttercream so while it is deliscious it does not hold its shape as well. I make all the icing in a large bowl and then take a little out for each color I need. I use the Wilton icing dye to color my frosting.
Ok now that the cake is good and cool, you will begin cutting out your pieces. Lay your pattern on your cake and carefully cut out the parts you need. I left one circle whole and then cut out my ears, nose, and hat pieces. The hat is 3 different pieces. The bottom is a little less than half of the other cake and then I cut two pieces to make the brim of the hat and the ridge that runs up it.
After I placed my pieces I frosted it. Frosting took some time with all the corners and turns and I was not happy with the eyes and mouth but overall there was Bob and my 3 year old was tickled! I know you can not see his happiness from the pictures he was not excited about the camera but he was happy about the cake.
Not as nice as a professional cake but much much cheaper. Instead of $20 for a cake I probably only have $5. And it was super yummy.
Linking to some of these great parties
Monday, October 15, 2012
Italian Chicken Noodle Soup
This is a super fast, super cheap, super yummy, super soup and one of my new favorites! I found this recipe on Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy hour and just knew I had to try it. I love soups and with it finally feeling like fall I was ready for some warm comfort. I modified her recipe some to make it faster and cheaper but if you would like the original you can find it here.
Ok here we go this soup is very quick to put together and it just gets better as you eat it. It also heats up well, for left overs.
Ingredients:
-1 bag of frozen stir fry mix that contains onions and a variety of peppers (thaw in the refrigerator a few hours before or the day before)
-2 tbs of dried oregano
-1 tbs cheyenne pepper
-1 tbs of olive oil
-2 cans (28oz) of diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano, onion (I used Hunts)
-8 cups of chicken stock (about 1 1/2 large boxes I used Swanson reduced sodium)
-Rotisserie chicken with the meat pulled off
-box of small noodles (I used small shells but wanted the Ditalini)
-1 3/4 cup heavy cream
-bag of shredded Italian cheese or shredded Parmesan
*I only used two pots for this dish but to make it a one pot wonder just cook your noodles first and then leave them in the colander until you are ready to add them to the soup.
In a medium pot cook your pasta till not quite done. My shells called for 8 minutes but I stopped cooking at 6 minutes so they could finish cooking a bit in the soup but they would not get mushy. No one wants mushy noodles.
Ok in a large pot add 1 tbs oil and 2 tbs dried oregano. Stir just until it smells good, just a few seconds. Then add the bag of onions and peppers and cook until soft about 10 to 15 minutes. Next add the stock and tomatoes and cheyenne. Bring soup mix to a boil and then add the chicken and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for just a few minutes then remove from heat and add noodles and stir in the cream.
Now ladle it into a bowl and top with as much cheese ( I love cheese so don't judge my portion) as you would like and enjoy. It is rich and creamy and oh so good. It really seems to get better with each bite.
Yum doesn't that look great! I also think it would be yummy even with out the cream added. So if you are watching your waist add less cream or none at all but I do feel it is worth the splurge.
I do apologize for the pictures but I had already eaten a bowl full before I remembered to get a picture. It really is that good. Enjoy and thanks again to Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour for the inspiration.
Oh and the soup shouldn't cost more than about $12 to make and it fed 6 people with left overs so I would say around a dollar per serving. (Which we probably consumed way more than a serving.)
Linking to some of these great parties
Ok here we go this soup is very quick to put together and it just gets better as you eat it. It also heats up well, for left overs.
Ingredients:
-1 bag of frozen stir fry mix that contains onions and a variety of peppers (thaw in the refrigerator a few hours before or the day before)
-2 tbs of dried oregano
-1 tbs cheyenne pepper
-1 tbs of olive oil
-2 cans (28oz) of diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano, onion (I used Hunts)
-8 cups of chicken stock (about 1 1/2 large boxes I used Swanson reduced sodium)
-Rotisserie chicken with the meat pulled off
-box of small noodles (I used small shells but wanted the Ditalini)
-1 3/4 cup heavy cream
-bag of shredded Italian cheese or shredded Parmesan
*I only used two pots for this dish but to make it a one pot wonder just cook your noodles first and then leave them in the colander until you are ready to add them to the soup.
In a medium pot cook your pasta till not quite done. My shells called for 8 minutes but I stopped cooking at 6 minutes so they could finish cooking a bit in the soup but they would not get mushy. No one wants mushy noodles.
Ok in a large pot add 1 tbs oil and 2 tbs dried oregano. Stir just until it smells good, just a few seconds. Then add the bag of onions and peppers and cook until soft about 10 to 15 minutes. Next add the stock and tomatoes and cheyenne. Bring soup mix to a boil and then add the chicken and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for just a few minutes then remove from heat and add noodles and stir in the cream.
Now ladle it into a bowl and top with as much cheese ( I love cheese so don't judge my portion) as you would like and enjoy. It is rich and creamy and oh so good. It really seems to get better with each bite.
I do apologize for the pictures but I had already eaten a bowl full before I remembered to get a picture. It really is that good. Enjoy and thanks again to Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour for the inspiration.
Oh and the soup shouldn't cost more than about $12 to make and it fed 6 people with left overs so I would say around a dollar per serving. (Which we probably consumed way more than a serving.)
Linking to some of these great parties
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