Bubble Blowers

What you need to make bubble blowers:

empty water or pop bottles

rubber bands

towel

dish soap

water

container

What you do is cut the bottom off the bottle, cut a circle out of your towel that will cover the bottom you just cut off, wrap the rubber band around it to hold the towel on the bottom.

In a container add water and some dish soap. take the bubble blower, dip it in the soapy water

And then BLOW!!!

It is fun to see who can make the longest snake

Buttermilk Waffles

Sorry it's not with all the toppings....I used the last of the whip cream on my little boy's and by the time I realized that.....well....the waffles on his plate weren't cute anymore =)

I love making things from scratch and this is one of my favorites!  We usually have this once a week.  I know, you can just buy the Bisquick stuff, but isn't it so much more satisfying when you tell people you can make your own waffles from scratch, and not just add water?  Plus, this is a great recipe that you can use with food storage, with just a few changes (I'll suggest those at the end of the recipe).

Buttermilk Waffles

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 c. milk + 2 tbsp vinegar (let set for 5-10 minutes)

2 eggs, separated

4 tbsp. butter or margarine-melted, cooled

2 tsp vanilla

Separate the egg yolks and egg whites.  Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.  Combine flour, sugar, soda, and salt.  Mix in milk and egg yolks.  Stir in vanilla and butter.  Fold in egg whites.  Place about 1/4-1/3 c of batter in each section of the waffle maker and cook. =)  You may or may not need to spray with non-stick spray, depending on your waffle maker.  I usually spray the first time, but then don't need to do it again.  Makes approximately 12 waffles. Top with your favorite toppings.

I never have buttermilk so I love that this has a substitute for it.  If I am short on time I sometimes skip whipping the egg white and just add the whole thing in.  It doesn't change the flavor, the waffles are just a bit heavier, not much though.  These waffles also freeze great if your family doesn't scarf them all down, so you can have them for breakfast another day.  This is one you can play around with too.  I've added cinnamon and loved it!  I  have tweaked it a bit and made them chocolate waffles, but I will save that recipe for another post =)  Come fall, I will do a pumpkin waffle (still working on tweaking that one).

As for using food storage items, if you have the powdered egg, you can use that and there is powdered buttermilk too.  If you're in a pinch, you can use regular milk or powdered milk, they might just be a bit heavier.  You can do the same with the butter, just use the powdered version.

Print Recipe

Mixed-Berry Crisp

It all started because I was watching Food Network.

I was watching Giadia, and she was making a Mini Pineapple-Apricot Crisps.

Yum.

I wanted a bite. It sounded so appetizing. I had to make something.

I didn't have any dried Apricots, but I did have a bag of frozen mixed berries that would be perfect {granted fresh fruit out of my yard would have been ideal-we're just not there yet}. So I set to work.

I got out my awesome food processor, measured out 1/2 Cup of Flour & a 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar & then proceeded to the pantry to get me some Oats.

Uh-oh....No oats. So I headed downstairs to our food storage room to see if I had some.....Nope. None there. This got me thinking, "What can I use that'll give me a crunchy topping?" Graham crackers?? Yea...sure. Sugar Cone Ice Cream Cones???? Oooh, yes....That'll work.

So in went 6 sugar cones along with a 1/2 cup of butter {cubed}. I turn the processor on, and the outcome was perfect.

As for the filling, I dumped my frozen berries into a bowl, sprinkled them with some cinnamon, and a little bit of flour {for the juices that would eventually come out} and then tossed them around with a spoon.

I decided to make individual crisps, so I got out my pretty little white ramekins, filled the bottoms with fruit, and then topped them with the ice-cream cone topping. I placed them onto a sheet pan, & stuck it in the oven for 30 minutes @ 400 degrees.

I periodically checked my little crisps. I didn't want the ice-cream cone topping to burn.....That wouldn't have tasted good. When the timer went off, and I had let them cooled for a bit, I dug into one.

 

Delicious! Everything turned out great. The only thing that could have made it better would have been some Vanilla ice cream or Cool Whip {this was a spur of the moment dessert decision}. I really enjoyed the crunchy topping & the cooked berries. Again....Delish!

Black Forest Cake

It was my birthday...hooray...I'm in my last year of my twenties & am having a hard time celebrating that fact...gulp...sooooo....look at this deliciousness!!! Oh yeah, that's my birthday cake! It is so simple & easy...and OH the presentation! Makes me want to shove the whole thing in my mouth. Which I kinda did & ended up with a food baby (did I mention Matt grilled me heavenly steak??? So yeah, my food baby was really food baby twins.)
Here is what you do to create Black Forest heaven in your own home:
Take a devil's food cake (so apparently one type of devil is allowed in my heaven) & follow the directions on the package. Use 2 9-in circle pans (if that wasn't obvious).
Cook & cool to your heart's content.
Take a pint of heavy whipping cream, pour in a bowl add sugar to taste (I think I did about 3 heaping spoonfuls) & beat that puppy until it begs for mercy! (aka: stiff peaks form)
Trust me on using the real whipping cream...it makes your cake so much more delicious!
Take a can of cherry pie filling and pour half onto one layer of your cake, spread some whipped cream on top & smash (or gingerly place, whatever you prefer) the next layer on top. I kinda like to press it a bit because the way the cherries and cream start to slightly ooze out just makes it look dreamy.
Top with the other half of the can of cherry pie filling & more whipped cream (note: I had cream left over. I just saved it in the fridge.) Place one small little cherry on top & sift unsweetened cocoa over the top.


Makes mouths (and birthday girls) happy =)

Capri-Sun Pouch

So i have saved tons of capri sun pouches and I have been wanting to make something out of them but we have about a MILLION bags so i didn't want to make another bag. I do need a card pouch for in my purse though. I always have tons of the buy 10 get 1 free cards cause i am cheap and try to save money any where i can so if they offer a card i always take 1. This pouch is big enough to hold my cards and fit in my purse or diaper bag and some of my pants pockets. 

clean the insides of your pouches by slitting the end and washing them out

sew 2  pouches together by laying them over lapping the end of each other and zig zag them together. i looked to make sure when i folded the top down they would all be upright but when i make it again i will have to check how that lay out is cause i can't remember it myself (ohh how nifty the picture shows how to lay it i guess picture do help us remember things) the pouch that is closest to us in the picture is the one you will be rounding the edge of for the fold over top. just follow the outside of the light purple part. 

next sew the velcro onto both places so you will be able to fasten it closed. (the other one is on the inside of the silver part (i haven't sewn it on yet) Fold the bottom up 4 inches and stitch the sides to make the pouch 

I sewed around the fold over top to keep the 2 sides together. This is it done it was super easy and fun to make i will be making ones for my kids and possibly some to sell. (if i can get my sewing machine fixed or I will just buy a new one) 

So this post was featured 2 times!! one at One Crazy Cookie (click to check it out) and the other Confessions of a Stay at Home Mommy. click on the button to see that feature.