January 27, 2012 • 609 notes • fuckyeahdirtyblonde

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December 29, 2011

A healthier new year!

As I sit on the couch after running around all day working & cooking..I am saddend another Christmas has past but looking for the start of a new year and with that being said…now is the time to jot those new years resolutions down! In the last 2 days I have changed my eating habits drastically. Only putting good food into my mouth & cutting back on the fat content. I have had the support of a really good book “Cook Yourself Thin” with recipes that are way healthier but allow you to indulge. I urge you to find this book & start cooking…the flavors are amazing and leave you feeling good afterwards.
Tonight I made the green chile chicken enchiladas…I have to say I got a later start than I wanted only because I had never roasted peppers before…but now I feel like a pro! This recipe did not dissapoint …awesome flavor….not greasy and was very filling without being over filling. Allow yourself atleast an hour for this dish with the prep & cook time. Recipe notes that it serves 4, we’re a family of 4 and we definately have enough leftovers.

So I leave you tonight with a few words…in order for change we need to accept and make the change…wanting to be healthy and in shape are my everyday goals, feeling good and being able to enjoy my life with my family but also being able to enjoy the foods I love. Make this years new years resolutions count!

December 27, 2011 • 125 notes • inspirationlane
Beautiful

Beautiful

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December 14, 2011
The newest creation tonight in santas workshop was an adorable little jar of homemade brown sugar body scrub. I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off the last several days getting all my gifts made and ready to wrap up. Some of our family on my husbands side are getting together this coming Sunday for our Christmas. So I am making my list and checking it twice. This recipe is so easy you could probay get your kiddos to make it. While I was at the dollar tree earlier I stocked up on those poofy bath sponge things….they go perfect with this scrub and make a nice Christmas gift. And hey I am all about saving money. Heres my recipe for Homemade Brown Sugar Body scrub You will need Brown sugar White granulated sugar Olive oil Vanilla 8 oz stubby ball canning jar Ribbon Tags Scrapbook paper Bell (optional) In a bowl mix together 1cup brown sugar with 1 cup white sugar…make sure it’s mixed up well. Next add olive oil you kinda have to gage how much you use…make sure all the sugars are mixed up and there is no dry sugar. Then add 1-2 tbsp vanilla mix in for scent. Transfer to 8oz jar. I cut a circle piece of Christmas colored scrapbook paper for the tops of the jars for some color. Used ribbon tied a bow on the front and attached a bell and description tag with the raffia around the front. Put together a gift bag for both of my nieces & included a poofy sponge and voila fun inexpensive gift! Stay tuned for more of my gifting creations…… Xoxo

The newest creation tonight in santas workshop was an adorable little jar of homemade brown sugar body scrub.
I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off the last several days getting all my gifts made and ready to wrap up.
Some of our family on my husbands side are getting together this coming Sunday for our Christmas. So I am making my list and checking it twice.

This recipe is so easy you could probay get your kiddos to make it.

While I was at the dollar tree earlier I stocked up on those poofy bath sponge things….they go perfect with this scrub and make a nice Christmas gift. And hey I am all about saving money.

Heres my recipe for Homemade Brown Sugar Body scrub

You will need

Brown sugar
White granulated sugar
Olive oil
Vanilla
8 oz stubby ball canning jar
Ribbon
Tags
Scrapbook paper
Bell (optional)

In a bowl mix together 1cup brown sugar with 1 cup white sugar…make sure it’s mixed up well. Next add olive oil you kinda have to gage how much you use…make sure all the sugars are mixed up and there is no dry sugar. Then add 1-2 tbsp vanilla mix in for scent. Transfer to 8oz jar.

I cut a circle piece of Christmas colored scrapbook paper for the tops of the jars for some color. Used ribbon tied a bow on the front and attached a bell and description tag with the raffia around the front. Put together a gift bag for both of my nieces & included a poofy sponge and voila fun inexpensive gift!

Stay tuned for more of my gifting creations……

Xoxo

December 12, 2011 • 2 notes

DIY yarn wreath tutorial

If you want a sparkly Finnish after your done spray glitter gives it an even fancier touch!

December 12, 2011 • 2 notes
Tonight I finished my very first yarn wreath…I have to say I am very pleased with the results! As you might recall in my earlier blog..this year is a handmade Christmas and its been nothing short. After all isn’t it more meaningful to receive a gift that was made with love & came from the heart?? I am already eager to see faces when my gifts are being opened this year. Tonight I am making up some lemon curd, another one of my homemade gifts I am doing. Stay tuned in my next blog with my results and the recipe. In the blog immediately following this one I will post the diY wreath tutorial so you can make your very own…and also be sure to check pintrest for thousands of other great homemade gift ideas! Xoxo

Tonight I finished my very first yarn wreath…I have to say I am very pleased with the results!
As you might recall in my earlier blog..this year is a handmade Christmas and its been nothing short. After all isn’t it more meaningful to receive a gift that was made with love & came from the heart??
I am already eager to see faces when my gifts are being opened this year.
Tonight I am making up some lemon curd, another one of my homemade gifts I am doing. Stay tuned in my next blog with my results and the recipe.
In the blog immediately following this one I will post the diY wreath tutorial so you can make your very own…and also be sure to check pintrest for thousands of other great homemade gift ideas!

Xoxo

December 8, 2011 • 2 notes

Make ahead chicken enchiladas

On Sunday I stumbled upon this recipe…sounded good and I hadn’t yet made dinner plans, so I decided to go out on a whim and make these for dinner.
The results…….AMAZING! The flavor was delish all the way! I have made many other enchilada recipes as I was amazed how ricotta & mozzarella cheese can be so good in this recipe. Super quick, super easy…you can make a batch of these up ahead to throw in the oven later or make them right away.
The hubby & kids devoured these, and we even had leftovers! Now you can use shredded chicken as the recipe calls for…I on the other hand had a can of chopped white chicken I used. Enchiladas still just as yummy.

Love simple fab meals that give you more time to enjoy life & family.
Blessings to you all!

December 7, 2011 • 2 notes

Whose craving comfort tonight???

A friend of mine who just might be as equally addicted to pintrest as I am…..posted today that she made these delicious little bites of heaven…..now who out there makes a batch of cookie dough and one either has your hubby trying to dip his hand in the bowl for a bite of cookie dough…or two…you are the culprit who has a secret obsession with cookie dough. Well for all you out there…raw eggs are VERY unhealthy and can make you VERY sick soooo stop all this cookie dough eating madness….unless you make a slightly less dangerous batch that……..has NO EGGS, but is just as equally delicious!

Check this recipe out you might be finding yourself in the kitchen tonight making these.

Cookie Dough Bites minus the EGGS!

Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour
Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

    1 cup salted butter, softened
    1½ cups packed light brown sugar
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 cups flour
    6 ounces miniature chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Cream butter and sugar together.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well — use your hands to get it together the best.
  3. Roll into 1-inch balls.
  4. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Dip in chocolate, drizzle with chocolate or eat as is — equally delicious no matter what!
  5. Let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
  6. Store in the refrigerator.
December 7, 2011 • 2 notes
Easy holiday cinnamon applesauce ornaments! You & your kids will love this fun easy craft and your home will smell delightful all day! First you will need: 2cups of applesauce 2cups ground cinnamon Cookie cutters Pencil (to poke a hole in top of ornaments for ribbon) Ribbon or homespun of your choice Preheat oven to lowest setting (note: not all ovens go down to 150f so the next lowest setting you can get will be fine it’ll just alter the time a little bit on how long you cook them. If you cook them on 150f then bake between 3-5 hours….I baked mine on 170f and baked mine 2-4hrs. Just varies on your oven. Mix applesauce & cinnamon in a bowl until well combined. On a flat surface sprinkle lightly with cinnamon so dough doesn’t stick. Knead out dough & roll out with rolling pin to 3/8 thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Then place on a non-greased cookie sheet. Poke a hole at the top of each ornament with the bottom end of a pencil ( enough so a ribbon can be threaded through) & bake in oven (refer to time listed above) Let cool until dry on cookie sheet, then decorate…use regular ribbon to sting ornaments or give a country feel using a plaid piece of homespun. Voila….great for your own tree or give as gifts, they can even be used for air fresheners or gift tags. I cut small stars out of the left over dough filled a old canning jar to use as an air freshener. Enjoy!

Easy holiday cinnamon applesauce ornaments!

You & your kids will love this fun easy craft and your home will smell delightful all day!

First you will need:
2cups of applesauce
2cups ground cinnamon
Cookie cutters
Pencil (to poke a hole in top of ornaments for ribbon)
Ribbon or homespun of your choice

Preheat oven to lowest setting (note: not all ovens go down to 150f so the next lowest setting you can get will be fine it’ll just alter the time a little bit on how long you cook them. If you cook them on 150f then bake between 3-5 hours….I baked mine on 170f and baked mine 2-4hrs. Just varies on your oven.
Mix applesauce & cinnamon in a bowl until well combined. On a flat surface sprinkle lightly with cinnamon so dough doesn’t stick. Knead out dough & roll out with rolling pin to 3/8 thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Then place on a non-greased cookie sheet. Poke a hole at the top of each ornament with the bottom end of a pencil ( enough so a ribbon can be threaded through) & bake in oven (refer to time listed above)
Let cool until dry on cookie sheet, then decorate…use regular ribbon to sting ornaments or give a country feel using a plaid piece of homespun.
Voila….great for your own tree or give as gifts, they can even be used for air fresheners or gift tags. I cut small stars out of the left over dough filled a old canning jar to use as an air freshener.

Enjoy!

December 6, 2011 • 2 notes

Simplify My Life

This is my very first blog about my adventures in cooking and crafting. I love the two so much I thought id share my experiences with everyone. Being a wife and a mom of 2 life gets crazy and hectic sometimes. I love to cook when time allows but there are many times when I wish I could just snap my fingers and make meals appear at my fingertips……the constant everyday question around this house is “mom, what’s for dinner?” almost like “are we there yet??” but I do remember as a young child I’d ask my mom this question everyday…..not counting in the fact she worked a 40+ hour work week. Maybe I was hoping she’d say something like mac and cheese or pizza things that all young kids like……but it was usually something like Hamburger Helper….because even though it came from a box, it was easy! and after a long work day you don’t want to slave in the kitchen…when you know you have a mound of laundry piling up to be washed and folded……so you say “please simplify my life”

Well one thing I have come to learn since my first few years being married……and my cooking has come a long ways through trials and tribulations. I truly ADORE the crockpot, now whoever created this is an absolute genious…..this wonderful miraculous kitchen gizmo says walk away & carry about while I cook you and your family a delicious meal. And it has made our family many wonderful meals which over time I will share some amazing favorites of mine that are so delicious…you will be begging for more!

So the Christmas is coming up in just a few short weeks and my focus is to not stress so much and enjoy the holiday…i’m sure many of you can relate. I have acctually this year decided to buy less and make my gifts. And I truly believe that homemade gifts say a lot when they come from the heart rather than a cheesy Christmas sweater from Kmart which will most likely end up back in a pile of returned gifts the day after because it’s not what you wanted. Have we forgotten the meaning of christmas??!!?? it’s just become so commercialized that i feel we just forget the true meaning. So I have decided I am going to put my heart and soul into my giving this year…..whether it’s crocheting a scarf, or making homemade cinnamon applesauce ornaments, yarn wreaths etc. i am going to have fun in the spirit of christmas…being with those i hold dear.

You don’t have to be an amazing crafter to make heartfelt gifts most of my craftiness lately has come from my new favorite website www.pintrest.com there’s a kajillion and one craft ideas, recipes, fashion syle you name it! You will be addicted and it will bring out the crafty person you longed to be….

So whats your favorite holiday memory?????