Spicy Goulash!

     This recipe came from a slow cooker cookbook I got for christmas from my parents called "Taste of Home Slow Cooker".  This was a really easy recipe and made a lot so it was great for when I had family here! Everyone seemed to love it, even my little ones ( i mixed in some sour cream so it wasn't as spicy).


INGREDIENTS
1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey would be great too!)
4 cans (14-1/2 oz each) mexican diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (16oz each) kidney beans , rinsed and drained
2 cups of water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsely flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups elbow macaroni


MAKE IT
1. In a large skillet, cook the meat over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-qt slow cooker. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, water, onion, green pepper, vinegar, chili powder, worcestershire sauce, bouillon and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until heated through.
2. Stir in macaroni; cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until macaroni is tender.

makes about 12 servings!

Homemade Gummy Candy!

     I came across this great homemade candy recipe on pinterest and i had to give it a try!  I was unable to find candy molds in the small town i live in so i just used a mini donut pan i had at home but you could also use and ice cube tray if you wanted to!  i chose to use the sugar free kind of jello for this recipe because i think my kiddos get enough sugar as it is!! these were really good, my husband and i enjoyed eating them as well! The recipe comes from the blog  not so idle hands!

INGREDIENTS

2 three oz. packages of flavored Jello ( I used the sugar free)
6 envelopes of Knox unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup of cold water + half of a 1/3 c. (yeah, it confused me too)

A double- boiler setup (I just do a glass measuring cup set in a small pot with simmering water)
candy molds, or ice cube molds or whatever you want to use

MAKE IT
1. First, measure the water into the glass measuring cup and slowly add all the gelatin and Jello. Make sure to add it a little at a time and stir it in before adding more.
2. Once you add all the Jello & Knox together, cover it and let it sit for 10 minutes while you start boiling some water in your pot.
3. When the 10 minutes are up, it should look like this....or even a little thicker. It looks kinda yucky, but this is good.
4. Put the glass cup into the (now simmering) water and let the goo melt. You just want to melt it, not cook it...that's why we are using a double-boiler. You can just do this straight in the pot, but be VERY careful not to burn it (only melt it).
5. Once melted there will be a thin layer of foamy jello, but it's fine, that part tastes good too!
6. Now pour it into your molds. It will be easy since you made it a pourable glass measuring.
7. You can now put the molds in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes to help them set faster. Once set, you can pull them right out of their molds (you don't have to grease your molds....they shouldn't stick to anything) and enjoy!     (store in an airtight container)

Homemade Dog Treats!

     My doggie Kota just turned 5 recently and for her birthday we made her some homemade heathly treats! I don't have a dog bone shapped cookie cutter yet so I just used a mickey mouse one! This recipe is so super simple and she loves them!

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon



MAKE IT

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.In a stand mixer, mix together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon

3.Add water as needed to help make the dough workable, but the dough should be dry and stiff.

4.Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick roll. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

5.Bake in preheated oven until hard, about 40 minutes.

Applesauce Pancakes!

     Pancakes are a favorite in my house so I am always trying different types of pancake recipes just for fun!  These applesauce were so delicious! I found the recipe on allrecipes.com!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups dry pancake mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup milk


MAKE IT
1. In a large bowl, stir together pancake mix and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the pancake mix. Add the eggs, applesauce, lemon juice and milk; stir until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Sippy Cup Leashes!

     Im not sure about your kids, but mine are always throwing their cups and then its my job to try to find them...well I saw a post on Make It - Love It and knew I had to have one! I made a few for my babies and some for my friends! Its great in the stroller or in the car because now we dont have to wonder where the sippy cup has gone!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting!

    
     I made these delicious cupcakes for my 24th birthday this year! These cupcakes were so moist and the frosting was so good, I'm pretty sure the frosting is my new fav! I found this recipe on Glorious Treats.

Chocolate Cupcakes INGREDIENTS

(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes)

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water
MAKE IT
1.Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
2.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
4.  Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don't worry, this is right).
5.  Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and     then pour the batter into the liners.)
6.  Bake cupcakes for approximately 22-24 minutes.
7.  Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup smooth peanut butter (chose a peanut butter with no added sugar)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream (or milk)

MAKE IT
Beat the butter until smooth.  Add the cream cheese, and continue to beat until smooth and fully combined with the butter.  Add the peanut butter and beat until well combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue to mix until the frosting is smooth. Add in the cream, and beat another 30 seconds.  Frost cupcakes.

 

Huevos Rancheros!

     This is another great recipe I got from my friend Becca's Blog.  I had never had huevos rancheros before and they looked amazing!  The recipe is called Jamie's Huevos Rancheros and it came from Paula Deen's  The Deen Family  Cookbook.  Click Becca Bass's Bistro to go to the recipe!

Apriocot Chicken!

     This is another simple but delicious chicken recipe, its similar to the razzle dazzle chicken.

INGREDIENTS
4-6 chicken breasts
1 packet onion soup
1 jar of apricot preserves (jelly)
1/2 of a container of thousand island dressing


MAKE IT
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.  Mix all onion soup packet, jelly, and dressing together, pour over the chicken and cook for 45 to 60 minutes! Enjoy!

Easy Baked Spaghetti!

     Baked spaghetti is super easy to make and tastes great! All you need to do is make spaghetti like normal, mix the sauce and noodles together and put in a casserole dish and top with cheese. Then bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes!

Pacifier Clip!

     When my twins were 3 months old I was starting to get frustrated with always losing pacifiers and I was not able to find any pacifier clips at any of the stores around. One of my babies used the soothie pacifiers and my other the nuk ones, these paci clips worked great with both of them! I decided I would just make my own and came across this picture tutorial from my crafty side to make a quick and easy pacifier keeper. The clips I used I ordered online and have rubber inside to protect clothing but you can also get just regular suspender clips at any craft store or even walmart! (sorry the picture isn't the best quality, it was taken from my phone)

Basic Pillow Case!

     I had just enough fabric left over from making my son's window valances to make him this super cute pillow case! Pillow cases are very easy to make!  I used a plain navy blue on the back!  Once again I have another picture tutorial from make it and love it, I absolutely love this website!

Stuffed Bell Peppers!

     I got this recipe from my friend Tyra, they are amazing! Stuffed peppers are one of my favorite foods....I craved them a lot when I was pregnant with the twins! (sorry the picture isnt the best...i took it with my phone)


INGREDIENTS
4 large bell peppers
1 lb ground beef
1 cup rice, cooked (measure dry)
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp minced onions
15 oz can tomato sauce
6oz can tomato paste
Shredded cheese


MAKE IT
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook beef with onions. Drain. Add garlic powder, worchestire sauce, salt, rice, 15 oz can tomato sauce to beef. Fill peppers, standing them upright in a 13x9 pan (or whatever)
3. With the remainder mixture in pan, mix 6 oz can paste + 6 oz can water. Spread on top of peppers. Cover with foil.
 4.Place on oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle shredded cheese on top, cook for 10 minutes.

Cajun Chicken Pasta!

     OH MY GOODNESS, I am so in love with this recipe....it is hands down probably one of the best pasta's I have ever had and is now one of my favorites!!!!  The sauce is just amazing! The recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, she has so many delicious recipes and not too long ago got a show on the food network!  Her recipe calls for a cajun spice mix so I made my own off of a recipe on The Food Network.



INGREDIENTS
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes 
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste (recipe below)
1 pound Fettuccine 
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 
2 Tablespoons Butter 
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced 
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced 
1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced 
3 cloves Garlic, Minced 
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced 
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth 
1/2 cup White Wine 
1 cup Heavy Cream 
Cayenne Pepper To Taste 
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste 
Salt To Taste 
Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste


MAKE IT
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!
2. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.
3. Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.
4. With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!
5. Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine. Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

CAJUN SPICE MIX RECIPE

    I was very please with this spice mix recipe and it will definitely be a keeper in my house! I halved the recipe because it makes a lot! 

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1/4 cup cayenne
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup garlic granules
1/4 cup ground black pepper
2 tablespoons onion granules
2 tablespoons oregano, dry
2 tablespoons thyme, dry

MAKE IT
1.  Mix the ingredients together and store in a baggie or airtight container. 

Make Your Own Tutu!

     Tutu's are so cute on little girls and I couldn't resist putting my own daughter in one! I was given one before my twins were born but I wanted to make my own as well.  I can't remember what tutorial I used when making this red,white, and blue one but this tutorial from make it and love it is very similar to what it did! I took to elastic and measured it to the length I needed for her (she was 6 months old then) and sewed the end together...and other than that its not sewing involved.  When I was all finished i wrapped it with ribbon to finish it off as you can see in the picture below!

Penne Pasta With a Sausage Cream Sauce!

     I got this recipe from my good friend Rebecca's blog, and oh my goodness am I in love with it!!  It seriously is a must have recipe for the kitchen, even all 3 of my children couldn't get enough of it!!! Click Becca Bass's Bistro to go to the delicious recipe!!!!

Make Your Own Moby Wrap!

     I really really really wanted a moby wrap but I just couldn't spend that amount of money on one to buy it.  After googling some tutorials on it, I realized how easy it is to make your own and I only spent $11 dollars on fabric for it, and had enough to make 2 and have scrap peices!  The tutorial I used was monkey sew monkey do. It is very easy to make and will make babywearing very easy for you as well!

Make Your Own Baby Ring Sling!

     I am a big fan of babywearing and the ring sling is one of my favorites, it distributes the weight of the baby in a way that doesn't cause me any pain, I also made my own moby wrap and really liked it but for some reason my twins don't really like being in that one.  Wraps can cost a lot of money and honestly are very easy to make, when my 1st child was a baby I bought an Aloha Baby sling for $40 but I was able to make my own at $10-15 a piece....how great is that!!!  All you need is 2 - 2 1/2 yards of fabric, fold in half with the print facing each other and sew along the edge, then flip the fabric right side out and sew along the open end ( you can also add a pocket to this if you would like).  Then all you need to do is thread it with a pair of ring slings from slingrings.com for about $4.  I have posted below a video on how to thread your ring sling without having to sew the rings on and a video on how to make it just in case you didn't understand my instructions.  It is very sturdy as long as you thread it right....don't worry if it takes you few practice tries to get it right! 

Cinnamon & Sugar Pull-Apart Bread!

     I saw this delicious recipe on I Heart Food & So Can You and had to try it!  We call it monkey bread in our house just because it is exactly like the monkey bread you can buy from the store.  Click the link to the I Heart Food & So Can You blog for a detailed step by step picture tutorial on how to make this!!!

Homemade Window Clings!

 

    
     Have I told you how much I love mod podge lately? Well just incase I didn't , I'm going to say it again! I LOVE MOD PODGE!!!!  These homemade window clings were super easy! I made heart shaped ones for valentines day!  All you need to make this is some mod podge and some paint. My friend Emberlee told me she saw there was a tutorial on how to make these on modpodgerocksblog.com.

     To make these she suggested to use these plastic mats to make them on but I didn't have any so I just used wax paper.  Just pour some mod podge onto your wax paper and then pour some paint (any color of your choice) on top of it and mix them together.  As you can see I didn't mix mine completely because I liked the marbled look!  Then spread it out into a thin layer with your knife and let it dry over night.  Then once it is all dry cuz it out into the shapes you want.  If you would like to see the step by step tutorial just click on the link!!!

Smoothie!

     I am obsessed with smoothies, I could have them all day long!  Making smoothies is very simple, you throw all your ingredients into a blender and that's it! ( i normally never make one smoothie to the next exactly the same, i use what ever i have on hand)

INGREDIENTS
6 oz container of yogurt, any flavor ( i used peach for the one in the picture)
2 bananas ( i always use at least 2 bananas, you can always add more!)
fresh or frozen fruit (and whatever you would like, the one in the picture is a hand full of frozen strawberries, a hand full of frozen blackberries, and a hand full of frozen peach slices)
1/2 juice, you can add more if you think its too thick (orange is my favorite to use because it adds more flavor)
a hand full of ice


MAKE IT
1.  Put all your ingredients (except the ice) into your blender and blend until smooth, then add your ice and blend until smooth. 

Hawaiian Pizza Pockets!

     This is a fun recipe, your kids will love it!  Its a extra large pizza roll, and what kid doesn't love pizza! This recipe comes from parents magazine. You don't have to make them hawaiian, you can make any kind of pizza you want!


INGREDIENTS
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh pineapple (i used the canned and chopped it up myself)
1/4 cup chopped cooked ham
1 lb. frozen pizza dough, thawed (i made my own using the pizza dough yeast packet)
1 tbs. olive oil


MAKE IT
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet; set aside. Mix cheese, sauce, pineapple, and ham; set aside.
2. Divide dough into 8 pieces. on a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch each piece to a 6x3 inch rectangle. Place 1tbs. of cheese mixture on one side of each rectangle. Fold the unfilled side of dough over the filling; seal well, pressing edges with the tines of a fork. Prick tops of pockets with the fork. Arrange on baking sheet. Brush with oil. Bake 15 minutes. Makes 8 Pockets.