Semi-Wordless Wednesday- Easter

Here is a weekend wrap up of some of our Easter Fun!

        












Easter Egg hunt in the park put on by the local Chamber of Commerce. Jayden made up for the few eggs Dexter picked up.

  

<--- I just LOVE this picture, Their faces say it all! Jayden is goofy, and Dexter gets annoyed by him.





Don't we all look lovely in blue! :)

       Egg Hunt At GG's  

 

It was a long weekend, but everyone had fun! I thank god everyday that we have these 3 wonderful, beautiful, energetic children that can fill our life with joy. One minute they can be close to driving you insane, then they can turn and make you laugh uncontrollably. I am thankful for weekends like this where we can stop and watch the kids run, and have fun.

Make a Super Hero Cape for about $2

In a quest to not have the kids drag my towels out to try and use as capes I stumbled upon this blog that had a tutorial on making a cape using 2 towels from the Dollar Tree. (feel free to use her tutorial, it is well documented and is step by step) I must say I LOVE shopping at the Dollar Tree, you just never know what you are going to find there. So, I didn't mind this opportunity to go and shop!

<---I bought 2 kitchen towels. This way the cape could be reversible if the kids feel the need.


I used a bib I had on ---> hand to get the shape of the neck then curved the bottom of the green layer. Then placing right sides together I placed the green on the blue and cut the blue towel to match.

                                                   

Jayden had to test fit the cape before I could sew it.












Unfortunately I don't have any more pictures of the process I was being rushed to finish so someone could use it. Anyway you then, with right sides together, sew around the edges of the cape using about 1/4 inch seam allowance. Also don't forget, don't sew all the way around. You need to leave a whole open to flip it right side out. Use pinking shears to trim your seam allowance. Then turn right side out and iron your seams. After ironing top stitch around the edges, this will close the whole you left for turning. The last thing you need to do is add velcro to the neck tabs.

                                                   

Congratulations you have a wonderful superhero cape ready for hours of play!!



<---Dexter decided to model the final product. I need to get busy sewing another one so he doesn't have to share with brother. And sister requested that she have one as well.









This picture is from Obsessively Stitching, it shows the monogram that she put on the back of her capes using scrap fabric from the contrasting towel. I plan to add this to Jayden's cape. You just use fusible webbing and then top stitch around it.

Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes

These pancakes are just to die for. I LOVE anything cinnamon. I especially love cinnamon rolls, but hate the long process of making homemade ones. These pancakes are like a fried cinnamon roll. I could eat these every day for breakfast!

After taking the first bite, Mike asked if I was going to blog about this recipe. He said it was awesome!

Once again I found this recipe while hoping around the blogoshere one night at It's a Keeper.


Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes

Batter for one batch of pancakes (from your favorite recipe or mix)
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth.  Microwave on high for 10 second increments until it is soft and can be squeezed through a pastry bag.  Transfer mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium tip.  Or, you can use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.

Pour pancake batter onto hot griddle.  Pipe cinnamon mixture onto batter in a swirl shape.  When pancakes are lightly browned, flip and cook until done.

Cream Cheese Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
2 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp milk

Using the hand mixer, mix until smooth and pour the icing into another pastry bag or Ziploc bag. Squeeze it over the cooked pancakes in a criss-cross design.

I would recommend cooking them on a lower heat so they almost cook completely on one side. That way when you flip them they only need to cook for a minute or so.

This is definitely a Keeper in our house!! The kids ate 3 a piece.

Wordless Wednesday- Gabby's School Concert

Cookie Dough *flavored* ice cream

I can't even remember how I stumbled upon this recipe. I often spend nights wondering the blogosphere, looking at recipes, crafts, and projects. After reading this recipe on Annie's Eats.com for Double Cookie Dough ice cream I figured this house full of cookie dough nuts needed to at least try the ice cream portion of this recipe! Sorry I don't have any pictures to share of this treat, it took a little longer to make then I anticipated so the night was running short. Also please feel free to comment if you have an suggestions on ice cream making, as I am not a pro by any means!

Double Cookie Dough Ice Cream 

Ingredients: 

For the cookie dough: 

5 tbsp. salted butter, melted (or unsalted butter plus ¼ tsp. salt) 

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 

¼ cup flour 

½ tsp. vanilla extract 

¾ cup chocolate chips (I used mini chips) 

For the ice cream: 

3 tbsp. unsalted butter 

2 cups heavy cream 

2/3 cup dark brown sugar 

4 large egg yolks 

Pinch of coarse salt 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1½ cups whole milk 

1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet) 

Directions: 

To make the cookie dough, stir together the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth.  Mix in the flour, then the vanilla and chocolate chips.  Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.  

To make the ice cream, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Continue heating, stirring often, until the butter is a deep golden brown color, being careful not to burn it.  Whisk in the heavy cream and heat until simmering.  Meanwhile in a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and the egg yolks until pale and fluffy.  Once 

the cream mixture is warm, add a small amount to the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Slowly whisk in the rest of the cream.  Mix in the salt.  Return the egg-cream mixture to the saucepan and heat until just slightly thickened, and the temperature reads 170-175˚ F on an instant-read thermometer.  Immediately remove the mixture from the heat 

and pour through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.  Stir in the vanilla extract and the whole milk.  Cover and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.  

Once the mixture is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Chop the disk of cookie dough into small chunks.  As soon as the mixture is done churning, transfer to a bowl or airtight container and stir in the chocolate chips and the chunks of cookie dough.  Store in the freezer until firm.

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Like I said before, we only tried the ice cream. We had it with chocolate chips, but not the cookie dough bits in it. I wanted to give the ice cream a shot before investing the time to make the cookie dough bits. But I will say I will be trying to make this again, because it was a hit! Next time though it will contain cookie dough!

Leftover roast as a Chinese meal???

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a deal for e-mealz. This site gives you a menu, grocery list, and recipes for a week of meals. It will even be store specific or you can choose a non-specific list. Unfortunately for Iowa, our only options are Aldi and Walmart. The original cost is $5/ month.

We are on week 2 of our 6 months that we signed up for, and so far we are enjoying it. I love that the only thought I have to put into supper is which meal to have on which night. I get the weekly menu on Thursday, so I take that day to check over the grocery list and look at the ads to see where to get the the best deals on the food I need. I then shop on Friday to get all the groceries I need for the weeks meals and write on the white board what we are having when. I think so far it has saved us money, because I am not running to the store multiple times and picking up unnecessary groceries.

Last week our menu looked like this:
Saturday- BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Corn on the Cob*, Baked Beans
Sunday- Spaghetti Pie
Monday- EZ Potato Soup, Bran Muffins
Tuesday- Chicken Crunch, White Rice, Steamed Broccoli
Wednesday- Roast Beef w/ vegetables, biscuits
Thursday- Easy Steak and Rice (recipe below), rolls, fruit salad
Friday- Lemon Pepper Fish, Asparagus, Cantaloupe

*btw-frozen corn on the cob isn't bad. It isn't Grimes sweet corn in the summer, but if you are in the mood for it outside of sweet corn season this will satisfy!

I have to share the recipe for the Easy Steak and Rice, because I couldn't believe how it used the leftover meat from Wednesday night, but didn't taste the same at all. I originally cooked the roast beef with a package of onion soup mix and a half can of beer for 6 hours in the crock pot.

Easy Steak and Rice

1 1/2 -2 lbs cooked boneless chuck or sirloin roast
2 T butter
1 T flour
2 Medium onions
1 t minced onion
2-3 T soy sauce
1 T sugar
1 Cup water

Heat 2 T butter; add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is tender. Sprinkle in flour; stir. Add soy sauce, sugar and water, stirring smooth. Place leftover beef in pan. Cover, simmer over med-low heat for 15 minutes, adding more water if needed. Season to taste (which I didn't add anything).
Serve over Rice!

Pottery Barn inspired photo shelves

A month or so ago I stumbled across this website, that contains tons of free plans on building just about every piece of furniture you could imagine. After looking at it, my wish list of projects is massive. I decided to start small and simple with the ten dollar ledges. I bought the wood, but unfortunately my wonderful husband must not have trusted me with the power tools. He decided to put them together for me and I was stuck with the unpleasant job of painting them. In the end I love the way they look and it gives me more places to display pictures of my family.

Krazy Kids

Dexter-  This poor guy is still dealing with an almost double ear infection, going on 3 weeks now. Our first kid to have an ear infection. Also to top that off he also possibly has sinusitis and conjunctivitis, or it could just be allergies. So we are starting a fun trial and error of another round of antibiotics and Singular. Despite all this he still maintains good spirits and smiles!

Jayden- he has started to have quite a say in what he wants to wear. The other day I laid out jeans for him to wear. He did not like that option and insisted on wearing "Comfy Pants." I left him in his room to get dressed and after a while came down in these wonderful orange "comfy pants." These are Dexter's pants, a size 12 months. I was shocked that he could get them on. Goes to show he will do anything to get the type of clothes he wants! On a side note...I think this pose looks quite Bieber-ish.

Gabrielle- Loves her time with electronics. She is showing Mada her webkinz file and all the things she can do on there. When she isn't playing the computer she is trying to get her dad to finish Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii. They just about have it completed! One last thing...tonight her homework was counting back change. I am glad to see they are still teaching that! I am happy to report she did an excellent job. She was able to give change back for a $1.78 purchase, paid for using $5. 

Pork Chops & Rice

Here's another food post! If you can't tell I love to cook/bake.

This recipe came from Mike's co-worker Mike L. The original recipe said to brown your pork chops then bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 2 hours, but it was a Wednesday night when I decided to make this and crock-pot meals are a must for this family that night. Everyone in the family LOVED this meal there wasn't much left. The pork chops were fall apart tender and wonderful!

* Gabby just informed me that if I would have left the rice out it would be perfect. Oh....kids.....

Pork Chops & Rice

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture before eating. It was too good to wait!

• 1 cup Minute Rice 
• 6 pork chops 
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup 
• 1 can cream of chicken soup 
• 1 pkg onion soup mix 
• 1 8oz pkg fresh sliced mushrooms 
• 2 cans of water 

Layer rice, pork chops, then mushrooms in the crock pot. Then mix soups and water and pour over top. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.