Garden Tea Party Shower {Repost}

One of my very first posts was this Garden Tea Party baby shower I threw for a friend.  Thought you might enjoy seeing it (again)!  Pardon the small photos! I was using blogger’s editor back then! 

Garden Tea Party Baby Shower

Here are some pictures from a baby shower I threw for one of my girlfriends who was having a girl!  It was fun to get to do girly things and use PINK!!!  The shower came together beautifully.  See the green tablecloth??  I got it at Goodwill for a few dollars!  The quilt you see on the food table was made from designer fabric samples I got from my design job.  I actually made (with help) 9 of them in all different colors and we used them at a picnic for the family and close friends on my wedding day.  I love to pull them out and use them for different things all these years later.

Banquet tables with chairs arranged casually around them

Pink Tulle anchors the centerpieces

{more after the break}

Cookie of the Week: EASY Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies with Orange Sugar and Cream Cheese Frosting

The other day I had to make a treat for Cub Scout pack meeting.  I didn’t want to go to the store to get ingredients, so I went to the pantry to figure out what I could make from the ingredients I had on hand that would be easy and yummy.  I saw a carrot cake mix and thought, “Carrot Cake cookies would be festive!”  I grabbed the cake mix and after referring to a cook book on how to make cake mix cookies I whipped these up.  I happened to have some leftover orange sugar in the fridge from when I made the Orange Poppyseed Snickerdoodles. I thought that carrot cake cookies rolled in orange sugar sounded even yummier.  Then I remembered some green cream cheese frosting I had in the pantry from Christmas time that we got for FREE from the grocery store!  I decided to sandwich the frosting between two cookies to make them extra fun.  I really didn’t expect them to be all that great as I’m not a huge fan of cake mix cookies but actually they were delicious!  They seemed to be a big hit with the Cub Scouts as well.  So, I thought I would share them for the Cookie of the Week. {recipe after the break}

CORN & RICE SALAD {Recipe}

This is a delicious and healthy recipe.  I have made it different ways, but most recently made it with brown rice and it was delicious!  It is very flavorful.  It’s a great lunch or it could be a side dish with grilled chicken, for example.  It would also be good on tacos. 

Another great idea would be to stuff tomatoes or bell pepper with it for a pretty presentation.  You could even do cherry tomatoes for an appetizer to entertain with.

ENJOY!

Recipe: Corn and Rice Salad/ Stuffed Tomatoes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• `3 ears corn, grilled and cut off cob and cooled
• `1 ½ c. rice, cooked and cooled
• `2 avocados, diced
• `1/2 c. diced red onion
• `2 or 3 sliced green onions
• `1/2 c. diced bell pepper, any combo of colors you choose (red, yellow, orange or green)
• `1/4 c. olive oil
• `3 Tbsps. chopped cilantro
• `3-4 Tbsps. lemon or lime juice or a combo of both
• `1/2 tsp. sea salt
• `1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• `1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• `6-8 ripe tomatoes for stuffing (or chop a couple to put in the salad)

Directions: Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Chill well.  Enjoy!

I wouldn’t min at all if you “pinned” this!  Thanks:)

SPIDER CHEESE BALL {Recipe}

This is a super yummy cheese ball recipe.  I make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as any other time I need a yummy appetizer.

For the web, I simply spread some cream cheese on a plate and then used pieces of red pepper to make a web.  The eyes were made with slices of cucumber and then slices of carrot, glued on with cream cheese.  The mouth is another piece of red pepper.  For the legs I took a stalk of celery and split it lengthwise.  Then I cut it about half way through in the middle and then carefully bent it, being careful not to let the stringy fibers break. 

Ranch Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

• `1/2 c. prepared double strength milk recipe ranch (This means mix together 1/4 c. milk, 1/4 c. mayo, and 1 1/2 Tbsps ranch dressing powdered mix)
• `8 oz. finely shredded cheddar cheese (room temp) Be sure to shred your own as it has much more flavor.  I use sharp cheese or extra sharp cheese.
• `8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• `3-5 oz. toasted sliced almonds, or any other nut you like, toasted and chopped.

Directions: Mix salad dressing and cream cheese with mixer. Add cheddar and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl so mixture is all together in bottom. Cover and freeze 30 minutes. Shape into ball and roll in almonds. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Serve with your favorite crackers. Note: 8 times this recipe will make 10 good-sized cheese balls for Christmas gifts. You could also shape into a log shape.

Serve with crackers.  I added in some veggies for our Halloween dinner to try to get some vegetables in.

CHOCOLATE COVERED WHAT???

I thought I would start with the easiest and ickiest recipe of my Halloween foods….Chocolate Covered Cockroaches!

Here in Vegas we get a lot of roaches.  I have a great phobia of them.  They really freak me out.  But I decided if they were covered in chocolate they may not be all that bad!

So, here they are.  They are SUPER yummy

Ingredients:

• whole pitted dates
• dipping chocolate (or milk chocolate chips)

Directions:  Melt the dipping chocolate according to package directions.  Dip the dates in leaving a little of the “roach” showing.  Looks best if you leave the end that the pit came out of because it more closely resembles a cockroach.  Place on parchment paper and refrigerate until firm.  Be sure to label them before serving!  Enjoy freaking out your guests!

CARAMEL APPLES {Recipe}

Ok, so I’ve been a really bad blogger.  I am sorry.  I guess its just not at the top of my priority list lately.  I have been super busy with just life and kids and friends and family and church and housework.  I’ve been doing a lot of things, but it takes so much more time to photograph the things that I do that I just haven’t wanted to do it.  Plus, I am not a very good photographer and I don’t have a lot of good light in my house.  I have a hard time getting any decent pictures unless it’s the perfect time of day.  It is frustrating.  But I don’t want to just let this blog go.  So, I am going to try to get 2 to 3 posts up each week.

I love Halloween.  I love the colors and the foods and PUMPKINS!  I ADORE the fall.  It is my favorite season.  I love when the weather starts to cool and we finally get some relief from the inferno that is Las Vegas summer.  I love the crisp air in the mornings.  I just live for fall!  And Halloween is a big part of that.

So, I am going to be posting some Halloween things over the next couple weeks.  I hope you like them!

Today I am going to tell you how to make the most delicious caramel apples.  I make the every year and they are always a big hit.  They really are not too difficult.  And they are so much yummier than making them from premade caramel candies. (cheaper, too). 

You MUST, and I repeat MUST, have a candy thermometer.  I have bought the glass ones at the grocery store many times and they always break.  So, if you can afford it, invest in a better thermometer.  If not, pick up one at Wal-Mart or the grocery store.

Once you have your thermometer you have to test it to ensure its accuracy.  First you need to know what temperature water boils at where you live.  So, do a little online reasearch to figure that out.  At sea leve it boils at 212 degress.  Where I live it boils at 203.  Once you know this number, put a pot of water on and bring it to a full rolling boil.  Then test the temperature.  If your thermometer doesn't read the same number that water boils at where you are, then you need to take that into account when making caramel.  So, for example, if water boils at 210 where you live and your thermometer reads 205, then your thermometer is 5 degrees too low.  So when you are making candy and you are trying to get to 240, you would really need to get your thermometer to 235.  Does that Make sense?  You need to test your thermometer every time you are going to use it to make candy.  When making candy its very important to have the correct temperature reading because the consistency of the candy depends upon how hot you heat it.  Hard candy is heated to a much higher temperature than a chewy caramel candy.  Basically, the hotter it gets the harder it gets.  SO, if you don’t want your caramel to crack your teeth when you try to bite into it, you have to make sure you don’t get it hotter than you should.  And if its not hot enough it will slide right off the apples.

I like to dip mine in caramel and then in something else, like chopped nuts, cookie crumbs, candies, mini chocolate chips, chopped candy bars, or sprinkles.  Then I like to drizzle them with melted chocolate or white chocolate or both.  Granny Smith apples are the traditional choice, but you can use any firm non-overripe apple you like. 

You can use traditional popsicle sticks, or something more creative like these wooden dowels you can buy at the craft store.  You could also use some kind of natural twig if you had that growing in your yard.  Not sure what type of wood would be ok but I’ve seen it done. 

Here is my recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

14 small tart apples (or fewer bigger ones.  I like to use small ones.)
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 14-oz. can sweetened, condensed milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
14  sticks

DIRECTIONS: Wash and dry the apples and then refrigerate at least overnight.  I like to soak them in a bowl of cold water with 1/4 cup vinegar.  This helps remove the wax.  Then i scrub them with a rough towel or vegetable brush.  Refrigerate the apples until chilled.  The apples should be cold when you dip them. Insert a wooden craft stick or a large lollipop stick into the core of each apple.
Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk in a large heavey bottomed pot.  Be sure it is twice as big as the amount of liquid because it will bubble up ALOT.

 Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until 240 degrees (firm ball stage) , taking into account any discrepancy in your thermometer.

Remove mixture from heat and add the vanilla. Dip each apple in the caramel, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl.   You may have to use a spoon to get the tops or tilt your pan with one hand and dip with the other, depending on how wide of a pot you used.  (I use the back of my wooden spoon to kinda wipe the bottoms a little so there isn’t a big pool of caramel under each apple.  Place on a well greased sheet of aluminum foil to cool. If dipping or rolling in other ingredients, do so immediately.  Once the caramel is cooled you can drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.  To do that, melt chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl stirring every 15 seconds.  The chips will start to melt and you will see they will melt more as you stir.  Do not overheat.  Place the melted chocolate in a gallon or quart sized zipper bag and snip a bit off the corner to make a hole.  Drizzle the chocolate over the apples.

These make a great gift wrapped in cellophane and tied with a cute ribbon.  Who doesn’t like a caramel apple?  Enjoy everybody!

OREO CUPCAKES {Recipe}

My oldest son turned 17 last week.  Seventeen!!! I am feeling old!  I cannot believe it.  I was 17 when I had him!  He is a senior in high school and is actually going to a special school this year where he takes college classes and gets dual credit for HS and college!  So, he is seeming very grown up and I am having a mid-life crisis, lol!

Anyway, my brilliant mother had the idea to throw him a surprise party for his b-day.  So, we did!  It was great!  He had no idea!  We had a BBQ and pool party.  I didn’t really know how many kids to expect.  We just put the word out there and invited a bunch of his FB friends and told them to invite his other friends.

So, I decided I better make a bunch of cupcakes for dessert!  I made 6 dozen Oreo Cupcakes the morning of the party.  Amazingly, it only took me about 3 hours, including cleaning up!

Now that’s a lot of cupcakes!

They were very yummy.  Here is what I did:

Cupcakes:

Mix up a white cake mix (I used Duncan Hines) according to package directions, except add 1/2 c. Daisy sour cream (Daisy is the best because it doesn’t have any funky ingredients).

Once it is mixed, add 2 cups Oreo cookie pieces.  I bought mine at Smart and Final.  They come already broken up.  Or you can just break up some Oreos in a zipper bag with a rolling pin.  Stir to combine. 

Use a paring knife to separate the two sides of an Oreo, leaving the crème on one side.  Place the Oreo side with the crème with the crème side up in a cupcake liner in your cupcake pan.  Add your batter on top of the Oreo to 2/3 full.  Bake according to cake mix directions.  The key to good cakes and cupcakes is to not over bake so that they aren’t dry.  Cakes are done when they barely spring back when touched lightly with your finger.  It doesn’t have to spring back completely, just half way.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Here is the frosting recipe I made.  It is HUGE, for about 80 cupcakes, so divide it if you aren’t making cupcakes for an army.

• 1 pound butter, room temp soft
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temp soft
• 2 regular jars marshmallow crème (You could make it without this.  I’m not sure it really added anything but it sounded like a good idea)
• 2 tsps. vanilla
• 2 Tbsps. cream
• 4 pounds powdered sugar
• 2 cups superfine Oreo crumbs without the crème.  They need to be small enough to go through a sieve if you are going to pipe your frosting with a star tip.  They can be a little bigger if you are using a round tip and as big as you want if you are putting the frosting on with a knife.  You can use a food processor to make them small, or just a rolling pin and zipper bag.  Just put them through the sieve to make sure they are small enough.

With the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and marshmallow crème.  Add the powdered sugar.  Add the cream a little at a time to get to the desired consistency.  If you add too much it will be too thin to pipe and have it hold its shape.  You can test in in the bowl.  Just pull some up into a peak with a knife or the back of a spoon and if it holds its shape pretty well it is thick enough. Add in the Oreo crumbs and mix to combine.

To pipe these ones, I just used my coupler in a pastry bag.  You could also use a large round tip, like 1/2” diameter.  Just hold the bag vertical in the center of the cupcake and start to squeeze.  Move it in small circles to spread it out a bit as you pipe.  You will see.  It is easy.

Garnish with an Oreo, half an Oreo, or mini Oreo.

FRIED CHICKEN FINGERS

I guess I’ve been doing a lot of cooking lately and not a lot of crafting.  So, sorry if you don’t like recipes, but you are getting another one today!

I am a big fan of cold fried chicken with no skin.  I just really like the way it tastes.  Kids love chicken fingers and we sometimes get them from Cane’s when we go on a picnic.  We will get the tailgate which I s like 25 fingers for $22 or something like that.  Not a bad price for take out but a lot more expensive than making them at home.  I made some chicken fingers the other night for dinner and they were REALLY good….better than Cane’s.  Here they are:

Don’t they look scrumptious??  I know frying is supposed to be really unhealthy, but I actually think when you use healthier oils and fry at the right temperature with fresh oil it is not too bad.  The amount of oil left after I fried these was almost the same as I started with.  Anyway, here is my recipe:

Recipe: Fried Chicken

Yield: about 35 strips

Ingredients:

• 6 or 7 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into 1/2” wide strips
• salt and pepper and garlic powder
• vegetable oil (I use Canola) for frying chicken
• 3 eggs
• 2 c. flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp sage

Directions: Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Beat eggs in a bowl. Throw in the chicken and toss to coat. Place oil in large pot, filling about 1/3 to 1/2 full.  Heat to just smoking, about 375. Mix flour, baking powder, and seasonings. Dredge chicken in flour (I put mine in a paper lunch sack inside another lunch sack, add chicken, and shake to coat) and place in hot frying oil. You can fry 6 or 7 at a time.  Don’t overcrowd the pan too much.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  I pull out the fattest one and cut into it to be sure it is white.  Drain on a plate layered with paper towels.

I make homemade ranch dressing to dip them in.  That night I made a big salad and we ate our chicken with it.  It was very yummy!

FRIED RAVIOLI {Recipe}

I totally forgot that I wanted to share this recipe with you all.  I made this a few weeks ago and photographed some of the steps.  This is something I make for special occasions or when I just feel like making my kids REALLY happy.  They LOVE these things, and to be honest, so do I!  They are super yummy!

Here are the ingredients: Ravioli (cheese), marinara (for dipping), bread crumbs (I like Italian ones), parmesan cheese, flour, and eggs.  Oh and you need oil to fry them in.  I use Canola Oil.

Place your ravioli in a zip top bag and dump some flour on them.  Seal the bag and shake it up to coat them.  Some might be stuck together but that’s ok.  When you go to get them our just separate them and dip them in the flour at the bottom of the bag.

Crack a few eggs in a pie pan and place your bread crumbs and parmesan cheese an another.  Use a fork to beat up your eggs.  Hope they don’t sue you.

Dip your ravioli in the eggs, then throw them in the bread crumbs.  I like to do four at a time.

Place coated ravioli on a baking sheet to await frying.

When you fry them make sure to use a DEEP pot and only fill it 1/3 of the way full.  The oil will bubble up when you add ravioli, especially on the last few batches when it has lots of bread crumbs in it.  I fry 5 or 6 at a time depending on which pot I am using.  Fry them to a dark golden brown.  You know they are done when one of them opens and cheese starts to ooze out.  Drain them on a paper towel and then serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Recipe: Toasted Ravioli

From the Kitchen of: Emily Nelson

Yield: 16 oz.

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz. pkg. cheese ravioli, fresh or thawed
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 c. flour
• 1 tsp. garlic salt (optional) I didn’t use it above but it does make it yummy…I guess I forgot!
• 1 c. plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning (or just use Italian Breadcrumbs instead)
• 1/2 c. parmesan cheese
• vegetable oil for frying

Directions: Mix water with eggs and beat well; set aside. Mix Italian seasoning with the breadcrumbs.  Add parmesan and garlic salt.   Measure flour in a bowl. Heat oil in a deep fryer or medium saucepan to 350° for deep frying. Dip ravioli in flour (or use zip top bag to coat), then egg, then bread crumbs. And carefully place in oil. Fry until golden, remove from oil and set on a paper towel to drain.  You can fry a few at a time, using a slotted spoon to remove them quickly when done.  Serve with your favorite marinara sauce.  This is a great appetizer.

BLACK BEAN & CORN SALSA {Recipe}

This is a delicious salsa that can be eaten with tortilla or pita chips.  It is also great on tacos or alongside any other Mexican food as a salad.  The recipe is a conglomeration of several recipes I have tried.  Enjoy!

Recipe: Black Bean Salsa

From the Kitchen of: Emily Nelson

Yield: about 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. sliced green onions (about 3)
• 1 small bag frozen corn kernels
• 2 cans canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 c. chopped tomatoes (or however many you like)
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• the juice on 2 lemons and 2 limes
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 large yellow or white onion, diced finely
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1/4 c. vegetable oil

Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Serve with chips or whatever you want. It is delicious. NOTE: Do not add black pepper even though it might seem like a good idea.  It ruins this salsa, in my opinion!

OREO TRUFFLES on a STICK {Recipe}

These are very simple to make and VERY yummy.

Grind up your Oreos with your food processor. If you don’t have one you can place them in a Ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

Put your crumbs in a bowl and add a block of softened cream cheese.  Use a mixer to combine. (NOTE: I tried combining the crumbs and cream cheese with the food processor.  It worked but then it made everything too warm and I had to chill it before I could roll it into balls.)

Shape dough into 1” balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  (I used my cookie scoop to scoop out some dough and then used my fingers to divide that in half to get the perfect sized balls.)

Chill your dough balls in the freezer while you melt your chocolate.

I used Ghiradelli candy making chocolate I had picked up at Sam’s club at Christmas time.  You can use chocolate chips, but may end up with some white spots on the chocolate after it hardens.  No biggie if you are just making them for your family but if you want them to be really pretty I would suggest using candy chocolate.

Give your chocolate a rough chop.

Melt your chocolate.  I have this VERY handy chocolate dipping pot.  If you don’t have one melt according to package directions in the microwave.  I do not recommend using a double boiler or a bowl over boiling water.  I have had too much chocolate ruined by one drop of water getting into the bowl. 

Remove balls from the freezer and insert lollipop sticks.  Working quickly, dip truffles in the chocolate coating, tap them on the side of the bowl to remove excess, and place back onto parchment.  If using sprinkles, add them before the chocolate hardens.  If they slip off too much dip a couple more before adding sprinkles to the first on so the chocolate sets a bit more and then your sprinkles will stay put.

Allow to harden.  If using chocolate chips you will need to place them in the refrigerator to get them stiff again.  I placed mine in the baking cups after they were hardened just for decorative purposes.

Recipe: Oreo Truffles

Yield: about 40

Ingredients:

• 1 16oz package Oreos
• 1 8oz block cream cheese, softened
• 16oz. chocolate, melted

Directions:  Crush Oreos into fine crumbs and mix with cream cheese.  Roll into 1” balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Chill while you melt the chocolate for dipping.  Dip the balls into melted chocolate, shake to remove excess, and place back on parchment lined baking sheet.  Add sprinkles, if desired.

LITTLE MAN BABY SHOWER {Party}

Decorative items for this shower can be purchased HERE.

Well, the shower went off without a hitch.  I will admit it was a TON of work for me….much more than I anticipated.  I was exhausted by the time the party started!  But I think all the guests had a nice time and enjoyed themselves and hopefully my sister was happy and felt loved. 

So, I am just going to post a ton of pictures from the shower.  I had some trouble taking some of the pictures due to the time of day and lighting in the room.  Hopefully you will still be able to see all the little details.  In the coming days I will post recipes for the food.  Enjoy!

How to make this printable HERE

I wanted to do something a little different with the cupcake toppers than I have seen before.  So instead of just scalloped circles I did scalloped squares and pinked circles, each in 3 different colors.  I love how they turned out! HERE is my tutorial on making cupcake topper graphics.

Cupcakes made by my sister Melinda.  We use an icing coupler to pipe the frosting because we could never find a big enough tip.  The coupler is the little white thing that makes it so you can switch out the tips on your pastry bag.  You have to find one without a little notch in it though.

CUPCAKES!! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Garland inspired by THIS party.

The onesies were made with heat transfer vinyl I cut on my Silhouette.

GARLAND VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

These hanging garlands spun around slowly all night.  Here you are seeing the back side of several of the circles.  I connected the shapes using clear fishing line and clear tape.

This was a fall colored wreath that I had spray painted white.  I added the ribbon and fabric rosettes to match my color scheme.  The twinkle lights gave a nice effect during the shower.

FOOD TABLE VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Vinyl mustaches on plastic cups.

Stamped paper plates…how to HERE.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa (Made by my sister Molly)

Homemade Chips (made by my sister Molly)

Italian BOWTIE Pasta Salad (Made by my sister Laura)

Cucumber Water (SUPER refreshing!)

Oreo Truffles

Pretzel “Cigars”

Bowtie Sugar Cookies (made with a homemade cookie cutter)

Triple Dipped Strawberries (made by my sister Maggi)

Baby Caleb all dressed up + the favors.

Chocolate mustache molds can be found at Bake It Pretty

Four of my cuties in disguise!

To purchase some of the decorative items from this shower, please look here