GLASS SIPPY CUPS {Project}

I posted a little while ago about using jars for cups in my home.  I am loving it!  I found an easy way to turn a jar into a sippy cup for my littlest one.  It is SUPER easy to do!

One of my readers recently suggested I buy a Cropodile tool to use to punch the holes when making my file folder organizers.  I thought that was a brilliant idea, so I used a 40% off coupon and picked one up at Michael’s last week.  Well, I was thrilled to read it would punch through thin metal! 

I used the Cropodile 3/16” punch to punch holes in jar seals.  It happens to be the PERFECT size for regular drinking straws to fit in super snuggly so that the liquid doesn’t leak out if tipped for a bit!  Aren’t those the cutest seals, too?

Some people might be thinking, “What?  A GLASS cup for a kid??”  My son is 2 and is past the stage of throwing his cups on the floor purposely.  He uses these up at the table.  If they do happen to drop, the glass is very sturdy and on my laminate floors they rarely break.  I love the idea of reducing plastics that come in contact with my kids food.  I also learned from my son’s old speech therapist that drinking through a straw helps little ones develop the mouth muscles necessary for speech.

So, needless to say, I am very happy about my new sippies.  Wish I could get rid of the plastic ones altogether, but we still need them for bedtime (water) and in the car. 

CARNIVAL PARTY {Party}

I have a friend named Tricia who throws the most amazing parties for her kids.  She recently threw a Carnival themed party for two of her boys and I thought it would be fun to feature her amazing party today!  Tricia has a blog called Young Moments.  She is also a talented photographer and has beautiful pictures of her boys.  Like me, she is an all-boy mom!  She is a really fun, sweet, talented lady!

Here are a few pictures of her COME ONE, COME ALL party! 

To see more details, you can visit her blog HERE.

Congratulations on a job well done, Tricia!!

I {heart} JARS

My best friend growing up lived across the street.  We spent countless hours at each others homes over the years.  We would go keep each other company when one of us had to clean our room.  Both of us often wish we could have company while cleaning to this day.  Too bad she lives across town from me now! 

For some reason, her family didn’t have a lot of cups.  They used jars to drink out of.  It seemed really weird to me at the time.  But now, I understand why.  I had a few jars in the cupboard from homemade jams and other things….they just collected.  I started drinking out of them because they just seemed easier and less breakable than a glass.  I have decided I love jars and I love drinking out of them!  They are cute and nostalgic and cheap and useful and I just like them.  So, I asked my husband what he thought about me getting rid of our glasses and using jars for glasses instead.  He gave me his usual “Great!” response.  So, I decided to go for it!

SO, here is my cup cupboard BEFORE:

And here it is AFTER:

I still haven’t had the guts to take out those glasses even though we NEVER use them except maybe if we have company over.  I would like to get rid of the plastic cups too, but we use them in the car and stuff.  I am going to drill holes in some jar seals to use for “sippy cup” lids with straws. 

Jars are just really fun to use as cups, not to mention baking in!

FLOUR FROSTING {Recipe Review}

Well, today I decided to spend some time with my 4 year old making some cupcakes in a jar.  We made these from a white cake mix.  We simply made the mix according to package directions, divided the batter into 3 equal parts, tinted one red and one blue, and layered the colors into jars sprayed with cooking spray.  I used a cookie scoop to put the batter into the jars, but had to use a baby spoon to spread out the white and red batter.  It would probably work better to put the batter in pastry bags or Ziploc bags with the corner cut off and pipe it into the jars in even layers.  We baked them on a cookie sheet for 25 minutes or until they sprung back a little when gently pushed in the center.

NOTE: I used 1 cup wide mouth jars.  I think I am in love with these jars and will be making more things in them.  They are just soooo cute!

Here they are before they were baked:

Here they are after:

I left them on the counter to cool and this is what happened, compliments of my two year old:

Here is how he got up there:

He is a stinker.  Good thing he is super cute:

Well, I went looking for a recipe for some new kind of frosting so I could try out something new. I came across a recipe that uses flour several times and everyone was raving about it.  I read many different versions, but decided to use the one I found HERE on The Girl Who Ate Everything.  I think she got it from The Pioneer Woman.

I had my doubts that it could REALLY be as good as everyone claimed.  But I decided to put the recipe to the test.

Here are my notes on making it:

1.  Add the flour to COLD milk in a COLD pan and make sure it is fully whisked together before turning on the heat-this helps avoid clumps.

2.  When you cook the milk and flour together it will get REALLY thick…like the skin on a pudding thick.  That is ok.  Just don’t burn it.

3. Beat the butter and sugar together for a LONG time, like 5 minutes.  Be sure to scrape down the bowl several times.  If you don’t mix it long enough, you will have grainy sugar in your frosting.

4. It doesn’t take as long to cool the flour mixture down as you think.  Stick it in the freezer while you beat the butter and sugar and it will be done when you are ready for it.

5.  Beat the flour mixture with the butter mixture for another 5 minutes.  It won’t ruin it.  You can’t overbeat it, I don’t think.  It just makes it silkier.

Well, I have to admit this is a really good buttercream.  I am not a fan of most buttercream frostings….too sweet for me.  But this one is not as sweet as most.  It has a very smooth and silky texture and is a little lighter in feel than a traditional buttercream.  I think it would lend itself well to some fruity flavors, like lemon or a raspberry puree.  I read that a lot of people have problems getting it to turn out.  I had no problems.  It was pretty easy.  I think the key is just to beat everything really well.  I will say it has quite a buttery flavor.  I think it might be better if it had 1/2 c. more sugar. But then maybe all the sugar would not dissolve.  But it was ALMOST too buttery  I wonder how it would taste on chocolate cake.  Probably pretty good.

I prefer cream cheese frosting, but you can’t ALWAYS use it so this is a good substitute.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

CAUTION:  This frosting MIGHT make your kid look like this: 

Flickr Tags: cupcake,frosting,flour,dessert,baking,4th of July,mason jar,jar