Putting Up The Cake Pans

Until I get my life more organized and I have a little more time, I am putting away my cake pans. At least until June when Baby "J" turns one.

New Year..New Goal!

I recently watched the Julie & Julia movie. I loved it. Only it really made me hungry watching it. I have a gazillion cookbooks and I thought I could do something like that....NOT! All though it sounds like fun. I have 3 kids ranging in age from 3 to 3 months. There is just NOWAY I could put that kind of time into something like that. (Watch the movie to see what I am talking about)

So I have decided to do more of my part in getting this blog a going! (I am not in a crafty mood right now so this is more of a hobby) I will start planning Menus and posting them. It will kinda fun to try new things and share how they turn out. This is a very big challenge for me because I am not a fan of cooking dinner lately. Not only do I have to worry about Breakfast and lunch and don't forget to throw in those snacks in between AND make sure everything is healthy. Then it comes to Dinner... Hubby would like a home cooked meal when he comes home. (thank goodness he is A OK with leftovers)

So for my goal I HOPE to post every Wednesday my week long menu. I am not saying that I am going to fully stick to it because sometimes you just have those rare moments when what you have planned is not what you want that day. I have found that making a menu for my family has really helped with Grocery Shopping. Tuesday night I make the menu and the shopping list for the recipes that are needed. (I have chosen mid week because the ads come out on Tues and sales start wed in my area).

I know this is a work in progress and I will do my best to share somewhat Healthy Meals. And I think to start out I am only going to share My dinner Menu's and will include some of the recipes that I find. Please feel free to leave comments of your menus and suggestions.

Well I need to get planning because the New Year is just around the corner!
Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

Shopping Cart Cover

For Brooke's b-day I made her a shopping cart cover. I also made a second one for a very dear friend! (Simplicity pattern #4225). I made one for my daughters a couple of years ago and love it I use it all the time. This is a very EASY pattern. I was able to make it during nap time the other day! (kinda funny that I had the same fabric that she used for her diaper bag a couple of post back)

Zucchini Soup

When we where planning my wedding one of my biggest concerns was, what am I gonna cook everyday? which is also todays biggest dilemma. One of the many things that Mom did with me or for me, was she order me a cooking magazine, that helped so much.
Since it was fall one of the first magazines I received and her and I looked thru and found this really simple, quick and delicious zucchini soup. So she decide we should cook it for dinner. I don't think any of the girls ever got the chance of getting this recipe before, so here it goes. Mom and our little family have enjoyed this recipe ever since then, almost 9 yrs.

Zucchini Recipe:
1/2 lb ground beef, 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced; 1/3 chopped onion, 1 can(28oz)diced tomatoes, undrained; 3 medium zucchinis, cubed; 2 cups water, 1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (if like me don't have, just add oregano, basil, into your palm and crush), 1 tsp beef bouillon (additional salt optional), 1/2 tsp sugar (optional if tomatoes too acidy),Pepper to taste, Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional;
I usually just have mozarella-cheddar mix. In a large saucepan, cook beef with celery, onions until meat no longer pink; drain grease. Stir in tomatoes, zucchini, water, italian seasoning, bouillon (salt), sugar and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 min or until zucchini is tender. Garnish with cheese as desired and enjoy!

Also I came up with my own version of Cheesy Butter Garlic Bisquits, just follow the recipe on the back of the box of Bisquick and then just add a bit of soften butter, some shredded mix cheese and garlic salt very carefully, because you don't want it too salty. And then also brush the bisquits with butter for a pretty golden color.
.
All you need are this very basic
ingredients:
Bisquick, milk, butter, garlic salt

Diaper Bag

A Diaper Bag I made For the baby. I used a Amy Butler pattern from her book "Little Stiches, for Litttle Ones". It was really fun to do. I didn't like cutting out the 58 pieces but once I started to put it together I really enjoyed it.

There are two pockets on the sides that you can't see

An inside view

There are 2 pockets on each side of the center divider

Calzone...

One of my hobbies that I picked up from Mom was baking. We would always try new recipes or at least tear it out of a magazine in hopes that we would try it.
So I thought that I would share with you what my 2 year old daughter and I made for Dinner one night last week. CALZONES!!!
You can use whatever pizza crust recipes that you like. I just used one out of the Betty Crocker Cookbook and because I am trying to start making things that are food storage friendly I ground up some wheat and did the half white flour half whole wheat flour.
Just roll out the dough into small rounds and let the little one go at it with the toppings. My daughter LOVED this part.

Fold over and press with fork around the edges and brush with 1 beaten egg. then bake. About 350 for 20 mins or until nice and golden.

And Presto..... delish!

Strawberry Shortcake

This was a cake I did for a friends daughter's 1st birthday

Let's make Bunnies....

maybe about 10 or so years ago. Mom and I were Visiting Teachers together and we saw some bunnies in the store and thought we can do this. Every year since I have made them for the sister's that I visit. Its fun and and so easy..

To make one you will need: 1 dish towel, 2 wash cloths, 4 clear rubber bands (i use the ones that are the small stretchy kind) ribbon to match, and candy of your choice

I start off by making the ears. I roll one wash cloth in a diagonal. The bottom left to the center and the top right to the center as below

Then I unfold the dish towel and place the ears midway leaving the back shorter then the front.

Place a band at the neck try to make it go around twice to make it hold. Then do the same at the base of the ears.

Now for the arms. Rolling the wash cloth for top to bottom meeting in the middle just like for the ears. Only not in the diagonal.

Place the arms just under the neck and secure with a band.

Fold the arms to the center and place a band at the end of the cloth

Then add your embellishments. Ribbon and candy. Great gift!

Baby Blankets, Burp Cloths and Aprons

We are having a combined baby shower for me and two other women in our branch, between the three of us we are having two boys and two girls. (yes one is having twins) Instead of purchasing Gifts I decided to make them. These are the one's for the girls.

And this is an apron I have been wanting to make for almost a year now. It's finally Finished The pattern is from http://www.sewliberated.com/patterns.html I got the idea from Erin at http://sewflo.blogspot.com/2008/06/emmeline-apron-for-tracy.html Thanks Erin.

Sucker Mania

When I was little my mom used to make homemade suckers every year at Christmas time. This past Christmas I was asking her if she still had her molds for the suckers, so I could give it a try. She couldn't find her molds, so for Christmas She sent me some new molds, sucker sticks, sucker bags, and a few flavors. Needless to say I had a blast and made about 5-6 dozen suckers in the first week I had the supplies. Thanks Mom