Tag Archives: easy

Cooking, Crafting

Easy Easter Treats: Chocolate Birds Nest

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chocolate birds nestEasy Easter Treats:  Birds Nest I decided to make these treat for the kids for Easter.  These are a chow main treat done loose and deconstructed.  I choose to do them more deconstructed.  Traditionally there chow main noodles are tossed in melted butterscotch chips.  I like chocolate so I make a loose nest.  My daughter helped to make these Easy Easter Treats nests.  I am not sure if they will last it to Easter.  They  are so easy I made batch in about 20 minutes.

Easy Easter Treats: Birds Nests

Makes 15 treatschow main,chocolate,cadbury eggs

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of Chow main noodles Found in Asian section of grocery store
  • 1 bag of milk chocolate candy melting chips or 2 bags of milk chocolate chips
  • 1 bag of mini eggs  chocolate they look like robins eggs

Tools:

  • wax paper
  • 2 cookie sheets
  • Glass Pyrex measuring cup
  • pot
  • water
  1. Melt 1/2 of the bag chocolate I use a Pyrex 2 cup measuring cup, in a pot of water 1″ of water in a pot (double boiler method) or microwave chocolate in Pyrex cub starting at 30 seconds then 5 second intervalsdoubl boiler method chocolate
  2. Using a spoon drop a quarter size drop of melted chocolate on wax paperdroping chocolate on wax paper
  3. Place chow main noodles on chocolate,  pat down slightlychw main on chocolate
  4. Place a smaller dot of chocolate on top to hold eggs
  5. Place 3 mini eggs on topeggs on chocolate
  6. Repeat till tray is filled and place in refrigerator till chocolate  is hard.chocolate birds nests

This is a great Easter treat to make with the kids,  add peeps to the plate and the peeps now have a place to lay there eggs.girl helping make treat

My daughter age 9 loved make these Easy Easter Treats.  If you child is younger just have them place the eggs since the chocolate is hot.

Happy Easter!chocolate birds nest

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Little Passports

Cooking

Chicken Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing #FreshTake sponsored

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disclousure statementtaco salad Every night I am always looking for a new Fresh Take on dinner  that is healthy and a crowd pleaser for my family.  When #CollectiveBias asked me to try Kraft Fresh Take Meal Kit and create a family meal that we would enjoy. I was excited create a Chicken Taco Salad with creamy Avocado Dressing using Kraft Fresh Take Southwest Three Cheese.   This meal was a favorite with my whole tribe,  great tasting chicken with veggies and homemade baked tortilla chips.    I was pleased dinner took a 1/2 hour from start to finish to make. Another plus is the kids could build the salad themselves, so were little chefs also.   All left satisfied and happy.

Chicken Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing

  • 1 package of Kraft Southwest Three Cheese
  • 1 1/2 lb of chicken(4-5) breasts  thawed or fresh
  • 1 head lettuce or your choice of mixed greens in a bag
  • 1 can of sliced olives drained
  • 1 can of corn drained
  • 1 can black beans drain and rinsed
  • 1 pepper (green, yellow, orange or red the color of your choice)
  • 2 cups of cooked rice optional
  • 4 tortilla  (or a bag of chips)
  • oilingrediants
  1. Open the package of Fresh Takes,  the breadcrumb side and cheese sides are separated so they stay fresh.  When you open and pull apart  the bag separator  then blending the 2 sides.fresh takes
  2. Take your chicken moisten (with water or egg) and place in bag, seal shake to coat.fresh takes
  3. Place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. fresh take on chicken
  4. Cook as directed on package. Discard leftover coating. cooked fresh take
  5. While the Fresh Take Southwest Chicken is cooking,  Make the taco chips.  Cut the tortilla chips into strips.
  6. Brush with oil, season with salt and pepper, bake in oven for 10 minutes. tortilla chipsTo make the avocado dressing

Avocado Dressing

  • 1/4 cup of mayo
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 ripe avocado peeled
  • 2 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice
  • salt / pepper
  • Milk 1/2 cup of more depending on how thin you want your dressing

Blend in a food processor until smooth .. or mush the avocado into the other ingredients.avocado dressing

  1. Now it is time to build your salad  with the amazing Fresh Take Southwest Three Cheese Chicken.
  2. Stack the tortillas, lettuce, rice, black beans, olives, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and chicken.
  3. Add dressing and enjoy.

The Result:  The chicken is a little spicy,  the dressing added a cooling and dipping factor.    My children loved the build your own aspect of this dinner.  My daughter version on the chicken taco salad .. a taco man .. then he had a brother,  she ate 2 helpings.  I consider that a winning meal, thanks Kraft Fresh Takes Meal kit. kids taco salad

Kraft Fresh takes was very easy to use and all the instruction were located right on the package. You can also use the #FreshTake with other proteins like pork or fish.   The Kraft Fresh Take was so easy to find at my local Walmart it was located in with the shredded cheese in the dairy area. Kraft Fresh takes location at walmartWant a Deal ? Also Kraft and Walmart are offering a coupon so you could save and try $1 off the purchase of fresh chicken and Fresh Take at Walmartkraft fresh take couponChicken Taco saladHave a great week.

Product Reviews

15 Free Hat Easy Patterns for adults : Knitting with one skein

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women wearing an easy knit hat

15 Free Hat Easy Patterns for adults : Knitting  I recently was discussing knitting needles on Facebook,  with a friend Rachee.  The discussion was why would you need knitting needles that cost $22.  I am pro for more expensive needles,  they are like butter and well worth the money. The discussion was about the Addi Turbos found you can find them here using my Amazon Affiliate link for Addi Turbo Knitting Needles,

Our discussion inspired me to knit.  I was planning to spend the next few days watching my kids at the pool.  It was the championships and if you ever been to a winter swim meet space is limited but you sit for hours for you kids to swim less than 5 minutes.   I sat a total of 12 hours on the bleachers in 3 days.   So I had time, to kill.  I had one skein of yarn i picked up in Lancaster and the Bird In hand Knitting shop.

I made the hat show above using Size 9 Addi Turbos circular needles, 9 dbl points with Cascade superwash. I followed the size Med directions.   I added extra rows, 2 in body and 3 at the decrease to give the more slouch look.  I also crochet a flower.  Which I am still deciding if I like the flower.  It took me about 3-4 hours total.

15 Free Hat Easy Patterns for adults : Knitting  with One Skein

 

 From Nerdy Girls Knits this is hat I knit mine show above are different  because of yarn and needles, as described aboveknit hat

Free One Skein  Hat Knit Pattern : Shitaki from FaerWare Designs  Check out her etsy store FaerWear for more patternswomen in hatThis Pattern from Magnolia One Skein Hat  Maria Soche on Ravley  knitted hat

PaperBag Cap from Fairmount FibershatThe Arrow One Skein Hat Knit  Design from FaerWear Design women in a hatThe Kami Hat one Skein from Flat Fox girl in a hatThis Magenta Cable Hat  from Meg White


Captain Hat One Skein  from Rosie Garmendia
captain hat

Simple Wreath hat from  Andrea Black
girl in a hat

Meret from Wolly Wormhead

Girl in a hat

The Urchin From Knitty

urchin

Shambala Crystal Place Yarns easy one skein hat

knit hat

Autumn Simplicity Hat Knitting Pattern

knitted hatHannah Pattern One Skein Hat with Pony Tail cut out

girl wearing a hat

Thorpe Ear Flap One Skein Hat  By Kristen Kapur at Through the loops

hat

 I cant wait to try more of these designs I love the idea of buy a yarn and being able to make a hat with one skein.

Cooking

Menu Plan Monday

mushrooms

So this week is a very busy week,  with  Christmas around the corner BabyPop Superhero capes my company,  I am very busy sewing non stop.  I found that last week me not recipe planning it was almost impossible to get dinner on the table.  So this week I am back doing my weekly recipe meal Planning.  So my family does not starve.

I have to tell you I am on an easy recipe kick.. One Pot or casserole creation are my thing for the next 2 weeks. For easy and quickness.  Check out the Casserole Pinterest boards for some Ideas.

I found this Pork Chop Casserole from Kraft.Canada recipe this weekend and made it last night.  I did add Sweet Potatoes,  because I had them and it was Yummy.  I would use thick cut Pork chops if you will cook it for the 1 1/2 .. I only cooked it for 1 hour,   My pork chops were thin.

Menu Plan:

Monday:  Hearty Homestyle Chicken Casserole  From Moms Who think   I like it because to pan fry the hashbrown 1st

Tuesday:  My Pulled Pork

Wednesday: My Husband Night

Thursday: Chilli Night  My award winning blue Ribbon Holiday  Chilli

Friday: My Chipolte  knock off night,  Use left over Pulled pork, add Rice, Beans on Tortillas.

What are you planning?Linking up to Organizing Junkie Menu Planning Monday

 

Crafting

10 Easy American Girl Crafts

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doll with a blanketMy daughter loves to make Easy American Girl crafts.  We have come up with some of our own crafts but also have located some great crafts to make with your kids.   I have used some of these crafts at my daughters American Girl party and also for her to make on her own.

One of the simplest craft is to make a blanket  Use Fleece Fabric 13″x13″ and fringe the ends with scissors like this:

Also make a Poncho for your doll using Polar Fleece:

Make a Tea or Coffee cup via Doll Craft

American Girl Picture Frame by Superexhausted (ME)

American Girl Music stand from Doll Craft

American Girl School Folders from karenmomofthreescraft.blogspot.com

Make a AG Lemon stand from AGdollplay.blogspot.com

American Girl Uneven bars for Gymnastics from myagdollcraft.blogspot.com

American Girl Hula Hoop Gymnastics Crafts  from the RealCoake.com

Mini Snow Cones creaturecomfortsblog.com

Hands down Doll Craft is the best site to find amazing crafts for your American girl  from AG Watches , accessories , and more

Also there are great video on your tube like this one from MyFroggyStuff she used recycled clothes to make the American Girl Sofa

There is an amazing.

I will also recommend getting some baking clay for your little girl and let her make food for her doll.

doll and a blanket

Think Spring Sale – Save up to 50% Off on Outdoor Fabrics and up to 40% Off on Seersucker and much more at HancockFabrics.com. This sale is valid through May 21st.

Check out my other American Girl Sewing post for Free American Girl Patterns

Or

How to Throw and American Girl Birthday Party

Follow my 18″ Doll Board on Pinterest for more Ideas for your American Girl.

Have a great day and create something.
This post contains affiliate links:

Little Passports

Cooking

Easy Banana Ice Cream and Menu Planning

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banana ice cream

Easy Banana ice cream Simple,e easy sweet treat.  All you need is an over ripe banana ice cream. Slice and freeze them.  Then add a cup of frozen banana 1/ 4of milk and blend,  I love my Nutri Bullet 4 blade.   Easy and low calorie healthy.   I love it,  there is no sugar added and super yummy.

banana ice cream

Menu planning :

I purchased a chicken at Sam club on Sunday and the chicken will be a great spread meal this week.

Monday Chicken Pot pie.. using chicken and a pie crust

Tuesday:  I am making a pork roast with slow cooker mash potatoes

Wednesday:  My husband is fend for your self

Thursday:  Chicken enchilada

Friday:  pizza

 I am linking up to Organizing Junkie Menu Planning

MPM-Fall

Cooking

How to cook the Perfect Ribeye steak

How to cook the steak.  So My husband loves steak.. We don’t eat it much for health reasons and cost.  So this week I splurged,  and the steaks were 40% off at the store.   Mushroom Rub makes these steaks amazing.   So I am sharing it with you,  caramelized,  dark, crusty meat,  with the tender buttery inside  the perfect steak at home. Lets say I am still dreaming about it my rib eye.    This recipe less costly version and adapted from Mario Batalis Ribeye how to cook a steak

In the past I have found steaks to be intimidating to purchase.  To spend so much money and what if I screw it up.  also how do I know it is a good tender cut.   I like a ribeye because they have great marbling (the white fat specks in the meat)  the more marbling you have the tender the cut,  that does not dry out,  the flat melts into the meat.   I love the bone in because dogs like it.steak

The secret is Mushroom Rubbed Steak  : I easily found shiitake Mushrooms at my local Asian market but you can find them at the grocery store.  They were a $2.00 for a bag I only used 1/2 a bag aout 6-7 mushrooms are enough for this recipe.  (grind in a coffee mill or in a Nutribullet like I did) Do break into into smaller pieces when gindingrib_eye_001 (103 of 6)rib_eye_001 (104 of 6)

Ingredients for the perfect Steak

Mushroom Rubbed Steak

  • 3- 1 1/2- 2  pound thick steaks (I like the bone in)
  • 1/4 cup of red cooking wine

RUB:

  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup  dried ground  Shiitake mushrooms..(dried 7 mushrooms)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin

How to cook a Rib Eye Steak

  1. The night before generously salt the steaks leave uncovered in the refrigeratorSteak with dry rub
  2. 1 hour before cooking remove from the cold plate and put rub on steak both sides and push it in to steakrib_eye_001 (105 of 6),
  3. Allow the steaks to come to room temp w/ rub before placing on grill
  4. Turn on Grill on high
  5. Before placing steaks on the grill splash on Red wine vinegar on up side
  6. Place on grill
  7. 3 min high – 4 min med  each side (Thick steaks close the grill.) (7 min each side for med rare)
  8.  Allow the steaks to rest 15 min before eating  (rest will allow the steak to relax and take the juice back in it also will allow the meat to cook slower as it cools down. how to cook a steak

Here is a printable version of Mushroom rubbed steak How to cook steak

I loved cooking these steaks it was better eating them.  The Rib eye is yummy flavorful,  buttery texture, and tender.   I hope you will try this recipe and surprise your self on how amazing it is.

Enjoy your family will love it!

 

Cooking

Easy Tomato soup

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tomato soupSo I had a few pound of tomatoes in my kitchen that are close to there prime. I decided to make Homemade Tomato Soup.  I was excited to make tomatoes with some grill cheese,  it was a quick dinner before my daughter first time at volleyball practice.   I want to make healthy, tasty, and something the kids will eat.

Guess what my entire family loved it.

So how can you make it:

Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup

makes 4-5 servings 12oz  large bowls

Prep/cook time 30 minutes

  • 4-5 Tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil
  • 1 large white Onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced thin
  • 1 can 14oz of vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 3-4 basil leaves (34-
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • dash cumin
  •  1/2 cup half and half  or milk

Cooking Method

  1. In a 5 quart pan add olive oil, onions, garlic and carrots -dash of salt  cook till onions translucent remove from heat and allow to cool slightly
  2. In another pan boil water- when boiling a put tomatoes in bring back to a boil,  then blanch the cold water
  3. Place the onion mixture with 1/4 of can of broth in a NutriBullet and blend Place back in pot. (do in small batches if necessary)
  4. Then peel the skin off the tomatoes and dice tomatoes
  5. Transfer the tomatoes and 3 fresh basil leaves to the Nutribullet and blend (do in small batches if necessary)
  6. Place the tomatoes with the onion/carrot mixture and remain broth
  7. Reheat to  just below boiling ad milk to thin soup, and dash of cumin and pepper
  8. Garnish with basil and croutons.  Enjoy and eat

Since tomatoes are in season  it is a great time to prep this soup freeze it for winter. You might want leave off the cream and ad it later.    Fresh tomato soup for a chill winter night.

Printable version of Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup

Disclosure : this post contains affiliate linkstomato soup

 

Product Reviews

Fennel Recipe and Menu Plan Monday June 17

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fennelSo I have been looking at Fennel for a long time avoiding it because I was told it taste like anise and I hate hate hate Black Liquorish (which is an anise flavor)  So on my quest to try new things I walked into Traders Joes and tried it.  So did my daughter. We both liked it, it did not taste like liquorish .  So I bought it.  The nice lady behind the counter gave me a a recipe sheet.fennel

Easy Fennel Recipe

  • 2 fennel
  • garlic minced
  • 2 tbl of olive oil
  • salt
  1. chop the fennel into bite size pieces
  2. add garlic oil and salt, mix.
  3. Microwaved covered for 5-7 minutes till tender  enjoy.  makes 6-7 servings.

This weeks Menu plan:

Monday: Easy pasta dish,  with sausage

Tuesday: chicken thighs cooked with peaches on the grill

Wednesday: Black bean soup with white

What are you making this week?

I am linking up as always with Organizing Junkies Menu Planning

 

 

Crafting

American Girl Doll Picture Frame

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American girl picture frameHow to make an American Girl Doll Picture. This is a great craft idea for an American girl party favor or a girls craft project.  It is a easy project for your daughter to make.  We used the catalog the American Girl Doll catalog for the pictures and verbage.  My daughter love learning how to make this American girl craft.  She help cut out the pictures, and planed out the lay out herself.

Materials For an American Girl Picture Frame:

  • Wooden Frames I got mine from AC Moore for $1 each they also have one with Mirrors so you can do a Mirrior instead of a fame.
  • Mod Podge
  • Brush or foam brush (you can buy in bulk $6-7 for 10 foam brushes)
  • Roller or sponge
  • scissors
  • Pink Spray Paint or Acrlich paint
  • American Girl catalog

 

how to make a american girl picture frame

Instructions to make an American Girl Doll Picture Frame:

  1. Remove the picture area from wooden frame.
  2. 1 day Prior With adult supervision spray paint or paint  the wooden frames so they have time to dry.  I was doing many frames so spray paint was easier for me.
  3. Cut out pictures from the catalog
  4. Plan out layout of  the American Girl pictures
  5. Apply the Mod Podge where you want the picture to go.
  6. Carefully place down picture the catalog is thin so do not over apply Mod Podge and whee you put it down it stays you can move the pictures.
  7. Be sure to roller or with a sponge careful smooth out the picture removing all air bubbles out from under the pictures.
  8. You can layer the pictures long as you apply the Mod Podge under the image.  It will dry clear
  9. After getting all the images applied coat of Mod Podge  over the entire surface,  to see the frame.
  10. When you are done on any corners where the pictures wrap on the the edges you can use a light sand paper  to smooth out the edge and making a more finished look.

This is a great inexpensive craft for a American Girl Party Favor $2.70 per kid.  With the cost being under $27 for 10 frames  (that is the spray paint $4 Frames $10, brushes $6-7 bulk, and Mod Podge $8.00).

I also think this is fun craft with boys as well get the Lego catalog.

Check out my other post on easy sewing for American Girl Dolls Free patterns.

Also be sure to follow my American Girl Doll Ideas on Pinterest.

I am Linking the Post up to Barbs’ Fabulously Frugal Thursday