My new obsession

As you can probably see, cocoons are my new obsession.  I play around with them and make them until I think I have perfected it to where I want it to be.   My only nephew and his girlfriend are expecting and I will be a great aunt for the second time.  I have already made  a matching skull cap for dad, and the son will have this matching cocoon and hat.  I love my fellas and I can't wait for Elijah (who will be called Max because the crazy great aunt likes that name better) to arrive.  

Creativity Corner - Baby cocoon w/matching hat

Hello everyone.  It has been a while since I have been on here, but along the way I have picked up a new obsession - LOOM KNITTING.

As you can see in the picture, this is the latest project that I have completed.  Right now, seems like everyone is preggers and so I have begun to make these cute little baby cocoons w/matching hats.  I have been playing with adult hats, mittens (fingerless and full), as well as headbands and tons of other crap.

I will eventually learn how to write out the pattern for anyone who wants it, but for now, I will continue on my learning curve.

Wicked Delicious: Simple, Easy Winter Weeknight Dinner: Crock-Pot Ho...

I came across this recipe and am very anxious to try it.  With my new work schedule, I have decided that the best way to make sure that I can get dinner on the table at a reasonable time is for it to cook while I am at work.

I will share other crock pot recipes with you as I find those that are interesting (to me) and that I intend to try.  If you have tried it or will try it, please let me know how it worked out for you.

Oh yeah, I am notorious for modifying recipes, so I will let you know what changes I make.

ENJOY!!!

Wicked Delicious: Simple, Easy Winter Weeknight Dinner: Crock-Pot Ho...: If you are looking for something simple, easy, and scrumptious to make for dinner, this is it. These chicken and potatoes each only have 5 ...

Campfire s’mores martini

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces Smirnoff Fluffed Vodka
• 1-1/2 ounces crème de cacao
• 3/4 ounce Kahlua
• 3 ounces vanilla creamer
• Ice
• 2 teaspoons melted chocolate
• Graham cracker crumbs
• 2 toasted marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate and graham cracker (optional garnish)

Directions:

1. Rim two martini glasses with graham crackers, by coating the rim with crème de cacao and then dipping in a shallow plate filled with graham crackers. Pour 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate in the bottom of each glass. Set aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, crème de cacao, Kahlua and creamer. Shake to combine. Using a strainer, pour into two prepared martini glasses.
3. Garnish with dipped toasted marshmallows.
4. Serve and enjoy!

In recognition of S'mores Day

 S'mores cheesecake ice cream

Yields about 22 ounces

Ingredients:
 8 ounces cream cheese
 4 ounces sweetened condensed milk
 1/2 cup whipped topping
 1/4 cup milk
 1 cup marshmallow creme
 2 (1.55 ounce) milk chocolate bars, chopped
 2 graham crackers, crumbled

Directions:
1. With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until mostly smooth. Mix in whipped topping and milk. Transfer to a container and freeze until set.
2. Remove ice cream from freezer. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in marshmallow creme, chopped chocolate and crumbled graham crackers. (Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes if ice cream is too hard to stir.) Return to container and freeze until set.
3. Scoop and serve in mini graham cracker crusts (recipe below).

Mini graham cracker crusts

Yields 10

Ingredients:
 10 graham crackers
 3 tablespoons sugar
 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Pulse graham crackers in the food processor until they are ground to a fine crumb.
3. In a large bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter together.
4. Divide the mixture evenly into 10 cups of a muffin tin (about one-quarter cup scoopfuls). Press the crust into the bottom of the muffin tins and slightly up the sides.
5. Bake for about eight minutes, until browned on edges. Remove from oven and immediately tamp crusts down with a one-quarter cup measuring cup.
6. Let cool until set and carefully pop out with a knife or offset spatula.
PROJECT NAME

Peach Kutchen Cake

Typically when I make peach kutchen, it has a chewy crust, but I wanted to try something a little different.  There is also the whole thing where not everyone enjoys the coconut, however with a few modifications, I think I am come up with a compromise.   It is almost like a peach upside down cake with the exception of the fact that once it have baked, it is flipped and baked again to add the custard like topping.  

Lemon Strawberry cake w/whipped cream cheese frosting

This was so tasty, that I had to post it.  I made it for my niece and her son for their birthday (which was on the same day) and it provided me with a "valid" reason for baking.  Technically, if the sky is blue, grey, raining, overcast, or what have you, that is a valid reason, but this sounded good. 

Simple Salted Caramel Recipe - How to Make Caramels

Doughnut Sticks w/Chocolate Sauce

10 Minute meal

 I am a fan of quick and easy.  For lunch today I decided on ramen, but who wants just plain old ramen?  Yeah me either.  So, I did a one pan dish that took all of 10 minutes to cook.  I started with 1 Italian sausage link like the one pictured.  Literally, a handful of spinach.  Now the amount of spinach you use is dependent on how much you like spinach.  So, back to the handful of spinach.  I take the handful and rough chop it into more bite-sized pieces or nice shreds.  Ok, so for those of you who do not have fresh spinach on hand, you can use half a box of chopped frozen spinach.

Begin by browning the Italian sausage in a skillet along with 1 tbsp of minced garlic.  Now, I use a lot of garlic, so I buy it by the jar for quick use.  If you are ambitious and would like to mince it yourself....GO FOR IT!!!!   

Once sausage is browned and mixed with garlic, add in the spinach and let it cook until it wilts slightly.

Your mixture should look a little like this  ===>

Add in one pack of ramen.  Now I used pork this time because I am using a pork sausage and was just feeling that way I suppose.  If you like a different one, then use that.  Whatever floats your boat.  Make sure you add the seasoning package also and crush up the noodles a bit so they are easier to eat.  Now if you like them all long and unruly, knock yourself out.  I added about 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups of water.  The amount of water you add should do two things.  1.  Be enough water for the noodles to cook in, and 2.  alters the amount of saltiness you will get.  I am not a huge salt person so I tend to give myself more soup so the saltiness will not overpower my poor little taste buds.  Another thing you need to consider is how you like to eat your noodles.  I don't like mine all soggy and try to get a good cooked but slightly firm noodle.  It should look a little like this below once it is pretty much done. 

 

 The finished product should look a little like this.  You can always add a little heat to it with either a dash of cayenne or you can add a boiled egg.  Whatever other additives you would like to add to enhance your experience go for it.  I like to make this for either lunch or when I am looking for a lazy dinner.  It is filling and pretty darn tasty.  Of course you can modify the sausage to be a turkey Italian sausage or ground beef./turkey/chicken/pork.  whatever your like, don't deny yourself, throw it in and enjoy.  It is all about the experience and the enjoyment.