New adorable apron

So I ran into Pier 1 the other day which I never do...honest I used to not rally like them because of the style wasn't really mine I always thought to asian influenced which I'm not crazy about, but when I went in the other day I was pleasantly surprised. Then I saw this adorable apron which I had been looking for a new one. I was pretty excited maybe after I have the baby and have a waist again it will look cuter but for now here I am big belly and all.

Auntie Ruthie is right on

So I bought the chalk ink that Aunt Ruthie suggested on Sugarpie Farmhouse...(p.s check her out she is adorable and great stuff to read) Anywhoo, I bought mine at Michael's craft store intead of amazon and they were 11.95 for a 4 pack, but I also had a 40% off coupon and was able to purchase it for 7 dollars...woot woot. That makes me a happy girl. So I have tried them and love it.

Great giveaway I hope to win

10-a-Day GIVEAWAY – The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook

Posted: 22 Dec 2009 02:03 AM PST



Are you ready for some $5 Dinner Mom GIVEAWAY MANIA???

Nope…I’ve not gone MAD…just wanna share the L-O-V-E with you, my faithful and loyal readers!

That’s why I’m giving away 10 COPIES A DAY for the next 2 weeks!

Each day for the next 2 weeks I’ll be choosing 10 winners from those who enter…and each winner will receive a copy of The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook!!!

I’ll be setting this giveaway up a little differently…so here are the rules!

Giveaway Details
1. Each person made submit 1 entry each day.

2. Share this giveaway MANIA with someone, and you get an additional entry each day. Spread the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook love for me, huh?

3. To enter, fill out the form below (max 2 times a day). I have turned off the comments, so you won’t be able to leave comments as normal on my giveaways.

4. Random.org will choose winners every 24 hours and I will post them on the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook Winners Page. Winners will also receive an email.

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*Note: Cookbooks can only be sent to US and Canada addresses.

Enter Away!!! And don’t forget to come back tomorrow to enter again.

10-a-Day GIVEAWAY – The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook is a post from: $5 Dinners (c) 2009 $5 Dinners. Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you see this post anywhere other than your email subscription or RSS reader, then the site might be guilty of copyright infringement. Please

Time to Vent ....seriously women of the world hear my plea

So maybe because I'm not feeling well today but I seem to alway run into this problem. So it got me thinking how many women are doing this and seiously people if you do it....please stop.


I had to run to the food market, and of course had to go to the bathroom. All the stalls are occupied except one. So being 6 1/2 months preggo I run in. Just as I am pulling my pants down I thankfully look at the toilet seat. The entire thing is drenched...not water but pee. Now I understand women squat, usually I do to. But the bigger the belly is getting and the more kids I have muscles aren't quite the same. I understand the whole issue with squatting but really if you get the seat wet from your own bodily fluids...Clean Up After YOurself Please. It's one thing to have to clean after my kids all day but to have to clean up after other women in stalls before my bladder bursts because Junior is kicking my bladder is way past annoying.
So if you are not guilty of this crime, then thank you, and if you are Please think of the person coming after you, she could be an exhausted momma of soon to be 4 beautiful children who was battling a nasty cold all night and keigal muscles have gone south for the winter. Hope you all are have a great day.

Ever have days like this

How does that song go...Mama said there will be days like this. Well my momma didn't but boy oh boy am I learning. A sample of my day. We took my little angels to the Dr. with my mom and I to check up on her arm. They were perfect, Dr. kept saying how wonderful and adorable they are (yes I did puff up my chest a little hearing such wonderful comments being made) Later we get home with very long paper towel tubes the DR. decided to give my kids so they could make arts and crafts with (they made a homeschooling momma very happy) so we get home and off to work on some shakers. I bring out the beans since I didn't want to open the rice. I say to my darlings sweeties "Mom is going to run downstairs and get the tape I will be right back" I head down to the cellar and then hear little drops over my head....oh no I think they are touching the beans. "Colby why do I hear beans dropping on the floor?" in which he responds "Well mom you didn't say we couldn't touch them" ahhhh of course I didn't I forgot I need to give detailed intruction for every moment...lol...All is well we made shakers. When we were done I noticed the weather was a steaming 50 degrees and thought we need to take advantage of this warm weather before we are literally snowed in. Send them out and we play. Time to come in I ask them to wash their hands. Angels 1 and 2 do as asked....then I noticed angel number 3 is gigglinga bit much. I walk in and water has flooded my floor, she has decided to wash her hair and is drenched...lol...off I go to clean up. Then lets finish the night with a bang...literally. I am now cooking and hear bang...giggle...bang...giggle. "Um Colby what is that banging I hear?" to which he responds "Don't worry mom I'm just playing with your exercise bands" I then think well at least thay are getting some use now and continue to cook. My darling husband comes home runs upstairs to change and I hear...."MEL some here!" oh boy I'm coming. Off I come wobbling over as fast as I can. I reach upstairs and he shows me a wall full of dents and black marks. Apparently I did have something to worry about silly mom. When the angels were playing so nicely they were using my exercise bands as sling shots and making dents in my wall.......momma forgot to tell me there would be days like this. Have you had days like this?

Homemade hot cocoa and marshmallows

Marshmallows

Ingredients:
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
water
3 c. granulated sugar
1 1/4 c. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

powdered sugar for slicing

Directions:
-In large saucepan over medium high heat, combine 3/4 c. water, sugar, corn syrup and salt.
-Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer place 3/4 c. water and sprinkle gelatin on top, let plump.
-Bringing sugar mixture to boil, place candy thermometer in middle of mixture, making sure not to touch the side or bottom of the pan and let keep a rolling boil until mixture passes 235 degrees, about 3-5 minutes.
-With mixer on low, carefully pour sugar mixture into mixer bowl and slowly raise beater to high speed.
-Beat sugar mixture on high for five minutes and then add vanilla. (If you'd like to add other flavors here like peppermint, color, or cocoa powder for chocolate, add now).
-Continue beating mixture for an additional 5 minutes.
-Meanwhile, oil a 9x13 pan for large marshmallows or two 10x10 pans for small marshmallows.
-When done beating, pour sugar mixture into pan(s), smooth top and tap to release extra air.
-Leave on counter overnight to form.
-Generously sprinkle working surface with powdered sugar, turn out marshmallow mixture, generously sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cut as desired, lightly coating marshmallow shapes with powdered sugar to avoid sticking.


Easy and Delicious Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients:
4 c. vanilla sugar
2 c. Hershey's cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in large bowl and whisk to combine well.

Directions for serving:
-For cold night: Mix 4 Tbsp cocoa mix to mug, add 1 c. milk and heat in microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes.
-For a crowd: Add 3/4 c. cocoa mixture and 1/3 c. water in saucepan over medium heat, boil for 2 minutes, add 4 c. milk, heat back up and serve immediately

Vanilla Sugar
Vanilla sugar is about 1 vanilla bean to every 2 c. granulated sugar. You put the sugar in a container, scrape out the innards of the bean, add that and the bean into the sugar and let sit for about 1-2 weeks (I like 2 weeks, but I love vanilla). You can use in anything like granulated sugar.

Lots of yumminess

You don't have to be a coffee connoisseur to enjoy these sweet rolls they go well with your favorite morning drink.

1/2 cup of milk

1 egg

3 tbsp of butter

2 cups bread flour

2 tbsp of sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp of active dry yeast

1/2 cup of coursely chopped of TOASTED walnuts

1 tbsp of butter softened

5 tbsp of brown sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup of Kahlua....don't worry the alcohol is cooked out of it so it's safe

First proof the yeast in the warm milk and sugar

Then mix together with butter and egg...mix first 7 ingredients into a dough knead well together. Then let sit for 30 minutes covered in a warm spot.

Grease 9x9x2 inch baking pan, and sprinkle toasted walnuts into pan.

On floured surface roll out dough into rectangle. Spread softened butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting from a long side, pinch seams to seal. Cut into 1 inch slices. Place slices cut side down into greased pan. Cover, let rise for another 30 mins.
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Combine whipping cream and kahlua. Pour the mixture over pan of rolls Bake 20-25 mins till light brown. Cool 5 mins, invert onto serving dish.




You'll love them in cookies

Follow my chocolate chip cookie recipe and instead of chips add Andes mints baking bits and all I can say is grab your cup of milk and enjoy. I think they just might be my favorite.


2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled until warm
1 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 bag of Andes mints baking pieces

Directions:
-Adjust oven racks to upper & lower -middle positions & heat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
-Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.
-With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter & sugars until thoroughly combined.
-Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined.
-Add dry ingredients & beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chips.
-Roll scant 1/2 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball.
-Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft & puffy (about 17 minutes in my oven).
-Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.


Beef Stew w/ dumpling in the Crock


1 1/2 of Beef stew meat

Bag of baby carrots

5-6 potatoes peeled and cubed

Green beans

and any other favorite veggie

1 can of golden mushroom soup

! packet of dry onion soup....expect because Mike doesn't like onions, I use a mesh colander (sp) and use only the powder and discard the dried onions

1/2 cup of red wine,

1 cup to 1/2 cup of water

1tbsp of onion powder

1tbsp of garlic powder

1 tbsp of salt

Spray crockpot with cooking spray

Then fill up with veggies then meat then rest of ingredients

Cook on high for 8 hours I sometimes do a little longer I stir throughout the day, last hour cup out some of the broth and thicken with some flour..I eye ball it sorry, then return back to crockpot. At last bring out the Bisquick. Mike and I love love love bisquick dumplings, he grew up with them, and I never had them until we got married.
Follow directions on box for drop dumpling right into the crockpot then your done. Enjoy

Please note Mike hates a lot of things..texture wise, so I have finially come up with this recipe that has a lot of flavor and Mike doen't complain over onion pieces or garlic pieces..lol...feel free to use fresh instead of powder...lol