Monday, April 30, 2012

What should I make next???

So I'm at pin 87, I thought that I would like to do something special for pins 90-100. I would love some ideas. Leave me a comment with the pin link and I'll check them out!

Here's the catch:
You have to be following me on my blog
It has to be a legitimate pin (with an original source)
It can not be illegal, discriminating, etc...
Tell me WHY I should make it.
I chose whether or not I do it (most of the time this will be based on products I have on hand, I cannot and might not go out and buy a bunch of stuff to make them)

I would LOVE if it was something I've already pinned

http://pinterest.com/mcasillas86/

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

http://pinterest.com/pin/159033430561030631/

.joyofbaking.com



***Taken directly from Thejoyofbaking.com*****

1 1/2 cups shredded raw zucchini (about 1/2 pound or 227 grams)
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (45 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (not Dutch-processed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup (120 ml) safflower or canola oil
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (105 grams) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (125 grams) semi sweet chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Grease (or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray) a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Set aside. 
 
Grate the zucchini, using a medium sized grater. Set aside.In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice. Set aside.
 In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended (about 2 minutes). Fold in the grated zucchini. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely. 



Verdict: I was going to say I feel kinda guilty about putting a vegetable into the bread, but there is more sugar in this bread than anything else. I wish I had substituted some of the sugar and chocolate chips with sugar free stuff.


Sunday, April 29, 2012

Mothers Day card

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915021938801/edit/


We decided to turn this into a card since we already had a gift for the kids to give my mom. We took blue paper because it's her favorite color and added a smaller white piece and painted their hands pink and matted it to the blue card. Then the girls decorated them. It's very self explanatory, but blogger wants you to type in paragraphs or you'll never get adsense.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Black light play doh

http://pinterest.com/pin/115545546659986290/
http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/2011/09/glow-dough.html





****You need a black light for this to work ***

For dough:
1 c. flour
1/2 cup salt
1 T. cooking oil
1 T. cream of tartar
1 c. water
Food coloring of your choice... or throw in a kool-aid packet.
Add-ins of your choice (i.e. spices, extracts, glitter, etc.)

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix and stir constantly until dough forms into a ball and isn't wet anymore. At this point it was too wet and we had to add more flour, take it out of the bowl and knead for a minute or two.


Allll better:

Now, like all good children that grew up in the 90's I dug out my black light and plugged it in to play with:
The girls thought it was really cool and I loved that under black light my bathroom was clean :)
The dough in the bowl is our REAL glow in the dark play doh. Find out how we did it here


Friday, April 27, 2012

Paper Cup phones

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022589054/
google.com


There isn't much to this pin. It was meant for a wedding announcement, but I thought it would be a nice pin for a rainy day (although it's not raining at the moment). You just need two cups and some yarn. Poke a hole at the top and string the yarn through- tie a knot.  Do the same to the other cup. Now have one person stand in one spot and have the second person walk until the string is straight. Now one person talks and the other person will hear you, just like a real telephone! It's a lot of fun and the girls are in full amazement right now :)

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Braided Calzone Pizza

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915021958650/
squidoo.com

So since there is no original source, I just used my typical  pizza recipe



What you'll need:
 5 cups flour
1 TBLspoon honey (trust me)
2 tsp salt
1 TBLpoon yeast
2TBLspoon oil
1 3/4- 2 cups water

(You may need to cut this in half or you will have a lot of of dough!)

Combine  yeast to warm water (at 110-115 degrees). Add a pinch of sugar to help it activate. Set aside. Add all the dry ingredients to the mixer, turn on. Add honey, oil and yeast/water (when ready) mix for 2- 3 minutes. You may have to knead the rest by hand. place in greased bowl


Roll dough out into more of a rectangle shape, using a pair of scissors, cut the sides. Add your sauce and toppings to the middle. Now it's time to braid it closed. take the ride side piece over to the left, left sides to the right. Always alternating



Until fully braided.


This was about the point where I went "crap" Next time I need to braid this ON my cookie sheet!!

So I used a spatula and got it on. Baked it at 450 for about 12 minutes. (mine is TINY)  your cooking time will vary based on size


Verdict: tastes amazing, just like a calzone :)

***If you found this helpful, funny or anything else. Please follow me! I get kinda lonely :( ****

American Gril Doll Scrubs

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022483881/
http://funthreads.blogspot.com/2011/11/tuesday-tutorial10.html





The BEST thing to do is go to the original posters site and read her directions for sizing the pattern. I can tell you right now I didn't agree with the size of her arm holes, I found them too big (or maybe I measured wrong). Either way I'd go there... Here's how I made mine after I had my fabric pieces cut out

Top:

Sew sides together, measure on doll and pin to fit.

Sew together. This includes: hem the top, bottom and sleeves closed and add Velcro backing



Bottoms:
Are a little trickier. Start by hemming your bottom (this save you time in the long run because you don't have to try to hem in a circle later. Lay out flat (right sides together) and pin top curves only. Sew together.  It should look like this:


Now, open it up and take the curve pieces you just sewed on top of each other.

 They should look like pant legs now. Pin the bottoms and sew up.

 Next if your doll is handy I recommend trying it on the doll and making them fit perfectly. Sew top closed, except for a small hole- you'll need it to fit the elastic through.

I wrapped a piece around the dolls waist and cut to fit. Then slid the elastic through the top hem we just made and sewed it closed.


Mask:

Cut a square 3 inches by 5 inches. Fold in half and sew up. Turn right side out and add ribbon to top and bottom. Sew together.



Now that your doll is a doctor, she could use an cast to put on her patients!

How about some   crutches and leg cast?

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Roses on a cake

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022580103/
http://zoebakes.com/2011/04/22/how-to-pipe-icing-roses/



At preschool we are celebrating two of the teachers birthdays. I consider these women family after the last 2 years. They've helped Hailey immensely when it came to learning to speak and to grow as an individual. I typically make the cakes for each birthday in the classroom. Its usually Bugs Bunny, a truck or Kermit (check them out here) I've improved over the years and have really come to notice a difference when working with icing from a can and butter cream icing

I made the cupcakes and let them cool for a couple of hours. and set them up on my cardboard (typically I'll use an old pizza box wrapped in wrapping paper to have a clean surface. Notice how the cupcakes are not lined up perfectly? If you don't do this,  when you ice them the icing will fall through the gaps.

Then Pascal and I made the butter cream (I'm a bit of a Disney fan)

 Using my cake spatulas I heaped some into the center (about a large spoon full) and smoothed it out over the surface of the cupcakes

 First I made the vine background (not pictured)using tip 4. Using tip several 104 tips I made some roses:

Hold the nail in the hand you do not write with. squeeze a small pile of icing onto the  base. Look at the tip, make sure you have the "wide side" down, twirl the nail clockwise while squeezing the icing out, wrapping it around the icing base counter clockwise.  (I confused you, huh?) They need to move in opposite directions..

Don't worry.. try again. I'll wait.......


Okay. Now that we're ready to move on, still holding the icing bag so the "wide side" is down you're going to squeeze the icing and make kind of a lover case "n" motion with it while twisting the nail clockwise
Do it again....

and again, and again until you've gotten to the bottom. Now the fun part is either taking the scissors you bought from Wilton or a regular pair of scissors (slightly open) picking it up and placing it on the cake!!  I'm not joking.... If you master that in one try I'll be amazed.
Anyway repeat as many times as you want with as many different colors. The rose buds are kind of a back and forth brush stroke motion (left to right)  then I add a leaf with the leaf tip.


If you found this helpful or fun, please follow me, it gets a little lonely feeling like I'm talking to myself.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Funnel Cake

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022574323/
momswhothink.com



Seriously who doesn't love deep fried pancake smothered in powered sugar? This is better than the stuff at the carnivals, for SO much cheaper! You should also check out the home made kettle corn

Ingredients:
1 egg
2/3 cup milk ( noticed
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
pour oil into large skillet pan turn on to medium heat. (mine was more like 6/7.. the first batch didn't cook as nice:

 While its heating up mix together the dry ingredients. Add the milk and slightly beaten egg. Combine with dry ingredients and mix. I hasd to add more milk until it was more runny.


Next get ready to pour it into the  oil. I like to use my large measuring cup because it has that little spout.

Let it cook on each side until golden brown. Remove with tongs onto a paper towel. Top with powder sugar, whip cream or fruits.

If you found this helpful or fun, please follow me, it gets a little lonely feeling like I'm talking to myself.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Banana Crumb Muffins

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022345592/
The Girl Who Ate Everything




These muffins smell amazing while cooking. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into one!! I'm pretty sure it's worth burning my mouth over :)


Banana Crumb Muffins
adapted from http://www.allrecipes.com/

Batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS

While your oven is pre heating to 375, combine all dry ingredients into your mixer. Mix together. Melt butter and beat the egg lightly, mash the bananas. Add them into the mixture and mix until fully combined.


place into cupcake pan (the original poster says 10, mine took 12) Next combine the topping. melt the butter and add it to the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and mix until course. Sprinkle on top of muffins and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Verdict:
They taste just like banana bread, but portioned out & a little more sugar!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

home made watering can

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022443434/
ajourneytoadream.blogspot.co.uk



My daughters love to help out in the garden at my moms house. The watering cans are typically too heavy. So I saw this pin and decided to give it a shot. We used 1/2 gallon so that they would be able to pick it up. I pushed the pin into the lid a bunch of times ( I didn't have a nail- I think it would work better) However I made sure the holes were big enough

It worked better before I took the photo- it was shy ;)

PVC pipe sprinkler

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915022524377/
instructables.com

It was one hot weekend here in California. What better way to beat the heat than to cool off in the sprinklers? My sister just had her baby, so while we were visiting her my husband went out and bought:

 3 PVC pipes,
3 stoppers,
2 elbow pieces,
 2 of those pieces that have 3 holes
1 that has a hole connecter 
$11.95

What we already had:
a drill with a bit
PVC cement
PVC primer

 Directions:

I recommend starting with an idea of what you want to do. PVC is fairly inexpensive, and easy to work with. You'll want to make sure you have everything ready. First cut PVC pip to ideal size (my husband did this while i was getting the girls ready). Next drill holes into the top PVC piece. Don't add too many or the water pressure may not make it shoot out.

Add the PVC primer and cement, push into the right connecting pieces. These are my side pieces
Add remaining pieces and let set for at least 5 minutes before trying it with water. You can add more holes when you're ready. We added two to each side (at different heights) and two on each bottom side (total of four) at an angle.



I was super impressed with how it came out. It is a lot of fun for the kids (at I admit, grown ups ;)

***If you found this helpful, funny or anything else. Please follow me! I get kinda lonely :( ****



Friday, April 20, 2012

Frappuccino

http://pinterest.com/pin/195765915021951690/
www.laaloosh.com



Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp instant coffee granules (regular or decaf)
  • 2 tbsp fat free vanilla flavored coffee creamer, powdered ( I used real)
  • 1/2 cup fat free milk
  • 8-10 ice cubes

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender and process until smooth. If desired, sweeten with Splenda.



Hailey and I love our "fran-cha-chino" especially in this 85 degree weather!