Seven Layer Dip

Here's my go-to recipe for yummy 7 layered goodness.

On the bottom of a 13x9 Pyrex dish, spread a can of refried beans or bean dip.

Next, mix 1 pkg taco seasoning with a 16 oz container of sour cream.  Spread over beans.

Next, spread a layer of guacamole.

Then top with cheese, lots and lots of shredded cheese.

Then, in no particular order, layer tomatoes, olives, and green onions.

Then try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting.

Or turn it all into a fun Jack O'Lantern face for Halloween.

Whatever.

How To Use 50+ Apples

The carnage was everywhere.

My kitchen has still not fully recovered.

But I put up 6 quarts of apple pie filling and 6 pints of applesauce.

I just love how yellow and cheery these little jars of happiness are!

To make the pie filling, I used this recipe. And I added more cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice, just to taste.

To make the applesauce:

I peeled most of the apples.

I cored them and cut them with an apple slicer, into 8 pieces.

I put them in about 4 cups of water.

I boiled them and boiled them and boiled them until they were super mushy.

I picked some of the skins out and then decided to give up on that.

I pureed them in my food processor.

I added some ascorbic acid to aid in the yellowness.

That's it. No sugar, no cinnamon. It is pure deliciousness.

Yum yum!

I made jar tags and printed them on sticker paper.

TADA!

Yummy, I can’t wait to make some apple crisp on a cold day!

Bikini Bread

Ah sweet deliciousness! I was jealous of everyone's zucchini abundance, so I went to the store and bought some. Bikini (banana-zucchini, get it?) bread is my most favorite treat. And since I'm on the cursed diet, I can't have a lot of treats. So here's the recipe I use, feel free to alter it to fit your needs and desires. I'm sure chocolate chips would be fantastic in it, but you know, I'm just sayin...

BIKINI BREAD
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups splenda
1 cup applesauce (or oil)
1 cup dry milk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbps vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
31/2 cups wheat flour
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups mashed bananas
1 tsp lemon juice


Grease 2 9"x5"x3" loaf pans (I ended up using 3). In a bowl, combine eggs, splenda, oil, milk, baking soda and vanilla. Stir in zucchini and mix well. In a seperate bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add to zucchini mixture and mix well. Add bananas and lemon juice and mix some more. Dived into pans and bake at 350 f for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (I sprinkled some wheat germ on mine before I put them in the oven, you know, just for good measure.)

It's super yummy, you won't regret it!!

It seriously doesn't last long around here, seeing as how I baked these at midnight last night and this picture was taken at, uh, 10 am...

Just Somethin’ I Whipped Up

I was in DESPERATE need of a tablecloth.

I LOVE my table. She’s a real beauty. She’s a 54'” square with a built-in leaf, so when the leaf it not up, the size is 54” by 36”.

I bring this up because, apparently, this is an odd size table. Who knew?! I have had the hardest time finding the correct size. they are either WAY to big or not the right shape or hang off beautifully down one side and barely reach on the other. It’s been a nightmare to say the least.

I went to Wal-Mart *HOPING* to find some miracle tablecloth, but alas, all I could find was this lovely:

Not bad, right? No, well, no but come on! 60'”x84”?! Apparently no one has informed Wal-Mart of my oddly shaped table and need to NOT have two feet hanging off either edge just waiting for Tarzan and George of the Jungle to take a swing on. Yes, it’s happened more than I’d like to admit.

I was about to hang my head in sadness and defeat when an idea struck my little brain. I walked over to the bedding area. (Sound the heavenly angel choir) Flat sheets. $3. Any color I wanted.

I bought a cutie, drove her home and pressed all the creases out. Wouldn’t you know it, by cutting a twin sheet in half, I would have two, count ‘em TWO tablecloths! YIPEE!!

So I did a sweet little narrow hem on both of them and now TADA!!

Sorry, Tarzan! No swingin’ today!

Look at the cute little decorative border! Added bonus I suppose!

So pretty. And I mean, come on! It’s just something that's going to get dirty, it’s obviously not for my fine dining, but for $1.50 a piece, you just can’t beat that! Start to finish, took about 40 minutes for both.

AwEsOmE!

Silhouette Love

Hey! You all know how much I want one of these bad boys, right?

So I just found out about another giveaway! Over at SugarDoodle!
So go over there right now and enter to win one too!
But hurry because I think it ends today!
Good luck!
And if you win, I will be over to use it as soon as it arrives! :)

Facelift

I've been redesigning some stuff around here.

What do ya think?

New name.

New look.

Please forgive me if some of my previous post look a little, uh, skiwampus.

I changes my layout too.

So until I can get home to fix them, they look no bueno.

Don't judge me by how they look because, uh, sad.

But I'm excited about the new me.

Look out blog world!

Here I come!

Well, here I re-come...

...or come again...

...oh you know what I mean!

American Baby

(Photo courtesy of Love Stitched)

Um hello.

Can you say cute?

Do you love America?

Do you not love this little cutie?!?!

I saw this picture and was so struck by it’s adorableness, I decided these shirts would make my boys look, hopefully, just as cute for the 4th.

Aww, matching “his” and “his” cuteness.

These were a snap to make, thanks to the amazing step by step tutorial by Cheri at I am Momma Hear Me Roar, found here and here.

Seriously, awesome. I can’t wait.

Thanks Cheri! You’re awesome!!

Only In America

That’s right, I made something else for the 4th. I can’t control myself, it’s becoming a sickness…

I was wandering through Melanie’s blog, The Crafty Cupboard, the other day and came upon this.

 

(photo from Melanie’s blog The Crafty Cupboard) 

Could you just die?! I know!! It’s so dang cute!!

And I knew I must have one for my very own.

So it was off the the fabric store, unfortunately known as Wal-mart.

Let’s just say her fabrics are WAAAY cuter than mine.

But I think it turned out alright, considering what I had to work with. (boo)

She has a template posted on her blog here.

It’s a lot like the birthday banner I made a few months ago.

Only smaller. And it came together a lot faster.

I used 1/2 yard of white, and 1/4 yard each of four printed fabrics of red and blue.

I also used a sheet of blue felt and a sheet of red felt and cut out little stars.

And two packages of double fold bias tape.

I made one small one with 12 pennants on it and a large one with eighteen.

It’s cute and adds a lot to the room!

So a big thanks to Melanie and her super cute blog for inspiring me and making it more festive around here.

Her blog, by the way, you should definitely go check out. She’s got some awesome stuff on there!!

**I went to the other craft store yesterday, which is usually waay too expensive to buy anything and they had all their 4th of July stuff 25% off…and they had some darling fabrics…but I was already halfway done with this project…dang it.

Party In The USA

I saw this last spring and really loved it.

(photo from Linda’s blog, Craftaholics Anonymous)

Um, hi, can you say so so stinkin adorable?!?!  I loved it.

I, however, had just finished making my spring wreath.

Boo.  So I decided to put it on the back burner...until I had the idea to make a festive 4th of July wreath instead.

I basically love it.  I followed Linda’s tutorial for the most part, which is fantastic by the way.

I did make a few changes.

Here’s what I did.

Linda used felt. Walmart basically sucks noodles and didn’t have ANY blue felt.

So I decided to improvise and use ribbon.

I gathered all the red, white, and blue ribbon and buttons I could find. And I bought a wreath.

Then I followed Linda’s instructions for making the flowers.

Just make loops and then fold the ribbon at an angle and put a little hot glue to hold it. The angle you fold makes all the difference, as you might see with some of my flowers. It took me a minute to figure out how to make them all the same.

I ran out of ribbon while making this flower

So I just glued the start of new ribbon where it left off and kept going.

I had fun figuring out how to make different shapes and loops and little ones and big ones.

I love this little guy.

And this one’s a star. Cute cute cute!!

Then I just glued them onto the wreath and fastened a ribbon on with more hot glue.

I think it turned out perfectly!

Festive and oh so cute!

And fairly simple. It took me an hour, start to finish.

It was a naptime masterpiece!!

There I am in the reflection. Nice.

Thank you, Linda! You rock!!!

Another Use For Snappies

Remember the invasion of the Snappies?
I have defeated them.


Victory is mine…