Tutu Bow Holder

I've been on a bow making kick lately and DD's old bow holder just wasn't cutting it anymore. I decided to make a tutu bow holder. It seems a little more grown up for my almost 2-year-old (on saturday!) I used ehow's instructions.

Sorry for the picture, it's from my phone.

The tulle is 3 ft. long. I decided to start out long because I can always cut it down, but DD has a lot of bows so I'm glad it's that long.

This will look a lot better hanging in DD's room after I paint it. Her old color scheme is driving me nuts. I never really liked it, but I was in such a rush to do SOMETHING, that I ended up with something ugly.

So, this tutu holder will fit the new color scheme (when I actually get around to re-painting her room)

Cost for this project: $6.
Brown ribbon was $2 and 4 yards of tulle at Walmart was $4.
The bodice was made of foam board, which I had. The fabric and hanger I also had on hand.

After an hour or so and many hot glue gun burns later, I learned a few things that will make it easier when I make one for BFF's baby girl. It's really an easy craft and DD tells me it's "pity" and "oh! cuuuute"!

Orange Dream Cookies

I saw this on Ducks In A Row and had to try it. Oh. My. Gosh. So incredible!

Orange Dream Cookies
1 c. butter softened

2/3 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 t. grated orange rind

2 t. orange extract

2 1/4 c. flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2c - 2 c. white chocolate chips ( I like just 1 1/2 cups)

Cream butter, sugars, eggs, extract and orange rind together. Combine flour, soda, and salt and then slowly add into mixing bowl with other ingredients. Mix in the chocolate chips at the end with a wooden spoon. Drop by tablespoons onto a cookies sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 4 dozen cookies (when made with 2 cups chocolate chips)


Give them a try!

Easy Tortilla Soup

It's cold here in Utah. It's also the first snow that is sticking to the roads which meant doing my grocery shopping with a few adventures.

It's definitely a soup kind of day.

I read about an easy and filling tortilla soup and decided to give it a try.



Build your own Tortilla Soup:

Heat:
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups salsa (I did one cup)

Let everyone add their own fix-ins, such as:
shredded chicken
cheddar cheese
sour cream
black beans
corn
crushed tortilla chips
and whatever else you can dream up!


My mistake was that I was trying to get rid of some thanksgiving turkey and I added it to the broth to heat it up. Maybe it's just me, but you can't fake turkey for chicken. I just ate around it and added some cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. Yummmmm!

Cinnamon Butter

DH and I love love love love love Texas Roadhouse! For those of you who have had the pleasure of dining there, you know that one of the great perks is the rolls and cinnamon butter they give you as you are seated.

I've been looking for their recipes for their rolls and butter. I've tried some and been very disappointed. I've yet to find an accurate recipe for the rolls but I found the cinnamon butter recipe!

It's so easy and SO good!

Cinnamon Butter:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
3/4 to 1 tsp cinnamon (to taste)

Place all ingredient in a food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate.

I had rolls from Costco so I heated them up then rubbed butter on the top.

Honey Mustard Curry Chicken

DH and I love curry. Not hot Indian curry, just the plain 'ole curry powder you get in the spice section at the store.
I found this recipe a few months ago and forgot about until now.
We got home late tonight and DH was really hungry. I had some chicken thawed so I decided to make this and cook some rice in the rice cooker.

Honey Mustard Curry Chicken:
1 C. Honey or Corn Syrup
1/2 C. Mustard
2 tsp. Curry Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1 Cube melted butter
10-20 chicken pieces (thighs or tenderloins work best)

Directions: Place chicken in a baking pan; mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken. Cover with foil. You can uncover the last 15 minutes if you want less sauce. Bake 1 hour at 375.
Serve over rice.

I halved the recipe and used 2 chicken breasts, cut up, instead of thighs. I also think that this would be great with tofu but DH can't stand the stuff.

Pesto Chicken Puffs

DH went nuts over this super easy dish. I found it on recipezaar.com

2 sheets half-pound rectangular frozen puff pastry, thawed
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tomatoes, diced
3 Tbsp. prepared basil pesto
3/4 cup grated mozzarella chesse
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350.
Roll out pastry on slightly floured surface.
Cut each sheet in half so you have 2 fat rectangles rather than 2 long skinny rectangles.
Dice chicken into 1/2 inch cubes.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the chicken and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the heat.
Add pesto and tomato to chicken and mix.
Spoon equal amounts of chicken mixture onto each pastry, covering half the sheet but leaving space at the edge to seal.
Top chicken mixture with grated mozzarella.
Beat the egg. Brush egg around the inside edge of each pasty then fold the pastry over to seal. Crimp with a fork to reinforce the seal.
Brush the top of the pastry with egg.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pastry in golden.
Serve.

Key Lime Pie

DH's family came over for dinner today. I made a pot roast in the crock-pot and Key Lime Pie for dessert. I made this pie once before for my parents and I converted DH to Key Lime Pie.

It's super yummy and super easy!

Key Lime Pie
1/2 cup Key Lime juice (Wal-mart doesn't carry it, I found mine at Smiths)
3 egg yolks
1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk
Prepared graham cracker pie crust

Mix all ingredients together and pour into pie crust. Cake at 350 for 15 minutes or until you can leave a fingerprint in the pie when pressing on it lightly. Refrigerate f or 8 hours. Garnish with Cool Whip and enjoy!

Hello Dolly's

This is one of our favorite desserts. I learned this recipe from my Nana, who is an amazing cook. It's easy, delicious, and you can be as creative as you want.


Hello Dolly's Basic Recipe

1 sick butter (do NOT use margarine)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts)
1 -14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Place butter in a baking dish. I find that my 6" x 9" x 1" pan works best.

Preheat oven to 350. Stick the pan in the oven while it's preheating so the butter can melt.

When the butter is completely melted, take the pan out and evenly spread graham cracker crumbs. Follow with the remaining ingredients, spreading them all evenly. Top with the sweetened condensed milk.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling.

Cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

Note: You can add or substitute almost all the ingredients as long as you have the graham cracker base and the sweetened condensed milk on top.
One alternative I have tried that I really like is substituting the semi-sweet chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and adding Craisins. My aunt also makes these with butterscotch chips, mini m&m's and marshmallows. Be creative!