Thursday, January 31, 2013

Reusing Candle Jars

I don't just get food ideas off Pinterest, but I also get lots of organizing ideas and much more. I found this cute idea of reusing candle jars and I finally had some candles that were done so I got to try this! This is a great idea and I can't wait to have more candles used up so I can use them for more storage. :) This time around I used my candle jars for Q-Tips and Cotton Balls for the bathroom. 
I just love this idea it turned out great! 

1. After you candle is completely used, place the candle in the freezer for about an hour or so. 
2. Then you want to take a knife and get the wax out, this is pretty easy. 
3. Give the jar a good hot soapy bath and remove the labels.  
4. Let them dry before adding items to them.
 5. Add whatever items you want and you have such neat little storage containers. :) 

I have so many more ideas for these jars! I can't wait till I use up some more.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Book: The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle

I started reading The Vampire Diaries book series. I decided to read these books b/c I just love the show. I started reading the first book and I was so confused and wasn't following the story....Why you ask? The book and the show are very different some characters I didn't know, some had didn't names and the story line didn't follow the show. I was not happy about this b/c most books usually follow the show or the movie not right on but pretty close, but this book not at all! I was so unhappy about this I was going to just give up on the books. I didn't want to be confused while watching the show and reading but I decided to give the books a try and see how this story goes. 

So, last weekend I started book 2. I'm starting to slowly get into these books so we shall see what they hold for me. :) 

The Struggle



Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Chocolate Cupcakes

These are the cupcakes Shane and I made my brother for his birthday. The cupcakes and the frosting both were homemade, they were so yummy! I'm really enjoying all this homemade stuff we are making and I love sharing it with everyone. :)



Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix all ingredients together until moist and well blended.
  3. Bake for 20-25 minutes
  4. Frost with your favorite icing.
  5. To make a layer cake, double the recipes and put in 2 round cake pans.
  6. Increase baking time to about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 


Monday, January 21, 2013

Pretty Little Liars

I have become newly obsessed with the show Pretty Little Liars. I could sit and watch this show all day long everyday, it's kinda ridiculous, LOL. I have seen this show on TV but never watched it because I had too many shows I was addicted too as it was, so I just passed this one up. When all the shows went on a winter break I decided to give this show a try and see what it was all about....Now I can't get enough of it! I started season 1 just a few weeks ago and I'm already and into show number 7 on season 2. I take my tablet to work and on breaks, lunch and as I'm waiting for Shane to get off I just sit and watch this show. 
I didn't realize this show was based off books until one day I was reading the intro titles and noticed it. I have added all the books to my Wish list on my Nook and I can't wait to start reading them once I'm done with the Vampire Dairies. If I love the show so much I can only image what the books will be like! I want to finish the shows before I starting reading the books so it's a good thing I have another series to keep me busy. :) 



If you can't find me some days just look on the couch and I'm sure I will be there watching my show. Ha Ha! 



Sunday, January 20, 2013

Funfetti Vanilla Cake

At the beginning of the new year I made Shane a homemade Funfetti cake, these are his favorite and since he didn't get one on his actually birthday I thought I should make him one! I decided instead of getting the box stuff it was time to try a all homemade cake. It turned out pretty good. :)
 The cake turned out purple on the inside..I think that's because we got the wrong baking jimmies to put inside. LOL but it still turned out good.

Ingredients:
·         4 egg whites from large eggs
·         1 cup milk, divided
·         1 teaspoon vanilla
·         ½  teaspoon almond extract
·         3 cups cake flour
·         1 ½ cups white sugar
·         4 teaspoons baking powder
·         ½  teaspoon salt
·         4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
·         8 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening
·         1/3 cup multi-colored jimmies


Directions:
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans. (Or, for a four-layer cake, grease four cake pans.) In a small bowl mix the egg whites, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla and almond extract. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer mix the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix for 30 seconds or until well-combined. Add the butter and shortening and mix for another 30 seconds, or until well-combined with the flour mixture. Pour in the remaining 3/4 cup milk and continue mixing on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Gradually pour in the egg white mixture, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Mix for one more minute. Gently fold in the multi-colored jimmies.
  4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. If baking four layers, bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden and spring back when pressed. If baking two layers, bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and place the pans on baking racks to cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the pans over onto the rack. Flip the cake layers over and let them cool completely before icing. 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Happy Birthday Kira

Yesterday our little doggie Kira turned 8 years old. I got Kira when she was just 8 weeks old. I love my dog my like crazy but let me tell you she gave me a rough run in her life. Lol When we moved into our house I found some pictures of her when she was just a baby, they are so cute and I can't believe how big she is now. As I look at her pictures when she was a baby I miss her that little but I don't miss the way she acted! She was a little brat and I told her and everyone else that if she wasn't so cute I would have gotten rid of her. I'm glad that it didn't come to that because I couldn't image my life without my crazy animal. :) We didn't get her anything yesterday for her bday one because she wasn't feeling good and 2 she got tons of toys and treats for Christmas. But, we are going to make her some homemade doggie treats this weekend and get her some doggie ice cream just as a little treat for her birthday. She loves her ice cream so she will be super excited for that!
I know I treat my dog like my kid but she is just like my little kid and I love her!

This is a picture of Kira when I first got her. She was 8 weeks old in this picture. Isn't she so cute?! But don't let her fool you she could be such a little brat at times. :)
This picture was taken yesterday, she is now 8 years old. She is still a little cutie and a brat but much better then she used to be. Thank goodness. ;)



Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Peanut Butter Eclair Cake

This is another yummy dessert that I found on Pinterest! I made this for a dessert for my Grandma's house for Christmas dinner. It turned out really good and I can't wait to make it again! 




Ingredients:
  • 1 box chocolate graham crackers (there will be a few leftover)
  • (3 ¼ oz) boxes vanilla instant pudding
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 3 ½ cups milk
  • 1 (8 oz) container cool whip, thawed
  • 1 can chocolate frosting

Directions
  1. Spray bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
  2. Line bottom of pan with whole graham crackers.
  3. In electric stand mixer, mix pudding with milk and peanut butter; beat at medium speed for 2 mins. Fold in whipped topping.
  4. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers.
  5. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer.
  6. Pour remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.
  7. Heat container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 min.
  8. Pour over the top of the cake
  9. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours. 


Monday, January 14, 2013

Happy Birthday Brandon!!

It totally passed my mind that I didn't wish my brother a Happy Birthday on my blog this year. 
Don't worry I did remember his birthday the day it came. :)

My brother turned the big 20 on Thursday January 10th. We all went out on Sunday the 13th to celebrate with him. We went to dinner at Margarita's his favorite place. We did gifts and cupcakes there as well. 
It was a nice dinner with the family!

Opening gifts, my brother lost all his socks and for some strange reason he hasn't went and got more. 
So, this year our Grandma, Shane and I all got him a packages of socks! LOL. 
 Shane and I also got him a couple of long sleeve shirts.
 These are the cupcakes Shane and I made for his birthday. The cake and the frosting are all made from scratch. They turned out super yummy! Recipe to come shortly.

Hopefully my brother had a good birthday this year! :)



Monday, January 7, 2013

Snow Snow Snow

How did everyone like the snow to bring in the new year?! I actually wanted a big snow this year just so I could see our new home all white and in the snow. The first time that it snowed I didn't get to capture any pictures sadly but I wasn't very happy about the snow that time. I woke up and it was everywhere and I had to go to work. I don't like snow very much if I have to get out and the roads are messy. As we left for work that morning it took us 2 hrs to get to work and mind you we only live about 15 mins or so from work. So yeah that wasn't a fun way to start off the day. Then to make that day even better I started coming down with a cold and felt like crap so I had to leave work and go home early. But the way home but a much better drive then to work (think goodness I would have had a melt down or killed someone, LOL). 

So, now we have had our 2nd snow of the winter and I was good with that snow. I was a little worried when I woke up and seen all the snow b/c I had plans to go see a handsome little baby. But once I got out on the roads they weren't bad at all. I was also good with this snow too b/c if needed I could have stayed home and not got out if it was super bad. 

Isn't our house cute in the snow with the Christmas lights on! 
 This was taken out back. 


That's all the pictures so far I have gotten of our house in the snow. Who knows if we will have more but if we do let's hope I can stay home and not drive to work for 2 hrs or I should say sit on the on ramp exit for 2 hrs. Blah! 



Saturday, January 5, 2013

Philly Cheese-Steak

Last month I found this Philly Cheese steak recipe on Pinterest. It sounded so yummy and I was craving a good philly and instead of going out to my favorite philly place we decided to make them at home. I will say I'm really shocked that these came out so yummy and it actually made my craving go away (well at for a few weeks LOL).  I did add some more seasonings to the recipe then what it called for but I love all my stuff seasoned now! Instead of buying store hoagie's for the phillies Shane made them homemade and it turned out to be super yummy! We are going to have to make these again soon!
 
Ingredients:
  • 1 (12 oz) flank steak, trimmed (We used 2 thin Rib Eye steaks)
  •  ½  tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 (5in) Portobello mushrooms caps
  •   2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup thinly sliced onions
  • 1 ½ cups thinly sliced green pepper
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  •  ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
  • Cayenne Pepper, to taste
  • Paprika, to taste
  • Jalapeno Pepper, to taste
  • Hoagie Rolls
Directions
  1. Place beef in freezer for 15 minutes. Cut beef across the grain into thin slices. Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon; discard gills. Remove stems; discard. Thinly slice mushroom caps; cut slices in half crosswise.
  2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef to pan and season while cooking with minced garlic, cayenne, jalapeno pepper and paprika; sauté 2 minutes or until beef loses its pink color, stirring constantly. Remove beef from pan. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes. Return beef to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in Worcestershire and soy sauce; keep warm.
  3. Add meat and veggies to hoagie and cheese and enjoy.
 

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Our new toy!!!

I told Shane a few months back that I think we should get a tablet. I love my laptop don't get me wrong but it's such a hassle sometimes when we need to look something up and we don't want/can't on our phone. So, I thought having a little tablet for the living room would be great. :) He agreed so we decided that would be something for Christmas to get along with our stand mixer we wanted. We ended up getting the stand mixer sometime in November and I told him after the first of the year we would work on getting the tablet. 
Christmas has come and gone and we got our new Nexus 7 tablet!!! Thanks to my mom and grandpa for the Christmas money we ended up only have to spend a little of our own money for this new toy! 
It was a pain trying to find this tablet anywhere, it was something everyone wanted! We were going to get the 16GB tablet but this was sold out everywhere and no one knew when more were coming in....so finally I said let's just get the 32GB and spend some of our money to get it. So that's what we did, Shane got on his phone while we were out at dinner and found our tablet right next door and after dinner we went and got it! 
I was so happy and couldn't wait to play with it! I love it! I love that I can sit on the couch and watch a show if I'm not interested in what the hubby is watching. It's so little and so easy to work! I think this is going to be a great investment for us! 



Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Book: The Vampire Diaries (The Awakening)

I'm starting off 2013 with a new book series The Vampire Diaries. I love the show so I thought it was time to read the books. Hopefully I enjoy the books as much as I do the show, guess we shall see once I start reading! Lol.

I hope to read lot as of good books this year. Last year I read a ton of books that's I really enjoyed!

The first book I'm this series is called The Awakening.


Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!
I hope everyone had a great time bringing in the new year!!

Let 2013 start out as a great year and I hope everyone had a great 2012!!