Chocolate Turtle Cookies

 

Sunday evening I attended my first Christmas cookie exchange. There was eight of us. We all had been in a Bible study together this spring/summer, and a cookie exchange was the perfect event for all of us to get together again.

Being the Pinterest addict that I am, I went straight to my "YUM!" board to find some cookie recipes I had pinned that I wanted to try. I stumbled across these chocolate turtle cookies and knew they were the perfect cookie to bring.

Since I am quite the planner, I did a test run of these using the original recipe and measurements. It only made 1 1/2 dozen cookies, so I knew I had to quadruple it to make sure I met the cookie exchange requirement of 60 cookies. My parents and boyfriend loved the cookies, and they loved that I had to make a test batch!

These cookies look great and are quite easy to make! Here is the altered recipe I used for the cookie exchange:

 

My lovely plate of 60 cookies! It was quite the tower!

I had a great time at the cookie exchange, and I loved coming home with a variety of cookies (four dozen to be exact!). The evening was full of laughter and fun, and I hope we all get together again soon!

Positive quote of the day:

"You gotta look for the good in the bad, the happy in your sad, the gain in your pain, and what makes you grateful not hateful."

-Karen Salmansohn

Christmas Favorites

I have probably been in the holiday spirit for the past two months. I love this time of year. I think I have been perusing the "Holiday/Events" section of Pinterest since late September/early October for Thanksgiving and Christmas ideas. There are so many fabulous and creative ones out there!

Over the past few days, I have been thinking I need to do a post on some of my favorites during this season. I have drafted a list of a few things I wanted to share with you all! I plan on doing a later post about Christmas traditions in my house.

So here we go!

• Holiday song: "Christmas in Hollis" - Run DMC or "Silver Bells" - Bing Crosby and Carole Richards -- I could not just choose one! Sorry. I love the both of these, and they are quite different. I mean one is rap, while the other is grandparent friendly! :) And no, momma, The Carpenters Christmas carols were not even close to making the list. Sorry! :)


• Holiday hymn: "Silent Night" -- This is such a pretty song, and it is definitely my favorite one we sing at church!


• Holiday animated movie: "The Year Without a Santa Claus" -- I really love 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family because they play classics and new movies up to Christmas day! My favorite part of this particular movie is when Heatmiser (probably incorrect spelling!) sings his little song. LOVE this movie!


• Holiday real movie: "It's a Wonderful Life" -- My family watches this movie each year on Christmas Eve. We are so in love with this movie our dog was named after one of the daughters, Zuzu, of George and Mary Bailey. Also, my daddy quotes the movie quite often by saying, "Zuzu! My little gingersnap!". Like EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.


• Holiday event: Christmas Eve service -- I love going to the service at my church on Christmas Eve. It is just nice to see everyone the night before the BIG day! Everyone is in a festive mood, and it is just a super positive and fun atmosphere!


• Holiday gathering: Aunt Becky's -- I love getting together at her house. My momma and her sisters are super close, and the whole day is filled with fun and great food. I mean seriously delicious, could-be-in-a-magazine food! She goes all out to make it a special day.


• Holiday ornament:
  I really do not know why I love this ornament so much. It was originally one of my momma's ornaments when she was young. There really is nothing Christmas-y about it, but I think I have always loved it because of its bright and colorful beads.

• Holiday decoration:
  I love our Christmas bell. This was another decoration that belonged to my momma (and her sisters and Paw Paw) growing up. Ours plays "Silent Night" when you pull the string. For a few years my momma and her sisters would take turns having the bell each year. Then one year my momma gave her older and younger sister bells of there own. As part of her master plan she got to keep the original one haha.

Those are all I can think of right now as far as my Christmas favorites go! I might add more if I think of some!

Positive quote of the day:

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or we can rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."

-Abraham Lincoln

Magnolia Christmas Wreath

I am finally back with another blog post! This past week I made another wreath for my momma's front door. This wreath was just a couple dollars more than my budget of keeping wreathes under $15, but it was totally worth it!

A few weeks ago I saw a lovely wreath on Pinterest (my favorite site!) that Better Homes and Gardens had posted. After looking at the tutorial, I knew I had to make one myself! It was super easy.

Since my parents have two magnolia trees in the yard, I had tons of greenery to supply my project! The only thing I had to purchase was the wreath form. My momma already had a red bow from a previous wreath. I used a 15-inch Oasis brand wreath form. It must be made of floral foam to work. Styrofoam will not do!

I placed my wreath form in the sink to saturate it with water. Be careful not to dent it up a bunch! The form is rather delicate! Then I cut about 6-7 limbs from the tree (each having around 15-20 leaves. Then I cut the leaves off of the limbs. Try to leave about a 1-inch stem on each leaf.

Take the wreath form out of the sink. It will drip water, so you might have to place some newspaper or plastic down on your work surface. I started sticking the leaves in the outer area first. I tried to place the leaves in rings, but I had to use a few extra leaves to provide better coverage. I angled my leaves all in the same direction. Once you get to the innermost circle, you will have to place the leaves almost perpendicular to the form. This makes sure the form cannot be seen from front.

After filling the form with leaves, place a simple red bow on the wreath. Then hang it on your front door with a sturdy wreath holder. Finally, enjoy your lovely holiday wreath!

Positive quote of the day:

"I can change by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it."

-Maya Angelou

Shirt To Skirt Refashion

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts in the past few weeks! I have been busy getting work done for school. Also, the nice camera I usually use to take my pictures has been lent out, and I am waiting to get it back. Therefore, my pictures today were taken with my lovely little iPhone!

A few months ago I did a little shopping trip to one of my local thrift stores. Most of the time I do not find any apparel items right off the rack that I could wear. But I do love the great fabrics you can find at the thrift store. I found this horribly boxy shirt made with fabulous fabric. I knew I could turn it into something.

 

Sort of has a Missoni-ish look to it, I think!

 See?! It really is fun-patterned material to work with. I simply just cut off the top of the shirt, under the arms. Then I had to add a lining to go underneath since the material was see through. Out of the top part of the shirt, I created a band to go around the top of the skirt.

 

What a lovely transformation!

 

All put together with some black tights, shirt, and heels!

This skirt is very comfortable, and I love it. I had to call my momma to come over and check out my work, and she loved it too. Of course we did a mini photo shoot as well!

Positive quote of the day:

"Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break the habit. Talk about your joys."

-Rita Schiano

Apple Pie Pizza

 

Do you ever crave apple pie, but not want to go through all the work to make it?! Well I have a great recipe for you then! The other night I really wanted something good for dessert, but did not feel like cleaning up a large mess.

I looked in the fridge and saw we had some apples but not enough to make a whole apple pie. We also had a crust in the freezer. I thought why not marry apple pie, apple crisp, and pizza together?! Bam! Something delicious was born! It is the perfect portion for about four people, even though James and I made it a two person portion! We are pigs!

This Apple Pie Pizza also has a little bit of a pecan pie edge to it because of the added chopped pecans. They really added more depth to the dish, and I am so happy I decided to throw some in there!

Apple Pie Pizza:

• 2 medium apples, diced and peeled


• 1 pre-made pie crust, defrosted


• 2 tbsp butter, melted


• 1 tbsp cornstarch


• 1/2 tsp cinnamon


• 1/4 cup oats


• 1/3 cup brown sugar, divided in half


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.


2. In a 9-inch round non-stick pan, press out your pie crust. Make sure it covers the bottom of the pan and rises about 1 inch on the sides.


3. Combine diced apples, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and half of the brown sugar in a bowl.


4. Combine oats, other half of the brown sugar, and pecans in another bowl.


5. Place apples in the pie crust. Cover with oats, brown sugar, and pecans. Pour melted butter over the crumb topping.


6. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Tip: I would suggest letting the Apple Pie Pizza to cool before cutting a serving for prettier slices!

Positive quote of the day:

"You had the power all along, my dear."

-Glinda the Good Witch

Three Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

I admit it--I am a total Pinterest addict. I love getting new ideas from there, but I have to admit some of the pins I stumble across seem a little "made-up" or "fake".

I saw the idea of one box of cake mix and a can of pumpkin puree just the other day when I was scanning the infinite number of pages in the recipe section. I love the idea that you just need to throw to things together, and BAM! you have deliciousness!

I must acknowledge that I was not a believer that these were going to turn out well. No eggs?! No oil?! No butter?! I felt a little out of my baking comfort zone, but I chugged along. I am trying to be healthier, and these are supposed to be very, very low-fat.

As I was mixing the batter together, I felt it was a little stiff, so I altered the recipe. Since I did not want to add any fat, I added 1/2 cup of water. I chose water because I did not want to up the fat in the muffins, and all we had was whole milk and half and half. I am sure skim milk would be great too, but I would assume everyone has water on hand!

Three Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins:

• 1 15oz can pumpkin puree


• 1/2 cup water


• 1 box yellow cake mix

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners (I used a larger muffin pan and made 6 muffins. The recipe would easily make 12 regular sized muffins.)


2. Mix all ingredients together.


3. Fill each muffin liner 2/3 - 3/4 full.


4. Bake for 30 minutes.

When I made my muffins, I decided to top them with a little sprinkling of brown sugar. That is totally up to you! These were really tasty and moist! The only addition I would add next time might be a little cinnamon to the batter. Overall, they turned out so pretty, and I will definitely make these easy muffins again!

Positive quote of the day:

"Even after all this time the Sun never says to the Earth, you owe me. Look what happens with a love like that, it lights the whole sky."

-Hafiz

Chicken And Dumplings

This classic dish is one of my favorite comfort foods. I crave it anytime the weather starts to cool down. I never knew how simple and easy it was to make until I made a pot of chicken and dumplings a few years ago.

I am a huge fan of buying rotisserie chicken that is already cooked from my grocery store. It saves me time and tastes great. Plus whole uncooked chickens are usually more expensive anyway.

I loved these and so did James. I will definitely be making these often this fall and winter. I love that it is a one pot dish as well! Less mess, less fuss dishes end up being my favorites!

Chicken And Dumplings:

• 2 32oz cartons of chicken stock/broth


• 3 cups shredded chicken (1 whole chicken shredded)


• 1 box dumplings (can be found in your freezer section!)


• 1 tsp salt


• 1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large pot.


2. Shred chicken and set aside.


3. Add dumplings to boiling chicken stock, boil for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer.


4. Add shredded chicken to pot with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30-35 minutes.


5. Serve with cheesy toasts and enjoy!

Positive quote of the day:

"Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider, is chaos for the fly."

-Morticia Addams

Enchilada Pasta Bake

So the other day, you know when I made the Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo Bake, I made wayyyy too much pasta. Basically double what I needed to make that dish. So I froze the leftover, and then used it to make this dish! My mistake actually helped me out by not having to boil pasta twice!

This is another one of those awesome dishes that would be great for any potluck. It is a little different from the ordinary pasta bake, and definitely has a kick. This is a dish kids would love and gobble up!

Since many of my dishes are not the healthiest (sorry!), I have decided I might start revamping some of them to cut calories and fat! I will test them out and post them on the blog soon!

Enchilada Pasta Bake:

• 1 lb ground beef


• 1 packet taco seasoning (or make your own!)


• 2/3 cup water


• 1 can enchilada sauce


• 1 cup cheddar cheese


• 4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 a regular block)


• 1/4 cup sour cream


• 8 oz. penne pasta (1/2 a regular box)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.


2. Brown beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off grease.


3. Add seasoning and water to beef. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and let beef simmer for about 5 minutes.


4. Add cream cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar to beef. Make sure to incorporate cream cheese all the way. The heat from the pan/beef should force it to melt quickly.


5. Remove from heat and add sour cream to beef.


6. Combine pasta and beef. Place it in a 9x9 greased pan. Cover with remaining cheddar cheese.


7. Bake for 30 minutes.

Positive quote of the day:

"Jealousy comes from counting others' blessings instead of your own."

-Unknown

Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Bake

This is one of my new favorite creations.

James:  "Where did you find this recipe?"

Me: "I just came up with it on my own! Do you like it?"

James: "Oh yeah. This is great. You need to Pinterest this one!"

It is very sweet that he gets my blog and Pinterest confused! And yes, we do use the word "Pinterest" as a verb! He claims he does not like Italian food or pasta. I think he just has not had the right stuff because before I could finish my one helping of this pasta, he had already eaten two man-portions!

I have sort of been on a casserole/bake kick lately. I think I like the "make extra and eat leftovers idea". This dish would be awesome to bring as a meal to someone or potluck dinner. It can be frozen and popped in the oven later.

Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Bake:

• 1 jar of sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce (or alfredo sauce w/ diced sun-dried added in)


• 8oz of penne pasta (1/2 a box usually)


• 2 chicken breasts (cooked and cubed)


• 4 strips of bacon (cooked and crumbled)


• 1/4 onion (diced)


• 1 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)


• 1/3 cup half and half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 9x9 pan.


2. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Set aside and crumble.


3. Cook pasta as instructed on box and drain.


4. Using bacon grease, cook chicken cubes over medium heat. When there is just a little pink left, add onions to the pan. Cook until chicken and onions are fully cooked.


5. Combine sauce, pasta, chicken, bacon, 1 cup parmesan cheese, onions, and half and half.


6. Place in baking dish and top with the leftover 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.


7. Bake for 25 minutes or until top is bubbly.

Positive quote of the day:

"I am not lucky. I am blessed."

-Unknown

Cupcake Packaging: Great For Bake Sales!

Hey all! So if you have not heard, or just do not have a Pinterest account, cupcakes are the new hit trend! People are even using them instead of large wedding cakes at their weddings!

This past weekend, my church had their Bazaar. Like I said in a previous post, I wanted to supply the bake sale with something! I made another batch of those delicious Butter Pecan Cupcakes and some just vanilla with fun orange colored icing!

Part of the reason why I wanted to make cupcakes was to try out this adorable packaging that I have seen all over Pinterest! It was easy and simple! Plus your cupcakes will not get smashed! Yay!

Supplies:

1. clear cellophane gift bags (found at the dollar store!)


2. ribbon


3. plastic tumblers

All you have to do is place your cupcake in the cup. (I found it easier to ice the cupcakes after placing them in the cup, so I would not mess up the icing!) Next put the cup in the gift bag. Finally tie the gift with ribbon.

This was a super simple project! They were easy to transport to the bake sale and looked awesome! Even the preacher told me my cupcakes were beautiful when I saw him in church the next day! Woohoo! Win for me! :)

Positive quote of the day:

"So keep your head held high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about."

-Marilyn Monroe

Peanut and Red Curry Panang Pork

Lately Momma and I have been on a major panang curry kick! I would say we have dined for lunch at one of our favorite local Thai restaurants four times over the past month. This does not include the to-go order by the way!

This dish has a perfect balance of spices. Each spice only adds more depth to the flavor.

Now this recipe is somewhat a semi-homemade type of meal. It is perfect for those nights that are a little chilly. If you want something that will hit the spot, but not muck up your kitchen, here is your new go-to dish! The recipe below is enough to serve two!

By the way, you can find red curry panang sauce and peanut curry sauce at any major food store. Just look in the Asian foods aisle.

Peanut and Red Curry Panang Pork:

• 2 pork chops, sliced


• 1 tsp sesame oil


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1/3 cup red curry panang sauce


• 1/4 cup peanut curry


• 1 tsp red curry paste


• 1 tbsp molasses


• 2 tbsp chicken broth (can sub. with water)


• 1 1/2 cup broccoli


• 1 1/2 cup cooked rice (for serving)

Directions:

1. Put sesame oil into a skillet over medium heat.


2. Slice pork chops into 1/4 inch thick strips. Sprinkle pork strips with salt. Add them to the pan once oil is hot.


3. Add broccoli to the pan after pork is cooked. Let the broccoli saute for about 2-3 minutes.


4. Add peanut curry sauce, red curry paste, red curry panang sauce, chicken broth, and molasses to broccoli and pork.


5. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve over rice (I used brown minute rice!)

 

Yum! Broccoli!

 

Pork slices starting to cook in tasty sesame oil!

 

Oh no, I am hungry again just by looking at this picture!

Positive quote of the day:

"Life is like an echo; what you send out comes back."

-Chinese Proverb

Brown Sugar and Butter Pecan Cupcakes

 

I have been messing around with a few recipes lately in preparation for the upcoming bazaar at my church. Almost every year, since I was quite young, I have made something to supply the bake sale with. Many of my contributions were totally from the amateur league of cooking. I am talking chocolate chip or sprinkle cookies here! By no means am I saying that those treats are not tasty, I just want to make something different and delicious!

Thoughts of cupcakes have been lingering in my head for a few weeks now, and I knew I need to check out some recipes! I could have stuck with the a go-to like chocolate with chocolate buttercream frosting, but I wanted a fall feel to these babies! After some searching, I found and altered a recipe for these brown sugar and butter pecan cupcakes!

These guys are very good, and I will be throwing together another batch for the bazaar bake-sale! I only got a dozen cupcakes out of the recipe I tried, but the one I will list on here will easily make 24 cupcakes.

It has been a while since I have picked up a piping bag, so please excuse my "not-so-perfect" frosting. Also, I had to rig a piping bag due to a blow out in my nice one. After scraping icing off everything, I just used a plastic bag and that did the trick!

Brown Sugar and Butter Pecan Cupcakes

Batter:

• 2 cups cake flour


• 2 cups self-rising flour


• 4 tsp baking powder


• 1 tsp salt


• 12 tbsp butter


• 2 cups brown sugar


• 1 1/2 cups half and half or whole milk


• 2 egg


• 2 tsp vanilla


• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

Frosting:

• 1/3  cup milk


• 2 cups brown sugar


• 1 cup butter


• 6 cups confectioner's sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350, and add cupcake liners to tin.


2. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.


3. In a mixer, add butter and brown sugar. Blend until light and fluffy.


4. Add egg and vanilla to brown sugar/butter mixture. Beat together until all incorporated.


5. Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk to mixer. Once this is blended, add the second half.


6. Fold in pecans by hand.


7. Fill cupcake tin about 2/3 - 3/4 up with batter.


8. Bake for 24 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.


9. In a saucepan add butter, milk, and brown sugar. Stir mixture frequently and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, remove from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.


10. Sift 4 cups of confectioner's sugar into the lukewarm butter, milk, and brown sugar mixture. Mix together until smooth.


11. Once cupcakes are cool, frost them with the icing. You can add a pecan half to each cupcake for decoration. (I am thinking about making some cinnamon brown sugar pecans to top mine for the bazaar!)

Positive quote of the day:

"Each day is a gift. Don't send it back unopened."

-Unknown

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

This recipe is super yummy! I love twice baked potatoes! Well, to be honest, I love almost anything with potatoes in it! This recipe is an easier way to get the twice baked potato taste, with less work!

I will warn you; these will go quick! I would take these to a potluck or add them to my Thanksgiving menu! This recipe does include a pound of bacon, so they are probably not appropriate for a "healthy meal" haha!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole:

• 4 cups of cubed potatoes


• 1 pound bacon


• 2 cups cheddar, shredded


• 2/3 cup half and half


• 1/4 cup sour cream


• 1 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350.


2. Cook bacon in a pan until crisy. Set aside.


3. While cooking bacon, go ahead and boil potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender.


4. Put potatoes, sour cream, half and half, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until blended, but leave potatoes somewhat chunky.


5. Add bacon and 1 cup of cheddar to potatoes and mix together. Put potatoes into cooking dish.


6. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top of potatoes.


7. Cook for 25 minutes at 350. Broil for 1-2 minutes at the end if you want your cheese bubbly and golden brown!

Positive quote of the day:

"What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives have not happened yet."

-Unknown

Sloppy Joes

Growing up, I have always loved sloppy joes. My momma always made them from scratch, so I have never had that canned kind before. These are always an exciting meal around our house. Good news is they are easy to whip up and are a crowd pleaser!

I will warn you; these might cause a little bit of a mess. You will definitely want to have some napkins on hand!

So my momma has let me share the recipe with y'all. It is not some secret recipe handed down from generation to generation. I mean, after all, it is sloppy joes, but it is the recipe she has always used.

I made these last night for James and me. Of course they were a hit yet again. Anyone who I make these for always goes back for seconds. Also, anyone who thinks sloppy joes are "bleh" food, will be converted into a sloppy joes lover!

Sloppy Joes Recipe

•  1 lb ground beef


• 3/4 cup ketchup


• 1/2 medium onion, diced


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp pepper


• 1/2 tsp garlic powder


• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce


• 1 tsp hot sauce


• 2/3 cup water


• 4 hamburger buns

Directions:

1. Put ground beef and diced onion in a pan on medium heat. Cook until beef is browned. Drain off grease.


2. Add water, ketchup, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Make sure to combine all ingredients in the pan.


3. Reduce heat to medium low. Allow sloppy joes to simmer with the lid off for about 25 minutes.


4. Toast hamburger buns. (This step is optional. Toasting just helps less sloppy joe to get absorbed in the bun and lessen the sloppiness.)


5. Serve sloppy joes on hamburger buns and enjoy!

Positive quote of the day:

"Be kind and be truthful, and your life will be fruitful."

-Unknown

How To Make a $15 Wreath!

Hello everyone! I am so proud of my recent creation! I know I promised that I would feature some crafts on this blog and here is my first one. This is a gorgeous fall wreath that I made for my momma and daddy's house. It was very easy, and did you see that title of my post?! Only cost 15 BUCKS to make!

I like, many people out there, have a tendency to hit up my local craft store when making things such as this wreath. Well, let me me tell you I will not be using floral bouquets, ribbon, or decorations from there except on occasion. If you have not read my "about me", then let me tell you this. I am a college student. I am far from rich, and I do not have gobs of money to spend on fake flowers and other crafty things.

So I had a revelation, the local dollar shop has floral bouquets, ribbon, and decorations. Why not just pick up stuff there. I got 9 bouquets and 2 rolls of ribbon for 11 bucks! That is way cheaper than any craft store.

I realize this is not a "ground-breaking" find, but I was really excited about my savings! I had made a wreath earlier this month with all items from the craft store, and it cost me over 30 bucks and did not look nearly as good as this one!

 

This is my 30 dollar one. It hangs on my door, and I like it, but it is not as cute as the one I am featuring on this blog post.

Supplies:

• 1 twig wreath form ( I did have to get this from the craft store, but had a coupon so it was less than $3)! Coupons are usually available to print out on their websites, fyi)


• 9 floral bouquets (need to have at least 6 blooms per bouquet, and I chose 3 different flowers so I got 3 of each type; 3x3=9!)


• 2 spools of 9 ft. wire ribbon (mine was 2 or 2 1/2 inch width)


• decorative object (something like the butterfly I used)


• wire

The nice thing about these twig wreaths is the twigs are very close-knit, so the flowers can just be held between twigs (no wire wrapping).

I cut the flowers off the main bouquet part. Leave about a 7-inch stem on eat flower, so you have enough to wedge into the twig wreath. I started by inserted the flowers in the inner part of the wreath (pictured below). This helps to keep things even.

 

This is after doing the inner circle of flowers.

Next I did two more rows of flowers to create fullness. Make sure your stems are wedged in between the twigs very well and will not fall out.

Time to make the ribbon! I just made two bows and two tails for my big bow. For the ribbon, I looped it around itself and tied it in the middle. Then I fluffed and shaped the bow to get the desired look. This is why you need wired ribbon! Then add you decorative touch (if you decided to do this!) in the middle of your bow!

 

This is the finished product of my bow plus butterfly decoration.

My momma and daddy loved the new wreath for their front door. Zuzu was a fan as well! Momma has already asked me to start thinking of something to do for the holidays for her front door. I am sure that will be a future post on here!

 

Oh and Zuzu is ready for Halloween!

Positive quote of the day:

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside of you that is greater than any obstacle."

-Christian D. Larson

Dorito Chicken Casserole

I have to admit, this is not the healthiest meal. I am sorry. Although, I do promise it is delicious! Sometimes that's all that matters. This is the perfect "cheer me up" food or a great go-to to make after a long day.

This whole pan was gone after one meal. It was that good. Yes, James and I ate every last bite from the whole 2-quart baking dish. Needless to say we were extremely full.

This dish could easily be turned into a dip and taken to parties. I will do a future post on how to do that! This is the type of meal that would be a hit with kids and adults!

Dorito Chicken Cassarole:

• 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded


• 1/2 taco seasoning packet


• 2 cups Doritos, crushed


• 1/2 cup sour cream


• 1 can cream of chicken soup


• 1 cup of cheddar cheese


• 1 can tomatoes with chiles (like rotel)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.


2. Cover bottom of a greased 2-quart baking dish with crushed Doritos.


3. Combine chicken, taco seasoning, sour cream, soup, tomatoes with chiles, and 1/2 of the cheddar cheese.


4. Pour mixture over Doritos. Then cover top with the rest of the cheese.


5. Bake for 30-35 minutes; until cheese is bubbly.

 

Ready for some oven time!

 

Look at this deliciousness!

Positive quote of the day:

"I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection."

Unknown

Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

Baked buffalo chicken taquitos are super delicious and easy. The best part about my recipe is that it involves using a slow-cooker to cook the chicken. These taquitos would be a hit at any football party or poker night! They are the definition of "man-food"!

The way I came up with this recipe was just by looking at what I had in my fridge/freezer. Many people I know love hot wings. The problem is sauce gets all over your hands, and it is just a mess. Trust me, these taquitos have all the hot wing flavor without the saucy fingers and faces.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos:

• 2 large chicken breasts (I used frozen ones)


• 2 oz. cream cheese


• 1 cup wing sauce


• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded


• 12 "fajita sized" tortillas (6-inch)


• 1 tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.


2. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and pour wing sauce over them. Set slow cooker on high and cook for 2 1/2 hours.


3. Shred chicken in a bowl, then place back in the slow-cooker. Turn slow-cooker on low and allow chicken to hang out in there for about 20 more minutes.


4. In a bowl combine chicken (should be covered with sauce it cooked in), cream cheese, and cheddar.


5. Place about 2 - 2 1/2 tbsp of filling in each tortilla and roll them up. Place taquitos in a greased 9x13 pan.


6. Brush butter on the tops of taquitos.


7. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Tops should be golden brown.

Positive quote of the day:

"Your mission: Be so happy loving your life, you have no time for hate, regret, or fear."

Unknown

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls w/ Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze

I do not know anyone who would be able to resist these delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls! They scream FALL! This is another recipe I have made a couple times in one week. Yes, they are that good! As an added bonus, they look like you worked your tail on in the kitchen, even though they are pretty simple to throw together. If I am going to make something more than once, it needs to be easy and simple!

The first time I made these, I did it the hard way. I promise if you follow the following steps, you will agree they are simple. I revised the steps to them due to my trial and error with these rolls the first time.

These rolls were in high demand at my house. My boyfriend, James, loved them, as well as my momma and daddy. James even took a fork to the pan, and he ate four in one sitting. Trust me, four is a lot! These are about twice the size of the cinnamon rolls you pop out of a can. I was lucky I got one out of the first batch! Once he devoured the whole pan, he requested I make more. Since I had yesterday off, that is exactly what I did. Why not surprise him?! Plus it gave me an excuse to put writing these papers off...oops. :)

I would recommend making these for a brunch with friends or family because they definitely impress. The golden color the pumpkin gives the rolls is just gorgeous! Oh and of course they'll make your kitchen smell delicious!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls w/ Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze
(adapted from Cooking Light)

Dough:

• 3/4 cup milk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra 1-2 tbsp
• 2 tsp dry yeast

Filling:

• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 3 tsp butter
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Glaze:

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine all dough ingredients into one bowl. If combining by hand (aka w/out bread machine), you will need to knead the dough until it becomes elastic (could take up to ten minutes).
3. Place dough in a greased bowl. Allow dough an hour to rise.
4. Punch down dough and place it on a well floured surface. Allow it to rest for a few minutes.
5. While dough is resting, get filling ingredients ready (melt butter, measure out sugar, etc.)
6. Roll out dough into a rectangle that is about 10"x16". Dough should also be about 1/2" thick.
7. Brush on butter. Then add brown sugar, pecans, and spices. Make sure filling is well dispersed and is all the way to the edge of dough.
8. Cut dough into 8 slices. Slices should be 2"x 10".
9. Roll up each cinnamon roll and place it into a well greased 9" round pan.
10. Bake rolls for about 25 minutes.
11. Mix all glaze ingredients together. Drizzle glaze on cinnamon rolls after they come out of the oven.
12. Serve and enjoy!

Doesn't that filling look so tasty?!

These guys are ready for the oven!

Positive quote of the day:

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Anne of Green Gables

Chocolate Pecan Pie

 

Welcome to the first post for Little Miss BEE Positive. I have been pondering the thought of starting a blog for some time. I, like many others out there, am a "Pinterest-a-holic", so I have seen many successful, and wonderful, blogs about cooking and crafting. I thought, "Hey Lilly! You love to craft and cook! Why not start one yourself?!" So, that is exactly what I finally made the decision to do.For this first post, I would like to share a recipe I just tried out! As I state before, I LOVE Pinterest. Honestly I love it to a point that is unhealthy. It constantly makes me late getting out the door in the mornings. Also, I have spent many late nights telling myself, "just one more page" "just one more pin". I had found this recipe a while back and have been meaning to make it. It is called Chocolate Pecan Pie. Combining chocolate and pecans is just genius in my opinion! I am a pecan pie and chocolate lover, but seriously, almost any girl loves chocolate. An added bonus to me loving pecans and chocolate, is that my boyfriend, James, and parents do as well. They are my willing and eager taste-testers for almost anything I make. This also helps me not eat mass quantities of things such as this entire pie...because I would if I did not share.

Chocolate Pecan Pie
(from FoodNetwork.com)

2 cups pecan halves
3 eggs
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I just used semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 cup sugar
1 pre-made pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place pecan halves in pie crust. Make sure they are evenly distributed.
3. Whisk eggs in bowl and combine with melted butter.
4. Add corn syrup, chocolate, and sugar to eggs and butter. Mix ingredients together until well combined.
5. Pour mixture into pie crust over the pecan halves already placed in crust.
6. Bake pie at 375 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 25 more minutes.

I may need to work on my photography skills a little bit, but I must say this pie is delicious! I will take some of it over to my parents' house tonight. I am sure it will be a big hit with them as well!

Positive quote of the day:

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results."
Willie Nelson

Sweet Potato Biscuits

I somehow got distracted from writing papers today and made some delicious recipes instead. Overall I think everyone benefited from this distraction, even me!

So it is finally one of my favorite seasons. Fall! I actually enjoy every season, but I love the food that goes along with fall the best. Time to break out the sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and cinnamon. This is exactly what I did since I was ready to embrace the spirit of fall.

One of my favorite things to eat are sweet potato biscuits. They are just delicious! Top them with country ham or just some butter, and I am in heaven! To be honest, I have actually made this recipe three (yes THREE!) times this week. That was because these biscuits went in a flash. James, my parents, and Zuzu all loved them! I had to tweak the original recipe some because it was only making about 10-12 two inch biscuits. That was just not cutting it the way these were going. Also, if I am going to eat a biscuit, I do not want a tiny "petit-four" sized one, so I made mine bigger.

Sweet Potato Biscuits:
(adapted from FoodNetwork.com)

1 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
8 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose)
2-4 tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine sweet potato puree and butter in bowl.
3. Into another bowl, sift baking powder, flour, sugar, and salt together.
4. Add dry ingredients to sweet potato and butter mixture.
5. Add 2-4 tbsp of milk to biscuit dough (depending on moisture of sweet potatoes). Combine everything by folding ingredients together.
6. Flour the surface dough will be rolled out on, so it does not stick. Place dough on surface and flour top of dough.
7. Roll out dough until 1/2 inch in thickness.
8. Using a 2 1/2 - 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits. Continue to cut biscuits until all dough is used.
9. Place biscuits on greased baking sheet (I used butter).
10. Bake biscuits about 12 minutes or until they are golden brown.

These biscuits are ready for the oven!

It's getting a little bit warm, don't ya think?!

Butter me up!

Plenty for me to share!

Positive quote of the day:

"If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely."
Roald Dahl