Pinterest Interrest: Sweet Potato Toast?! my review here!

Ok so I am in the midst of a life challenge.  I just started it yesterday.  It covers all aspects of my lie including making healthier choices.  I hadn't realized it but I eat soooooo much bread.  I eat it with breakfast along side eggs (toast or english muffins) and I take a sandwich for lunch every day Monday through Friday.  I am literally eating like a loaf of bread by myself a week! Crazy right?! DId I mention it's swimsuit season?

So as part of my challenge I decided to cut out bread.  Just to force myself to explore other options which brings me to this Pinterest Interest!  I found this Sweet Potato toast on Pinterest and decided to try it.

...RIGHT!??

3 Grown-up Get-Together ideas you're gonna LOVE this Holiday Season!

The Holiday season is in full affect! We're running around for last minute gifts, going to company holiday parties and also planning how we are going to start the New Year.  While we're super busy we often times are too  worn out when it comes to penciling in time with friends.  While going out sounds nice staying in n can sometimes be nicer.  For one it's warmer and better than being out in the cold going from dinner to a movie and then back home.  Secondly, don't have to worry about getting all dressed and waiting for a table. For us city folks we don't have to worry about searching or paying for parking. You get the point right?  Well I've come up with three indoor activities can enjoy with friends.  Most are family friendly (for those who don't want to bother with a babysitter for the kids) but I suggest making it a grownup gathering. 

Cupcakes and Dessert Wine
Who doesn't like cupcakes? (Whoever doesn't need not be invited LOL . ..I kid, I kid). Depending on how many people you invite everyone (a couple counts as one) is responsible for at least half dozen cupcakes and a bottle of wine.  Dessert wines are best but whatever your palette requests is what you should bring.  If you are hosting and want to be fancy have a table sprinkles with decorative glitter or party confetti to show off! If you live in the DMV area and need moist, beautiful, can't just eat one Cupcakes I suggest Sa Sweets! You will NOT be disappointed.(you actually may not want to share)

This is the Sweet Potato Cupcake

Hot Chocolate Bar
Now you can go to the store and buy those packets of hot Chocolate and pour water over it and microwave OOOOOOR you can make my mom's life changing homemade hot cocoa (which is found on the side of the Hershey cocoa container lol)! I'll provide that below.  For the bar pretty much anything chocolate is a go! You can use Kit Kat sticks, candy canes and even cinnamon sticks for stirrers. You can also use chocolates spoons.  I always find those at Marshalls.  Some other items to include are marshmallows and whipped cream. If you really want to get fancy have scones or mini donuts (donut  holes work). If you are hosting I suggest telling your guest to BYOM-bring your own mug. Unless you have a collection big enough to share with everyone.  Or you go to the dollar store and buy them and then give them away as gifts.  One more hint: try adding another flavor option of cocoa. White chocolate usually goes over well. OK so for the cocoa it's actually the recipe you can find on the side of the Hershey cocoa container.

White Elephant Gift Exchange

If you have a few bucks leftover from your main Christmas shopping think about having a White Elephant Gift exchange.  Now this is a fun one.  Most are familiar with this but for those who aren't here is the gist: Everyone participating brings a wrapped gift.  Everyone picks a number and in numerical order each person picks a gift.  The next person has the option to "steal" what has already been opened or open a new gift.  It's fun to see how many times a gift gets stolen.  You can come up with your own rules but I'll share a few common ones used.

1.  Determine how many time (max) a gift can be stolen. For a large group 2 works.  If it's a smaller group try 3!

2.  No, shaking or peeking. You touch, you open.

3.  No switching numbers. (You get what cha get and you don't throw a fit)

4.  Determine a max amount to be spent on gifts. Anywhere between $10 and $20 is probably a safe limit

5.  No getting in your feelings!  Yes if you pick a great gift you are definitely going to be stolen from so don't get too comfortable with it and no getting hurt feelings (ladies no making this a big relationship fight if your significant other steals from you).  Remember it's all in fun. 

6.  JUST HAVE FUN!  

Well there you have it!  Now get to planning and have fun for me!

Hey FALL !!! Triple threat! 3 ways to welcome Fall into your life. D.I.Y., Food and Fashion!

Fall or Autumn is my favoritest (nope that's not a word but in my family of 3 young children it is, lol)!  There is something about Fall that I absolutely love.  From the brisk air in the morning to the smell of a crock pot meal cooking to the cute scarves and boots Fall just has my heart. This week I decided to share a Fall triple threat.  I'll start with how to bring the season (in this case Fall) into your home with a little D.I.Y.  Next I'll share one of my crock pot staples that will be sure to warm you inside just reading about it and finally I'll share a few ways I layer my clothes during this beautiful weather (of course it will be thrifted).  So enjoy!

Bringing a little bit of Fall into your home...

I'm really big into bringing the seasons into my home. I like being in the moment.  There are many ways I do this.  You don't have to go out and break the bank buying everything the stores offer but there are some small wallet-friendly things you can do.  Here are 3!

1. Switch your pillows up. Key word 'SWITCH meaning just change the pillow cases.  You can either go to the thrift store and find some or a place like Ikea that will sale them at a very reasonable price.  Another option, if you have neutral pillows, is to just add to the ones you have.  My living room furniture is neutral on purpose.  I know me and I know I like to change my decor with the seasons so with my pillows I can do something as simple as taking a thin throw and tying it in a cutesy way around my pillow like I did here.

Any size pillow works. For the one below I folded my pillow in half to get the long, wide look.

So if you have a few thin throws, one to represent each season, than you are sitting on a pillow gold mine!

2.  Make a homemade air freshener.  I found this on Pinterest and could not wait to make it!  I used this as a project for my 4 year old to assist me.  The "recipe" was initially posted in a Women's Day magazine.  In the article it mentioned that the reason the lady makes her own is because artificial perfumes can be hard on people with allergies and asthma (my son and hubby have both).  She had about 4 or 5 different combinations to choose from.  I decided to go with the one that reminded me most of Fall.  It includes an orange, cloves, cinnamon sticks and vanilla extract...THAT'S IT!! I basically boiled it all in water for like 10-15 minutes, poured it in a mason jar and BOOM I had a cinnamon fragrant filled bathroom!

You can find the entire article here 

3. Add to already existing accessories. Yep, just add on.  You can always walk in my bathroom and see the season reflected.  This time I took a quick trip to the dollar store (you can always count on the Dollar Store to be up on the seasons when it comes to inexpensive decor) and purchased two leaf vines.  I simply added them to my already existing glass bowl thing (lol) and made is look as though it was crawling up my wall (used a tack).  And just like that my bathroom is season appropriate!

Here is a pic with both projects!

Cooking for the weather...

Now is the time when my crock pot really gets some attention!  I am huge on warm meals in the cooler seasons.  Last year I tried a chicken and dumpling recipe that I got from (you guessed it...) Pinterest and it was a hit with the hubs and kids which meant it was here to stay!  The best thing about a crock pot meal is that you throw it in the pot and leave it alone.  What's even better is when you have less than ten ingredients to work with.  For this meal all you need is boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used tenders because they are easier to cut), an onion, canned biscuits, salt, pepper, cream of chicken and garlic powder. You can always add veggies!

Here are the cliff notes on how to make it (you can find the recipe I used here)

• Throw everything EXCEPT THE BISCUITS in the crock pot and cook on high for 3 hours
• Take chicken out and shred (i just used 2 forks)
• Remove biscuits from can and cut into 8 sections (I used the honey biscuits because anything with honey is BETTER, lol)
• Add the chicken back in the crock pot 
• Add biscuit pieces on top of chicken
• Cook on high for another hour (or until done, i wanted my biscuits a tad more firm so I went about a half hour longer)

This is a good recipe.  The fun thing about finding new recipes is that you can always add to and take from them.  If you want a veggie recipe just remove the meat.  If you want more meat go for it!  

Fall Fashion means LAYERS LAYERS LAYERS!

I'm an accessory fanatic! I can take a plain tee and accessorize the heck out of the rest of the outfit. Fall is the perfect time to do it.  I have a collection of scarves that I rotate between along with vests, cardigans and button-ups.  Here are a few simple ways I like to layer. 

 Alright folks so there you have it!  There are a few ways you can welcome Fall into your life!  In the end the most important thing is to have fun doing it!!! HAPPY FALL!!

Kid-Friendly, Messy-free Meatball subs!

A family staple in our home (meaning all 3 of my kids like it) is meatball subs!  Imagine this...3 children, red sauce and meat that rolls on a roll. Scary right?! Lol well since it was something that all of us liked i was determined to figure out a way to make it work for us and i did! I call them meatball canoes  (well in my head I do). With these canoes I almost never see a meatball fall! Here is my kid friendly,  quick and easy fix to messy meatball subs! Wait, you know I HAVE to give you a tip to save!

So, for my subs this time I went to Walmart and got their cheese hoagie bread. Our Walmart always has a cart of baked breads on sale. I know what you're thinking...."why is it on sale?" Well these are the ones that are baked daily and by the end of the day if they haven't sold a lot of them they simply mark them down before the evening (dinner) shoppers come. Before my bag was marked down it was only $3 however after it was just a buck 80! See for yourself! 

 So saving tip of the day, shop for your dinner breads at bakeries in the evening before heading home and you have a high probability of  a deal!

Alright, let's get to these subs! Let me say that this is not a meatball recipe. You should already have those prepared. So you'll want to take your hoagie bread and turn it upside down and cutout a long, narrow oval deep enough to tuck those meatballs in completely.

Then one by one tuck those bad boys in nice and snug like so...

Since your meatballs are most likely still warm from you cooking them all you need to do now is add your cheese and microwave them for about 15 seconds. Just enough to melt the cheese.

For hubby I sometimes add a little extra sauce and maybe sprinkle some Italian seasoning then the cheese.  This particular one is for one of the kids so no extra sauce for them hence kid-friendly! 

And just like that you have a Kid-friendly, mess-free meatball sub (or canoe, whichever you prefer,lol)! ENJOY!! 

P.S. I can't promise you that a meatball still won't find it's way off the plate.

Stuffed Bell Peppers! and the Morning After!

Ok folks here is another great recipe! Stuffed Bell Peppers! These are great and easy to make.  All of the ingredients are very affordable.  Enjoy and eat some for me!

This recipe got rave reviews by the way! Just sayin; LOL

When it's chilly....MAKE CHILI!!!!!

What's better than being snowed in???? Being snowed in with a big bowl of your mother's chili!!! When I heard there was a snow storm on the way I made way to the grocery store to gather my ingredients for mom's chili!  I already had the recipe on deck.  A friend of mine was looking for a chili recipe a couple of days ago so I gladly shared my mom's with her and it was a hit amongst her friends and family!  Since I wasn't at home I had to call my mom to get the recipe over the phone. You know how people who have been cooking their whole lives speak in "cook-code"?  That's my mom! Here is a little of how that conversation went:

Mom: Ok use a dash of this
ME: Mom, how much is a dash? A teaspoon? A tablespoon?
Mom: Girl you know I don't measure things, just eye it!
Me: Mom please.  I can't tell my friend a dash of this and a sprinkle of that!

LOL Finally at the end of the conversation I had the recipe of what I'd like to call heaven in a bowl!
Why keep all this goodness to myself?  I decided that the world needs to taste what heaven in a bowl tastes like on a snowed in day!  So here you are.  From my mom to your bow!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Can dark kidney beans

1 Can chili beans

1 Can chili w/ beans

1 Can black beans

1 small can tomato paste

1 Can diced tomatoes (I use seasoned)

1 LB ground beef (or turkey)

3 TBSP chili powder

1/2 Cup ketchup

1 yellow onion- chopped

1 Tsp minced garlic

Ok now that you have everything you need let's get cookin!

First you want to ground your beef with the chopped onion and minced garlic. 

 Once it's completely cooked through, drain your meat an add it to you big ole pot!. 

Next you want to add all of your beans.  Do not drain those juices.  They add flava! 

Now you'll want to add your tomatoes (do not drain) and 1 1/2 Cups of water. Stir! Go on and add your tomato paste and ketchup and stir again.  Finally add your spices.  Mom says to stir after you add each spice. Guess what? That's it! you're done! Put the top on and simmer for an hour.

              

       

                 

I decided to make corn muffins with mine. Nothing too fancy.  I got Krusteaz Honey Cornbread. I replaced the oil with melted butter and used milk instead of water. They melt in your mouth!

        

      

As you know, chili can last for days.  To keep it interesting after about a day or two you can make rice and serve the chili over it.  You can also add corn to it if you'd like.  I topped mine with Gouda cheese and it was great.

The hubs likes a dollop of sour cream on his.  There is plenty you can do with it but to be honest it's great by itself!  Enjoy!!!

TBT! 'Cake Waffle Sundaes'!!

For this week's TBT I figured I'd share a cute little treat (sooo perfect for Valentine's Day) that I vlogged last year!  This was a fan favorite. It's 'Cake Waffle Sundaes"!! It's super inexpensive to make, super fast and super good!  Did I mention how SUPER GOOD and easy this one is?  if you have children that have interest in assisting in the kitchen this one is perfect for them.  They can do every step from begining to end pretty much on their own (depending on the age of course).  Ok so watch, enjoy and tell me how yours turn out!