Carmel Popcorn

We love us some popcorn in our family. Tonight we decided to try and make some Carmel Corn. We found our recipe at the amazing site Our Best Bites.

If you are looking for healthy, this is not the recipe for you, if you are looking for yummy, you are in the right place! 

Happy Sunday!

Princess Hat

Do you have a Princess in your life? If so, this is a simple, quick and fun craft for her. Miss L. and I completed her Princess hat in about 30 minutes this morning.

Supplies:

• Cone (you can either buy one of these at a craft store or make one yourself)
• Cardstock/Paper (12x12)
• Ribbon
• Embellishments of choice (Fabric, stickers, jewels etc.)
• Glue/Staples/Tape

Step 1: We got some Cinderella scrapbook paper and cut out the picture of Cinderella.

Step 2: Using the rest of the paper cover the cone (you could also make the cone out of the left over paper if it is sturdy enough).

Step 3: Measure your ribbon so that it is long enough to be tied around your Princesses chin like a bonnet. Cut in two.

Step 4:Secure the ribbon on each side.

Step 4: Add embellishments. This is where we added a purple rim from foam, a cut out of Cinderella and some tassels on top.

Now you have one happy Princess!

Bubble Art

 Another project I did with Miss L. this week was Bubble Art. She LOVES to blow bubbles and she LOVES to paint, so why not combine the two?

Supplies:

• Bubbles (buy or make your own)
• Food Coloring
• Straw
• Paper

Step 1: Mix your bubbles and food coloring

Step 2: Stick your straw in the bubbles so that you get a colored film on the end

Step 3: Blow through the straw on the paper

Step 4: Pop any bubbles that land on the paper (this was Miss L's favorite part)

Colored Pasta

This week I have been watching my 2 nieces. Miss L. is 3 and therefore needs a little more entertaining than Mr L. and Miss E. She loves Princesses and anything pink, she is a girl through and through. This morning we decided we would color some pasta and make some pretty necklaces.

Supplies:

• Uncooked Pasta (we used macaroni, but you could also use penne) 
• Food Coloring
• Hand Sanitizer (with alcohol)
• Zip Lock Bags
• Thread/Twine

Step 1: Squirt some hand sanitizer into your baggie (approximately a tablespoon) and then add 3-4 drops of food coloring (you may want to add more or less depending on preference, also if you use the gel food coloring you probably won't need as much as it tends to be stronger).

Step 2: Mix the hand sanitizer and food coloring together.

Step 3: Add 1/2 cup of macaroni (uncooked)

Step 4: Shake the pasta around in the bag and knead it until all the pasta is covered in your desired color. It is not too late to add more color if needed. If you use penne, be careful not to punch a hole in the bag when kneading.

Step 5: Spread the pasta out on a surface of your choice to dry. Remember the food coloring will stain things when wet so use something old or some paper plates. Let the pasta sit for a few hours to dry.

Step 6: ENJOY! We made necklaces, but you could also use it for art or as an alternative for sand.

Pasta Fresca From Noodles & Co.

Have you ever been to Noodles & Co? If not and you have one near by go...NOW! If not you can enjoy the deliciousness of their Pasta Fresca dish in your own home with this recipe!

I get this dish every time we go and I was so happy when this recipe turned out to taste just like the real thing!

Serves 5-6 people

Ingredients:

For Pasta:

• 16oz Penne Pasta (But any kind will work)
• 3-4 medium sized Roma Tomatoes 
• Baby Spinach 
• 1 Red Onion
• 3-4 Gloves of Garlic
• 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Cracked Pepper (to taste)

For Vinaigrette:

• 1/3 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Tbs of Balsamic Vineger
• 4 Tbs of Sweet White Wine (We used a Chardonnay and it worked out great) 
• 1 tsp Salt

First of all cook your pasta al dente (slightly chewy). If you are still chopping your vegetables when the pasta is cooked, drain it and cover it in cold water so it doesn't become all sticky.

Whilst your pasta is cooking you can make the Vinaigrette. In a bowl or jug mix all the vinairgrette ingredients together with a hand whisk.

Next mince the garlic, chop your onions and tomatoes. 

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a saute pan on a medium heat. Saute the garlic and then add the already strained and cooked pasta, tomatoes and onion. Saute for approximately 3-5 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste. Gradually add the vinaigrette and saute until the pasta browns a little. Add the baby spinach and saute until the spinach starts to wilt a little.

There you have it! Yummy! We served ours with breaded chicken (I didn't post the recipe because to be honest I have mastered the art of this yet and it didn't seem worth sharing) and rolls.

ENJOY!

Homemade Spice Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting

Today is my wonderful husband's birthday. Usually when I ask him what cake he wants he just says anything with chocolate frosting...he says that because he knows chocolate frosting it really the only kind of frosting I like. But this year I told him chocolate wasn't an option and that I was making his cake from scratch. He chose a spice cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Lets start with the cake...

Supplies:
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon all spice
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 milk

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Spray and flour pans, I used two 8 inch round pans, but 3 probably would have been better
• Combine and mix flour, spices and salt in a large bowl
• Mix butter and sugar until creamy, mix in eggs
• Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and the milk with the the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Start with the dry ingredients and end with the dry ingredients
• Divide the mixture into cake pans
• If using 2 pans cook for 30 minutes, if using 3 cook for 20-25 minutes
• Once cooked let them cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan
• Let them cool completely before frosting

Now onto the Cream Cheese Frosting

Supplies:
8oz of cream cheese, chilled
6 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/4 cups powdered
4 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Directions:

• Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth
• Gradually mix in the powdered sugar
• Add vanilla extract and mix

If you plan on covering the whole cake like I did you may want to double the frosting recipe.

Enjoy! The frosting will be way better than anything you can buy in the store!