Easter Sweets

and such.

It seems I'm hooked on Candy Bars now.  The problem is I manage to walk through the dining room right by it several times a day.  For some reason I go that route to get anywhere in the house. hmmmmm  

I mixed in some "faux" goodies so the entire display wouldn't disappear before Easter!

A friend gave this little bunny for me 12 years ago. (Thanks Tammy!)

I thought he could pass as a yummy little chocolate bunny.

I found this one at Marshalls last month.

But Martha has a way to make your own

See how HERE

or better yet

Edible Chocolate Bunnies

Get the How-to

Birthday Wishes!

TODAY 

is 

Cheryl's Birthday!

"the girls"

marci, kayley, cheryl (aka mrs. miner)& hope

We love you!

Thank You Thursday-Kindness

"Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes...Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes." 
--Joseph B. Wirthlin,, "The Virtue of Kindness", Ensign, May 2005, 26

"Top of the Mornin'

 

I thought it would be fun to have a St. Patty Dinner tonight.  

I used to make this all the time.  Yummy comfort food.

Shepherd's Pie 

 

 This one's from 

Martha Stewart

or maybe I should try this

Skillet Shepherd's Pie Recipe

via Woman's Day 

Add a garden salad and some "green" bread 
and you're in LUCK~ 

Looking for a St. Patty "cupcake" ?

Recipe and Picture via 

Tickled Pink Cupcakery

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes

(makes 2 dozen cupcakes)

For the Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (if you don't have any, you can make your own) 
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 teaspoons mint extract (regular mint, not peppermint)few drops of green food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Combine flours in a large bowl. 
3. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar, beat 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4.  Add flour in three parts, alternating with the milk/extracts in two.
5.   Add food coloring until fulling incorporated, but don't over mix- a drop or two will do for a light green color. 
6. Pour into baking cups. 
7. Bake 20-25 minutes.
   

For the frosting:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 
• 6-8 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 2 tsp mint extract 
• a few drops green food coloring
  

Cream butter, 4 cups sugar, milk, and mint. Add more sugar to reach desired consistency. Add food coloring until fully incorporated.

For the Fondant Shamrocks:

Find the fondant recipe Tickled Pink Cupcakery uses here.

Add a bit of green food coloring (gel works better than liquid when working with fondant) and knead into your fondant, making sure to add plenty of powdered sugar to prevent it from sticking to your mat. When you reach the desired color, roll flat with a rolling pin to about 1/4''(I use a plastic fondant roller to reduce sticking). To make the shamrocks, I cut out a paper stencil and traced around it with a knife, then finished shaping it with my fingers. If you can find a small shamrock cutter, that would work, too.

 More "lucky" Cupcakes

 HERE

Goodies for Mom

Usually when I ask my mom what gift she'd like for her birthday.  She says, "You don't need to get me a gift.  I have everything I need".  This year, however, she had two requests. I was so excited!

(1) She asked if I'd make her an apron.
I went to the quilt shop in Katy to look for BLUE and YELLOW fabric.

I pre-washed it and as I was pulling it out of the dryer, Hope came in the laundry room and said, "I know who those will be for!"  That was a good sign.  They are definitely "HER".

 

(2)For her cake, she requested another ice cream cake.  She wanted it to have coconut and pineapple ice cream .... "and you know I love raspberries" , she added.

I went all over town looking for coconut ice cream, sherbet, sorbet or the liking ... no luck. I was telling a friend about my dilemma and she came up with a brilliant solution.  She said why don't you add coconut to some pineapple sherbet and do a layer with raspberry.

Waa Laa!

"Coconut Raspberry Ice Cream Cake"

aka Coconut Raspberry Frog Pie

(Years ago,my cute dad (also known as Frog) made a frozen pie with a graham cracker crust and strawberries mixed into vanilla ice cream .  We loved it and named it "Frog Pie")

Ingredients:

• 1 qt. raspberry sherbert
• 1 1/2 qt. pineapple sherbet 
• 1 cup coconut
• fresh raspberry (can use frozen raspberries) 
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 2 packs from the box)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 T. melted butter

Directions:

Remove sherbets from the freezer.  Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.  Press in the bottom of a spring form pan to make a crust.  (Reserve a portion to layer between sherbet.)

In a large bowl combine raspberry sherbet , pineapple sherbet (to taste) and raspberries.  Mix until blended and spoon onto the graham cracker crust.

Place cake in freezer until sherbet layer is firm.  Remove from freezer and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the top . Put cake in the freezer.  

Stir (slightly melted)pineapple sherbet in a big bowl until smooth.  Add coconut (to taste).

Spread pineapple coconut mixture over graham cracker layer and return cake to the freezer.

Freeze cake for a minimum of 6 hours.

To serve, garnish the top with fresh raspberries.

Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

The Birthday Girl l♥ved it.

(we all did!)

Thanks Heather!

 

In a pinch?

 Need something green?
How cute is this!

Shamrock Boutonnieres

Instructions for Shamrock Boutonnieres

Happy Birthday

Today is my  

Mom's Birthday!

Thank You Thursday

.....a great new gadget!
I love the new Pampered Chef 

Decorator Bottle Set

I ordered it when Marci hosted a party for our friend, Stephanie.  

You can visit her website HERE

 

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes for Baby Shower

 

So delicious!

I'm in the mood for....

via Snippet & Ink

100+ Ways to Welcome Spring Celebrate the season with these tips, tricks, and inspirations. Breathe New Life into Your Decor 11 Steps to Brilliant Spring Cleaning Freshen Up Rooms for Less Smart Garden Shopping
via Better Homes and Gardens

LEMON DROP WREATH

via Matthew Mead

Dime store candy makes a stunning springtime wreath to reinvigorate a door, mantle or dreary wall.
What you will need:
7 inch wreath form in green Styrofoam
   ( the green is formulated to accept hot glue)
Ribbon to wrap around form
   (several yards depending on the size wreath you choose)
Hot glue gun
Ribbon to make final bow (about one yard for hanging.)
Candy of choice (we used lemon sours)
Wrapping the wreath form with a coordinating color will give your candy a nice background instead of the green Styrofoam. Hot glue the candies onto the ribbon covered form. Create a pattern by organizing in rows or randomly. Hang from twine and tie on satin ribbon bow. Place a single hyacinth blossom just under the bow.

 Wallpaper Tree

 via Country Living

Any blank surface becomes an enchanted forest with this patterned mural made from wallpaper scraps. Using this photo for reference, sketch a basic tree trunk on the back side of a sheet of wallpaper (you may want to practice first on butcher paper). Once you have your desired shape and height, cut out. On the back of another piece of the same wallpaper, again using this photo as a guide, draw branches of various sizes and shapes--including a group of three attached limbs for the treetop. Cut out the branches. Apply the paper trunk, then the branches, to your wall with ready-made paste. While the tree dries, trim remnants of other brightly patterned wallpapers into leaf shapes--you'll need about 60. Paste these to the wall so they appear to be sprouting from the branches.

70 Ways to Get Ready for Gardening This Season Get your hands dirty with these  tips, tricks, and inspiration from Better Homes and Gardens. 19 Tips for Designing the Perfect Garden 20 Dream Decks You'll Love Perennials That Can Take the Heat Best New Veggies to Grow This Season

via Better Homes and Gardens

 

Mindful Monday

"Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."
--Thomas S. Monson, "Finding Joy in the Journey,", Liahona, Nov 2008, 84–87