Koolaid Kupcakes!

I have seen posts for Koolaid cupcakes before and I really wasn't that intrigued. Then a young friend with a birthday coming up asked me to make them for her.  Grape specifically.  So, I was in!

Gather your supplies:

I kind of messed up from the get go on this one.  I should've bought sweetened Koolaid.  I didn't and I think that is why mine didn't turn out super purple.  Other than that, they were a success.  If you want truer colors, buy the presweetened type. :-)

Mix for 30 seconds, scrape bowl and then beat on medium for 2 minutes:

• 1 white cake mix
• 1/2 cup Koolaid mix (because of my snafu, I mixed in the sugar like I would be making the drink and measured out from there)
• 4 eggs
• 2 T canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk

Forget pictures, I wish I could make this scratch n sniff.  It smells SO GOOD! note: need to bake more with Koolaid

Pour into liners about 2/3 full and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes (or until they spring back when you poke them).

Again, I thought mine would be more purple, but that was just because I diluted the mix with white sugar (didn't have any purple laying around - lol).

Now the frosting.  Pretty standard buttercream recipe but with grape-o-licious Koolaid.

• 1 cup softened butter
• 3 T milk
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup Koolaid mix

Beat butter and milk.  Gradually add powdered sugar and Koolaid.  I ended up adding purple food color because it was just too light for me.

We chose to frost them solid purple and then make some white frosting to add a little pizazz.

 I had an extremely artistic helper & she deserves props for all her hard work.  I barely did anything. 

This is a very good recipe and I would make it again.  My only critique is the frosting is a wee bit grainy because of the sugar in the Koolaid.  I'm not sure if this would be better with the presweetened stuff.  I think it is finer but I'm not sure.  It wasn't too distracting though, overall super nummy. 
Still wish you could smell it...

Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes

Many of you have probably made cheesy hashbrown potatoes.  Here is my version...

Gather your supplies:

 Frozen hashbrown potatoes

French's fried onions

Cream of Mushroom soup (2)

Shredded cheese

Plain yogurt

Yellow onion

Salt & Pepper

Finely chop half of a yellow onion.  Mix together about 6 cups of hashbrowns, 2 cans of soup, 2 cups of cheese, 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp of pepper.

 Spread this in a sprayed 9x13 pan.  Don't smush it down too firmly, just try and even it out.

Top with fried onions.  I don't measure, just put it so it coats the entire top of the dish.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for an hour and 10 minutes or so.  Enjoy!

Some ideas for saving money

I was reading a post from My Lil Pink Pocket about couponing and it got me thinking, we could learn a lot from each other on this.  I love a good bargain but there have been many times in my life in which bargain shopping wasn't just the fun of getting a good deal, it was a neccessity if we were going to make it.

Here are some things I have done or still do.

1.  Menu Plan
     This saves me a lot of money.  Taking 15 minutes each week (that is all it really takes) to know what I am making for dinner each night probably saves easily $40+ per week.  I put all of my recipes in an accordian folder that is labeled to help me plan quickly.
My labels are crock pot, grill, breakfast and the type of meat (chicken, pork, turkey, etc).

This may sound strange at first, but when I am looking for a recipe, I have found that is how I search.  If I am going to be working late, a crock pot meal is what I want.  If pork is on sale, guess what kind of recipe I need?  You get the drift.

I just pull a recipe out for each night and post it on my fridge, with cute days of the week magnets (it's the little things that entertain me!).

Once I know what I am making for dinner each night, I can quickly survey it and determine my grocery list.  The beauty is I have a list and I KNOW if I only buy what is on the list - I will have good meals each night.  Throw in some lunch staples, fruit, cereal and you're set.

2.  Repurpose
     Many people know this but it is a bit of an art.  Look at an object and let go of what it is telling you what it is.  A pair of old jeans with a tear in the knee may be screaming they want to be a book cover, purse, skinny jeans or even a lamp shade cover.  Let go and really brainstorm.  You wouldn't believe how much "free" stuff is around your house.

3.  Coupons
     First keep in mind lots of places accept competitors coupons.  From gas stations to craft stores, they want your business and welcome their competitors coupons.  Don't be nervous to ask, the worst thing that can happen is they will say, no.

I think the most difficult aspect of coupons today is they expire very quickly.  With that said, only choose coupons on items you will actually use and hopefully have a long shelf life. Check your local stores for double coupon days - this will make your efforts more worth while.

Sometimes the "loss leaders" are the best way to shop.  Each week, grocery stores will offer some items at a ridiculously low price.  These are loss leaders, they intend to draw you to the store to buy these and then buy MORE and MORE.  Plan your menus around these items or stock your freezer with them.

 4. Organizing
     Make specific areas for items you will stock up on when you get a great deal.  Some that I use are:

• Toiletries - I have a shelf dedicated to stock up when toothpaste/deodorant/etc is a good deal.
• School supplies - I buy the minimum before school - two weeks after school prices plummet - that is when I stock up.  Five cents for a package of loose leaf paper, yes please!
• Freezer - I have a small dry erase board on my fridge.  On it I list what is in my freezer in the basement.  Otherwise I forget it and potentially I haven't saved at all because I have to throw away.

5. Ditch cable
We use Netflix and stream whatever TV we decide to view.  This saves a ton of money and really allows us to do so much more.  I am not going to kid you, when we first got rid of it, I was nervous.  What are we going to do without flipping the channels for an hour or two (now this seems so silly)?  Truth is, everyone starts filling in that time with what they truely enjoy.  More reading, crafting, games & writing have happened since we pulled the plug.


6.  Bigger ticket item savings
We have a rule in our house - incorporated from too many unfortunate purchases - sleep on it.  If it is a bigger price item, no matter how great the deal is, sleep on it.  If it is really a good deal, they most certainly will take your business tomorrow as much as today.  So many times when we are at home later, the glitter and shine of the salesperson or ambiance of the store has faded away, we have realized maybe it isn't that great of a deal, or it just doesn't fit in our life or that money can be better spent elsewhere.

7.  Grow it yourself
In the summer, if you are able, grow veggies yourself.  You don't need a big garden to save money and enjoy fresh veggies.  Make a container garden.  The savings from just not buying salsa and pasta sauce is enough to make you grow a few tomatoes.  I would suggest keeping it small or at least keep it to what you really think you will stay committed to.  Otherwise, you may become frustrated and quit.

8. Sign up for Freebies
Setup an email account that you use to subscribe to stores you frequent or coupon sites.  It is probably best to keep this as a separate account so your email doesn't get too crazy.  Check as frequent as you like - maybe you can treat yourself to a buy one get one Blizzard or something.  :-)
 

These are just a few of the things we do, but I am really curious to know what you are doing?  What are some ways you save money?

Shepherds Pie with a Thanksgiving Twist

Lucky me, I received this for Christmas:

It is the grinder attachment for my KitchenAid Mixer!  Well I watched a few videos online and decided to give it a whirl.

Which got me thinking about making this:

Didn't occur to me to take a picture before we dug in!

Christmas dinner was pretty much a Thanksgiving repeat.  We had turkey, stuffing, potatoes, green bean casserole, you get the drift.  As of today, I was done with those leftovers.  I'm not saying they were all gone, I was just done eating them as is.

I plugged in my grinder attachment and put the rest of the turkey in.  From two full drumsticks came about two pounds of shredded turkey!  I was quite surprised.

I put half in the bottom of my pie dish (the rest is in the freezer for when I am ready for turkey again).  Added some powdered gravy mix to a little over a cup of chicken broth and poured over the meat.  I topped that with the remainder of the green bean casserole, a wee little bit of the stuffing and topped the entire thing with mashed potatoes.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for a half hour.

I should've grabbed more pictures but I wasn't really thinking about blogging it.  That is until I tasted it!  I have always loved shepherds pie.  If I have left over taters, I usually will make it.  This was a different twist and it turned out pretty darn tasty!

How about you, have you made any accidental, really good recipes lately?  I'd love to hear about them!

-Ginal

Sew Happy!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  The only thing left to complete my Christmas joy is to watch the Dr. Who Christmas special.  I will be doing that as soon as I am done with this post!!

I received an adorable sign for my sewing room from my daughter:

Which inspired me to clean up, organize and beg my darling husband to build a pressing table.  Thankfully he is incredible and made it in two shakes!!

First we had to determine what would support the tabletop.  I thought shelves would be best because I never seem to have too much storage space.  We picked up two Closetmaid shelves.  They measure 31.5" x 12" x 11.6".  Next, we bought a precut laminate board that was 2' x 4'.  You wouldn't need to get a laminate piece but it was all they had and it was cheap - so that worked!

After assembling the shelves, we layered some felt I had in my fabric closet and some cute "sewing notion" fabric I have been saving for years.  We cut, folded the edges and simply stapled it to the bottom of the shelf.  Tuck in the raw edge of the fabric (by folding twice) so it will not unravel later.  When you do this take time to smooth out the fabric and space out the staples every 5 or so inches.  Once it is all attached and you are happy with it, you can add more staples and hammer them in so they are tight.

The trickiest part is the corners.  We played with folding them different ways.  We also trimmed a bit of the corner of felts to take out some bulk.

Last step was to put the top on the two shelves and put some screws in for stability.

Here is the final product with shelves filled:

After we were done I was inspired so, I made a new cover for my serger.  Yay!

Here are some photos of the whole room.  Looking in the doorway:

Looking at the left:

Looking to the right:

I have been wanting one of these tables for over a year.  After using it, I can say it was well worth the wait!  What projects have you been up to or are planning to do in the new year?

-Ginal

Show & Share

Deck the Halls with Chicken Balls

Chicken Balls have been a traditional Christmas treat we have made for many years.  They taste wonderful and I like the story behind the name!

I got the recipe from my best friend's mom.  When I was about 15, I went over to their house during the holidays.  He asked me if I wanted a Chicken Ball, I thought eww, not a chance.  He laughed at my expression but everyone else there was genuinely excited to have one.

He brought out the container and much to my surprise, this is what I saw:

At this point, I sampled one and it is delicious!  No chicken in it.  It is a dessert.  I am confused.

His mom starts laughing and explains the name.  She got the recipe from her mother in law and had been making them forever.  One year she was making her third batch for their Christmas party.  She was fed up, the kids kept eating them and she needed them for the party.  In desperation, she put them in a container and labeled them "Chicken Balls".  With no surprise, no one touched the box.  When she brought them out for the party and everyone realized what she had done to protect the Carmello Krispies, they all had a good laugh.  Well, the name stuck.

Now let me share how to make these simple, delicious treats!

Gather your ingredients.

Start boiling water in the pan for your double boiler.  Now unwrap all of the caramels (not my favorite part!).

Melt butter, caramels, sweetened condensed milk in double boiler.  Stir often.

I like to set up wax paper on the counter and make my assembly line during this time.  Then when the caramel is melted you can just put it in place and get to work.

  If you have a dipping tool, use that to dip and coat the marshmallow in caramel.  You don't want to dilly dally at this point because the marshmallow will melt.  Just a quick plunge and remove any potential large drips.  Drop in cereal and toss about.  Take out once coated and place on waxed paper.

               

               

notes...

• I like try to grab a little extra cereal when I transfer to the wax paper because that caramel mixture is darn hot.  
• For me this recipe usually coats about 3/4 of a bag of marshmallows.  
• At the end if you only have a little caramel left, not enough to coat a marshmallow...just plop it in the cereal bowl and coat it.  Very nummy.

Serve and enjoy, trust me these are way better than you would think.  Simple is sometimes best.

Software

1 stick butter

1 bag caramels

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 bag of marshmallow

Krispie cereal

Hardware

Double boiler

Bowl

Dipping tool or fork

Wax paper

As a side note, props to all you food bloggers out there!  I can't seem to get great photos of food.  Maybe Santa will bring me a nice camera for Christmas....and a class on how to take good photos!

Merry Christmas!!

Simple Scones

During the Thanksgiving holiday my aunt Roann taught me how to make scones.  I was very excited about this because they are one of my favorite items to eat with coffee.  Not to sweet, dry enough to make you want to have another sip of coffee. mmmm

The best part is they are simple and quick.  If you have 20 minutes, you can whip these up.

First mix 2 cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

Now cut in 1/3 cup cold butter (this part I love because I cannot tell you how many times I have wanted to make something NOW and it calls for softened butter).

It will resemble coarse meal when you are done.

Her recipe calls for sour cream but since we have lactose intolerant folks at my house and realistically I hardly ever have sour cream, I use yogurt.  I have used plain and vanilla flavored and can't tell the difference. 

Mix in 1/3 cup yogurt and one slightly beaten egg.

At this point you can mix in optional dried fruit.  I hardly consider this optional.  I mean a scone without a little treat in it is just well, lame.  Aunt Roann says only use dried fruit.  She has tried fresh and it didn't work out so well!  The recipe calls for 2/3 cups but I have yet to measure it.  I just throw in the fruit until it looks fairly distributed.

After you have it mixed, push it together with your hands in the bowl so it all sticks together:

Turn the dough out on to a slightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times.  It isn't a pie crust so you don't have to be super gentle. :-)

Sprinkle a little flour on your pizza pan and smush the dough into a circle.  It doesn't need to be perfect but a uniform height is desired for even baking.  Take a butter knife and cut into the size pieces you would like.

Now run the butter knife under a slice and use as a spatula to pull each one out to the edge of your pan.  They will rise and take up more space while baking.  I forgot to grab a picture of this but you can tell in the next picture what I mean.

Brush the tops and sides with milk.  Apparently I need a smaller pastry brush, the only one I could locate was for grilling! 

Sprinkle with sugar...or cinnamon and sugar....use your imagination.  :-)

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 14-16 minutes.  The milk and sugar will brown the edges and give them a slight sweetness.

Most importantly, enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream

1 egg, slightly beaten

2/3 cup dried fruit (optional)