Flour Dusting Container

Wash out an empty Parmesan cheese container, dry it out completely and fill it with flour.  

Use this for dusting your work surface and breads, pie crusts, etc. when working with them.  

Its easy to use and you don't have to get out your big flour container and dip in your doughy hand or dirty a scoop; the holes make it easy to just sprinkle out what you need.  

I've always wanted one of those nice flour shakers they use on cooking shows, but I didn't like that the holes are open all the time (maybe they do have covers?); but then it occurred to me, I could just use one of these old Parmesan containers instead.  Who'd of thought!  Enjoy!

Molten Chocolate Lava Crockpot Cake

I was truly skeptical of making cake in the crockpot, I didn't see it turning our as good as a normal homemade cake in the oven, but this cake is absolutely awesome; and I'm not the chocolate lover of the family.  To make it even better, its soo easy!

Once its finished cooking its like its sitting in a warm puddle of chocolate syrup and yet the cake is fluffy and cooked through perfectly.

Yum, check out the chocolate syrup!

Serve with ice cream, fresh fruit or just on its own!

Ingredients for Cake:
-1 cup flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-6 tbsp butter
-2 oz. semisweet chocolate or 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-2/3 cup sugar
-3 tbsp cup cocoa powder
-1 tbsp vanilla extract
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/3 cup milk
-1 egg yolk {I usually use the whole egg}

Ingredients for Sauce:
-1/3 cup sugar
-1/3 cup cocoa powder
-1/3 cup brown sugar
-1 1/2 cup hot water

Process:
1. Coat the inside a 2.5-5 quart crock with cooking spray.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave until melted, mix well.
3. In a medium bowl combine 2/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, milk and egg yolk; add the chocolate/butter mixture and stir to combine.
4. Add flour and baking powder, stir until well combined.
5. Spread batter into the prepared crock.

Cake batter in.

6. Next, mix the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, brown sugar, the remaining 1/3 cup cocoa powder and hot water; whisk until sugar is dissolved.

Ready to pour over batter.

7. Pour the water mixture over the batter mixture and cover.

It will look like you have covered your cake batter
with chocolate water, but don't worry this will become
your wonderful chocolate syrup.

8. Cook on high for about 2 hours.  You will know it is done when the cake pulls away from the edges. DO NOT OPEN THE CROCK COVER! ... opening with let your cake dry out and the chocolate syrup become too thick.  

This is what it will look like.

9. Once the cake is done, turn off the crock-pot and remove the lid carefully (don't let the lid drip water on the cake), let the cake sit uncovered for 25 minutes before serving.

See the chocolate syrup under the cake, yum!

10. Enjoy!

Dinosaur Hoodie

This project has been a big hit among the little people in our family.  And to tell you the truth, I think I might like one for myself too! 

You could also alter this project to make another favorite animal, a cat with whiskers coming off the hood, dog with droopy ears, a bear, a horse with yarn in place of the spikes, the possibilities are endless!  Have fun!

These are so simple to make.  Sorry, I didn't take a ton of pictures when making these, so if something doesn't make sense please ask questions.

HeatnBond Ultrahold

Materials:
-hooded sweatshirt, whatever size needed
-felt, 1 or 2 colors, for the spikes and claws (the amount you will need will depend on the size of the sweatshirt you are using)
-chalk or fabric marking marker with disappearing ink
-scissors and/or rotary cutter and mat
-measuring tape or ruler
-paper and pencil for making spike pattern
-sewing machine
-sewing pins
-thread that matches the largest spikes
-HeatnBond Ultrahold
-fusible interfacing
-iron and ironing board

Process:
1. Find the center of the back of your sweatshirt and mark with your chalk or marker the center from the top/front of the hood to the bottom/back of the back on the outside of the shirt.
2. Measure the length of that line from the top/front of the hood to the bottom/back of the shirt.  This will determine the number and size of your spikes.  {On the blue and gray shirts I made the spikes have 3 inch sides. The red one's spikes have 2 inch sides.}  To find out how many spikes you need, decide what size your spikes are going to be (its up to you) and how many will fit end to end down that center line.  Its better to figure less rather than more; you can always put a little space between them.  Don't try to squeeze too many in you'll make more work for yourself.
3. Making your spike pattern: Now these aren't really triangle shapes they are actually diamonds. Take the triangle size you want to use and mirror it to make a perfect diamond.  {I just cut a triangle with 3 inch sides out of a paper that was folded; just place one side of the triangle tight against the folded edge and do not cut on the fold.}

4. Once you have the pattern cut out, you can use it to cut out your felt diamonds (one diamond for each spike).
5. Now, cut out smaller diamonds out of the fusible interfacing (if you aren't going to use your spike pattern again you can just evenly trim that diamond on all sides to make it smaller for your interfacing pattern or just make a smaller pattern using the same method).  
6. Center interfacing diamond on each felt diamond and iron it to adhere.  Repeat for all spikes.
7. Place the prepared felt diamonds on the center of the back of the shirt using the center line as a guide.  Pin all spikes in place, moving if needed to make them equally spaced.

8. With all spikes pinned in place carefully sew from the top/front of the hood to the bottom/back of the shirt following you marked center line down the center of each diamond spike.

 9. Iron the spikes closed.  {If you want you can cut triangles of the HeatnBond the size of half of your interfacing diamond and iron those triangles to half of the open spike diamonds, then remove the paper backing and iron the spikes closed and this way you won't have to pin them or worry about them moving when you sew them.}

10. Using the matching thread in your sewing machine, sew around the closed spikes one at a time. {I just moved from one spike to the next without cutting my thread and then just trimmed all the threads at the end.}  If you are only doing one color of spikes you are done!  Congrats!
11. If doing two colored spikes: Next, iron HeatnBond to the back of the felt that is going to be your second color of your spikes.  Using half of your interfacing pattern (just half of the diamond, a triangle), cut out twice as many smaller triangles out of the HeatnBond backed felt as you did spike diamonds.
12. Remove the paper backing from the HeatnBond, carefully center a triangle on a larger spike and iron on well (don't move your iron too much because it could make the triangle slip off center); repeat for all other spikes on both sides.  If you are not doing the "paws" on the front you are done!  Congrats to you!

13. For the paws:  Draw a pattern for your paws, using the front pocket as a guide for the line. (Notice the curve line on my pattern, it follows the curve of the pocket.) 

14. Iron HeatnBond to felt the color of your large spikes and cut out two "paws", but be sure to flip the pattern over so that they are mirrored (like your shoes, the same size and shape but flipped).
15. Remove the paper backing and iron the paw to each of the front pockets.  (This is cute and would be awesome if you were doing a bear, cat, dog or some other kind of animal hoodie.  But we are doing DINOSAURS so we need to add claws!)
16. Iron some HeatnBond to the smaller triangle spike color and cut out your claws (for mine there were a total of 6 claws), just eyeball it.

17. Remove the paper backing and iron the claws on top of the paw's "fingers".  You are done!  Enjoy!

*You could add a cool zipper pull if you would like; something to go with the dinosaur/animal theme or maybe even the name of the person the hoodie is for.

Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

Awesome!  This is a recipe from America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Country; and since they test all of their recipes until they find the  best way to prepare them, you know its good!

Best served with a salad and garlic toast or bread sticks.  Yum!

Ingredients:
-9 garlic cloves, 5 minced and 4 smashed (1 tsp equals about 1 clove, if you want to use the garlic from a jar or a tube)
-1 lb. large shrimp (about 21-25), peeled, deveined and cut into 3 pieces each (I used salad shrimp because that's what I had in the freezer, when I make this again I'll definitely use  large shrimp.)
-3 tbsp olive oil
-salt
-1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
-1 lb. pasta
-2 tsp flour
-1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
-3/4 cup clam juice
-1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
-3 tbsp butter
-1 tsp lemon juice, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges
-ground black pepper

Process:
1. Toss 2 tsp minced garlic, shrimp, 1 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl.  Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
2. Heat the 4 smashed garlic cloves and remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, about 4-7 minutes.  
3. Remove skillet from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic cloves; discard the garlic.  Set aside.
4. Bring water to boil in a large pot over high heat.  Add 1 tbsp salt and pasta.  Cook pasta until al dente, drain pasta (reserving 1/4 cup of pasta's cooking water), transfer pasta back to pot.
5. While pasta cooks, return skillet with oil to medium heat, add shrimp with marinade.  Cook shrimp until oil starts to bubble gently, about 1-2 minutes.  Stir shrimp and continue to cook 1 minute longer.  
6. Use a slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to a medium bowl.  Add remaining 3 tsp minced garlic and pepper flakes to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  
7. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, stir in vermouth and cook for 1 minute.  
8. Add clam juice and parsley, cook until mixture starts to thicken, 1-2 minutes.  
9. Remove from heat, whisk in butter and lemon juice.  

10. Add shrimp and sauce to pasta, adding reserved pasta cooking water if sauce is too thick.  
11. Season with black pepper.
12. Serve with lemon wedges.
13. Enjoy!

Sunny Peaches & Cream Pie

This recipe is one of the easiest refrigerator desserts I've made and it was a big hit!  I found the recipe in the August/September 2012 issue of the Taste of Home magazine.

The thing I love about this recipe is that you can use fresh or canned peaches (I used canned because that is what I had at the time), so it would be great and inexpensive to make any time of year because you can use canned fruit.  

I also think you could change this recipe to whatever flavor you want... strawberry jello with fresh strawberries (or frozen) or raspberry jello with fresh raspberries (or frozen) would be awesome!  Or pear, apricot, even lemon! 

Ingredients:
CRUST...
-1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
-1/4 cup sugar
-6 tbsp melted butter or margarine

FILLING...
-4 oz. cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipped topping, thawed

TOPPING...
1 pkg. (3oz.) peach gelatin
1 pkg. (3oz.) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 1/4 cups water
2 cups sliced, peeled fresh peaches or canned sliced peaches

Process:
1. For crust:  Mix all of the crust ingredients and press into an ungreased 9 inch pie plate.  Bake crust for 6-8 minutes at 375 degrees or until it is lightly browned.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.
2. For filling: Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until blended, fold in the whipped topping.  Carefully spread filling over the cooled crust.  Refrigerate until set.
3. For topping: In a small saucepan combine the gelatin, pudding and water; bring just to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

4. Arrange peach slices over the filling.  Spoon the gelatin mixture over the peaches.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
5. Enjoy!

Zucchini Relish

This is the best relish I have ever made let alone tasted!  I will definitely be making this one again next year and probably double the recipe next time.  My husband just loves it, he puts it on everything!

The original recipe found HERE, said that it made 8-9 pint jars, although I ended up with 5 pint jars canned and about 1/2 pint in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:
SOAK...
-10 cups shredded zucchini
-3 cups grated onion
-4 red bell peppers, grated
-5 tbsp salt

MIX...
-3 cups sugar
-1 tbsp cornstarch
-1 tsp turmeric
-3 cups white vinegar
-1 tsp dry mustard
-1 tsp black pepper
-1 tsp celery seeds

Process:
1. Combine the soaking ingredients in a large plastic bowl and let them stand covered with a kitchen towel on the counter overnight.
2. In the morning, rinse the vegetables thoroughly in a large colander and drain well (I pressed them into the colander to remove the access water).

Rinsed and squeezed out extra water.

3. Place the drained vegetables in a large heavy pan and add the remaining ingredients.
4. Mix well and boil for 30 minutes.
5. Pack into prepared canning jars with 1/2 inch head-space. (any relish that won't fill a jar, store in the refrigerator and enjoy!)
6. Process in water bath (at least 212 degrees) covered for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the cover and wait 5 minutes before removing jars from the canner.
8. Cool and store.
9. Enjoy!

Old/Too Small Shirt to New Shirt

My daughter has always loved her "mermaid" shirt, but she is growing and the shirt is not, so I decided to try to take the image she likes so much and reuse it on a shirt that will fit her once again.

The finished new shirt, a size 5T!

The back of the new shirt.

This original shirt was a size 24 months.
(Here the images are already cut out.)

Materials:
-old or too small/too big shirt or other cool fabric
-HeatnBond Iron-on Adhesive Ultrahold (the Ultrahold is no-sew, so you don't need to reinforce the pieces by sewing)
-scissors
-iron and ironing board/iron safe surface
-extra piece of cotton fabric, optional

Process:
1. Turn the old shirt inside out and iron on a piece of the HeatnBond large enough to cover the entire back of the image (bumpy side against the shirt, the bumps are the adhesive).
2. Turn the old shirt right side out and cut out the image as you want it.

The original shirt images cut out
(and my roll of HeatnBond) and you can
see the HeatnBond on the back of the images.

3. Position the pieces  on the new shirt in the places you may want them; move them around to decide which way you like them most.

Cut out images on top of new shirt,
deciding where to put them.

4. Remove the paper backing from the HeatnBond and position the image piece image side up on the new shirt where you want it.  (You may want to have a piece of cotton fabric to use as a protector of your image between the iron and the image if it is printed.) 
5. Iron the pieces into place where you want them on the new shirt.
6. Turn the shirt inside out and iron the back of the images to make sure that the adhesive has completely adhered to the new shirt.
7. Turn the shirt right side out and enjoy!

Enjoy the new shirt and it fits!

Cheesy Zucchini Patties

This is a fantastic recipe, I found it here > Zucchini Patties

Ingredients:
-2 cups grated zucchini (any summer squash would be great, I'll probably even thaw some I have frozen and make these in the winter)
-2 eggs, beaten
-1/4 cup chopped onion
-1/2 cup flour
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (the last time I made these I just chunked up some string cheese)
-salt to taste
-vegetable or olive oil for frying (optional, see below)

Process:
1. Combine all ingredients except for the oil in a bowl until everything is well distributed.
2. Heat oil (I found that with my nice Calphalon non-stick skillet I don't need to use any oil) in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Drop zucchini mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls and cook for a few minutes until golden; flip and allow other side to become golden.
3. Enjoy!

*I find that these are the best served with chopped fresh tomatoes over them or just by themselves.  The original poster suggested serving them with tomato sauce or sour cream.  They might even be good with salsa!  

*I even like the leftovers cold right out of the refrigerator.  :D

Rainbow Crayons

You know how you always end up with small crayon pieces that no one wants to use; this is a great way to make those crayon pieces into something that everyone wants to use.

Materials:
-Crayons, peeled
    *make them easier to peel by using an Exacto knife to cut a line done the length of the crayon wrapper and just unwrap the paper from the crayon)
-Silicone mold, any shape or size (I got mine on clearance after Valentine's Day)
-Must have one of the following heat sources:
      ...an old saucepan and stove-top for melting the crayons over low heat (a throw-away aluminum baking dish or roasting pan may work; you would just need to be very careful  when it is heated!)
OR ...Oven on low heat

Process if layering like in the pictures here:
1. Place red crayons in saucepan and melt over low heat, pour into mold as equally as possible (so that each mold has the same thickness layer).  Allow to cool completely!  {Fortunately, I did these in the winter and just placed the mold outside and the melted wax hardened quite quickly.  I'm sure you could also place the mold in the freezer, but make sure it is on a level surface.}
2. Repeat with the other colors... orange, yellow, green, blue and purple/violet.
3. Once all wax is cooled, just pop the layered crayons out of the mold.
4. Enjoy!

Process without melting crayons before pouring into molds: 
This process makes mixed crayons like "calico" crayons.
1. Place small pieces of crayons into the silicone molds, filling mold as best you can (small pieces work best).
2. Place the filled mold into an oven heated to a low heat like 275 to 300 degrees.
3. Keep an eye on the melting crayons, this melting process will take about 25-35 minutes (it may smell like melting wax in your house, but that will go away).
4. Allow the crayons to cool/harden completely.
5. Just pop the layered crayons out of the mold.
6. Enjoy!

Homemade Watercolor Paints

I found this recipe for making your own watercolors at the: Lilac Silhouette Blog

I had to make two sets so that the kids didn't have to share/fight over the colors.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp baking soda

6 tbsp cornstarch

6 tbsp white vinegar

3 tsp corn syrup
A container for each color you plan to make (I used single serving empty clean applesauce containers)
Food coloring

Process:
1. Combine the baking soda, cornstarch, vinegar and corn syrup, allow the fizzing to subside, then mix thoroughly.
2. Pour the mixture into your containers of choice.
3. Quickly mix in the food coloring to create the colors you want.  The mixture may begin to solidify pretty quickly.
     Red: use red food coloring
     Orange: use equal amounts of red and yellow
     Yellow: use yellow food coloring
     Green: use equal amounts of yellow and blue
     Blue: use blue food coloring
     Purple/Violet: use equal amounts of red and blue
4. Allow paints to sit and "dry" for about 3 hours.  (Mine never really dried completely, I just let the kids use them the day after I made them.  After they used them they dried.)
5. Everyone enjoy!

Big Mr. J painting with his Homemade Watercolors! 

Little Miss J enjoying her Homemade Watercolors!