Stay tuned for soon to come posts to the blog including Totally Pink 21st Birthday Bash, Awesome Team Tailgating Ideas, Patriotic July 4th Shindig Decorating as well as healthy whole food summer recipes!
I pulled this recipe from my Southern Living Magazine back in 2000 thinking it would be a cute Halloween dinner idea to try with the kids. Little did I know what a hit it would be. It has turned into a Halloween dinner tradition for our family, we have made it loyally every Halloween for the past 13 years! It’s so good I was able to draw two of the kids home from college for Halloween dinner tonight! Below are a few pictures I snapped while I prepared it per the same Southern Living Recipe back from 2000. You can get the recipe here.
Putting it together…
Adding the egg wash for color…
Happy Halloween!
Posted in Happy Occasions, Recipe Box | Tagged food, Halloween, Jack-o-lantern, Pie | Leave a Comment »
This Halloween with all three kids in college, I decided to make sweet treats for them to share with their roommates and dorm buddies! My husband and I drove to Charleston to give our youngest his take of the goods earlier this week, while the other two are venturing home (they are only 45 minutes away) for Halloween dinner. I am making our traditional Jack-o-lantern cheeseburger pie, I will post the recipe and photos when complete!
These Spook-tacular cupcakes are a breeze to make (especially if you use boxed cake mix) and taste sweeter than candy corn after being smothered in this “to die for” butter cream frosting!
Prepare cupcakes as directed on the box using 2 boxes of cake mix (I used 2 boxes of chocolate cake mix for my Spook-tacular cupcakes). I also used decorative paper cupcake liners I found on clearance. Using decorative cupcake liners adds an extra seasonal feel to your creations!
Let cupcakes cool on wire rack before frosting with the Deliciously Delectable Buttercream Frosting recipe below.
Deliciously Delectable Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients (makes 48 cupcakes)
2 pounds confectioners sugar
1/3 cup water *
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
2 cups shortening
Directions
In large mixing bowl, add sugar, water, vanilla and butter flavorings and 1 cup of the shortening. Mix on low speed until well blended. Turn speed up to medium and mix an additional 2 minutes. Test frosting for consistency (* if frosting forms a ring around the top of the mixing bowl you might need to add water 1 tbsp. at a time to the mix). Using a spatula scrape the sides of the mixing bowl to incorporate any undiluted sugar to the mix. Mix and additional 2 minutes on medium speed. Add the last 1 cup of shortening to the mixture. Mix about 2 more minutes until creamy and smooth. Depending on the color of frosting you desire, you may add the color now and using a spoon stir the mixture to incorporate the color throughout. I used yellow and red icing colors until I reached the orange color I wanted for my Spook-tacular cupcakes.
I used a 16 inch disposable plastic piping bag and a Wilton’s 1M star tip to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
After piping frosting on the cupcakes I showered brown and dark green sprinkles on each cupcake. Finishing my little creations with plastic bat & spider rings purchased at my local dollar store.
Boo-ya! Cute, delicious Spook-tacular cupcakes!
Posted in Happy Occasions, Recipe Box | Tagged butter cream frosting, cupcake, cupcakes, Fall, Halloween, Spook-tacular | Leave a Comment »
I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted a public post (try a year), but vow to try and be more consistent with my postings from now on. Plus, I just HAD to share the recipe for my Peanutty-Candy Corn Treats! The kids were all home last night (very unusual occurrence these days) so I decided to make this “seasonal” extra special dessert! The best way I can describe these little “yummies”…”they are like rice krispie treats on STEROIDS”!
INGREDIENTS
1 box cake mix (I used yellow but chocolate might be yummy too!)
1 egg ½ cup butter – softened
3 cups mini marshmallows
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cup rice krispies
1 ½ cups peanuts
1 ½ cup candy corn
RECIPE DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix cake mix with softened butter. Mix until well incorporated.
3. Add egg and mix until well blended.
4. Press dough mixture in a greased 9” x 13” glass casserole.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes (you want the mixture to be firm and edges golden brown – not doughy.)
6. Sprinkle mini marshmallows over the top of the cake mixture in casserole.
7. Place casserole back into the 350 oven for 3-5 minutes (marshmallows should be puffy and starting to turn golden brown on the tips).
8. Remove from oven and set aside.
9. Add corn syrup, sugar, and brown sugar to a pot and bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.
10. Remove sugar mixture from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla. Stirring to smooth consistency.
11. Add cereal, peanuts, and candy corn. Mix.
12. Spoon over marshmallow/cake mixture.
13. Let cool and cut into small bars!
Posted in Recipe Box | Tagged Candy Corn, Fall, Recipe | Leave a Comment »
Okay, here it is… you requested that I explain how and what supplies were used to make my youngest son’s “Music” themed graduation cake so here it is! Cameron’s high school graduation cookout required a special cake for his special occasion. His love for music as well as his musical talent helped him procure several music scholarships and I wanted to touch on this “musical theme” while making his graduation cake! I describe below how I constructed his cake and what supplies I used.
For the bottom cake tier I baked 2 – 14” round (3” deep) layers of butter flavored cake. I then split each layer into 2 layers for a total of 4 layers for the bottom tier.
The middle and top layers were 2 – 10”round (3” deep) layers of butter flavored cake. I also split each layer into 2 layers for a total of 4 layers.
After leveling and splitting each layer, I placed a plastic tier support between the bottom and middle tiers for added support. I then used white buttercream frosting to fill between all layers and dirty ice the cake. I layered each tier in this order…
- Bottom tier: 4 layers (2 regular layers) of 14” round cake
- Middle tier: 2 layers (1 regular layer) of 10” round cake
- Top tier: 2 layers (1 regular layer) of 10” round cake – Cut in half and discard one half (or dirty ice it for a “sneak taste test”
A lot of you wanted to know why I didn’t use fondant to get that very popular “smooth” finish. I did a taste testing weeks beforehand with my family and they were not fond of the fondant! (No pun intended) ha! We prefer the rich creamy texture of traditional buttercream frosting. You could use fondant if you prefer.
After smooth frosting the whole cake with buttercream frosting, I used an icing comb to add the textured lines to the bottom tier as well as the “front” side of the top layer half to give it a musical line type finish.
I ordered chocolate molds online and made the musical notes, treble clefs, bass clefs, sharps and flats a day ahead. I used black melting chocolate to fill and make each candy mold. You can buy colored melting chocolate disks at almost every craft store, local Walmart, or Target. After pouring the melted chocolate in the molds I placed broken in half toothpick pieces into each mold, (careful not to push all the way through) and then I placed plastic wrap over each mold to hold the toothpicks in place until the mold hardened. These “picks” on the back side of each chocolate piece was used to hold the candy in place on the cake.
Thanks to the internet I was able to find the musical staff with notes sugar transfer sheets as well as the plastic “celebrate” easel for the top of the cake and the plastic “graduate” cap.
NOTE: Do not place the sugar transfer sheets on the cake until the day of the event! If left on the cake too long, they draw moisture and begin to “bleed” onto the cake.
My daughter made a copy of her high school diploma using a fine elegant paper, rolled it up and tied it with a bow for extra decoration!
I finished up the cake with colored chocolate candy balls that I found online in his future college colors also.
OH HAPPY DAY!!!
Posted in Happy Occasions, Recipe Box | Leave a Comment »
This past week we have been reminded of just how quickly life as we know it can change. With a ring of the phone, a message, in the blink of an eye everything that felt destined and secure can be scrambled. We are left feeling insecure, vulnerable, and shaken. This week, we have seen the miracle of God’s protection, felt the shock of illness for someone dear to us, and witnessed just how fast someone’s life can be changed by a tragic event.
We have gone from rejoicing and praising God for His protection over one friend to experiencing sadness and grief for the trials of others. As we try to consolidate these very different circumstances into meaning we can become tempted to question why God allows both good and bad situations to occur? We can easily become overwhelmed and discouraged, allowing these feelings to destroy our faith, hope and assurance of God’s perfect plan. But, we as believers are called to exercise our faith, in both good and bad situations, to give our joy, praise, gratefulness and thanksgiving along with our disappointment, grief and worry to God remembering that “…all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28 KJV), then we be comforted in His unending promises.
We have assurance that these circumstances, both jubilant and disappointing are all part of God’s master plan. We cannot question why he brings joy in one situation and not another. Who are we to question His mighty ways? In Isaiah 55:8-11 the Lord declares “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. “(NIV).
We do not know the plans of our righteous maker, we cannot comprehend the massive mighty plans of our God. We must hold steadfast in our faith and hold on to HIS promises in both joy and trials of this life.
Songs:
Bible Verses:
Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (NIV).
Psalm 121:1-2 – “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my Help. My Help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 16:9 – “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”
John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Psalm 34:18 – The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV).
John 14:1 – Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
Posted in Leaps in Faith | Leave a Comment »
Having our oldest two children attend the University of South Carolina has bred loyal Gamecock fans over the past several years! I wanted to make a special dessert since we were tailgating at the USC / Missouri football game for my hubby’s birthday. I really didn’t want the traditional “birthday cake” so I got creative! Wanted something that would transport easily and be a breeze to serve. I came up with these easy to make, easy to serve no bake yummies! No bake Strawberry Cheesecake and Dirt desserts. I constructed individual desserts in mason jelly jars and decorated them with fabric top cutouts, team color ribbons, and coordinating plastic spoons. I made each the night before and stored in the refrigerator, then placed in a cooler to transport to the game. So easy to make, transport, and serve! I have included my recipes for both No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake and Dirt dessert below! Happy Tailgating!!!
No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Desserts
1 ½ cups Graham Cracker crumbs, crushed
¼ cup Sugar
1 stick Butter – melted
1 (8 ounce) pkg. Cream Cheese
1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip
2/3 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla flavoring
Fresh Strawberries
1. In a large bowl, combine the Graham Cracker crumbs, ¼ cup of the Sugar and melted Butter until the crumbs are well coated.
2. Spoon 3 tablespoonfuls of the crumbs into each of the 8 mason jelly jars.
3. In a large bowl beat together Cream Cheese, Cool Whip, Vanilla flavoring and remaining Sugar with a mixer until smooth and creamy.
4. Spoon several tablespoons of the Cheesecake mixture over the crumb mixture in each of the 8 mason jars, then layer with more Graham Cracker crumbs and another layer of the Cheesecake mixture. End with a layer of Graham Cracker crumbs on top. *** TIP *** I spooned the Cheesecake mixture into a plastic disposable decorator bag and used a large round tip to pipe the mixture into the jars. This method was less messy than using a spoon!
5. Chill to set. – Before packing in the cooler on game-day be sure to slice fresh Strawberries and place several on the top of each individual dessert.
“Dirt” Dessert
1 large pkg. Oreo’s – crumbled into fine “dirt” consistency
3 cups Milk
8 oz. Cream Cheese
½ cup Butter
2 small pkg’s. Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 large tub Cool Whip
1 tsp. Vanilla flavoring
1. Crush Oreo’s into consistency of “dirt” using a food processor or by placing cookies into a ziplock bag and crush using a rolling pin.
2. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the crushed Oreo’s into the bottom of 8 jelly size mason jars. Set remaining aside for later use.
3. Cream the Cream Cheese and Butter with a mixer until smooth. Add in the sugar and continue to cream. Finally, fold in Cool Whip until well blended.
3. In separate bowl, mix the Vanilla Pudding, Milk and Vanilla flavoring. Fold in the Cream Cheese/Sugar mixture.
4. Spoon several tablespoons of the pudding mixture over the crushed Oreo’s in each of the 8 mason jars, then layer with more crushed Oreo’s and another layer of pudding mixture. End with a layer of the “dirt” (Oreo) on top. *** TIP *** I spooned the pudding/sugar mixture into a plastic disposable decorator bag and used a large round tip to pipe the mixture into the jars. This method was less messy than using a spoon!
5. Chill to set. – Before packing in the cooler on game-day be sure to place several Gummy Worms on the top of each individual dessert. (I stick one or two coming out of the “dirt”).
Posted in Extreme Tailgating, Recipe Box | Leave a Comment »
Have you ever put a puzzle together and not been able to fit all the pieces together? Better yet…. Did you find a piece that you just knew should fit and forcefully pressed it into a space that it really didn’t belong? What happened to the puzzle piece you forced? What about the pieces around it? Did they become distorted? Maybe the edges peeled up a little and looked wrinkled or damaged?
Received some words of wisdom over lunch with a friend this past week… “When it’s in God’s plan, all the pieces fit perfectly together like a puzzle. You shouldn’t have to force a piece to fit.” Wow at how such truth can reveal itself over a basket of nachos and cheese!
That was an “Ah Ha!” moment for me. Sometimes we want something so badly that we desperately try to “cram” our own will upon a situation in our life. We disregard our trust and faith in God for our own desires. We end up coming out of the situation mangled with the edges of our lives being peeled back, wrinkled and damaged.
Allowing God to give us direction in our life means we have to surrender our own dreams and desires and dedicate ourselves to faith and His assurance of guidance and protection. Taking that leap of faith requires us to let go of our own control and trust God to hold, guide and direct our lives. God’s beautiful plan for our lives is a “perfect fit”, we just have to let go and ask for his hand to place our puzzled pieces of life together.
Songs:
Bible Verses:
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. ” (NIV)
Psalm 9:10 – “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”
Psalm 37:5 “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
Psalm 31:14-15 – “But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand;” (NKJV)
Psalm 22:4 – “Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.” (KJV)
Psalm 105:4 – “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.” (NIV)
Jeremiah 17:5 – “This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.” (NIV)
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.” (NIV)
Posted in Leaps in Faith | Leave a Comment »
Have you been through a life experience with feelings of hopelessness and uncertainty, not knowing whether you could overcome and continue? I think we all have faced some degree of this feeling in our lives. Whether it be separation from someone we love, heartache, disappointment, illness, or rejection.
Whether we are in the finest most exuberant points of our lives or just struggling through, we can quickly be overtaken by a fast approaching un-forecasted storm in life. Quickly we can be thrown into a ragging struggle that can feel unwinnable with no end or peaceful horizon visible. During these storms feelings of doubt, despair and grief can devour all hope, joy and peace from our souls. We are tormented by “no way out”,” unwinnable”, “what’s the use”, feelings and emotions.
During these times of despair we need only to muster up the strength to cast out one lifeline… one morsel of hope… that is our faith in the one who can either swiftly overcome our struggle for us, or hold us in his safe embrace through our storm. By calling out for help and peace during our storm we can be comforted and embraced with the “peace that passes all human understanding”.
Depending on the struggle, Jesus will either deliver us from our ragging sea or envelope us with a soothing peace as we tread through the crashing waves. We may not understand at the time why Jesus chooses to either command our storm to cease or allow us to continue through the winds and rain, but we can keep faith in knowing that going through our storms by holding close to Him we can mature spiritually. By drawing closer to him through our storm our faith and patience in learning to trust in Him can be strengthened beyond measure.
We will experience struggles, afflictions, deep pains, heartache and grief. We don’t have to endure the storm alone, without hope, we can call out to God and trust in His power. As followers in Christ we are not awarded a “free pass” from the wrath of lifes furious storms, but we are comforted through our faith and trust in Christ during our storm.
Songs
Music and song can inspire and uplift us, speak to our soul, give us strength in times of need, reveal truths and empower our walk as Christians.
David was a shepherd, great warrior and Jewish King. He was also a musician and author of some of the most beautiful poems ever written in the book of Psalm. The bible refers to music and song and how it was used as thanks and Praise to God.
Psalm 138 – 1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. (NIV)
If you are inspired and touched by the spirit through song, the links below are suggestions that may touch and comfort you when confronted with a storm in life.
Bible Passages
1 Peter 5:7 – 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Psalm 18:2 – 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 34:18 – 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Luke 12:7 – 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
1 John 4:4 – “4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Isaiah 41:10 – 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Psalm 9:9 – 9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 22:24 – 24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
Psalm 27:4-5 – 4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.
Psalm 37:39 – 39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
Psalm 46:1-3 – 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Matthew 11:28-30 – 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Posted in Leaps in Faith | Leave a Comment »
Moms Two Cents 