Friday, April 29, 2011

Orange toothpaste squeezer

Hooray for Orange Friday!! Here is my little orange toothpaste squeezer. It helps me get every tiny bit of toothpaste out of the tube.

Also this toothpaste is how I keep my teeth looking white. I get asked how I get my teeth so white all the time. Usually it is by a stranger at the store, or a cashier when I get my groceries. It is always very nice to hear because I am mildly completely obsessed with them being white. I used to do whitestrips as often as I could. But now that I found this toothpaste, I haven't needed to do them. I also don't drink coffee, rarely drink iced tea or soda, and I use an electric toothbrush and I really think that helps. So there is my secret to white teeth. If you are insecure about your smile try the toothpaste and the whitestrips they really do work. But look for a coupon online, don't pay full price :) Happy weekend!!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Breakfast Obsession: Egg & Cheese on English Muffin

I have a weird habit when it comes to breakfast.  I pick one thing and then I eat it everyday for years.  My last obsession was hard boiled egg on english muffin and that lasted over 3 years.  Before that it was bagels and that was an over 10 year obsession.  Right now I am on a breakfast sandwich kick.  Who knows how it started.  Hubby says I am highly suggestible, so I probably saw one on TV and am now eating it every day.  I like to add spices in my eggs, right now I am going with a mexican spicy egg. Sometimes I make them with Italian seasonings.  It is an easy, hot, tasty breakfast and it really gets my day going.  

Egg & Cheese on English Muffin

1 whole wheat english muffin
handful of shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
water
salt 
pepper
Mexican oregano
chipotle pepper powder
cooking spray

Heat small frying pan on medium heat and spray pan with cooking spray.  Start toast and set to your desired level of toasty. Beat egg with a dash of water and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, Mexican oregano and chipotle powder.  Cook egg and while cooking try to keep the egg as one mass and work it into a patty shape that will fit on your english muffin. When the toast is done, sprinkle on the cheddar cheese and park it back in the toaster oven to melt the cheese slightly.  Place the egg in the english muffin and enjoy!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Newborn hats

I saw this tutorial by Jen from TIe Dye Diva over at Sew, Mama, Sew! last week.  I am in baby sewing mode right now and some leftover fabric on hand that I used to make a few things for my nephew.  I had the perfect amount of left overs to whip up these hats in under a half hour!  I love quick projects!!  Jen's tutorial was really easy to follow and she gives you tips for sewing with knits right in there which was very helpful for me.  These hats are so tiny and cute I was almost in disbelief that PB's head was ever that small.  I also love how lightweight they are.  The babies these are for will be born next month so they need a lightweight hat for the warm weather.  

Friday, April 22, 2011

Orange Bilibo

Happy Orange Friday! AND Happy Earth Day! This is PB's Bilibo.  He loves spinning and sliding and putting toys in there and hiding under it.  
It's no surprise that when we get PB something, it is orange.  I am slowly brainwashing him :)

Monday, April 18, 2011

Birthday and Baby Gifts

I have been sewing up a storm this week.  My house is a mess but it was worth it!!  AND the binding is done on my nephew's quilt!!! FINALLY!!!! WHOOHOOO!!!!

Another one of PB's friends turned 2 this weekend.  He loves balls so I whipped him up a baseball themed apron and chef's hat using this pattern.

PB's teacher is about to have a baby any day now and she had her last day this week.  I wanted to make her something special because she has been so great this year.  This is her 4th baby!  I wanted her to have something new and special for #4.  

I made her a nursing cover. Here is my tutorial.

I also made her a taggie toy. This is the front and the back matches the nursing cover.  

Here is the front and back of the quilted burp cloth. 

I also made a bib that has a snap closure and is lined with vinyl.  I can't find where I got the pattern online but I printed out it before PB was born.  The pattern comes with a pocket option. 

This is just some of what I worked on and finished last week.  My sewing machine has taken over the kitchen table.  My craft space and Hubs' workspace are back to back so I can't sew when he is on the phone.  I had to relocate so I could get everything done.  I am working 2 more baby gifts for a friend and cousin this week and sewing a bunch of stuff for my nephew. 

Hope you like to see baby stuff! That is pretty much all I am making right now!! I'll make up some tutorials for the things I am making so you can make some too!!

Friday, April 15, 2011

Orange Trimmer

It's my favorite time of year, when I get to pretend I am Edward Scissorhands!! I have so much fun with my orange trimmers cutting and shaping the bushes. I don't do anything fancy like dinosaurs or a family portrait, but maybe one day. For now I will pretend I am Edward and just make round blobs out of my bushes. Happy Orange Friday!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Cheesecake with chocolate ganache

I picked up a springform pan at IKEA a few weeks ago with this cheesecake in mind.  I never made a cheesecake before and the lack of good cheesecakes nearby motivated me to make my own.  It turned out exactly how I imagined it would.  It is the perfect cheesecake and I found the recipe through a google search.  I almost couldn't believe it.  

My mom has a friend that she volunteers with that is an incredible baker.  Her advice for making a cheesecake is to replace 1/2 the graham cracker needed for the crust with a crushed cookie. I used crushed Oreos.  What a fantastic idea.  It really makes the crust more delicious.  I made a chocolate ganache to top the cheesecake because you can never have enough chocolate.  

This week was full of desserts! I am going to have to make up for it with lots of salads!!

Cheesecake- recipe from allrecipes.com modified by me
  • Ingredients
  • 15 graham crackers, crushed 1/2 graham cracker 1/2 oreo cookies
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  •  
  • 4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.  In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.  In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.  Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Do not open the door.  Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.  

Chocolate Ganache 
4oz 60% chocolate, chopped
4 oz heavy cream

Heat heavy cream in a sauce pan until it begins to bubble.  Pour over chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate is smooth and shiny. Drizzle, or pour, over cheesecake.


Monday, April 11, 2011

Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies

This month the Cook Off is back at Kitchen Corners.  The challenge is crazy chocolate creations.  I have been wanting to put bacon in chocolate cookies for a long time.  It just seems like a good idea.  I like chocolate, cookies, and bacon so why not put them together?  
  
I used dark cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips.  The bacon adds a salty, smokey surprise.  

These cookies are so good.  This is super dark chocolate and very decadent.  I like the surprise of bacon in here, in fact next time I think I will use more bacon.


UPDATE: Add PB Chips instead of Chocolate for an even yummier cookie!!

Check out the other entries in the Kitchen Corners April Cook Off!!

Printable Recipe
Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies- recipe from AllRecipes.com and modified by me

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons bacon fat
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder (i used dark cocoa powder)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (i used dark chocolate chips OR Peanut Butter Chips)
  • 10 slices cooked bacon crumbled

  • Cook bacon and let cool and drain on a paper towel.  In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, bacon fat, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Hand mix in the chocolate chips and bacon. Cover and let cool in the refrigerator for 2 hours. 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

I linked up:
Craft Link parties

Friday, April 8, 2011

Orange Chopsticks

I love eating with chopsticks.  It really makes dinner more fun!  Hubs picked me up some orange chopsticks in Chinatown when he was in San Francisco for work a few years ago.  Peanut Butter loves the chopsticks and really wants to eat with them and can't do it yet.  He does insist that I feed him rice with the chopsticks which doesn't go very well :)

Monday, April 4, 2011

Sneak Peek: Nephew's Quilt Progress

This is the last peek I am going to share until my Bro and SIL get the quilt.  Sadly that means you won't see the finished quilt until May after their baby shower.  There is something you need to know about my little bro, he is a peeker and he is a reader of my blog. If I put a link up here to a pic of the quilt and say "hey bro, don't click this. " He is absolutely going to click it.  So here is one last peek to torture my bro and make him wait to see the quilt.  Don't worry bro, you only have to wait a month WAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
This is the back of the quilt.

Here is the front.  

Have I mentioned that I am using  Care from Obsessively Stitching First Quilt Ever tutorial?  I don't know if I have sung her praises enough.  If you are thinking about making your first quilt and think, "it's too hard."  You have to try her tutorial.  She made me look like a rock star with my first quilt .  I made this last year when I was a straight line sewer.  I had only followed a few patterns for simple bags and I was making mostly pillows.  If you can sew 2 pieces of fabric together, you can follow her tutorial and make your first quilt!!

Friday, April 1, 2011

Orange Quilt

This is the first quilt I ever made, of course there is lots of orange in it.  I followed Care from Obsessively Stitching First Quilt Ever tutorial.  It was so fun and easy to follow, I can't say enough great things about it.  Look at how tiny PB is here, he can't even walk yet.  This was taken last May.  

My favorite part of the quilt is the binding.  I loved the instructions Care had and I love that it is pieced together.  I had so much fun making this quilt.  PB loves it too.  

It is snowing big fat flakes here.  I could go for some spring weather right about now!
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