{free printable & project share} Homemade Sugar Body Scrub

I know I always appreciate  homemade gifts, especially on Mother's Day, so this  year I decided to do baskets for the moms with multiple homemade goodies.  Sorry I'm posting this after the fact, but just in case my mother and mother-in-law check this blog I didn't want to ruin the surprise.  Anyway, this lavender sugar scrub is just one of the things debuting in the basket and it took less than 1 minute to pull together.  Now that's my type of craft!

Ingredients Needed:

•  Sugar (I used granulated white sugar, but I suppose brown could work too)
• Oil (I used almond oil, but any oil that is smell-less would work-- such as olive oil)
• Essential Oil Drops
• Glass Jar

First fill your jar with the sugar, but leave enough room for the oil.  I used just enough oil that when it was mixed together it was a sloshy, but not too oily (does that make sense?).  It's not a science-- just pour the oil in a little at a time until you're satisfied with the dampness of the sugar mixture.

 Now, add between 5-10 drops of essential oil.  I used lavender, but contemplated using peppermint, orange, vanilla....etc.  I bought this lavender essential oil at Hobby Lobby and it was the most costly part of this project.  BUT, it should last me a while because you don't need much.

Next, tie it up with a pretty ribbon, a wooden stick and my free printable.  I would also encourage you to Mod Podge the printable label onto your glass jar so when it gets wet it doesn't sog up and fall off.

 I've created an assortment of four body scrub labels for you.  These body scrubs are super fast to put together-- the perfect last minute gift for just about anyone.

{food share} Flower Bundt Cinnamon Rolls

I can't take credit for this fun food presentation idea-- it was solely MY HUSBAND'S idea!  Believe it or not, my husband LOVES to help me come up with fun and unique ways to serve food.  It was sweet, really.  He came to me after I had made the cinnamon roll dough and with excitement in his voice he exclaimed, "you should let some cinnamon rolls rise in the mini-bundt pan and then when they cook they'll take on the flower shape.  It'll be soooo cute!"

Such a cute idea-- thanks honey!  The only thing I dislike about this is that the frosting covers it all up!
Looking for a delicious cinnamon roll recipe to go along with this?  Take a look at this recipe from one of my previous posts HERE.

{recipe} Creamy Pesto Pasta w/ Toasted Breadcrumbs

There are a few things we miss about Utah since moving to New Mexico.  One of those things is the Corner Bakery and their creamy pesto cavatappi dish.  Every time we return to Utah we make multiple trips to get our fix, but this recipe suffices our cravings while we're away and it's super quick to make.  Every so often I'll serve this dish with parmesan crusted chicken or a crusty piece of bread to soak up the delicious sauce, but without all of that, when we're in a hurry, this dish comes together in 10 minutes.

Of course you could make your own pesto and alfredo sauce, which I've done, but what makes this dish speedy are the pre-made store bought sauces.  And, I feel the flavor is just as good.

 The toasted breadcrumbs make the dish, in my opinion.  I love the mixed texture of the creamy sauce and crunchy crumbs.  Hope you enjoy my take on the Corner Bakery dish-- we sure do.

Creamy Pesto Sauce Directions (serves 4-6): While the noodles are boiling, place one container of Buitoni alfredo sauce with 4-5 tablespoons of pesto in a sauce pan over low to medium heat, stir often to make sure it doesn't scorch on the bottom.  After the noodles are cooked and drained add the sauce and mix until pasta is evenly coated.  Next, top with toasted breadcrumbs and serve immediately.  Oh and don't forget to salt to taste.  Every pesto sauce has a different level of sodium so I usually wait until the end to salt.

Toasted Breadcrumbs Directions: Melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a small saute' pan.  Add 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasonings.  Stir to incorporate and continue stirring until the crumbs brown up.  Once they brown, take them off the heat and serve on top of the pasta immediately.  mmmm... delish!

{craft share & recipe} Easter Cookies

I must admit-- icing cookies intimidates me!  I always look at those edible creation cookies and 'ooh' and 'ahh' over them and wish I could create something remotely similar.  Not to say mine even compare to the professionals cookies, but they really weren't too terribly difficult.

I wasn't feeling overly confident about icing a face on the bunnies so I decided to play it safe with some fluffy bunny tails made out of mini-marshmallows.

I'd say it's not bad for my first attempt at icing cookies this way!

Royal Icing (Piping Border Frosting)

2 Egg Whites, beaten

1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

3 Cups Confectioner Sugar

Directions:  Sift together the sugar and cream of tartar.  Next add the egg whites and beat with electric mixer until it stiffens up and holds it shape.  Then, I divide the frosting into different bowls and add the coloring needed for each cookie.  Keep in mind that piping the borders on the cookies don't take a whole lot of frosting.  

Royal Icing (Flooding Inside Frosting)

Using the left over piping border frosting I then added just enough lemon juice to make the frosting a bit more runny.  I believe I added somewhere around 1-2 Tablespoons.  Then, you just plop a good amount in the center of the border frosting and slowly spread it to the edges.  It will dry smooth and flat, but it does take around 20-30 minutes so resist the urge to touch.

{recipe & craft} Rice Crispy Shamrock Treats

Hope you haven't put away your Valentines heart cookie cutters yet!  These shamrock Rice Krispie treats were a hit at our household and my little ones enjoyed eating all the many scrap leftovers.  Rice Krispie treats are some of the easiest things to make, so I feel a little silly posting this, but what the heck. It was a fun make and hopefully you'll find it fun as well.

 Needed:  Rice Krispies Cereal, Butter, Mini Marshmallows, Green Gel Paste Coloring, Heart Cookie Cutter,  Wooden Skewers, and Plastic Wrap.  Oh, and don't forget some cut green ribbon too!

 Once the marshmallows have melted add a few drops of the green gel paste and stir until you get the coloring you desire.  Then add the cereal and stir stir stir like a crazy woman.  Then quickly transfer it to a greased pan before it cools (which happens quickly).

Next, spray your cutter with non-stick spray and start cutting your hearts.  I used three hearts per shamrock, smooshed them together and shoved a skewer in the center to hold them all together. Then, let them cool completely before wrapping.

Such a sweet edible bouquet of Krispie treats.

Rice Krispie Treat Recipe

{recipe adapted from Kellogs at ricekrispie.com}

          3 Tablespoons Butter

          1 Package Mini-Marshmallows (10oz)

          6 Cups Rice Krispie Cereal

          Green Food Coloring

Directions:  In a fairly large heavy bottom sauce pan melt the butter and marshmallows.  Once completely melted add the food coloring until you've receive the coloring you desire.  Next, add the Rice Krispie cereal and stir vigorously.  Immediately transfer over to a greased pan and cut out shapes before it completely cools.  Now, enjoy!  My little monsters sure did.

{recipe & tutorial} Red Velvet Crackle Cookies

If there is one thing I always have in the pantry and fridge it's cake mix and cream cheese!  So, when I went to make some cookies for my husband's young men's church group I thought, what's better than the two of them together in a cookie?  These cookies are rich and chocolatey and all of the young men raved about their yumminess to my husband.

Ingredients:

1 Red Velvet Cake Mix 

1 8oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temp

1/2 Cup Butter, softened to room temp

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 Bag of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chip Morsels

Flour

Confectioner's Sugar

Directions:

First, beat together the room temperature butter and cream cheese.  Next add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.  Now, mix in the red velvet cake mix, cover and chill in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. 

 Meanwhile, dust the chocolate chips in flour.  If you don't cover your chocolate chips in flour they sink to the bottom of the cookie while baking.  After dough has chilled add the chips to the cake mix and form into tablespoon sized balls.

 Next, roll the cake balls into a good amount of confectioner's sugar and place on a cookie sheet a couple of inches apart.  Then, take a cup and smoosh the balls down semi-flat.  If you don't flatten them a little they will remain in a ball form.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

 These cookies are divine!  They are soft.  They are chewy.  They are so rich you won't need many to get your fix.  Enjoy!  We sure did.

{recipe} Strawberry Almond Whoopie Pies

Cake mixes make my life so much easier.  Let's face it-- with two toddlers running around easier is better in this case.  I put together these strawberry almond whoopie pies in a matter of minutes for a girls craft night get together and they were a hit!  Delish and easy I tell ya!

Ingredients:

1 Strawberry Cake Mix
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
4 oz. Cream Cheese, Softened to room temp
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened to room temp
1 1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Teaspoons Almond Extract

Directions & Assembling:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  While the oven is heating up mix together the cake mix, oil and eggs.  Next, using a rounded tablespoon scoop the dough onto your cookie sheet-- leave a couple of inches between the cookies.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Let cool completely on rack before assembling.
While cookies are baking beat together your cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract with powder sugar.  Add small increments of the almond extract at a time.  I love the cherry flavoring it gives baked goods, but depending on how much you like the taste of almond extract you could add a little more or a little less (or omit it all together, but then it would be called a 'strawberry vanilla whoopie pie').  When assembling the cookies I use that same tablespoon and plop a good amount on one side and take the other cookie and close it up, pushing the frosting out the sides.
TIP-- don't push the cookies together too hard or the filling will spill out. Also, these cookies are much easier to eat after they have sat for an hour or two assembled.  That is, if you can resist letting them sit on the counter that long.  :)

{recipe} Chocolate Cheesecake Four Ways!

I LOVE chocolate and I LOVE cheesecake so the two together was heaven on earth for me.  A chocolate cheesecake recipe is nothing new, but I've added a little bit of spice to each one of my little cheesecakers.  I've done the dirty (if cooking and tasting chocolate cheesecakes can really be called "dirty"?) work for you.  I made one batch of cheesecake and divided it into four.  I then added different secret ingredients to each one.  So... let's get to it shall we?

The first cake batter I added ground cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves.

 The other three cakes were accompanied with alternative spices as well.  One cake had Cayenne, the other Chili Powder and the last one had Chipotle Chile Pepper.

 Once the graham cracker crust had cooled from it's prior baking I added the four different cheesecake batters. I then filled the casserole dishes with boiling water half way up the sides of the cheesecake pans.  This helps keep the cheesecake moist and hopefully from cracking.
Tip 1:  make sure your tin foil is wrapped snuggly around the spring form pans so no water can seep through.
Tip 2 (if you're going to bake all four flavors at once): wrap tin foil around the handle of the casserole dishes identifying which cake is which.

Now for the hard part-- tasting each one!

Cake 1: Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Cloves-- tasted very Christmassy

Cake 2:  Chili Powder-- had the slightest hint of chili, but not a lot of other flavors going on

Cake 3: Cayenne Pepper-- had a good amount of spice taste, but didn't overwhelm the chocolate flavor

Cake 4: Chipotle Chile Pepper-- smokey undertones

THE WINNER-- Cayenne Pepper!  It was a nice pair to chocolate and didn't take away from it.  Now, that's not to say the other three weren't delicious, but the Cayenne was by far my fave.

Chocolate Cayenne Cheesecake

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar (brown or granulated white-- I've used either and both work great for the crust)

3 (8 ounce) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, melted (I used Ghiradelli's baking chips)

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper (If you like more heat add additional increments, but I would suggest tasting the batter as you go.  Keep in mind the spicyness subsides a bit with baking)

Directions

1.  Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Combine the melted butter, graham crackers and sugar in a food processor.  Press mixture into the bottom of your springform pan and bake for 5 minutes.  Set aside and cool

2.  In a large bowl mix together cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add sweet condensed milk until smooth and creamy.  Next, add all of the remaining ingredients.  Poor into prepared pans.

3.  Bake for 65 minutes or until cake center is set.  Cool to room temperature and then chill thoroughly in the fridge.  Store leftovers in the fridge (if you have any).

{recipe} Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

 This recipe came from Sprinkles' pumpkin spice cake box.  It adds just the right amount of cinnamon to any spice cake, pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie or cinnamon roll.  Seriously so good!  I tell ya, those folks over at the Sprinkles company know what they're doing.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

milk-- add in 1 teaspoon increments to your desired consistency

 Directions:

Using your electric mixer, beat cream cheese, unsalted butter, salt, and cinnamon on medium low speed until smooth and creamy (approximately 2 or 3 minutes).  Reduce speed to low and gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing until incorporated.  Add the vanilla; beat just until mixed.  Do not over-beat or the frosting will incorporate too much air. It should be creamy and dense like ice cream.  Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if frosting is not of a spreadable consistency.

 Piping Tip: 

More often than not I’m too lazy to get out all of my baking gear so I use Ziplock baggies to pipe frosting.  I make cut in one of the corners (about 1/2 inch off) and insert my tip so it’s a snug fit.  Then I fill the bag up with frosting and pipe away.  Super easy and super lazy, I know!

Enjoy!  This frosting is DIVINE and just in time for the holidays.

{recipe} Coffee/Crumb Cake

Not sure what you'd call this cake... coffee cake or crumb cake?  Whatever you call--  call it DELISH!  The cake is incredibly moist and the crumb topping is beyond tasty and crumbly.  I could have eaten the topping raw without the cake and been satisfied.

COFFEE/CRUMB CAKE RECIPE

CRUMB TOPPING

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

CAKE BATTER

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

2 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

Position the oven rack in the center and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease your cake pan and dust with flour. Set aside.

Make the Crumb: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Melt the butter and stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Gradually drizzle the melted butter mixture into the flour mixture while continuously and gently tossing with a fork. Continue to toss until all the butter is absorbed and you have a uniformly moistened crumb mixture. If texture of crumb is too small, gently squeeze small clumps together to make large crumbs ranging in size from that of a pea to that of a grape.  Set aside while you make the cake batter.

Make the Batter: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one is added. Beat in the vanilla and sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Add flour mixture to the sour cream mixture and beat on low or stir with a large spoon until evenly combined.

Assembling & Cooking:

Turn the batter into the prepared pan(s) and spread evenly. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the batter with your fingers, covering the batter evenly and completely. Bake 8-inch rounds for 20-25 minutes, or a 9- by 13-inch pan for 30-35 minutes, or a 9- or 10-inch tube pan for 35-40 minutes. Cake is done when a wooden pick or cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean, and the sides of the cake are golden and slightly pulling away from the edge of the pan. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in its pan(s) set on a wire rack. Carefully transfer the cake, crumb side up, onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

 My cake was baked in one 9 inch Springform pan and I had to cook it significantly longer than expected.  This turned out delicious and I found myself going back for seconds, thirds and even forths.  An extremely dangerous cake for someone who is on a diet and trying to lose their last bit of post baby weight.  So in order to NOT eat it all box them up and deliver some slices to your neighbors.  Spread the calories and the love!

 Download the circular cake box slice template HERE

{recipe & free printable} Canning Homemade Salsa & Free Printable

We had a bushel of fresh tomatoes sitting on our counter for a few days and I needed to use them QUICK!  So... I decided to make and can some fresh salsa.  I did some research online and canning acidic items can be tricky.  From what I've read you really need to make sure you add enough lemon/lime juice or vinegar to counteract the tomatoes acidity and prevent it from harboring botulism. So... here we go...

Items needed (for 1 batch):  I made roughly 7 batches and it yielded in 5 jars for canning, plus a little bowl full for immediate consumption.

3 Fresh/Ripe Tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 White Onion, roughly chopped

1/2 Bunch of Cilantro

3 Chili Peppers (I prefer to use jarred peppers, because then I can use roughly 1 teaspoon of juice from the jar)

1 1/2 Teaspoons Lime Juice

Garlic Salt (to taste--but I typically use 1/2 Tablespoon)

*This salsa is a bit spicy so if you have a milder taste omit one of the chili peppers and cut down the amount of chili pepper juice you use from the jar.

To make pico de gallo I would just cut all of the ingredients into like sized bite pieces and mix together, but to make the salsa below I put everything into my food processor and pureed it until smooth.  I wasn't sure it was going to turn out, but low and behold it tasted great!

 Now onto the canning part...because the recipe is raw you will need to process it in the water bath longer than if you had cooked the salsa over the stove top first.  Ladle the salsa into the sterilized jars leaving some space on the top.  Cover with your lids and place your jars into the water.  Make sure there is roughly 1-2 inches of water covering the top of the jars once the basket is submerged.

 Next, taking into consideration where you live and how high of an altitude you reside in will determine how long you process your jars in boiling water.  We live in zone 2 according to the lid of the canner so once the red needle reached the green area on zone 2 I began my timer for processing.  I processed this salsa for 75 minutes because the ingredients were raw going into the jars.

 Once processed, take them out and let them cool before attaching any labels.  Check the lids for air tightness.  Push the middle of the lid and if it pops back they haven't processed long enough. Make sure you store in a neutral environment-- not too cold, not too hot, not too sunny...etc.  I put my jars in the pantry.

 Yum!  It was pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Next time we'll heat the salsa up in the microwave, add some grated cheddar cheese and eat it with chips.  Enjoy, we sure did!
Oh and of course you need a printable label to go along with your jars of salsa.

Download FREE Printable HERE