Baby SCARE!

The girls at work were none stop teasing me today that I might be preggers. This come from me telling them my weird cravings and other odd randomness that's been going on lately.

While I doubted it for the majority of the day, I will say towards the afternoon I started sweating bullets.

After explaining to them this would be impossible because the hubs has been snipped, they reminded me that it could still happen.

Well it would be my karma because I've been teasing my pregnant Bestie and making remarks that if I was preggers I would push myself down the stairs. (KIDDING, people....only kidding!)

Anyways on my way to get the Wee P from school I stopped at a Target and took the test in their bathroom. I'm proud to say what ever powers there may be, they all agreed that I would be an unfit mother and I'm OK with that.

Side note: I think kids are great!!! I love my nieces, my nephews, my friends kids and I LOOOOOOOVE the Wee P. I just don't think I'm mature enough to be a mother full time.  I'm to selfish and I think that's awesome of me to admit it.  YAY ME!

The BEST tuna sammich

1 can white tuna, drained

6-8 T light mayo
3 T dill relish
1/4 t curry powder
1 T dried parsley
1 t dill weed
1/8 t minced onion flakes
1 T grated parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients and put on bread or toast. Sliced cheese is optional but delicious.

I need more Dill weed!

SIMPLE delicious pasta salad

Are you ready for a super easy and delicious salad? This is my favorite go to summer salad or my last minute "I forgot I have a potluck tomorrow salad."



Ingredients:
- Suddenly Pasta Salad the Classic kind
- 3 yellow tomatoes (or one package of baby yellows)
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Shredded fresh Parmesan (or grated kind)

Follow the directions & prepare the pasta as stated on the box - Add in diced yellow tomatoes, cucumbers & avocado - Sprinkle with cheese.

Make double batches when you serve this salad. It goes fast and IF there is any leftover, taste's great the next day.


*NOTE* Sometimes I add in sliced olives.

Lemonade cupcake with a raspberry vodka buttercream

Summer is coming up and guess what.... raspberry lemonade cupcakes will go so well with any BBQ.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter at room temp
4 eggs
2 cups sugar

1 t Mexican vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
Medium to large lemon (grated zest & juice from the lemon)
1 cup milk- divided

Time to start cookin’-
Preheat oven to 375- In a large bowl beat the butter, sugar & lemon zest with mixer until fluffy - Beat in the eggs one at a time, beat 30 seconds after each addition – Then beat in the vanilla – In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder & salt – Add dry mixture to the butter mixture a third at a time, alternating with half the milk & than half the lemon juice after each of the first 2 additions of flour -  Beat until combined - Fill 24 pre-lined muffin tin & bake for 20 minutes.

For the frosting:

1 cup fresh raspberries (this can be frozen raspberries, thawed)
1 cup butter at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar

Optional: Raspberry vodka

Using a Magic Bullet (or food processor), puree the raspberries until smooth. I used a cheesecloth to push the mixture threw so I didn’t get any seeds.

In another bowl, beat the butter & half the sugar until smooth - Add the puree, then more sugar until you have a spreadable consistency - Add a tablespoon or 2 of raspberry vodka. (The vodka is optional)

IF the butter cream looks wet you can add in more sugar and half a stick of butter – Mix well.

Once the cupcakes are cool, add the frosting. Sprinkle with pink edible glitter & top with fresh raspberries.

 *NOTE*- You can use yellow food coloring to give your cupcakes more of a yellow color. Normally, they will be a pale yellow.

Image shows baking soda, BUT it's actually baking POWDER.

I used a ziplock & added a tip

YUMMY!!!

Nappy time

Loki and I.

YAY for new stuff!!

My new measuring cups.  Yeah, you should be jealous.

It's called boredom

I saw a cute wreath on the Internet and I decided to make one similar to it. No instructions, just using an image and to my surprise it turned out adorable.

Our new cruisers

Tada our new adorable bikes!!

I'll upload a picture showing the basket with flowers added on it. SO CUTE!!!

Yogurt Ambrosia Salad

Growing up I use to love Ambrosia salad. I mean HELLO....marshmallow salad? Yes please!

Well now being a grown up & trying to eat healthier, I do a twist on a classic favorite & my family thinks its way better then the original.  This is a great side dish for the warmer weather. This is a yummy & naturally sweet salad. Most times I serve it as a dessert.

Things you need:
- 2 Ambrosia apples cored & cubed
- 2 Kiwi's peeled & chopped
- 1/2 t grated orange peel
- 1 orange-  peeled, sectioned and chopped
- 1 individual sized container vanilla yogurt
- 1/4 cup flaked sweeten coconut

Easy assemble steps:
Combine all fruit, zest & coconut in a medium bowl - Fold in yogurt - Serve immediately or refrigerate so the flavors can blend together.

**NOTE**
I use vanilla bean yogurt. As much as I love greek yogurt, its a little to thick for this recipe. You can add in nuts, like the original salad has in it. I top mine with pecans, its just not pictured.

If Honeycrisp apples are in season I highly recommend using them.

Empanadas!!!

I was craving some Mexican food so dammit, I made some. My hub loves when I make empanadas, so I decided to surprise him & make them. These are awesome for left overs.

Ingredients:

- 1 15oz boxed pie crusts
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
- 1 8oz package low fat cream cheese
- 2 T salsa of your choice
- 2 T cilantro (fresh or dry)
- 1/2 t ground cumin
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/4 t garlic powder

Start by setting out the pie crusts & let them stand for about 15 minutes at room temp -Preheat your oven to 425 - In a small pot heat the cream cheese, stirring constantly until melted - Add salsa, cilantro & spices - Mix well & then add the chopped cooked chicken - Cook for 5 minutes & then remove from burner - Roll out dough, cut out circles that are an appropriate size to fit in your potsticker/empanada press - Fill with 1-2 tablespoons of mixture - Close the press, and remove and place on a foil baking sheet - Brush beaten egg on top of empanadas & then bake for 15-18 minutes. I usually do 17 minutes.

**NOTES**
You can reuse the dough scraps. Just ball them up together and roll them out. This usually makes about 20 empanadas. Serve these with salsa, sour cream and fresh guacamole. I usually add chopped olives and 1/4 cup shredded cheese.

Now the empanada press goes by many names. They all do the job, so it doesnt matter which one you get. Potsticker/Gyoza/Dumpling/Empanada press.

Here's one on Amazon: CLICK HERE