ITS FOOD WEEK! Pt.2

Hello to all my followers!

Todays post caters specifically to the cheese cake lover in all of us! This recipe may not be found on Pinterest but is near and dear to my heart because it has been past down through generations of family!

Heres what you'll need:

Crust 

• 2 c graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 lb butter or margarine 
• spring form pan

Cake

• 4 packages 8oz. cream cheese 
• 4 eggs
• 1 pint sour cream 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 tbsp. flour
• 1 1/4 -1 1/2 c sugar
• 3/4 c whole milk

Step One

     Melt the butter in a large frying pan

Step Two 

     Add the cracker crumbs and sugar to butter and mix well

Step Three 

     Press the mixture into the bottom of the spring form pan 

Step Four 

     Mix softened cream cheese with all other cake ingredients in a large bowl until smooth 

Step Five 

     Pour mixture into spring form pan on top of the crust

Step Six

      

     Bake for one hour in a 370 degree oven, the cake should have a golden brown top

Hint: to prevent the top of the cake from cracking open the oven slightly and let the cake cool down before taking it out 

For added flavor mix your favorite fruit with water and sugar and heat until they melt and become a syrup. Pour the syrup over the cake and enjoy!!

This is a fairly simple recipe to please everyone during the holiday season!

Andie

Crazy Cups!!!

Hey crafters!!

Welcome back! I recently tried out this DIY painted mug tutorial and it was a HUGE success!

Heres what you'll need:

• a mug (of your choice)
• a variety of paint markers
• rubbing alcohol
• oven 
• stickers

Step One

         Clean off the outside of your mug with some rubbing alcohol and let air dry

Step Two

       Choose the design you want to decorate your mug with

Note: I chose to place an A sticker on one side and dot around it. Tighter dots closer to the A and have them dissipate the further i got from the sticker

Step Three

          Apply the design using the paint markers.

Hint: let the paint dry before applying multiple layers 

Hint: rubbing alcohol applied to a paper towel will allow you to "erase" your mistakes 

Step Four

        Place your finished mug in a cool oven and set the baking temp to 300.

Hint: Remove any stickers before baking

Note: Yqou want the oven to heat up with the mug in it because if the oven is hot and then the mug is placed in it the mug can crack

Step Five

       Allow the mug to cure in the 300 degree oven for 30 minutes

Step Six

        Turn the oven off and allow the mug and oven to cool down together 

Step Seven

      Use your new mug any chance you can!! OR you can decorate them and give them as gifts!

Note: always hand wash your mug to ensure the paint is preserved

Let your creative flags fly!!

Andie

Mason Jar Madness

Hello Followers!!!

Have an excess of mason jars?? Turn them into fancy house hold utility jars!

Heres what you'll need

• Mason jars
• Primer spray paint
• Colored spray paint

Optional

• Elmer's school glue
• lace, sparkles, ribbon or, rope

Step One 

        Wash out the mason jar and let them dry 

Step Two 

       Shake the spray paint primer and then cover the jar's out side in an even layer. 

Note: let the paint

air dry before put on a second coat

Step Three

       Once the primer layer is dry shake and spray the colored layer evenly around the jar.

 

Hint: you can make different patterns using tape to cover areas you don't want to be your main color.

Note: apply as many coats of the colored paint until the color you desire is achieved.

Step Four OPTIONAL

      Using Elmer's glue you can add sparkles or tie the rope/ribbons around the top of the jar.

Enjoy using these decorative jars to house spare change, flowers or even tooth brushes

See you guys next week!!

Andie 

The Drunken Pumpkin

Welcome back!

Though Halloween is over Autumn isn't!! There is still time between now and Thanksgiving to get your pumpkin carving done!

The drunken pumpkin will surely be a conversation starter that takes little effort to make.



Heres what you'll need:

• 1 fresh pumpkin
• 1 carving knife
• 1 empty glass bottle
• 1 tea light
• A pen

Step One

       Cut out a circle around the stem of the pumpkin. Leave about a half an inch from the stem to where you cut.

Step Two

      Remove all of the guts from the pumpkin.

Note: if you pick the seeds out from the stringy pulp you can season them and toast them for a snack.

Step Three

          Draw two large eyes using a pen on front of the pumpkin towards the top leaving space for the eyebrows. Draw another circle  inside of the eyes about the size of a quarter. Then another circle inside of that one about the size of a nickel.

Hint: the eyes should be about as big as the opening of a standard cup

Step Four

           Outline 2 eye brows above the penned in eyes. 

Template for the perfect pumpkin eyebrows 

Step Five

       Slightly below the eyes cut out diamond for the nose. Round the edges to give your pumpkin a less harsh face.

Step Six

         Using the bottle cap to trace around make a circle below and slightly to the right of the nose. 

Step Seven 

        Cut out the eye brows nose and mouth completely. 

Step Eight

       To make the eyes look more 3D cut out the nickel sizes circle. Then gently shave away the skin of the pumpkin. Shave only about a 1/3 of the skin. Do not go all the way through the rind.

Shave the pink section 

Step Nine

        Clean out the empty glass bottle and wedge it inside the mouth hole.

Hint: for added effect lightly shave in 2 thin curved lines under the mouth. This will help the mouth look more realistic

Step Ten

      Place the tea light inside the pumpkin and light it.

The drunken pumpkin is finished and ready to drink any of his fellow 21 year olds under the table!



Enjoy your new buddy!
Andie 

MEAT the Man of Your Dreams

Hellooo Followers!

For all of you single ladies with the perfect couples costume don't beg your friends to complete the costume with you. I have provided all of the instructions to cook up the meatiest man out there.

Heres what you'll need

• 1 plastic skill
• 1 package of prosciutto
• 2 skirt steaks
• 1 chicken thigh 
• 1 full rack of ribs 
• 1 package of cocktail weenies 
• 1 red bell pepper 
• 1 bottle of honey
• 1 bottle BBQ sauce

Step One

  

     Baste the chicken, ribs, cocktail weenies, and steaks with BBQ sauce.

Step Two

      Cook the Ribs in a 180 degree oven until the internal temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Note: Check the ribs periodically. Baste with BBQ sauce to taste. When the ribs are finished cut them in half and let them rest in the pan covered with tin foil.

Step Three 

       Cover the plastic skull with honey. Then place the prosciutto over the honey. 

Hint: you want the prosciutto to look like dry decaying skin.

Step Four

         Once the ribs are cooked raise the oven temperature to 350. Place the chicken in the oven to cook until the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step Five

          While the chicken is cooking warm up the cocktail weenies in a pot with bbq sauce. 

Note: After about 10 minutes add the bell pepper and let it cook down and soften.

Step Six

         Use a medium sauce pan to sear the steaks.

Note: cook to desired temperature (rare, med rare, med, or well)

Step Seven

          Once all of the meat has been properly cooked assemble the "man".

• Half way down a cutting board place the red bell pepper, the pepper is the heart
• Place the steaks (lungs) on both left and right sides of the pepper
• The chicken should be located below the pepper, this will be the man's stomach
• Pile the cocktail weenies to look like intestines below the chicken stomach.
• Rest one half of ribs over each side of the mans insides creating a rib cage effect.
• Put the prosciutto skull at the top of the man's body.

Below is a link for proper internal temperature of different kinds of meat:

http://www.flamingroosterbbq.com/index.php/tips-and-tricks/cooking-meat-101

Enjoy watching all of your friends drool over your hot pice of meat this Halloween!

Happy Halloween!!
Andie 

    

Chew It Yourself!!

Hello Ghosts and Goblins!


The options for homemade Halloweens costumes are endless! Ever since I was little I have worn homemade costumes and as a college student on a budget the tradition continues!

This "chew it yourself" costume will wow all of your friends as you transform into a walking gum ball machine!

The supplies:

• Pompoms
• Thick strapped tanktop
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue
• Red skater/circle skirt
• Grey felt 
• Sharpie marker

Step One

         Try on the tank top and skirt and draw a line on the shirt where the top of the skirt hits.

Step Two

        Lay the shirt on the floor and smooth it out so theres no wrinkles.

Step Three

        Begin hot gluing the pompoms onto the front of the shirt.

Note: there is no color pattern for the pompoms. Its a random free for all.

Step Four

        Once all of the pompoms are glued down try the shirt and skirt back on to make sure there are no gaps between the end of the pompoms and top of the skirt.

Step Five

        Measure out a 5x7 rectangle from the grey felt. 

Step Six

       Cut out the rectangle.

Step Seven

      Using the sharpie draw a circle about an inch below the top of the fabric. Add a sharpie rectangle to the left and right side of the circle

Note: the rectangles do not have to be in the middle of the circle they can be off centered.

Step Eight

       Below the gum ball crank add in the money money amount. I chose to write .25 cents on my costume. At the bottom of the felt draw and fill in a trapezoid. Make sure to leave about an inch on each side of the trapezoid.

Step Nine

          Using the hot glue secure the felt to the top of the skirt. 

Hint: find the middle of the waistband and place the felt there before glueing it down.

Have a terrifying Tuesday night!!!

Andie

Home Sweet Apartment

Attention all apartment/homeowners!

The only thing worse than having to stare at bare apartment walls is the nauseating feeling of shelling out the cash for cool wall decor. It always seems like the paintings and knick knacks you like the most also cost the most.

These do it yourself shadow boxes allow you to fill your walls with your most memorable times. You are also in control of the exact colors and sizes that fit your rooms!

Heres what you need:

• 1 Vintage picture frame
• Tape measure
• 1 inch common finishing nails 
• 1/4 inch utility plywood 
• Saw 
• Wood glue
• Paint in the color(s) of your choice 

Step One

      Measure the inside of the picture frame along the long side. Cut two pieces of wood to this length.

Step Two

      Place the cut boards inside the the frame and measure the distance between them. This distance is how long the remaining two boards should be. 

Step Three

       Glue the wood boards to the inside of the frame and to each other.

Hint: wipe off all of any extra glue

Step Four

      Once all of the glue has dried nail the boards together. For extra security nail the boards the the picture frame itself.

Step Five

        Paint your new shadow boxes as you please!

Note: I painted mine to match my bed comforter.

Step Six

         Fill the boxes with memories that will last a life time!

 'Take care of all your memories. For you cannot relive them.' - Bob Dylan 
Andie