Delicious fudge-y brownies

Okay, so this is a week that needs chocolate.  Some weeks just call for it, right?  And it's not that anything bad is going on, It's just a week that screams chocolate! I am thankful for these leftovers (I made them on Valentines Day. . . and took the leftovers to Bible Study this morning).  They were delicious.   I have been on the search for a yummy fudge brownie recipe, and I am getting closer.  Most call for things I generally don't keep in the pantry all the time, whereas this recipe called for ingredients I most always have on hand. . . staples, shall we say.  They were really good, super chocolatey, and nice and rich. . . perfect brownies.  Trust me when I say they were perfect. . . I don't lie.

Fudge Brownies

from Yammie's Noshery (seriously, lovin' the word Noshery, by the way!)

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter

2 1/4 cups of sugar

4 large eggs 

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups of cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups chocolate chips 

Directions:

Grease your favorite 9x13 inch pan and preheat the oven to 350º.
Mix together the butter and sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave, stirring about every 30 seconds, until the mixture is bubbly and smooth (this took 5 to 6 times). Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Mix together the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and flour and add to the butter mixture, mixing until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for about 28 minutes. 

Enjoy!  They really are delicious!  

Weston turned 2: alphabet style

My baby boy turned 2 years old last week.  I can't begin to describe how quickly it is going for this little boy.  I think Ethan's first 2 years seemed to go slightly slower (still quick, but not warp speed like the past 2 years have gone!).  We celebrated his birthday on Friday as a small family by going to Sky Walk Trampoline Park (Totally Awesome!) and then naps.  Saturday was the party where we invited family and some friends.  

 I love throwing parties and this year my wonderful husband gave me a budget. . . a small one.  I had to throw a party for Weston for 100 dollars.  Yep.  I was incredibly frustrated at first because I didn't want him to grow up thinking that his older brother got all the cool parties and he didn't (although his first birthday was awesome, if you ask me).  But then I got started, made a plan, and started getting ready.  And believe it or not, I came out at about 120 dollars, including food.

I made this W for the front door with the help of my husband.  He cut out a w out of a diaper box and I covered it in red tissue paper that we had laying around.

I loved the table.  I bought a stack of fun paper from JoAnns when they were on sale for half off (best deal. . . ever!) and that played the center for it.  I used my cricut and cut out every single letter (I must have messed up on o, because we didn't even know it was missing until we were hanging it up and at 1:00 am, we just wanted to go to bed).  For food, I did caramel popcorn, Funfetti popcorn, ABC cookes (Trader Joe's), Chips and Guac, spinach dip, and artichoke dip, plus a veggie platter, some candy and goldfish.

I went simple with the drinks and did lemonade and iced tea.  I had some Subway Art (check out my Pinterest Board, Let's throw a Party) and a questionaire that I printed at Costco and framed with some IKEA frames I had laying around.

The cupcakes were chocolate with a ganache glaze and then a whipped cream frosting topped with alphabet sprinkles (I found them here).

The W is a cardboard one from JoAnns.  It only ended up costing about 3 dollars because they were on sale the day I bought them.  I then used paper from the same pack that I did the banner with and cut strips and modged podged them on to the W.

I made the W is for Weston digital art using my Creative Memories software and then printed an 8x10 at Costco.

Favors were fun crayons.  All I did was buy a large box of crayons from Target and bagged them up in cello bags and decorated them with decorated tape (I love this stuff!).  They ended up being a big hit!

To give the kiddos something to do, I bought foam letters and let them glue them to construction paper and made some kool-aid play dough for them to cut letters out with.  

And here is my sweet, little 2 year old!  Happy Birthday to him!

He did a great job blowing out the candles!

Thanks for letting me share my baby's birthday with you.  I still can't believe that I did it for about 120 dollars.  Ethan has already picked his theme and I have already started getting ideas. . . because I have to stick to a low budget once again.  Enjoy your 3 day weekend!  I have a yummy treat coming soon. . . don't worry. :)

Adventures in Gardening: Starting out!

I ma so excited!  My wonderful hubby is building me some fantastic planter boxes.  This is a project that we have been talking about for a couple of years.  I am so excited that he's getting into it.  He even did research and designed my boxes.  I am so proud of him!  I also love that my kids have been involved with this project.  

Ethan helped me clear out the majority of the weeds and grass that was growing is an empty section of our backyard.  He did such a great job. . . especially since it was sooo cold the week we worked on it!

Once we got the area clear, we laid down a barrier that allows moisture to go through, but doesn't let the weeds go through.  Ethan thought this was cool.  We put rocks in the corner, because that's where the water comes off our patio when it rains.  

Weston loved helping put rocks in the corner, especially since as the ice was melting that morning, water had been collecting in that corner, so now there was a big puddle.  Splash!  (Yes. . . water and dirt make 2 very happy boys!)

 Here is the first planter (we are waiting on tax money to do the other two).  We used redwood and didn't treat it.  Have I mentioned lately, how much I love the boys that God has blessed me with?  It is so much fun being able to include the whole family in this project.  And look, Can you see that I have lemons? It's my favorite time of the year!

We moved the box in over the top of the barrier. . . 

 and filled it with rocks.  We happen to have a section of yard that the previous owners filled with rocks (which we are planning on changing anyways), so we put a small layer of rocks to help with the water drainage.  We also made a barrier along the sides so dirt can't escape from the bottom.

 Then we filled it with some organic soil made specially for vegetable gardens.  It took 2 containers to fill up, but now that it's been about 2 weeks it has definitely settled about 2 inches.  We will probably add more soon.

 Here are some of my baby seedlings.  It's too cold for them to stay outside all night, so they get a bath and sun during the day.  They are growing beautifully!  I can't wait to show you!  I chose to plant my seeds in egg shells because they are compostable and I will just be able to stick them in the soil.

It's about time you meet these guys

I honestly can't believe that I never posted these last year. . . but I think that I will just declare 2012 as a year of slacking off when it comes to the blog realm of my life.  I created these monsters to keep my boys company while I was in Wyoming last June.  Seriously, I was so excited as I worked on them and I can't wait to make more.  

The green dinosaur one was the first one I made. . . he went to Weston.  He is just the right size for cuddles.   Math Whiz on the Left was made for Ethan.  He was the second one and I got more creative with that one. . . the wheels in my head kept on turning. Like I said, I can't wait to make more.

Ethan's also has a really cool letter E sewn into his butt.  Super cool feature.  I am tempted to sell these on Etsy. . . but that's a topic to be discussed at a later time.

Hope you all are having a great day!  Thanks for taking time to read my blog. . . off to work on some birthday preparations. . . my baby will be 2 next week!

Stuffed Mushrooms: a tutorial of awesomeness!

I love stuffed mushrooms.  I especially love the ones you can get as a small plate at the cheesecake factory. . . it is a guilty pleasure my mom and I enjoy every year because the men in our lives just don't agree with our love of mushrooms.  In fact, my husband, will probably disagree on my title of awesomeness.  But, these ARE awesome!  I promise you.  

I made these for some family gathering back in November and my sister-in-law, Kristal, keeps asking for the recipe.  Since, I made up the recipe and it was all in my head, I decided it was time to get it down electronically so that it can be enjoyed by all.  (So, Kristal, in case you are reading this. . . this post is for you!).  

The first step in every recipe is gather and prep your ingredients.  You will need some bread crumbs, white wine (I like the sweetness that a moscato has to offer), parsley (dried or fresh work), Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, garlic, \ a shallot, and mushrooms, of course.

First, take your mushrooms and wash them very carefully.  Pull out the stems (it's okay if one mushrooms break apart).  Heat your pan to medium with about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Allow to heat, while you chop your veggies. Set your stems aside and chop them up.   Then chop up your shallot. 

Add to the heated oil, your chopped shallot and mushroom stems.  Also add a few cloves of garlic, chopped (I love my Pampered Chef garlic press for this job!).

As your shallots start looking soft, pour 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of your favorite white wine into your pan with the mushroom mixture.  Allow it to simmer/cook for about 10 or so minutes.  A lot of the liquid will evaporate during this time, which is what you want. 

While you are cooking down your wine, in a small bowl, combine your cream cheese (you can use 1/2 to 1/3 of a block.  It's up to you how cheesy you want it to be.  You can zap it for a few seconds to make it soft if you need it to be.  Add your parsley and a few handfuls of Parmesan cheese.  I honestly don't measure too much here, just however much you feel is necessary. Using a spatula, mix that up as well as you can.

After 10 or so minutes of simmering, your mushroom stem mixture should be soft and the liquid should be reduced to about 1/2 of what it was when you first put the wine in.  Pour into your cream cheese mixture.  The heat, will melt everything and make it easier to stir.

Spoon the mixture into the mushrooms.  Mine are usually overflowing with goodness.  Then sprinkle your favorite bread crumbs over the top and stick in the oven at 350 for about 10-20 minutes. . . keep an eye on it until they have a nice golden top.  

Oh, don't they look wonderful?  It makes me want to go make some right.now.  Seriously, they are that good!  And they are way cheaper to make then ordering them at Cheesecake Factory.  That makes me happy.  Very happy!

Okay, one last picture. . . i'll bet you are checking your refrigerator for ingredients. . . don't lie. . . you know you are.

Now, that I am done blogging for the day, I am going to go sew on some buttons. . .

2013. . . random thoughts to start the year

Welcome to 2013. . . it's a new year.  One that I am looking forward to with anticipation.  (I think, though, that I may feel this way every year. . . I don't know?).  This year will be a year that includes some changes, some trusting, and some new goals.

Last week, my husband and I each made a list of our goals and things outside of our budget that we wanted to do. . . then we shared our lists. . . we now have one big list, and I know for a fact that not everything will get accomplished.  But, we can dream right?

I hate resolutions, because they are usually not doable and most often are forgotten about within the first few months.  I do, however, enjoy the sales that come with people trying to lose weight. . . Special K is always on sale in January and that makes me very happy!  Plus, they came out with one this year that is chocolate and strawberries. . . it's a limited edition. . . maybe I should stock up?

Here are some of my goals for the year:
Slow Down (yep. .  . this is going to be a hard one for me)
3 quilts.  One of which, you will see a block each month.  (I should probably start getting to work)
More card making. . . I miss it.
Albums need to be caught up. . . seriously, I am so behind.
Try new recipes (and I am already on a roll with that).
Garden. . . i am super excited about this one. . . I will have to share my journey with you.

This year, I chose a word that is my ultimate goal.  To SHINE.  Yes, I want to shine for Jesus and I want that to be clear in everything I do.   I want to shine to my boys and to other moms.  I want to not be so busy that I miss out on meeting a need or passing out some kindness.  I am super excited about this one!

Okay, so I have some work for you. . . I want you all to comment (please) and tell me about your plans for the new year. . . ready . . . set. . . go!

Getting back into a routine

I honestly have no idea where November went. I still can't believe that it is December! Here's a brief overview of November:
Organized our annual Mops boutique! Celebrated my 33rd birthday, celebrated the life on Jon's grandma who passed away, went on vacation, and somehow managed to keep my family fed and my kids alive!
It's month we are taking it slow and I am loving it!

We started advent this week... We are doing the Truth in the tinsel again...I love the crafts and the concepts that lie within this study! Plus this year, they have printable ornaments, which helps when we don't have the time to do the craft.

We are also following Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. Using our little people nativity, the kids get up each morning and hunt for them to see how far they traveled. This morning they we in the bathroom checking out Nemo, our goldfish. Baby Jesus will make their appearance on Christmas morning...it is really helping build the anticipation on Jesus' birth and the real meaning of Christmas.

This morning, I made the most delicious and simple doughnuts for the kids...I had to cut Ethan off,or he may have eaten all of them! He even asked if we could make hem for daddy sometime. I have a feeling we will be making them again soon!

Super easy cinnamon sugar doughnuts

Ingredients:
Oil
1 cup sugar
2 tbs cinnamon
1 pkg pills bury biscuits
Small cookie cutter

Directions:
Heat oil so it sizzles when you drop a few sprinkles of water on top. While it is heating, combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl; set aside. Open can of biscuits and flatten each a little' make a hole with a small cookie cutter (we used christmas trees). Drop dough into pan and cook until golden brown on each side. Take out and immediately coat in sugar mixture. Let cool enough that it doesn't burn your hands and serve!

Enjoy!