Breadsticks

Really good.  My family says they want these now all the time.  I used to just get the frozen bread-sticks from Walmart.
Take one bread-stick and spread it out.  Sprinkle cheese on the break-stick.  I used mozzarella this time but I have used Colby-jack before.  Press the cheese into the bread-stick and then put another bread-stick on top.  Press the sides together.  Sprinkle the Garlic Parmesean powder on top and then twist.  Repeat until all the bread-sticks are used up.  This will only make six bread-sticks.
Cook for the time on the Pillsbury container.
Enjoy.

Roloitas - Cookie Bar

My family loves this.  It is so yummy.

1 pkg Rolo's candies
1 cup chocolate chips (if you want).  
3/4 cup butter melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup oats (I used old fashioned)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Add everything but the Rolo's and chocolate chips together.
Pat 1/2 the mixture in a 8x8 baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and layer the Rolo's candy over the crust.  As much or as little as you want.  Then if you want sprinkle the chocolate chips between the Rolo's. 
Crumble the rest of the mixture on top of the Rolo's and bake for another 15 -20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.
Cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy the goodness :)

Homemade Chlli

My first try and I was so excited my family actually liked this.  They had second and third helpings.
I took a couple of different recipes and mixed them up together.

Brown 1 pound of ground beef with a teaspoon of onion powder.
Drain and and add to a large stockpot.
Add the following to the stockpot.

2 - 8oz cans of Roasted garlic tomato sauce
1 and 1/2 cups water
2 - 15oz cans of pinto beans 
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 packet chilli mix
1/2 packet taco seasoning mix

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 25 minutes.  Serve with shredded cheese and crackers.

Homemade Doggie Bone Treats

My step-daughter and I tried these today.  Turned out pretty good.  The new little kitten we have even liked them.  We changed up the recipe a bit from the one  we got.

3 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tablespoons dry milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 1/2 cups rice flour *


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl blend the eggs and pumpkin together.
Add the dry milk, sea salt and parsley.
Slowly add in the flour until it forms a dry dough.
Roll out as thin or thick as you like and use bone cookie cutters to cut out bone shapes.
Place on cookie sheet.  No grease necessary.
Bake 18 minutes and then flip over bones and continue to bake another 18 minutes.
Cool completely before feeding to animals.

Recipe we took this from called for brown rice flour but we could not find it so we used white rice flour. The brown rice flour is supposed to promote better digestion and some animals have allergies to regular flour.  So hopefully the white rice flour is also better.   But you can use regular flour.

Yummy Lasagna

I have made this several times and it turns out great every time.

You will need:
Hamburger or turkey burger
Spaghetti sauce - any kind or flavor
A box of oven ready lasagna
Small container of Ricotta cheese
Small bag of Mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees
I use a 9x9 glass baking dish but you could use a 9x13 dish also
Brown the hamburger or turkey burger and drain off excess fat
Spread out a layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the dish
Then lay out the lasagna.  Takes two for the 9x9.
Spread the ricotta cheese on the lasagna pieces and then cover with mozzarella cheese.  As much or as little as you like
Next spread a layer of hamburger or turkey burger over the cheese.  As much or as little as you like
Repeat as many times as needed to fill dish to top.
Add one more layer of lasagna and put spaghetti sauce and cheese to top it off
Cover with tin foil
Bake for 30 minutes.  Take the foil off and bake for another 15 minutes
Serve with garlic bread or sticks

Alka-Seltzer uses around the home

DIY - Uses for Alka-Seltzer around the Home

1. Safely Unclog A Drain

A great natural solution for unclogging the drain! Just drop four Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain, followed by a cup of white vinegar and allow to stand for about ten minutes. Flush with a pot of boiling water. Doing this on a regular basis can help keep that drain clear. This also works to deodorize the drain.

2. Clean a Toilet In A Hurry
Drop two tablets in the toilet, wait 20 minutes for the citric acid to loosen the grime, scrub and flush. The bowl will be clean, shiny, and deodorized. Handy for a quick clean in case of uninvited, unannounced, surprise guests.

3. An All-Purpose Cleaner
Alka Seltzer can also be a good all around cleaner. Plop three tablets into 8 ounces of warm water. Once the fizzing stops, dip a sponge in the water (or you could fill a spray bottle) and wipe down counters, tiles and tubs. You can even place some in your sink and use as mop water. Just add five tablets to one half gallon of water.

4. Soothe Insect Bites
Drop two tablets in warm water, then soak a cotton ball in the solution. Place on the bite for 30 minutes for relief from the insect bites.

5. Catch a Fish
Fish love bubbles. Break a tablet in half and throw it out near your fishing line, or put a tablet inside your tube jig and cast off. The fish won’t be able to resist the stream of bubbles.

6. Remove Burnt On Food From Bakeware
Drop 5 tablets into a sink full of hot water and let your cookware soak for an hour or so. The burnt food will come off with ease.

7. Whiten and Brighten Your Laundry
To get rid of dingy yellow color on white cotton, soak your whites in a solution of a gallon of warm water and two Alka Seltzer tablets. Then hang your whites in the sun to dry to get rid of any lingering stains.

8. Deodorize the Fridge
For a clean, fresh smelling refrigerator, drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet in a cup of water and leave it in the refrigerator for a half hour. If there is still a smell in the refrigerator, then wash down the inside of the refrigerator with another Alka-Seltzer tablet in water.

9. Clean a Glass Jar, Flower Vase or Thermos
For those difficult to clean vessels with narrow-necks, and hard to reach places, drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets in, add hot water and swish it around until the tablets are dissolved and let it sit for an hour. Rinse, and the glass jar, vase or Thermos will be as clean as new.

10. Restore Stained Plastic Containers
Got spaghetti sauce stains on your plastic containers? Simply fill your container with warm to hot water and depending on the size drop 1-2 tablets into the water. Let sit for 30 minutes and the stains will disappear before your eyes.

11. Polish Your Jewelry
Drop two tablets in a bowl of warm water. Let your jewelry soak for about 20 minutes. It will look new again! (Note: This is not safe for pearls or opals.)

12. Build Rockets For Kids
Entertain little ones by heading outside with an empty film canister, filled halfway with warm water. Drop in half a tablet, snap on the lid and place the canister upside down on the sidewalk or driveway. Take a step back and watch your rocket blast off!

13. Clean Your Coffeemaker
Fill the water chamber of the coffeemaker and then drop in three tablets. When the Alka-Seltzer has dissolved, put the coffeemaker through a brew cycle. This will clean out all the internal components. Run through another plain water cycle before using the machine again for coffee.

14. Help For Nicotine Addiction
If you’re trying to quit smoking Alka-Seltzer can help. Take two tablets three times a day to relieve nicotine withdrawal symptoms and curb cravings.

15. Cure Urinary Tract Infections
Showing signs of a urinary infection? Take two tablets in a glass of water as soon as you notice symptoms. Results are almost immediate. Keep in mind that Aspirin is a main ingredient in Alka-Seltzer so those with Aspirin allergies shouldn’t use it.

16. Clean and Deodorize A Cooler
After an outing or trip, add about 1 inch of water to the bottom of your cooler, drop 4 tablets in, and let sit for an hour. After an hour, rinse and dry. All smells will be gone and it will be clean and ready for its next use.

S17. Clean Dentures
Drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet into a glass of warm water, and then drop your dentures into the glass for about ten minutes. The citric acid and carbonation will remove the toughest stains from your dentures and other prosthetic dental work. This is an excellent substitute for more expensive denture cleanser products.

Surprising uses for Vicks VapoRub

Surprising uses for Vicks VapoRub.

- Use on your feet

     Apply to your feet to provide nighttime cough relief.  Rub all over your feet and then put on socks.  Your cough should go away.

- Sore Muscles

     Apply to the sore area.  It increases circulation and provides instant relief.

- Nail Fungus

     Apply to your toenails if you think you have fungus.  The nail should turn dark in a couple of days indicating that the Vicks is killing the fungus.  As the toenail grows out you shouldn't have any more fungus.  Keep applying for a couple of weeks to insure the fungus is gone.

-Stop your cat from Scratching or your pets from Peeing.

    Apply a small amount to areas where your cat likes to scratch.  Cats don't like the smell.  This works for peeing for dogs or cats too.  The smell will keep them from peeing.

- Headaches

     Apply a small amount to your temples and forehead to help with headaches.  The scent will relieve the pressure in your head and help with pain.

- Ticks 

    Apply to tick.  The strong odor should help them release themselves.  

- Mosquitoes

     Apply small amounts to your skin and/or clothes.  The mosquitoes should not bother you because of the smell.

     

Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I have been having trouble making chocolate chip cookies.  They keep turning out real flat and crispy.  I wanted them more fluffy and chewy.  Been trying different things from Pinterest and finally  found a combination of recipes that worked for me.  They turned out really good.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients.

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 1/2 cups flour
3 Tablespoons instant vanilla pudding
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (or m&ms or any other kind of chocolate pieces you want to try)
1/2 cups walnuts (or any other kind of nuts) this is optional


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the butter with the sugars.  I found using a fork helped.  When these are well combined and the egg and vanilla flavor.  Mix until well combined again.  Then add the flour, vanilla pudding, baking soda and salt.  Combine well and then add the chocolate chips and nuts if your using them.

Place the dough about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet as big or little as you want your cookies to be. I baked mine for about 12 minutes and they came out perfect.  All ovens seem to be different so you may need to change your cooking times.  Place on a cooling rack for a bit and then enjoy the goodness :)

This made about two dozen.  It would depend on how big you make your cookies.

Easy Noodle Bake

Easy Noodle Bake

Brown one pound hamburger.
Add one large jar of any kind of spaghetti sauce to browned hamburger.

Cook one bag of egg noodles.
Mix  1 1/4 cup of small curd cottage cheese and 1/2 cup of sour cream to cooked noodles.

Mix everything together and put in a baking dish.  You can layer the noodles and meat-sauce mix but it tastes better all mixed together.  Top with shredded cheese.  Any kind you want.  I use a colby jack mix.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Foaming Hand Soap

So my family loves to use the foaming hand soap in the bathrooms.  But I am having a hard time finding the refills for it any more.
Now I can make my own.
You will need a old foaming hand soap dispenser.  Buy a bottle of regular hand soap.  Any kind.  I like to get them at the dollar store.
Fill your foaming hand soap dispenser up to a inch high with the regular hand soap.  Add water to fill up the rest of the bottle.  Put the lid back on and shake.  WALAA.  Foaming hand soap.
You will save a lot of money also because you can fill up your foaming hand soap dispenser several times from one bottle of regular liquid soap.

Camo Cupcakes

My step-daughter and I made Camo Cupcakes for my brother's birthday today.
They turned out so great and were a big hit.

Mix a box of chocolate cake mix as directed on the box.
Mix a box of white cake mix as directed on the box.
Put half the white cake mix in another bowl.  Add a little of the chocolate mix and green food coloring until you have a camo green color.
Drop spoon fulls of each color into cupcakes liners in a cupcake pan until it is about 3/4 full.   You might want to use more of the chocolate just because there will be more of that mix.
Cook as directed for cupcakes on the cake mix box.

When the cupcakes are cool you can put icing on them.
You will need one can of chocolate icing and one of white icing (I used cream cheese icing).
Put half the white icing in another bowl.  Add chocolate icing and green food coloring until you have a camo green color.

Put each color in a icing bag or ziplock.  Then put all three bags in a bigger icing bag or ziplock.
Cut the tip off and add a icing tip.  What ever kind you want.  Then swirl it on the cupcakes.  It will come out with the different colors.  I found that taping the three bags together before putting them in the larger bag helped.

  Hope someone else enjoys them as much as us.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Forgot I made these a while ago.

Just get a cake mix box and mix as directed on the box.
Use cupcake baking sheet with cupcake liners.   Spray cooking spray in cupcake liners.
Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.  Put ice cream cones on top of the cupcake batter.
Cook as directed on the cake mix box for cupcakes.
When the cupcakes have cooled a bit pull the liner off the cupcakes.  I had to shave a few of the cupcakes to make them more round.   I didn't use enough cooking spray and they stuck to the liners a bit.

Decorate with whatever icing or sprinkles you like.

Crock Pot Chicken w/ Rice

Made this yesterday.  The night before I chopped up some carrots and celery.  As you can see by the pic I don't have any on my plate but the rest of the family likes it so I do it.

In the morning I put three frozen chicken breast in the crockpot.
Add a large can of Cream of Chicken Soup.
Add the chopped carrots and celery.
Use the empty soup can and add 1 1/2 cans of water.
Add 1 packet of chicken gravy mix.
A little salt.
Cook in crockpot for 8 to 10 hours.

When I got home I just microwaved some rice.
Shred the chicken up and pour over the rice.

Turned out great.

Pampered Chef Rice Cooker Plus Cake

So this was my first pin.  I bought a Pampered Chef  Rice Cooker Plus.

I used a Yellow cake mix and mixed as directed on the box.
Pour into the Rice Cooker Plus Bowl.
Swirl Chocolate Syrup on top of the cake mixture.
Microwave for 10 minutes.
The cake pops out on to a plate super easy.
Drizzle more Chocolate Syrup over the cake.
Serve with Whipped Cream.

It was the best when it was still warm.

Hello

Hello out there.
So I am a big fan of Pinterest.  I have never been someone that likes to cook or DIY projects but Pinterest has inspired me.  I have found many things I want to try and have actually tried a few of them.  I get an idea from Pinterest and then do my own version.  I did pin a couple of things but it is hard to put the ingredients in the comments.  So I decided to start a blog and post my creations.  Hopefully someone gets some use from them.